The Magnetic Storm Page 273

The President now takes his stand on an elevated platform near a huge switch which has an ebonite handle about a foot long. He then addresses the distinguished assembly with a short speech, all the while watching a dapper young French officer standing near him, chronometer in hand.

Somewhere a clock begins striking the hour of ten. The President still speaks but finishes a few seconds later. The distinguished assemblage applauds and cheers vociferously, only to be stopt by the dapper young officer who slowly raises his right hand, his eyes glued to the chronometer. Immediate silence prevails, only interrupted by the soft purring of the huge generator. The dapper young officer suddenly sings out:

“Monsieur le Président! A-ten-tion! ALLEZ!!”

The President of the glorious French Republic then shouts dramatically: “Messieurs … le jour de gloire est arrivé … VIVE—LA—FRANCE!!”—and throws in the huge switch with its long ebonite handle.

Instantly the ponderous rotary spark gap begins to revolve with a dizzying speed, while blinding blue-white sparks crash all along the inside circumference with a noise like a hundred cannons set off all at once. The large brewery hall intensifies the ear-splitting racket so much that every one is compelled to close his ears with his hands.

Quickly stepping outside the party arrives just in time to see fifteen Boche airplanes volplaning down and disappearing behind the German lines. A French aerial officer who had observed the German aeroplanes, drops his glass, steps over to the President, salutes smartly and says impressively:

“Le ‘cirque’ du Baron d’Unterrichter! Ils sont hors de combat!”

Hors de combat is correct. Von Unterrichter was not to fly again for many a week.

We look around to tell the glad news to General Pétain, but the latter has disappeared into a low brick building where he now sits surrounded by his staff, poring over military maps ornamented with many vari-colored pencil marks, as well as little brightly-colored pin flags. Telephone and telegraph instruments are all about the room.

Again the President shakes hands with Monsieur Sparks, congratulating him on his achievement. Luncheon is then served in the former office of the brewery, gayly bedecked with the Allied flags along the walls. But even here, far from the titanic rotary spark gap, its crashing sparks are audible. Looking thru the window we see a wonderful sight. Altho it is broad daylight, the entire queer telegraph line is entirely enveloped in a huge violet spray of electric sparks. It is as if “heat-lightning” were playing continuously about the whole line. No one may venture within fifty feet of the line. It would mean instant death by this man-made lightning.

Luncheon is soon over and more speeches are made. Suddenly the door flings open and General Pétain steps in. One look at his remarkable features, and all talk stops as if by magic. He crosses the room towards the President, salutes and says in a calm voice, tho his eyes betray his deep emotion:

“Monsieur le Président, toute l’armée Allemande est en retraite!!”

And so it was. The greatest and final retreat of the Kaiser’s “invincible” hordes was in full swing towards the Rhine.

More congratulations are to be offered to Sparks. A medal, … Heavens, where is that young man? But Sparks has slipt over to his machines and is standing in front of the noisy “thunder and lightning” wheel eyeing it enthusiastically.

“Why, oh WHY, do they call you éclateur!” he says. “Spark Gap is good enough for me!” “Oh, boy!! But you aren’t doing a thing to those Germins!”

THE END

Translation of German and French Terms Used in This Story.

GERMAN

Verdammte Yankee Schweinehunde: Damned Yankee Pig-Dogs!
Sie, Müller: You, Müller!
Zu Befehl, Herr Leutnant: At your orders, Lieutenant!
Versammlung, sofort: Assembly, at once!
Dieses Amerikanische Gesindel: This American rabble!
Schiesst die Lumpen zusammen: Shoot the ragamuffins together!
Vorwärts für Gott und Vaterland: Onward, for God and Fatherland!
Dollarjäger: Dollar Chasers.
Elendige Schweinebande: Miserable band of pigs.
Unsinn: Nonsense.
Flieger: Flyer (aeroplane).
Himmelkreuzdonnerwetter: A popular German cuss word. Literally it means “sky-cross-thunder.” English equivalent is “A thousand thunders.”
Kaput: German slang, equivalent to our slang “busted.”
Auseinander nehmen: Take it apart!
Ausgebrannt: Burnt-out.
Aber so ’was: Such a thing (of all things).
Verfluchte Amerikaner: Cursed Americans.
Teufelmaschine: Diabolic machine.
Zum Kommando, schnell: Quick, to Headquarters!
Donnerwetter nochmal: By all thunders!
Was ist denn jetzt los? What’s up now?
Heiliger Strohsack: Holy bag-of-straw; equivalent to “Holy Gee.”
Dummkopf: Blockhead.
Die Funkenstation: The Radio Station.
Gott sei Lob: God be thanked.
Aber, Herr Leutnant: But, Lieutenant!
Maul halten: Shut up.
Löschfunkenstrecke: Quenched Spark Gap.
Nordlicht, nicht wahr?: Northern lights, is it not?
Dummes Rindsvieh: Stupid piece of cattle.
Grosses Kommando: General Headquarters.

FRENCH

L’éclateur rotatif et les bouteilles de Leyde: Rotary spark gap and Leyden jars.
Le Président de la République: The President of the Republic.
Monsieur le Président! Attention! Allez!: Mr. President! Ready! Go!
Messieurs, le jour de gloire est, arrivé, vive la France!: Gentlemen, the day of glory has arrived, long live France!
(This is from the second verse of the “Marseillaise”)
Le “cirque” du Baron d’Unterrichter! Ils sont hors de combat!: Baron von Unterrichter’s circus! They are out of the fighting!
Monsieur le Président, toute l’armée Allemande est en retraite: Mr. President, the entire German army is in retreat.