ket opened at a short distance off, and a tall man, in a
gray surtout and a plain cocked hat without a feather, came forward. He
held a riding-whip in his hand, and seemed, from his splashed equipment,
to have just descended from the saddle.

"Well, Fritz," said he, "I hope the frost has done us no mischief?"

The old gardener turned round at the words, and, touching his hat
respectfully, continued his work, while he replied,--

"No, Mein Herr; it was but a white hoar, and everything has escaped
well."

"And whom have you got here for an assistant, may I ask?" said he,
pointing to me, whom he now saw for the first time.

As the question was asked in German, although I understood it I left the
reply to the gardener.

"God knows!" said the old fellow, in a tone of easy indifference; "I
think he must be a soldier of some sort."

The other smiled at the remark, and, turning towards me, said, in
French,--

"You are, perhaps, unaware, sir, being a stranger, that it is the
Emperor of Austria's desire this chateau should not be intruded on."

"My offending, sir," interrupted I, "was purely accidental. I am the
bearer of despatches for General Savary; and having stopped to inquire
from this honest man--"

"The general has taken his departure for Goeding," he broke in, without
paying further attention to my explanation.

"For Goding! and may I ask what distance that may be?"

"Scarcely a league, if you can hit upon the right path; the road lies
yonder, where you see that dead fir-tree."

"I thank you, sir," said I, touching my hat; "and must now ask my friend
here to release me,--my orders are of moment."

"You may find some difficulty in the wood, after all," said he; "I 'll
send my groom part of the way with you."

Before I could proffer my thanks suitably for such an unexpected
politeness, he had disappeared in the garden through which he entered a
few minutes before.

"I say, my worthy friend, tell me the name of that gentleman; he's one
of the Emperor's staff, if I mistake not. I 'm certain I 've seen the
face before."

"If you had," said the old fellow, laughing, "you could scarcely forget
him; old Frantzerl is just the same these twenty years."

"Whom did you say?"

Before he could reply, the other was at my side.

"Now, sir," said he, "he will conduct you to the highroad. I wish you a
good journey."

These words were uttered in a tone somewhat more haughty than his
previous ones; and contenting