It is one thing to be
murdered, and it is another to be justly executed by the laws of
war. I would not run the risk of such an end.
In the late afternoon I stole out of the camp and passed through
the line of our pickets. Beneath my cloak I had a field-glass
and a pocket pistol, as well as my sword. In my pocket were
tinder, flint, and steel.
For two or three miles I kept under cover of the vineyards, and
made such good progress that my heart was high within me, and I
thought to myself that it only needed a man of some brains to
take the matter in hand to bring it easily to success. Of
course, Cortex and Duplessis galloping down the high-road would
be easily seen, but the intelligent Gerard lurking among the
vines was quite another person. I dare say I had got as far as
five miles before I met any check. At that point there is a
small wine-house, round which I perceived some carts and a number
of people, the first that I had seen. Now that I was well
outside the lines I knew that every person was my enemy, so I
crouched lower while I stole along to a point from which I could
get a better view of what was going on.
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