For a time he made no sound.
"God knows!" he said at last, pointing with a slow and grave gesture at
a tall roadside cross mounted on a block of stone, and stretching its
arms of forged iron all black against the darkening red band in the
sky--"God knows! If it were not for this emblem, which I remember seeing
on this spot as a child, I would wonder to what we who remained faithful
to God and our king have returned. The very voices of the people have
changed."
"Yes, it is a changed France," said General D'Hubert. He seemed to have
regained his calm. His tone was slightly ironic. "Therefore I cannot
take your advice. Besides, how is one to refuse to be bitten by a dog
that means to bite? It's impracticable. Take my word for it--Feraud
isn't a man to be stayed by apologies or refusals. But there are
other ways. I could, for instance, send a messenger with a word to
the brigadier of the gendarmerie in Senlac. He and his two friends are
liable to arrest on my simple order. It would make some talk in the
army, both the organized and the disbanded--especially the disbanded.
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