But there was one incident I have not forgotten, for it procured me the first gratification my _amour-propre_ received. It was the epoch of patriotic pieces; a great internal reaction had set in against our reverses of 1814 and our defeat of 1815. The national couplet and Chauvinism were all the rage: provided you made _Français_ rhyme with _succès_ at the end of a couplet, and _lauriers_ with _guerriers,_ you were sure of applause. So, of course, de Leuven and I were quite content not to strike out any fresh line, but to follow and worship in the footsteps of MM. Francis and Dumersan. Therefore our _Major de Strasbourg_ was of the family of those worthy retreating officers whose patriotism continued to fight the enemy in couplets consecrated to the supreme glory of France, and to the avenging of Leipzig and Waterloo on the battlefields of the Gymnase and the Varies. Now, our major, having become a common labourer, was discovered by a father and son, who arrived on the scene, I know not why, at the moment when, instead of digging his furrows, he was deserting his plough, in order to devote himself to the reading of a book which gradually absorbed him to such an extent that he did not see the entrance of this father and son--a most fortunate circumstance, since the brave officer's preoccupation procured the public the following couplet:-- JULIEN (apercevant le major) N'approchez pas, demeurez où vous etes: Il lit ... LE COMTE Sans doute un récit de combats, Ce livre? JULIEN (regardant par-dessus l'épaule du major, et revenant à son père) C'est _Victoires et Conquêtes._ LE COMTE Tu vois, enfant, je ne me trompais pas: Son cœur revole aux champs de l'Allemagne! Il croit encor voir les Français vainqueurs.... JULIEN Mon père, il lit la dernière campagne, Car de ses yeux je vois couler des pleurs. When my part of the work was done, I handed it over to de Leuven, who, I ought to mention, was very indulgent to me; but this time, when he came to the couplet I am about to quote, his indulgence ascended into enthusiasm: he sang the couplet out loud-- "Dis-moi, soldat, dis-moi, t'en souviens-tu?" He sang it over twice, four times, ten times, interrupting himself to say-- "Oh! oh! that couplet will be done to death if the Censorship lets it pass." For, from that time, the honourable institution called the Censorship was in full vigour, and it has gone on increasing and prospering ever since. I confess I was very proud of myself; I did not think such a masterpiece was in me. Adolphe ran off to sing the couplet to his father, who, as he chewed his toothpick, asked-- "Did you make it?" "No, father; Dumas did." "Hum! So you are writing a comic opera with Dumas?" "Yes." "Why not make room in it for your _froide Ibérie_? It would be just the place for it." Adolphe turned on his heels and went off to sing my couplet to Lafarge. Lafarge listened to it, winking his eyes.