“Who was it?”
“Captain Wolff, of the Kommandantur.”
“Ah!” said he, “there is the whole story. Where did you meet him?”
“On Unter-den-Linden avenue.”
“On Unter-den-Linden avenue!” the officer cried; “on Unter-den-Linden avenue?”
“Yes, and what harm was done?” I demanded. “Am I not allowed to promenade within the limits of the park? How can I get there more direct than by following Unter-den-Linden avenue?”
“Ah!” said he, “that is true, but it is not according to the orders we have received.”
And he thereupon explained how, under these instructions, I was to go to the park, accompanied by a non-commissioned officer, by urban train without however passing through the streets. He added that while I was not supposed to know these instructions, the non-commissioned officer would be punished if he “ignored them.” I expressed regret to see a fine fellow like Non-Commissioned Officer Hoch implicated in the matter. He agreed that Hoch was a dutiful man as a rule.
The idea at once occurred to me of saving Hoch from punishment if it were possible. I accordingly asked the officer to delay his answer to the Ober-Kommando for an hour. Having granted the request, he left me and I immediately went to the room of Non-Commissioned Officer Hoch.
Directly he saw me he realized that something was wrong.