Helen devoured Karl with her eyes. His dress was that which she had seen him wear every day when she met him going or returning from the hunt; but, without one being able to be precise about it, there was something more warlike about him; his expression was--somewhat more severe. One felt that he was conscious of danger at hand, and in meeting it like a man he met it as one who clung to life, yet who above his life put honour. During this time, Earl's little troop, whose second in command was Benedict, bivouacked a hundred paces from the railway station, just under the Burgomaster Fellner's windows. Not that they had anything to complain of from the authorities. Karl had sold one of his estates, and each of his men received a shilling every day for food. Each man was armed with a good carbine, rifle-barrelled and able, like a quick-firing gun, to fire eight or ten shots a minute. Each man also carried a hundred cartridges, and, in consequence, the hundred men could fire ten thousand shots. The two leaders carried double-barrelled carbines. The burgomaster returning to the Hôtel de Ville, found in front of his door the little detachment dressed in an unknown uniform. He stopped with that naïve bourgeois curiosity which we call _flânerie_. After staring at the soldiers he went on to their leader before whom he stopped, not only with simple curiosity but astonishment. It seemed to him that the face of the leader was not entirely unknown to him. And in fact, the officer, smiling, asked in excellent German: "May I enquire after Burgomaster Fellner's health?" "Ah! heavens and earth!" cried the burgomaster, "I was not mistaken. It is M. Benedict Turpin!" "Bravo! I told you that your memory was unusually well developed. It must be so to recognize me in this costume." "But you have become a soldier?" "An officer." "An officer! I beg your pardon." "Yes, an amateur officer." "Come up to my house; you must be in need of refreshment, and your men are thirsty. Aren't you, my friends?" The men laughed. "We are always more or less thirsty," one of them replied. "Very well, I will send twenty-five bottles of wine and beer down to you," said the burgomaster. "Come in, M. Benedict!" "Remember that my eye is upon you from the window," said Benedict, "and be careful." "Be easy in your mind, captain," replied he who had spoken before. "Madame Fellner," said the burgomaster on entering, "here is a captain of volunteers who is quartered on us. We must give him a worthy reception." Madame Fellner, who was doing worsted work, raised her head and looked at her guest. An expression resembling her husband's passed over her face. "Oh! it is surprising, my dear!" she cried, "how like this gentleman is to a young French painter...." "There!" said Fellner, "there is no need to keep your incognito. Pay your respects to my wife, my dear Benedict; you are recognized."