el alarmed at the possible results of the 18th Brumaire.

"And where's the harm, since he's a soldier?" said Merle.

A group of soldiers were clustered at a little distance before the same
proclamation posted on a wall. As none of them could read, they gazed at
it, some with a careless eye, others with curiosity, while two or three
hunted about for a citizen who looked learned enough to read it to them.

"Now you tell us, Clef-des-Coeurs, what that rag of a paper says," cried
Beau-Pied, in a saucy tone to his comrade.

"Easy to guess," replied Clef-des-Coeurs.

At these words the other men clustered round the pair, who were always
ready to play their parts.

"Look there," continued Clef-des-Coeurs, pointing to a coarse
woodcut which headed the proclamation and represented a pair of
compasses,--which had lately superseded the level of 1793. "It means
that the troops--that's us--are to march firm; don't you see the
compasses are open, both legs apart?--that's an emblem."

"Such much for your learning, my lad; it isn't an emblem--it's called
a problem. I've served in the artillery," continued Beau-Pied, "and
problems were meat and drink to my officers."

"I say it's an emblem."

"It's a problem."

"What will you bet?"

"Anything."

"Your German pipe?"

"Done!"

"By your leave, adjutant, isn't that thing an emblem, and not a
problem?" said Clef-des-Coeurs, following Gerard, who was thoughtfully
walking away.

"It is both," he replied, gravely.

"The adjutant was making fun of you," said Beau-Pied. "That paper means
that our general in Italy is promoted Consul, which is a fine grade, and
we are to get shoes and overcoats."

II. ONE OF FOUCHE'S IDEAS

One morning towards the end of Brumaire just as Hulot was exercising his
brigade, now by order of his superiors wholly concentrated at Mayenne,
a courier arrived from Alencon with despatches, at the reading of which
his face betrayed extreme annoyance.

"Forward, then!" he cried in an angry tone, sticking the papers into the
crown of his hat. "Two companies will march with me towards Mortagne.
The Chouans are there. You will accompany me," he said to Merle and
Gerard. "May be I created a nobleman if I can understand one word of
that despatch. Perhaps I'm a fool! well, anyhow, forward, march! there's
no time to lose."

"Commandant, by your leave," said Merle, kicking the cover of the
ministerial despatch with the toe of his boot, "what is there so