gentleman　as　would　be　the　last　to　make　trouble　between　friends。'
  'I　am　sure　you　do　me　no　more　than　justice；'　said　I；　'and　I　shall
  think　it　quite　unnecessary　to　dwell　on　any　of　these　passing
  circumstances　in　my　report　to　the　Vicomte。'
  'Which　you　do　favour　him　（if　you'll　excuse　me　being　so　bold　as　to
  mention　it）　exac'ly！'　said　he。　　'I　should　have　known　you　anywheres。
  May　I　offer　you　a　pot　of　'ome…brewed　ale；　sir？　　By　your　leave！
  This　way；　if　you　please。　　I　am　'eartily　grateful　…　'eartily　pleased
  to　be　of　any　service　to　a　gentleman　like　you；　sir；　which　is　related
  to　the　Vis…count；　and　really　a　fambly　of　which　you　might　well　be
  proud！　　Take　care　of　the　step；　sir。　　You　have　good　news　of　'is
  'ealth；　I　trust？　as　well　as　that　of　Monseer　the　Count？'
  God　forgive　me！　the　horrible　fellow　was　still　puffing　and　panting
  with　the　fury　of　his　assault；　and　already　he　had　fallen　into　an
  obsequious；　wheedling　familiarity　like　that　of　an　old　servant；　…
  already　he　was　flattering　me　on　my　family　connections！
  I　followed　him　through　the　house　into　the　stable…yard；　where　I
  observed　the　driver　washing　the　cart　in　a　shed。　　He　must　have　heard
  the　explosion　of　the　pistol。　　He　could　not　choose　but　hear　it：　the
  thing　was　shaped　like　a　little　blunderbuss；　charged　to　the　mouth；
  and　made　a　report　like　a　piece　of　field　artillery。　　He　had　heard；
  he　had　paid　no　attention；　and　now；　as　we　came　forth　by　the　back…
  door；　he　raised　for　a　moment　a　pale　and　tell…tale　face　that　was　as
  direct　as　a　confession。　　The　rascal　had　expected　to　see　Fenn　come
  forth　alone；　he　was　waiting　to　be　called　on　for　that　part　of
  sexton；　which　I　had　already　allotted　to　him　in　fancy。
  I　need　not　detain　the　reader　very　long　with　any　description　of　my
  visit　to　the　back…kitchen；　of　how　we　mulled　our　ale　there；　and
  mulled　it　very　well；　nor　of　how　we　sat　talking；　Fenn　like　an　old；
  faithful；　affectionate　dependant；　and　I　…　well！　　I　myself　fallen
  into　a　mere　admiration　of　so　much　impudence；　that　transcended
  words；　and　had　very　soon　conquered　animosity。　　I　took　a　fancy　to
  the　man；　he　was　so　vast　a　humbug。　　I　began　to　see　a　kind　of　beauty
  in　him；　his　APLOMB　was　so　majestic。　　I　never　knew　a　rogue　to　cut　so
  fat；　his　villainy　was　ample；　like　his　belly；　and　I　could　scarce
  find　it　in　my　heart　to　hold　him　responsible　for　either。　　He　was
  good　enough　to　drop　into　the　autobiographical；　telling　me　how　the
  farm；　in　spite　of　the　war　and　the　high　prices；　had　proved　a
  disappointment；　how　there　was　'a　sight　of　cold；　wet　land　as　you
  come　along　the　'igh…road'；　how　the　winds　and　rains　and　the　seasons
  had　been　misdirected；　it　seemed　'o'　purpose'；　how　Mrs。　Fenn　had
  died　…　'I　lost　her　coming　two　year　agone；　a　remarkable　fine　woman；
  my　old　girl；　sir！　if　you'll　excuse　me；'　he　added；　with　a　burst　of
  humility。　　In　short；　he　gave　me　an　opportunity　of　studying　John
  Bull；　as　I　may　say；　stuffed　naked　…　his　greed；　his　usuriousness；
  his　hypocrisy；　his　perfidy　of　the　back…stairs；　all　swelled　to　the
  superlative　…　such　as　was　well　worth　the　little　disarray　and
  fluster　of　our　passage　in　the　hall。
  CHAPTER　XIII　…　I　MEET　TWO　OF　MY　COUNTRYMEN
  AS　soon　as　I　judged　it　safe；　and　that　was　not　before　Burchell　Fenn
  had　talked　himself　back　into　his　breath　and　a　complete　good　humour；
  I　proposed　he　should　introduce　me　to　the　French　officers；
  henceforth　to　become　my　fellow…passengers。　　There　were　two　of　them；
  it　appeared；　and　my　heart　beat　as　I　approached　the　door。　　The
  specimen　of　Perfidious　Albion　whom　I　had　just　been　studying　gave　me
  the　stronger　zest　for　my　fellow…countrymen。　　I　could　have　embraced
  them；　I　could　have　wept　on　their　necks。　　And　all　the　time　I　was
  going　to　a　disappointment。
  It　was　in　a　spacious　and　low　room；　with　an　outlook　on　the　court；
  that　I　found　them　bestowed。　　In　the　good　days　of　that　house　the
  apartment　had　probably　served　as　a　library；　for　there　were　traces
  of　shelves　along　the　wainscot。　　Four　or　five　mattresses　lay　on　the
  floor　in　a　corner；　with　a　frowsy　heap　of　bedding；　near　by　was　a
  basin　and　a　cube　of　soap；　a　rude　kitchen…table　and　some　deal　chairs
  stood　together　at　the　far　end；　and　the　room　was　illuminated　by　no
  less　than　four　windows；　and　warmed　by　a　little；　crazy；　sidelong
  grate；　propped　up　with　bricks　in　the　vent　of　a　hospitable　chimney；
  in　which　a　pile　of　coals　smoked　prodigiously　and　gave　out　a　few
  starveling　flames。　　An　old；　frail；　white…haired　officer　sat　in　one
  of　the　chairs；　which　he　had　drawn　close　to　this　apology　for　a　fire。
  He　was　wrapped　in　a　camlet　cloak；　of　which　the　collar　was　turned
  up；　his　knees　touched　the　bars；　his　hands　were　spread　in　the　very
  smoke；　and　yet　he　shivered　for　cold。　　The　second　…　a　big；　florid；
  fine　animal　of　a　man；　whose　every　gesture　labelled　him　the　cock　of
  the　walk　and　the　admiration　of　the　ladies　…　had　apparently
  despaired　of　the　fire；　and　now　strode　up　and　down；　sneezing　hard；
  bitterly　blowing　his　nose；　and　proffering　a　continual　stream　of
  bluster；　complaint；　and　barrack…room　oaths。
  Fenn　showed　me　in　with　the　brief　form　of　introduction：　'Gentlemen
  all；　this　here's　another　fare！'　and　was　gone　again　at　once。　　The
  old　man　gave　me　but　the　one　glance　out　of　lack…lustre　eyes；　and
  even　as　he　looked　a　shiver　took　him　as　sharp　as　a　hiccough。　　But
  the　other；　who　represented　to　admiration　the　picture　of　a　Beau　in　a
  Catarrh；　stared　at　me　arrogantly。
  'And　who　are　you；　sir？'　he　asked。
  I　made　the　military　salute　to　my　superiors。
  'Champdivers；　private；　Eighth　of　the　Line；'　said　I。
  'Pretty　business！'　said　he。　　'And　you　are　going　on　with　us？　　Three
  in　a　cart；　and　a　great　trolloping　private　at　that！　　And　who　is　to
  pay　for　you；　my　fine　fellow？'　he　inquired。
  'If　monsieur　comes　to　that；'　I　answered　civilly；　'who　paid　for
  him？'
  'Oh；　if　you　choose　to　play　the　wit！'　said　he；　…　and　began　to　rail
  at　large　upon　his　destiny；　the　weather；　the　cold；　the　danger　and
  the　expense　of　the　escape；　and；　above　all；　the　cooking　of　the
  accursed　English。　　It　seemed　to　annoy　him　particularly　that　I
  should　have　joined　their　party。　　'If　you　knew　what　you　were　doing；
  thirty　thousand　millions　of　pigs！　you　would　keep　yourself　to
  yourself！　　The　horses　can't　drag　the　cart；　the　roads　are　all　ruts
  and　swamps。　　No　longer　ago　than　last　night　the　Colonel　and　I　had　to
  march　half　the　way　…　thunder　of　God！　…　half　the　way　to　the　knees　in
  mud　…　and　I　with　this　infernal　cold　…　and　the　danger　of　detection！
  Happily　we　met　no　one：　a　desert　…　a　real　desert　…　like　the　whole
  abominable　country！　　Nothing　to　eat　…　no；　sir；　there　is　nothing　to
  eat　but　raw　cow　and　greens　boiled　in　water　…　nor　to　drink　but
  Worcestershire　sauce！　　Now　I；　with　my　catarrh；　I　have　no　appetite；
  is　it　not　so？　　Well；　if　I　were　in　France；　I　should　have　a　good　soup
  with　a　crust　in　it；　an　omelette；　a　fowl　in　rice；　a　partridge　in
  cabbages　…　things　to　tempt　me；　thunder　of　God！　　But　here　…　day　of
  God！　…　what　a　country！　　And　cold；　too！　　They　talk　about　Russia　…
  this　is　all　the　cold　I　want！　　And　the　people　…　look　at　them！　　What
  a　race！　　Never　any　handsome　men；　never　any　fine　officers！'　…　and　he
  looked　down　complacently　for　a　moment　at　his　waist　…　'And　the　women
  …　what　faggots！　　No；　that　is　one　point　clear；　I　cannot　stomach　the
  English！'
  There　was　something　in　this　man　so　antipathetic　to　me；　as　sent　the
  mustard　into　my　nose。　　I　can　never　bear　your　bucks　and　dandies；
  even　when　they　are　decent…looking　and　well　dressed；　and　the　Major　…
  for　that　was　his　rank　…　was　the　image　of　a　flunkey　in　good　luck。
  Even　to　be　in　agreement　with　him；　or　to　seem　to　be　so；　was　more
  than　I　could　make　out　to　endure。
  'You　could　scarce　be　expected　to　stomach　them；'　said　I　civilly；
  'after　having　just　digested　your　parole。'
  He　whipped　round　on　his　heel　and　turned　on　me　a　countenance　which　I
  dare　say　he　imagined　to　be　awful；　but　another　fit　of　sneezing　cut
  him　off　ere　he　could　come　the　length　of　speech。
  'I　have　not　tried　the　dish　myself；'　I　took　the　opportunity　to　add。
  'It　is　said　to　be　unpalatable。　　Did　monsieur　find　it　so？'
  With　surprising　vivacity　the　Colonel　woke　from　his　lethargy。　　He
  was　between　us　ere　another　word　could　pass。
  'Shame；　gentlemen！'　he　said。　　'Is　this　a　time　for　Frenchmen　and
  fellow…soldiers　to　fall　out？　　We　are　in　the　midst　of　our　enemies；　a
  quarrel；　a　loud　word；　may　suffice　to　plunge　us　back　into
  irretrievable　distress。　　MONSIEUR　LE　COMMANDANT；　you　have　been
  gravely　offended。　　I　make　it　my　request；　I　make　it　my　prayer　…　if
  need　be；　I　give　you　my　orders　…　that　the　matter　shall　stand　by
  until　we　come　safe　to　France。　　Then；　if　you　please；　I　will　serve
  you　in　any　capacity。　　And　for　you；　young　man；　you　have　shown　all
  the　cruelty　and　carelessness　of　youth。　　This　gentleman　is　your
  superior；　he　is　no　longer　young'　…　at　which　word　you　are　to
  conceive　the　Major's　face。　　'It　is　admitt