another around the table. She
had proud little manners, as if she knew herself to be a daughter of the
chief's favorite, obeying only the officers and treating Michel with an
amusing scorn. All this was to have a sad ending. One day I did not find
the chameleon in the cradle, though I remembered to have seen it there the
evening before. I had even taken it in my hands and caressed it before
Tonton, who had just gone to bed. Then I had given it back to her and gone
out. Accordingly I questioned her. She took me by the hand, and leading me
to the camp fire, showed me the charred skeleton of the chameleon,
explaining to me, as best she could, that she had thrown it in the fire,
because I had petted it! Oh! women! women! And she gave a horrible
imitation of the lizard, writhing in the midst of the flames, and she
smiled with delighted eyes. I was indignant. I seized her by the arm,
shook her a little, and finished by boxing her ears.

"My dear fellow, from that day she appeared not to know me. Tonton and I
sulked; we were angry. However, one morning, as I felt the sun was going
to be terrible, I went myself to the baggage before the loading for
departure, and arranged a sheltering awning over the cradle. Then to make
peace, I embraced my little friend. But as soon as we were on the march,
she furiously tore off the canvas with which I had covered the cradle.
Michel put it all in place again, and there was a new revolt. In short, it
was necessary to yield because she wanted to be able to lean outside of
her box, under the fiery sun, to look at the head of the column, of which
I had the command. I saw this on arriving at the resting place. Then
Michel brought her under my tent. She had not yet fallen asleep, but
followed with her eyes all of my movements, with a grave air, without a
smile, or gleam of mischief.

"She refused to eat and drink; the next day she was ill, with sunken eyes
and body burning with fever. When the major wished to give her medicine
she refused to take it and ground her teeth together to keep from
swallowing.

"There remained still six days' march before arriving at Oran. I wanted to
give her into the care of the nuns. She died before I could do so, very
suddenly, with a severe attack of meningitis. She never wanted to see me
again. She was buried under a clump of African shrubs near Geryville, in
her little campaign cradle. And do you know what was found in her cradle?
The charred skeleton of the poo