"’Caught fire!’ he said. Mon Dieu! ’In the early morning--not too early, for that would disturb the sleep of some good Germans; but not too late, for that would bring the whole village here. If the west wing were burned, and all in it’--_all in it_, monsieur!--’it would be a good thing for Germany. Understand,’ he said, ’it will be an accident. We should all try to put the fire out, but we should not succeed, naturally. These old places burn well. You understand? Well then, good-night--and see that you don’t call me too soon--versteht sich!’ The orderly chuckled, monsieur. Mon Dieu! Monsieur et madame, le pauvre capitaine! Ah ciel! Quelle horreur!" IV The old man sank back in his chair, half fainting. Burton gave him more brandy. Aghast at the atrocious villainy of the scheme--incredible but for the crimes which had already stained the German arms--he was for the moment unable to think of anything but the scene he saw in imagination--flames illuminating the dawn, eating away the staircase, enclosing the three helpless people above in a fiery furnace. The old man groaned aloud. "Take care!" whispered Burton. "Tell me, are there arms in the house?" "Why, yes, monsieur; a rifle and two revolvers, in the captain’s room--well hidden, par exemple!" "Is there a back staircase to the upper rooms?" "By that door yonder, monsieur," replied Pierre, pointing to a small door in the corner. "If anybody comes and asks about me, say that I have gone home. Pull yourself together for the sake of monsieur and madame." "But, monsieur----" "Chut! The party is breaking up. Listen! They are going to their rooms in the east wing. Courage, my friend!" He extinguished the oil lamp, pressed Pierre’s hand, and stole noiselessly through the door in the corner. It opened to a narrow staircase. At the head of this there was a passage leading between bedrooms to the main staircase farther along. There was no lamp in the passage, but a faint shine through a skylight lit dimly its farther end. And just as Burton gained the top step, and peered cautiously round the edge of the wall, he was amazed to see Major Schwikkard unlock a door on the left, and enter the room. "Go into the next room," came the curt command in French. "Monsieur, I cannot leave my son," protested the marquise. "Have you no humanity at all?" "Gabble is useless. Go into the next room, and take the old man with you. Or shall I shoot him before your eyes?"