"How many can you furnish me?"
"As many as you wish," replied the sergeant-major.
"What must I give you for that?"
"Permission to go in bathing with my company."
Bonaparte burst out laughing, for he understood at once.
"Very well," he said. "Go!"
The sergeant-major saluted and started off at a run. Shortly afterward the commander-in-chief and his aide saw the company to whom the former had given the permission to bathe pass with the sergeant-major at their head.
"Come and see something curious," said Bonaparte.
And taking Roland's arm, he ascended a little hill, from which the whole gulf was visible.
They saw the sergeant-major set the example by rushing into the water, as he certainly would have done had he been rushing into fire, after having first removed his clothing, and wade into the sea with a part of his men, while the others scattered along the shore. Roland had not understood until then.