‘As for the petition,’ said Tronchon, seating himself opposite to me at the table, ‘it is soon done; for mark me, lad, these things must always be short; if thou be long-winded, they put thee away, and tell some of the clerks to look after thee--and there’s an end of it. Be brief, therefore, and next--be legible--write in a good, large, round hand; just as, if thou wert speaking, thou wouldst talk with a fine, clear, distinct voice. Well, then, begin thus:--“Republic of France, one and indivisible!” Make a flourish round that, lad, as if it came freely from the pen. When a man writes--“France!” he should do it as he whirls his sabre round his head in a charge! Ay, just so.’ ‘I ‘m ready, Tronchon, go on.’ ’”_Mon Général!_” Nay, nay--_Général_ mustn’t be as large as _France_--yes, that’s better. “The undersigned, whose certificates of service and conduct are herewith inclosed.” Stay, stop a moment, Tronchon; don’t forget that I have got neither one nor t’other. No matter; I’ll make thee out both. Where was I?--Ay, “herewith inclosed; and whose wounds, as the accompanying report will show----“’ ‘Wounds! I never received one.’ ‘No matter, I’ll--eh--what? _Feu d’enfer!_ how stupid I am! What have I been thinking of? Why, boy, it was a sick-furlough I was about to ask for--the only kind of petition I have ever had to write in a life long.’ ‘And _I_ am asking for active service.’ ‘Ha! That came without asking for in my case.’ ‘Then what’s to be done, Tronchon?--clearly this won’t do!’ He nodded sententiously an assent, and, after a moment’s rumination, said-- ‘It strikes me, lad, there can be no need of begging for that which usually comes unlooked for; but if thou don’t choose to wait for thy billet for t’other world, but must go and seek it, the best way will be to up and tell the general as much.’ ‘That was exactly my intention.’ ‘If he asks thee, “Canst ride?” just say, “Old Tronchon taught me”; he ‘ll be one of the young hands, indeed, if he don’t know that name! And, mind, lad, have no whims or caprices about whatever service he names thee for, even were ‘t the infantry itself! It’s a hard word, that--I know it well; but a man must make up his mind for anything and everything. Wear any coat, go anywhere, face any enemy thou ‘rt ordered, and have none of those newfangled notions about this general, or that army. Be a good soldier and a good comrade. Share thy kit and thy purse to the last sou, for it will not only be generous in thee, but that so long as thou hoardest not, thou’lt never be over-eager for pillage. Mind these things, and with a stout heart and a sharp sabre, Maurice, _tu iras loin_. Yes, I tell thee again, lad, _tu iras loin_.’