Canolles glanced about him; a dozen men were still in fighting trim, among them the sergeant he had stationed in the underground passage.
"The torch!" said Canolles; "what did you do with the torch?"
"I threw it down beside the barrel, commandant."
"Is it still burning?"
"Probably."
"Good. Send out all your men through the rear doors and windows. Obtain for them and for yourself the best terms you can; the rest is my affair."
"But, commandant—"
"Obey!"
The sergeant bent his head and bade his soldiers follow him. In a twinkling they all disappeared toward the rear of the house; they understood the purpose Canolles had in mind, and were not at all solicitous to be blown up with him.
Canolles listened for an instant. They were at work on the door with axes, but the fusillade did not abate; they were firing at random, mostly at the windows, where they thought that the besieged might be lying in ambush.