During the late French Revolution, one of the royalist soldiers having
his horse shot under him by a pupil of the Polytechnic School, and
finding when thus brought down, that he could not regain his feet and
resume a posture of defence, but was entirely at the mercy of his
ferocious young adversary, he immediately surrendered his sword,
exclaiming, "I am your prisoner, and entreat of you mercy and life." To
which the _generous_ and _heroic_ youth replied, "No prisoners, no
mercy!" and taking from his pocket a pike-head or some similar rough
weapon, deliberately drove it into the unfortunate soldier's heart!
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