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Updated: June 3, 2025
Captain Tournier, like the rest, was longing to see once more his old home, but had first to pay a farewell visit to his friends at the Manor House. He was with them only a couple of nights, and Villemet was invited to stay also. The meeting could not be otherwise than mingled with sadness to each of them.
It is not worth while to relate what such a man as Fontenoy said on the occasion. But the challenge was accepted. The seconds were to arrange all the rest. As the day drew near when, as Tournier learned, the colonel would again be out on parole, he felt a strong desire to make his confession to the bishop. There might be but a step between him and death. Besides, he was not easy in his mind.
"And yet, silly fellow that I am," said Cosin, "I now remember how her face always lighted up when she heard about you, or we talked of your coming. What a blind bat I have been! Oh, how I hope she does like you. I am sure she must. But you must find it out, and if she has any scruples left, tell her to come to me and I will satisfy her." And Tournier, nothing loth, did find it out next day.
The major was in no hurry about it, out of consideration probably for Tournier. At last, one day, Villemet, who kept up a sharp enquiry, announced the good news that the colonel was to be out next day.
The young officer who had rallied Tournier on the march, rose and, shrugging his shoulders, remarked, "I have read that when the Athenians of old had won some great victory, it was proposed that every general who had had a share in it, should at a public meeting deposit one after the other in an urn the written name of the general who he thought had proved himself the most conspicuous for bravery; and that when the urn was examined, it was found that, lo! each general had put down his own name.
They wanted to secure without hurting him; and they also wanted to save him from the after misery of having hurt, or perhaps killed, one of them. Bewildered by this, Villemet's hand yet sought his pistol, but Tournier grasped his wrist and held it as in a vice, saying, "Don't you know me, old friend?"
"Colonel Fontenoy," he said, with the coldness of the grave: "my friend here has something to say to you on my behalf." The colonel began to speak; but Tournier at once silenced him. "I have nothing to say to you, sir," and passed on. Then Villemet proceeded to execute his commission with all frigid politeness and particularity.
The day was bright, and the broad distant view from the high ground they trod was very pretty, with comfortable-looking homesteads dotted about, the very picture of freedom and peace. "The English have chosen an agreeable and healthy spot for us poor prisoners, Captain Tournier." He called himself a "prisoner," but he was not. And yet he was a prisoner to sympathy with the unhappy.
"It seems like a dream," said Tournier, as he gazed for a long while upon the site where, as he too well knew, so many hearts had ached for years. "Who is going to live in the house of Major Kelly?" "He has bought it for himself, but he is not there now." "How I should have liked to see him. He was a fine officer and an excellent man.
Then they slowly wended their way homeward, Tournier turning round on his saddle to take a last look at the place that interested him so deeply, and again exclaiming, "There should I be lying now, in a dishonoured grave, but for God's great mercy." That night, poor Alice could not sleep, but watered her pillow with tears.
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