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Then he set to work again, and the guns were made to advance, each at an equal distance from the other, with the leaders of the columns and the mounted men all in their places. Heimert was taken to the lunatic asylum of the district. In general he was a very manageable patient, and it was only if a woman approached him that he began to rave.
She, indeed, seemed now to be nothing but mother, and to have forgotten altogether that she was also a wife. Heppner consequently redoubled his attentions to Frau Heimert. Albina could not endure little children, and took no interest whatever in his remarkable baby. This he thought rather stupid of her; nevertheless the Bohemian girl completely turned his head.
The corporal gazed after him in astonishment. Was the sergeant-major asleep or awake? He had staggered past with wide-open, staring eyes, like a sleep-walker. Perhaps he was simply drunk. In the passage Heimert came to meet him. He looked distraught, as though just awakened out of sleep. He beckoned Heppner into the kitchen. Heppner entered and shut the door behind him.
"But," Heimert continued, "there is some truth in it. Her father is a shoemaker was, at least, for he is dead now even if he wasn't a Court shoemaker. And he must have been wealthy. He only left her what he was obliged to, and yet she receives fifty crowns interest monthly. I know that for certain." "By Jove! that is over forty marks. You certainly are a lucky dog! Why, she's almost rich."
Every detail had to be pointed out to him and explained at length; but once he comprehended them he showed himself capable of carrying out orders punctually and carefully. From the time of his promotion Heimert troubled himself little about Albina. His behaviour towards her became shy and odd; he avoided as much as possible being alone with her.
The wide-open eyes of the dead man stared into the moonlight. Heimert gently closed the eyelids. He paused for a time beside the corpse with folded hands, and softly muttered the Lord's prayer. Then he began to descend the hill. But he seemed to bethink himself of something. He dived again through the shadow of the trees and knelt beside the sergeant-major.
Heimert had taken possession of the Schumanns' empty house. True that at the time he was still single; but as his marriage was to take place in a few weeks, the captain had at once allotted married quarters to him. Now the deputy sergeant-major was furnishing the rooms and decking the bare walls and windows with touching care.
He took his time, but at last he turned the corner of the officers' quarters. Heimert made use of the opportunity. He ran hastily down the pathway to the barracks. He drew himself up with the aid of the lightning-conductor till his feet reached the top of the wall, and soon after was standing, breathing heavily, in his own kitchen.
At Michaelmas two more non-commissioned officers would obtain their discharge; Heppner was dead; Heimert was in a mad-house; there were strange faces everywhere, instead of the old tried experienced men. And even so there were not enough of them. In this embarrassment Wegstetten bethought himself of Vogt. He was an honest steady lad, on whom one could depend.
Heppner, as sergeant-major, could order it so; and thus he and Albina could be together undisturbed as often and as long as they pleased. Heimert would learn from the other men who had been on duty at the barracks what Heppner had been about during the morning.
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