VIII
FATHER MOSES'S FIRST ENCOUNTER
From that time the sergeant lived with us without troubling anybody. Every morning, before he went to his duties, he came and sat a few minutes in my room, and talked with me while he took his glass. He liked to laugh with Sâfel, and we called him "our sergeant," as if he were one of the family. He seemed to like to be with us; he was a careful man; he would not allow our schabisboïé to black his shoes; he cleaned his own buff-skins, and would not let any one touch his arms.
One morning, when I was going to answer to the call, he met me in the alley, and, seeing a little rust on my musket, he began to swear like the devil.
"Ah! Father Moses, if I had you in my company, it would go hard with you!"
"Yes," thought I; "but, thank God, I'm not."
Sorlé, leaning over the balustrades above, laughed heartily.
From that time the sergeant regularly inspected my equipments; I must clean my gun over and over, take it to pieces, clean the barrel and furbish the bayonet, as if I expected to go and fight. And even when he knew how Monborne treated me, he also wanted to teach me the exercises. All my remonstrances were of no avail, he would frown, and say:
"Father Moses, I can't stand it, that an honest man like you should know less than the rabble. Go along!"
And then we would up to the loft. It was very cold, but the sergeant was so provoked at my want of briskness in performing the movements, that he always put me in a great perspiration before we finished.