"But, monsieur," Captain Mollard asked, "who are you?"
"I am M. Alexandre Dumas, son of General Alexandre Dumas, whose name you will have known if you served under the Republic; and I have come in the name of General Gérard to ask the military authorities of the town of Soissons for all the powder they can find in the town. Here is my order: will one of you gentlemen come and look at it?"
With my gun in my left hand, I held out my right to them. The captain came up, took the order and read it. Whilst he was doing so, Sergeant Ragon took some steps towards the house.
"Pardon, monsieur," I said, "but since I do not know your purpose in going into your house, I will beg you to remain where you are."
The sergeant stopped short. Captain Mollard gave me back my order.
"That is all right, monsieur. What do you want further?"
"I want a simple enough thing, monsieur.... Do you see that tricolour flag?"
He nodded as an acknowledgment that he saw it perfectly well.
"Its substitution for the white flag," I continued, "will prove to you that I have friends in the town.... The town is going to rise."