“'It was your Majesty's fault,' said I, becoming reckless of all consequences. 'You did n't seem to care much for all their scraping and blowing, and so I thought the old _roulade_ might raise you a bit. You used to like it once; and might still, if the times be not altered.' “'And they are not,' said he, sternly. 'Who art thou, that seem'st to know me thus well?' “'Old François, that was maître d'armes of the Fourth in Egypt, and who saved you from the stroke of a Mameluke sabre at Chebrheis.' “'What! the fellow who killed an Austrian prisoner after Marengo? Why, I thought thee dead.' “'Better for me I had been!' said I. 'You would n't read my petition. ['Yes, you may frown away, General,' said I to Duroc, who kept glowering at me like a tiger.) I began life at the tambour; I have come down to it again. You can't bring me lower, _parbleu!_ “The Emperor whispered something to the Empress, who turned round towards me and laughed; and then he made a sign for me to withdraw. Before I had got a dozen paces from the box, an aide-de-camp overtook me. “'François,' said he, 'you are to appear before the medical commission to-morrow; and if their report be favorable, you are to have your old grade of maître d'armes.' “And so it was. Not only was I restored, but they even placed me in the same regiment I served in during the campaigns of Egypt and Italy. The corps, however, was greatly changed since I knew it before; and so I asked the Emperor to appoint me to a voltigeur battalion, where discipline is not so rigid, and pleasant comrades are somewhat more plentiful. I had my wish, gentlemen. And now, with your permission, we'll drink the 'Faubourg St. Antoine,' the cradle of our arm of the service.” In repeating Maître Francois's tale, I could only wish it might have one half the success with my reader it met with from his comrades of the bivouac. This, however, I cannot look for, and must leave it and him to their fortunes, and now turn to follow the course of my own. François was not the only one who felt surprised at my being able to resist the pleasures of a voltigeurs life; and my companion the corporal looked upon my determination to join the hussar brigade as one of those extraordinary instances of duty predominating over inclination. “Not,” said he, “but there may be brave fellows and good soldiers among the dragoons; though having a horse to ride is a sore drawback on a man's courage. And when one has felt the confidence of standing face to face, and foot to foot, with the enemy, I cannot see how he can ever bring himself to fight in any other fashion.”