'
'MILLE TONNERRES!' he muttered, advancing into the room, and
glaring at us.
'I am afraid that the ragout is cold,' I continued, peering into
the dish and affecting to see nothing. 'The soup, however, has
been kept hot by the fire. But I think that you do not see
Madame.'
He opened his mouth to swear, but for the moment he thought
better of it.
'Who--who put my boots in the passage?' he asked, his voice
thick with rage. He did not bow to the ladies, or take any
notice of their presence.
'One of the men, I suppose,' I said indifferently. 'Is anything
missing?'
He glared at me. Then his cloak, spread outside, caught his eye.
He strode through the door, saw his holsters lying on the grass,
and other things strewn about. He came back.
'Whose monkey game is this?' he snarled, and his face was very
ugly. 'Who is at the bottom of this? Speak, sir, or I--'
'Tut-tut,--the ladies!' I said. 'You forget yourself,
Monsieur.'
'Forget myself?' he hissed, and this time he did not check his
oath. 'Don't talk to me of the ladies! Madame? Bah! Do you
think, fool, that we are put into rebel's houses to how and smile
and take dancing lessons?'
'In this case a lesson in politeness were more to the point,
Monsieur,' I said sternly.
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