sk you to
justify General Hatry. A defeat like that is fully as glorious as a
victory."

During this time Brise-Bleu's horse had been led up for the Republican
colonel.

He sprang into the saddle.

"By the bye," said Cadoudal, "as you go through La Roche-Bernard, just
inquire what has happened to citizen Thomas Milliere."

"He is dead," said a voice.

Coeur-de-Roi and his four men, covered with mud and sweat, had just
arrived, but too late for the battle.

Roland cast a last glance at the battlefield, sighed, and, waving a last
farewell to Cadoudal, started at a gallop across the fields to await, on
the road to Vannes, the wagon-load of wounded and the prisoners he was
asked to deliver to General Hatry.

Cadoudal had given a crown of six sous to each man.

Roland could not help reflecting that the gift was made with the money
of the Directory sent to the West by Morgan and the Companions of Jehu.

CHAPTER XXXV. A PROPOSAL OF MARRIAGE

Roland's first visit on arriving in Paris was to the First Consul. He
brought him the twofold news of the pacification of the Vendee, and the
increasingly bitter insurrection in Brittany.

Bonaparte knew Roland; consequently the triple narrative of Thomas
Milliere's murder, the execution of Bishop Audrein, and the fight at
Grandchamp, produced a deep impression upon him. There was, moreover,
in the young man's manner a sombre despair in which he could not be
mistaken.

Roland was miserable over this lost opportunity to get himself killed.
An unknown power seemed to watch over him, carrying him safe and sound
through dangers which resulted fatally to others. Sir John had found
twelve judges and a death-warrant, where he had seen but a phantom,
invulnerable, it is true, but inoffensive.

He blamed himself bitterly for singling out Cadoudal in the fight, thus
exposing himself to a pre-arranged plan of capture, instead of flinging
himself into the fray and killing or being killed.

The First Consul watched him anxiously as he talked; the longing for
death still lingered in his mind, a longing he hoped to cure by this
return to his native land and the endearments of his family.

He praised and defended General Hatry, but, just and impartial as a
soldier should be, he gave full credit to Cadoudal for the courage and
generosity the royalist general had displayed.

Bonaparte listened gravely, almost sadly; ardent as he was for foreign
war with its glorious halo, his soul