human
Ah! said Pichegru,
gpt
That's not it, general, replied Falou;
human
Well, upon my honor, I am not sorry that it has happened to you.
gpt
Thanks, general; a fine scar like that does not harm a chasseur's face.
human
That was not what I meant.
gpt
What then?
human
It will give me an excuse to send you away.
gpt
Say, general, no jokes; it is not a final dismissal?
human
No, a fortnight's furlough.
gpt
What for?
human
To go and see Mother Falou.
gpt
Ah, yes, the poor old woman; that's so.
human
Have you not your back-pay to carry her?
gpt
Ah! general, you have no idea of the quantity of brandy compresses that I had to put on this wound! It is like a mouth, it drinks and drinks, you have no idea how much.
human
In other words your pay is almost gone?
gpt
Worse than my sword was when you were good enough to give me this one.
human
Then I will do for your pay what I did for your sword.
gpt
Will you give me more?
human
Oh! the Prince de Condé will pay the piper!
gpt
Gold! Ah, what a pity that the poor old mother cannot see it again; it would remind her of the times when there was plenty of gold!
human
She will see enough to sew the new quartermaster's stripes on your coat, which the Prussians have already sewed on your face.
gpt
Quartermaster, general? Am I a quartermaster?
human
That is the rank which they have put upon your leave of absence.
gpt
Faith, yes; there it is, every letter of it!
human
Get ready to start.
gpt
To-day?
human
To-day.
gpt
On foot or on horseback?
human
In a carriage.
gpt
In a carriage? Am I to go in a carriage?
human
A post-chaise.
gpt
Like the king's dogs when they go to the hunt! And may I know why I am to have this honor?
human
My secretary, Charles, who is going to Besançon, will take you with him, and will bring you back again.
gpt
General, said Falou, bringing his heels together and saluting,
human
Charles! Charles!
gpt
Here I am, general,
human
Do you know where Abatucci is?
gpt
With us, general. He is doing the account that you asked for.
human
Will he have it finished before long?
gpt
It is finished, general,
human
Wait, said he,
gpt
I wish to speak to you. Then he said to Abatucci,
human
How many flags?
gpt
Five, general.
human
Cannons?
gpt
Twenty-eight.
human
Prisoners?
gpt
Three thousand.
human
How many of the enemy killed?
gpt
Fully seven thousand.
human
How many did we lose?
gpt
Scarcely twenty-five hundred.
human
You will go to Paris with the rank of colonel, which I shall ask the government to confirm. You will present the five flags to the Convention in the names of General Hoche and myself, and you will take with you the report that General Hoche is preparing. Estève will give you a thousand francs to cover your expenses. My choice of you to carry the captured flags to the Convention, as well as the rank I have just bestowed upon you, proves my esteem for your courage and ability. If you see your cousin Bonaparte remind him of the fact that I was his tutor at Brienne.
gpt
And now we are by ourselves, little Charles!
human
Charles, my dear child, you have made a sacred promise in the sight of heaven which you must keep. If there is in this world a promise which should be kept inviolate above all others, it is one that has been made to a dying man. I have told you that I would give you the means to fulfil it, and I now keep my word. You still have the count's foraging-cap?
gpt
Good! I shall send you to Besançon with Falou. You will go with him to the little village of Boussières, and will give the burgomaster the money intended for his mother; and, as I do not wish that any one should think that this is pillage money, which they certainly would if her son gave it to her himself, I desire that the burgomaster shall hand it to her himself. A letter from me will moreover remain in the village, bearing witness to our new quartermaster's courage. I give you and Falou eight days' leave from the time you reach Besançon; you will doubtless want to show your new uniform.
human
And will you give me nothing for my father?
gpt
A letter when you are ready to start.