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Page 53
"And to that distant and barbarous country, America, too," said John.
"Aye, and to the Americans also," said Lieutenant Schmidt. "I hear that
they don't love us, although they have much of our blood in their veins.
There are many people among them bearing German names who denounce us.
When we finish with our enemies here in Europe we'll teach the barbarous
Americans to love the Kaiser."
"A hard task," said John, with meaning.
"So it will be," said Lieutenant Schmidt, taking his meaning
differently, "but the harder the task the better we Germans love it.
And now, Castel, here comes your passport. Its little winged words will
bear you safely to the headquarters of General Osterweiler thirty miles
to the north and east, and there you'll have to get another passport, if
you can. _Auf wiedersehen,_ Jean Castel. Your forefathers were French,
but you are German, good German, and I wish you well."
Lieutenant Schmidt's cheeks were very red just then, not altogether with
the cold, and his benevolence had extended to the whole world, including
the French and English, whom he must fight regretfully.
"Oh," said John, as an afterthought, although he was keenly noting his
condition, "while I was wandering in the snow of the big storm, I heard
from a sentinel that one of our great generals and beloved princes.
Prince Karl of Auersperg, had passed this way with his train."
Perhaps if Lieutenant Schmidt had not taken so much good Munich beer
after a long fast he might have become suspicious, because it was not
the question that an ordinary peasant and cattle-herder would ask unless
the previous conversation had led directly to it. But as it was he
fairly exuded trust and kindness.
"Not here," he replied, "but at a point further toward the west and
north. So great a figure as Prince Karl of Auersperg could scarcely go
by without our hearing of it. Colonel Stratz himself spoke of it in my
presence."
"I saw him once in Metz before the war. A grand and imposing figure.
Perhaps I shall behold him there again in a few days."
"I think not. It was said that the prince was going to his estates in
the east. At least, I think I heard something of the kind, but it
probably means that he was on his way to the eastern frontier. Prince
Karl of Auersperg is not the man to withdraw from the war."
John's heart dropped suddenly. Would he be compelled to follow the
prince halfway across Europe. Oh, why had he left the H�tel de l'Europe
even for a moment? With Picard's help he might have been able to hold
off Auersperg and his followers, or a lucky shot might have disposed of
the prince. He felt it no crime to have wished for such a chance. But
strengthening his heart anew he took up the burden that had grown
heavier.
"_Auf wiedersehen,_ Lieutenant Schmidt," he said, and whistling softly
to himself he began his passage through the German lines, showing his
passport more than a dozen times before he passed the last trench and
rifle pit, and was alone among the hills behind the German lines. He
might have reached the railroad and have gone by train to Metz, but he
preferred, for the present at least, to cling to the country, even at
the risk of much physical hardship and suffering.
He still carried his blankets, and he was traveling through a region
which had been much fought over in the earlier stages of the war. Since
the German lines were still in France some peasants had returned to
their homes, but many houses were yet abandoned, their owners probably
thinking that the tide of battle would roll back upon them, and that it
was better to wait.
He turned presently from the hilly path into a good road, paved almost
like a street, and breaking from a bush a stout stick, which he used
peasant fashion as a cane, he walked briskly along the smooth surface,
now almost clear of the snow which had fallen in much smaller quantities
in the lowlands.
He met a battery of four twenty-one-centimeter guns with their numerous
crews and an escort of cavalry, advancing to the front, and he stepped
to one side of the road to let them pass. The leader of the cavalry
hailed him and John's heart gave a sudden alarming throb as he
recognized von Boehlen. But his courage came back when he saw that he
would not have known the Prussian had he remained twenty feet away. Von
Boehlen was deeply tanned and much thinner. There were lines in his face
and he had all the appearance of a man who had been through almost
unbearable hardships.
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