I was so moved by this, that I went to him and took his hand, saying:
"Sergeant, you are a noble man! Forgive me, I have thought evil of you."
"What about?" said he, scowling.
"About the landwehr at the tile-kiln!"
"Ah, good! That is a different thing! I do not care about that," said he. "If you knew all the kaiserlichs that I have despatched these ten years, you would have thought more evil of me. But that is not what we are talking about; you accept, Father Moses?"
"And you, sergeant," said I, "what will you have to eat?"
"Do not be troubled about that; Sergeant Trubert has never been in want!"
I wanted to thank him. "Good!" said he, "that is all understood. I cannot give you a pike, or a fat goose, but a good soup in blockade times is worth something, too."
He laughed and shook hands with me. As for myself I was quite overcome, and my eyes were full of tears.
"Let us go; good-night!" said he, as he led me to the door. "It will all come out right! Tell Madame Sorlé that it will all come out right!"