Emperor at the
ravine, where the artillery train was stopped. But when I came to the
incident of the picket, and mentioned how, in rescuing the Emperor, my
horse had been killed under me, he could no longer restrain himself, but
turned to the rest, who, to the number of fifteen or sixteen, sat around
the fire, and burst forth,--

"_Mille tonnerres!_ but the boy is a fool!" And then, before I could
interpose a word, blurted out the whole adventure to the company.

There was no use now to attempt any concealment at all; neither was
there to feel anger at his conduct. One would have been as absurd as
the other; and so I had to endure, as best I could, the various comments
that were passed on my behavior, on the prudence of which certainly no
second opinion existed.

"You must be right certain of promotion, Captain," said an old sergeant,
with a gray beard and mustache, "or you wouldn't refuse such a chance as
that."

"_Diable!_" cried Francois; "don't you see he wouldn't accept of it.
He is too proud to wait on the Petit Caporal, though he asked him to do
so."

"He 'd have given you the cross of the Legion anyhow," said another.

"Ay, by Jove!" exclaimed the riding-master of a dragoon regiment, "and
sent him a remount from his own stud."

"And you think that modesty!" said Francois, whose indignation at my
folly knew no bounds. "_Par Saint Joseph!_ if I'd been as modest, it's
not maitre d'armes of a voltigeur battalion I 'd be to-day; though I may
say, without boasting, I'm not afraid to cross a rapier with any man in
the army. No, no; that's not the way I managed."

"How was that, Maitre Francois?" said a young officer, who felt curious
to learn the circumstance to which he seemed to attach a story.

"If the honorable society cares to hear it," said Francois, uncovering,
and bowing courteously to all around, "I shall have great pleasure in
recounting a little incident of my life."

A general cry of acclamation and "bravo" met the polite proposal; while
Francois, accepting a _goutte_ from a canteen presented to him, began
thus:--

"I began my soldier's life at the first step of the ladder. I was a
drummer-boy at Jemappes; and, when I grew old enough to exchange the
drumstick for the sword, I was attached to the _chasseurs a cheval_, and
went with them to Egypt. I could tell you some strange stories of
our doings there,--I don't mean with the Turks, mark you, but amongst
ourselves,--for we had little affairs w