“‘Promise me that your monks will remember me.’
“‘I have promised you that.’
“‘Promise me that you will sing in your processions—that you will sing of the saving of Mont César.’
“I promised him, monsieur.
“‘Promise that you will sing of me, of Lieutenant Mahn, who saved your monastery; that you will sing of me for one hundred years!’
“‘Herr, I cannot promise that!’ I exclaimed.
“‘You have promised. Fulfil what you have promised.’
“‘I cannot.’
“His face became like the face of one dead. ‘You have promised,’ he muttered. ‘Sing only that I saved your monastery; only that.’
“Place yourself in that situation, monsieur! Was it so great a thing he asked? God made us to long for immortality; was it after all so great a thing the German asked of me?