d'Elbee to
the men.
"Indeed he is a very great general. I don't know very well where he came
from, but I believe somewhere down in the Marais, from his being such
a friend of M. Charette; but he has been fighting against the
republicans this long time, even before Cathelineau began, I believe,
though I don't exactly know where. I know he was made a prisoner in
Paris, and nearly killed there by some of those bloody-minded rebels;
then he escaped, and he was at the siege of Machecoult, and got
honourably wounded, and was left for dead: and then he was at
Thouars--no, not at Thouars; we heard he was coming, but he didn't come;
but he was at Fontenay, and that's where I first saw him. M. Bonchamps
brought him in and introduced him to M. de Lescure, and our M.
Larochejaquelin, and I was astonished to see how much they made of him,
for he was dressed just as he is now, and had no sword or anything.
Well, as soon as he came in they all went to work talking, and settling
how Fontenay was to be attacked, for though its a little place, and not
walled and fortified like Saumur, we had a deal of trouble with it; but
before a word was spoken, M.
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