ar-guard," Loubet observed with good-natured
raillery.

But Chouteau scolded: "They don't value us at a brass farthing, and
that's why they let us wait this way. We were here first; why didn't we
take the road while it was empty?"

And as they began to discern more clearly beyond the canal, across
the wide fertile plain, along the level roads lined with hop-poles and
fields of ripening grain, the movement of the troops retiring along the
same way by which they had advanced but yesterday, gibes and jeers rose
on the air in a storm of angry ridicule.

"Ah, we are taking the back track," Chouteau continued. "I wonder if
that is the advance against the enemy that they have been dinning in our
ears of late! Strikes me as rather queer! No sooner do we get into camp
than we turn tail and make off, never even stopping to taste our soup."

The derisive laughter became louder, and Maurice, who was next to
Chouteau in the ranks, took sides with him. Why could they not have
been allowed to cook their soup and eat it in peace, since they had done
nothing for the last two hours but stand there in the road like so many
sticks? Their hunger was making itself felt again; they had a resentful
recollection of the savory contents of the kettle dumped out prematurely
upon the ground, and they could see no necessity for this headlong
retrograde movement, which appeared to them idiotic and cowardly. What
chicken-livers they must be, those generals!

But Lieutenant Rochas came along and blew up Sergeant Sapin for not
keeping his men in better order, and Captain Beaudoin, very prim and
starchy, attracted by the disturbance, appeared upon the scene.

"Silence in the ranks!"

Jean, an old soldier of the army of Italy who knew what discipline was,
looked in silent amazement at Maurice, who appeared to be amused by
Chouteau's angry sneers; and he wondered how it was that a _monsieur_, a
young man of his acquirements, could listen approvingly to things--they
might be true, all the same--but that should not be blurted out in
public. The army would never accomplish much, that was certain, if
the privates were to take to criticizing the generals and giving their
opinions.

At last, after another hour's waiting, the order was given for the 106th
to advance, but the bridge was still so encumbered by the rear of the
division that the greatest confusion prevailed. Several regiments became
inextricably mingled, and whole companies were swept away a