teeming with interesting people, and to all of these
he would grant their ideals, since to him the poorest
ideal was of interest. And thus he would want to
hear more about Kahn, and the old Eusebe, and
Monsieur le Cure, while his batman moved quietly
round the room putting this and that ready for the
morning toilet, or this and that in its place for the
night.
'Yes . : . and then . . .?' Colonel Prevost would
urge with a smile as he stretched out a hand for his
silk pyjamas.
With Christophe he naturally came less in contact,
and this he would find himself regretting. The big,
silent peasant with the curious eyes had managed to
stir his imagination: cNow tell me about your cousin/
he would say, and if Jan hesitated would grow more
insistent.
All the same there was much that he would not be
told; he would never be told of those visions, for
instance, nor of the wheal upon Christophe's back
that day when Jan had struck at the couleuvre. Jan
lacked the courage to mention these things: 'If I
did so my Colonel might laugh/ he would thank, 'and
moreover they were only imagination.5
But this reticence had not prevented Prevost
from discovering their great mutual affection: 'So
you both enlisted/ he remarked one evening; 6you
did not want to be parted, am I right?9
'Oui, mon Colonel — you are right/ Jan admitted.
Colonel Prevost said kindly: 'That I well understand,
and fine friendships will frequently make fine soldiers.
But have you two never been apart in your lives?3
'Never in our lives, mon Colonel/ Jan told him.
'Christophe believes that we cannot part, he says
that nothing can come between us.3
'Now why?3 enquired the Colonel, whose interest
was roused.