“I will not fight you to-night.”

One of the subalterns started up, the other merely turned his head towards Plessy, but both stared at their Captain with an unfeigned astonishment and an unfeigned disappointment.  Faversham continued to plead.

“But you must to-night, for to-morrow you cannot.  To-night I am alone here, to-night I give orders, to-morrow I receive them.  You have your sword at your side to-night.  Will you be wearing it to-morrow?  I pray you gentlemen to help me,” he said turning to the subalterns, and he began to push the heavy table from the centre of the room.

“I will not fight you to-night, Lieutenant,” Captain Plessy replied.

“And why?” asked Faversham ceasing from his work.  He made a gesture which had more of despair than of impatience.

Captain Plessy gave his reason.  It rang false to every man in the room and indeed he made no attempt to give to it any appearance of sincerity.  It was a deliberate excuse and not his reason.

“Because you are the Prussian officer in command and the Prussian troops march into St. Denis to-morrow.  Suppose that I kill you, what sort of penalty should I suffer at their hands?”

“None,” exclaimed Faversham.  “We can draw up an account of the quarrel, here now.  Look here is paper and ink and as luck will have it a pen that will write.  I will write an account with my own hand, and the four of us can sign it.  Besides if you kill me, you can escape into Paris.”

“I will not fight you to-night,” said Captain Plessy and he set down the candle upon the table.  Then with an elaborate correctness he drew his sword from its scabbard and offered the handle of it to Faversham.

“Lieutenant, you are in command of St. Denis.  I am your prisoner of war.”

Faversham stood for a moment or two with his hands clenched.  The light had gone out of his face.

“I have no authority to make prisoners,” he said.  He took up one of the candles, gazed at his guest in perplexity.

“You have not given me your real reason, Captain Plessy,” he said.  Captain Plessy did not answer a word.

“Good-night, gentlemen,” said Faversham and Captain Plessy bowed deeply as Faversham left the room.

A silence of some duration followed upon the closing of the door.  The two subalterns were as perplexed as Faversham to account for their hero’s conduct.  They sat dumb and displeased.  Plessy stood for a moment thoughtfully, then he made a gesture with his hands as though to brush the whole incident from his mind and taking a cigarette from his case proceeded to light it at the candle.  As he stooped to the flame he noticed the glum countenances of his brother-officers, and laughed carelessly.