JEAN GILSON Yes, I was a sergeant in the battalion of carabineers which covered the retreat. THE BURGOMASTER Was it much of a fight? JEAN GILSON Yes. Two-thirds of the battalion were killed or wounded. There are always three of them to one of us; and we had no guns. We held our ground as long as we could; then we were obliged to fall back. THE BURGOMASTER You look dreadfully tired and must be starving! Pierre, my dear fellow, why on earth didn’t you...? (_He rings._) I’ll tell him myself. (_Enter the_ FOOTMAN.) Firmin, bring up some cold meat; bring anything you’ve got downstairs: bread, butter, eggs, cheese. What cold meat is there? THE FOOTMAN Veal and chicken, sir; ham, tongue. THE BURGOMASTER All right, bring them all. And as to drink.... (_To_ JEAN GILSON.) What wine do you like? I’ve a splendid Rudesheimer and an ’82 white port which you won’t quarrel with. Which would you like? (_To the_ FOOTMAN.) Look here, bring both, that’s simpler. (_To_ JEAN GILSON.) You can manage a couple of bottles, I dare say. If necessary we’ll lend you a hand, eh, Mr. Secretary? It will be so much less left for the Germans. There’s fruit enough, as you see. These pears, these plums and peaches are of my own growing; look at the grapes I have just picked; did you ever see anything like them? They’re my special achievement: a variety I got by slowly and patiently crossing the Black Alicante, which is magnificent to look at but hasn’t much flavour, with a Sicilian muscat that’s very small but delicious. I’ve secured what’s best in both of them and kept out what’s bad. Just taste them: aren’t they wonderful? They’re hard and yet they’re juicy; they just melt as you crush them with your teeth. Each one is like a drop of wine with a touch of snow in it. I shall be putting over four thousand pounds of these grapes on the market every week in five years or so. You’ve been the first to have a taste of them.... So they’re at Winkel, are they? JEAN GILSON Yes, Mr. Burgomaster; and they’ll be here this morning. I’m just a bit ahead of them. THE SECRETARY Jean tells me that they’re led by Mr. Otto, your son-in-law. THE BURGOMASTER What, Otto? Impossible! Were you told that? Did you see him? JEAN GILSON I didn’t see him, but that’s what I was told. There were three officers at Winkel, a major and two lieutenants; Otto Hilmer was one. I hear that he said he was coming to occupy Stilemonde with a detachment of the 62nd Foot. THE BURGOMASTER