“Well! Where will you be?”
“Where all the youths of the village are—in the army.”
“You in the army, Elias; what will you do there?”
“Fight, like the others.”
Old Moses, by the light of the candle, which lit the cellar, looked at his son in utter bewilderment. He could not believe his own ears. Still he said—
“Fight? Why fight?”
“To defend the country.”
“What country?”
“France, where I have lived and been brought up, whose language I speak, and where all our clients and friends are.”
Old Lichtenbach shook his head, and remained a moment without speaking. Then, in trenchant tones, he said—