reawakened his animosityagainst Lieutenant D'Hubert. Was he to be pestered with this fellowfor ever--the fellow who had an infernal knack of getting round peoplesomehow? On the other hand, it was difficult to refuse point-blank thatsort of mediation sanctioned by the code of honour.
Lieutenant Feraud met the difficulty by an attitude of fierce reserve.He twisted his moustache and used vague words. His case was perfectlyclear. He was not ashamed to present it, neither was he afraid to defendit personally. He did not see any reason to jump at the suggestionbefore ascertaining how his adversary was likely to take it.
Later in the day, his exasperation growing upon him, he was heard ina public place saying sardonically "that it would be the very luckiestthing for Lieutenant D'Hubert, since next time of meeting he need nothope to get off with a mere trifle of three weeks in bed."
This boastful phrase might have been prompted by the most profoundMachiavelism. Southern natures often hide under the outwardimpulsiveness of action and speech a certain amount of astuteness.
Lieutenant Feraud, mistrusting the justice of men, by no means desireda Court of Honour. And these words, according so well with histemperament, had also the merit of serving his turn. Whether meant forthat purpose or not, they found their way in less than four-and-twentyhours into Lieutenant D'Hubert's bedroom. In consequence, LieutenantD'Hubert, sitting propped up with pillows, received the overtures madeto him next day by the statement that the affair was of a nature whichcould not bear discussion.
The pale face of the wounded officer, his weak voice which he had yetto use cautiously, and the courteous dignity of his tone, had a greateffect on his hearers. Reported outside, all this did more for deepeningthe mystery than the vapourings of Lieutenant Feraud. This last wasgreatly relieved at the issue. He began to enjoy the state of generalwonder, and was pleased to add to it by assuming an attitude of moodyreserve.
The colonel of Lieutenant D'Hubert's regiment was a gray-haired,weather-beaten warrior who took a simple view of his responsibilities."I can't"--he thought to himself--"let the best of my subalterns getdamaged like this for nothing. I must get to the bottom of this affairprivately. He must speak out, if the devil were in it. The colonelshould be more than a father to these youngsters." And, indeed, he lovedall his men with as much affection as a father of a large family canfeel for every individual member of it. If human beings by an oversightof Providence came into the world in the state of civilians, they wereborn again into a regiment as infants are born into a family, and it wasthat military birth alone which really counted.
At the sight of Lieutenant D'Hubert standing before him bleached andhollow-eyed, the heart of the old warrior was touched with genuinecompassion. All his affection for the regiment--that body of men whichhe held in his hand to launch forward and draw back, who had given himhis rank, ministered to his pride and commanded his thoughts--seemedcentred for a moment on the person of the most promising subaltern. Hecleared his throat in a threatening manner and frowned terribly.
"You must understand," he began, "that I don't care a rap for the lifeof a single man in the regiment. You know that I would send the 748of you men and horses galloping into the pit of perdition with no morecompunction than I would kill a fly."
"Yes, colonel. You would be riding at our head," said LieutenantD'Hubert with a wan smile.
The colonel, who felt the need of being very diplomatic, fairly roaredat this.
"I want you to know, Lieutenant D'Hubert, that I could stand aside andsee you all riding to Hades, if need be. I am a man to do even that, ifthe good of the service and my duty to my country required it from me.But that's unthinkable, so don't you even hint at such a thing."
He glared awfully, but his voice became gentle. "There's some milk yetabout that moustache of yours, my boy. You don't know what a man likeme is capable of. I would hide behind a haystack if... Don't grin at me,sir. How dare you? If this were not a private conversation, I would...Look here. I am responsible for the proper expenditure of lives under mycommand for the glory of our country and the honour of the regiment. Doyou understand that? Well, then, what the devil do you mean by lettingyourself be spitted like this by that fellow of the Seventh Hussars?It's simply disgraceful!"
Lieutenant D'Hubert, who expected another sort of conclusion, felt vexedbeyond measure. His shoulders moved slightly. He made no other answer.He could not ignore his responsibility. The colonel softened his glanceand lowered his voice.
"It's deplorable," he murmured. And again he changed his tone. "Come,"he went on persuasively, but with that note of authority which dwellsin the throat of a good leader of men, "this affair must be settled. Idesire to be told plainly what it is all about. I demand, as your bestfriend, to know."
The compelling power of authority, the softening influence of thekindness affected deeply a man just risen from a bed of sickness.Lieutenant D'Hubert's hand, which grasped the knob of a stick, trembledslightly. But his northern temperament, sentimental but cautious andclear-sighted, too, in its idealistic way, predominated over his impulseto make a clean breast of the whole deadly absurdity. According to theprecept of transcendental wisdom, he turned his tongue seven times inhis mouth before he spoke. He made then only a speech of thanks, nothingmore. The colonel listened interested at first, then looked mystified.At last he frowned.
"You hesitate--_mille tonerres!_ Haven't I told you that I willcondescend to argue with you--as a friend?"
"Yes, colonel," answered Lieutenant D'Hubert softly, "but I am afraidthat after you have heard me out as a friend, you will take action as mysuperior officer."
The attentive colonel snapped his jaws.
"Well, what of that?" he said frankly. "Is it so damnably disgraceful?"
"It is not," negatived Lieutenant D'Hubert in a faint but resolutevoice.
"Of course I shall act for the good of the service--nothing can preventme doing that. What do you think I want to be told for?"
"I know it is not from idle curiosity," tested Lieutenant D'Hubert. "Iknow you will act wisely. But what about the good fame of the regiment?"
"It cannot be affected by any youthful folly of a lieutenant," thecolonel said severely.
"No, it cannot be; but it can be by evil tongues. It will be said thata lieutenant of the Fourth Hussars, afraid of meeting his adversary, ishiding behind his colonel. And that would be worse than hiding behinda haystack--for the good of the service. I cannot afford to do that,colonel."
"Nobody would dare to say anything of the kind," the colonel, beginningvery fiercely, ended on an uncertain note. The bravery of LieutenantD'Hubert was well known; but the colonel was well aware that theduelling courage, the single combat courage, is, rightly or wrongly,supposed to be courage of a special sort; and it was eminentlynecessary that an officer of his regiment should possess every kindof courage--and prove it, too. The colonel stuck out his lower lip andlooked far away with a peculiar glazed stare. This was the expression ofhis perplexity, an expression practically unknown to his regiment, forperplexity is a sentiment which is incompatible with the rank of colonelof cavalry. The colonel himself was overcome by the unpleasantnovelty of the sensation. As he was not accustomed to think except onprofessional matters connected with the welfare of men and horses andthe proper use thereof on the field of glory, his intellectual effortsdegenerated into mere mental repetitions of profane language. "_Milletonerres!... Sacre nom de nom..._" he thought.
Lieutenant D'Hubert coughed painfully and went on, in a weary voice:
"There will be plenty of evil tongues to say that I've been cowed. AndI am sure you will not expect me to pass that sort of thing over. I mayfind myself suddenly with a dozen duels on my hands instead of this oneaffair."
The direct simplicity of this argument came home to the colonel'sunderstanding. He looked at his subordinate fixedly.
"Sit down, lieutenant," he said gruffly. "This is the very devil of a...sit down."
"_Mon colonel_" D'Hubert began again. "I am not afraid of evil tongues.There's a way of
silencing them. But there's my peace of mind too. Iwouldn't be able to shake off the notion that I've ruined a brotherofficer. Whatever action you take it is bound to go further. Theinquiry has been dropped--let it rest now. It would have been the end ofFeraud."
"Hey? What? Did he behave so badly?"
"Yes, it was pretty bad," muttered Lieutenant D'Hubert. Being still veryweak, he felt a disposition to cry.
As the other man did not belong to his own regiment the colonel had nodifficulty in believing this. He began to pace up and down the room.He was a good chief and a man capable of discreet sympathy. But he washuman in other ways, too, and they