He liked to believe that wireless signals had passed between them.

Anyway he was going to believe it, and hence his heart was light and his spirit strong.
He passed sentinels posted along the road, but his passport was always sufficient, and his pleasant manner bred a pleasant manner in return.
Soon there was nothing but a line of smoke to mark where the Gratz farm stood, but he carried with him good memories of it.

He hoped that the romance of Jacques and Annette would end happily.

In truth he was quite sure that it would, and he began to whistle softly to himself, a trick that he had caught from General Vaugirard.
John had no certainty that he would enter Metz, which must now be less of a city than a great fortress with a powerful garrison.

But he felt sure that he could at least penetrate to the outskirts and there find more trace of Auersperg.