stile eye。 He was glad of that； for his own heart was calmed and softened by the solemn prospect before him。
〃We； too； have a little account to settle before I order out the men；〃 said he； calmly； 〃and I can't give you a long credit。 I am pressed for time。〃
〃Our quarrel is at an end。 When duty sounds the recall； a soldier's heart leaves private feuds。 See！ I come to you without anger and ill…will。 Just now my voice was loud； my manner； I dare say； offensive； and menacing even； and that always tempts a brave fellow like you to resist。 But now； you see； I am harmless as a woman。 We are alone。 Humbug to the winds！ I know that you are the only man in this army fit to command a division。 I know that when you say the assault of that bastion is death； death it is。 To the point then； now that my manner is no longer irritating； now that I am going to die； Camille Dujardin； my old comrade； have you the heart to refuse me？ am I to die unhappy？〃
〃No； no： I will do whatever you like。〃
〃You will marry that poor girl； then？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Aha！ did not I always say he was a good fellow？ Clench the nail； give me your honor。〃
〃I give you my honor to marry her； if I live。〃
〃You take a load off me； may Heaven reward you。 In one hour those poor women； whose support I had promised to be； will lose their protector； but I give them another in you。 We shall not leave that family in tears； Rose in shame； and your child without a name。〃
Dujardin stared at the speaker。 What new and devilish deception was this？
〃My child！〃 he faltered。 〃What child？〃
〃Ah；〃 said Raynal； 〃what a fool I was！ That is the first thing I ought to have told you。 Poor little fellow！ I surprised him in his cradle； his mother and Josephine were rocking him； and singing over him。 Oh！ it was a scene； I can tell you。 My poor wife had been ill for some time； and was so weakened by it； that I frightened her into a fit； stealing a march on her that way。 She fainted away。 Perhaps it is as well she did； for II did not know what to think； it looked ugly； but while she lay at our feet insensible； I forced the truth from Rose； she owned the boy was hers。〃
While Raynal told him this strange story； Camille turned hot and cold。 First came a thrill of glowing joy； he had some clew to all this： he was a father； that child was Josephine's and his； the next moment he froze within。 So Josephine had not only gulled her husband； but him； too； she had refused him the sad consolation of knowing he had a child。 Cruelty； calculation； and baseness unexampled！ Here was a creature who could sacrifice anything and anybody to her comfort； to the peace and sordid smoothness of her domestic life。 She stood between two mena thing。 Between two truthsa double lie。
His heart； in one moment； turned against her like a stone。 A musket…bullet through the body does not turn life to death quicker than Raynal turned his rival's love to despair and scorn： that love which neither wounds； absence； prison； nor even her want of constancy had prevailed to shake。
〃Out of my bosom！〃 he cried〃out of it； in this world and the next！〃
He forgot； in his lofty rage； who stood beside him。
〃What？what？〃 cried Raynal。
〃No matter；〃 said Camille； 〃only I esteem YOU； Raynal。 You are truth； you are a man； and deserve a better lot。〃
〃Don't say that；〃 replied Raynal； quite misunderstanding him。 〃It is a soldier's end： I never desired nor hoped a better： only； of course； I feel sad。 You are a happy fellow； to have a child and to live to see it； and her you love。〃
〃Oh； yes； I am very happy；〃 replied the poor fellow； his lip quivering。
〃Watch over all those poor women； comrade； and sometimes speak to them of me。 It is foolish； but we like to be remembered。〃
〃Yes！ but do not let us speak of that。 Raynal； you and I were lieutenants together； do you remember saving my life in the Arno？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Then promise me； if you should live； to remember not our quarrel of to…day； nor anything； but only those early days； AND THIS AFTERNOON。〃
〃I do。〃
〃Your hand； comrade。〃
〃There； comrade； there。〃
They wrung one another's hands； and turned away and hid their faces from each other； for their eyes were moist。
〃This won't do； comrade； I must go。 I shall attack from your position。 So I shall go down the line； and bring the men up。 Meantime； pick me your detachment。 Give me a good spice of veterans。 I shall get one word with you before we go out。 God bless you！〃
〃God bless you； Raynal！〃
The moment Raynal was gone； Camille beckoned a lieutenant to him； and ordered half the brigade to form in a strong column on both sides Death's Alley。
His eye fell upon private Dard； as luck would have it。 〃Come here；〃 said he。 Dard came and saluted。
〃Have you anybody at Beaurepaire that would be sorry if you were killed？〃
〃Yes； colonel！ Jacintha； that used to make your broth； colonel。〃
〃Take this line to Colonel Raynal。 You will find him with the 12th brigade。〃
He wrote a few lines in pencil； folded them； and Dard went off with them； little dreaming that the colonel of his brigade was taking the trouble to save his life； because he came from Beaurepaire。 Colonel Dujardin then went into his tent； and closed the aperture； and took the good book the priest had given him； and prayed humbly； and forgave all the world。
Then he sat down； his head in his hands； and thought of his child； and how hard it was he must die and never see him。 Then he lighted a candle； and sealed up his orders of valor； and wrote a line； begging that they might be sent to his sister。 He also sealed up his purse； and left a memorandum that the contents should be given to disabled soldiers of his brigade upon their being invalided。
Then he took out Josephine's letter。 〃Poor coward；〃 he said； 〃let me not be unkind。 See； I burn your letter； lest it should be found； and disturb the peace you prize so highly。 I； too； shall soon be at peace。〃 He lighted the letter； and dropped it on the ground： it burned slowly away。 He eyed it； despairingly。 〃Ay；〃 said he； 〃you perish； last record of an unhappy love： and even so pass away my life； my hopes of glory； and my dreams of love； it all ends to…day： at nine and twenty。〃
He put his white handkerchief to his eyes。 Josephine had given it him。 He cried a little。
When he had done crying； he put his white handkerchief in his bosom； and the whole man was transformed beyond language to express。 Powder does not change more when it catches fire。 He rose that moment and went like a flash of lightning out of the tent。 The next； he came down between the lines of the strong column that stood awaiting orders in Death's Alley。
〃Attention！〃 cried the sergeants； 〃the colonel！〃
There was a dead silence； for the bare sight of that erect and inspired figure made the men's bosoms thrill with the certainty of great deeds to come： the light of battle was in his eye。 No longer the moody colonel； but a thunderbolt of war； red…hot； and waiting to be launched。
〃Officers； sergeants； soldiers； a word with you！〃
La Croix。 Attention！
〃Do you know what passed here five minutes ago？〃
〃The attack of the bastion was settled！〃 cried a captain。
〃It was； and who was to lead the assault？ do you know that？〃
〃No。〃
〃A colonel FROM EGYPT。〃
At that there was a groan from the men。
〃With detachments from the other brigades。〃
〃AH！〃 an angry roar。
Colonel Dujardin walked quickly down between the two lines； looking with his fiery eye into the men's eyes on his right。 Then he came back on the other side； and； as he went； he lighted those men's eyes with his own。 It was a torch passing along a line of ready gas… lights。
〃The work to us！〃 he cried in a voice like a clarion （it fired the hearts as his eye had fired the eyes）〃The triumph to strangers！ Our fatigues and our losses have not gained the brigade the honor of going out at those fellows that have killed so many of our comrades。〃
A fierce groan broke from the men。
〃What！ shall the colors of another brigade and not ours fly from that bastion this afternoon？〃
〃No！ no！〃 in a roar like thunder。
〃Ah！ you are of my mind。 Attention！ the attack is fixed for five o'clock。 Suppose you and I were to carry the bastion ten minutes before the colonel from Egypt can bring his men upon the ground。〃
At this there was a fierce burst of joy and laughter； the strange laughter of veterans and born invincibles。 Then a yell of exulting assent； accompanied by the thunder of impatient drums； and the rattle of fixing bayonets。
The colonel told off a party to the battery。
〃Level the guns at the top tier。 Fire at my signal； and keep firing over our heads； till you see our colors on the place。〃
He then darted to the head of the column； which instantly formed behind him in the centre of Death's Alley。
〃The colors！ No hand but mine shall hold them to…day。〃
They were instantly brought him： his left hand shook them free in the afternoon sun。
A deep murmur of joy rolled out from the old hands at the now unwonted sight。 Out flashed the colonel's sword like steel lightning。 He pointed to the battery。
Bang！ bang！ bang！ bang！ went his cannon； and the smoke rolled over the trenches。 At the same moment up went the colors waving； and the colonel's clarion voice pealed high above all：
〃Twenty…fourth brigadeFORWARD！〃
They went so swiftly out of the trenches that they were not seen through their own smoke until they had run some sixty yards。 As soon as they were seen； coming on like devils through their own smoke； two thousand muskets were levelled at them from the Prussian line。 It was not a rattle of small armsit was a crash； and the men fell fast： but in a moment they were seen to spread out like a fan； and to offer less mark； and when the fan closed again； it half encircled the bastion。 It was a French attack： part swarmed at it in front like bees； part swept round the glacis and flanked it。 They were seen to fall in numbers； shot down from the embrasures。 But the living took the place of the dead： and the fight ranged evenly there。 Where are the colors？ Towards the rear there。 The colonel and a hundred men are fighting hand to hand with the Prussians； who have charged ou