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'Yes, my orders! I retorted, rising as suddenly to my feet and hitching forward my sword. 'My orders, sir, I repeated fiercely, 'or, if you dispute my right to command as well as to pay this party, let us decide the question here and now you and I, foot to foot, M. Fresnoy. The quarrel flashed up so suddenly, though I had been preparing it all along, that no one moved.
Even as it was, my hand going up as I reeled back gave Fresnoy an opening, of which he was not slow to avail himself. He sprang forward, lunging at me furiously, and would have run me through there and then, and ended the matter, bad not his foot, as he advanced, caught in the stool, which still lay against the wall.
Sure enough, a careful glance enabled me, even at that distance, to identify it as Matthew's bay the trick-horse. Shading my eyes, and gazing on the scene with increased interest, I saw Maignan, who had dismounted, stoop over something on the ground, and again after an interval stand upright. But Fresnoy did not rise.
I was too much dazed at first to see more, and this only in a mechanical fashion; but gradually, my brain grew clearer, and I advanced from wondering who the strangers round me were to recognising them, and finally to remembering what had happened to me. 'Is the horse hurt? I muttered as soon as I could speak. 'Not a whit, Fresnoy answered, chuckling, or I was much mistaken.
The moment I entered, I was forced to do Fresnoy the justice of admitting that he had not come to me before he was obliged. The three men who were on guard inside tossed down their weapons at sight of me, while a fourth, who was posted at a neighbouring window, hailed me with a cry of relief. From the moment I crossed the threshold the defence was practically at an end.
The moon had risen high, and flooding with light the small open space about the house enabled me to see clearly all round the foot of the ladder, to my surprise Fresnoy was not at his post, nor was he to be seen anywhere; but as, at the moment I observed this, an outcry away to my left, at the rear of the chateau, came to my ears, and announced that the danger was no longer confined to the interior of the house, I concluded that he had gone that way to intercept the attack.
'But who are these, M. Fresnoy? and I pointed with my riding-cane to his four companions. He tried to pass the matter off with a laugh. 'Oh! these? he said. 'That is soon explained. The Evangelists would not be divided, so I brought them all Matthew Mark, Luke, and John thinking it likely you might fail to secure your men.
During the night the Germans had concentrated large forces for an attack north of Fresnoy which were dispersed by British fire. By a strong counterattack the British recovered all the ground on the west that they had lost on the previous day. The French and British had lost heavily, but their casualties were from 50 to 75 per cent fewer than they incurred in the Battle of the Somme.
It surprised me much, when I came to think upon it, that I had seen nothing of Bruhl, though the skirmish had lasted two or three minutes from the first outcry, and been attended by an abundance of noise. Of Fresnoy, too, I now remembered that I had caught a glimpse only.
Fresnoy alone talked, speaking volubly of the accident, pouring out expressions of sympathy and cursing the road, the horse, and the wintry light until the water came; when, much refreshed by the draught, I managed to climb to the Cid's saddle and plod slowly onwards with them.
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