They arose from the table at two o'clock, and betook themselves in a body to the _Cafe Militaire_, where the officers of the 23d placed a punch before the two colonels. They had invited, with a feeling of eminent propriety, the superior officers of the regiment of cuirassiers. Fougas, who was drunker, in his own proper person, than a whole battalion of _Suisses_, distributed a great many hand-shakings. But across the storm which disturbed his spirit, he recognized the person and name of M. du Marnet, and made a grimace. Between officers, and, above all, between officers of different arms of the service, politeness is a little excessive, etiquette rather severe, _amour-propre_ somewhat susceptible. M. du Marnet, who was preeminently a man of the world, understood at once, from the attitude of M. Fougas, that he was not in the presence of a friend. The punch appeared, blazing, went out with its strength unimpaired, and was dispensed, with a big ladle, into threescore glasses. Fougas drank with everybody, except M. du Marnet. The conversation, which was erratic and noisy, imprudently raised a question of comparative merits. An officer of cuirassiers asked Fougas if he had seen Bordesoulle's splendid charge, which flung the Austrians into the valley of Plauen. Fougas had known General Bordesoulle personally, and had seen with his own eyes the beautiful heavy cavalry manoeuvre which decided the victory of Dresden. But he chose to be disagreeable to M. du Marnet, by affecting an air of ignorance or indifference. "In our time," said he, "the cavalry was always brought into action after the battle; we employed it to bring in the enemy after we had routed them." Here a great outcry arose, and the glorious name of Murat was thrown into the balance. "Oh, doubtless--doubtless!" said he, shaking his head. "Murat was a good general in his limited sphere; he answered perfectly for all that was wanted of him. But if the cavalry had Murat, the infantry had Napoleon." M. du Marnet observed, judiciously, that Napoleon, if he must be seized upon for the credit of any single arm of the service, would belong to the artillery. "With all my heart, monsieur," replied Fougas; "the artillery and the infantry. Artillery at a distance, infantry at close quarters--cavalry off at one side." "Once more I beg your pardon," answered M. du Marnet; "you mean to say, at the sides, which is a very different matter." "At the sides, or at one side, I don't care! As for me, if I were commander-in-chief, I would set the cavalry aside." Several cavalry officers had already flung themselves into the discussion. M. du Marnet held them back, and made a sign that he wanted to answer Fougas alone. "And why, then, if you please, would you set the cavalry aside?" "Because the dragoon is an incomplete soldier." "Incomplete?"