'Valence.'

'Whereto?'

'The army of the Rhine.'

'Pass on!'

And with the words the ringing sound of the iron-shod horses was heard
beneath the vaulted entrance. As they issued from beneath the long deep
arch, the men were formed in line along two sides of a wide 'Place'
inside the walls, where, with that despatch that habit teaches, the
billets were speedily distributed, and the parties 'told off' in squads
for different parts of the city. The force seemed a considerable one,
and with all the celerity they could employ, the billeting occupied a
long time. As I watched the groups moving off, I heard the direction
given to one party, 'Cavalry School--Rue de Lorraine.' The young officer
who commanded the group took a direction exactly the reverse of the
right one; and hastening down from the rampart, I at once overtook them,
and explained the mistake. I offered them my guidance to the place,
which being willingly accepted, I walked along at their side.

Chatting as we went, I heard that the dragoons were hastily withdrawn
from La Vendee to form part of the force under General Hoche. The young
sous-lieutenant, a mere boy of my own age, had already served in two
campaigns in Holland and the south of France; had been wounded in the
Loire, and received his grade of officer at the hands of Hoche himself
on the field of battle.

He could speak of no other name--Hoche was the hero of all his thoughts;
his gallantry, his daring, his military knowledge, his coolness in
danger, his impetuosity in attack, his personal amiability, the mild
gentleness of his manner, were themes the young soldier loved to
dwell on; and however pressed by me to talk of war and its chances, he
inevitably came back to the one loved theme--his general.

When the men were safely housed for the night, I invited my new friend
to my own quarters, where, having provided the best entertainment I
could afford, we passed more than half the night in chatting. There
was nothing above mediocrity in the look or manner of the youth; his
descriptions of what he had seen were unmarked by anything glowing
or picturesque; his observations did not evince either a quick or a
reflective mind, and yet, over this mass of commonplace, enthusiasm
for his leader had shed a rich glow, like a gorgeous sunlight on a
landscape, that made all beneath it seem brilliant and splendid.

'And now,' said he, after an account of the last action he had seen,
'and now, enough of mys