his personal amiability,
the mild gentleness of his manner, were themes the young soldier loved
to dwell on; and however pressed by me to talk of war and its chances,
he inevitably came back to the one loved theme--his general.

When the men were safely housed for the night, I invited my new friend
to my own quarters, where, having provided the best entertainment I
could afford, we passed more than half the night in chatting. There was
nothing above mediocrity in the look or manner of the youth; his
descriptions of what he had seen were unmarked by any thing glowing or
picturesque; his observations did not evince either a quick or a
reflective mind, and yet, over this mass of commonplace, enthusiasm for
his leader had shed a rich glow, like a gorgeous sunlight on a
landscape, that made all beneath it seem brilliant and splendid.

"And now," said he, after an account of the last action he had seen,
"and now, enough of myself; let's talk of thee. Where hast thou been?"

"Here!" said I, with a sigh, and in a voice that shame had almost made
inaudible; "Here, here, at Nancy."

"Not always here?"

"Just so. Always here."

"And what doing, mon cher. Thou art not one of the Municipal Guard,
surely?"

"No," said I, smiling sadly; "I belong to the 'Ecole d'Equitation.'"

"Ah, that's it," said he, in somewhat of confusion; "I always thought
they selected old sergeants en retraite, worn out veterans, and wounded
fellows, for riding-school duty."

"Most of ours are such," said I, my shame increasing at every word--"but
somehow they chose me also, and I had no will in the matter--"

"No will in the matter, parbleu! and why not? Every man in France has a
right to meet the enemy in the field. Thou art a soldier, a hussar of
the 9th, a brave and gallant corps, and art to be told, that thy
comrades have the road to fame and honor open to them; while thou art to
mope away life like an invalided drummer? It is too gross an indignity,
my boy, and must not be borne. Away with you to-morrow at day-break to
the 'Etat Major,' ask to see the commandant. You're in luck, too, for
our colonel is with him now, and he is sure to back your request. Say
that you served in the school to oblige your superiors; but that you can
not see all chances of distinction lost to you forever, by remaining
there. They've given you no grade yet, I see," continued he, looking at
my arm.

"None: I am still a private."

"And _I_ a sous-lieutenant, just