In the city no one has a word to say to you, but in the country every one is curious. It is more neighbourly to be curious and to ask questions. I rejoiced in every scrap of talk, even in such triviality as my chat with Otto Friedrichs, a workman, who hailed me at East Berne.
"Are you an Amarikan?"
"No."
"Sprechen Sie deutsch, mein Herr?"
"No; I'm English."
"That bag on your back is made in Germany."
"Very likely," said I; "I bought it in London."
"You running avay in case dere should be ze war, eh?"
"Well, it would be safer here, even for you."