They promised to send me all news; they overwhelmed me with kindness--even old Sapt was touched to gentleness, while Fritz was half unmanned.

I listened in a kind of dream to all they said.

"Rudolf! Rudolf! Rudolf!" still rang in my ears--a burden of sorrow and of love.

At last they saw that I could not heed them, and we walked up and down in silence, till Fritz touched me on the arm, and I saw, a mile or more away, the blue smoke of the train.

Then I held out a hand to each of them.
"We are all but half-men this morning," said I, smiling.