"It's rather foggy, sir," I replied, "that is what makes you think so. It is your house all right, and there are only four windows to it."
"Contr'dict me," he said, "and you contr'dict your superior officer. You will have four days' Salle de Police, you understan'-four days' Salle de Police for contr'dicting your superior officer. Now—just hold on to me."
I noticed that he was ready to collapse, and putting my carbine against the wall I held him up. After a few minutes his attack was over, and it evidently did him good, for he seemed much steadier on his legs, and proceeded to walk with some accuracy in the direction of his house. He had just reached the middle of the road when he stopped and called out to me, "Dragoon!" he said, "you are a nice old Dragoon, and there's for you." Thereupon he handed over to me a 50-centime piece, and then reached the door of his house with my help. I suggested his handing me over his key, and having opened the door for him I stuck the key in his pocket and closed the door upon him. Soon after the Corporal came to relieve me, and I returned to the barracks.
When I reached the guard-room I went to the Sergeant's room, and told him what had happened, but we both agreed that it would never do to report the matter, as it never paid to "give away" an officer. I had to be once more on sentry-go (from 4 to 6 A.M.), but I tipped one of the troopers, who agreed to take my turn, and to remain four hours instead of two at his post. At half-past twelve, as I was disposing myself to lie down for a good sleep, Captain des Tourelles turned up again. All the other troopers were lying down, and I had just left the Sergeant's office, so the Captain pounced on me. "Trooper," he said, "catch hold of a lantern, I want to go for a round," and at the same time he shouted for the Sergeant and Corporal of the Guard; noticing through the open door the Sergeant, who had begun to doze with his head resting on his arms. As soon, however, as the Captain called out to him he jumped up and stood at "Attention."
"Nom de Dieu de fainéant!" ("You d—— lazy beast!") he cried out in a drunken voice. "There, I catch you asleep."
The Sergeant tried to excuse himself, but the Captain told him to shut up.
"I am going with this Dragoon," he said, pointing to me, "to see whether everything is in order, and if everything is not in order je t'en ficherai de dormir. Come on," he added, turning to me, "walk in front of me."
I prepared to do so, and asked the Captain where he wished to go.
"To the Adjudant's room, of course," he replied. "Why do you stick the light of that lantern in my eyes? Come on, walk alongside of me, and give me your arm: you know that I am a father to all my Dragoons, and I don't know where I have seen your face, but I like you—yes, I like you," he went on repeating.
As we got to the staircase leading to the Adjudant's room the Captain stopped, and told me he was not going up all those stairs, and he ordered me to go and rouse the Adjudant, and to tell him that if he did not come sharp he would be sorry for it. The Adjudant, who had been a gendarme, and was an old soldier of many years' standing, having only a few months to wait to get his pension, cursed and swore when I explained matters to him. I abstained from telling him that the Captain was drunk, but he evidently knew the old fellow's failing, for he muttered, as he got out of bed, "Drunk again, the old beast!" I did not wait for him, but returned to the Captain. I found him sitting at the bottom of the stairs dropping off into a doze; but as soon as he heard my steps, and saw the light of my lantern, he tried to get up, but was quite unable to do so until I helped him. He looked at me in a stupid way, and muttered, "What do you want?" I reminded him that he had sent me to call the Adjudant.