"With whom he is connected." Boisberthelot resumed,-- "In France and in the carriages of the king he is a marquis,--as I am a count, and you a chevalier." "The carriages are far away!" exclaimed Vieuville. "We are living in the time of the tumbril." A silence ensued. Boisberthelot went on,-- "For lack of a French prince we take one from Brittany." "For lack of thrushes--No: since an eagle is not to be found, we take a crow." "I should prefer a vulture," remarked Boisberthelot. La Vieuville replied,--- "Yes, indeed, with a beak and talons." "We shall see." "Yes," replied Vieuville, "it is time there was a leader. I agree with Tinténiac,--a leader and gun-power! See here, commander, I know nearly all the possible and impossible leaders,--those of yesterday, those of to-day, and those of to-morrow. Not one of them has the head required for war. In this cursed Vendée a general is needed who would be a lawyer as well as a leader. He must harass the enemy, dispute every bush, ditch, and stone; he must force unlucky quarrels upon him, and take advantage of everything; vigilant and pitiless, he must watch incessantly, slaughter freely, and make examples. Now, in this army of peasants there are heroes, but no captains. D'Elbée is a nonentity, Lescure an invalid; Bonchamps is merciful,--he is kind, and that implies folly; La Rochejaquelein is a superb sub-lieutenant; Silz is an officer good for the open field, but not suited for a war that needs a man of expedients; Cathelineau is a simple teamster; Stofflet is a crafty game-keeper; Bérard is inefficient; Boulainvilliers is absurd; Charette is horrible. I make no mention of Gaston the barber. Mordemonbleu! what is the use of opposing revolution, and what is the difference between ourselves and the republicans, if we set barbers over the heads of noblemen! The fact is, that this beastly revolution has contaminated all of us." "It is the itch of France." "It is the itch of the Tiers État," rejoined Boisberthelot. "England alone can help us." "And she will, captain, undoubtedly." "Meanwhile it is an ugly state of affairs." "Yes,--rustics everywhere. A monarchy that has Stofflet, the game-keeper of M. de Maulevrier, for a commander has no reason to envy a republic whose minister is Pache, the son of the Duke de Castries' porter. What men this Vendean war brings face to face,--.on one side Santerre the brewer; on the other Gaston the hairdresser!" "My dear La Vieuville, I feel some respect for this Gaston. He behaved well in his command of Guéménée. He had three hundred Blues neatly shot after making them dig their own graves." "Well enough done; but I could have done quite as well as he." "Pardieu, to be sure; and I too." "The great feats of war," said Vieuville, "require noble blood in those who perform them. These are matters for knights, and not for hairdressers."