Having routed
them, we return here, pick up the Englishman whom you will have
locked up in the chapel under a strong guard commanded by Corporal
Cassard, and join you forthwith at Crecy."
"This, whether citizen Chauvelin has got hold of Capet or not."
"Yes, citizen, I understand," concluded the sergeant
imperturbably; "and I am also to tell citizen Chauvelin that the
two prisoners will be shot at dawn in the courtyard of the
guard-house at Crecy."
"Yes. That is all. Try to find the leader of the attacking
party, and bring him along to Crecy with the Englishman; but
unless they are in very small numbers do not trouble about the
others. Now en avant; citizen Chauvelin might be glad of your
help. And--stay--order all the men to dismount, and take the
horses out of one of the coaches, then let the men you are taking
with you each lead a horse, or even two, and stable them all in
the farm buildings. I shall not need them, and could not spare
any of my men for the work later on. Remember that, above all,
silence is the order. When you are ready to start, come back to
me here."
The sergeant moved away, and Marguerite heard him transmitting the
citizen agent's orders to the soldiers. The dismounting was
carried on in wonderful silence--for silence had been one of the
principal commands--only one or two words reached her ears.
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