been　suspected　of　meannesss　if　it　had　not　been　for　the　fact　that　with　wonderful　disinterestedness　and　all　a　comrade's　readiness；　his　purse　would　be　opened　for　some　harebrained　boy　who　had　ruined　himself　at　cards　or　by　some　other　folly。　He　did　a　service　of　this　kind　with　such　thoughtful　tact；　that　it　seemed　as　though　he　himself　had　at　one　time　lost　heavy　sums　at　play；　he　never　considered　that　he　had　any　right　to　control　the　actions　of　his　debtor；　he　never　made　mention　of　the　loan。　He　was　the　child　of　his　company；　he　was　alone　in　the　world；　so　he　had　adopted　the　army　for　his　fatherland；　and　the　regiment　for　his　family。　Very　rarely；　therefore；　did　any　one　seek　the　motives　underlying　his　praiseworthy　turn　for　thrift；　for　it　pleased　others；　for　the　most　part；　to　set　it　down　to　a　not　unnatural　wish　to　increase　the　amount　of　the　savings　that　were　to　render　his　old　age　comfortable。　Till　the　eve　of　his　promotion　to　the　rank　of　lieutenant…colonel　of　cavalry　it　was　fair　to　suppose　that　it　was　his　ambition　to　retire　in　the　course　of　some　campaign　with　a　colonel's　epaulettes　and　pension。
  If　Genestas'　name　came　up　when　the　officers　gossiped　after　drill；　they　were　wont　to　classify　him　among　the　men　who　begin　with　taking　the　good…conduct　prize　at　school；　and　who；　throughout　the　term　of　their　natural　lives；　continue　to　be　punctilious；　conscientious；　and　passionlessas　good　as　white　bread；　and　just　as　insipid。　Thoughtful　minds；　however；　regarded　him　very　differently。　Not　seldom　it　would　happen　that　a　glance；　or　an　expression　as　full　of　significance　as　the　utterance　of　a　savage；　would　drop　from　him　and　bear　witness　to　past　storms　in　his　soul；　and　a　careful　study　of　his　placid　brow　revealed　a　power　of　stifling　down　and　repressing　his　passions　into　inner　depths；　that　had　been　dearly　bought　by　a　lengthy　acquaintance　with　the　perils　and　disastrous　hazards　of　war。　An　officer　who　had　only　just　joined　the　regiment；　the　son　of　a　peer　of　France；　had　said　one　day　of　Genestas；　that　he　would　have　made　one　of　the　most　conscientious　of　priests；　or　the　most　upright　of　tradesmen。
  〃Add；　the　least　of　a　courtier　among　marquises；〃　put　in　Genestas；　scanning　the　young　puppy；　who　did　not　know　that　his　commandant　could　overhear　him。
  There　was　a　burst　of　laughter　at　the　words；　for　the　lieutenant's　father　cringed　to　all　the　powers　that　be；　he　was　a　man　of　supple　intellect；　accustomed　to　jump　with　every　change　of　government；　and　his　son　took　after　him。
  Men　like　Genestas　are　met　with　now　and　again　in　the　French　army；　natures　that　show　themselves　to　be　wholly　great　at　need；　and　relapse　into　their　ordinary　simplicity　when　the　action　is　over；　men　that　are　little　mindful　of　fame　and　reputation；　and　utterly　forgetful　of　danger。　Perhaps　there　are　many　more　of　them　than　the　shortcomings　of　our　own　characters　will　allow　us　to　imagine。　Yet；　for　all　that；　any　one　who　believed　that　Genestas　was　perfect　would　be　strangely　deceiving　himself。　The　major　was　suspicious；　given　to　violent　outbursts　of　anger；　and　apt　to　be　tiresome　in　argument；　he　was　full　of　national　prejudices；　and　above　all　things；　would　insist　that　he　was　in　the　right；　when　he　was；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　in　the　wrong。　He　retained　the　liking　for　good　wine　that　he　had　acquired　in　the　ranks。　If　he　rose　from　a　banquet　with　all　the　gravity　befitting　his　position；　he　seemed　serious　and　pensive；　and　had　no　mind　at　such　times　to　admit　any　one　into　his　confidence。
  Finally；　although　he　was　sufficiently　acquainted　with　the　customs　of　society　and　with　the　laws　of　politeness；　to　which　he　conformed　as　rigidly　as　if　they　had　been　military　regulations；　though　he　had　real　mental　power；　both　natural　and　acquired；　and　although　he　had　mastered　the　art　of　handling　men；　the　science　of　tactics；　the　theory　of　sabre　play；　and　the　mysteries　of　the　farrier's　craft；　his　learning　had　been　prodigiously　neglected。　He　knew　in　a　hazy　kind　of　way　that　Caesar　was　a　Roman　Consul；　or　an　Emperor；　and　that　Alexander　was　either　a　Greek　or　a　Macedonian；　he　would　have　conceded　either　quality　or　origin　in　both　cases　without　discussion。　If　the　conversation　turned　on　science　or　history；　he　was　wont　to　become　thoughtful；　and　to　confine　his　share　in　it　to　little　approving　nods；　like　a　man　who　by　dint　of　profound　thought　has　arrived　at　scepticism。
  When；　at　Schonbrunn；　on　May　13；　1809；　Napoleon　wrote　the　bulletin　addressed　to　the　Grand　Army；　then　the　masters　of　Vienna；　in　which　he　said　that　like　Medea；　the　Austrian　princes　had　slain　their　children　with　their　own　hands；　Genestas；　who　had　been　recently　made　a　captain；　did　not　wish　to　compromise　his　newly　conferred　dignity　by　asking　who　Medea　was；　he　relied　upon　Napoleon's　character；　and　felt　quite　sure　that　the　Emperor　was　incapable　of　making　any　announcement　not　in　proper　form　to　the　Grand　Army　and　the　House　of　Austria。　So　he　thought　that　Medea　was　some　archduchess　whose　conduct　was　open　to　criticism。　Still；　as　the　matter　might　have　some　bearing　on　the　art　of　war；　he　felt　uneasy　about　the　Medea　of　the　bulletin　until　a　day　arrived　when　Mlle。　Raucourt　revived　the　tragedy　of　Medea。　The　captain　saw　the　placard；　and　did　not　fail　to　repair　to　the　Theatre　Francais　that　evening；　to　see　the　celebrated　actress　in　her　mythological　role；　concerning　which　he　gained　some　information　from　his　neighbors。
  A　man；　however；　who　as　a　private　soldier　had　possessed　sufficient　force　of　character　to　learn　to　read；　write；　and　cipher；　could　clearly　understand　that　as　a　captain　he　ought　to　continue　his　education。　So　from　this　time　forth　he　read　new　books　and　romances　with　avidity；　in　this　way　gaining　a　half…knowledge；　of　which　he　made　a　very　fair　use。　He　went　so　far　in　his　gratitude　to　his　teachers　as　to　undertake　the　defence　of　Pigault…Lebrun；　remarking　that　in　his　opinion　he　was　instructive　and　not　seldom　profound。
  This　officer；　whose　acquired　practical　wisdom　did　not　allow　him　to　make　any　journey　in　vain；　had　just　come　from　Grenoble；　and　was　on　his　way　to　the　Grande　Chartreuse；　after　obtaining　on　the　previous　evening　a　week's　leave　of　absence　from　his　colonel。　He　had　not　expected　that　the　journey　would　be　a　long　one；　but　when；　league　after　league；　he　had　been　misled　as　to　the　distance　by　the　lying　statements　of　the　peasants；　he　thought　it　would　be　prudent　not　to　venture　any　farther　without　fortifying　the　inner　man。　Small　as　were　his　chances　of　finding　any　housewife　in　her　dwelling　at　a　time　when　every　one　was　hard　at　work　in　the　fields；　he　stopped　before　a　little　cluster　of　cottages　that　stood　about　a　piece　of　land　common　to　all　of　them；　more　or　less　describing　a　square；　which　was　open　to　all　comers。
  The　surface　of　the　soil　thus　held　in　conjoint　ownership　was　hard　and　carefully　swept；　but　intersected　by　open　drains。　Roses；　ivy；　and　tall　grasses　grew　over　the　cracked　and　disjointed　walls。　Some　rags　were　drying　on　a　miserable　currant　bush　that　stood　at　the　entrance　of　the　square。　A　pig　wallowing　in　a　heap　of　straw　was　the　first　inhabitant　encountered　by　Genestas。　At　the　sound　of　horse　hoofs　the　creature　grunted；　raised　its　head；　and　put　a　great　black　cat　to　flight。　A　young　peasant　girl；　who　was　carrying　a　bundle　of　grass　on　her　head；　suddenly　appeared；　followed　at　a　distance　by　four　little　brats；　clad　in　rags；　it　is　true；　but　vigorous；　sunburned；　picturesque；　bold…eyed；　and　riotous；　thorough　little　imps；　looking　like　angels。　The　sun　shone　down　with　an　indescribable　purifying　influence　upon　the　air；　the　wretched　cottages；　the　heaps　of　refuse；　and　the　unkempt　little　crew。
  The　soldier　asked　whether　it　was　possible　to　obtain　a　cup　of　milk。　All　the　answer　the　girl　made　him　was　a　hoarse　cry。　An　old　woman　suddenly　appeared　on　the　threshold　of　one　of　the　cabins；　and　the　young　peasant　girl　passed　on　into　a　cowshed；　with　a　gesture　that　pointed　out　the　aforesaid　old　woman；　towards　whom　Genestas　went；　taking　care　at　the　same　time　to　keep　a　tight　hold　on　his　horse；　lest　the　children　who　were　already　running　about　under　his　hoofs　should　be　hurt。　He　repeated　his　request；　with　which　the　housewife　flatly　refused　to　comply。　She　would　not；　she　said；　disturb　the　cream　on　the　pans　full　of　milk　from　which　butter　was　to　be　made。　The　officer　overcame　this　objection　by　undertaking　to　repay　her　amply　for　the　wasted　cream；　and　then　tied　up　his　horse　at　the　door；　and　went　inside　the　cottage。
  The　four　children　belonging　to　the　woman　all　appeared　to　be　of　the　same　agean　odd　circumstance　which　struck　the　commandant。　A　fifth　clung　about　her　skirts；　a　weak；　pale；　sickly…looking　child；　who　doubtless　needed　more　care　than　the　others；　and　who　on　that　account　was　the　best　beloved；　the　Benjamin　of　the　family。
  Genestas　seated　himself　in　a　corner　by　the　fireless　hearth。　A　sublime　symbol　met　his　eyes　on　the　high　mantel…shelf　above　hima　colored　plaster　cast　of　the　Virgin　with　the　Child　Jesus　in　her　arms。　Bare　earth　made　the　flooring　of　the　cottage。　It　had　been　beaten　level　in　the　first　instance；　but　in　course　of　time　it　had　grown　rough　and　uneven；　so　that　though　it　was　clean；　its　ruggedness　was　not　unlike　that　of　the　magnified　rind　of　an　orange。　A　sabot　filled　with　salt；　a　frying…pan；　and　a　large　kettle　hung　inside　the　chimney。　The　farther　end　of　the　room　was　completely　filled　by　a　four…post　bedstead；　with　a　scalloped　valance　for　decoration。　The　walls　were　black；　th