gallantly rather than survive
what his nice sensibility believed to be his dishonor, his failure at
any rate, they honored him. If he had been a Marshal of France they
could have done no more.

Marteau, restored to his rank and position as aide to the Emperor, had
but a few moments with the grief-stricken woman.

"No," she said sadly, "it makes no difference. You know my heart. No
words that I can utter could add anything more to the testimony I have
given you. But I had promised my uncle, and now that he is dead, the
promise is doubly sacred. I must go. Thank your Emperor for me for
all he has done for me, his enemy, and for my friends, and for what he
has done for you. Tell him the story of the Eagle, and the little part
in it that I played and--you will not forget me as I will not forget
you."

"God grant," said the young soldier, "that I may die for France on some
battlefield, my last thought of you."

"Ah, if that should befall you, I should envy you your rest. Would to
God I might look forward to such a quick and happy ending," said the
grief-stricken woman, turning away.

The next morning, with great ceremony and much rejoicing, the Eagle was
brought out, and the Emperor once more presented it to the regiment.
He did more than that. He signalized the action of the
Fifth-of-the-Line, the news of which had been sent broadcast by
couriers and which struck a keynote for the army to follow, by
incorporating it as a supplementary Fifth regiment of Grenadiers of the
Guard. He promised them a new flag and new bearskins. He promoted
Lestoype to be a lieutenant-colonel, Labedoyere to be a general, and
promised every veteran officer his old rank or higher in the new army
to be formed. The men were promised bounties and rewards, and, with
high hopes and glorious anticipations, the march for Paris was begun.

So by the wayside and in the fields around this little army in that
springtime, the violets bloomed again.

BOOK III

THE LAST TRY

CHAPTER XXVIII

AT THE STAMP OF THE EMPEROR'S FOOT

The wonderful genius of Napoleon, which had been so clearly manifested in
so many ways during his varied career, was never exhibited to better
advantage than in the three months after his return from Elba. During
that period he reorganized the government, recreated and reequipped an
army. The veterans flocked to his standards, and within the time
mentioned he had actually two hundred and fifty thousand