I don’t know. He must have got wind of it somehow. He left us suddenly, at the end of July, gave out that his mother was ill. JEAN GILSON That shows again that they knew what was going to happen and were preparing for it. And, as _he_ had been warned, he might at least have done the same by his father-in-law and still more by his wife’s brother. THE SECRETARY You see, those people aren’t like us. JEAN GILSON Or rather we’re not like them, thank Heaven!... Have they been married long? THE SECRETARY Close on six months. JEAN GILSON Are they happy? THE SECRETARY They worshipped each other. And one’s got to be fair. Otto is a very pleasant, good-hearted fellow, very kind, and liked doing people a good turn. Worked very hard. Polite to everybody. Clever too, very. Nothing really to be said against him. JEAN GILSON Except that he’s a German; and that’s quite enough.... And how does his wife take it all? THE SECRETARY She’s very much upset, of course; and that’s bad, because, as I hear, she is at this moment—you understand. However, it’s not certain yet.... She is very restless, very depressed, but she doesn’t say anything: she was never one to talk much. JEAN GILSON But he must surely have told her, have prepared her?... She must have known what was going on? THE SECRETARY I know nothing about that. I’m not in her confidence. JEAN GILSON And what does the master say? THE SECRETARY He’s dreadfully worried. At first, he was quite bowled over. He simply refused to believe it. Then he was furious, wild, beside himself. But he calmed down after a bit: you see, he was always something of an optimist; and now he’s beginning to think that things will be settled very soon. But here he is. (_Enter the_ BURGOMASTER, _carrying a basket filled with prize grapes._) THE SECRETARY (_Rising._) Good-morning, Mr. Burgomaster. THE BURGOMASTER Good-morning, Pierre. How are you? THE SECRETARY As well as can be, after working all night. THE BURGOMASTER Is everything settled at the Town-hall? THE SECRETARY Yes, Mr. Burgomaster. All the arms have been stored there; I drew up a list myself and gave the receipts.... But let me introduce my old friend Jean Gilson, who’s been wounded at Aerschot. He was in hospital at Winkel when the Germans entered the town yesterday; he managed to escape last night. THE BURGOMASTER (_Shaking hands with_ GILSON.) So you were at Aerschot?