"Faith, Hullin," said Marc, after having left his lair, "I was thinking of thee yesterday evening, and if thou hadst not appeared, I should have gone expressly to the saw-mills of Valtin to meet thee. Sit down! Hexe-Baizel, give a chair to Hullin!"
Then he placed himself on the hearth, his back to the fire, in front of the open door, which was raked by all the winds of Alsace and Switzerland.
Through this opening there was a magnificent view: it might be compared to a picture framed in the rock—an enormous picture, embracing the whole valley of the Rhine, and the mountains beyond, which melted away in the mist. And then one could breathe so freely! and the little fire, which glimmered in the owl's-nest, was a place to look on, with its red light, after one had gazed into the azure expanse.
"Marc," said Hullin, after a short pause, "may I speak before thy wife?"
"We are as one, she and I."
"Well, Marc, I am come to buy powder and lead of thee."
"To kill hares, is it not so?" observed the smuggler, winking.
"No, to fight against the Germans and Russians."
There was a moment's silence.
"And thou wilt want much powder and lead?"