"Yes, the very man—Lieutenant Wilhelm von Farnow, lieutenant in the 9th Rhenish Hussars. What is the matter?"
They were halfway down the avenue, hidden by a clump of shrubs. Lucienne, bold and provoking as ever, crossed her arms and said, in a quieter tone of voice:
"Only this—he loves me."
"He?"
"And I love him!"
Jean stepped away from his sister in order to see her better.
"It is not possible!"
"And why not?"
"Why, Lucienne, because he is a German, an officer—a Prussian!"
There was silence; the blow had struck home. Jean, quite pale, went on: