The old gardener turned round at the words, and, touching his hat respectfully, continued his work, while he replied,—
“No, Mein Herr; it was but a white hoar, and everything has escaped well.”
“And whom have you got here for an assistant, may I ask?” said he, pointing to me, whom he now saw for the first time.
As the question was asked in German, although I understood it I left the reply to the gardener.
“God knows!” said the old fellow, in a tone of easy indifference; “I think he must be a soldier of some sort.”
The other smiled at the remark, and, turning towards me, said, in French,—
“You are, perhaps, unaware, sir, being a stranger, that it is the Emperor of Austria's desire this château should not be intruded on.”
“My offending, sir,” interrupted I, “was purely accidental. I am the bearer of despatches for General Savary; and having stopped to inquire from this honest man—”
“The general has taken his departure for Göding,” he broke in, without paying further attention to my explanation.
“For Goding! and may I ask what distance that may be?”