ing when I remembered that I wore
the epaulette no longer. I forgot, too, where I was; and expected every
instant to hear him call for one of the marshals, or see him stretch out
his hand to point to a distant part of the field. And so absorbed was I
in my reveries, that I had neither eyes nor ears for anything around
me; when suddenly all the din of the orchestra ceased,--not a sound was
heard; and a hand rudely shook me by the arm, while a voice whispered,
'Now! now!'

[Illustration: 303]

"Mechanically I seized the drumsticks. But my eyes still were riveted
in the Emperor,--my whole heart and soul were centred in him. Again
the voice called to me to begin; and a low murmur of angry meaning ran
through the orchestra.

"I sprang to my legs, and in the excitement of the moment, losing all
memory of time and place, I rolled out the _pas de charge!_

"Scarce had the first _roulade_ of the well-known sounds reverberated
through the house, when one cry of 'Vive l'Empereur!' burst forth. It
was not a cheer; it was the heart-given outbreak of ten thousand devoted
followers. Marshals, generals, colonels, ambassadors, ministers, all
joined; and the vast assembly rocked to and fro like the sea in a
storm, while Napoleon himself, slowly rising, bent his proud head in
acknowledgment, and then sat down again amid the thundering shouts of
acclamation. It was full twenty minutes before the piece could proceed;
and even then momentary outbreaks of enthusiasm would occur to interrupt
it, and continued to burst forth till the curtain fell.

"Just then an aide-de-camp appeared beside the orchestra, and ordered
me to the Emperor's box. _Satristi!_how I trembled! I did n't know what
might come of it.

"'Ah, _coquin!_ said he, as I stood ready to drop with fear at the door
of the box, 'this has been one of thy doings, eh?'

"'Yes, Sire,' muttered I in a half whisper.

"'And how hast thou dared to spoil an opera in this fashion?' said he,
frowning fiercely. 'Answer me, sirrah!'

"'It was your Majesty's fault,' said I, becoming reckless of all
consequences. 'You did n't seem to care much for all their scraping and
blowing, and so I thought the old _roulade_ might raise you a bit. You
used to like it once; and might still, if the times be not altered.'

"'And they are not,' said he, sternly. 'Who art thou, that seem'st to
know me thus well?'

"'Old Francois, that was maitre d'armes of the Fourth in Egypt, and who
saved you from t