“The rearguard—and the baggage were cut off——”
The unfortunate general spoke awkwardly; it seemed, by his demeanour, more as if he stood before a tribunal of judges than speaking alone to a youth over twenty years his junior, and whom he had patronised as a child.
“You did not offer fight?” demanded the Prince.
“Your Highness, we were hopelessly outnumbered by the enemy … some of the guns sank in a polder——”
The Prince cut short these excuses.
“M. de Montbas,” he said in a tone of exquisite anger, “I perceive you are a very bad soldier.”
The Vicomte took a step to one side in a baited way.
“What does Your Highness mean?” he asked in an agitated fashion.
William did not take his eyes off him.