f his belief
in the future was destroyed. If the road of glory led through such
unforeseen passages--he asked himself, for he was reflective, whether
the guide was altogether trustworthy. And a patriotic sadness not
unmingled with some personal concern, altogether unlike the unreasoning
indignation against men and things nursed by Colonel Feraud, oppressed
the equable spirits of Colonel D'Hubert. Recruiting his strength in a
little German town for three weeks, he was surprised to discover within
himself a love of repose. His returning vigour was strangely pacific in
its aspirations. He meditated silently upon that bizarre change of
mood. No doubt many of his brother officers of field rank had the same
personal experience. But these were not the times to talk of it. In one
of his letters home Colonel D'Hubert wrote: "All your plans, my dear
Leonie, of marrying me to the charming girl you have discovered in your
neighbourhood, seem farther off than ever. Peace is not yet. Europe
wants another lesson. It will be a hard task for us, but it will be done
well, because the emperor is invincible."

Thus wrote Colonel D'Hubert from Pomerania to his married sister Leonie,
settled in the south of France. And so far the sentiments expressed
would not have been disowned by Colonel Feraud who wrote no letters to
anybody; whose father had been in life an illiterate blacksmith; who had
no sister or brother, and whom no one desired ardently to pair off for a
life of peace with a charming young girl. But Colonel D'Hubert's letter
contained also some philosophical generalities upon the uncertainty of
all personal hopes if bound up entirely with the prestigious fortune of
one incomparably great, it is true, yet still remaining but a man in
his greatness. This sentiment would have appeared rank heresy to
Colonel Feraud. Some melancholy forebodings of a military kind expressed
cautiously would have been pronounced as nothing short of high treason
by Colonel Feraud. But Leonie, the sister of Colonel D'Hubert, read them
with positive satisfaction, and folding the letter thoughtfully remarked
to herself that "Armand was likely to prove eventually a sensible
fellow." Since her marriage into a Southern family she had become a
convinced believer in the return of the legitimate king. Hopeful and
anxious she offered prayers night and morning, and burned candles in
churches for the safety and prosperity of her brother.

She had every reason to suppo