l the small annoyances of the soldier's life; his
arrival at the barracks, his examination by the adjutant, the fitting of
his uniform by the gruff sergeant, the malodorous bedroom with its
fetid air and filthy floor, the horseplay and coarse language of his new
comrades, the merciless drill that stiffened his limbs and benumbed
his brain. In a week's time, however, he had conquered his first
squeamishness, and from that time forth was comparatively contented with
his lot; and when the regiment was at last ordered forward to Belfort
the fever of enthusiasm had again taken possession of him.

For the first few days after they took the field Maurice was convinced
that their success was absolutely certain. The Emperor's plan appeared
to him perfectly clear: he would advance four hundred thousand men to
the left bank of the Rhine, pass the river before the Prussians had
completed their preparations, separate northern and southern Germany
by a vigorous inroad, and by means of a brilliant victory or two compel
Austria and Italy to join hands immediately with France. Had there
not been a short-lived rumor that that 7th corps of which his regiment
formed a part was to be embarked at Brest and landed in Denmark, where
it would create a diversion that would serve to neutralize one of the
Prussian armies? They would be taken by surprise; the arrogant nation
would be overrun in every direction and crushed utterly within a few
brief weeks. It would be a military picnic, a holiday excursion from
Strasbourg to Berlin. While they were lying inactive at Belfort,
however, his former doubts and fears returned to him. To the 7th corps
had been assigned the duty of guarding the entrance to the Black Forest;
it had reached its position in a state of confusion that exceeded
imagination, deficient in men, material, everything. The 3d division
was in Italy; the 2d cavalry brigade had been halted at Lyons to check
a threatened rising among the people there, and three batteries had
straggled off in some direction--where, no one could say. Then their
destitution in the way of stores and supplies was something wonderful;
the depots at Belfort, which were to have furnished everything, were
empty; not a sign of a tent, no mess-kettles, no flannel belts, no
hospital supplies, no farriers' forges, not even a horse-shackle. The
quartermaster's and medical departments were without trained assistants.
At the very last moment it was discovered that thirty t