"Our word once given is never taken back." They went in, and I opened the door for Bard. CHAPTER VI How matters had proceeded with the sacristan--The four-inch gun--Bard as gunner--The commander of the fort--Lieutenant Tinga--M. de Lenferna--M. Bonvilliers--Madame de Linières--The revolt of the negroes--The conditions upon which the commander of the fort signed the order--M. Moreau--M. Quinette--The Mayor of Soissons--Bard and the green plums Bard was perfectly cool; anyone seeing him with his rifle over his shoulder would have taken him for a sportsman who had been getting his hand in by firing at the target. "Well," he asked me, "how have things gone here?" "Splendidly, my dear boy! All is settled." "Good! then you have the powder?" "Oh! not yet. Hang it, what a hurry you're in! How about your flag?" He pointed to the tower. "You see for yourself," he said. "Doesn't it make a fine picture in the landscape?" "Yes. How did it all go off?" "Oh! all went smoothly enough. The sacristan raised a few difficulties just at first, but he ended by giving in to the reasons M. Hutin laid before him." "What were those?" "I don't quite know; I was looking at the landscape.... Your valley of Aisne is really magnificent, you know, especially over by Vauxbuin." "So you heard nothing of what Hutin said to your sacristan?" "I think he told him he would be killed if he did not keep quiet." "Where is he now?" "Who? M. Hutin?" "Yes." "He should be where he promised to be, at the doctor's." "That's capital! You stop here." "Good! What shall I do?" "Wait a moment." Bard's eyes followed me as I made an expressive movement in a certain direction. "Ah! that pretty little cannon over there!" he exclaimed. And I walked towards a pretty little four-inch gun--I even think it was, possibly, of smaller bore--under what was, I believe, a model of it, placed beneath the shelter of a sort of shed. "Isn't that a charming toy?" "Charming!" "Then come and help me, my dear fellow." "How?" "To put it in position. In case of siege, I must leave you some artillery." So we harnessed ourselves to the cannon, and I placed it in position about thirty yards from the door. Then I slipped half the contents of my powder-horn into the gun and wadded it with my pocket-handkerchief; on the top of this first wadding I slipped in a score of bullets; then I rammed Bard's handkerchief on the top of these and the cannon was loaded. When loaded, I laid and primed it. "There!" I said, panting; "now listen to what you must do." "I await your instructions." "How many cigarettes can you smoke on end?" "Oh! as many as I have tobacco to turn them into or money to buy them!"