"What does it matter!" I interrupted.
I saw, however, that there was a certain amount of danger in allowing a hostile clan to form itself at the very beginning. I went into the little room reserved for us. I found Descroix in his shirt-sleeves, and offered him a cigarette, which he accepted. Humel came back, and we joked. Neither of them uttered a word about the afternoon's occurrence.
However, the quartermaster-sergeant came to tell me, in a tone that I did not half like, that I had been warned for orderly duty at the gates.
"Who detailed me?"
"The sergeant-major."
The others were chuckling inwardly. I made the best of a bad job. All right! My turn would come in time no doubt! I was looking for the necessary equipment when a counter order arrived. The guard would be drawn entirely from the 23rd to-day.
Still better! I went out calmly, taking Guillaumin with me. Frémont had vanished. We met De Valpic:
"Are you coming to dine with us?"
He excused himself. Not this evening, he preferred to rest.
Rest after what? His refusal shocked me. If he was going to refuse to associate with us, he would have to be taken down a peg.