But they could see that he was thinking of something else and that he was eager to change the conversation. He shut the door quickly and, returning to the special commissary, said:
"Did you come by the frontier-road?"
"No."
"And you haven't been told yet?"
"What?"
"The German post ... at the Butte-aux-Loups...."
"Knocked down?"
"Yes."
"Oh, by Jove!"
Morestal stopped to enjoy the effect which he had produced and then continued: