"I am sorry that I cannot hold to my joke, for it was nothing else, as
you know."

"Yes, yes, of course," acquiesced the colonel. "And in the mean time, it
is a great pleasure to see you here, as well as a surprise. I need hardly
tell you that your presence here is quite unknown to your neighbours. We
have little to talk about at this end of the island now that the
Administration is centred more than ever at Ajaccio; and were it known in
the district that you are at Vasselot, you may be sure I should have
heard of it at the cafe or at the hotel where I dine."

"Yes. I came without drum or trumpet."

"You are wise."

The remark was made so significantly that Lory could not ignore it even
if such a course had recommended itself to one of his quick and impulsive
nature.

"What do you mean, colonel?"

Gilbert made a little gesture of the hand that held the half-burnt
cigarette. He deprecated, it would appear, having been drawn to talk on
so serious a topic.

"Well, I speak as one Frenchman to another, as one soldier to another. If
the emperor does not die, he will declare war against Germany. There is
the situation in a nutshell, is it not? And do you think the army can
afford to lose one man at the present time, especially a man who has made