"Well, the conditions would never be the same," he said bluntly; and I did not pursue the point any further.
When we reached Sofia we parted.
"How shall I know what happens at the General's?" he asked.
"If you do not hear from me, you may draw your own conclusion that I am on my way to Tirnova. If we are not to meet again—good-bye;" and I held out my hand.
He grasped it warmly, and with a ring of true stalwart friendship he said: "If they shut you up it'll go hard with me if I don't find you. And if they kill you you have my oath on it you sha'n't go unavenged, if I have to shoot that infernal old ruffian with my own hand. It shall be life for life." And without another word, as though he did not wish me to see how much he was moved, he clapped his heels into his horse's flanks and cantered off.
I avoided my own house purposely, lest some of the General's agents should be waiting there for me, for I wished it to be unmistakably clear that my interview with the General was by my own choice; and I did not draw rein till I had reached the courtyard of his house. Then, telling Markov to wait for me with the horses in the street, I entered the house and asked for General Kolfort.
I could see that my visit caused surprise, and observed that one or two of the soldiers present made haste to post themselves so that my retreat would be impossible. I was shown upstairs into the room where I had first seen the General, and where, as usual, one or two officers were lounging. I was kept there about half an hour—quite long enough to irritate me—and
