While I walked to and fro in this distracted mood I perceived, by the bustle within doors, that the general was about to depart; at the same time several dismounted dragoons appeared, leading saddle-horses, tightening girths, and adjusting curb-chains, all tokens of a start. While I looked on these preparations, I heard the clatter of a horse's hoofs close behind, and the spluttering noise of a struggle. I turned and saw it was the general himself, who had just mounted his charger, but before catching his right stirrup the horse had plunged, and was dragging the "orderly" across the court by the bridle. Seeing, in an instant, that the soldier's effort to hold on was only depriving General Massena of all command of the horse, who must probably have fallen on his flank, I jumped forward, caught the stirrup, and slipped it over the general's foot, and then, with a sharp blow on the soldier's wrist, compelled him to relax his grasp. So suddenly were the two movements effected, that in less time than I take to relate it, all was over, and the general, who, for a heavy man, was a good rider, was fast seated in his saddle. I had now no time, however, to bestow on him, for the dragoon, stung by the insult of a blow, and from a peasant, as he deemed it, rushed at me with his sabre. "_Halte la!_" cried Massena in a voice of thunder; "it was that country fellow saved me from a broken bone, which your infernal awkwardness might have given me. Throw him a couple of florins for me," cried he to his aid-de-camp, who just rode in; "and do you, sir, join your ranks, I must look for another orderly." "I am right glad to have been in the way, general," said I, springing forward, and touching my hat. "What, Tiernay--this you?" cried he. "How is this? have I forgotten you all this time? What's to be done now? You ought to have gone on with the rest, monsieur. You should have volunteered with some corps, eh?" "I hoped to have been attached to yourself, general. I thought I could, perhaps, have made myself useful." "Yes, yes, very true; so you might, I've no doubt; but my staff is full, I've no vacancy. What's to be done now? Lestocque, have we any spare cattle?" "Yes, general; we've your own eight horses, and two of Cambronne's." "Ah, poor fellow, he'll not want them more. I suppose Tiernay may as well take one of them, at least." "There's an undress uniform, too, of Cambronne's would fit Monsieur de Tiernay," said the officer, who, I saw, had no fancy for my motley costume alongside of him. "Oh, Tiernay doesn't care for that; he's too old a soldier to bestow a thought upon the color of his jacket," said Massena. "Pardon me, general, but it is exactly one of my weaknesses; and I feel that until I get rid of these trappings I shall never feel myself a soldier."