d he serve?'

'In the Garde du Corps,' said I proudly.

The old general gave a short cough, and seemed to search for his
snuff-box to cover his confusion; the next moment, however, he had
regained his self-possession, and continued: 'And since that event--I
mean since you lost your father--what have you been doing? How have you
supported yourself?'

'In various ways, sir, said I, with a shrug of the shoulders, to imply
that the answer was too tedious to listen to. 'I have studied to be a
priest, and I have served as a "rat" in the Prison du Temple.'

'You have certainly tried the extremes of life,' said he, laughing;
'and now you wish, probably, to hit the _juste milieu_, by becoming a
soldier?'

'Even so, sir,' said I easily. 'It was a mere accident that mounted me
upon this caisson, but I am quite ready to believe that Fortune intended
me kindly when she did so.'

'These _gredins_ fancy that they are all born to be generals of France,
said the old man, laughing; 'but, after all, it is a harmless delusion,
and easily curable by a campaign or two. Come, sirrah, I'll find out a
place for you, where, if you cannot serve the Republic better, you
will, at least, do her less injury than as a driver in her artillery.
Bertholet, let him be enrolled in your detachment of the gendarme, and
give him my address--I wish to speak to him to-morrow.'

'At what hour, general?' said I promptly.

'At eight, or half-past--after breakfast,' replied he.

'It may easily be before mine,' muttered I to myself.

'What says he?' cried the general sharply.

The aide-de-camp whispered a few words in answer, at which the other
smiled, and said, 'Let him come somewhat earlier--say eight o'clock.'

'You hear that, boy?' said the aide-de-camp to me, while with a
slight gesture he intimated that I might retire. Then, as if suddenly
remembering that he had not given me the address of the general, he took
a scrap of crumpled paper from his pocket-book, and wrote a few words
hastily on it with his pencil. 'There,' cried he, throwing it towards
me, 'there is your billet for this day, at least.' I caught the scrap
of paper, and, after deciphering the words, perceived that they were
written on the back of an assignat for forty sous.

It was a large sum to one who had not wherewithal to buy a morsel of
bread; and as I looked at it over and over, I fancied there would be no
end to the pleasures such wealth could purchase. I can breakfast on
the