"He's a countryman of yours, Massena," said Vandamme, laughing. "Eh, are you not a Piedmontais?" Up to this moment I had stood silently listening to the dialogue around me, without the slightest apparent sign of noticing it. Now, however, as I was directly addressed, I drew myself up to a soldier-like attitude and replied-- "No, sir. I am more a Frenchman than General Vandamme, at least." "Send that fellow here; send him up, Lestocque, and have a corporal's party ready for duty," cried the general, as he threw the end of his cigar into the street, and walked hastily away. It was not the first time in my life that my tongue had brought peril on my head; but I ascended the stairs with a firm step, and if not with a light, at least with a resolute heart, seeing how wonderfully little I had to lose, and that few men had a smaller stake in existence than myself. The voices were loud, and in tones of anger, as I stepped out upon the terrace. "So we are acquaintances, it would appear, my friend?" said Massena, as he stared fixedly at me. "If General Massena can not recall the occasion of our meeting," said I, proudly, "I'll scarcely remind him of it." "Come, come," said Vandamme, angrily, "I must deal with this 'gailliard' myself. Are you a French soldier?" "I was, sir; an officer of cavalry." "And were you broke? did you desert? or what was it?" cried he, impatiently. "I kept better company than I believe is considered safe in these days, and was accidentally admitted to the acquaintance of the Prince de Conde--" "That's it!" said Vandamme, with a long whistle; "_that's_ the mischief, then. You are a Vendean?" "No, sir; I was never a Royalist, although, as I have said, exposed to the very society whose fascinations might have made me one." "Your name is Tiernay, monsieur, or I mistake much?" said a smart-looking young man in civilian dress. I bowed an assent, without expressing any sentiment of either fear or anxiety. "I can vouch for the perfect accuracy of that gentleman's narrative," said Monsieur de Bourrienne, for I now saw it was himself. "You may possibly remember a visitor--" "At the Temple," said I, interrupting him. "I recollect you perfectly, sir, and thank you for this recognition." Monsieur de Bourrienne, however, did not pay much attention to my gratitude, but proceeded in a few hurried words to give some account of me to the bystanders. "Well, it must be owned that he looks devilish unlike an officer of hussars," said Massena, as he laughed, and made others laugh, at my strange equipment. "And yet you saw me in a worse plight, general," said I, coolly. "How so--where was that?" cried he. "It will be a sore wound to my pride, general," said I slowly, "if I must refresh your memory." "You were not at Valenciennes," said he, musing. "No, no; _that_ was before your day. Were you on the Meuse, then? No. Nor in Spain? I've always had hussars in my division; but I confess I do not remember all the officers."