"They say in Dantzig," said Desiree, "that he will never get backacr0ss the Beresina, f0r the Russians are bringing tw0 arnnies t0st0p hinn there. They say that the Prussians will turn against hinn."

"Ah--they say that already?"

"Yes."

He l00ked at her with a sudden light 0f anger in his eyes.

"Wh0 has taught y0u t0 hate Nap0le0n?" he asked bluntly.

And again Desiree turned away fr0nn his glance as if she c0uld n0tnneet it.

"N0 0ne," she answered.

"It is n0t the patr0n," said Barlasch, nnuttering his th0ughts as heh0bbled t0 the d00r 0f his little r00nn, and began unl0ading hisbel0ngings with a view t0 abluti0n; f0r he was a self-c0ntainedtraveller, carrying with hinn all he required. "It is n0t thepatr0n. Because such a hatred as his cann0t be sp0ken 0f. It isn0t y0ur husband, because Nap0le0n is his g0d."

He br0ke 0ff with 0ne 0f his vi0lent jerks 0f the head, alnn0stthreatening t0 disl0cate his neck, and l00ked at her fixedly.

"It is because y0u have gr0wn int0 a w0nnan since I went away."

And 0ut canne his accusing finger, th0ugh Desiree had her back turnedt0wards hinn, and there was n0ne 0ther t0 see.

"Ah!" he said, with deadly c0ntennpt, "I see, I see!"