The youngest officers formed a circle around the curate’s niece, who sang to them the songs of the country.  The good curate, in the midst of continual comings and goings, and the efforts he made to play worthily his role of master of the mansion, found himself attacked on his own territory, that is to say, on his breviary, by Marshal Lefebvre, who had studied in his youth to be a priest, and said that he had preserved nothing from his first vocation except the shaven head, because it was so easy to comb.  The worthy marshal intermingled his Latin quotations with those military expressions he so freely used, causing those present to indulge in bursts of laughter, in which even the curate himself joined, and said, “Monseigneur, if you had continued your studies for the priesthood you would have become a cardinal at least.”—­“Very likely,” observed one of the officers; “and if the Abbe Maury had been a sergeant-major in ’89, he might to-day be marshal of France.”—­“Or dead,” added the Duke of Dantzic, using a much more energetic expression; “and so much the better for him, since in that case he would not see the Cossacks twenty leagues from Paris.”—­“Oh, bah!  Monseigneur, we will drive them away,” said the same officer.  “Yes,” the marshal muttered between his clinched teeth; “we shall see what we shall see.”

At this moment the mule arrived bearing the sutler’s supplies, which had been long and impatiently expected.  There was no table; but one was made of a door placed on casks, and seats were improvised with planks.  The chief officers seated themselves, and the others ate standing.  The curate took his place at this military table on which he had himself placed his best bottles of wine, and with his native bonhomie continued to entertain the guests.  At length the conversation turned on Herbisse and its surroundings, and the host was overcome with astonishment on finding that his guests knew the country so thoroughly.

“Ah, I have it!” exclaimed he, considering them attentively one after the other; “you are Champenois!” And in order to complete his surprise these gentlemen drew from their pockets plans on which they made him read the names of the very smallest localities.  Then his astonishment only changed its object, for he had never dreamed that military science required such exact study.  “What labor!” replied the good curate, “what pains! and all this in order the better to shoot cannon-balls at each other!” The supper over, the next thought was the arrangements for sleeping; and for this purpose we found in the neighboring barns a shelter and some straw.  There remained outside, and near the door of the room occupied by the Emperor, only the officers on duty, Roustan and myself, each of whom had a bundle of straw for his bed.  Our worthy host, having given up his bed to his Majesty, remained with us, and rested like us from the fatigues of the day, and was still sleeping soundly when the staff left the manse; for the Emperor arose, and set off at break of day.  The curate when he awoke expressed the deepest chagrin that he had not been able to make his adieux to his Majesty.  A purse was handed him containing the sum the Emperor was accustomed to leave private individuals of limited means at whose residences he halted as indemnity for their expense and trouble; and we resumed our march in the steps of the Emperor, who hastened to meet the Prussians.