When he arrived there, he remained a quarter of an hour deliberating within himself as to the proper course to be adopted.

In his impatience to leave the field of battle, he had omitted to ascertain whether De Guiche were dead or not.

A double hypothesis presented itself to De Wardes's agitated mind; either De Guiche was killed, or De Guiche was wounded only.

If he were killed, why should he leave his body in that manner to the tender mercies of the wolves; it was a perfectly useless piece of cruelty, for if De Guiche were dead, he certainly could not breathe a syllable of what had passed; if he were not killed, why should he, De Wardes, in leaving him there uncared for, allow himself to be regarded as a savage, incapable of one generous feeling?
This last consideration determined his line of conduct.
De Wardes immediately instituted inquires after Manicamp.

He was told that Manicamp had been looking after De Guiche, and, not knowing where to find him, had retired to bed.