A tall rogue, in uniform, and with red whiskers,
made me wait a long time in the vestibule; they
were at breakfast, and only about one o'clock was
I allowed to go up stairs. Up there another sen-
tinel stopped me, and then, having received per-
mission to enter a rather large room, opening on
the garden of the Arsenal, I knocked at the com-
mander’s door, who told me to come in. I sawa


173


Brigadier Frederick


large, red-faced man, who was walking to and fro,
smoothing down the sleeves of his uniform and
puffing out his cheeks in an ill-natured way. I
told him humbly of my position, and gave him
my certificates; which he did not even take the
trouble to read, but flung them on the table.
“That has nothing at all to do with it,” said
he sharply; ‘‘you are described as a dangerous
person, a determined enemy of the Germans. You
prevented your men from entering our service;
your son-in-law has gone to join the bandits of
Gambetta. You boasted openly in a restaurant
of having refused the offers of the Oberférster of
Zornstadt ; that is four times more than is neces-
sary to deserve being turned out of doors.”
I spoke of the grandmother's condition.
