"An old priest is worse than a young one. The rebellion that is advocated by white hair is so much the more dangerous. People have faith in wrinkles. Do not indulge in false pity, Gauvain. The regicide is the true liberator. Keep your eye on the tower of the Temple." "The Temple Tower! I would have the Dauphin out of it. I am not making war against children." Cimourdain's eye grew stern. "Learn then, Gauvain, that one must make war on a woman when her name is Marie-Antoinette, on an old man if he happens to be Pope Pius VI., and upon a child who goes by the name of Louis Capet." "I am no politician, master." "Try, then, not to be a dangerous man. Why was it that during the attack of the post of Cossé, when the rebel Jean Treton, repulsed and defeated, rushed alone, sabre in hand, against your entire division, you cried, 'Open the ranks! Let him pass through!'" "Because it is not fit that fifteen hundred men should be allowed to kill one man." "And why at Cailleterie d'Astillé, when you saw that your soldiers were about to kill the Vendean Joseph Bézier, who was wounded and just able to drag himself along, did you cry, 'Forward! leave this man to me!' and directly afterwards fire your pistol in the air?" "Because one shrinks from killing a fallen enemy." "There you were wrong. Both of these men are leaders at this present moment. Joseph Bézier is known as Moustache, and Jean Treton as Jambe-d'Argent. By saving their lives you presented the Republic with two enemies." [Illustration 095] "I should prefer to make friends for her rather than enemies." "After the victory of Landéan, why did you not shoot the three hundred peasant prisoners?" "Because Bonchamp pardoned the Republican prisoners, and I wished it to be known that the Republic pardons the Royalist prisoners." "Then I suppose you will pardon Lantenac if you take him?" "No." "Why not,--since you pardoned three hundred peasants?" "The peasants are only ignorant men. Lantenac knows what he is about." "But Lantenac is your kinsman." "And France nearer than he." "Lantenac is an old man." "To me Lantenac is a stranger; he has no age. He is ready to summon the English, he represents invasion, he is the country's enemy, and the duel between us can only be ended by his death or mine." "Remember these words, Gauvain." "I have said them." For a while both men remained silent, gazing at each other; then Gauvain continued,-- "This will be a bloody year,--this '93."