e Duc de Nemours close
to me, with all his staff attending him. "What have we here?" said he
with surprise, to those about him. "A wife, looking for her husband's
body, mon prince," replied I. "I cannot find it; but here is his head."
He said something very complimentary and kind, and then walked on. I
continued my search without success, and determined to take up my
quarters in the town. As I clambered along, I gained a battered wall;
and, putting my foot on it it gave way with me, and I fell down several
feet. Stunned with the blow, I remained for some time insensible; when
I came to, I found--'

"`That you had broken your nose.'

"`No, indeed; I had sprained my ankle and hurt the cap of my knee, but
my nose was quite perfect. You must have a little patience yet.

"`What fragments of my husband were found, were buried in a large grave,
which held the bodies and the mutilated portions of the killed: and
having obtained possession of an apartment in Constantine, I remained
there several days, lamenting his fate. At last, it occurred to me that
his testamentary dispositions should be attended to, and I wrote to
General Vallee, informing him of the last wishes of my husband. His
reply was very short; it was, that he was excessively flattered,--but
press of business would not permit him to administer to the will. It
was not polite.

"`On the 26th I quitted Constantine with a convoy of wounded men. The
dysentery and the cholera made fearful ravages, and I very soon had a
_caisson_ all to myself. The rain again came on in torrents, and it was
a dreadful funeral procession. Every minute wretches, jolted to death,
were thrown down into pits by the road-side, and the cries of those who
survived were dreadful. Many died of cold and hunger; and after three
days we arrived at the camp of Mzez Ammar, with the loss of more than
one-half of our sufferers.

"`I took possession of one of the huts built of the boughs of the trees
which I formerly described, and had leisure to think over my future
plans and prospects. I was young and pretty, and hope did not desert
me. I had recovered my baggage, which I had left at the camp, and was
now able to attend to my toilet. The young officers who were in the
camp paid me great attention, and were constantly passing and repassing
to have a peep at the handsome widow, as they were pleased to call me:
and now comes the history of my misfortune.

"`The cabin built of boughs w