"Do you not know the King of Prussia?" said the elder, fixing his eagle eye upon the kindly and friendly face of the abbot.
"I know the king when he does not wish to be incognito," said the abbot, with a smile.
"If the king were here, would you counsel him to remain incognito?"
"I would counsel that; some among my monks are Austrian in sympathy, and I hear the Austrians are at hand."
"My object is to look out from your tower after the Austrians. Let us enter; show us the way."
The abbot said nothing, but entered the cloister hastily, and cast a searching glance in every direction.
"They are all yet in the refectory, and the windows open upon the gardens. But no—there is Brother Anastasius."
It was truly Brother Anastasius, who stood at the window, and regarded them with astonished and sympathetic glances. The abbot nodded to him and laid his forefinger lightly upon his lips; he then hastily crossed the threshold of the little door.
The stranger laid his hand upon the shoulder of the abbot, and said sternly, "Did you not give a sign to this monk?"
"Yes, the sign of silence," answered the abbot; and turning back, he looked calmly upon the strangers.