Barlasch of the Guard

but what I Do

ttle marriage-basket," she called it. She had even made th

aloud, "to think what it

ll under discussion, and the Grafin had just admitted that it was almost as good as that other cake whi

head of the stairs. "He has a paper in his hand.

t the temples, almost white. His eyes were lost behind shaggy eyebrows. His face was made broader by little whiskers stopping short at the

long strip of blue paper. "Of the Guard. O

er in the dim light that filtered through th

who stood, comely and breath

yebrow with a jerk, so that it almost touched his cheek. His right eye, gr

n us?" asked Desiree without seeking to hi

m quartered here. Thirty-six, Frauengasse. Sebastian; music

r by a red pocket-handkerchief not innocent of snuff. He held out this bundle to Desiree, as Solomon ma

ood against her breast. Then a gleam of the one grey eye that was visible convey

lucky to get me. You may not think so now. Would thi

ak so many

s as far as his many burdens allowed. For he was

said, "can always ma

with the air of a brisk man

few minutes and one is at home-perhaps peeling the potatoes. It is only a civi

eemed to know the house by instinct. His progress was accompanied by a c

rned and shook an admonitory finger at the servant, but he said nothing. He looked round at the highly polished utensi

, "a little bit of horse thrust into the cinders

ucepans which indicated quite clearly that he

o Desiree over his shoulder in

llet was a misfortune which Charles Darragon had hitherto succeeded in wardin

and. The question, he seemed t

take-that is my motto. When you hav

ct usually possessed by charwomen and other domesticated persons of experience where the firewood was kept. Lisa gave a little exclamation of surprise at his impertinence and his perspicacity. He took the firewood, unknotted his handkerchief, a

he inqui

e answered. "I was mar

beings, by a hundred instinctive gestures he could, it seemed, dispense with words on occasion and get on quite as well without them. He clearly disapproved of Desiree's marriage, and drew

as if recognizing that it was no busine

embers on the hearth with the point of a twisted, rusty bayonet, "but tha

put out his tongue, in the manner of the p

chen by Papa Barlasch. And when that warrior had been supplied with beer it was with Desiree, in an agitated whisper in the g

d their hurried consultation by opening the door

is a little room behind the kitchen, that opens into the yard. I

on of domestic peace and comfort whic

I are old friends," he

house, monsieur," said Desiree,

"It is quiet. I shall not hear the patron touching on his

siree, still consi

rlasch, turning towards the kitchen

expressed by a shake of the head a fellow-feeling for the gentleman upstairs, whos

Barlasch, with the promptitude of an experienced

h he happened to make aloud, as some do for better remembrance. "This solid gi

o you," he added under his

made no sound beneath her light step. How many weary feet had climbed them since they were built! For the Dantzigers have

was natural to her to be optimistic. Both she and Mathilde made a practice of withholding from their father's knowledge

to the arrival of Papa Barlasch; though Mathilde found opportunity

He was courteous and quick to see a want or a possible desire of any one of his guests. It was part of his s

no doubt," he said with that grand air wh

ecially the minor trouble of another. He was unusually thoughtful. Some event of the morning had, it would appear, given him pause o

a brief silence, and all heard the clatter of a horse's f

he came back

bow towards Mathilde. "It is,

not return at once, and soon the

"you, who are now his wife, must be dying to know what has

s. She had not been aware of this consumi

the face that she had seen for a moment when he drew her back at the corner of the Pfaffengasse to allow the Emperor's carriag

am wanted at head-quarters," he sa

d attempt to simulate cheerfulness, kissed