beginning of March, when a rumor began to circulate
that the Emperor had just landed at Cannes. This rumor was like the
wind, nobody ever could tell where it came from. Pfalzbourg is two
hundred leagues from the sea, and many a mountain and valley lies
between them. An extraordinary circumstance, I remember, happened on
the 6th of March. When I rose in the morning, I pushed open the window
of our little chamber which was just under the eaves, and looked across
the street at the old black chimneys of Spitz the baker, and saw that a
little snow still remained behind them. The cold was sharp, though the
sun was shining, and I thought, "What fine weather for a march!" Then
I remembered how happy we used to be in Germany, as we put out our
campfires and set off on such fine mornings as this, with our guns on
our shoulders, listening to the footfalls of the battalion echoing from
the hard frozen ground. I do not know how it was, but suddenly the
Emperor came into my mind, and I saw him with his gray coat and round
shoulders, with his hat drawn over his eyes, marching along with the
Old Guard behind him.

Catherine was sweeping our little room, and I was almost dreaming as I
leaned out into the dry, clear air, when we heard some one coming up
the stairs. Catherine stopped her sweeping and said:

"It is Mr. Goulden."

I also recognized his step, and was surprised, as he seldom came into
our chamber. He opened the door and said in a low voice:

"My children, the Emperor landed on the 1st of March at Cannes, near
Toulon, and is marching upon Paris."

He said no more, but sat down to take breath. We looked at each other
in astonishment, but a moment after Catherine asked:

"Is it in the gazette, Mr. Goulden?"

"No," he replied, "either they know nothing of it over there, or else
they conceal it from us. But, in Heaven's name, not a word of all
this, or we shall be arrested. This morning, about five o'clock,
Zebede, who mounted guard at the French gate, came to let me know of
it; he knocked downstairs, did you hear him?"

"No! we were asleep, Mr. Goulden."

"Well! I opened the window to see what was the matter, and then I went
down and unlocked the door. Zebede told it to me as a fact, and says
the soldiers are to be confined to the barracks till further orders.
It seems they are afraid of the soldiers, but how can they stop
Bonaparte without them? They cannot send the peasants, whom they have
stripped of