The young soldier was furious. He jumped down from the wall and rushed in my direction, pushing the girls out of his way. The Sisters, beside themselves, ran to the house calling for help. The chaplain, the Mother Superior, Père Larcher and everyone else came running out. I believe the soldier swore like a trooper, and it was really quite excusable. Mother Ste. Sophie, from below, besought me to come down and to give up the cap. The soldier tried to get up to me by means of the trapeze, but on seeing this I quickly drew up the knotted rope. His useless efforts delighted all the pupils, whom the Sisters had in vain tried to send away. Finally the Sister who was doorkeeper sounded the alarm bell, and five minutes later the soldiers from the Sartory Barracks arrived, thinking that a fire had broken out. When the officer in command was told what was the matter, he sent back his men and asked to see the Mother Superior. He was brought to Mother Ste. Sophie, whom he found at the foot of the gymnasium, crying with shame and impotence. He ordered the soldier to return immediately to the barracks. He obeyed after clenching his fist at me, but on looking up he could not help laughing. His cap came down to my eyes and was only kept back by my ears, which were bent, to prevent it from covering my face. I was furious and wildly excited with the turn my joke had taken. “There it is—your cap!” I called out, and flung it violently over the wall which skirted the gymnasium and formed the boundary to the cemetery. “Oh, the young plague!” muttered the officer, and then, apologizing to the nuns, he saluted them and went away accompanied by Père Larcher. As for me I felt like a fox after having its tail cut. I refused to come down immediately. “I shall come down when everyone has gone away,” I announced. All the girls received punishments and I was left alone. The sun set and the silence then terrified me, looking as I did out on the cemetery. The dark trees took mournful or threatening shapes. The moisture from the wood fell like a mantle over my shoulders and seemed to get heavier every moment. I felt abandoned by everyone and I began to cry. I was angry with myself, with the soldier, with Mother Ste. Sophie, with the pupils who had excited me by their laughter, with the officer who had humiliated me, and with the Sister who had sounded the alarm bell. Then I began to think about getting down the rope ladder, which I had pulled up on the plank. Very clumsily, trembling with fear at the least sound, listening eagerly all the time, and with eyes looking to the right and left, I was a long time unhooking it, being very much afraid. Finally, I managed to unroll it, and I was just about to put my foot on the first rung when the barking of César alarmed me. He was tearing along from the wood. The sight of the dark figure on the gymnasium appeared to the faithful dog to bode no good. He was furious and began to scratch the thick wooden uprights.