ith her eyes wet. Had he
understood the look, and been of a bold nature, he would have clasped
the girl to his breast and kissed her. Her red lips would have made
scarcely any resistance. But the confusion of mind passed quickly, the
light afternoon sunshine and the sight of the people passing through
the breach in the castle wall brought him to full consciousness, and
the dangerous step was not taken. Loulou recovered her sprightliness,
and going back to his story asked him, "So you have been in a campaign?"

"Certainly."

"Did you become an officer?"

"No, fraulein, only a 'vize-Feldwebel.'"

"Have you fought in a battle?"

"Oh, yes, at Burkersdork, Skalitz, Koniginhof, and Koniggratz."

"That must have been frightfully interesting. And have you ever killed
one of the enemy?"

"Happily not. It does not fall to the lot of every soldier to kill a
man. He does his duty if he stands up in his place ready to be killed."

"Have you any photographs of yourself in uniform?"

He looked at her surprised and said:

"No, why?"

A roguish smile, which at the last question had curled at the corners
of her mouth, broke into a merry laugh.

"I wanted to know whether you marched into battle with your curls, or
whether you sacrificed them to the fatherland?"

Wilhelm was not offended, but said simply:

"Dear young lady, appearances give you the right to make fun--"

"Ah, don't be angry, I am ill-mannered."

"No, no, you are quite right; but, believe me, I only wear my hair long
so as to save myself the trouble of going to the hairdresser's. If I
dared imagine that I should be less insupportable with a tonsure--"

"For heaven's sake, don't think of it, the curls suit you very well."
She said this with a frivolity of manner which she immediately
perceived to be unsuitable, and to get over her embarrassment, she
jumped at another subject of conversation. "So you live quite alone?
That strikes me as being very dreary. Still you must have many friends?"

"Yes, so-called friends--comrades from the gymnasium, from the academy,
and the university. But I do not count much on these superficial
acquaintances--I have really only one friend."

"Who is she"

"He is called Paul Haber, and is Assistant of Chemistry at the
Agricultural College."

"A nice man?"

"Oh, yes."

"How old is he?"

"About a year older than I am."

"What is he like?"

Wilhelm smiled.

"I believe he is very good-looking, strong, not very tall