"Whenever they have encountered a few peasants with clubs in their
hands, your doughty heroes have invariably ran away."
Westerman as he spoke, stood leaning on the back of a chair, and
Bourbotte also rose as he answered him.
"I have yet to learn," aid he, "that you yourself ever were able to make
good soldiers out of country clowns in less than a month's time. When
you have done so, then you may speak to me on the subject without
impertinence."
"I give you my word, citizen General," answered Westerman, "I shall say
to you, then and now, whatever I, in the performance of my duty, may
think fits and if you deem me impertinent, you may settle that point
with the Convention, or, if you prefer it, with myself."
"Westerman, you are unfair to General Bourbotte," said Santerre; "he has
said nothing which need offend you."
"It is the General that is offended, not I," said Westerman; "I only beg
that he may not talk mawkish nonsense, and tell us that his fellows are
too valiant, and too noble to put to the sword unarmed royalists, when
everybody knows they are good for nothing else, and that they would run
and scatter from the fire of a few muskets, like a lot of plovers from
a volley of stones.
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