In an hour or two, however, he sufficiently recovered from the shock to reflect that most probably they would give him some chance to speak for himself.

There would not be any trial; who would waste time in trying so insignificant a wretch?
But there might be some opportunity of speaking, and he resolved to use it to the utmost possible extent.
He would arraign the unskilful generalship of the king; he would not only point out his errors, but how the enemy could be defeated.

He would prove that he had ideas and plans worthy of attention.

He would, as it were, vindicate himself before he was executed, and he tried to collect his thoughts and to put them into form.

Every moment the face of Aurora seemed to look upon him, lovingly and mournfully; but beside it he saw the dusty and distorted features of the copse he had seen drawn by the horse through the camp.