A Man in Uniform

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Authors: Kate Taylor
Tags: Biographical, Fiction, General, Mystery & Detective
generous. And the children … he is very dedicated to his children, although of course his military duties sometimes interfere with family life. He used to work long hours. Other officers would tease him about it sometimes. It hurt him. He often said they were simply lazy. To question his commitment to the army is so unfair.”
    The carriage rounded a corner, jostling her against him. He gently placed a hand on her shoulder to help her right herself. Through her satin sleeve, he could feel the soft flesh of her upper arm compress ever so slightly beneath his touch.
    “He sounds admirable, Madame,” he said. “And your friend’s family is comfortable, Madame? It is not at all possible there was some financial …”
    “No, Monsieur, not at all. Some have speculated the captain might have stooped to spying because of financial need, and I think it is impossible. I don’t know the particulars, but the family is quite wealthy, I believe. They come originally from Mulhouse, but most of the family moved to Carpentras after the war. One brother remained to run the family’s businesses in Alsace—they own several textile mills, you see—and he sends the proceeds back to France. Indeed, I don’t think the captain really needed the military salary. I … I think his wife … my friend … found it frustrating sometimes when her husband was working particularly hard. He was truly dedicated to the army; he had seen what the Germans had done. His family felt the loss of Alsace personally and he wanted to protect France. He was very eager to get his next promotion because he cared so much about the profession.”
    “A loyal soldier,” Dubon replied soothingly, but he suspected that such a man might be rather bothersome, especially to his colleagues, an officer who didn’t need the pay but showed the others up by working harder than anyone else.
    “Did he have many friends in the army, then?”
    “The captain is mainly a family man. He prefers to spend his time at home—even if he is distracted sometimes. I really don’t know his friends … no, I don’t think he has that many friends in the army. Hewas respected by his colleagues, of course, well liked … until this happened.”
    Well liked. Dubon wondered. He hesitated before beginning delicately, “You, Madame, would you be … that is to say … would you and your friends be coreligionists?”
    “Yes. I am Jewish, if that is what you are asking. You are thinking we were isolated … It’s true, the captain and his wife, many of their friends are Jewish. But it is hardly a crime to pick one’s friends from among one’s coreligionists.”
    “True, Madame.”
    “People seem so ready to believe a Jew would betray France, Monsieur. Yet, we felt the loss of Alsace and Lorraine every bit as much; we are as loyal citizens as any others.”
    “Yes, Madame, I do not doubt that.”
    “Do you mean that?” she asked him earnestly, her look demanding an honest answer.
    “Yes, Madame, I believe religion or birth are immaterial when it comes to patriotism. Any Frenchman can be a patriot—or a traitor.”
    “Oh, Maître, I am so glad to hear you say that,” she responded. “I did not like to ask you where you stood, but the captain’s brother is convinced he has been singled out for this unfair treatment because of his religion.”
    “Perhaps he’s right,” Dubon replied thoughtfully.
    This conversation with the widow had been more useful to him than her clipping file, he thought to himself, cheered by the idea he might have some skills as a detective after all. She was not, despite herself, drawing a very flattering portrait of the man: He was ambitious, serious-minded, and hardworking, that much was clear—but he also sounded stiff, even pompous perhaps, and sometimes not as devoted as his wife might have wished. He certainly had no time for military camaraderie, and his colleagues probably disliked him as a result, especially if he was rising

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