You can't refuse to come in."
The pretty maid had opened the door. Lieutenant Feraud brushed past
her brusquely and she raised her scared, questioning eyes to Lieutenant
D'Hubert, who could do nothing but shrug his shoulders slightly as he
followed with marked reluctance.
In his room Lieutenant Feraud unhooked the clasp, flung his new dolman
on the bed, and folding his arms across his chest, turned to the other
hussar.
"Do you imagine I am a man to submit tamely to injustice?" he inquired
in a boisterous voice.
"Oh, do be reasonable," remonstrated Lieutenant D'Hubert.
"I am reasonable. I am perfectly reasonable," retorted the other,
ominously lowering his voice. "I can't call the general to account for
his behaviour, but you are going to answer to me for yours."
"I can't listen to this nonsense," murmured Lieutenant D'Hubert, making
a slightly contemptuous grimace.
"You call that nonsense. It seems to me perfectly clear. Unless you
don't understand French."
"What on earth do you mean?"
"I mean," screamed suddenly Lieutenant Feraud, "to cut off your ears to
teach you not to disturb me, orders or no orders, when I am talking to a
lady."
A profound silence followed this mad declaration--and through the open
window Lieutenant D'Hubert heard the little birds singing sanely in the
garden. He said coldly:
"Why! If you take that tone, of course I will hold myself at your
disposal whenever you are at liberty to attend to this affair.
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