"You are all three welcome."
"You are very kind, general," said Faraud, with the twist of the neck which was peculiar to him.
"You know that a sum of twenty-five thousand francs has been allotted for the widows and orphans of the dead of the battalion of the Indre."
"Yes, general," replied Faraud.
"To which sum the battalion has added another twelve hundred francs."
"Yes, general. And by the same token, it was an idiot named Faraud who was carrying it in his handkerchief and who let it fall for sheer joy on hearing that he had been made a sergeant-major."
"Will you give me your word that he will not do it again?"
"Word of a sergeant-major! not even if you should make him a colonel."
"We have not got as far as that yet."
"So much the worse, general."