"Besides, it offers you a final chance."
"What?"
"This, if you are defeated, of ennobling your overthrow, by falling weapons in hand upon a field of battle, instead of letting yourself be smoked out like a fox from its earth, by an enemy whom you despise, and of seeing yourself in a few days constrained to accept a shameful capitulation, in order to spare the capital of the Republic the horrors of a siege."
The general rose, and began walking up and down the cabinet with long strides; presently he stopped in front of the adventurer.
"Thanks, don Jaime," he said to him, in an affectionate voice; "your rough frankness has done me good, it has proved to me that I have at least one faithful friend left in misfortune; well, be it so, I accept your plan, and will put it into execution this very day; what o'clock is it?"
"Not quite four, General."
"At five, I shall have left Mexico."
The adventurer rose.
"Are you leaving me, my friend?" the general said to him.
"My presence is no longer necessary here, General, permit me to retire."