ve expression of a man who is
arguing a point of honor in his own mind. Then, at the end of a few
seconds, he said: "General, I should refuse."

"Your reasons, citizen?" demanded the general.

"The chances of a duel are problematic; you cannot subject the fate of
a hundred brave men to a doubtful chance. In an affair like this, where
all are concerned, every man had better defend his own skin as best he
can."

"Is that your opinion, colonel?"

"On my honor."

"It is also mine; carry my reply to the royalist general."

Roland galloped back to Cadoudal, and delivered General Hatry's reply.

Cadoudal smiled. "I expected it," he said.

"You couldn't have expected it, because it was I who advised him to make
it."

"You thought differently a few moments ago."

"Yes; but you yourself reminded me that I was not General Hatry. Come,
what is your third proposition?" said Roland impatiently; for he began
to perceive, or rather he had perceived from the beginning, that the
noble part in the affair belonged to the royalist general.

"My third proposition," said Cadoudal, "is not a proposition but an
order; an order for two hundred of my men to withdraw. General Hatry
has one hundred men; I will keep one hundred. My Breton forefathers
were accustomed to fight foot to foot, breast to breast, man to man, and
oftener one to three than three to one. If General Hatry is victorious,
he can walk over our bodies and tranquilly enter Vannes; if he is
defeated, he cannot say it is by numbers. Go, Monsieur de Montrevel, and
remain with your friends. I give them thus the advantage of numbers, for
you alone are worth ten men."

Roland raised his hat.

"What are you doing, sir?" demanded Cadoudal.

"I always bow to that which is grand, general; I bow to you."

"Come, colonel," said Cadoudal, "a last glass of wine; let each of us
drink to what we love best, to that which we grieve to leave behind, to
that we hope to meet in heaven."

Taking the bottle and the one glass, he filled it half full, and offered
it to Roland. "We have but one glass, Monsieur de Montrevel; drink
first."

"Why first?"

"Because, in the first place, you are my guest, and also because there
is a proverb that whoever drinks after another knows his thought."
Then, he added, laughing: "I want to know your thought, Monsieur de
Montrevel."

Roland emptied the glass and returned it to Cadoudal. The latter filled
his glass half full, as he had done for Rola