rrupted him impetuously.

"Hold your tongue, sir! not another word. I have served my country
five-and-twenty years as an officer, under fire, at the peril of my
life, always for honor, never for gain. Keep your money for your own
set!"

"But, sir--"

"Silence! Money which passes through your hands would soil mine."

Another pause ensued, which the private secretary again broke,--

"Colonel, you will be accompanied by two police agents who have special
instructions, and I should inform you that you are ordered to travel
with a false passport, and under the name of Vincent."

"Good heavens!" said Charras; "this is really too much. Who is it
imagines that they will make me travel by order with a false passport,
and under a false name?" And looking steadily at M. Leopold Lehon,
"Know, sir, that my name is Charras and not Vincent, and that I belong
to a family whose members have always borne the name of their father."

They set out.

They journeyed by carriage as far as Creil, which is on the railway.

At Creil station the first person whom Charras saw was General
Changarnier.

"Ah! it is you, General."

The two proscripts embraced each other. Such is exile.

"What the deuce are they doing with you?" asked the General.

"What they are probably doing with you. These vagabonds are making me
travel under the name of Vincent."

"And me," said Changarnier, "under the name of Leblanc."

"In that case they ought at least to have called me Lerouge," said
Charras, with a burst of laughter.

In the meantime a group, kept at a distance by the police agents, had
formed round them. People had recognized them and saluted them. A little
child, whose mother could not hold him back, ran quickly to Charras and
took his hand.

They got into the train apparently as free as other travellers. Only
they isolated them in empty compartments, and each was accompanied by
two men, who sat one at the side and the other facing him, and who never
took their eyes off him. The keepers of General Changarnier were of
ordinary strength and stature. Those of Charras were almost giants.
Charras is exceedingly tall; they topped him by an entire head. These
men who were galley sergeants, had been carabineers; these spies had
been heroes.

Charras questioned them. They had served when quite young, from 1813.
Thus they had shared the bivouac of Napoleon; now they ate the same
bread as Vidocq. The soldier brought to such a sorry pass as this is