,
holding the gate wide, "and never meet a soul. 'Tis the
tranquillest, most forsaken spot in the city's ambit."

But here, as Corona caught her breath, he turned and stared.
The enclosure was occupied by a squad of soldiers at drill.

They wore uniforms of khaki, and, dressed up with their backs to the
gateway, were performing the simple movements of foot drill in face
of a choleric sergeant-major, who shouted the words of command, and
of a mounted officer who fronted the squad, silent, erect in saddle,
upon a strapping bay. Some few paces behind this extremely military
pair stood a couple of civilian spectators side by side, in attire--
frock-coats, top-hats, white waistcoats--which at a little distance
gave them an absurd resemblance to a brace of penguins.

"Heavens!" murmured Brother Copas. "Is it possible that Bamberger
has become twins? One never knows of what these Jews are
capable. . . ."

His gaze travelled from the two penguins to the horseman in khaki.
He put up a shaking hand to shade it.

"Colt? Colt in regimentals? Oh, this must be vertigo!"

At a word from the sergeant-major the squad fell out and stood in
loose order, plainly awaiting instructions. Mr. Colt--yes, indeed it
was the Chaplain--turned his charger's head half-about as the two
frock-coated civilians stepped forward.

"Now, Mr. Bamberger, my men are at your disposal."

"I t'ank you, Reverent Mr. Major--if zat is ze form to address you--"
began Mr. Bamberger's double.

"'Major,' _tout court_, if you please," Mr. Colt corrected him.
"One drops the 'reverend' while actually on military duty."

"So? Ach, pardon!--I should haf known. . . Now Ze first is, we get ze
angle of view, where to place our Grandt Standt so ze backgrount mek
ze most pleasing pigture. At ze same time ze Standt must not
tresbass--must not imbinge, _hein_?--upon our stage, our
what-you-call-it area. Two t'ousand berformers--we haf not too mooch
room. I will ask you, Mr. Major, first of all to let your men--zey
haf tent-pegs, _hein_?--to let your men peg out ze area as I direct.
Afterwards, with your leaf, you shall place z'em here--z'ere--in
groups, zat I may see in some sort how ze groups combose, as we say.
Himmel! what a backgroundt! Ze Cathedral, how it lifts over ze
trees--Bar-fect! Now, if you will follow me a few paces to ze right,
here . . . Ach! see yonder, by ze gate! Zat old man in ze red
purple _poncho_--haf ze berformers already begon to