"Your majesty, I have, never seen him," answered the count, "but I'm
told he's a grim old war-horse, covered with scars gained in your
majesty's service."
"Just as I had thought he must be," continued the queen, "but some
one intimated to us yesterday that he was young, quite young, and of
noble family, Count Basterio."
"He has displayed too much knowledge of warfare to be very young,
your majesty," said the count, "and has performed prodigies during
this revolt, with only a handful of men."
"That is partly what has so much interested me. I sent to the war
office yesterday to know about him, and it was only recorded that he
had been sent from Cuba. None of the heads of the department
remembered to have seen him at all."
"I saw by the Gazette that he would return to Madrid with his
regiment to-day," said the count, "when, if your majesty desires it,
I will seek out this Colonel Bezan, and bring him to you."
"Do so; for we would know all our subjects who are gallant and
deserving, and I am sure this officer must be both, from what I have
already been able to learn."
"Your wish shall be obeyed, your majesty," said the obsequious
courtier, bowing low, and turning to a lady of the court, hard by,
began to chat about how this old "son of a gun," this specimen of
the battle-field would be astonished at the presence of his queen.
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