The two soldiers stepped up to each other and exchanged a frank and manly grasp of the hand. Then Faraud threw his vest over his left shoulder and passed his arm through that of Falou.
The seconds did the same, and all six entered the city by the Eastern gate, and went quietly toward the barracks.
General Bonaparte looked after them with a smile, murmuring: "Brave hearts! Cæsar crossed the Rubicon with men like that; but it is not yet time to do as Cæsar did." Then he cried: "Murat!"
A young man of twenty-four, with black hair and mustache, and a quick, intelligent eye, dashed forward on his horse, and sprang instantly to the general's side.
"Murat," he said, "you will start at once for Vicenza, where Augereau is at present. You will bring him to me at the Palace Serbelloni. You will tell him that the ground-floor is unoccupied, and that he can have it."
"The deuce!" murmured those who had seen but had not heard; "it looks as though General Bonaparte were out of humor."
[CHAPTER XIV]
THE CAUSE OF CITIZEN-GENERAL BONAPARTE'S ILL-HUMOR
Bonaparte returned to the Palace Serbelloni. He was indeed in a bad humor.