“You're a-going out to Italy, ain't you, sir?” he asked. I was shaving at the moment, and contented myself with a mere affirmative grunt. “Well, it's like this, sir,” said Hinge; “I was in a civil capacity when I was in Austria, wasn't I, sir?” “Well, yes,” I told him, “I suppose so.” “They couldn't have sworn me in without my knowing it, could they, sir?” Hinge demanded. “Of course I picked up a bit of the language in the course of a year or two, but when I went there I didn't speak a word. When I was first engaged, sir, there was a lot of things said to me as I didn't understand no more than the babe unborn. Now, if I was swore in,” Hinge proceeded, with an air of argument, “and if I was swore in in anything but a civil capacity, that can't be counted as being binding on my heart and conscience. Now, can it, sir?” “You silly fellow,” I answered, “you couldn't have been sworn in without being aware of it. A man cannot vow and promise that he will do anything without his own knowledge and desire.” “Well, then, sir,” said Hinge, apparently relieved a little, “if I was swore in--and I might have been, you know, sir--I don't know but what they might have thought they'd done it--but even if it was so, you wouldn't think it binding?” “Of course it couldn't be binding, but of course nothing of the sort was done. You were engaged, as I understand, as a groom.” Hinge assented. “You happened to be engaged by a gentleman who was an officer in a foreign army. You don't suppose that an officer makes it his business to swear in all his civilian servants, do you?” “Why, no, sir,” Hinge admitted. “But it was a foreign country, and a lot of things was said to me as I didn't understand no more than the babe unborn.” “You may make your mind quite easy on that score, Hinge. You are not in any way bound to the Austrian service. But what difference can that possibly make to you now?”