e, knowing that I had enough on my own account. We
stayed for ten minutes in the orchard to wipe away our tears, and then
went in. Mr. Goulden said:

"Well, Joseph! you go to-morrow; you must set off early, and you will
not lack work."

Oh! what joy to think I should not be compelled to go away, and then
too I had other reasons for wishing to remain at home, for Catherine
and I already had our hopes. Ah! those who have not suffered cannot
realize our feelings, nor understand what a weight this good news
lifted from our hearts. We stayed an hour longer at Quatre Vents, and
as the people were coming from vespers, at nightfall, we set off for
the town. Aunt Gredel went with us to where the post changes horses,
and at seven o'clock we were at home again.

It was thus that peace was established between Aunt Gredel and Mr.
Goulden, and now she came to see us as often as before. I went every
day to the arsenal and worked at repairing the guns. When the clock
struck twelve I went home to dinner, and at one returned to my work and
stayed until seven o'clock. I was at once soldier and workman, excused
from roll-call but overwhelmed with work. We hoped that I could remain
in that position till the war was over, if unfortunately it commenced
again, but we were sure of nothing.

XIV

Our confidence returned a little after I worked at the arsenal, but
still we were anxious, for hundreds of men on furloughs for six months,
conscripts, and old soldiers enlisted for one campaign, passed through
the town in citizens' clothes but with knapsacks on their backs. They
all shouted "_Vive l'Empereur!_" and seemed to be furious. In the
great hall of the town-house they received one a cloak, another a
shako, and others epaulettes and gaiters and shoes, at the expense of
the department, and off they went, and I wished them a pleasant
journey. All the tailors in town were making uniforms by contract, the
gendarmes gave up their horses to mount the cavalry, and the mayor,
Baron Parmentier, urged the young men of sixteen and seventeen to join
the partisans of Colonel Bruce, who defended the defiles of the Zorne,
the Zinselle, and the Saar.

The baron was going to the "Champ de Mai," and his enthusiasm
redoubled. "Go!" cried he, "courage!" as he spoke to them of the
Romans who fought for their country. I thought to myself as I listened
to him, "If you think all that so beautiful why do you not go yourself."

You can imagi