"What are those sardines there?" asked Pichegru. "Those are my corporal's stripes." "Why paper?" "Because we had no woollen stuff." "Who made you a corporal?" "My captain." "What is your captain's name?" "René Savary." "I know him; he is a lad of nineteen or twenty." "But who can strike hard just the same, general." "Why did he make you a corporal?" "You know well enough," said Faraud, with his customary gesture. "Why no, I do not." "You told me to make two prisoners." "Well?" "I made them; two Prussians." "Is that true?" "You can read it on my stripes"; and he raised his arm so that Pichegru could read the two lines of writing on them. He read: Fusileer Faraud, of the Second Battalion of the Indre, has taken two Prussians prisoner; by reason of which I have appointed him corporal, subject to the approval of the commander-in-chief. RENÉ SAVARY. "I really took three prisoners," said Faraud, coming closer to the general. "Where is the third?" "The third was a fine young man, an aristocrat. You would have had to shoot him, which would have pained you, or to spare him, which would have compromised you." "Well? and so--" "And so, I let him--I let him go; there!" "Good," said Pichegru, with tears in his eyes, "I make you a sergeant." CHAPTER XXVI THE PRINCE'S ENVOY The chasseur Falou and the corporal Faraud have not, I hope, made you forget the citizen Fenouillot, commercial traveller for the house of Fraissinet at Châlons, nor the six bottles of champagne which he in his gratitude offered to Pichegru. There was still one of these bottles to empty when the general returned to his place at table. Citizen Fenouillot opened it, or rather tried to do so, but in so unskilful a manner that Pichegru smiled and took the bottle from his hand; then cutting the cords, he opened the wires with the thumb of his left hand, which had retained all its strength. "Come, citizen," said he, "a last glass to the prosperity of the arms of the Republic." The commercial traveller raised his glass higher than any of the others. "And," he added, "may the general finish gloriously what he has already gloriously begun." All the officers joined noisily in the proposed toast.