Say  that  you  are  sorry  for  what  you
have  done — ^there  is  no  degradation  in
doing  so— and  let  the  thing  drop.  These
gentlemen  are  our  friends — they  will
be  silent  on  the  subject  for  your  sake ;
for  myself  I  care  not— Cyrzinski  is
known  to  be  no  poltron."

There  was  a  momentary  struggle  in
the  Frenchman's  breast  between  good
feeling  and  false  pride.  Unfortunately*
the  latter  prevailed.
*'  I  have  no  doubt  of  your  willing-
ness to  receive  apologies,"  replied  he,
with  a  sneer;   <<  but  I  do  pot  feel


383

equally  disposed  to  make  them.**  And>
turning  on  his  heel,  he  left  the  room.
This  unpleasant  incident  broke  up  the
party,  and  we  all  retired  to  our  quar-
ters except  Cyrzinski,  who  remained
alone  with  Don  Julian  N.
Before  daybreak  the  next  morning,
the  troops  were  turned  out  in  case  of
an  attack ;  but  none  occurring,  after
being  under  arms  a  couple  of  hours,
they  were  allowed  to  return  to  their
quarters.  I  was  looking  out  of  the
window  of  the  village  posada,  when
Cyrzinski  and  our  host  of  the  previous
evening,  passed  by,  the  latter  with  his
cloak  on.  He  beckoned  me  to  come
down,  which  I  did,  and  joined  them.
