Morbus Dei: The Sign of Aries. Matthias Bauer

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      He went into the barber surgeon’s cottage. On the table where yesterday the Prussian had lain was a wooden tureen of steaming beer soup. Leonardus, von Binden, Victoria Annabelle, Hans and Karl were already seated round the table, the effects of yesterday evenings’ celebrations still apparent in the men’s faces.

      Without a word, Johann perched himself on a stool and ladled some soup into the bowl in front of him. Then he crumbled some bread into it and stirred it with a spoon.

      ‘We thank you, oh Lord, for this meal,’ murmured the physician, crossing himself. The others followed suit.

      Johann took a gulp of soup and the small beer tasted full-flavoured and hearty. He gazed at the faces round the table, all trace of yesterday’s frivolity gone, their minds back on their escape and everything they had left behind them.

      ‘Ah, risen from the dead!’ exclaimed Leonardus suddenly.

      Everyone gazed towards the figure staggering out of the back room–it was the Prussian.

      ‘Heinz, you old–!’ cried Johann, springing to his feet and running to help his friend. The Prussian waved him off grumpily, cuffing him on the collar with his right hand. ‘Save that for old women and the Tyrolese yokels, deserter!’

      ‘I’ll let you off that sort of cheek today but that’s all you’ll get away with,’ retorted Johann, giving him a hug.

      ‘Isn’t love a wonderful thing?’ joked Karl. Hans and Victoria Annabelle giggled.

      ‘Come and sit down. How are you feeling?’ inquired Leonardus, peering at him.

      ‘I’m feeling more or less okay,’ replied the Prussian, ‘it’s not the first time I’ve been shot at.’

      ‘But it could have been the last,’ retorted the barber surgeon.

      ‘My time obviously wasn’t up yet,’ said the Prussian, grinning. Then he sat down at the table, slowly and stiffly like a very old man.

      ‘More or less okay? Well I’ll be damned!’ murmured Leonardus.

      The Prussian looked at him grimly and Johann pushed a bowl of steaming soup towards him. The Prussian picked up a spoon, dipped it into the soup and lifted it unsteadily to his mouth. He swallowed and beamed with satisfaction. ‘And now I’m starting to feel even better,’ he said, spooning the soup more quickly into his mouth.

      The others grinned.

      When the Prussian had finished, he put down his spoon. ‘And now, tell me what happened! I know we almost made it, we’d almost reached the barge when the bullet caught me. I had to let go of Elisabeth and–’

      He stopped mid-sentence and glanced round.

      ‘Elisabeth?’

      Von Binden shook his head. The Prussian looked at Johann, whose eyes had now assumed a fixed stare.

      ‘Johann, is she–’

      ‘Dead? No, not as far we know,’ cut in von Binden, answering for Johann.

      ‘I don’t understand–’

      ‘She was captured by some soldiers, we only just managed to drag you to the barge in time,’ said Hans.

      ‘They dragged her towards a black carriage, as far we could make out,’ Karl continued.

      ‘Has it all been for nothing then?’ The Prussian was stunned.

      ‘No, my friend, for as soon as you’re well again I’m going to look for her–and I’m going to find her, even if I have to go to hell and back again,’ said Johann with a determination that defied all doubt.

      ‘What are we waiting for then?’ asked the Prussian, standing up and staggering so much that he had to sit back down again. Bright flashes of light flickered before his eyes. He took a few deep breaths, then he felt someone press something into his hand. ‘Drink!’ he heard the physician say.

      With a trembling hand, the Prussian raised the mug and took a gulp. It was wine, and it tasted atrocious–but it made the flashes of light disappear.

      ‘The heroic deeds will have to wait a couple of days,’ said Leonardus, taking the wine from the Prussian and gulping some down himself.

      ‘Yes, listen to the barber surgeon and don’t be as–stubborn as a ram,’ joked Hans, beginning to laugh.

      ‘Just be as gentle as a lamb,’ added Karl, thumping his thigh.

      The Prussian looked at Johann in bewilderment but Johann waved his hand. ‘I’ll explain later.’