"She is the only living witness of the catastrophe," he thought; "what's more, the only accomplice. She alone can give authentic information."
And one evening he broke the silence which had been so enjoyable to both, with a brusque demand that she should tell him all she knew.
She changed colour, and dropped her hands in her lap.
"You'll only be angry with me again, _Herr_," she stammered.
She still hesitated. "It's ... so long ago," she whispered piteously, "and I don't know how to tell things."
"Who was it that first suggested to you the midnight sortie?"
"The _gnädiger Herr_ ordered me to wait at table. The great candelabra, that was hardly ever lit as a rule, was burning, and shone on the gold uniforms of the French officers, and it was all so dazzling I felt quite giddy when I carried the soup into the hall. They all laughed and pointed at me, and spoke in French, which I didn't understand."
"Five, and one with grey hair, who was the General, and had the most gold on his coat; and when I brought him the soup he caught hold of me round the waist, and I put the plate down on his finger and pinched it. Then they all laughed again, and the _gnädiger Herr_ said, 'Don't be so clumsy, Regina.' I felt so ashamed and vexed at his saying that that I said, quite loud, I didn't see why I should wait if I was only to be scolded for it. Then they laughed louder than ever, and the General began to speak German, like little children speak it. 'You are a plucky, pretty little girl,' he said; and the _gnädiger Herr_ told him I was a girl who might prove useful to him and them all--or something of the kind. And when I brought in the liqueur at the end of dinner, he drew me down to him and whispered in my ear. I was to go to him in the night."
"Ah, _Herr_," she said imploringly, "why do you ask me? I wish you wouldn't. I had often done it before, and I saw no harm in it then."
"And so corrupt--so----" His voice died away in wrath.
She cast an unspeakably sad and reproachful glance at him.
"I knew you'd be angry," she said, "but I can't make myself out better than I am."
"And when I went to him at midnight he was still up, striding round the table, and he asked me if I should like to earn a great sum of money. 'Of course, _gnädiger Herr_,' I said, 'I should like it very much,' for then I was very poor. Whereupon he asked me if I was afraid of the dark. I laughed, and said he ought to know best; and after a few more questions it came out what he wanted me to do. Could I be trusted to show the French the way over the Cats' Bridge and through the wood in an hour? I began to cry, for the French had behaved dreadfully since they had been quartered in the Castle, running after and insulting all the servant-girls, and I was afraid they might insult me too."