For a moment my
inclination was to return and to embrace him.
But already the call of duty was sounding in my ears, and these
English, in spite of all the fraternity which exists among
sportsmen, would certainly have made me prisoner. There was no
hope for my mission now, and I had done all that I could do. I
could see the lines of Massena's camp no very great distance off,
for, by a lucky chance, the chase had taken us in that direction.
I turned from the dead fox, saluted with my sabre, and galloped
away.
But they would not leave me so easily, these gallant huntsmen. I
was the fox now, and the chase swept bravely over the plain. It
was only at the moment when I started for the camp that they
could have known that I was a Frenchman, and now the whole swarm
of them were at my heels. We were within gunshot of our pickets
before they would halt, and then they stood in knots and would
not go away, but shouted and waved their hands at me. No, I will
not think that it was in enmity. Rather would I fancy that a
glow of admiration filled their breasts, and that their one
desire was to embrace the stranger who had carried himself so
gallantly and well.
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