"Hans," she said, "have you been all night in Jena?"
The old man nodded.
Frau Schmelze frowned in disapproval.
"Cousin," she said, "are you sure about Annchen? All night there were soldiers that way. It would be dreadful if she were alone with the little ones, nicht wahr? We thought you were there."
"Alone?" Hans put down his coffee cup in surprise. "I sent her word to go to her father-in-law's."
The truth was, he had forgotten everything but the battle.
"Why should she, cousin, have stayed on in the Forest House?"
Frau Schmelze was silent; it was not her business to remind Hans Lange that he had a daughter exactly like him.
"So," she answered after a moment, "so. Perhaps you know best, but——"
Then she went to the soldier whom the talking had awakened. In her hand was a cup of the good, steaming hot coffee.