Dujardin and Raynal were left alone.
"This postpones our affair, sir."
"Yes, Raynal."
"Have you writing materials in your tent?"
"Yes; on the table."
"You are quite sure the bastion is mined, comrade?"
This unexpected word and Raynal's gentle appeal touched Dujardin deeply.
It was in a broken voice he replied that he was unfortunately too sure
of it.
Raynal received this reply as a sentence of death, and without another
word walked slowly into Dujardin's tent.
Dujardin's generosity was up in arms; he followed Raynal, and said
eagerly, "Raynal, for Heaven's sake resign this command!"
"Allow me to write to my wife, colonel," was the cold reply.
Camille winced at this affront, and drew back a moment; but his nobler
part prevailed. He seized Raynal by the wrist. "You shall not affront
me, you cannot affront me. You go to certain death I tell you, if you
attack that bastion."
"Don't be a fool, colonel," said Raynal: "somebody must lead the men."
"Yes; but not you. Who has so good a right to lead them as I, their
colonel?"
"And be killed in my place, eh?"
"I know the ground better than you," said Camille.
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