"If he will let us take his rifles we will not ask anything further from him."
"Be patient and we shall have them! But I will give them to you."
"Bravo!"
"How many of you are there?"
"About a score."
"Harel, have twenty rifles brought out, my friend." Then, turning towards the good fellows, I said—
"You must understand clearly that it is I, M. Alexandre Dumas, who lend you these guns; those who get killed I will not bother, but those who survive shall bring back their arms. Is that agreed to?"
"On our word of honour!"
"Here are twenty rifles."
"Thanks!"