y years old.

CHAPTER XXXIII. THE LAW OF RETALIATION

"Now, general," said Roland, when supper was over and the two young men,
with their elbows on the table and their legs stretched out before the
blazing fire, began to feel that comfortable sensation that comes of a
meal which youth and appetite have seasoned. "Now for your promise to
show me things which I can report to the First Consul."

"You promised, remember, not to object to them."

"Yes, but I reserve the right, in case you wound my conscience too
severely, to withdraw."

"Only give time to throw a saddle on the back of your horse, or of mine,
if yours is too tired, colonel, and you are free."

"Very good."

"As it happens," said Cadoudal, "events will serve you. I am here, not
only as general, but as judge, though it is long since I have had a case
to try. You told me, colonel, that General Brune was at Nantes; I knew
it. You told me his advanced guard was only twelve miles away, at La
Roche-Bernard; I knew that also. But a thing you may not know is that
this advanced guard is not commanded by a soldier like you and me, but
by citizen Thomas Milliere, Commissioner of the Executive authorities.
Another thing of which you may perhaps be ignorant is that citizen
Thomas Milliere does not fight like us with cannon, guns, bayonets,
pistols and swords, but with an instrument invented by your Republican
philanthropists, called the guillotine."

"It is impossible, sir," cried Roland, "that under the First Consul any
one can make that kind of war."

"Ah! let us understand each other, colonel. I don't say that the First
Consul makes it; I say it is made in his name."

"And who is the scoundrel that abuses the authority given him, to make
war with a staff of executioners?"

"I have told you his name; he is called Thomas Milliere. Question whom
you please, colonel, and throughout all Vendee and Brittany you'll hear
but one voice on that man. From the day of the rising in Vendee and
Brittany, now six years ago, Milliere has been, always and everywhere,
the most active agent of the Terror. For him the Terror did not end with
Robespierre. He denounced to his superiors, or caused to be denounced
to himself, the Breton and Vendean soldiers, their parents, friends,
brothers, sisters, wives, even the wounded and dying; he shot or
guillotined them all without a trial. At Daumeray, for instance, he left
a trail of blood behind him which is not yet, can never be,