Well, with those five thousand men, all belonging to this country, who know every tree, every stone, every bush, I can make war against the hundred thousand men the First Consul threatens to send against me." Roland smiled.
"You think that is saying too much, don't you ?" "I think you are boasting a little, general; boasting of your men, rather." "No; for my auxiliaries are the whole population.

None of your generals can make a move unknown to me; send a despatch without my intercepting it; find a retreat where I shall not pursue him.

The very soil is royalist and Christian! In default of the inhabitants, it speaks and tells me: 'The Blues passed here; the slaughterers are hidden there!' For the rest, you can judge for yourself." "How ?" "We are going on an expedition about twenty-four miles from here.

What time is it ?" Both young men looked at their watches.
"Quarter to twelve," they said together.
"Good!" said Georges, "our watches agree; that is a good sign.

Perhaps some day our hearts will do the same." "You were saying, general ?" "I was saying that it was a quarter to twelve, colonel; and that at six o'clock, before day, we must be twenty miles from here.