And give them to the clouds, That pass with bosoms white. There will be within them, In letters deep and clear, That I will always be Your lover true and dear. But the circumstances are not always so cheerful nor the songs so gay. There is a tragedy, when, moved by an irresistible longing, the unfortunate conscript has deserted the ranks, been captured by his comrades, and condemned to suffer the penalty of his weakness in a shameful death. The old songs have many subjects of that kind, whose memory lingers, although the penalty for desertion is now less severe. One of them is Le Deserteur, whose deeply plaintive air, and the melopoeism of its verse, as well as its simple tragedy, have kept it alive. THE DESERTER. "For eight long years within the troop I served, Without a furlough to relieve my pain. The longing took me to desert the ranks, To my fair land to turn my steps again. " I had a luckless meeting on my way, Three grenadiers before me made a halt. With handcuffs hard and cold they bound my hands, And led me to Bordeaux to a prison vault. "Ah, is it then for love of a brown maid, That in a cell I lie in dismal mood; My only couch the hard planks of the floor, Water and black bread my only drink and food." But when the maiden heard these words of grief, Both night and day she walked her love to see. " Courage, my dear love," through the grate she said, "I will find out a way to rescue thee. "I will run out, and seek your captain kind, Your captain kind, and your brave colonel too. I will beseech them, and implore a pardon, I will give them gold to free my lover true!" "I am deeply grieved, my little shepherdess, That for this grenadier you should moan and cry. Before the court of war he must soon appear, And at the drum will be condemned to die!" When the maiden heard the cruel words he said, Her cheeks grew white that were so rosy red. The captain threw his arm around her waist, And kindly bade her lift her drooping head. "Fair shepherdess, take me for your lover, I will love you well, and free your heart from pain." Tears within her eyes, and kerchief to her face, "No, no," she said, "I cannot love again."