'It's all for my King and
my master,' said I to myself. Besides a man can die but once, and it's
a great thing to die honourably." The old man turned round to receive
the approbation, which he considered was due to the sentiment he had
expressed, and found that Chapeau was gone. The kitchen, however, was
filled with peasants, and in them Momont found ready listeners and warm
admirers.
Both Chapeau and the priest had spent the greater portion of the night
in collecting what they considered would be a sufficient number of men
to enable them to attack, with any chance of success, the republican
soldiers who had taken possession of Durbelliere. They had neither of
them the slightest idea what amount of force had been brought against
the chateau, and, consequently, wasted much time in procuring many more
men than were necessary for the purpose. The three hundred, who were
immediately got together on the sounding of the tocsin in the village
of Echanbroignes, would have been sufficient to have done the work
without further assistance, for they were all well armed, and, by this
time, tolerably well trained in the use of their arms.
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