thought, and I felt for my letter.

Zebede did not talk to me now, but from time to time he turned his head
and looked back at me. It was not exactly as it was in the old
campaign, he was sergeant, and I only a common soldier; we loved each
other always, but that made a difference of course. Jean Buche marched
along beside me, with his round shoulders and his feet turned in like a
wolf. The only thing he said from time to time was, that his shoes
hurt him on the march, and that they should only be worn on parade.
During two months the drill-sergeant had not been able to make him turn
out his toes, or to raise his shoulders, but for all that he could
march terribly well in his own fashion, and without being fatigued. At
last about five in the afternoon, we reached the outposts. They soon
recognized us, and the captain of the guard himself exclaimed, "Pass!"
The drums rolled, and we entered the oldest town I had ever seen.

Metz is at the confluence of the Seille and the Moselle. The houses
are four or five stories high; their old walls are full of beams as at
Saverne and Bouxviller, the windows round and square, great and small,
on the same line, with shutters and without, some with glass and some
without any. It is as old as the mountains and rivers. The roofs
project about six feet, spreading their shadows over the black water,
in which old shoes, rags, and dead dogs are floating. If you look
upward you will be sure to see the face of some old Jew at the windows
in the roof, with his gray beard and crooked nose, or a child who is
risking his neck. Properly speaking, it is a city of Jews and
soldiers. Poor people are not wanting either. It is much worse in
this respect than at Mayence, or at Strasbourg, or even at Frankfort.
If they have not changed since then, they love their ease now. In
spite of my sadness I could not help looking at these lanes and alleys.
The town swarmed with national guards; they were arriving from Longwy,
from Sarrelouis and other places; the soldiers left and were replaced
by these guards.

We came upon a square encumbered with beds and mattresses, bedding,
etc., which the citizens had furnished for the troops. We stacked arms
in front of the barracks, every window of which was open from top to
bottom. We waited, thinking we should be lodged there, but at the end
of twenty minutes the distribution commenced, and each man received
twenty-five sous and a ticket for lodging. We