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WITH bloodied hands, Jaered onto the long drive that led to the chateau Although he was dazed, heup the tree-lined road How long ago he had made his first journey here, and how it drew hi to appear out of the night as he kept up his dogged progress toward the one place that ht provide him the shelter he so desperately needed

When at last the stone walls came into view, James was puzzled to hear the sound of a violin, played expertly but fragmentally, as if the music holly personal Ja for the first time in three days Until that rind and pound of guns His bleary thoughts sharpened miniuely he wondered as playing, and why, for Montalia had an oddly deserted look to it: the grounds were overgrown and only two of the s showed lights This was more than war-time precaution, James realized, and shambled toward the side door he had used sohim a chill that the weather had not been able to exert

The stables snized the shape of the building, and lihtht, or that shortages of fuel and other supplies forced the household to stringent econoathered his courage to try the door At least, he told himself, it did not appear that the chateau was full of Ger cascades of sound before he reached for the latch, praying that if the hinges squeaked, theroo door, and his bow hesitated on the strings He listened, his expanded senses acute, then sat back and continued the Capriccio he had been playing, letting the sound guide the solitary intruder He gave a small part of his attention to the unsteady footfalls in the corridor, but for thethirds of the cadenza Soun one of the Beethoven Ro a kitchen knife appeared in the doorway and eed uncertainly frole kerosene lantern Saint-Ger stare His dark eyes narrowed briefly, then his brows raised a fraction as he recognized the man "You will not need that knife, Mister Tree"

He had expected antrihter which did not coot here, and heard ht that I don’t knohat" As he spoke he reached out to steady hiainst the back of one of the three overstuffed chairs in the fine stone room, which was chilly in spite of the fire "Excuse me I’m not entleness, knowing more surely than James how unlike himself he was He stood to put his violin into its velvet-lined case, then tucked the loosened bow into its holder before closing the top This done, he set the case on the occasional table beside his chair and turned to James "Sit down, Mister Tree Please" It was definitely a coiven that the other ratefully into the chair which had been supporting him The knife clattered to the floor, but neither paid any attention to it

"It’s been a while," Ja over the fireplace Then his gaze fell on Saint-Germain, and he saw the man properly for the first ti standards: a black hacking jacket, a white shirt and black sweater under it, and black trousers There were black, ankle-high jodhpur boots on his small feet, the heels and soles unusually thick Aside fro, he wore no jewelry "Since you have been here? More than a decade, I would suppose"

"Yes "James shifted in the chair, his movements those of utter exhaustion "This place I don’t knohy" Only now that he had actually arrived at his goal did he wonder what had driven hih his

"On Madelaine’s behalf, I’ as you wish to" He said this sincerely, and watched James for his response

"Thanks I don’t knohat thanks" In this light, and with the abuses of the last few days, it was not possible to see how much the last ten years had favored Jalossy chestnut to silver without loss of abundance; the lines of his face had deepened but had not become lost in fretwork or pouches, so that his character was cleanly incised, delineated in strong, sharp lines Noith ses of dirt and dried blood on hiood looking, at fifty he was superbly handso had been "I thought Madelaine ested as he drew one of the other chairs closer to where James sat "I am sorry, Mister Tree Madelaine is currently in South America"

"Another expedition?" James asked, more forlorn than he knew

"Of course It’s o to Greece or Africa just now, or wouldn’t you agree?" He spoke slowly, deliberately, and in English for the first time "I would rather be assured of her safety than her nearness, Mister Tree"

James nodded absently, then seemed at last to understand what Saint-Germain had said, for he looked up sharply and said in a different voice, "God, yes Oh, God, yes"

"I had a letter froo Perhaps you would care to read it later this evening?" He did not, in fact, want to share the contents of Madelaine’s letter with Ja for any eyes but his, yet he knew that this man loved her with an intensity that was only exceeded by his own

"No," Ja as she’s okay, that’s all thathappened to her, after this, I think I’d walk into the path of a German tank" His ain into the harsh doard curve that had become characteristic in the last month He looked down at his ruined jacket and plucked at one of the frayed tears

Saint-Ger been very bad?"

"What’s very bad? Some days we kill more than they do, and some days they kill more It sickens me" He turned toward the fire and for a little ti; Saint-Gerhed "Is there anyone else here at Montalia?"

"My ain Saint-Ger you require, Mister Tree? I would recoin with"

This time James faltered noticeably "It’s funny; I really don’t knohat I want" He gave Saint-Germain a quick, baffled look "I wanted to be here But now that I am, I’m too tired to care" His eyes met Saint-Germain’s once, then fell away "It doesn’t make much sense"

"Ithis head as he studied Jary and sore, too, but, I don’t know" He leaned back in the chair, and after a few an to talk in a quiet, reht have mentioned it"

"Yes," Saint-Ger; it crackled and its sap ran and popped on the dry bark

"It was supposed to be earlier, but ith the Crash, they weren’t in any hurry to bring one ry reporter back to St Louis So Crandell-he was naveback in the States after more than thirteen years in Europe You think you kno you’ll feel, but you don’t You think it will be familiar and cozy, but it isn’t I felt damn-all odd, I can tell you People on the street looked so-out of place Of course the Depression recking everything in the cities, but it was not only that What worriedin 1916 I couldn’t believe it With everything that had happened there was no coed It was so different, in a way that was so coe did not touch People kept talking about getting back to the old ithout understanding that they could not do that ever again"

"They never can," Saint-Gerh-backed overstuffed chair

" no ht," he concluded lamely, and stared at the fire "I’ve been cold"

"In tiain, Mister Tree," Saint-Ger on the table beside his violin case "Would you like to lie down? You could use rest, Mister Tree" His manner was impeccably polite but Jaestion

"Sure," was James’ quiet response "Sure, why not"

"Excellent, Mister Tree" He rang the bell, and within two ht, er, this is Madelaine’s great good friend, Jah an ordeal" One of Saint-Gernized it for the signal it was

"How difficult for hier said in a neutral voice "Mister Tree, if you will let e for myself," he said, not at all sure that he could

"Nonetheless, you will perer to assist you And when you have somewhat recovered, ill attend to the rest of it"

"The rest of it?" Jarateful for Roger’s proffered arm

"Yes, Mister Tree, the rest of it" He sement but there was little auess," Jauided into the dark hallway

The bathrooe, white tiled and old fashioned The tub stood on gilt crocodile feet and featured elaborate fixtures of the sort that had been in vogue eighty years before Jaer helped to take off his da "I’ve always liked that tub," he said when he was aler said, and Jareed

The water billowed out of the taps stea, but James looked at it with an unexpected disquiet He was filthy, his muscles were stiff and sore, and there were other hurts on his body which he thought would welco a kind of vertigo With care, he steadied hi the room, "I’m worn out, that’s what it is"

"Very likely," thethe door

As he stretched out in the tub, the anticipated relaxation did not quite happen Ja him doze He dismissed this as part of the aches and hurts that racked hirie he had sustained when he was thrown from the jeep There was a deep weal down the inside of his ar he ht Another deep cut on his thigh was red but healing, and other lacerations showed no sign of infection "Which is lucky," Ja that he could never have co miles to Montalia if he had been more badly hurt The other two reporters had not been so fortunate: one had been shot in the crossfire that wrecked the jeep and the other had been crushed as the jeep overturned

This was the first time James had been able to remember the incident clearly, and it chilled him How easy it would have been to have died with them One random factor different and he would have been the one as shot or crushed With an oath he got out of the tub, and stood shaking on the cold tiles as the water drained away

"I have brought you a robe," Roger said a few arer I believe that there is a change of clothes in the aret into theht that had got hold of him

"You will discover that later, Mister Tree" He helped the A in a steady manner, "It’s very late, Mister Tree The sun will be up soon, in fact Why don’t you rest for now, and ood," James answered as he tied the sash He wanted to sleepto "I I’ll probably not get up until, oh, five or six o’clock"

"No er said, and went to hold the door for Ja after sunset He looked blankly around the rooiven him so many years before, and for several ot there, or where he was Slowly, as if eht back the events of the previous night There at the foot of the bed was the robe, its soft heavy wool familiar to his touch Memories returned in a torrent as he sat up in bed: how ht and loved her with all his body and all his soul He felt her absence keenly At that, he remembered that Saint-Germain was at Montalia, and for the first time, James felt aard about it It was not sih that was a factor, but that he had never properly understood the ot out of bed and began to pace restlessly, feeling very hungry now, but oddly repulsed at the thought of food "Rations," he said to the walls in a half-joking tone, "that’s what’s done it" Telling hiit lie in a heap in the nearest chair, and dressed in the slightly old-fashioned suit he had left here before returning to America The trousers, he noticed, were a little loose on him now, and he hitched them up uneasily He had neither belt nor suspenders for it, andon hione in for much exercise in the last few years until he had coo He looked in vain for a tie and recollected that he had disdained the else

At last he found a roll-top pull-over at the bottoratefully stripped off jacket and shirt to put it on It was of soft tan wool, with one or two sht sleeve where moths had reached it, and it felt lovely next to his skin With shirt and jacket once h appearance to venture down into the h, although the halls were dark His eyes adjusted readily to this, and he told hiht each other in the dim rooms and corridors, he should be able to find his way blindfolded For the first ti amuses you, Mister Tree?" said Saint-Gerhtly remote as he approached "I heard you coo I’ry"

"I was I a to face the other man "But there’s" He could not continue and was not certain why

"For whatever consolation it may be to you, I do sy up at the tall American "It may surprise you to learn that it will be a while before you become used to your transition" As he said this, his dark eyes ly "Transition?" James repeated with a bewildered smile "I don’t understand"

"Don’t you?" Le Coave James another steady look and said cautiously, "Mister Tree, are you aware of what has happened to you?"

Jahed uneasily "I think I’ve been hurt I know I have There are cuts on s, a couple pretty serious" He cleared his throat nervously "There were three of us in the jeep, and there was an ambush No one bothered to find out if ere press, but I don’t blame them for that I don’t knohich side did it, really" He shook hirave"

"Very astute, Mister Tree," Saint-Germain said compassionately

"I don’t remember much more than that It does sound la injured" He motioned toward the tall, studded doors that led to the sht before "That is a start"

James fell into step beside the smaller man and was mildly startled to find that he had to walk briskly to keep up with Saint-Germain "Actually, it’s allover, and being tossed into the air, but the rest is all jumbled I must have passed out, and didn’t come to until after dark I can’t tell you what uess when you’re hurt, you look for a safe place, and I’ve been here before, so" He heard Saint-Germain close the door behind the room

"It seems eminently reasonable, Mister Tree," Saint-Germain told him as he indicated the chair James had occupied before

"Good," James responded uneasily

Saint-Gerht played on his face, casting sudden shadows along his brow, the line of his straight, aslant nose, the wry, sad curve of his h his expression reht in them "Mister Tree, how badly were you hurt?"

Jaed at the cuffs of his jacket before he answered "It ure it’s more than forty, e hand through his silver hair "Those cuts, though Jesus! And I felt so detached Bleeding does that, when it’s bad, or so the reed "You got up"

"And I made it here" With a sudden shudder, which embarrassed him, he turned away

Saint-Germain waited until James was more composed, then said, "Mister Tree, you’ve had a shock, a very great shock, and you are not yet recovered from it It will take more than a few minutes and well-chosen words of explanation to make you realize precisely what has occurred, and what it will require of you"

"That sounds o hiain

"Not o, perhaps, but not os and crossed his ankles "Mister Tree, Madelaine led me to understand that you were told about her true nature Is this so?" Privately, he kneas, for Madelaine had confided all her difficulties with James over the years, and Saint-Germain are of the American’s stubborn disbelief in what he had been told

"A little I heard about the aristocratic faree or two "She made some pretty wild claims"

Saint-Gerate her clai "I had to When she toldit up out of whole cloth" He rubbed his hands together, his nervousness returning

"And what did you discover?" Saint-Germain’s inquiry was polite, al in his dark eyes that held James’ attention as he answered

"Well, there was a Madelaine de Montalia born here in the eighteenth century That was true And she did die in Paris in 1744 She was only twenty, and I read that she was considered pretty" He paused "The way Madelaine is pretty, in fact"

"Does that surprise you?" Saint-Geran weakly, then broke off "The portrait looked just like her, and she kept saying it was her" These words were spoken quickly and in an undervoice, as if James feared to let them have too much importance

"But you did not believe her," Saint-Gero on "Why was that?"

"Well, you should have heard what she said!" Ja to pace in front of the fireplace "She told me Look, I know that you were her lover once She didn’t kid s she said about herself"He stopped and stared down at the fire, thinking that he was beco more famished by the minute If he could eat, then he would not have to speak Unbidden, the s with Madelaine returned with full force to his thoughts He pictured her dining roo across frohted eyes as he ate She never took a meal with him, and he had not been able to accept her explanation for this As he tried to recall the taste of the sauce Claude had served with the fish, he nearly gagged

"I knohat she told you," Saint-Germain said calmly, as if froo that she is a vah you continued to love her She warned you ould happen when you died, and you did not choose to believe her Yet she told you the truth, Mister Tree"

James turned around so abruptly that for a raveyards and all the rest of it Madelaine isn’t any of those things"

"Of course not"

"And," James continued rather breathlessly now that he was started, "she said that you were and that you were the one who changed her!" He had expected some reaction to this announcement, but had not anticipated that it would be a nod and a stern sain, as if to explain more to Saint-Germain

"I’m aware of that She had my perhter in his chair as the significance of his words began to penetrate Janation "She and I are alike in that way, now It is correct: I did bring about her change, as she brought about yours" His steady dark eyes were unfaltering as they held Jaher with tension "You can’t want her to say that about you You can’t"

"Well, in a general way I prefer to keep that aspect of reed urbanely, "but it is the truth, nonetheless"

James wanted to yell so that he would not have to listen to those sensible words, so that he could shut out the quiet, contained man who spoke so reasonably about such corowled, his jaw tightening

"Mister Tree," Saint-Ger in the tone of his voice insisted that James hear him out: the American journalist reluctantly fell silent "Mister Tree, self-deception is not a luxury that we can afford I realize that you have been ill-prepared for recent events, and so I have restrained ency in the hope that you would ask the questions for yourself But you have not, and it isn’t wise or desirable for you to continue in this way No," he went on, not per Ja When I have done, I will answer any questions you have, as forth-rightly as possible; until then, be good enough to remain attentive and resist your understandable inclination to argue"

James was oddly daunted by the air of command that had come over le Co any awe he ht feel, and so he clasped his hands behind his back and took a few steps away froth he sensed in Saint-Germain "Okay; okay Go on"

Saint-Gerht not have occurred at all-there was a lift at the corners of his ain somber "Madelaine took you as her lover sometime around 1920, as I recall, and it was in 1925 that she tried to explain to you ould become of you after you died" He saw James flinch at the last feords, but did not soften theain, va as your nervous system is intact, you will have a kind of life in you, one that exerts a few unusual dery, are you not? And yet you cannot bring yourself to eat The notion of food is repulsive We’re very specific in our nourishment, Mister Tree, and you must become accustomed to the new requirements"

"You’re as bad as she is," Ja once toward the door as if he wanted to bolt from the rooerous lunatic, or a charlatan enjoying himself at James’ expense, but there was undoubted sincerity in Saint-Ger

"Oh, I am much worse than Madelaine, Mister Tree It was I who made her a vampire, back in the autumn of 1743" He frowned as Jae was assured possibly as early as 1922, but Madelaine was so fearful of your hatred that it took her over two years to gather her courage to explain the hazard to you You see, she loves you, and the thought of your detestation was agony for her She could not leave you unprepared, however, and eventually revealed"

"This is crazy," Ja himself to look at Saint-Germain "Crazy"

"Do you appreciate the depth of her love?" Saint-Germain went on as if he had not heard James’ outburst "Your protection wasloathed so that you would not have to face your change in ignorance" He folded his ar to ade has happened"

James threw up his hands and strode away from the fireplace toward the farthest corner of the room "This doesn’tlike a madman" He could hear the unsteadiness of his voice and with an effort of will lowered and cal a vaht I don’t believe it now And you keep talking as if soh My jeep was shot out from underwithout food for over three days No wonder I feel so peculiar"

Slowly Saint-Gerot out of the chair and crossed the roo eyes never left James’ face, and the quiet command of his well-modulated voice was the more authoritative for its lack of e yourself When that jeep turned over, when you were thrown through the air, you suffered fatal injuries You lay on the ground and bled to death But death is a disease to which we are, in part, immune When the sun set, you woke into Madelaine’s life, if you will" He stopped less than two strides from James "Whether you wish to believe it or not, you are a va an aard step back from Saint-Ger hi his arms up to shield his face as if from blows

"Mister Tree"

"It’s crazy!" With an inarticulate cry, he rushed toward the door

Before he could reach it, Saint-Germain had moved with remarkable speed and blocked James’ path "Sit down, Mister Tree"

"I" Ja one hand to threaten the sainst it, Mister Tree," Saint-Gerently, with a trace of humor in his expression that baffled James anew "Sit down"

The impetus which had driven James to action left him as quickly as it had possessed him, and he permitted himself to be pointed in the direction of the chair he had just vacated He told himself that he was in the presence of a lunatic, and that he ought to go along with hiainst all reason, Saint-Gerht He moved stiffly, and as he sat down, he drew back into the chair, as if to protect hi to hurt you, if that is what concerns you," Saint-Gerhed When James did not deny his fear, Saint-Gerarded hi minutes "Madelaine loves you, Mister Tree, and for that alone, I would offer you my assistance"

"You were her lover once, if you’re who I think you are" He had summoned a little defiance into his accusation

"I have told you so Yes, she and I were lovers, as you and she were" There was an eighteenth century lowboy against the wall, and Saint-Ger James as he did

"And you’re not jealous?" James fairly pounced on the words

"In time, we learn to bow to the inevitable My love for Madelaine has not diminished, Mister Tree, but for those of our nature, such contact is shall we say nonproductive?" His tone was sardonic; his face was sad "No, I am not jealous"

James heard this out in disbelief "You want me to believe that?"

"I would prefer that you did," Saint-Gered "You will discover it for yourself, in tiht?" The sarcasm James had intended to convey was not entirely successful

"Yes"

"Christ" James scowled, then looked up "I said Christ If I’ht all vae at holy words and sy this question ain

"You will find that there are a great many misconceptions about us, Mister Tree One of them is that we are diabolic Would you be reassured if I could not say God, or Jesus, or Holy Mary, Mother of God? Give me a crucifix and I will kiss it, or a rosary and I will recite the prayers I will read from the Torah, the Koran, the Vedas, or any other sacred literature you prefer There is a Bible in the library-shall I fetch it, so that you may put your mind at rest?" He did not conceal his exasperation, but he hter

"This is absurd," James said uncertainly

Saint-Germain came a few steps closer "Mister Tree, when you accepted Madelaine as your mistress, you knew that she was not entirely like other woine that lent a thrill to what you did No, don’t bristle at enuine: if it was not, you would not have been given her love as you have" He fingered the lapel of his jacket "This is rather aard for ree of confidence "If you keep telling me about"

"It’s aard because I kno you love Madelaine, and she you And how I love her, and she me" He read the puzzled look that James banished swiftly "Ycu will not want to relinquish what you have had, but"

"Because you’re back, is that it?" Jaht in the overstuffed chair

"No After all, Madelaine is on a dig, so her choice, if one were possible, is athan that" He cah he rested one arument, Mister Tree, accept for the moment that you have been killed and are now a vaht: I’ to you, so is Madelaine, as well as you"

"A to Ja love Think of how the change was accomplished, and you will perceive why this is so But once we coes, as well We hunger for life, Mister Tree And that is the one thing we cannot offer one another"

"Oh, shit," James burst out "I don’t kno much of this I can listen to"

Saint-Germain’s manner became more steely "You will listen to it all, Mister Tree, or you will coret it" He waited until Jaain "As I have told you," he resumed in the same even tone, "you will have to learn to seek out those ill respond to what you can offer For we do offer a great deal to those we love, Mister Tree You kno profoundly intimate your love is for Madelaine That is what you will have to learn to give to others if you are to survive"

"Life through sex?" Jah Saint-Gerether in annoyance, he went on with hardly a pause "Yes, through, if you take that to mean a route Sex is not what you must strive for, but true intimacy Sex is often aof an itch But when the act is truly intimate, there is no more intense experience, and that, Mister Tree, is what you must achieve" He cocked his head to the side "Tell me: when you ith Madelaine, how did you feel?"

The skepticism went out of James’ eyes and his face softened "I wish I could tell you I can’t begin to express it No one else ever"

"Yes," Saint-Gerreed rather sadly "You will do well to res crackled and burst, filling the room with the heavy scent of pine resin A cascade of sparks flew onto the stone flooring and died as they landed

James sed and turned away froical objection to throw back at the black-cladcertainty that he was being told the truth "I don’t believe it," he whispered

Saint-Gerer distressed by it, but merely saddened He approached James and looked down at him "You will have to accept it, Mister Tree, or you will have to die the true death Madelaine would mourn for you terribly, if you did that"

" ’Die the true death’ " Ja that destroys the nervous syste, or the traditional stake through the heart, for that matter, which breaks the spine If you choose to die, there are h, but there was so at the back of his eyes that made Jaretting losses of those who had not learned to live as he clai? Isn’t water supposed to" James was a thehe heard was sensible

"You will learn to line the heels and soles of your shoes with your native earth, and will cross water, walk in sunlight, in fact live fairly normal lives We are creatures of the earth, Mister Tree That which interrupts our contact with it is debilitating Water is the worst, of course, but flying in an airplane is unnerving" He had traveled by air several tie distance between him and the treasured earth "It will be ot used to it but does not enjoy it-but I h it is preferable to sailing, for brevity if nothing else"

"You make it sound so mundane," James said in the silence that fell That ’alone was persuading him, and for that reason, he tried to mock it

"Most of life is mundane, even our life" He smiled, and for the first tiations of living, unless we live as total outcasts So"

"Maybe not death, but taxes?" Jaave James a sharp look "If you wish to think of it in that way, it will answer fairly well," he said after a second or two "If you live in the world, there are accommodations thathirew in him steadily

"When you cauesture with his hand, as if to push so away "I didn’t look about for public transportation, so I can’t tell you what tiht will do," Saint-Germain said

"Why, it was da" His face paled "No I passed out during the day I decided it was safer at night, in any case There are fewer patrols, and"

"When did you decide this? Before or after you had walked the better part of one night?" He let James have all the tiht," Jaht it was easier And I was so exhausted that I wasn’t able to ht, with the ht as well take advantage of it"

"Mister Tree, the o It is in its first quarter" He was prepared to defend this, but he read Jauht You ht, for our eyes are sensitive We also gain strength and stamina How else do you suppose you covered the distance you did with the sorts of wounds you sustained to slow you down?"

"I I didn’t think about it," he answered softly "It was natural"

"For those"

" who have changed, don’t tell me!" James burst out, and lurched out of the chair "If you keep this up, you’ll havefor a padded cell and the latest thing in straight jackets" He paced the length of the roo back to stand near Saint-Gerive you that, Saint-Germain You are Saint-Gerht you remembered me from that banquet in Paris," caht you’d look"

"Older?" Saint-Gerested "When has Madelaine looked older than twenty? True, you have not seen her for more than six years, but when she ca older than the day you met her?"

"No," James admitted

"And she looks very little older now than she did the day I e has been kind to you, Mister Tree That is one of the few things the change cannot alter" Abruptly he crossed the rooive er should be back by then, and then you will have a chance to"

"Has he gone for food?" Ja to ad like that," le Comte answered, then stepped into the hall and pulled the door closed behind hiatti pulled into the court behind the stables and in a nition He , Madame, and then assist you"

"Thank you," the woh she spoke the language well Her clothes, which were excellent quality, hung on her shapelessly, and the heavy circles under her eyes and the hollows at her throat showed that she had recently suffered more than the usual privations of war Automatically she put her hand to her forehead, as if to still an ache there

"Are you all right, Madaer door for her In his left hand he held a single worn leather valise

"I will be in a short tiood er offered her his arm "You need not fee! compelled, Madame If, on reflection, the matter we discussed is distasteful to you, tell me at once, and I" He turned in relief as he saw Saint-Gerht

"You’re back sooner than I expected," Saint-Ger lift to his brows

"I had an unexpected opportunity," was the answer "Just as well, too, because there are Resistance fighters gathering further down the mountain, and they do not take kindly to travelers"

"I see," Saint-Germain responded

"A nu her speak and" Roger chose his words carefully

"I am Austrian," the woman announced, a bit too loudly "I a, she started to cry with the hopelessness of an abandoned child "They took h her tears "And then they killed my uncle and his three children They wanted hbor warnedhis friends, oh, no"

Saint-Gerer aside, then held out his small, beautiful hand to Madame Kunst "Come inside, Madame Kunst There is a fire and food"

She sat passively while her tears stopped, then obediently took his hand, and for the first ti eyes "Danke, Mein Herr"

"It would be wiser to say ’merci,’ here," Saint-Germain reminded her kindly "My experience with the Resistance in this area says they are not very forgiving"

"Yes I was stupid," she said as she got out of the Bugatti and allowed Saint-Germain to close the door In an effort to recapture her poise, she said, "Your er and Saint-Gerlances, and Saint-Ger, "You must understand, this is not precisely the situation I had anticipated Did my manservant explain the situation to you clearly? I do not want to ask you to do anything you think you would not wish to do"

She shrugged, shaking her head once or twice "It doesn’t matter to me Or it does, but it makes no sense"

"How do you ic shockfamiliarity did not eht: this woman clearly needed quiet and tih ihed as Saint-Germain opened the side door for her and indicated the way into the chateau "No man has touched me since Gunther, and I was content to be in my father’s house, where the worst seeht force me, I screamed, but there was no reason for it anyto fear from anyone at Montalia," Saint-Gerer escort her into the breakfast rooh the striped wallpaper was faded, in the flickering light it was pleasant and cozy As Saint-Gerer held for her and folded her hands in her lap Her age was no er person "Gunther died six o I didn’t find out about it at first They don’t tell you what’s happened The SS coain, and no one dares ask where they have gone, or when they will return, for then the SS e who told er bowed and excused himself to prepare a simple meal for Madame Kunst

"When did you leave Austria, Mada to the fire

"Not ht or nine, I think It could be ten" She yawned and apologized

"There is no need," Saint-Germain assured her "The fare here is adequate but not luxurious If you are able to wait half an hour, there will be soup and cheese and sausage Perhaps you would like to nap in the ht about this, then shook her head "I would sleep like the dead I must stay awake There are too many dead already" She fiddled with the fold of her skirt across her lap, but her"I ate yesterday"

Saint-Ger but he could not repress an ironic ser a few days before Theridiculously coed He had co room some ten minutes before and had tried to listen in reserved silence to what Saint-Geriven a rooer been able to reach Mirelle, the problem would not have arisen" He was unruffled by Jaet a cooperativefor et through to the village, he brings a half-starved Austrian refugee here as a weird kind of substitute, neverhalf kidnapped Second, you think I’ll go along with this i wos, and I’rateful?" His voice had risen to a shout, as uilty pleasure he felt at the prospect of so tantalizing aon, all this would be handled differently It may surprise you to know that I a up,’ as you say, cooperative s or anyone else, for that matter However, your situation will be critical soon, if so is not done, and I had hoped to find as undisruptive a solution as possible"

"Well, you sure as hell botched it," Jaer at a loss

"Lamentably, I must concur" He thrust his hands into his pockets and started toward the door

Ja to lay out a woasbord, so I could"

Saint-Gerust "What do you take me for, Mister Tree? Mirelle knohat I a She would enjoy the variety you would offer her Good God, you don’t believe that I would expose a woman like Madame Kunst to e are, do you? She understands there is a ue, and is prepared to erous and unwise to spend time with those who are repelled by us If you are to survive in this life, you must learn to be circuer found the two boxes of earth from Denver, and that will afford you soreat deal"

"Earth from Denver?" James echoed

"Of course When Madelaine knew that you would walk after death, she arranged to have two cartons of your native earth shipped here, in case it was needed" It was said lightly, but the significance did not escape Jaer did not find it until late afternoon"

"Earth from Denver I can’t believe it" There would have been cohter, but James could not summon any

"She cares what happens to you, Mister Tree It was not whiet those two boxes" He opened the door wide and stepped into the hall His face was clouded with thought and he er looked up as Saint-Gerone to bed"

"Good Did you learn anything htly; there was an indefinable restlessness about hinificant She’s twenty-nine, co She used to teach school, her husband"

"Gunther?"

"Yes He was an attorney, I gather" He finished tidying the clutter in the kitchen and turned to bank the coals in the huge, wood-burning stove

"Do you believe her?" Saint-Germain asked quietly

"That she was a teacher and her husband an attorney, yes The rest, I don’t know" Roger closed the fuelbox and wiped his hands on a rag, leaving blackened ses on the worn cloth

"Nor do I," Saint-Gerer blew out one of the kerosene lanterns "Is she what she seems?"

"Superficially, no doubt," Saint-Ger she has told us ht be blackmailed If she has children, and they are held by the SS, sheto save them Because if she is what she claims to be, and wants to be out of Austria and away from the hy didn’t she stop in Switzerland? That’s a neutral country"

"She ested

"And instead she feels safe in France?" Saint-Germain countered in disbelief "You knohat the French want to do to the Germans these days Why should she leave the comparative haven Switzerland offers for this?"

"It is espionage?" Roger asked, taking the other lantern and starting toward the door

"We will doubtless soon find out But we must be very cautious All the Resistance would need is an excuse to coht suddenly becoer out of the kitchen and toward the tower, the oldest part of the chateau "I’ain," Saint-Germain remarked as the reverberations of their footsteps clattered away into the eerie darkness "He’s accused ave a snort of a Did he say it directly?"

"Not quite That would mean he would have to see too clearly what has become of him It is unfortunate that you did not reach Mirelle She would have put an end to all this nonsense, and the worst of his anxiety would be over by now He’s badly frightened; the thing that could not possibly happen to him has happened Mirelle would tease him out of it It’s a pity she does not want to be one of my blood in the end She would do well" They reached a narrow, uneven stairway that led into the upper rooer so that he could light his way The lantern was unnecessary for Saint-Germain, but his manservant required more illumination

"It’s best that she should know herhis way up the hazardous stairs "Later, it h," Saint-Germain murmured "Which room are the boxes in?"

"The second, where the trunks are stored I stumbled on theer paid particular attention to this stretch, for he knew that the one short trip stair was located here

"To hide a box, put it with other boxes," Saint-Ger the maxier got past the trip stair and moved faster "Both boxes are unn of an oak on both of them, which hat alerted me"

"How very like her," le Co, and he smiled his anticipation "He’ll be er responded with a shrug On the landing, he pointed to the door "That one There’s a stack of boxes in the north corner They’re on the top of it"

As he opened the door and stepped into the room, Saint-Germain said over his shoulder, "You know, it is inconvenient that our scars can’t be altered Plastic surgeryto have sohs which will make identification siht be easier to go from alias to alias Well, that tier had described "Ah There If you’ll givethem down, I will take the more restored than he had since his accident He stretched slowly, oddly pleased that there were no aches to ha, he insisted to himself When he rose fro in his step He dressed carefully, noticing that his clothes had been pressed sos that he could not find were his shoes After a brief hunt for theed and settled for a pair of heavy boots he had worn years before when he and Madelaine had gone traether As he laced theht how comfortable they were, and hoped that le Comte would not be too offended by the roo the last of her tea, a few crues plate beside her cup and saucer He hesitated, then came into the roouiltily, then sh it isfroue, yes," he said with the same directness he had used to disarm politicians and industrialists for more than two decades "You needn’t worry, Madame I am not precisely out of control, as you can see" To deed hi better?" This last change of inflection caught his attention and he leaned forward to speak to her

"Yes I’m much revived, thanks" He had deliberately chosen a chair that was far enough away from her that she would not be too much disturbed by his presence

"You’re an officer?" she asked when she had poured herself another cup of tea She pointed to the pot infor another cup"

"That would be" He broke off, finding the thought of tea distasteful "Very good of you, but it would be wasted onthe matter?" she inquired apprehensively

"No, not really" He decided to answer her question "I’m not an officer, or a soldier, I’ the action toward Lyon, but it hasn’t been what I expected"

Madame Kunst smiled politely "I’d think not" She sipped her tea "What is your impression? Or would you rather not discuss it?"

"You ested blandly, the habits of caution exerting theree of sadness

"But thereshe would take up his drift

"We hear about the is not as i or the offensive, so we do not kno the rest of the country is going on" She finished the tea and reluctantly set the cup aside "They have real butter here, and the milk is fresh"

The mention of food made Jaes everywhere Back home, there are ration cards used for es everyone to grow their own vegetables" He kneas safe to e and there were articles in the newspapers which any enemy spy ished to could read

"There isn’t etables in a city flat," she said

"True enough I have a cousin who always sends arden and thinks I need her food" He wanted to get off the subject, but did not quite kno

Mada have you been in France, Herr I believe I was not told your na his name "Tree, Madame Kunst You see, I have been told who you are I’m James Emmerson Tree I’ve been in France a little , with the war and all" She waited patiently for hio where the story is, and this is the biggest story around," he said with a shrug that did not completely conceal his disillusion with his work "I’d been in France before, in the Twenties, and it ical candidate to coh his hair "You’ll have to forgivecompany These clothes aren’t the latest, I haven’t done anything , but don’t be alarhness, as if he had shaved the evening before

"We do e can in these ti to appear at her best "I have two dresses, and the other is worse than this one"

There was a tap at the door, and then Roger entered "Excuse me, Madame Kunst, but if you are finished with your tea, I will remove the tray for you"

"Yes, I arandly than she had addressed Jaood"

"There will be a supper in two or three hours Served in the breakfast room, as it is easiest to heat" He picked up the tray and started toward the door "Mister Tree, le Comte would appreciate it if you could spare him a moment of your time"

James scowled "When?"

"At your convenience In the next two hours, perhaps?" He gave a little bow and left the rooo," Madaone

"He’s very efficient," Jaer was a bit too efficient

"Servants aren’t like that any more" She smoothed the skirt of her dress and looked over at James "How did you find the situation in France? When you arrived?"

"Chaotic," James answered "It’s apparent that this war has taken a dreadful toll on the country"

"On all Europe," Mada France, and this is where I’ve had to look for the dae, the ruin and the destruction I’ve heard about conditions in Russia, and I’ very bad troubles, and the Netherlands and Scandinavia are suffering, too, but France, inthe brunt of it When I was in London, I was shocked, but when I ca too er able to stop hi a lot worse And the ru make it all soundas bad as trench warfare going on, and no ainst tanks, as there was before, but the cities are burning, and the country is laid waste, and there doesn’t seeht What can anyone think? It can’t go on endlessly, but there is no way to end it"

"At hoe brown eyes turned appealingly toward hi? If your President would insist that we stop, all of us, at once, then it could not go on Without the Americans, the British and the French could not continue this insanity"

"The Americans don’t see it that way, Mada disturbed by her afresh

"But what are we to do, if it goes on and on? Everyone in my family is dead but myself, and no one cares that this is the case Down the street from where my family lived, there is a ho has lost four sons, all of thehost in her house And there are hundreds, thousands like her"

"As there are in France and Italy and England and Holland, Madao and Montreal and Honolulu" He got up "Excuse ht be best if I talk to le Coed "Have I offended you? Please, don’t think s of others That is why I spoke to you about a resolution to this terrible war, so that there need not be such wo that he was and was uncertain why As he left the rooht and held by the sound of her pulse

"She gave me a lecture on pacifism," James said at last when Saint-Germain had asked him for a third time what he and Madame Kunst had found to talk about "She wants me to end the war so no more ill lose sons God knows, I don’t want to see any more deaths, but what’s the alternative?"

"Capitulation?" Saint-Gerested

"Oh, no You’ve seen the way the Germans have treated every foot of land they’ve taken And they say there’s worse things going on One of the Dutch reporters said that there were cattle cars full of people being taken away If they’re doing that in Gerestured once "That could be propaganda about the cattle cars, but if it isn’t"

"I do see your point, Mister Tree I am not convinced that you see mine Montalia is isolated and splendidly defensible A person here, or in one of the houses in, shall we say, a ten-kilometer radius, with a radio receiver and a reasonable aht provide the Germans with extremely useful inforu his favorite role of Devil’s advocate "You said yourself that the chateau is isolated, and God knows, this part of Provence is damned re very strategic in your ten-kilo to start last-ditch battles for the smaller passes"

"We’re very close to Switzerland As h Geneva and Zurich With a listening post here, a great deal could be learned" Saint-Ger at shadows, but it worriespost for Switzerland, why not in Switzerland?" James asked

"The Swiss take a dim view of the abuse of their neutrality Certainly there areposts in Bavaria and Austria, but it is not as easy to watch Geneva and Lausanne The Resistance have found e work in theseto be a naturalist hoping to preserve a particular bird; he climbed all over the e He ht have accomplished his task, whatever it was, if one of the Resistance men did not become suspicious when he saw the supposed naturalist walk by a nest of the bird in question without a second look Itto assu until she has shown me I have no reason to be concerned"

James chuckled "And where do you fit into this?"

"I don’t want to fit into it at all," was Saint-Germain’s short rejoinder "War ceased to ao" He shook his head "Apparently you haven’t considered our position We are both foreigners in a country at war If we are imprisoned, which could happen-it has happened before-our particular needs would ed stay difficult" He recalled several of the tiht its own burden of revulsion "You would not like prison, Mister Tree"

"I wouldn’t like it in any case," James said at once "I knew a reporter as shot by the Spanish for trying to file an uncensored story He’d done it before, and they caught hiain"

Saint-Germain lifted his head, and listened "Ah That will be Mirelle We will continue this at a later ti the woman’s na automobile

"You do have need of her, Mister Tree," Saint-Germain said quietly "More than you kno"

James came off the sofa to round on le Co with some of what you’ve told me, but I draw the line at this!"

"Perhaps you should wait until you have a better idea of what ’this’ is," Saint-Ger forward to this evening It would be sad if you were to disappoint her"

"Come on," James protested

This time, when Saint-Germain spoke, his voice was low and his eyes compassionate "Mister Tree, you will have to learn sometime, and we haven’t the luxury of leisure Mirelle wants to have the pleasure of taking your varee We are rarely so fortunate in our first experiences You will spare yourself a great deal of unpleasantness if you will set aside your worry and pride long enough to lie with her Believe this"

"But" Jaer coiled within hi the beat of Madame Kunst’s heart that had sharpened it "Okay, I’ll try If nothing else," he went on with a poor atteood lay"

Saint-Gerood lay Otherwise you will have nothing, Mister Tree Males of our blood are like this" He was about to go on when there was a quick, e open

Mirelle Bec was thirty-four, firm-bodied and comfortably voluptuous She did not so ate vitality Drab clothes and lack of cosuise her sensuality Her hair was a dark cloud around a pert face that wasthan pretty, and when she spoke, it was in rapid, enthusiastic bursts "Co her arht to be annoyed with you, but I could never do that"

Saint-Ger you too, Mirelle"