He consulted a green portfolio that lay spread before him on the table. Behind him a little man in grey was energetically trying goose quills. Probably he was the reporter. The examination began. With frigid politeness the Landrath put the usual questions. "Where have you resided hitherto?" Boleslav enumerated several places. "Your word is of course to be trusted, _Herr Baron_, but have you proofs?" "No." "Up to what date does your answer hold good?" "Till the spring of the year '13." "After that?" "I entered the army." "Have you proofs to support that statement?" "No." "I regret to say that the name von Schranden is not to be found in the army list." "I enlisted under another." "Under the name of Baumgart?" "Yes." "For what reason?" There was silence. Boleslav bit his lips. "Ha, ha!" came triumphantly from the window. The exclamation put Boleslav on his mettle. "To have borne my real name would have involved me in difficulties." "Why?" "Because, through a rumour which I was powerless to contradict, there was a blot on that name." "What rumour?" It was clear this man intended to humiliate him to the dust before passing on him the inevitable sentence. "You know it," he murmured faintly between his closed teeth. The Landrath bowed. "Nevertheless I must ask for information on the subject." "I decline to give it." The mob sent up a shout of scornful laughter. "Do for him at once! put him in chains!" roared the same hiccoughing voice that had made use of an abusive epithet earlier in the proceedings. The Landrath gracefully waved his long white hands. "A note has been made of that refusal?" he asked without turning round. A small quavering pipe behind him, which greatly amused the Schrandeners, answered in the affirmative. Then he continued with imperturbable politeness. "May I ask you, then, to tell me to which company you were attached?" Boleslav did so, and also gave the names of his Heide comrades. The Landrath turned over the leaves of his portfolio with an air of ennui. The concerns of the volunteer Jägers evidently had no interest for him. "You were elected officer?" "Yes." "I do not doubt your word, _Herr Baron_, but have you proofs to back _this_ statement?" "No." "A note must be made of that negative. And then you entered the Landwehr?" "Yes." "Your reason?" Boleslav indicated, with a motion of his head, the companion of his boyhood. "Because I did not wish to meet that man." Felix gave a scoffing laugh, and exclaimed, "Else the swindle would----" A sign from the Landrath silenced him. "Your Landwehr regiment, if you please?" Boleslav cited the commandant's name. The Landrath bowed low over the portfolio till his shock of hair almost concealed his faded shrunken face.