"And the portrait, Father Moses?"
"The portrait is worth nothing to me, and I will give it back to you. Such things do not sell in this country; they are of no value except to the family."
"Very well," said he, "we will talk about that by and by."
He put back the miniature into the bag.
"Do you read German?" he asked.
"Very well."
"Ah, good! I am curious to hear what this kaiserlich had to write. See, it is a letter! He was keeping it doubtless for the baggage-master to send it to Germany. But we came too soon! What does it say?"
He handed me a letter addressed to Madame Roedig, Stuttgart, No. 6 Bergstrasse. That letter, Fritz, here it is. Sorlé has kept it; it will tell you more about the landwehr than I can.
"Bichelberg, Feb. 25, 1814.
"Dear Aurelia: Thy good letter of January 29th reached Coblentz too late; the regiment was on its way to Alsace.