Page:Emile Vandervelde - Three Aspects of the Russian Revolution - tr. Jean Elmslie Henderson Findlay (1918).djvu/150

 population of a village dancing on the roadside, singing folk-songs, while in the automobile which was bearing us along we could not help thinking in contrast of the sufferings of occupied Belgium. …

But other surprises were in store for us. About eleven o'clock we reached a little town, Tchertkoff. In the town's principal square there was one big house brightly illuminated. It proved to be one of the largest cafés of the district, where, as in all towns or villages of Austria, the major part of the population spend the most of their time. We went in. An animated crowd, with many Russian officers among them, filled the place. They paid scarcely any attention to us, and allowed us to install ourselves quietly at the only unoccupied table. On that table, as on all the others, there were platters filled with cake and a delicious white bread made with milk and eggs, which, except for the currants, reminded us of our Brussels "cramiques." Along with that there was excellent coffee with cream, such as is