wide plain as far as the eye could reach, and on this, sharply outlined
against the glowing sky, stood horsemen, with their shakos drooping
forward, their green jackets, little cartridge-boxes slung under the
arm, and their sky-blue trousers; behind them glittered thousands of
lances, and Sergeant Pinto recognized them as the Russian cavalry and
Cossacks. He knew the river, too, which, he said, was the Saale.

We went as near as we could to the water to exchange shots with the
horsemen, but they retired and at last disappeared entirely under the
blood-red sky. We made our bivouac along the river, and posted our
sentries. On our left was a large village; a detachment was sent to it
to purchase meat; for since the arrival of the Emperor we had orders to
pay for everything.

During the night other regiments of the division came up; they, too,
bivouacked along the bank, and their long lines of fires, reflected in
the ever-moving waters, glared grandly through the darkness.

No one felt inclined to sleep. Zebede, Klipfel, Furst, and I messed
together, and we chatted as we lay around our fire:

"To-morrow we will have it hot enough, if we attempt to cross the
river! Our friends in Phalsbourg, over their warm suppers, scarcely
think of us lying here, with nothing but a piece of cow-beef to eat, a
river flowing beside us, the damp earth beneath, and only the sky for a
roof, without speaking of the sabre-cuts and bayonet-thrusts our
friends yonder have in store for us."

"Bah!" said Klipfel; "this is life. I would not pass my days
otherwise. To enjoy life we must be well to-day, sick to-morrow; then
we appreciate the pleasure of the change from pain to ease. As for
shots and sabre-strokes, with God's aid, we will give as good as we
take!"

"Yes," said Zebede, lighting his pipe, "when I lose my place in the
ranks, it will not be for the want of striking hard at the Russians!"

So we lay wakeful for two or three hours. Leger lay stretched out in
his great-coat, his feet to the fire, asleep, when the sentinel cried:

"Who goes there?"

"France!"

"What regiment?"

"Sixth of the Line."

It was Marshal Ney and General Brenier, with engineer and artillery
officers, and guns. The Marshal replied "Sixth of the Line," because
he knew beforehand that we were there, and this little fact rejoiced us
and made us feel very proud. We saw him pass on horseback with General
Souham and five or six other officers of high