faith, even Etienne Gerard was a little staggered at being left alone
with such a creature in the dark.

But only for a moment. 'Courage!' I thought. 'Am I not a hussar, a
brigadier, too, at the age of thirty-one, and the chosen messenger of
the Emperor?' After all, this skulker had more cause to be afraid of me
than I of him. And then suddenly I understood that he was
afraid--horribly afraid. I could read it from his quick step and his
bent shoulders as he ran among the barrels, like a rat making for its
hole. And, of course, it must have been he who had held the door against
me, and not some packing-case or wine-cask as I had imagined. He was the
pursued then, and I the pursuer. Aha, I felt my whiskers bristle as I
advanced upon him through the darkness! He would find that he had no
chicken to deal with, this robber from the North. For the moment I was
magnificent.

At first I had feared to light my candle lest I should make a mark of
myself, but now, after cracking my shin over a box, and catching my
spurs in some canvas, I thought the bolder course the wiser. I lit it,
therefore, and then I advanced with long strides, my sword in my hand.
'Come out, you rascal!' I cried. 'Nothing can save you. You will at last
meet with your deserts.'

I held my candle high, and presently I caught a glimpse of the man's
head staring at me over a barrel. He had a gold chevron on his black
cap, and the expression of his face told me in an instant that he was an
officer and a man of refinement.

'Monsieur,' he cried, in excellent French, 'I surrender myself on a
promise of quarter. But if I do not have your promise, I will then sell
my life as dearly as I can.'

'Sir,' said I, 'a Frenchman knows how to treat an unfortunate enemy.
Your life is safe.' With that he handed his sword over the top of the
barrel, and I bowed with the candle on my heart. 'Whom have I the honour
of capturing?' I asked.

'I am the Count Boutkine, of the Emperor's own Don Cossacks,' said he.
'I came out with my troop to reconnoitre Senlis, and as we found no sign
of your people we determined to spend the night here.'

'And would it be an indiscretion,' I asked, 'if I were to inquire how
you came into the back cellar?'

'Nothing more simple,' said he. 'It was our intention to start at early
dawn. Feeling chilled after dressing, I thought that a cup of wine would
do me no harm, so I came down to see what I could find. As I was
rummaging about, the house