ustion. The others had all recovered and been sent on.
These were my enemies, and I must pass through them in order to gain
my horse. From the surgeon I had nothing to fear; the Englishman was
wounded, and his sword stood with his cloak in a corner; the two Germans
were half insensible, and their muskets were not beside them. What
could be simpler? I opened the trap-door, slipped down the ladder, and
appeared in the midst of them, my sword drawn in my hand.

What a picture of surprise! The surgeon, of course, knew all, but to the
Englishman and the two Germans it must have seemed that the god of war
in person had descended from the skies. With my appearance, with my
figure, with my silver and grey uniform, and with that gleaming sword in
my hand, I must indeed have been a sight worth seeing. The two Germans
lay petrified with staring eyes. The English officer half rose, but sat
down again from weakness, his mouth open and his hand on the back of his
chair.

"What the deuce!" he kept on repeating, "what the deuce!"

"Pray do not move," said I; "I will hurt no one, but woe to the man who
lays hands upon me to stop me. You have nothing to fear if you leave me
alone, and nothing to hope if you try to hinder me. I am Colonel Etienne
Gerard, of the Hussars of Conflans."

"The deuce!" said the Englishman. "You are the man that killed the fox."
A terrible scowl had darkened his face. The jealousy of sportsmen is a
base passion. He hated me, this Englishman, because I had been before
him in transfixing the animal. How different are our natures! Had I
seen him do such a deed I would have embraced him with cries of joy. But
there was no time for argument.

"I regret it, sir," said I; "but you have a cloak here and I must take
it."

He tried to rise from his chair and reach his sword, but I got between
him and the corner where it lay.

"If there is anything in the pockets----"

"A case," said he.

"I would not rob you," said I; and raising the cloak I took from the
pockets a silver flask, a square wooden case and a field-glass. All
these I handed to him. The wretch opened the case, took out a pistol,
and pointed it straight at my head.

"Now, my fine fellow," said he, "put down your sword and give yourself
up."

I was so astounded at this infamous action that I stood petrified before
him. I tried to speak to him of honour and gratitude, but I saw his eyes
fix and harden over the pistol.

"Enough talk!" said he. "Dro