Courfeyrac was bareheaded.

“What have you done with your hat?” Bossuet asked him.

Courfeyrac replied:

“They have finally taken it away from me with cannonballs.”

Or they uttered haughty comments.

“Can anyone understand,” exclaimed Feuilly bitterly, “those men⁠—[and he cited names, well-known names, even celebrated names, some belonging to the old army]⁠—who had promised to join us, and taken an oath to aid us, and who had pledged their honor to it, and who are our generals, and who abandon us!”

And Combeferre restricted himself to replying with a grave smile.

“There are people who observe the rules of honor as one observes the stars, from a great distance.”