Surgeon Surville, entering from the kitchen, drew aside the canvas screen, and approached the little round table at which his superior officer was sitting.
"What is it ?" said the captain, sharply.
"A question to ask," replied the surgeon.

"Are we safe for the night ?" "Why do you want to know ?" inquired the captain, suspiciously.
The surgeon pointed to the kitchen, now the hospital devoted to the wounded men.
"The poor fellows are anxious about the next few hours," he replied.
"They dread a surprise, and they ask me if there is any reasonable hope of their having one night's rest.

What do you think of the chances ?" The captain shrugged his shoulders.

The surgeon persisted.
"Surely you ought to know ?" he said.
"I know that we are in possession of the village for the present," retorted Captain Arnault, "and I know no more.

Here are the papers of the enemy." He held them up and shook them impatiently as he spoke.
"They give me no information that I can rely on.