in turn, that most fraternal and familiar "tu" of
dearest friendship being heard on every side.

Resisting a hundred invitations to join some party or other as he passed
up the room, Pioche led me forward towards Mademoiselle Minette, to
present me in due form ere I took my place.

The honest corporal, who would have charged a square without blinking,
seemed actually to tremble as he came near the pretty vivandiere; and
when, with a roguish twinkle of her dark eye, and a half smile on her
saucy lip, she said, "Ah, c'est toi, gros Pioche?" the poor fellow could
only mutter a "Oui, Mademoiselle," in a voice scarce loud enough to be
heard.

"And monsieur," said she, "whom I have the honor to see?"

"Is my lieutenant. Mademoiselle; or he is aide-de-camp of my general,
which comes to the same thing."

With a few words of gracious civility, well and neatly expressed
mademoiselle welcomed me to the canteen, which, she said, had often been
graced by the presence of General d'Auvergne himself.

"Yes, by Saint Denis!" cried Pioche, with energy; "Prince Murat, and
Marechal Davoust, too, have been here."

Dropping his voice to a whisper, he added something that called a faint
blush to mademoiselle's cheek as she replied, "You think so, do you?"
Then, turning to me, asked if I were not disposed to sup.

"Yes, that he is," interrupted Pioche; "and here is the materiel;"--with
which he displayed his pannier of bottles, and pointed to the spoils
which, following his directions, I carried in my hands.

The corporal having despatched the fowls to the kitchen, proceeded
to arrange a little table at a short distance from where mademoiselle
sat,--an arrangement, I could perceive, which called forth some rather
angry looks from those around the room, and I could overhear more
than one muttered Sacre! as to the ambitious pretensions of the "gros
Pioche."

He himself paid little if any attention to these signs of discontent,
but seemed wholly occupied in perfecting the table arrangements, which
he did with the skill and despatch of a tavern waiter.

"Here, mon lieutenant, this is your place," said he, with a bow, as he
placed a chair for me at the head of the board; and then, with a polite
obeisance to the lady, he added, "Avec permission, Mademoiselle," and
took his own seat at the side.

A very appetizing dish made its appearance at this moment; and
notwithstanding my curiosity to watch the proceedings of the party, and
my ad