‘He bolted with me at first, major, and having cleared the ditch of the boulevard, rode away with me.’
‘Why, it’s Colonel Mahon’s Arab, Aleppo,’ said another officer; ‘what could have persuaded him to mount an orderly on a beast worth ten thousand francs?’
I thought I’d have fainted, as I heard these words; the whole consequences of my act revealed themselves before me, and I saw arrest, trial, sentence, imprisonment, and Heaven knew what afterwards, like a panorama rolling out to my view.
‘Tell the colonel, sir,’ said the major, ‘that I have taken the north road, intending to cross over at Beaumont; that the artillery trains have cut up the Metz road so deeply, cavalry cannot travel; tell him I thank him much for his politeness in forwarding this despatch to me; and tell him, that I regret the rules of active service should prevent my sending back an escort to place yourself under arrest for the manner in which you have ridden—you hear, sir?’
I touched my cap in salute.
‘Are you certain, sir, that you have my answer correctly?’
‘I am, sir.’
‘Repeat it, then.’
I repeated the reply, word for word, as he spoke it.
‘No, sir,’ said he as I concluded; ‘I said for unsoldier-like and cruel treatment to your horse.’