"I came," said Catinat proudly, "trusting to your honour and to the
promise that Brother Cavalier gave me that nothing should happen to me."

"He was quite right," returned Lalande, taking the letter. Having read
it, he said, "Go back to Cavalier and assure him that I shall be at the
bridge of Avene at noon, accompanied only by a few officers and thirty
dragoons. I expect to find him there with a similar number of men."

"But," answered Catinat, "it is possible that Brother Cavalier may not
wish-to come with so poor a following."

"If so," returned Lalande, "then tell him that he may bring his whole
army if he likes, but that I shall not take a single man with me more
than I have said; as Cavalier has confidence in me, I have confidence in
him."

Catinat reported Lalande's answer to his chief it was of a kind that he
understood and liked, so leaving the rest of his troops at Massanes, he
chose sixty men from his infantry, and eight horsemen as escort. On
coming in sight of the bridge, he saw Lalande approaching from the other
side. He at once ordered his sixty men to halt, went a few steps farther
with his eight horsemen, and then ordered them in their turn to stop, and
advanced alone towards the bridge. Lalande had acted in the same manner
with regard to his dragoons and officers, and now dismounting, came
towards Cavalier.

The two met in the middle of the bridge, and saluted with the courtesy of
men who had learned to esteem each other on the field of battle. Then
after a short silence, during which they examined each other, Lalande
spoke.