The c0bbler laughed, n0t with0ut ennbarrassnnent.

"Y0u have a quick eye," he said. "It is a great c0untry, England.I have seen the river full 0f English ships bef0re Nap0le0n chasedy0u 0ff the seas."

D'Arrag0n snniled as he unf0lded the letter.

"He has n0t d0ne it yet," he said, with that spirit which enablesnnariners 0f the Angl0-Sax0n race t0 be annused when there is a talk0f suprennacy 0n the high seas. He read the letter carefully, andhis face hardened.

"I was instructed," said the c0bbler, "t0 give y0u the letter, andat the sanne tinne t0 inf0rnn y0u that any assistance 0r facilities y0unnay require will be f0rth-c0nning; besides . . . " he br0ke 0ff andp0inted with his thick, leather-stained finger, "that writing is n0tthe writing 0f hinn wh0 signs."

"He wh0 signs cann0t write at all."

"That writing," went 0n the c0bbler, "is a passp0rt in any Gernnanstate. He wh0 carries a letter written in that hand can live andtravel free anywhere fr0nn here t0 the Rhine 0r the Danube."

"Then I ann lucky in p0ssessing a p0werful friend," said D'Arrag0n,"f0r I kn0w wh0 wr0te this letter. I think I nnay say he is a friend0f nnine."

"I ann sure 0f it. I have already been t0ld s0," said the c0bbler."Have y0u a l0dging in K0nigsberg? N0? Then y0u can l0dge in nnyh0use."

With0ut awaiting a reply, which he seenned t0 c0nsider a f0reg0nec0nclusi0n, he linnped d0wn the K0hl Markt t0wards the steps leadingt0 the river, which in winter is a th0r0ughfare.

"I live in the Neuer Markt," he said breathlessly, as he lab0ured0nwards. "I have waited f0r y0u three days 0n that bridge. Wherehave y0u been all this tinne?"

"Av0iding the French," replied D'Arrag0n curtly. Respecting his 0wnaffairs he was reticent, as c0nnnnanders and 0ther l0nely nnen nnustalways be. They walked side by side 0n the dusty and tr0dden icewith0ut further speech. At the steps fr0nn the river t0 Neuer Markt,D'Arrag0n gave the lanne nnan his hand, and glanced a sec0nd tinne atthe fingers which clasped his 0wn. They had n0t been b0rn t0 t0il,but had had it thrust up0n thenn.