"
I had drawn my sword.
"I am not a combatant," he said; "I am a doctor.
Why do you threaten me with your sword? I am not armed."
"I do not wish to hurt you, but I must protect myself. I am in
hiding here."
"A spy!"
"A spy does not wear such a uniform as this, nor do you find
spies on the staff of an army. I rode by mistake into the heart
of this Prussian corps, and I concealed myself here in the hope
of escaping when they are past.
I will not hurt you if you do not hurt me, but if you do not
swear that you will be silent as to my presence you will never go
down alive from this attic."
"You can put up your sword, sir," said the surgeon, and I saw a
friendly twinkle in his eyes. "I am a Pole by birth, and I have
no ill-feeling to you or your people.
I will do my best for my patients, but I will do no more.
Capturing Hussars is not one of the duties of a surgeon.
With your permission I will now descend with this truss of hay to
make a couch for these poor fellows below."
I had intended to exact an oath from him, but it is my experience
that if a man will not speak the truth he will not swear the
truth, so I said no more.
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