Don't get yourself killed unless it's absolutely necessary." Usually so stoical, his voice showed emotion, and he turned away after the strong pressure of the two hands.

John and de Rougemont walked down the valley, where they joined General Vaugirard and the rest of his staff.
As soon as John saw the general he knew what Lannes meant by his phrase "a noticeable figure." General Vaugirard was a man of about sixty, so enormously fat that he must have weighed three hundred pounds.

His face was covered with thick white beard, out of which looked small, sharp red eyes.

He reminded John of a great white bear.

The little red eyes bored him through for an instant, and then their owner said briefly: "De Rougemont has vouched for you.