'Thanks, Citizen Brigadier, for . . . for 'elping us recapture our prisoner. Us is a firing party an' we was on the point of shootin' 'im, but 'e got away.'
' I know it, and it is as well for your Commander that he did.'
' But . . . but . . stammered the man, * 'e's an English spy, an' 'e's just killed our Sergeant.'
' He is nothing of the kind. He is a Colonel in the French Army and well known to me. You will return to camp and tell the officer who gave you your orders of the absurd mistake that has been made. Meanwhile, I will be responsible for Colonel Breuc.'
An older, truculent-looking man put in, ' We can't do that. 'E's our prisoner, an' 'oever you says 'e is, 'e killed our Sergeant. Near sliced 'is 'ead off wiv the bloody spade.'
' Silence! ' roared Lannes, who was an impatient man.' Another word from you and I'll have you given a month's pack-drill for having allowed your prisoner to escape.'
Roger was standing within two feet of his rescuer. Looking up at him, he said in a low voice, 'These men were acting under orders. Would it not be best if we all went to the camp and got the business straightened out properly? '
The Brigadier-General pulled a big turnip watch from his fob pocket, glanced at it and said, 'I must not be late in getting back to Calais to make my report, but I can spare about twenty minutes. Very well, then. We'll do as you suggest.'
Turning to one of the Hussars, he ordered the man to dismount so that Roger could have his horse, then told him to march back with the others. Roger was hardly in the saddle before Lannes set off at a canter, and ten minutes later they entered the cantonment.
As the sentry on the gate presented arms, he stared with astonishment at Roger, now riding at ease beside a Brigadier-General, and when they trotted on towards the headquarters building several other men who had seen him marched off to execution imagined for a moment that they were seeing a ghost. When they pulled up, the young Major was just coming out of the main door with some papers in his hand. His mouth fell open, then he exclaimed:
' Shades of Robespierre! If it's not the English spy! ' Springing from his horse, Lannes said, '1 am told by Colonel Breuc that General Desmarets commands here.'
'Then this man is ... is who he said he-' stammered the
Major.
' He is,' Lannes cut him short. ' But I have no time to waste. Take me at once to your General.'
Pulling himself together, the Major gave a stiff salute, turned on his heel and led them through to the General's office. Desmarets was sitting at his desk, smoking a clay pipe. At the sight of Roger he gave an angry frown and cried, ' What the hell are
you doing here? I gave orders-'
Without waiting for him to finish, Lannes, having snapped to attention and saluted him as his superior, said, ' General, I had the good fortune to prevent a most culpable miscarriage of justice. This gentleman is Colonel Breuc and a personal friend of mine. I understand that you ordered his execution. Being an officer of courage and resource he killed the Sergeant in charge of the firing party and got away. He was being pursued by the remainder of the squad when I chanced to be riding by and was able to identify him. I have come here only to report what has taken place, and to inform you that Colonel Breuc will be accompanying me to Calais.'
The General came slowly to his feet. 'He ... he killed the Sergeant, do you say? '
' It was his life or mine,' Roger put in.
* So you confess to it? Then, whoever you may be, it was murder; and you will have to answer for it.'
' No man who has not deserved death could be expected to allow himself to be shot without putting up a fight,' said Lannes quickly. ' That the Sergeant should have lost his life in this affair is most regrettable; but if anyone will be called on to answer for that it will be yourself.'
' What the devil do you mean? ' demanded Desmarets angrily.
' Why, for having ordered Colonel Breuc's execution without first satisfying yourself that he was guilty of the crime imputed to him.'
' He was tried by the magistrates in Boulogne, and their opinion was unanimous. He was sent to me only because it is usual for spies to be executed by the Military.'
' And you, a General, accepted the verdict of a bunch of civilians when the prisoner sent to you claimed to be an officer of the French Army! ' Lannes cried indignantly. '1 consider your conduct to have been disgraceful.'
Desmarets's dark brows drew together. With an oath he roared, ' How dare you use such language to your superior! I intend to hold the man for further inquiry. Even if you are right about his identity it is a moot point whether any man is justified in killing a member of his escort in order to escape. Now you may go.'
' Start any judicial proceedings you like,' Lannes retorted. '1 will make myself responsible for Colonel Breuc's appearance at them when required. But I'll not leave without him.'
' Then you have asked for trouble and you shall have it. I'll arrest you for insubordination and you shall kick your heels in confinement with him until I see fit to consider further measures.'
As the interview had proceeded, Roger had grown more and more apprehensive. He knew at least that his life was now safe, but what view would a court martial take of his having killed the Sergeant? With luck, they would take Lannes's view that his act had been justifiable homicide. But if there were a straw-splitter among his judges it might be held that to injure an escort during an attempt to escape was one thing, and to kill him another. That could mean a verdict of manslaughter and a severe prison sentence. It was, too, unpleasantly clear that, in order to distract attention from the negligent way in which he had handled matters to start with, Desmarets would do all he could to make the case against his prisoner as black as possible. Roger's one hope lay in Lannes, and glancing anxiously at his friend he sought to comfort himself by recalling what he knew of him.
Jean Lannes was a Gascon, and a year or so younger than Roger. He had had little education and as a boy had been apprenticed to a dyer. Espousing with fervour the cause of the Revolution, he had joined the Army and during the war with Spain reached the rank of Chef de Brigade, although he was then only twenty-five. The Thermidorian reaction had led to him being dismissed from the Service, owing to his political views, but he had re-enlisted as a volunteer in the Army of Italy and had again fought his way up to Brigadier.
In Italy his name had become legendary for valour. He made his mark within ninety-six hours of the opening of the campaign by carrying the village of Dego at the point of the bayonet. He led the final assault on the bridge at Lodi in the face of a hail of grapeshot and captured the enemy guns. At Areola, when victory wavered in the balance, although already suffering from three wounds, he thrust his way out of the field hospital, took command of a column, led the assault that saved the day and was the first man to cross the Adda. Many times wounded and covered with glory, dauntless and indefatigable, he was the best leader of infantry that Bonaparte had, and the General-in-Chief had publicly acknowledged it by presenting him with captured enemy standards.
On the field of battle Lannes did not know what fear was, but this was a different matter. He had already committed himself much deeper than most men would have cared to do by defying an officer of higher rank than himself. But now that he was threatened with arrest, would he back down, apologize and, in order to make his peace, agree to leave Roger there at the mercy of Desmarets? Next moment Roger knew that his fears had been groundless.
Drawing himself up, the little Gascon cried furiously, ' Do you know who I am? I am Lannes! I fought with General Bonaparte at Montebello. I captured the guns at Lodi. I was the first Frenchman across the Adda. Arrest me at your peril. General Bonaparte lies this night in Calais. I'll send one of my orderlies to him with a report of your disgraceful mishandling of this affair. Before morning all hell will break about your ears. Unless you allow Colonel Breuc and myself to depart this instant you might as well tear your rank badges off here and now, for you'll not need them tomorrow.'