"Sir?"

"Take a white flag and ride to the southern road. Find the garrison commander.

Tell him we broke a French brigade and that we'll break him in exactly the same manner if he doesn't surrender."

"Sir! Sir! Please sir! " That was Ensign Nicholls, jumping up and down beside d'Alembord. "Can I go with him, sir? Please, sir. I've never seen a Frog. Not close up, sir."

"They've got tails and horns, " d'Alembord said, and smiled when Nicholls looked alarmed.

"If you can borrow a horse, " Sharpe told the ensign, "you can go. But keep your mouth shut! Let Mister d'Alembord do the talking."

"Yes, sir, " Nicholls said, and ran happily away while Sharpe turned back to the north. The French had broken and run, and he doubted they would be back, but he was not willing to care for their wounded. He had neither the men nor the supplies to do that, so someone would have to go down to the enemy under a flag of truce and offer them a chance to clear up the mess they had made.

Just in time for Christmas.

Colonel Caillou watched the two red-coated horsemen approach under their flag of truce and felt an immense rage surge inside him. Gudin would surrender, he knew it, and when that happened Caillou would lose the Eagle that the Emperor himself had presented to the 75th.

He would not let it happen, and so, in a blind fury, he drove back his spurs and galloped after Gudin.

Gudin heard him coming, turned and waved him back, but Caillou ignored him.

Instead he drew his pistol. "Go back! " he shouted in English to the approaching officers. "Go back!»

D'Alembord reined in his horse. "Do you command her, monsieur?" he asked Caillou in French.

"Go back! " Caillou shouted angrily. "We do not accept your flag. You hear me?

We do not accept it. Go! " He leveled the pistol at the younger officer who held the offending flag of truce, a white handkerchief tied to a musket's ramrod. «Go!» Caillou shouted, then spurred his horse away from Gudin who had moved to intervene.