you? The sun shone upon him as on polished ebony, and he raised
his hoofs in a little playful dance so lightly and prettily,
while he tossed his mane and whinnied with impatience. Never
have I seen such a mixture of strength and beauty and grace. I
had often wondered how the English Hussars had managed to ride
over the chasseurs of the Guards in the affair at Astorga, but I
wondered no longer when I saw the English horses.

There was a ring for fastening bridles at the door of the inn,
and the groom tied the horse there while he entered the house.
In an instant I had seen the chance which Fate had brought to me.
Were I in that saddle I should be better off than when I started.
Even Voltigeur could not compare with this magnificent creature.
To think is to act with me. In one instant I was down the ladder
and at the door of the stable. The next I was out and the bridle
was in my hand. I bounded into the saddle.

Somebody, the master or the man, shouted wildly behind me. What
cared I for his shouts! I touched the horse with my spurs and he
bounded forward with such a spring that only a rider like myself
could have sat him. I gave him his head and let him go--it did
not matter to me where, so long as we left this inn far behind
us. He thundered away across the vineyards, and in a very few
minutes I had placed miles between myself and my pursuers. They
could no longer tell in that wild country in which direction I
had gone. I knew that I was safe, and so, riding to the top of a
small hill, I drew my pencil and note-book from my pocket and
proceeded to make plans of those camps which I could see and to
draw the outline of the country.