"Will you give me your word that he will not do it again?" "Word of a sergeant-major! not even if you should make him a colonel." "We have not got as far as that yet." "So much the worse, general." "But still I am going to promote you." "Me?" "Yes." "Again?" "I am going to make you paymaster." "In place of citizen Estève?" said Faraud, with his peculiar twist of the head. "Thanks, general, the place is a good one." "No, not quite that," said Pichegru, smiling at the fraternal familiarity which makes the strength of the army, and which the Revolution introduced into that of the Republic. "Too bad," said Faraud. "I appoint you paymaster in the department of the Indre to the extent of twenty-six thousand and two hundred francs. In other words, I charge you and your two comrades, whose conduct has given me satisfaction, to divide the sum among the families whose names you will find there." And the general gave Faraud a list. "Ah! general," said Faraud, "that is indeed a reward! What a pity that they have done away with the good God!" "Why so?" "Because the prayers of these good folks would have taken us straight to heaven." "Well," said Pichegru, "it is probable that when you are ready to go there, there will be a restoration. And now how will you go?" "Where, general?" "To the Indre. There are a good many departments to cross before you get there." "On foot, general; that will take time, though." "I wanted to hear you say that, brave hearts that you are! Here, this is the money for your expenses, nine hundred francs in all--three hundred for each of you." "We could go to the end of the world with that." "But you must not stop at every tavern for a drink." "We shall stop nowhere." "Nowhere?" "No. I shall take the Goddess of Reason with me." "Then we will have to add three hundred francs for the Goddess of Reason. Here is a draft on citizen Estève." "Thanks, general; and when must we start?" "As soon as possible." "To-day?" "Well, go, my brave fellows; but at the first shot--" "You will find us at our posts, general." "Good, and now go tell them to send citizen Falou to me." "He will be here in five minutes." The three messengers bowed and went out. Five minutes later, citizen Falou presented himself, wearing the general's sword at his side with great dignity. Since the general had seen him his face had undergone a change. A gash, beginning at the ear and extending to his upper lip, had cut open his right cheek; the flesh was held in place by strips of plaster. "Ah!" said Pichegru, "it looks as if your defence had come rather late." "That's not it, general," replied Falou; "but they were three to my one; and before I had time to kill the other two, the third had given me this razor-cut. It's nothing; it would be healed already if we had had any wind. Unfortunately the weather is damp." "Well, upon my honor, I am not sorry that it has happened to you."