"What are you going to do now?" he asked. "Have you made any plans yet?"
"We are thinking of going to London, and of making a fresh start there. We have friends in Red Lion Square." Fröhling spoke as if the words were being dragged out of him. He longed to tell the other man to mind his own business.
"You haven't a chance of being allowed to do that! Why, already, on the very first day, every German barber is suspected." The speaker gave a short, unpleasant laugh.
"I am not suspected. So!" exclaimed Fröhling heatedly. "Not one single person has spoken as if he suspected me in this town! On the contrary, England is not harsh, Mr. Hegner. English people are too sensible and broad-minded to suspect harm where there is none. Indeed, they are not suspecting enough."
Strange to say, old Fröhling's last sentence found an agreeable, even a comforting, echo in Mr. Hegner's heart. He looked up, and for the first time the expression on his face was really cordial. "Maybe you are right, Mr. Fröhling. Most heartily do I desire it may be so! And yet--well, one cannot say people would be altogether wrong in suspecting barbers, for barbers hear a great deal of interesting conversation, is it not so?"
"That depends on their customers," said the other coldly. "I cannot say that I ever found the conversation of the young English officers here in Witanbury very illuminating."
"Not exactly illuminating," said the other cautiously. "But take the last few days? You must have heard a good deal of information as to coming plans."
"Not one word did I hear," said the other man quickly--"not one word, Mr. Hegner! Far more from my own intelligent, level-headed German assistant. He knew and guessed what none of these young gentlemen did--to what all the wicked intrigues of Berlin, Petersburg and Vienna, of the last ten days were tending."
"I have heard to-night--in fact it was the daughter of the Dean who mentioned it--that the British Army is going to Belgium," said Mr. Hegner casually. "Is your son going to Belgium, Mr. Fröhling?"
"Not that I know of," said the other. But a troubled look came over his face. He opened his mouth as if to add something, and then tightly shut it again.
Mr. Hegner had the immediate impression that old Fröhling could have told him something worth hearing had he been willing to do so.
