The old general gave a short cough, and seemed to search for his snuff-box to cover his confusion; the next moment, however, he had regained his self-possession, and continued: ‘And since that event--I mean since you lost your father--what have you been doing? How have you supported yourself?’ ‘In various ways, sir, said I, with a shrug of the shoulders, to imply that the answer was too tedious to listen to. ‘I have studied to be a priest, and I have served as a “rat” in the Prison du Temple.’ ‘You have certainly tried the extremes of life,’ said he, laughing; ‘and now you wish, probably, to hit the _juste milieu_, by becoming a soldier?’ ‘Even so, sir,’ said I easily. ‘It was a mere accident that mounted me upon this caisson, but I am quite ready to believe that Fortune intended me kindly when she did so.’ ‘These _gredins_ fancy that they are all born to be generals of France, said the old man, laughing; ‘but, after all, it is a harmless delusion, and easily curable by a campaign or two. Come, sirrah, I’ll find out a place for you, where, if you cannot serve the Republic better, you will, at least, do her less injury than as a driver in her artillery. Bertholet, let him be enrolled in your detachment of the gendarme, and give him my address--I wish to speak to him to-morrow.’ ‘At what hour, general?’ said I promptly. ‘At eight, or half-past--after breakfast,’ replied he. ‘It may easily be before mine,’ muttered I to myself. ‘What says he?’ cried the general sharply. The aide-de-camp whispered a few words in answer, at which the other smiled, and said, ‘Let him come somewhat earlier--say eight o’clock.’ ‘You hear that, boy?’ said the aide-de-camp to me, while with a slight gesture he intimated that I might retire. Then, as if suddenly remembering that he had not given me the address of the general, he took a scrap of crumpled paper from his pocket-book, and wrote a few words hastily on it with his pencil. ‘There,’ cried he, throwing it towards me, ‘there is your billet for this day, at least.’ I caught the scrap of paper, and, after deciphering the words, perceived that they were written on the back of an assignat for forty sous.