It was then that I discovered that madame had a great Russian pistol of her own, and was already looking to its priming. So the brigands were not her fathers and mothers after all.
We turned the corner of the pass, and a flickering red light fell suddenly on the path before us. It came from a hole in the wall of the rock, giving access to a cave of melancholy aspect. The question whether we should pause or go on was answered by me in an instant.
"Attention!" I whispered to them, and, raising my hand, I now took command of the expedition, and crept stealthily to the aperture. Ten strides and I was up to it, and had the mystery before my eyes.
There were three of the filthiest and most revolting moujiks I have ever looked upon squatting upon the floor of a considerable cave, and they were busy dividing the property of a man who lay dead by their fireside. The latter was an officer of the fusiliers, as I could see by his epaulettes. They had hacked his head off with a scythe, which lay by the tumbled corpse, and were now counting his money.
You will understand with what feelings of rage and fury my nephew and I beheld this spectacle, and the steps we took to avenge our comrade. Hardly had I clapped eyes upon the dead fusilier than I shot point-blank at the biggest of the Russians, and saw him fall forward into the very fire he had kindled. The two with him sprang to their feet, uttering the shrillest cries of alarm, but Léon settled the first of them with his pistol, and, to my amazement, the young Jew shot the third.
"I am well quit of him," said he; "there will be no more tribute next year."
And, upon this, what must he do but dash into the cavern and seize the money and the jewels which the robber still held in his quivering fingers.
At this I confess that I laughed aloud, and had not the heart to deprive him of his plunder. Sufficient that the dead was avenged and that these assassins would butcher Frenchmen no more.
VI
This delay had been unfortunate, and thereafter we pressed on as fast as the difficulties of the path would permit. The night was speeding, and the fate of the French army depended upon our swiftness. The day must be an enemy if the Emperor were not discovered.