§3
Jan found his new duties exacting yet easy, for the
Colonel knew precisely what he wanted, and precisely
how to explain those wants in as few words as possible
to his batman. He knew also when a blunder must
be sharply rebuked, and when, in justice, it must be
forgiven. However, there were not many blunders to
forgive, for Jan soon became quite an expert valet.
The years of study had trained his quick mind to
respect the enormous importance of details, a training
that stood him in excellent stead, since all tasks to
which we whole-heartedly give of our best have
a very marked family likeness.
With great diligence then, Jan brushed, and folded,
and polished, and shopped, and brewed Turkish
coffee, and saw to it that the bed was neatly made in
the manner strictly prescribed by the Colonel —
Colonel Prevost liked his bed-clothes tucked in at
the sides, but left loose at the foot for some strange
reason, while the top sheet must be folded over with
care lest his chin should contact itself with the blankets.
On the table by the bed he expected to find cigarettes,
a lighter, a commodious ash tray, the latest novel,
a paper knife, and an old, much battered copy of
'Candide' without which he always refused to move;
it had been in his pocket in many an action.
Yet the Colonel was so pleasant a person to serve
that he frequently seemed more a friend than a master,
as for instance, when he would encourage Jan
to talk of Saint Loup and his hopes for the
future, though he secretly thought it a pity that
Jan should choose to make a career in the Church
when instead he might remain in the Army. But
although he himself was libre penseur, Prevosfs
outlook was too broad to ignore religion; like every-
thing else it was grist to his mill for he found the world
450