Auguste de St. Gré rose, flushing, to his feet. “Citizens,” he said, with a fluency that was easy for him, “I never mek secret of my history—no. It is true my relation, Monsieur le Marquis de St. Gré, bought me a pair of colors in the King's gardes du corps.”
“And is it not truth you tremple the coackade, what I hear from Philadelphe?” cried Depeau.
Monsieur Auguste smiled with a patient tolerance.
“If you hev pains to mek inquiry,” said he, “you must learn that I join le Marquis de La Fayette and the National Guard. That I have since fight for the Revolution. That I am come now home to fight for Louisiane, as Monsieur Genêt will tell you whom I saw in Philadelphe.”
“The Citizen Capitaine—he spiks true.”
All eyes were turned towards Gignoux, who had been sitting back in his chair, very quiet.
“It is true what he say,” he repeated, “I have it by Monsieur Genêt himself.”
“Gentlemen,” said General Clark, “this is beside the question, and I will not have these petty quarrels. I may as well say to you now that I have chosen the Citizen Captain to go at once to New Orleans and organize a regiment among the citizens there faithful to France. On account of his family and supposed Royalist tendencies he will not be suspected. I fear that a month at least has yet to elapse before our expedition can move.”
“It is one wise choice,” put in Monsieur Gignoux.
“Monsieur le général and gentlemen,” said the Sieur de St. Gré, gracefully, “I thank you ver' much for the confidence. I leave by first flatboat and will have all things stir up when you come. The citizens of Louisiane await you. If necessair, we have hole in levee ready to cut.”