The General burst into a hearty laugh, and told his officers of the hussar's kind intentions towards them. The laughter became general. The officers crowded round the old soldier, clapped him on the shoulder, and made much of him. "Well, Miska, you will take service with us, eh?" said the General, curious to hear his answer. "There are no hussar regiments here!" replied the old soldier, twisting his mustaches. "What matter? You shall be a cuirassier. We'll make a serjeant of you." "Many thanks. Can't stand it. Should have been serjeant long ago, if I could write." "What do you think of doing then? Eat your ration in idleness?" "Not so--by your honour's favour--but make a run for it." The honest answer pleased the General. The hussar saw that it did. "A whole regiment of those gaiter-legged fellows could not keep me," he added. One of the officers asked him angrily why he wished to go back. Those were mistaken, if any, who expected a rude answer from the hussar. "Yonder is my regiment," he replied, again twirling his mustache. "A true soldier bides by his colours." To this nothing could be objected. "Well, Miska, that you may not desert from us, I let you go free." "Thanks, Colonel." Once more the hand was raised to the schako's place. "You can go." The hussar lingered, rubbed his nose, and frowned. "Colonel--you surely do not intend me to pass through the whole camp in hussar uniform, and on foot. I should die of shame. Let them give me back my horse." "Your horse? That is the Emperor's property, my son." "I crave your pardon, Colonel! I reared the horse myself from a colt. I have ridden it for ten years, and it comes at my whistle. By every right it belongs to me. I would rather a bullet hit me than lose the good brute." "Well, take it." Even now the hussar did not seem satisfied. "Colonel! can I go back to my regiment in this scandalous manner?--without my sabre? I shall have to run the gauntlet; they will think I have sold it for drink." "It shall be restored to you." The General made sign to his orderly; the hussar saluted, and turned to depart. But at the door he once more paused, and gazed pathetically at his former chief. "Colonel!" he said, in the most insinuating tone he could command. "Well?" "Colonel--come over to us!" And with a bound he was out of the room, feeling well enough that he had said something extraordinarily stupid, but which he could not help saying though it had cost him his head. When horse and sabre were restored to him, one of the General's grooms, a mischievous fellow, trod on the hussar's spur, breaking the rowel, and then sprang aside laughing. The old hussar shook his clenched fist menacingly. "Wait a little, Italian!" he cried, "I will find you yet." Then saluting the General's window with his sabre, he galloped away. It was thought that a tear glistened in the General's eye, as he turned to his staff, and said-- "Such soldiers should _we_ have!"