When he was within speaking distance I came out from the shadow of the wall and put the question. If he had suddenly been confronted with a spook I do not think the old man could have been more astonished. He stopped dead still, as though not knowing whether to turn about and run, or to advance and take the consequences. Realizing his embarrassment, I hastily proffered a few words of greeting, and then he chose the latter prerogative.
"-Vous?_" he said, when at length he found his tongue. "Vous?"
"Yes—why not?"
"Who's with you?"
"Nobody. Why?"
He seemed more embarrassed than ever. Evidently he hadn't yet "caught on."
"What can I do for you?" I continued.
He still hesitated, looking first at me and then at a bottle he carried in his hand. Finally he resolved to make a clean breast of it.
"Why," he said, "I didn't expect to find a woman here, least of all une chatelaine. It rather startled me! You see, I've got into the habit of coming round towards dawn. The boys begin to get chilly about that time, and are glad enough to have a go at my fruit brandy. They say I'm too old to mount guard, so I must serve my country as best I can. Will you have some—my own brew?"
I declined, but he was not offended; yet he seemed reluctant to go.