“Besides,” said Cathelineau, “M.  Larochejaquelin will be much wanted elsewhere.  As a matter of course, he will be the leader of all the parishes round Chatillon; I doubt if the men would follow any one else.”

“Dear Cathelineau,” said Henri, “if you will take my advice, you will not make leaders of us youngsters at all.  Adolphe and I will be well contented to be hussars for awhile.  Let these grey-headed seniors be our leaders,” and he pointed to d’Elbee whose hair was grizzled.

Henri had seen that the spirit of jealousy was already rising in Adolphe Denot’s face.  No allusion had been made to his services; his advice had never been asked in the council; there was no probability that he would be named as one of the leaders; he had hardly spoken a word since they had assembled in the council-room.  Henri, though his own heart was a stranger to the jealousy and dread of neglect which tormented Adolphe, sympathised with, and felt for his friend; and he thought that if they were both together excluded from command at his request, the blow would be less keenly felt.  They were the two youngest in the room, and their youth was a good reason why they should not be named; but Henri was the younger of the two, and he knew that if he were selected as one of the chiefs, Adolphe would be miserable at finding himself left out.

De Lescure, however, would not allow of this.  He had promised that he would not disgrace Denot, by telling of the cowardice he had shewn at the Bridge of Fouchard, and he was determined to keep his word; but he would not allow his cousin, his pupil, his bosom friend, the man whom he loved with the affection of a brother and a father, to sink himself to the same level as a coward.

“How absurd is this!” said he, angrily.  “I wonder, Henri, that you should be the first to create such foolish difficulties, when our very existence depends on perfect unanimity.  In proportion as our means of enforcing obedience is slender, should our resolution be firm, implicitly to obey the directions of those who are selected as our leaders.  We have made Cathelineau our General, and desired him to select his officers, and when he selects you as one, you object.  If you object from a proper modesty, it argues that those who accept, shew an improper degree of assurance.  You should think of these things, Henri.”

“I resign myself to my dignity, and am dumb,” said Henri laughing.  “Go on, Cathelineau, and if the men you name, say but one word, one syllable against your choice—­I’ll slay them.”

Cathelineau knew that all his difficulty still lay before him; those whom he had already chosen would as a matter of course be among the number; but who were to be the other three?

“M.  Donnissan,” said be, in a whisper to de Lescure, who was sitting next to him.  “I do not know what his wishes might be.”

“My father-in-law feels himself too old,” answered de Lescure; “d’Elbee would be a much fitter person; he is thought so much of at Beauprieu.”