lso chasseurs, but I cannot tell
from here what regiment they are. Their colonel handles them admirably.
They are moving to a flank in open column of half-squadrons and then
wheeling into line to charge. We could not do it better ourselves. And
now, Monsieur de Laval, here we are at the gates of the Camp of
Boulogne, and it is my duty to take you straight to the Emperor's
quarters.'

CHAPTER X

THE ANTE-ROOM

The camp of Boulogne contained at that time one hundred and fifty
thousand infantry, with fifty thousand cavalry, so that its population
was second only to Paris among the cities of France. It was divided
into four sections, the right camp, the left camp, the camp of Wimereux,
and the camp of Ambleteuse, the whole being about a mile in depth, and
extending along the seashore for a length of about seven miles. On the
land side it was open, but on the sea side it was fringed by powerful
batteries containing mortars and cannon of a size never seen before.
These batteries were placed along the edges of the high cliffs, and
their lofty position increased their range, and enabled them to drop
their missiles upon the decks of the English ships.

It was a pretty sight to ride through the camp, for the men had been
there for more than a year, and had done all that was possible to
decorate and ornament their tents. Most of them had little gardens in
front or around them, and the sun-burned fellows might be seen as we
passed kneeling in their shirt-sleeves with their spuds and their
watering-cans in the midst of their flower-beds. Others sat in the
sunshine at the openings of the tents tying up their queues,
pipe-claying their belts, and polishing their arms, hardly bestowing a
glance upon us as we passed, for patrols of cavalry were coming and
going in every direction. The endless lines were formed into streets,
with their names printed up upon boards. Thus we had passed through the
Rue d'Arcola, the Rue de Kleber, the Rue d'Egypte, and the Rue
d'Artillerie Volante, before we found ourselves in the great central
square in which the headquarters of the army were situated.

The Emperor at this time used to sleep at a village called Pont de
Briques, some four miles inland, but his days were spent at the camp,
and his continual councils of war were held there. Here also were his
ministers, and the generals of the army corps which were scattered up
and down the coast came thither to make their reports and to