waiting for you, and you can
discuss the matter together."

The other dragoon had just then returned, and made me a sign to follow
him. A few paces brought us to the door of a small pavilion, at which a
sentry stood, and having motioned to me to pass in, my guide left me. An
orderly sergeant at the same instant appeared, and beckoning to me to
advance, he drew aside a curtain, and pushing me forward, let the heavy
folds close behind me; and now I found myself in a richly-furnished
chamber, at the farther end of which an officer was at supper with a
young and handsome woman. The profusion of wax lights on the table--the
glitter of plate, and glass, and porcelain--the richness of the lady's
dress, which seemed like the costume of a ball--were all objects
distracting enough, but they could not turn me from the thought of my
own condition; and I stood still and motionless, while the officer, a
man of about fifty, with dark and stern features, deliberately scanned
me from head to foot. Not a word did he speak, not a gesture did he
make, but sat, with his black eyes actually piercing me. I would have
given any thing for some outbreak of anger, some burst of passion, that
would have put an end to this horrible suspense, but none came; and
there he remained several minutes, as if contemplating something too new
and strange for utterance. "This must have an end," thought I--"here
goes;" and so, with my hand in salute, I drew myself full up, and said,

"I carried your orders, sir, and received for answer that Major
Roquelard had taken the north road advisedly, as that by Beaumont was
cut up by the artillery trains; that he would cross over to the Metz
Chaussee as soon as possible; that he thanked you for the kindness of
your warning, and regretted that the rules of active service precluded
his dispatching an escort of arrest along with me, for the manner in
which I had ridden with the order."

"Any thing more?" asked the colonel, in a voice that sounded thick and
guttural with passion.

"Nothing more, sir."

"No further remark or observation?"

"None, sir--at least from the major."

"What then--from any other?"

"A captain, sir, whose name I do not know, did say something."

"What was it?"

"I forget the precise words, sir, but their purport was, that Colonel
Mahon would certainly shoot me when I got back."

"And you replied?"

"I don't believe I made any reply at the time, sir."

"But you thought, sir--what wer