said Genestas, holding out his glass. "I mean to
drink them both to your health--to a man who does honor to the species."

"And who is dear to all of us," said the cure in gentle tones.

"Do you mean to force me into the sin of pride, M. Janvier?"

"M. le Cure has only said in a low voice what all the canton says
aloud," said Cambon.

"Gentlemen, I propose that we take a walk to the parsonage by moonlight,
and see M. Janvier home."

"Let us start," said the guests, and they prepared to accompany the
cure.

"Shall we go to the barn?" said the doctor, laying a hand on Genestas'
arm. They had taken leave of the cure and the other guests. "You
will hear them talking about Napoleon, Captain Bluteau. Goguelat, the
postman, is there, and there are several of his cronies who are sure
to draw him out on the subject of the idol of the people. Nicolle, my
stableman, has set a ladder so that we can climb up on to the hay; there
is a place from which we can look down on the whole scene. Come along,
an up-sitting is something worth seeing, believe me. It will not be the
first time that I have hidden in the hay to overhear a soldier's tales
or the stories that peasants tell among themselves. We must be careful
to keep out of sight though, as these folk turn shy and put on company
manners as soon as they see a stranger."

"Eh! my dear sir," said Genestas, "have I not often pretended to be
asleep so as to hear my troopers talking out on bivouac? My word, I
once heard a droll yarn reeled off by an old quartermaster for some
conscripts who were afraid of war; I never laughed so heartily in any
theatre in Paris. He was telling them about the Retreat from Moscow. He
told them that the army had nothing but the clothes they stood up in;
that their wine was iced; that the dead stood stock-still in the road
just where they were; that they had seen White Russia, and that they
currycombed the horses there with their teeth; that those who were fond
of skating had fine times of it, and people who had a fancy for savory
ices had as much as they could put away; that the women were generally
poor company; but that the only thing they could really complain of was
the want of hot water for shaving. In fact, he told them such a pack of
absurdities, that even an old quartermaster who had lost his nose with
a frost-bite, so that they had dubbed him _Nezrestant_, was fain to
laugh."

"Hush!" said Benassis, "here we are. I will go first; follow afte