or us to leave Metz,--an hour, I need not say, we all
anxiously longed for. This I did," continued Pioche, "that same evening,
and all went on favorably for some time, when one night, as I was
returning to quarters, the devil, who meddles with everything in this
world, made me stick my hands into the pocket of my undress jacket, and
I there discovered a little bit of a pipe about the length of one joint
of your thumb,--a poor scrubby thing of clay, sure enough; but there
it was, and, worse still, ready filled with tobacco. Had it been a good
sized meerschaum, with a tassel and an amber mouthpiece, I had resisted
like a man; but the temptation came in so humble a shape, I thought I
was only guilty of a small sin in transgressing, and so I lit my little
friend, and went gayly along towards the barracks. Just as I passed the
corner of the market-place I heard a great noise of voices and laughing
in the cafe, and recognized the tones of our major and some of the
officers, as they sat sipping their wine in the verandah. Before I could
raise my hand to my mouth, Capitaine Pichot cried out, 'Halte-la!--right
about face!--attention!--left wheel!--eyes front!' This I did, as if on
parade, and stood stock still; when suddenly crack went a noise, and a
pistol-bullet smashed the pipe in two, and grazed my lip, when a roar of
laughing followed, as he called out louder than before, 'Quick march!'
and I stepped out to my quarters, never turning my head right or left,
not knowing what other ball practice might be in store for me. _Tonnerre
de Dieu!_ a little windage of the shot might have cost me every tooth I
have in the world!"

"It was a cruel jest, Pioche, and you 're a good-humored fellow to take
it so easily."

"Not so. Lieutenant. I had no punishment afterwards, and was well
content to be quit for the fright."

With such stray memories of his campaigning days did Pioche beguile the
way: now moralizing over the chances and changes of a soldier's fortune;
now comforting himself with some pleasant reflection, that even in his
own humble walk he had assisted at some of the greatest triumphs of the
French armies. Of the future he spoke with the easy confidence of one
who felt that in the Emperor's guidance there could be full trust,--both
of the cause being a just one, and the result victorious. A perfect
type of his class, his bravery was only to be equalled by the implicit
confidence he felt in his leader. That the troops of any