"Well, then," replied the soldier, "if you know it, why don't you reckon
with God?"

Napoleonder scowled. "Don't say such things to me!" he cried. "I've
heard that sanctimonious stuff before. It's of no use. You can't fool
me! I don't know any such thing as pity."

"Indeed," said the soldier, "is it so? Have a care, Napoleonder! You are
swaggering too much. You lie when you say a man can live without pity.
To have a soul, and to feel compassion, are one and the same thing. You
have a soul, haven't you?"

"Of course I have," replied Napoleonder; "a man can't live without a
soul."

"There! you see!" said the soldier. "You have a soul, and you believe in
God. How, then, can you say you don't know any such thing as pity? You
do know! And I believe that at this very moment, deep down in your
heart, you are mortally sorry for me; only you don't want to show it.
Why, then, did you kill me?"

Napoleonder suddenly became furious. "May the pip seize your tongue, you
miscreant! I'll show you how much pity I have for you!" And, drawing a
pistol, Napoleonder shot the wounded soldier through the head. Then,
turning to his dead men, he said: "Did you see that?"

"We saw it," they replied; "and as long as it is so, we are your
faithful servants always."