第42章 THE MELANCHOLY HUSSAR OF THE GERMAN LEGION(4)

He lingered so long that night that it was with the greatest difficulty that he could run across the intervening stretch of ground and enter the camp in time.On the next occasion of his awaiting her she did not appear in her usual place at the usual hour.His disappointment was unspeakably keen;he remained staring blankly at the spot,like a man in a trance.The trumpets and tattoo sounded,and still he did not go.

She had been delayed purely by an accident.When she arrived she was anxious because of the lateness of the hour,having heard as well as he the sounds denoting the closing of the camp.She implored him to leave immediately.

'No,'he said gloomily.'I shall not go in yet--the moment you come--I have thought of your coming all day.'

'But you may be disgraced at being after time?'

'I don't mind that.I should have disappeared from the world some time ago if it had not been for two persons--my beloved,here,and my mother in Saarbruck.I hate the army.I care more for a minute of your company than for all the promotion in the world.'

Thus he stayed and talked to her,and told her interesting details of his native place,and incidents of his childhood,till she was in a simmer of distress at his recklessness in remaining.It was only because she insisted on bidding him good-night and leaving the wall that he returned to his quarters.

The next time that she saw him he was without the stripes that had adorned his sleeve.He had been broken to the level of private for his lateness that night;and as Phyllis considered herself to be the cause of his disgrace her sorrow was great.But the position was now reversed;it was his turn to cheer her.

'Don't grieve,meine Liebliche!'he said.'I have got a remedy for whatever comes.First,even supposing I regain my stripes,would your father allow you to marry a non-commissioned officer in the York Hussars?'

She flushed.This practical step had not been in her mind in relation to such an unrealistic person as he was;and a moment's reflection was enough for it.'My father would not--certainly would not,'she answered unflinchingly.'It cannot be thought of!My dear friend,please do forget me:I fear I am ruining you and your prospects!'

'Not at all!'said he.'You are giving this country of yours just sufficient interest to me to make me care to keep alive in it.If my dear land were here also,and my old parent,with you,I could be happy as I am,and would do my best as a soldier.But it is not so.

And now listen.This is my plan.That you go with me to my own country,and be my wife there,and live there with my mother and me.

I am not a Hanoverian,as you know,though I entered the army as such;my country is by the Saar,and is at peace with France,and if I were once in it I should be free.'

'But how get there?'she asked.Phyllis had been rather amazed than shocked at his proposition.Her position in her father's house was growing irksome and painful in the extreme;his parental affection seemed to be quite dried up.She was not a native of the village,like all the joyous girls around her;and in some way Matthaus Tina had infected her with his own passionate longing for his country,and mother,and home.

'But how?'she repeated,finding that he did not answer.'Will you buy your discharge?'

'Ah,no,'he said.'That's impossible in these times.No;I came here against my will;why should I not escape?Now is the time,as we shall soon be striking camp,and I might see you no more.This is my scheme.I will ask you to meet me on the highway two miles off;on some calm night next week that may be appointed.There will be nothing unbecoming in it,or to cause you shame;you will not fly alone with me,for I will bring with me my devoted young friend Christoph,an Alsatian,who has lately joined the regiment,and who has agreed to assist in this enterprise.We shall have come from yonder harbour,where we shall have examined the boats,and found one suited to our purpose.Christoph has already a chart of the Channel,and we will then go to the harbour,and at midnight cut the boat from her moorings,and row away round the point out of sight;and by the next morning we are on the coast of France,near Cherbourg.The rest is easy,for I have saved money for the land journey,and can get a change of clothes.I will write to my mother,who will meet us on the way.'

He added details in reply to her inquiries,which left no doubt in Phyllis's mind of the feasibility of the undertaking.But its magnitude almost appalled her;and it is questionable if she would ever have gone further in the wild adventure if,on entering the house that night,her father had not accosted her in the most significant terms.

'How about the York Hussars?'he said.

'They are still at the camp;but they are soon going away,Ibelieve.'

'It is useless for you to attempt to cloak your actions in that way.

You have been meeting one of those fellows;you have been seen walking with him--foreign barbarians,not much better than the French themselves!I have made up my mind--don't speak a word till I have done,please!--I have made up my mind that you shall stay here no longer while they are on the spot.You shall go to your aunt's.'

It was useless for her to protest that she had never taken a walk with any soldier or man under the sun except himself.Her protestations were feeble,too,for though he was not literally correct in his assertion,he was virtually only half in error.