It is useless to weary you with details; we were in retreat; a shower of stones and bullets poured upon us, as if from the moon.

Our column was slightly disordered; I was in the rearguard--whack! my horse was down, and I under him! "We were in a narrow gorge with sloping sides some fifteen feet high; five dirty guerillas slid down the sides and fell upon me and on the beast--forty devils! I can see them now! Just here the gorge took a sudden turn, so no one could see my trouble; or no one wished to see it, which comes to the same thing.
"I have told you things were in much disorder; and I beg you to remember that with a dead horse and five live Arabs on top of me, I was not very comfortable.

I was suffocating; in fact, I was devilish far from comfortable.
"Just then your father ran to my assistance, like the noble fellow he was! He drew me from under my horse; he fell upon the Arabs.

When I was up, I aided him a little--but that is nothing to the point--I never shall forget him!" There was a pause, when the General added: "Let us understand each other, and speak plainly.

Would it be very repugnant to your feelings to have seven hundred thousand francs a year, and to be called, after me, Marquis de Campvallon d'Armignes?
Come, speak up, and give me an answer." The young Count reddened slightly.
"My name is Camors," he said, gently.
"What! You would not wish me to adopt you?
You refuse to become the heir of my name and of my fortune ?" "Yes, General." "Do you not wish time to reflect upon it ?" "No, General.