his　fire　in　soapsuds。
  He　put　the　exercise　down；　leaned　his　chin　upon　his　hand；　and　looked
  at　me　with　clear；　severe　eyes。
  'I　think　we　must　have　a　little　talk；'　said　he。
  'I　am　entirely　at　your　disposition；'　I　replied；　but　I　quaked；　for　I
  knew　what　subject　to　expect。
  'You　have　been　some　time　giving　me　these　lessons；'　he　went　on；　'and
  I　am　tempted　to　think　rather　well　of　you。　　I　believe　you　are　a
  gentleman。'
  'I　have　that　honour；　sir；'　said　I。
  'You　have　seen　me　for　the　same　period。　　I　do　not　know　how　I　strike
  you；　but　perhaps　you　will　be　prepared　to　believe　that　I　also　am　a
  man　of　honour；'　said　he。
  'I　require　no　assurances；　the　thing　is　manifest；'　and　I　bowed。
  'Very　well；　then；'　said　he。　　'What　about　this　Goguelat？'
  'You　heard　me　yesterday　before　the　court；'　I　began。　　'I　was
  awakened　only　…　'
  'Oh　yes；　I　〃heard　you　yesterday　before　the　court；〃　no　doubt；'　he
  interrupted；　'and　I　remember　perfectly　that　you　were　〃awakened
  only。〃　　I　could　repeat　the　most　of　it　by　rote；　indeed。　　But　do　you
  suppose　that　I　believed　you　for　a　moment？'
  'Neither　would　you　believe　me　if　I　were　to　repeat　it　here；'　said　I。
  'I　may　be　wrong　…　we　shall　soon　see；'　says　he；　'but　my　impression
  is　that　you　will　not　〃repeat　it　here。〃　　My　impression　is　that　you
  have　come　into　this　room；　and　that　you　will　tell　me　something
  before　you　go　out。'
  I　shrugged　my　shoulders。
  'Let　me　explain；'　he　continued。　　'Your　evidence；　of　course；　is
  nonsense。　　I　put　it　by；　and　the　court　put　it　by。'
  'My　compliments　and　thanks！'　said　I。
  'You　MUST　know　…　that's　the　short　and　the　long；'　he　proceeded。
  'All　of　you　in　shed　B　are　bound　to　know。　　And　I　want　to　ask　you
  where　is　the　common…sense　of　keeping　up　this　farce；　and　maintaining
  this　cock…and…bull　story　between　friends。　　Come；　come；　my　good
  fellow；　own　yourself　beaten；　and　laugh　at　it　yourself。'
  'Well；　I　hear　you；　go　ahead；'　said　I。　　'You　put　your　heart　in　it。'
  He　crossed　his　legs　slowly。　　'I　can　very　well　understand；'　he
  began；　'that　precautions　have　had　to　be　taken。　　I　dare　say　an　oath
  was　administered。　　I　can　comprehend　that　perfectly。'　　（He　was
  watching　me　all　the　time　with　his　cold；　bright　eyes。）　　'And　I　can
  comprehend　that；　about　an　affair　of　honour；　you　would　be　very
  particular　to　keep　it。'
  'About　an　affair　of　honour？'　I　repeated；　like　a　man　quite　puzzled。
  'It　was　not　an　affair　of　honour；　then？'　he　asked。
  'What　was　not？　　I　do　not　follow；'　said　I。
  He　gave　no　sign　of　impatience；　simply　sat　awhile　silent；　and　began
  again　in　the　same　placid　and　good…natured　voice：　'The　court　and　I
  were　at　one　in　setting　aside　your　evidence。　　It　could　not　deceive　a
  child。　　But　there　was　a　difference　between　myself　and　the　other
  officers；　because　I　KNEW　MY　MAN　and　they　did　not。　　They　saw　in　you
  a　common　soldier；　and　I　knew　you　for　a　gentleman。　　To　them　your
  evidence　was　a　leash　of　lies；　which　they　yawned　to　hear　you
  telling。　　Now；　I　was　asking　myself；　how　far　will　a　gentleman　go？
  Not　surely　so　far　as　to　help　hush　a　murder　up？　　So　that　…　when　I
  heard　you　tell　how　you　knew　nothing　of　the　matter；　and　were　only
  awakened　by　the　corporal；　and　all　the　rest　of　it　…　I　translated
  your　statements　into　something　else。　　Now；　Champdivers；'　he　cried；
  springing　up　lively　and　coming　towards　me　with　animation；　'I　am
  going　to　tell　you　what　that　was；　and　you　are　going　to　help　me　to
  see　justice　done：　how；　I　don't　know；　for　of　course　you　are　under
  oath　…　but　somehow。　　Mark　what　I'm　going　to　say。'
  At　that　moment　he　laid　a　heavy；　hard　grip　upon　my　shoulder；　and
  whether　he　said　anything　more　or　came　to　a　full　stop　at　once；　I　am
  sure　I　could　not　tell　you　to　this　day。　　For；　as　the　devil　would
  have　it；　the　shoulder　he　laid　hold　of　was　the　one　Goguelat　had
  pinked。　　The　wound　was　but　a　scratch；　it　was　healing　with　the　first
  intention；　but　in　the　clutch　of　Major　Chevenix　it　gave　me　agony。
  My　head　swam；　the　sweat　poured　off　my　face；　I　must　have　grown
  deadly　pale。
  He　removed　his　hand　as　suddenly　as　he　had　laid　it　there。　　'What　is
  wrong　with　you？'　said　he。
  'It　is　nothing；'　said　I。　　'A　qualm。　　It　has　gone　by。'
  'Are　you　sure？'　said　he。　　'You　are　as　white　as　a　sheet。'
  'Oh　no；　I　assure　you！　　Nothing　whatever。　　I　am　my　own　man　again；'　I
  said；　though　I　could　scarce　command　my　tongue。
  'Well；　shall　I　go　on　again？'　says　he。　　'Can　you　follow　me？'
  'Oh；　by　all　means！'　said　I；　and　mopped　my　streaming　face　upon　my
  sleeve；　for　you　may　be　sure　in　those　days　I　had　no　handkerchief。
  'If　you　are　sure　you　can　follow　me。　　That　was　a　very　sudden　and
  sharp　seizure；'　he　said　doubtfully。　　'But　if　you　are　sure；　all
  right；　and　here　goes。　　An　affair　of　honour　among　you　fellows　would；
  naturally；　be　a　little　difficult　to　carry　out；　perhaps　it　would　be
  impossible　to　have　it　wholly　regular。　　And　yet　a　duel　might　be　very
  irregular　in　form；　and；　under　the　peculiar　circumstances　of　the
  case；　loyal　enough　in　effect。　　Do　you　take　me？　　Now；　as　a　gentleman
  and　a　soldier。'
  His　hand　rose　again　at　the　words　and　hovered　over　me。　　I　could　bear
  no　more；　and　winced　away　from　him。　　'No；'　I　cried；　　'not　that。　　Do
  not　put　your　hand　upon　my　shoulder。　　I　cannot　bear　it。　　It　is
  rheumatism；'　I　made　haste　to　add。　　'My　shoulder　is　inflamed　and
  very　painful。'
  He　returned　to　his　chair　and　deliberately　lighted　a　cigar。
  'I　am　sorry　about　your　shoulder；'　he　said　at　last。　　'Let　me　send
  for　the　doctor。'
  'Not　in　the　least；'　said　I。　　'It　is　a　trifle。　　I　am　quite　used　to
  it。　　It　does　not　trouble　me　in　the　smallest。　　At　any　rate；　I　don't
  believe　in　doctors。'
  'All　right；'　said　he；　and　sat　and　smoked　a　good　while　in　a　silence
  which　I　would　have　given　anything　to　break。　　'Well；'　he　began
  presently；　'I　believe　there　is　nothing　left　for　me　to　learn。　　I
  presume　I　may　say　that　I　know　all。'
  'About　what？'　said　I　boldly。
  'About　Goguelat；'　said　he。
  'I　beg　your　pardon。　　I　cannot　conceive；'　said　I。
  'Oh；'　says　the　major；　'the　man　fell　in　a　duel；　and　by　your　hand！　　I
  am　not　an　infant。'
  'By　no　means；'　said　I。　　'But　you　seem　to　me　to　be　a　good　deal　of　a
  theorist。'
  'Shall　we　test　it？'　he　asked。　　'The　doctor　is　close　by。　　If　there
  is　not　an　open　wound　on　your　shoulder；　I　am　wrong。　　If　there　is　…　'
  He　waved　his　hand。　　'But　I　advise　you　to　think　twice。　　There　is　a
  deuce　of　a　nasty　drawback　to　the　experiment　…　that　what　might　have
  remained　private　between　us　two　becomes　public　property。'
  'Oh；　well！'　said　I；　with　a　laugh；　'anything　rather　than　a　doctor！
  I　cannot　bear　the　breed。'
  His　last　words　had　a　good　deal　relieved　me；　but　I　was　still　far
  from　comfortable。
  Major　Chevenix　smoked　awhile；　looking　now　at　his　cigar　ash；　now　at
  me。　　'I'm　a　soldier　myself；'　he　says　presently；　'and　I've　been　out
  in　my　time　and　hit　my　man。　　I　don't　want　to　run　any　one　into　a
  corner　for　an　affair　that　was　at　all　necessary　or　correct。　　At　the
  same　time；　I　want　to　know　that　much；　and　I'll　take　your　word　of
  honour　for　it。　　Otherwise；　I　shall　be　very　sorry；　but　the　doctor
  must　be　called　in。'
  'I　neither　admit　anything　nor　deny　anything；'　I　returned。　　'But　if
  this　form　of　words　will　suffice　you；　here　is　what　I　say：　I　give　you
  my　parole；　as　a　gentleman　and　a　soldier；　there　has　nothing　taken
  place　amongst　us　prisoners　that　was　not　honourable　as　the　day。'
  'All　right；'　says　he。　　'That　was　all　I　wanted。　　You　can　go　now；
  Champdivers。'
  And　as　I　was　going　out　he　added；　with　a　laugh：　'By　the　bye；　I　ought
  to　apologise：　I　had　no　idea　I　was　applying　the　torture！'
  The　same　afternoon　the　doctor　came　into　the　courtyard　with　a　piece
  of　paper　in　his　hand。　　He　seemed　hot　and　angry；　and　had　certainly
  no　mind　to　be　polite。
  'Here！'　he　cried。　　'Which　of　you　fellows　knows　any　English？　　Oh！'　…
  spying　me　…　'there　you　are；　what's　your　name！　　YOU'LL　do。　　Tell
  these　fellows　that　the　other　fellow's　dying。　　He's　booked；　no　use
  talking；　I　expect　he'll　go　by　evening。　　And　tell　them　I　don't　envy
  the　feelings　of　the　fellow　who　spiked　him。　　Tell　them　that　first。'
  I　did　so。
  'Then　you　can　tell　'em；'　he　resumed；　'that　the　fellow；　Goggle　…
  what's　his　name？　…　wants　to　see　some　of　them　before　he　gets　his
  marching　orders。　　If　I　got　it　right；　he　wants　to　kiss　or　embrace
  you；　or　some　sickening　stuff。　　Got　that？　　Then　here's　a　list　he's
  had　written；　and　you'd　better　read　it　out　to　them　…　I　can't　make
  head　or　tail　of　your　beastly　names　…　and　they　can　answer　PRESENT；
  and　fall　in　against　that　wall。'
  It　was　with　a　singular　movement　of　incongruous　feelings　that　I　read
  the　first　name　on　the　list。　　I　had　no　wish　to　look　again　on　my　own
  handiwork；　my　flesh　recoiled　from　the　idea；　and　how　could　I　be　sure
  what　reception　he　designed　to　give　me？　　The　cure　was　in　my　own
  hand；　I　could　pass　that　first　name　over　…　the　doctor　wo