"The continued success of France is very certain, monsieur?" said one of the grenadiers, looking darkly at him. "You say that?"
"Sans doute. It cannot be otherwise. On sea and land we must triumph now--and then--then we shall have la paix incassable. Oh! yes, now that Chateaurenault is on the seas, we must perforce win there--win every--everything. And for the land, why----"
"Chateaurenault is on the seas!" exclaimed the chaplain, looking very grave. "And how long has that been, monsieur?"
"Oh, some time, some time." Then he put his finger to his nose and said, looking extremely cunning in his half drunkenness. "And soon now he will be free to scour them, turn his attention to you and the Dutch--curse the Dutch always, they are cochons!--soon, ver' soon. Just as soon as the galleons are unloaded at Vigo--when we need protect them no more."
Swift as lightning all our eyes met as the good-natured sot said this in his boastfulness; then Mr. Beauvoir, speaking calmly again, said:
"So he is protecting them at Vigo, eh? 'Tis not often they unload there."
"Ah, non, non. Not ver' often. But, you see, you had closed Cadiz against them, so, naturellement, they must go in somewhere."
"Naturally. No--not another drop of wine, I thank you."