ger no longer floated vaguely over
four heads, but had fixed on one, a sudden silence and solemnity took
the place of eager voices.

It was first broken by Private Dard saying, with foolish triumph, "And I
held the hat for you, colonel."

"Ah, Raynal!" said General Raimbaut, sorrowfully, "it was not worth
while to come from Egypt for this."

Raynal made no reply to this. He drew out his watch, and said calmly, he
had no time to lose; he must inspect the detachments he was to command.
"Besides," said he, "I have some domestic arrangements to make. Hitherto
on these occasions I was a bachelor, now I am married." General Raimbaut
could not help sighing. Raynal read this aright, and turned to him, "A
droll marriage, my old friend; I'll tell you all about it if ever I
have the time. It began with a purchase, general, and ends with--with a
bequest, which I might as well write now, and so have nothing to think
of but duty afterwards. Where can I write?"

"Colonel Dujardin will lend you his tent, I am sure."

"Certainly."

"And, messieurs," said Raynal, "if I waste time you need not. You can
pick me my men from your brigades. Give me a strong spice of old hands."

The colonels withdrew on this, and General Raimbaut walked sadly and
thoughtfully towards the battery. Dujardin and Raynal were left alone.

"This postpones our affair, sir."

"Yes, Raynal."

"Have you writing materials in your tent?"

"Yes; on the table."

"You are quite sure the bastion is mined, comrade?"

This unexpected word and Raynal's gentle appeal touched Dujardin deeply.
It was in a broken voice he replied that he was unfortunately too sure
of it.

Raynal received this reply as a sentence of death, and without another
word walked slowly into Dujardin's tent.

Dujardin's generosity was up in arms; he followed Raynal, and said
eagerly, "Raynal, for Heaven's sake resign this command!"

"Allow me to write to my wife, colonel," was the cold reply.

Camille winced at this affront, and drew back a moment; but his nobler
part prevailed. He seized Raynal by the wrist. "You shall not affront
me, you cannot affront me. You go to certain death I tell you, if you
attack that bastion."

"Don't be a fool, colonel," said Raynal: "somebody must lead the men."

"Yes; but not you. Who has so good a right to lead them as I, their
colonel?"

"And be killed in my place, eh?"

"I know the ground better than you," said Camille. "Besides, who cares
for me