One would have thought that I had a presentiment of the awful circumstances under which I should meet him again.
All the towns had organized national guards, after the example of Paris. Châlons had set the example; St. Menehould had followed it. M. Drouet was captain. He came to ask Bertrand to be his lieutenant, and to see how many men he could recruit at Islettes.
It was the report of bandits having been seen about which induced them to organize the National Guard.
In eight days, all France was armed. Each day the National Assembly gave audiences to ten couriers. It had at its disposal a million of men.
Drouet and Bertrand took a stroll in the village of Islettes.
They enrolled twenty men.
The keepers of the Forest of Argonne enlisted themselves and formed that part of the brigade of which Father Descharmes was chief.
I wished to be one of M. Bertrand’s detachment, consequently in M. Drouet’s company.
He accompanied me as far as Father Descharmes’ cottage, and asked me about the visit of the evening before.