"Go," he said with some sharpness, "but the Colonel is wrong to disturb an officer on duty." One of the soldiers on guard, without understanding the meaning of the words, heard the Commandant pacing up and down, and muttering several times, "What the deuce can he want ?" Half an hour afterwards the Adjutant-Major returned.

"Well," asked the Commandant, "what did the Colonel want with you ?" "Nothing," answered the Adjutant, "he wished to give me the orders for to-morrow's duties." The night became further advanced.

Towards four o'clock the Adjutant-Major came again to the Major.

"Major," he said, "the Colonel has asked for me." "Again!" exclaimed the Commandant.

"This is becoming strange; nevertheless, go." The Adjutant-Major had amongst other duties that of giving out the instructions to the sentries, and consequently had the power of rescinding them.
As soon as the Adjutant-Major had gone out, the Major, becoming uneasy, thought that it was his duty to communicate with the Military Commandant of the Palace.