It may be gathered that the town was in a state of excitement. The officer who had been set to mount guard over them left the house with them, and, after shaking hands at the door, set off at a run to rejoin his comrades. The carriage had returned to the posting-house, to which they wended their way. At every step of the road the young men received manifest tokens of sympathy. When they reached the post, they were rejoined by the major.
"Messieurs," he said to them, "the colonel begs you as a favour to go away; he gives you his word of honour that he and his regiment will yield allegiance to the Provisional Government.... But, at the least, you might allow him the credit for this adherence."
"Oh! if that is all," Charras and Lothon both exclaimed together, "by all means let us start!"
"One moment," said Lieutenant-Colonel Duriveau, "how are you off for money?"
Charras turned out his pockets; he had hardly five francs left out of Aubespin's twenty francs.
"How much would you like?" said the lieutenant-colonel, pulling out several bags of five-franc pieces from his trouser-pockets.
"A hundred francs," said Charras.
"Will that be enough?"
"Surely! we came with but twenty."
"Then we'll say a hundred."