Just then the door opened, and the chasseur Falou appeared, led by two of his comrades. "Your pardon, captain," said one of the soldiers to Abatucci; "but you said you wanted to see him, did you not?"
"Of course I want to see him."
"There, is it true?" asked the soldier.
"It must be so, as the captain says it is."
"Just imagine, he did not want to come; we had to drag him here by main force."
"Why didn't you want to come?" asked Abatucci.
"Oh! I thought it was just to say silly things to me."
"What do you mean?"
"See here, general; I will make you the judge."
"I am listening to you, Falou."
"Why, you know my name!" Then, turning to his comrades, he cried, "Say, the general knows my name."
"I have said that I am listening to you; what is it you wish to say?" asked the general.
"Well, general, this is how it happened; we were charging, weren't we?'
"Yes."
"My horse shied to avoid stepping on a wounded man—you know those animals are so intelligent."
"Yes, I know."
"And mine especially. I found myself face to face with one of those emigrated nobles. Ah! he was a fine young[Pg 162] fellow, not more than twenty-two at the most. When he aimed a blow at my head I had to defend myself—"
"Certainly."
"And to return the blow; there was no other way, was there?"
"No, of course not."
"One doesn't need to be a provost to know that! He fell. He had swallowed more than six inches of steel."
"That was certainly more than he needed."
"Yes, general," said Falou, laughing at the joke he had in mind to say, "but one can't always stop to measure."
"I was not blaming you, Falou."
"Well, then, he fell, and there was a magnificent horse without a rider. I took him by the bridle, and just then I saw the captain, who had no horse at all, and so I said to myself: 'This horse belongs to the captain.' I put spurs to him, and he struggled like the devil in holy water in the midst of five or six aristocrats. I killed one and wounded another. 'Come, captain!' I called out to him, 'put your foot in the stirrup.' When his foot was in the stirrup it did not take him long to mount, and that's all there is to it."
"No, that is not all; for you cannot make me a present of a horse."
"Why can't I make you a present of a horse? Are you too proud to take it from me?"
"No; and to prove it, my brave fellow, will you do me the honor to put your hand there."
"The honor will be mine, captain," said Falou, advancing toward Abatucci.
The officer and the soldier clasped hands.
"Now I am paid, and I even owe you something; but no money, captain," said Falou.
"Very well; you have exposed your life for me, and—"
"Exposed my life for you?" cried Falou. "I defended it, that was all. Would you like to see how the aristocrat went? Here!"
[Pg 163]
Falou drew out his sword and showed the blade, of which an inch and a half was broken off.
"You can see that my hand was not weak; but we are well cared for, captain, and I shall get another sword. But sell you a horse—I, Falou? Never! Never!"
And Falou had already reached the door, when the general spoke to him.
"Come here, my brave fellow."
Falou turned around, trembling with emotion, and saluted.
"You are a Franc-Comtois?"
"A little, general."
"From what part?"
"Boussière."
"Are your parents still living?"
"I have an old mother. Can I call that parents?"
"Yes. And what does your old mother do?"
"Oh! poor dear woman, she knits my socks and spins my shirts."
"And how does she support herself?"
"With what I send her. But as the Republic is in debt, and my pay is five months in arrears, she cannot be getting along very well. But, thanks to the Prince de Condé's treasure wagon, we shall be paid up. Noble prince, how my mother will bless him!"
"What, your mother will bless an enemy of France?"
"How will she know the difference? The good God will know that she is in her dotage."
"Then you are going to send her your pay?"
"Oh! I shall keep a bit for a drop of wine."
"Keep it all."
"And the old woman?"
"I will take care of her."
"General," said Falou, shaking his head, "I don't understand."
"Let me see your sword."
Falou unbuckled his sword and handed it to the general.
"Oh!" said Falou, "it's in a sorry condition."
[Pg 164]
"In other words," said the general, drawing his from its scabbard, "it is not fit for use. Take mine." And Pichegru, unbuckling his own sword, gave it to him.
"But, general, what shall I do with your sword?"
"Y............