Great was the surprise of the supper-party, when, after the lapse of half an hour, a country fellow came in to say that he had seen Lowrie led off to prison between two French soldiers. By this time Dowall had drunk himself into a state of utter recklessness, while, encouraged by his friends’ praises, and the arguments of his own passions, he fancied that he might dispute ascendency with General Humbert himself. He at once ordered out his horse, and gave a command to assemble the ‘squad.’ As they were all billeted in his immediate vicinity, this was speedily effected, and their numbers swelled by a vast mass of idle and curious, who were eager to see how the matter would end; the whole street was crowded, and when Dowall mounted, his followers amounted to above a thousand people. If our sergeant, an old soldier of the ‘Sambre et Meuse,’ had not already enjoyed some experience of our allies, it is more than likely that, seeing their hostile advance, he would have fallen back upon the main guard, then stationed in the market-square. As it was, he simply retired his party within the church, the door of which had already been pierced for the use of musketry. This done, and one of his men being despatched to headquarters for advice and orders, he waited patiently for the attack. I happened that night to make one of General Serasin’s dinner-party, and we were sitting over our wine, when the officer of the guard entered hastily with the tidings of what was going on in the town. ‘Is it the _commandant de place_ himself who is at the head?’ exclaimed Serasin, in amazement, such a thought being a direct shock to all his ideas of military discipline. ‘Yes, sir,’ said the officer; ‘the soldier knows his appearance well, and can vouch for its being him.’ ‘As I know something of him, general,’ said I, ‘I may as well mention that nothing is more likely.’ ‘Who is he--what is he?’ asked Serasin hastily. A very brief account--I need not say not a nattering one--told all that I knew or had ever heard of our worthy town-major--many of the officers around corroborating, as I went on, all that I said, and interpolating little details of their own about his robberies and exactions. ‘And yet I have heard nothing of all this before,’ said the general, looking sternly around him on every side. None ventured on a reply; and what might have followed there is no guessing, when the sharp rattle of musketry cut short all discussion. ‘That fire was not given by soldiers,’ said Serasin. ‘Go, Tiernay, and bring this fellow before me at once.’ I bowed, and was leaving the room, when an officer, having whispered a few words in Serasin’s ear, the general called me back, saying-- ‘You are not to incur any risk, Tiernay; I want no struggle, still less a rescue. You understand me?’ ‘Perfectly, general; the matter will, I trust, be easy enough.’