"Only—"
"Well?"
"You must ask the colonel to let me be present. I should never forgive myself if any one thought that I wanted to—"
"Very good; I will ask him. As a fellow-countryman that will be quite natural. Besides, the soldiers do not put on so many airs as the civilians; they have a stern duty to fulfil, and they make it as easy as possible. Where were we?"
"You were saying that I must be present at your execution."
"Yes, that was it. I shall ask to be allowed to send something to my brother that belongs to me—my foraging cap, for example; that is done every day. Besides, you see, a foraging cap would never be suspected."
"No."
"Just as they are about to fire I will toss it aside. Do not be in too much of a hurry to pick it up—they might suspect something. But when I am dead—"
"Oh!" exclaimed Charles, with a shiver.