e and
composed myself to another sleep.

The first thing which thoroughly aroused me, and at once brightened up
my slumbering senses, was missing my jacket, for which I searched every
corner of my cell, forgetting that it had been taken away, as the
nature of my sentence was declared _infamante_. The next shock was still
greater, when two sapeurs came forward to tie my wrists together behind
my back; I neither spoke nor resisted, but in silent submission complied
with each order given me.

All preliminaries being completed, I was led forward, preceded by a
pioneer, and guarded on either side by two sapeurs of 'the guard'; a
muffled drum, ten paces in advance, keeping up a low monotonous rumble
as we went.

Our way led along the ramparts, beside which ran a row of little
gardens, in which the children of the officers were at play. They ceased
their childish gambols as we drew near, and came closer up to watch us.
I could mark the terror and pity in their little faces as they gazed at
me; I could see the traits of compassion with which they pointed me out
to each other, and my heart swelled with gratitude for even so slight
a sympathy. It was with difficulty I could restrain the emotion of that
moment, but with a great effort I did subdue it, and marched on, to all
seeming, unmoved. A little farther on, as we turned the angle of the
wall, I looked back to catch one last look at them. Would that I had
never done so! They had quitted the railings, and were now standing in
a group, in the act of performing a mimic execution. One, without his
jacket, was kneeling on the grass. But I could not bear the sight, and
in scornful anger I closed my eyes, and saw no more.

A low whispering conversation was kept up by the soldiers around me.
They were grumbling at the long distance they had to march, as the
'affair' might just as well have taken place on the glacis as two miles
away. How different were my feelings--how dear to me was now every
minute, every second of existence; how my heart leaped at each turn of
the way, as I still saw a space to traverse and some little interval
longer to live!

'And mayhap after all,' muttered one dark-faced fellow, 'we shall have
come all this way for nothing. There can be no fusillade without the
general's signature, so I heard the adjutant say; and who's to promise
that he 'll be at his quarters?'

'Very true,' said another; 'he may be absent, or at table.'

'At table!' cried two or thr