The town was all up and in a tumult; from time to time small parties of
men flocked in from Cholet, some armed, and some of whom had lost their
arms; some slightly wounded, and some fainting with fatigue, as they
begged admission into the houses of the town's-people. The aubergiste
was resolute in refusing admittance to all; for tidings had reached him
of guests who would more than fill his house, on whom he looked as
entitled to more than all he could give them. It was at his hall door
that the first blow had been struck, it was in rescuing his servant that
the first blood had been shed; and though the war had utterly ruined
him, he still felt that it would ill become him to begrudge anything
that remained to him to those who had suffered so much in the cause.
Peter Berrier, his ostler, stood behind him, teterrima belli causa! This
man had at different times been with the army, but had managed to bring
himself safe out of the dangers of the wars back to the little inn, and
now considered himself an hero.
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