Sentence:  The next night the soldiers began teaching the girls to dance .... Claude saw that a good deal was going on, and he lectured his men at <WSD>parade</WSD>. But he realized that he might as well scold at the sparrows. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  An assembling of troops for inspection or to receive orders.<ref>(Edward Phillips), "(The New World of English Words)," London: Nath. Brooke, 1658: “"Parade," (French) a Term in Military Discipline, being an appearance of Souldiers at a set time to receive Orders; also any great preparation, or appearance.”[http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A54746.0001.001]</ref>