"No fear of that. They must take this road for the artillery and baggage. Hark! there's the bugle—to boot and saddle!"
"Yes, I saw that before; they are preparing." Then, with a low chuckle:
"You don't know, Jean-Claude, just now, as I was looking towards Grandfontaine, what a droll thing I saw."
"What was that, old boy?"
"I saw four Germans lay hold of the fat Dubreuil, the friend of the Allies; they laid him down on the stone bench at his door, and one tall bony fellow gave him I don't know how many blows with a stout stick over his back. Didn't he bellow, the old rascal! I'll wager he has refused something to his good friends; his old wine of the year 1811, for instance."
Hullin listened no further, for happening to cast a glance down upon the valley, he had just seen a regiment of infantry debouch on the road. Farther off, in the street, the cavalry were advancing, with five or six officers galloping at their head.
"Ah! ha! they are coming now in good earnest," exclaimed the old soldier, whose countenance suddenly assumed an expression of energy and strange enthusiasm.
Then he sprang upon the trench, exclaiming:
"My children, attention!"