before they would halt, and then they stood in knots and would
not go away, but shouted and waved their hands at me. No, I will
not think that it was in enmity. Rather would I fancy that a
glow of admiration filled their breasts, and that their one
desire was to embrace the stranger who had carried himself so
gallantly and well.



IV. How the Brigadier Saved the Army

I have told you, my friends, how we held the English shut up for
six months, from October, 1810, to March, 1811, within their
lines of Torres Vedras. It was during this time that I hunted
the fox in their company, and showed them that amidst all their
sportsmen there was not one who could outride a Hussar of
Conflans. When I galloped back into the French lines with the
blood of the creature still moist upon my blade the outposts who
had seen what I had done raised a frenzied cry in my honour,
whilst these English hunters still yelled behind me, so that I
had the applause of both armies. It made the tears rise to my
eyes to feel that I had won the admiration of so many brave men.
These English are generous foes. That very evening there came a
packet under a white flag addressed "To the Hussar officer who
cut down the fox." Within, I found the fox itself in two pieces,
as I had left it. There was a note also, short but hearty, as
the English fashion is, to say that as I had slaughtered the fox
it only remained for me to eat it. They could not know that it
was not our French custom to eat foxes, and it showed their
desire that he who had won the honours of the chase should also