chest, which I received in the muscles of my back; and, wheeling round,
I buried my blade in his body.

Francois lingered for a long time between life and death, and for
several days I was incapacitated, tenderly nursed by Minette.

As soon as I was recovered the order came to advance.

Not many days passed ere the chance came to me for which I had longed--
the chance of striking a blow for the emperor. Hand-to-hand with the
Russian dragoons on the field of Austerlitz, sweeping along afterwards
with the imperial hosts in the full tide of victory, I learnt for the
first time the exhilaration of military glory; and I had the good
fortune to receive the emperor's favour--not only was I promoted, but I
was appointed to the _compagnie d'elite_ that was to carry the spoils of
victory to Paris.

A few weeks after my return to Paris, the whole garrison was placed in
review order to receive the wounded of Austerlitz.

As the emperor rode forward bareheaded to greet his maimed veterans, I
heard laughter among the staff that surrounded him. Stepping up, I saw
my old friend Pioche, who had been dangerously wounded, with his hand in
salute.

"Thou wilt not have promotion, nor a pension," said Napoleon, smiling.
"Hast any friend whom I could advance?"

"Yes," answered Pioche, scratching his forehead in confusion. "She is a
brave girl, and had she been a man----"

"Whom can he mean?"

"I was talking of Minette, our _vivandiere_."

"Dost wish I should make her my aide-de-camp?" said Napoleon, laughing.

"_Parbleu_! Thou hast more ill-favoured ones among them," said Pioche,
with a glance at the grim faces of Rapp and Daru. "I've seen the time
when thou'd have said, 'Is it Minette that was wounded at the Adige and
stood in the square at Marengo? I'll give her the Cross of the Legion!'"

"And she shall have it!" said Napoleon. Minette advanced, and as the
emperor's own cross was attached to her buttonhole she sat pale as
death, overcome by her pride.

For two hours waggon after waggon rolled on, filled with the shattered
remnants of an army. Every eye brightened as the emperor drew near, the
feeblest gazed with parted lips when he spoke, and the faint cry of
"_Vive l'Empereur_" passed along the line.

_III.--Broken Dreams_

Ere I had left Paris to join in the campaign against Prussia, I had
made, and broken off, another dangerous friendship. In the _compagnie
d'elite_ was an officer named Duchesne who took a liking