"Ah! here comes old Pierre, with a German. Have a care, monsieur. Remember you are deaf and dumb." Looking out of the window into the darkling street, Burton saw a bent old man tottering along by the side of one of the orderlies who had recently ridden away. "They are not coming here, Dieu merci!" said the smith at his elbow. "They are going to the butcher’s. These Germans eat like hogs." "Who is the old man?" Burton asked. "Servant of monsieur le marquis, monsieur. They have grown old together. There is no other left in the château. Some are at the war; the rest fled, maids and men, when the Germans came before. Ah! it is sad for monsieur and madame in their old age, and their son lying wounded, too." The old serving-man passed from the butcher’s to the baker’s, and thence to other shops, with the orderly always at his side. Soon the old man was staggering under a load of purchases. He faltered and stopped, and the orderly shouted at him, and threatened him with his sword. Burton’s blood boiled. He would have liked to catch the German by the neck and shake him until he howled for mercy. [Illustration: The German way] Then an idea struck him. If he offered to help the laden old man he would make some return for the general’s kindness; perhaps he might be of some further service in the château. He made the suggestion to the smith. "It is madness, monsieur. You would put your head into the lion’s mouth." "What more natural than that a deaf mute should earn a sou by using his muscles? Arrange it, my friend." "They say you English are mad, monsieur," said the smith with a shrug. "A la bonne heure! But you will get more kicks than sous." "Make an opportunity to tell the old man that I am deaf and dumb, and that he is to pretend he knows me. He must inform his master and mistress also. Will he be discreet?" "He will be anything you please for the sake of monsieur le marquis. Come, then, monsieur." They left the house, and came upon the scene just as the orderly had terrorised the old man into making another attempt to carry his burden. The smith soon discovered that the orderly knew no French. He arranged the matter by signs, pointing to Burton’s mouth and ears, and indicating that he was muscularly strong. At the same time he spoke rapidly in French to old Pierre. "Ah, bon, bon!" said the old man. "I understand perfectly. Be sure I will tell the master. Monsieur may rely upon me." Burton shouldered more than half the load, and set off for the château side by side with Pierre, the orderly following. III