unquestioned bravery was his distinctive trait; he was a somewhat weak
and not very brilliant commander, which caused him to be more loved
than respected in his regiment.

"It's too bad that a man can't eat his dinner in peace!" the general
suddenly blurted out. "What does all that uproar mean? Go and see what
the matter is, you Alsatian fellow!"

But the farmer anticipated him by appearing at the door, sobbing and
gesticulating like a crazy man. They were robbing him, the zouaves and
chasseurs were plundering his house. As he was the only one in the
village who had anything to sell he had foolishly allowed himself to
be persuaded to open shop. At first he had sold his eggs and chickens,
his rabbits, and potatoes, without exacting an extortionate profit,
pocketing his money and delivering the merchandise; then the customers
had streamed in in a constantly increasing throng, jostling and
worrying the old man, finally crowding him aside and taking all he had
without pretense of payment. And thus it was throughout the war; if
many peasants concealed their property and even denied a drink of
water to the thirsty soldier, it was because of their fear of the
irresistible inroads of that ocean of men, who swept everything clean
before them, thrusting the wretched owners from their houses and
beggaring them.

"Eh! will you hold your tongue, old man!" shouted the general in
disgust. "Those rascals ought to be shot at the rate of a dozen a day.
What is one to do?" And to avoid taking the measures that the case
demanded he gave orders to close the door, while the colonel explained
to him that there had been no issue of rations and the men were
hungry.