order to let them see that we could
pay. I had resolved to change my uniform the next day, to leave my gun
and knapsack and cartridge-box here and to go home, for I believed that
the war was over, and I rejoiced in the midst of my misfortunes that I
had escaped with my arms and legs.

Buche and I slept that night in a little room, with a Holy Virgin and
infant Jesus in a niche between the curtains over our heads, and we
rested like the blessed in heaven.

The next morning, instead of keeping on our way, we were so glad to sit
on a comfortable chair in the kitchen, to stretch our legs and smoke
our pipes as we watched the kettles boiling, that we said, "Let us stay
quietly here. To-morrow we shall be well rested, and we will buy two
pairs of linen pantaloons, and two blouses, we will cut two good sticks
from a hedge, and go home by easy stages."

The thought of these pleasant plans touched us. And it was from this
inn that I wrote to Catherine and Aunt Gredel and Mr. Goulden. I wrote
only a word:

"I have escaped, let us thank God, I am coming, I embrace you a
thousand times with all my heart.

"JOSEPH BERTHA."

I thanked God as I wrote, but a great many things were to happen before
I should mount our staircase at the corner of the rue Fouquet opposite
the "Red Ox." When one has been taken by conscription he must not be
in a hurry to write that he is released. That happiness does not
depend upon us, and the best will in the world helps nothing.

I sent off my letter by the post, and we stayed all that day at the inn
of the "Golden Sheep."

After we had eaten a good supper, we went up to our beds, and I said to
Buche, "Ha! Jean, to do what you please is quite a different thing
from being forced to respond to the roll-call."

We both laughed in spite of the misfortunes of the country, of course
without thinking, otherwise we should have been veritable rascals.

For the second time we went to sleep in our good bed, when about one
o'clock in the morning we were wakened in a most extraordinary manner:
the drums were beating and we heard men marching all over the village.

I pushed Jean, and he said, "I hear it, the Prussians are outside."

You cannot imagine our terror, but it was much worse a moment after;
some one knocked at the door of the inn, and it opened; in a moment the
great hall was full of people. Some one came up the stairs. We had
both got up, and Buche said, "I shall defend myself if