, carried away by the chant,
tumultuously joined in the procession, and so came on in a fever of
vague patriotism. A false note in the proceedings, a mismove on the part
of Valmond, would easily have made the thing ridiculous; but even to
Madame Chalice, with her keen artistic sense, it had a pathetic sort
of dignity, by virtue of its rude earnestness, its raw sincerity. She
involuntarily thought of the great Napoleon and his toy kingdom of Elba,
of Garibaldi and his handful of patriots. There were depths here, and
she knew it.

"Even the pantaloon may have a soul," she said; "or a king may have a
heart."

In front of the Louis Quinze, Valmond waved his hand for a halt, and the
ancient drummer wheeled and faced him, fronting the crowd. Valmond was
pale, and his eyes burned like restless ghosts. Surely the Cupid bow of
the thin Napoleonic lips was there, the distant yet piercing look. He
waved his hand again, and the crowd were silent.

"My children," said he, "we have begun well. Once more among you the
antique spirit lives. From you may come the quickening of our beloved
country; for she is yours, though here under the flag of our ancient and
amiable enemy you wait the hour of your return to her. In you there is
nothing mean or dull; you are true Frenchmen. My love is with you. And
you and I, true to each other, may come into our own again--over there!"

He pointed to the East.

"Through you and me may France be born again; and in the villages
and fields and houses of Normandy and Brittany you may, as did your
ancestors, live in peace, and bring your bones to rest in that blessed
and honourable ground. My children, my heart is full. Let us move on
together. Napoleon from St. Helena calls to you, Napoleon in Pontiac
calls to you! Will you come?"

Reckless cheering followed; many were carried away into foolish tears,
and Valmond sat still and let them kiss his hand, while pitchers of wine
went round.

"Where is our fakir now, dear monsieur?" said Madame Chalice to De la
Riviere once again.

Valmond got silence with a gesture. He opened his waistcoat, took from
his bosom an order fastened to a little bar of gold, and held it in his
hand.

"Drummer," he said, in a clear, full tone, "call the army to attention."

The old man set their blood tingling with the impish sticks.

"I advance Sergeant Lagroin, of the Old Guard of glorious memory, to the
rank of Captain in my Household Troops, and I command you to obey