The answer came in the following words:
“I understand, sir, that when you were a young man——”
“When I was what?” I shouted, sitting up once more.
“I understand, sir, that when you were quite a young man,” repeated the interviewer, with the sentence improved, “you were an officer in the French army.”
“I was,” I murmured, in the same position.
“I also understand you fought during the Franco-Prussian war.”
“I did,” I said, resuming a horizontal position.
“May I ask you to give me some reminiscences of the Franco-Prussian war—just enough to fill about a column?”
I rose and again sat up.
“Free citizen of the great American Republic,” said I, “beware, beware! There will be blood shed in this room to-night.”