The footsteps came nearer and nearer around the gallery, and in another moment a young soldier in the French uniform stood before the window.
“Good morning,” said the Captain. “Just slide that bolt back, please; we are fastened in here.”
The soldier gave a military salute, but did not stir.
“Oh, he speaks French, of course,” the Captain exclaimed; “and I don’t know enough of the language to talk to him. Do any of you speak French?”
“I can struggle with it a little,” the chief engineer answered, “though I know very little about it.” He took the Captain’s place at the window, and bowed to the soldier.
“Bon jour, monsieur,” he said. “Nous avons une grand desir to—to—(oh, what a dreadful language!) to sortie. Ouvrir la porte, s’il vous plait.”
The soldier shook his head and made some reply in French.
“What does he say?” the Captain asked.
“He says why don’t we keep quiet,” the chief answered. “Oh, no; hold on; I got mixed with that. He says why did we come in?”
“Tell him we came to see the castle,” the Captain said, “and could not get away on account of the storm.”