I walked up to him and respectfully told him that my orders were to allow nobody to come near the wall of the forage-store. "It's all right," he said, "it's me." I expostulated with him, but I could not get him to budge, and I hardly knew what to do, when he pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and asked me for a match. I was well aware that if I allowed him to smoke near the forage-store I became liable to be court-martialled, but, on the other hand, if I laid hands on an officer I should also be court-martialled, so while he was fumbling in his pocket for a match I said to him, "Look here, sir, this is the forage-store, and you know that I can't let you smoke here." "The forage-store," he replied, "the forage-store--shpose can't smoke--here, you smoke it for me, my boy," he added, handing the cigarette over to me. I stuck it in my pocket and again asked him to move on. "Yes, move on," he said; "it's all very fine to say move on, but I sh'ld like to know first where my house is. Now where is my house?" I knew that he lived opposite the stores, and pointed out his house to him. "Oh," he said, "that's my house? Funny my house getting so big all of a sudden. Why, it's all over windows--why's that, now tell me why d' I see so many windows?" "It's rather foggy, sir," I replied, "that is what makes you think so. It is your house all right, and there are only four windows to it." "Contr'dict me," he said, "and you contr'dict your superior officer. You will have four days' _Salle de Police_, you understan'-four days' _Salle de Police_ for contr'dicting your superior officer. Now--just hold on to me." I noticed that he was ready to collapse, and putting my carbine against the wall I held him up. After a few minutes his attack was over, and it evidently did him good, for he seemed much steadier on his legs, and proceeded to walk with some accuracy in the direction of his house. He had just reached the middle of the road when he stopped and called out to me, "Dragoon!" he said, "you are a nice old Dragoon, and there's for you." Thereupon he handed over to me a 50-centime piece, and then reached the door of his house with my help. I suggested his handing me over his key, and having opened the door for him I stuck the key in his pocket and closed the door upon him. Soon after the Corporal came to relieve me, and I returned to the barracks.