ttle reason he believed
me to be favored by fortune.

I received, however, all his congratulations without any desire to
undeceive him. Already had I learned the worldly lesson, that while
friends cling closer in adversity, your mere acquaintance deems your
popularity your greatest merit; and I at length perceived that, however
ungenial in many respects the companionship, the life of isolation I
led had rendered me suspected by others, and in a career, too, where
frankness was considered the first of virtues.

I assented at once with pleasure to the prospect of our meeting
frequently while in camp. My own regiment had joined Davoust's corps,
and I was glad to have the society of some others of my own age, if only
to wean myself from my habits of solitude. While I formed these plans
for the future, I little anticipated what events were in store for
me, nor how soon I should be thrown among scenes and people totally
different from those with which I had ever mixed before.

"You mess with us, then, Burke,--that's agreed," said Tascher. "They 're
excellent fellows, these cuirassiers of ours, and I know you 'll like
them."

With this promise we parted, hoping to meet on the morrow.

CHAPTER VI. THE MILL ON THE HOLITSCH ROAD

At an early hour on the morning of the 4th came orders for the "Garde
a Cheval" to hold themselves in readiness, with two squadrons of the
carabineers, on the road to Holitsch; part of this force being under the
command of General d'Auvergne. We found ourselves fully equipped and in
waiting soon after eight o'clock. From the "tenue" and appearance of
the troops, it was evident that no measure of active service was
contemplated; yet, if a review were intended, we could not guess why
so small a force had been selected. As usual on such occasions,
many conjectures were hazarded, and a hundred explanations passed
current,--one scarcely a whit better than the other, when at last we
perceived a peloton of dragoons advancing towards us at a brisk trot.

The word was passed to close up and draw swords; and scarcely was it
obeyed when the staff of the Emperor came up. They were all in the full
blaze of their gala uniforms, brilliant with crosses and decorations.
Napoleon alone wore the simple costume of the "Chasseurs of the Garde,"
with the decoration of the Legion; but his proud look and his flashing
eye made him conspicuous above them all. He was mounted on his favorite
charger "Marengo," and seeme