peak now."

"And what were those words we ask you, we, who are young in the
regiment," broke out a youth who was yet a veteran of the German
campaign of 1813.

"The Emperor, turning to Marshal Berthier, took the Eagle from him, he
held it up thus in his own hands."

Lestoype turned to Marteau and suited the gesture to the word. He
seized the Eagle and advanced a step and those who watched him so
keenly noticed how he trembled. It was to him as if the Emperor were
there again. Some mystic aura of his mighty presence seemed to
overhang the uplifted Eagle.

"Gentlemen, we were paraded on the Champ de Mars with thousands of
others. The Eagles had been marched along the line with the ruffles of
drums and blare of bugles. It was raining like tonight, there was no
sun, but never saw I a brighter day. The Emperor said:

"_'Soldiers of the Fifth regiment of Infantry of the Line, I entrust to
you the Eagle of France. It is to serve to you ever as your rallying
point. You swear to me never to abandon it but with life? You swear
never to suffer an affront to it for the honor of France? You swear
ever to prefer death to dishonor for it? You swear?'_"

As the words of the old officer died away, moved by a common impulse,
the hands of the men before him went to their swords. With sweeping
gestures they dragged them out of their sheaths, up into the air they
heaved the shining blades.

"We swear," they said solemnly, instinctively repeating the ceremony of
the past in which some of them had participated and of which all had
heard.

As their words died away the gruff voices of the non-commissioned
officers and privates standing at salute repeated the acclaim, in
accordance with the custom.

"It was so when the Eagle was given," said old Lestoype, deeply
gratified by the spontaneous tribute. "Gentlemen and comrades, be
seated, if you please. I have called you here for the honor of the
regiment to consult as to what is to be done."

"_Mon Commandant_," said an old veteran, stepping forward as those
present sought seats where they could, "I was port-aigle of the
regiment before Dresden. May I not take in my hand again the
'cou-cou'?"

That was the cant name which the soldiers gave to the standard, a term
of affection, of familiarity, of comradeship which in no way indicated
any lack of respect or any diminution of determination to die for it if
necessary.

"To you I gladly commit it until we have determined