He could not remember how many times a French bullet had missed him by a hair’s breadth.
He had escaped from being taken prisoner by just a few minutes.
A mortar bomb that had landed a few inches from him had failed to explode.
And so he had lived to come home.
He was sure that this was due to his Guardian Angel who had watched over him and was doing so now.
“Thank you!” he said drowsily as he closed his eyes and fell asleep.
*
The Marquis awoke with a start and thought that it must be morning.
Then he was aware that the room was in darkness except for the moonlight coming through the window.
Still half-asleep he was aware that what had awoken him was a voice.
“Hear me – listen to me!” someone was saying.
It was a woman speaking.
It flashed through his mind that it was Esther,
