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His ragged coat and brown weather-beaten face proclaimed the seasoned fighter. "A good shot, mate!" he said. Reimers looked sideways at him and answered nothing. The other waxed indignant, and began fiercely: "Damn it, sir! Thirty years ago my father rented a farm in county Waterford that one of yon fellow's breed coveted.
For the third time she stretched out her hand to Reimers: "It rejoices me to find that such people still exist, and to know one of them!" Reimers had held her hand for a moment in his own. It was a small hand, almost too thin, with slender fingers. As he looked at it, he was reminded of the gentle hands of his mother. He respectfully touched the beautiful fingers with his lips and rose.
Sometimes he smiled to himself, as he noted how unconcernedly she did the honours to her first guest, knowing well her secret anxiety to play her new part with success. When Reimers rose to go, the colonel invited him to supper. The lieutenant accepted with pleasure. He was sure that intercourse with his commander would be of a thousand times more value to him than the dry wisdom of books.
Thus, when Güntz had gone, Reimers was in danger of becoming somewhat shy of his fellow-creatures. He had honestly to put constraint on himself to fulfil the claims of comradeship with a good grace, and more especially his social obligations.
When Reimers had finished the colonel sat for a long time silent. He leant his cheek on his hand and looked gloomily before him. During this confidential interview his daughter had not been alluded to in a single syllable, but in every word that the young officer spoke sounded an echo of painful regret for a much-desired happiness now lost to him.
My father died in Philadelphia, with nothing but a torn shirt to his back and his bones coming through his skin. It's an old debt that I have just paid off!" Reimers nodded in assent; he could do nothing else.
Landsberg actually congratulated him. "Happy you!" he cried with mock sorrow, "as for me " And he proceeded crudely to extol the physical charms of Frau von Gropphusen "that rattling fine woman," as he called her. Reimers shut him up sharply. These attacks ended by opening his eyes to the comparative jejuneness of his own outlook on life.
Reimers had never interested himself particularly in parliamentary or political controversies, an officer should hold aloof from such matters, he was therefore not inclined to lay so much stress as his friend did on the influence of revolutionary politicians. The evil was great enough without that. Was not an army that went into the field without enthusiasm beaten beforehand?
As through a mist he saw that Senior-lieutenant Reimers was smiling a little, probably at his over-heated appearance. Then suddenly he heard the sharp high voice of Brettschneider. "Please stand in a more respectful attitude, Bombardier Vogt, when you have something to say to me," the voice snapped out. Vogt pulled himself up and repeated his announcement.
The officer galloped up closer to the marching battery. Reimers recognised an old companion from the Military Academy. "You, Ottensen?" he cried. "What a strange chance!" "Isn't it?" said the hussar. "Pity I've no time to stop. I must teach my chaps to scout!" They exchanged a pressure of the hand; then the cavalry officer spurred on his horse, and disappeared in a cloud of yellow dust.
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