guelat and I slept in the same squad, which greatly
simplified the business; and a committee of honour was accordingly
formed of our shed-mates. They chose for president a sergeant-major in
the 4th Dragoons, a greybeard of the army, an excellent military
subject, and a good man. He took the most serious view of his functions,
visited us both, and reported our replies to the committee. Mine was of
a decent firmness. I told him the young lady of whom Goguelat had spoken
had on several occasions given me alms. I reminded him that, if we were
now reduced to hold out our hands and sell pill boxes for charity, it
was something very new for soldiers of the Empire. We had all seen
bandits standing at a corner of a wood truckling for copper halfpence,
and after their benefactors were gone spitting out injuries and curses.
"But," said I, "I trust that none of us will fall so low. As a Frenchman
and a soldier, I owe that young child gratitude, and am bound to
protect her character, and to support that of the army. You are my elder
and my superior: tell me if I am not right."

He was a quiet-mannered old fellow, and patted me with three fingers on
the back. "_C'est bien, mon enfant_," says he, and returned to his
committee.

Goguelat was no more accommodating than myself. "I do not like apologies
nor those that make them," was his only answer. And there remained
nothing but to arrange the details of the meeting. So far as regards
place and time we had no choice; we must settle the dispute at night, in
the dark, after a round had passed by, and in the open middle of the
shed under which we slept. The question of arms was more obscure. We had
a good many tools, indeed, which we employed in the manufacture of our
toys; but they were none of them suited for a single combat between
civilised men, and, being nondescript, it was found extremely hard to
equalise the chances of the combatants. At length a pair of scissors was
unscrewed; and a couple of tough wands being found in a corner of the
courtyard, one blade of the scissors was lashed solidly to each with
resined twine--the twine coming I know not whence, but the resin from
the green pillars of the shed, which still sweated from the axe. It was
a strange thing to feel in one's hand this weapon, which was no heavier
than a riding-rod, and which it was difficult to suppose would prove
more dangerous. A general oath was administered and taken, that no one
should interfere in the duel n