November 11, 1918

Colonel House treated us to a bit of acting this morning, which left Frazier and myself abashed and ashamed of our own poor performances. At what seemed to us the crack of dawn, although it was really after eight, General Mordacq appeared. He is the principal military aid of the Tiger; he wore the formal uniform of great occasions and was covered with decorations, and his mien was portentous. “I have come to tell you, at the express orders of the president of the Council of Ministers, that the armistice terms have been accepted and signed. M. Clemenceau wished that you, who have contributed so notably to the happy result of the negotiations, should be first advised and by word direct from him.”

As a matter of fact, through our own official channels some hours before we had been advised of all that had happened at the Rethondes meeting, but the Colonel acted as though the news came to him like a bolt from a blue sky. He thanked Mordacq warmly, patted both his hands affectionately, only stopping short of the accolade. When the General left the Colonel explained, “He would have been mortified if after ‘deranging’ himself at this early hour he had seen that the news he brought was a twice-told tale.”