The Major got his apartment in an attached building close to ours. His apartment was as big as mine; I saw the living room when I took his luggage upstairs. No gentleman, the Major. But for him, I was an apprentice. Apprentices were, for a long time, something between personal slaves and servants, except for the teaching part. Times had changed, but I guess some things don't, because the Major gave me his suitcases as soon as he saw me, instructing me to bring them. There were footmen in the house (try to manage a house so big without some men for the heavy work), but he thought it was my place to do it.
I carried them. It's not like they were too heavy; the Major didn't bring any books, and the amount of clothing he had also seemed limited.
"Great place," the Major told grandpa, who was
