a chapter which is but one with the following chapter
the object of the campaign, to recapture the lines of weissembourg, had been accomplished; the enemy had been driven from france in the north and in the south, at toulon and at landau, in the space of ten days. the soldiers were therefore enabled to enjoy a much needed rest; besides they had found stores of cloth, shoes, food and forage at guermesheim, at kaiserlauten, and at landau; a single store at kaiserlautern having supplied them with one thousand woollen comforters. the time had therefore come for pichegru to keep his promises.
estève's accounts had been rendered, and the twenty-five thousand francs, deposited to the credit of the battalion of the indre with the general, had been increased by twelve hundred, the price of the two cannon which the battalion had captured. this sum of twenty-six thousand two hundred francs was enormous, for it was all in gold; and the gold louis at that time was worth seven hundred and twelve francs in paper money.
the general sent for faraud and the two soldiers who had accompanied him each time that he had come as ambassador from the battalion. the three appeared, faraud[pg 220] with his sergeant-major's stripes, and one of the others with corporal's stripes, which he had earned since his first interview with the general.
"here i am, general," said faraud; "and here are my two comrades, corporal groseiller and comrade vincent."
"you are all three welcome."
"you are very kind, general," said faraud, with the twist of the neck which was peculiar to him.
"you know that a sum of twenty-five thousand francs has been allotted for the widows and orphans of the dead of the battalion of the indre."
"yes, general," replied faraud.
"to which sum the battalion has added another twelve hundred francs."
"yes, general. and by the same token, it was an idiot named faraud who was carrying it in his handkerchief and who let it fall for sheer joy on hearing that he had been made a sergeant-major."
"will you give me your word that he will not do it again?"
"word of a sergeant-major! not even if you should make him a colonel."
"we have not got as far as that yet."
"so much the worse, general."
"but still i am going to promote you."
"me?"
"yes."
"again?"
"i am going to make you paymaster."
"in place of citizen estève?" said faraud, with his peculiar twist of the head. "thanks, general, the place is a good one."
"no, not quite that," said pichegru, smiling at the fraternal familiarity which makes the strength of the army, and which the revolution introduced into that of the republic.
"too bad," said faraud.
[pg 221]
"i appoint you paymaster in the department of the indre to the extent of twenty-six thousand and two hundred francs. in other words, i charge you and your two comrades, whose conduct has given me satisfaction, to divide the sum among the families whose names you will find there." and the general gave faraud a list.
"ah! general," said faraud, "that is indeed a reward! what a pity that they have done away with the good god!"
"why so?"
"because the prayers of these good folks would have taken us straight to heaven."
"well," said pichegru, "it is probable that when you are ready to go there, there will be a restoration. and now how will you go?"
"where, general?"
"to the indre. there are a good many departments to cross before you get there."
"on foot, general; that will take time, though."
"i wanted to hear you say that, brave hearts that you are! here, this is the money for your expenses, nine hundred francs in all—three hundred for each of you."
"we could go to the end of the world with that."
"but you must not stop at every tavern for a drink."
"we shall stop nowhere."
"nowhere?"
"no. i shall take the goddess of reason with me."
"then we will have to add three hundred francs for the goddess of reason. here is a draft on citizen estève."
"thanks, general; and when must we start?"
"as soon as possible."
"to-day?"
"well, go, my brave fellows; but at the first shot—"
"you will find us at our posts, general."
"good, and now go tell them to send citizen falou to me."
"he will be here in five minutes."
the three messengers bowed and went out. five min[pg 222]utes later, citizen falou presented himself, wearing the general's sword at his side with great dignity.
since the general had seen him his face had undergone a change. a gash, beginning at the ear and extending to his upper lip, had cut open his right cheek; the flesh was held in place by strips of plaster.
"ah!" said pichegru, "it looks as if your defence had come rather late."
"that's not it, general," replied falou; "but they were three to my one; and before i had time to kill the other two, the third had given me this razor-cut. it's nothing; it would be healed already if we had had any wind. unfortunately the weather is damp."
"well, upon my honor, i am not sorry that it has happened to you."
"thanks, general; a fine scar like that does not harm a chasseur's face."
"that was not what i meant."
"what then?"
"it will give me an excuse to send you away."
"say, general, no jokes; it is not a final dismissal?"
"no, a fortnight's furlough."
"what for?"
"to go and see mother falou."
"ah, yes, the poor old woman; that's so."
"have you not your back-pay to carry her?"
"ah! general, you have no idea of the quantity of brandy compresses that i had to put on this wound! it is like a mouth, it drinks and drinks, you have no idea how much."
"in other words your pay is almost gone?"
"worse than my sword was when you were good enough to give me this one."
"then i will do for your pay what i did for your sword."
"will you give me more?"
"oh! the prince de condé will pay the piper!"
[pg 223]
"gold! ah, what a pity that the poor old mother cannot see it again; it would remind her of the times when there was plenty of gold!"
"she will see enough to sew the new quartermaster's stripes on your coat, which the prussians have already sewed on your face."
"quartermaster, general? am i a quartermaster?"
"that is the rank which they have put upon your leave of absence."
"faith, yes; there it is, every letter of it!" said falou.
"get ready to start."
"to-day?"
"to-day."
"on foot or on horseback?"
"in a carriage."
"in a carriage? am i to go in a carriage?"
"a post-chaise."
"like the king's dogs when they go to the hunt! and may i know why i am to have this honor?"
"my secretary, charles, who is going to besan?on, will take you with him, and will bring you back again."
"general," said falou, bringing his heels together and saluting, "it only remains for me to thank you."
pichegru acknowledged the salute with a wave of his hand and a nod. falou turned upon his heel and went out.
"charles! charles!" called pichegru.
a door opened, and charles, who was in an adjoining room, hurried in. "here i am, general," he said.
"do you know where abatucci is?"
"with us, general. he is doing the account that you asked for."
"will he have it finished before long?"
"it is finished, general," said abatucci, appearing with the paper in his hand.
charles was about to go away, but the general caught him by the wrist. "wait," said he, "i wish to speak to you." then he said to abatucci, "how many flags?"
[pg 224]
"five, general."
"cannons?"
"twenty-eight."
"prisoners?"
"three thousand."
"how many of the enemy killed?"
"fully seven thousand."
"how many did we lose?"
"scarcely twenty-five hundred."
"you will go to paris with the rank of colonel, which i shall ask the government to confirm. you will present the five flags to the convention in the names of general hoche and myself, and you will take with you the report that general hoche is preparing. estève will give you a thousand francs to cover your expenses. my choice of you to carry the captured flags to the convention, as well as the rank i have just bestowed upon you, proves my esteem for your courage and ability. if you see your cousin bonaparte remind him of the fact that i was his tutor at brienne."
abatucci pressed the hand which the general held out to him, saluted, and retired.
"and now we are by ourselves, little charles!" said pichegru.
