"I was serving as a common soldier in the royal artillery, when one day the Prince de Condé, who was present at the battery exercises at Besançon, came over to the gun which he considered the best managed; but while the gunner was sponging the piece it went off and shot away his arm. The prince attributed this accident to me, accusing me of not having properly closed the orifice with my thumb. I let him talk, and my only reply was to show him my bleeding hand. My thumb was turned back, and almost torn from the hand. Here," he continued, holding out his hand; "here is the scar. The prince forthwith promoted me to the rank of sergeant." Little Charles, who was near the general, took his hand as if he wanted to examine it, and with a sudden movement stooped and kissed it. "Why, what are you doing?" asked Pichegru, pulling his hand away quickly. "I? Nothing," said Charles. "I admire you." CHAPTER XXV CHASSEUR FALOU AND CORPORAL FARAUD Just then the door opened, and the chasseur Falou appeared, led by two of his comrades. "Your pardon, captain," said one of the soldiers to Abatucci; "but you said you wanted to see him, did you not?" "Of course I want to see him." "There, is it true?" asked the soldier. "It must be so, as the captain says it is." "Just imagine, he did not want to come; we had to drag him here by main force." "Why didn't you want to come?" asked Abatucci. "Oh! I thought it was just to say silly things to me." "What do you mean?" "See here, general; I will make you the judge." "I am listening to you, Falou." "Why, you know my name!" Then, turning to his comrades, he cried, "Say, the general knows my name." "I have said that I am listening to you; what is it you wish to say?" asked the general. "Well, general, this is how it happened; we were charging, weren't we?' "Yes." "My horse shied to avoid stepping on a wounded man--you know those animals are so intelligent." "Yes, I know." "And mine especially. I found myself face to face with one of those emigrated nobles. Ah! he was a fine young fellow, not more than twenty-two at the most. When he aimed a blow at my head I had to defend myself--" "Certainly." "And to return the blow; there was no other way, was there?" "No, of course not." "One doesn't need to be a provost to know that! He fell. He had swallowed more than six inches of steel." "That was certainly more than he needed." "Yes, general," said Falou, laughing at the joke he had in mind to say, "but one can't always stop to measure." "I was not blaming you, Falou."