"
He thought to himself, "Here they are. What's this about game? Are they
talking of me?" And becoming aware of the other orange in his hand, he
thought further, "These are very good oranges. Leonie's own tree. I may
just as well eat this orange now instead of flinging it away."
Emerging from a wilderness of rocks and bushes, General Feraud and his
seconds discovered General D'Hubert engaged in peeling the orange. They
stood still, waiting till he looked up. Then the seconds raised their
hats, while General Feraud, putting his hands behind his back, walked
aside a little way.
"I am compelled to ask one of you, messieurs, to act for me. I have
brought no friends. Will you?"
The one-eyed cuirassier said judicially, "That cannot be refused."
The other veteran remarked, "It's awkward all the same."
"Owing to the state of the people's minds in this part of the country
there was no one I could trust safely with the object of your presence
here," explained General D'Hubert, urbanely.
They saluted, looked round, and remarked both together:
"Poor ground.
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