I thought I’d have fainted, as I heard these words; the whole consequences of my act revealed themselves before me, and I saw arrest, trial, sentence, imprisonment, and heaven knew what afterward, like a panorama rolling out to my view.
“Tell the colonel, sir,” said the major, “that I have taken the north road, intending to cross over at Beaumont; that the artillery trains have cut up the Metz road so deeply that cavalry can not travel; tell him that I thank him much for his politeness in forwarding this dispatch to me; and tell him, that I regret the rules of active service should prevent my sending back an escort to place yourself under arrest, for the manner in which you have ridden—you hear, sir?”
I touched my cap in salute.
“Are you certain, sir, that you have my answer correctly?”
“I am, sir.”
“Repeat it, then.”
I mentioned the reply, word for word, as he spoke it.
“No, sir,” said he, as I concluded; “I said for unsoldierlike and cruel treatment to your horse.”
One of his officers whispered something in his ear, and he quietly added—
“I find that I had not used these words, but I ought to have done so; give the message, therefore, as you heard it at first.”