The Princeton union., 1892-04-07

he became convalescent, our task in
caring for the patient became more
difficult. The torpor Of his senses and
his limbs, which up to this had served
our purpose, began to disappear,
Two or three times already had the
terrible volleys fired from Maillot gate
made him start. Itbecame necessary
to invent a final victory for Bazaine
at Berlin, and we told him that in
honor of it these salutes were fired
from the Invalides. One day, his bed
having been pushed near the window,
he plainly saw the National Guard as
they were being massed in the Avenue
de la Grande Armee. If
I wonder why those troops are
there?' said the old man, and we heard
him mutter between his teeth, .They
carry themselves badly, very badly!"
Nothing more happened at that
time; but we perceived that henceforth
it would benecessary to take thegreat-.
est precautions. Unfortunately we
were not careful enough.
"One evening when arrived at the
house the young girl displayed great
anxiety as she received me.
Tomorrow they will enter the
city, she said to me.
"At that moment the door of her
grandfather's room was opened On
thinking of the matter since then /
have recalled the fact that his face
wore an extraordinary expression
that evening. 1t is probable that he
had overheard us. We, however. had
spoken OF the Prussians, and he
thought we had referred to the
French, to their triumphal return, for
which he had waited so long Mac
Mahon descending the avenue amid
flowers and the blare OF trumpets.
Colonel Jouve's son at the side OF the
marshal, and he, the old man on his
balcony, in grand military costume,
as at Lutzen, saluting the tattered
battle flags and the eagles blackened
with powder.
"Poor Colonel Jouve! Without
doubt he thought that we were trying
to prevent him from witnessing the
parade OF our troops in order that he
might avoid emotion that would be
too severe for him. He spoke little to
anyone that evening. The
next morning, however, at the very
hour the Prussian battalions emerged
timidly in the long way which leads
from the Maillot gate to the Tuileries,
the window was opened softly and
the colonel appeared on the balcony
wearing his casque and the gorgeous
costume OF an old cuirassier. have
often asked myself since what effort
OF the will, what renewal OF youthful
vigor, had thus put him on his feet
and in harness. At any rate he was
there, standing erect behind the rail-
ing OF the balcony: He seemed sur
prised to find the avenue almost
empty and silent, the shutters of the
houses closed. Paris gloomy as a
great lazaret, flags everywhere, but,
strange to say, all white with red
crosses, and no one there to receive
our soldiers.
"For a moment he seemed to think
that he had been deceived.
"But no! From a distance, behind
the Arc de Triomphe, came confused
sound and a long black line moved in
to sight. Then, one by one, the eagles
on the casques cleaned in the sunlight,
the drums began to beat, and under
the Arc de lEtoile, where the pave
ment sounded with the rhythmic sread
of the legions and the clanking of
sabers, burst forth the triumphal
march OF Schubert. r.
''Then a cry was heard, a terrible
cry: TO arms! to arms! The Prus-
sians!' And the four Unlans of the
advance guard saw above them on
the balcony a grand old man totter,
throw up his arms and fall. This
time Colonel Jouve was dead" From
the French of Alphonse Daudet.