Part 38 (1/2)

The next morning at ten the a.s.sembly was beat. The governor and the members of the council of defence went, in full dress, to the infantry quarters.

Everybody in the city was at the windows.

Our sergeant went down, and I followed him in a few minutes. The street was thronged with people. I made my way through the crowd; everybody kept his place in it, trying to move on.

When I came in front of the barracks, the companies had just formed in a circle; the quarter-masters in the midst were reading in a loud voice the order of the day; it was the abdication of the Emperor, the disbanding of the recruits of 1813 and 1814, the recognition of Louis XVIII., the order to set up the white flag and change the c.o.c.kade!

Not a murmur was heard from the ranks; all was quiet, terrible, frightful! Those old soldiers, their teeth set, their mustaches shaking, their brows scowling fiercely, presenting arms in silence; the voices of the quartermasters stopping now and then as if choking; the staff-officers of the place, at a distance under the arch, sullen, with their eyes on the ground; the eager attention of all that crowd of men, women, and children, through the whole length of the street, leaning forward on tiptoe, with open mouths and listening ears; all this, Fritz, would have made you tremble.

I was on cooper Schweyer's steps, where I could see everything and hear every word.

So long as the order of the day was read, n.o.body stirred; but at the command:--Break ranks! a terrible cry arose from all directions; tumult, confusion, fury burst forth at once.

People did not know what they were doing. The conscripts ran in files to the postern gates, the old soldiers stood a moment, as if rooted to the spot, then their rage broke forth; one tore off his epaulettes, another dashed his musket with both hands against the pavement; some officers doubled up their sabres and swords, which snapped apart with a crash.

The governor tried to speak; he tried to form the ranks again, but n.o.body heard him; the new recruits were already in all the rooms at the barracks, making up their bundles to start on their journey; the old ones were going to the right and left, as if they were drunk or mad.

I saw some of these old soldiers stop in a corner, lean their heads against the wall, and weep bitterly.

At last all were dispersed, and protracted cries reached from the barracks to the square, incessant cries, which rose and fell like sighs.

Some low, despairing shouts of ”_Vive l'Empereur!_” but not a single shout of ”_Vive le Roi!_”

For my part, I ran home to tell about it all; I had scarcely gone up, when the sergeant came also, with his musket on his shoulder. We should have liked to congratulate each other on the ending of the blockade, but on seeing the sergeant standing at the door, we were chilled to the bones, and our attention was fixed upon him.

”Ah, well!” said he, placing the b.u.t.t-end of his musket upon the floor, ”it is all ended!”

And for a moment he said no more.

Then he stammered out: ”This is the shabbiest piece of business in the world--the recruits are disbanded--they are leaving--France remains, bound hand and foot, in the grip of the kaiserlichs! Ah! the rascals!

the rascals!”

”Yes, sergeant,” I replied with emotion, seeing that his thoughts must be diverted: ”now we are going to have peace, sergeant! You have a sister left in the Jura, you will go to her----”

”Oh!” he exclaimed, lifting his hand, ”my poor sister!”

This came like a sob; but he quickly recovered himself, and went and placed his musket in the corner by the door.

He sat down at the table with us for a moment, and took up little Safel, drawing him to him and caressing his cheeks. Then he wanted to hold Esdras also. We looked on in silence.

”I am going to leave you, Father Moses,” said he, ”I am going to pack my bag. Thunder and lightning! I am sorry to leave you!”

”And we are sorry, too, sergeant,” said Sorle,. mournfully; ”but if you will live with us----”

”It is impossible!”

”Then you remain in the service?”

”Service of whom--of what?” said he; ”of Louis XVIII.? No! no! I know no one but my general--but that makes it hard to go--when a man has done his duty----”