e
general commanding.

Gaston Cheverny, who was Count Saxe's aide-de-camp, had ridden all the
way from Paris, with the dog Bold at his heels. We reached Strasburg
at an opportune time. It was in the afternoon, and all day long the
chaises had been rolling through the gates; some said there were as
many as eighteen hundred in the town at the time. Within them were the
officers, as dainty and debonair as if just out of my lady's bandbox.
The Duke of Berwick, exasperated beyond words, had stationed himself
at the principal gate and caught these gentlemen when they least
expected it. We were told that the countenances of these chaise
soldiers were a sight to behold when they caught sight of the grim old
marshal and noted the terrible look of him. He was a man of few words,
but very fierce when roused. He got those young popinjays out of their
chaises by a single glance, which acted like a grenade when the fuse
is touched off.

The regiment of Saxe came marching in, however, every officer in his
place, and Count Saxe riding at the head of it. When the Duke of
Berwick's eagle eye saw this his countenance cleared as if by magic;
he had looked like a thunder cloud before. Count Saxe had sent all the
chaises of the regiment around to another gate. It was a pleasant
summer afternoon, and the old city by the Rhine shone in the August
sun, which likewise showed the dust, so carefully acquired on his
accoutrements by Count Saxe. The Duke of Berwick's greeting to Count
Saxe was afterward known throughout the world.

"Welcome," said he; "I had asked for a reinforcement of three thousand
men, but now that you are come, I do not need them."

My master responded fittingly, and then, very artfully, made an
apology for his appearance, alleging the heat, the dust and the
condition of the streams--everything was overflowed that year of
1733.

"No apologies are needed, Monsieur," replied the marshal. "I am
pleased to see that you have brought me soldiers instead of the
popinjays and dandies which I have heretofore seen."

Now this was true of Count Saxe's regiment in spite of the inroads of
luxury upon the youngsters, for my old Uhlans were among them, and the
whole regiment enjoyed the names of "Clear-the-way-boys," and
"Storm-alongs," which our Uhlans had earned long since. By way of a
reward the regiment was quartered in the town of Strasburg, but near
the river bank. Count Saxe established himself in a small, but
comfortable old