The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-07-02
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Bv Guy de Maupassant

1 ssS>ssssssssSssssSSss
! The artist placed himself astride
I his chair and said:
Well. we had dined that evening
! r;th Sorieul. Poor fellowls He is
! now dead. There were only three
~ .us-Sorieul, lie Poitteyin and
1 mvself. Sorieul was the widest of
y: all, and to say we had dined at
! his house signifies we were all drunk,
] T,e Poittevin alone retained his
] senses-a little cloudy, it isgtrue;
st,il he knew what he was doing.
All. we were young in those daysl
Living on the carpet in "a little
room adjoining the atelier, we dis
cusscd in the most extravagant
manner all kinds Of improbable
Soricul, flat on his back, his feet
ncrched on the back of chair,
talked about battles and the uni
/ forms worn during the empire. Sud
denly getting up, he went to a large
wardrobe and took down complete
suit of hussar uniform, dressed him
self in it, then tried to persuade lie
Poittevin to costume himself as a
grenalicr. When he resisted, we
seized him, undressed him and fore
ed him into an immense uniform
which completely swallowed him
up.
I disguised myself as a cuirassier,
and Soricul made us execute some
very complicated maneuvers.
Then he exclaimed, Gas we are
now soldiers, we must drink like
soldiers"
A punch was lighted, swallowed.
Again and again the flames rose up
from the bowl of rum. We sang
the old songs which the troopers Of
the t. Grand Army sang in ancient
times.
Suddenly lie Poittevin, who in
spite of all this was still master of
himself, made us sign to be silent.
After listening moment he said in
a low voice, 81 am sure Thear some
one walking in the atelier!"
Soricul got up as we'll as he could
and cried out: GA robber. What
luckp' and began to troll the sNiar-
seillaise," "To arms! To arms, ye
braycw
We dashed to a panoply of arms
and equipped ourselves according to
our uniforms. I had kind of mus
ket, with u saber, LIE Poitteyin a
gigantic gun with o bayonet; So
rieul, not finding what he wanted,
seized a horse pistol, which he stuck
in his belt, and a boarding az, which
he wildly brandished. Then, eau
tiously opening the door of the ate
licr, the army entered the suspected
territory.
When we were in the midst of
this vast room, incumbered with
eascls, pictures and strange unex-
pccted objects of furniture, Sorieul
called halt and said: "I constitute
myself general. Let us hold d coun-
ell Of war. You cuirassiers go and
cut off the retreat of the enemy-
that is, lock the door. You grena-
dlcrs will be my escort.''
| executed the commanded move
ment, then joined the troop that
formed the accommodating party.
Was searching behind a great
screen, lighted candle in my hand,
when a furious noise burst forth. 7
dartcd out to find LIE Poittevin had
stuck his bayonet into the breast of
. lay figure, and Sorieul was trying
to cut off the head with his ak.
The mistake being recognized,
Inc general commanded, seBe more
And again we com
nenccd operations.
For twenty minutes at least we
every corner and crevice
. lle atoler Without success. At
ast LIE Poittevin thought of open
1ng large closet, It was dark and
lIeep;;. | thrust in my arm, holding
he light, but quickly recoiled. A
nan-a living, breathing man-was
mere, looking at me!
Immediately shut the door and
ecured &c it by two turns of the key.
Then we held q new council Of
var.
Opinions we're very much divided.
'oIicui wanted to smoke out the
obber, lie Poittevin to take him by
anime. I proposed to blow him@up
nth powder.
Ihe advice Of LIE Poittevin pre-
allied. While he mounted guard
,lth his gigantic gun we ran off for
ne ne remainder Of the punch and our
apes, when we installed ourselves
etore the locked door and drank
the health Of the prisoner.
at the end Of half an hour So
!, leul said: call the same, / would
ne to see him nearer. Suppose
e take him by force:?"