The Prussian Officer | Page 4

on. His nerves, however, were suffering. At last he slung the
end of a belt in his servant's face. When he saw the youth start back, the
pain-tears in his eyes and the blood on his mouth, he had felt at once a
thrill of deep pleasure and of shame.
But this, he acknowledged to himself, was a thing he had never done
before. The fellow was too exasperating. His own nerves must be going
to pieces. He went away for some days with a woman.
It was a mockery of pleasure. He simply did not want the woman. But
he stayed on for his time. At the end of it, he came back in an agony of
irritation, torment, and misery. He rode all the evening, then came
straight in to supper. His orderly was out. The officer sat with his long,
fine hands lying on the table, perfectly still, and all his blood seemed to
be corroding.
At last his servant entered. He watched the strong, easy young figure,
the fine eyebrows, the thick black hair. In a week's time the youth had
got back his old well-being. The hands of the officer twitched and
seemed to be full of mad flame.
The young man stood at attention, unmoving, shut on.
The meal went in silence. But the orderly seemed eager. He made a
clatter with the dishes.
"Are you in a hurry?" asked the officer, watching the intent, warm face
of his servant. The other did not reply.
"Will you answer my question?" said the Cap-tam.

"Yes, sir," replied the orderly, standing with his pile of deep Army
plates. The Captain waited, looked at him, then asked again: "Are you
in a hurry?
"Yes, sir," came the answer, that sent a flash through the listener. "For
whaat?" "I was going out, sir." "I want you this evening." There was a
moment's hesitation. The officer had a curious stiffness of countenance.
"Yes, sir," replied the servant, in his throat. "I want you to-morrow
evening also--in fact, you may consider your evenings occupied, unless
I give you leave."
The mouth with the young moustache set close. "Yes, sir," answered
the orderly, loosening his lips for a moment. He again turned to the
door. "And why have you a piece of pencil in your ear?"
The orderly hesitated, then continued on his way without answering.
He set the plates in a pile outside the door, took the stump of pencil
from his ear, and put it in his pocket. He had been copying a verse for
his sweetheart's birthday card. He returned to finish clearing the table.
The officer's eyes were dancing, he had a little, eager smile.
"Why have you a piece of pencil in your ear?" he asked.
The orderly took his hands full of dishes. His master was standing near
the great green stove, a little smile on his face, his chin thrust forward.
When the young soldier saw him his heart suddenly ran hot. He felt
blind. Instead of answering, he turned dazedly to the door. As he was
crouching to set down the dishes, he was pitched forward by a kick
from behind. The pots went in a stream down the stairs, he clung to the
pillar of the banisters. And as he was rising he was kicked heavily
again, and again, so that he clung sickly to the post for some moments.
His master had gone swiftly into the room and closed the door. The
maid-servant downstairs looked up the staircase and made a mocking
face at the crockery disaster.
The officer's heart was plunging. He poured himself a glass of wine,
part of which he spilled on the floor, and gulped the remainder, leaning

against the cool, green stove. He heard his man collecting the dishes
from the stairs. Pale, as if intoxicated, he waited. The servant entered
again. The Captain's heart gave a pang, as of pleasure, seeing the young
fellow bewildered and uncertain on his feet, with pain.
"Schöner!" he said.
The soldier was a little slower in coming to attention.
"Yes, sir!" The youth stood before him, with pathetic young moustache,
and fine eyebrows very distinct on his forehead of dark marble. "I
asked you a question."
"Yes, sir." The officer's tone bit like acid. "Why had you a pencil in
your ear?"
Again the servant's heart ran hot, and he could not breathe. With dark,
strained eyes, he looked at the officer, as if fascinated. And he stood
there sturdily planted, unconscious. The withering smile came into trie
Captain's eyes, and he lifted his foot. "I---I forgot it--sir," panted the
soldier, his dark eyes fixed on the other man's dancing blue ones.
"What was it doing there?"
He saw the young man's breast heaving as he made an effort for words.