general feeling of envy behind me. Here was I in the presence of the
Colonel, who, with a map in his hand and surrounded by the superior
officers, explained in a few short sentences what he required of me.

"Take the direction of Courgivault. Reconnoitre and find out whether
the village is occupied. You will report to me on the road which leads
straight from here to the village. The brigade will follow you in an
hour by the same road. I am sending two other parties towards such and
such villages."

And a few minutes afterwards I was on the road to Courgivault.

I chose from my troop a corporal and four reliable fellows who had
already given a good account of themselves. In advance I sent
Vercherin, as scout, well mounted on his horse "Cabri," whose powerful
haunches stood out above the tall oats. I had full confidence in his
vigilance and his shrewdness. I knew his clear blue eyes, and that, if
there were anything to be seen, he would see it better than any one
else. I knew also that I should have no need to spur his zeal.

On either side of me Corporal Madelaine, Finet, a sapper, Lemaître,
and my faithful orderly, Wattrelot, rode along in silence in extended
order at a considerable distance from one another. We had learnt by
experience since the beginning of the campaign. We were on our guard
now against Prussian bullets. We knew what ravages they made directly
our troopers were imprudent enough to cluster together. Thus we ran
fewer chances of being taken by surprise.

The weather was splendid. How delightful, thought I, would it have
been to walk over the fields, on a morning like this, with a gun under