ded man,
raising himself upon one knee, and lifting toward his companion an arm
bearing a useless sword. Biscarrat rushed toward him, opening his breast
for the blow, but the wounded man fell back not to rise again--uttering
a groan which was his last. Biscarrat, with hair on end, haggard eyes,
and bewildered head, advanced toward the interior of the cavern, saying,
"You are right. Death to me, who have allowed my companions to be
assassinated. I am a base wretch!" And throwing away his sword, for he
wished to die without defending himself, he rushed head foremost into
the cavern. The others followed him. The eleven who remained out of
sixteen imitated his example; but they did not go farther than the
first. A second discharge laid five upon the icy sand; and, as it was
impossible to see whence this murderous thunder issued, the others fell
back with a terror that can be better imagined than expressed. But, far
from flying, as the others had done, Biscarrat remained safe and sound,
seated on a fragment of rock, and waited. There were only six gentlemen
left.

"Seriously," said one of the survivors, "is it the devil?"

"Ma foi! it is much worse," said another.

"Ask Biscarrat, he knows."

"Where is Biscarrat?" The young men looked round them and saw that
Biscarrat did not answer.

"He is dead!" said two or three voices.

"Oh! no," replied another; "I saw him through the smoke, sitting quietly
on a rock. He is in the cavern; he is waiting for us."

"He must know who is there."

"And how should he know them?"

"He was taken prisoner by the rebels."

"That is true. Well! let us call him, and learn from him whom we have
to deal with." And all voices shouted, "Biscarrat! Biscarrat!" But
Biscarrat did not answer.

"Good!" said the officer who had shown so much coolness in the affair.
"We have no longer any need of him; here are re-enforcements coming."

In fact, a company of the guards, left in the rear by their officers,
whom the ardor of the chase had carried away--from seventy-five to
eighty men--arrived in good order, led by their captain and the first
lieutenant. The five officers hastened to meet their soldiers; and, in a
language, the eloquence of which may be easily imagined, they related
the adventure, and asked for aid. The captain interrupted them. "Where
are your companions?" demanded he.

"Dead!"

"But there were sixteen of you!"

"Ten are dead. Biscarrat is in the cavern, and we are five."