“Is that all, sir?” said Cadoudal, with great dignity. “We will drink to the health of our common mother, France. We are serving her with different minds, but, I hope, the same hearts. To _France_, Monsieur,” said Cadoudal, filling the two glasses. “To _France_, general!” replied Roland, clinking his glass against that of Georges. And both gayly reseated themselves, their consciences at rest, and attacked the soup with appetites that were not yet thirty years old. CHAPTER XXXIII. THE LAW OF RETALIATION “Now, general,” said Roland, when supper was over and the two young men, with their elbows on the table and their legs stretched out before the blazing fire, began to feel that comfortable sensation that comes of a meal which youth and appetite have seasoned. “Now for your promise to show me things which I can report to the First Consul.” “You promised, remember, not to object to them.” “Yes, but I reserve the right, in case you wound my conscience too severely, to withdraw.” “Only give time to throw a saddle on the back of your horse, or of mine, if yours is too tired, colonel, and you are free.” “Very good.” “As it happens,” said Cadoudal, “events will serve you. I am here, not only as general, but as judge, though it is long since I have had a case to try. You told me, colonel, that General Brune was at Nantes; I knew it. You told me his advanced guard was only twelve miles away, at La Roche-Bernard; I knew that also. But a thing you may not know is that this advanced guard is not commanded by a soldier like you and me, but by citizen Thomas Millière, Commissioner of the Executive authorities. Another thing of which you may perhaps be ignorant is that citizen Thomas Millière does not fight like us with cannon, guns, bayonets, pistols and swords, but with an instrument invented by your Republican philanthropists, called the guillotine.” “It is impossible, sir,” cried Roland, “that under the First Consul any one can make that kind of war.” “Ah! let us understand each other, colonel. I don’t say that the First Consul makes it; I say it is made in his name.” “And who is the scoundrel that abuses the authority given him, to make war with a staff of executioners?”