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Taking the colonel's outburst as a challenge to his courage, the

general expanded his chest and rode, frowning, beside him to the

front line, as if their differences would be settled there

amongst the bullets. They reached the front, several bullets sped

over them, and they halted in silence. There was nothing fresh to

be seen from the line, for from where they had been before it had

been evident that it was impossible for cavalry to act among the

bushes and broken ground, as well as that the French were

outflanking our left. The general and colonel looked sternly and

significantly at one another like two fighting cocks preparing

for battle, each vainly trying to detect signs of cowardice in

the other. Both passed the examination successfully.