the trial come off?"

"You'll learn the _result_ of the trial soon enough!" and he slammed the
door to prevent further discussion.

I was completely flabbergasted. I scratched my head and endeavoured to
collect my thoughts. Surely I could not have heard aright. Yet the man
must know what he was talking about. The more I pondered the more
perplexed I became. Then the head-gaoler's stress upon the word
"_result_!" What did that portend? New fears crept into my mind. So when
M----, the under-gaoler, came round next morning, I badgered him, but he
would say no more than that the trial had not yet come off.

I was completely unnerved and now commenced to fear the worst. If the
ordeal I experienced on the Wednesday night was not the trial, then what
on earth was it? I made up my mind to find out. I rang the bell wildly
and demanded to see the Commandant. He sent down word to say he could
not see me. But I was insistent, and at last, to avoid further worry, he
conceded an audience.

As I entered the office of the Commandant I was surprised to see him
handling my little camera. At my entrance he slipped it into his desk.
He looked at me curiously, and then grunted,

"What do you want?"

"I wish to know when my trial is coming off. I thought I was tried last
Wednesday night."

"No! That was the enquiry. We'll let you know the _result_ of the trial
pretty quickly," and he grinned complacently, in which little pleasantry
at my expense the officer of the guard joined in.

"I don't want to know the _result_! I want to be there!"

"That is impossible. You gave all your evidence before the enquiry!"

"Then don't I appear at my trial?"

"Certainly not!"

I was completely non-plussed at this confirmation of the head-gaoler's
statement. It was a new way, to my mind, of meting out justice to a
prisoner to deny him the right to appear at his own trial. Truly the
ways of Teuton jurisprudence or military court procedure were strange.

"Then when will my trial be held?" I asked, determined to glean some
definite information.

"Ach! We cannot be bothered with a single case whilst mobilisation is
going on. We are too busy. You must wait," and with that he dismissed
me.

"But surely you can give me some idea when it will be held," I
persisted.

"Ach!" and he fumed somewhat. Seeing that I was not to be turned away
without satisfaction he continued, "Your trial will be on Monday. Get
out!"

My reflections upon gaining my cel