"He is leaving," muttered the Marquis de Gallo. "Shall we let him
go, count?"

"How is that bear to be kept here?" asked the count, sighing, and
shrugging his shoulders.

At this moment Bonaparte's powerful voice was heard in the anteroom,
calling out:

"An orderly--quick!"

"He calls out of the window," whispered the marquis. "Let us hear
what he has got to say."

The two plenipotentiaries slipped on tiptoe to the window,
cautiously peeping from behind the curtains. They saw a French
lancer galloping up below, and stopping and saluting under the
window of the adjoining room.

Again they heard Bonaparte's thundering voice. "Ride over to the
headquarters of Archduke Charles," shouted Bonaparte. "Tell him on
my behalf that the armistice is at an end, and that hostilities will
recommence from the present hour. That is all. Depart!"

Then they heard him close the window with a crash, and walk with
loud steps through the anteroom.

The two plenipotentiaries looked at each other in dismay. "Count,"
whispered the marquis, "listen! he leaves and has threatened to
shatter Austria. He is the man to fulfil his threat. My God, must we