“Yes, sir,” I said.
“You saw everything?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And you heard all?”
“No, sir, not all; only what you said last.”
Then he was silent again for a few moments, but only to lay his hand directly after on my chest.
“Smith,” he said, “I would rather you had not seen this; and if it had been any other man in my company, I should perhaps have offered him money, to insure that there was no idle chattering at the mess-tables; but you I ask, as a man I can trust, to give me your word of honour as a soldier to let what you have seen and heard be sacred.”
“Thank you, captain,” I said, speaking thick, for somehow his words seemed to touch me. “You shan’t repent trusting me.”
“I have no fear, Smith,” he said, speaking lightly, and as if he felt joyful, and proud, and happy.—“What a glorious night for a cigar;” and he took one out of his case, when we both started, for, as if he had that moment risen out of the ground, Lieutenant Leigh stood there close to us; and even to this day I can’t make out how he managed it, but all the same he must have seen and heard as much as I had.
“And pray, is my word of honour as a soldier to be taken, Captain Dyer? or is my silence to be bought with money?—Confound you I come this way, will you!” he hissed; for Captain Dyer had half turned, as if to avoid him, but he stepped back directly, and I saw them walk off together amongst the trees, till they were quite out of sight; and if ever I felt what it was to be tied down to one spot, I felt it then, as I walked sentry up and down by that tent watching for those two to return.