e been killed."

"Yes, in the cause of honour," said Morny, slowly and thoughtfully.

"But that wouldn't have happened if they had been fighting with their
fists."

"It's of no use to argue a matter like this with an Englishman," said
Morny. "He cannot see such things with the eyes of a Frenchman."

"And a jolly good job too," said Rodd. "But we are running away from
what we have been talking about. I was saying, suppose you and I were
fighting and I hit you on the bridge of the nose and made your eyes
swell up so that you couldn't see; that would be no reason why you
should always hate me afterwards. Wouldn't it be much better if the one
who was beaten owned it and shook hands so as to be good friends again?"

"Hah!" said Morny, giving vent to a long deep sigh.

"Uncle Paul always says that there is so much good to do in the world
that there is no room for animosity or hatred, especially as life is so
very short. Here, I don't see that we English have done anything worse
to you French than conquering you now and then."

"What!" cried Morny. "What have you to say to the way in which you
treated your prisoners? You were never taken captive with your father--
I mean your uncle, and shut up in a great cheerless building right out
upon a cold, bleak, dreary moor."

"No," said Rodd gravely.

"My father and I were, after a sea-fight in which one of your great
bullying ships battered our little sloop of war almost to pieces and
took us into Plymouth, not conquered, for our brave fellows fought till
nearly all were killed or wounded."

"I say," cried Rodd earnestly, "I didn't know about this! Were you
wounded?"

For answer Morny with flashing eyes literally snatched up his
shirt-sleeve, baring his thin white left arm and displaying in the
fleshy part a curious puckering and discoloration, evidently the scar of
a bad wound.

"Poor old chap!" said Rodd softly. "I say, how was that done?"

"Grape-shot," replied Morny, drawing himself up proudly and deliberately
beginning to draw down and button his sleeve.

"Did it hurt much?"

"Yes," said Morny rather contemptuously. "My father was wounded too, so
that he had to be carried below, or else we should never have struck,
but he would have gone down as a brave captain should with colours
flying, fighting for the Emperor to the very last."

"Then I am precious glad that the Count was taken below," said Rodd.

"Why?" snapped out the French lad fiercely.