It was half-past one in the morning--the place was deserted.
Nothing disturbed the silence save the moans of a few wounded men, who
called upon their comrades for succor.
But before thinking of the wounded, M. de Sairmeuse must decide upon the
course which would be most likely to redound to his advantage and to his
political glory.
Now that the insurrection had been suppressed, it was necessary to
exaggerate its magnitude as much as possible, in order that his reward
should be in proportion to the service supposed to have been rendered.
Some fifteen or twenty rebels had been captured; but that was not a
sufficient number to give the victory the _eclat_ which he desired. He
must find more culprits to drag before the provost-marshal or before a
military commission.
He, therefore, divided his troops into several detachments, and sent
them in every direction with orders to explore the villages, search all
isolated houses, and arrest all suspected persons.
His task here having been completed, he again recommended the most
implacable severity, and started on a brisk trot for Montaignac.
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