"The pistol, for goodness' sake give me the pistol! You can see that this rascal means to have us shot!"
"Bah!" was Lothon's reply, "à la guerre comme à la guerre."
"You seem to take things very easy, you donkey; you are half dead as it is, and won't take much finishing off.... But, except for the hole you were imbecile enough to make in me, I am hale enough, and I have no desire to be killed like a chicken!"
"Oh! set your mind at rest!... They do not shoot people down like this without warning, you bet!"
Meanwhile, the colonel went away, and the two messengers were left with the major. The major seemed a better sort than the colonel; he had evidently remained, by his chiefs order, to make the young men talk and to find out whether all they had stated was really the truth. As their story was correct, there was no danger of their contradicting each other. Moreover, Lothon left the whole brunt of the conversation to Charras; for, as he was lounging on a sort of sofa, he fell asleep in five minutes' time. In the midst of the interview an officer appeared on the scene.
"Comrade," he said, addressing Charras, "I have come from the colonel, to whom you would not give your parole.... My instructions are not to let you out of my sight;... but as I am not a policeman—why there!..."
He unbuckled his sword and flung it into an arm-chair.
"You can do what you like!"
"Monsieur," said Charras, "our intention is not to quit la Fère, and in proof thereof look...."
And he pointed out to the officer Lothon sound asleep.