avoided such a post of danger. Is it not so?"

"It certainly appears strange, that you should volunteer for the forlorn
hope, and then run away."

"That's just what I say. I have the soul of the Talbots, but a body
which don't belong to the family, and too powerful for the soul."

"So it appears. Well, go on."

"It was go off, instead of going on. I tried again that day to mount
the breach, and as the fire was over, I succeeded; but there was a mark
against me, and it was intimated that I should have an opportunity of
redeeming my character."

"Well?"

"There was a fort to be stormed the next day, and I requested to lead my
company in advance. Surely that was no proof of want of courage?
Permission was granted. We were warmly received, and I felt that my
legs refused to advance; so what did I do--I tied my sash round my
thigh, and telling the men that I was wounded, requested they would
carry me to the attack. Surely that was courage?"

"Most undoubtedly so. It was like a Talbot."

"We were at the foot of the breach; when the shot flew about me, I
kicked and wrestled so, that the two men who carried me were obliged to
let me go, and my rascally body was at liberty. I say unfortunately,
for only conceive, if they had carried me wounded up the breach, what an
heroic act it would have been considered on my part; but fate decided it
otherwise. If I had lain still when they dropped me, I should have done
well, but I was anxious to get up the breach, that is, my mind was so
bent; but as soon as I got on my legs, confound them if they didn't run
away with me, and then I was found half a mile from the fort with a
pretended wound. That was enough; I had a hint that the sooner I went
home the better. On account of the family I was permitted to sell out,
and then I walked the streets as a private gentleman, but no one would
speak to me. I argued the point with several, but they were obstinate,
and would not be convinced; they said that it was no use talking about
being brave, if I ran away."

"They were not philosophers, Talbot."

"No; they could not comprehend how the mind and the body could be at
variance. It was no use arguing--they would have it that the movements
of the body depended upon the mind, and that I had made a mistake--and
that I was a coward in soul as well as body."

"Well, what did you do?"

"Oh, I did nothing! I had a great mind to knock them down, but as I
knew my body would not a