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prison　while　he　showed　himself；　for　a　few　moments；　and　put　his　hands
through　the　bars　of　the　window。　　However；　the　rigor　of　these　orders　was
relaxed　for　the　colonel's　young　child　three　or　four　years　of　age；　and　his
father　obtained　the　favor　of　embracing　him。　　He　came　each　morning　in　his
mother's　arms；　and　a　turnkey　carried　him　in　to　the　prisoner；　before　which
inconvenient　witness　the　poor　little　thing　played　his　role　with　all　the
skill　of　a　consummate　actor。　　He　would　pretend　to　be　lame；　and　complain
of　having　sand　in　his　shoes　which　hurt　him　and　the　colonel；　turning　his
back　on　the　jailer；　and　taking　the　child　in　his　lap　to　remove　the　cause
of　the　trouble；　would　find　in　his　son's　shoe　a　note　from　his　wife；
informing　him　in　a　few　words　of　the　state　of　the　trial；　and　what　he　had
to　hope　or　fear　for　himself。　　At　length；　after　many　months　of　captivity；
sentence　having　been　pronounced　against　the　conspirators；　Colonel
Delelee；　against　whom　no　charge　had　been　made；　was　not　absolved　as　he　had
a　right　to　expect；　but　was　struck　off　the　army　list；　arbitrarily　put
under　surveillance；　and　prohibited　from　coming　within　forty　leagues　of
Paris。　　He　was　also　forbidden　to　return　to　Besancon；　and　it　was　more　than
a　year　after　leaving　prison　before　he　was　permitted　to　do　so。

Young　and　full　of　courage；　the　Colonel　saw；　from　the　depths　of　his
retirement；　his　friends　and　comrades　make　their　way；　and　gain　upon　the
battlefield　fame；　rank；　and　glory；　while　he　himself　was　condemned　to
inaction　and　obscurity；　and　to　pass　his　days　in　following　on　the　map　the
triumphant　march　of　those　armies　in　which　he　felt　himself　worthy　to
resume　his　rank。　　Innumerable　applications　were　addressed　by　him　and　his
friends　to　the　head　of　the　Empire；　that　he　might　be　allowed　to　go　even　as
a　common　volunteer；　and　rejoin　his　former　comrades　with　his　knapsack　on
his　shoulder；　but　these　petitions　were　refused；　the　will　of　the　Emperor
was　inflexible；　and　to　each　new　application　he　only　replied；　〃Let　him
wait。〃　　The　inhabitants　of　Besancon；　who　considered　Colonel　Delelee　as
their　fellow…citizen；　interested　themselves　warmly　in　the　unmerited
misfortunes　of　this　brave　officer；　and　when　an　occasion　presented　itself
of　recommending　him　anew　to　the　clemency；　or　rather　to　the　justice；　of
the　Emperor；　they　availed　themselves　of　it。

It　was；　I　believe；　on　the　return　from　Prussia　and　Poland　that　from　all
parts　of　France　there　came　deputations　charged　with　congratulating　the
Emperor　upon　his　several　victories。　　Colonel　Delelee　was　unanimously
elected　member　of　the　deputation　of　Doubs；　of　which　the　mayor　and　prefect
of　Besancon　were　also　members；　and　of　which　the　respectable　Marshal
Moncey　was　president；　and　an　opportunity　was　thus　at　last　offered　Colonel
Delelee　of　procuring　the　removal　of　the　long　sentence　which　had　weighed
him　down　and　kept　his　sword　idle。　　He　could　speak　to　the　Emperor；　and
complain　respectfully；　but　with　dignity；　of　the　disgrace　in　which　he　had
been　so　long　kept　without　reason。　　He　could　render　thanks；　from　the
bottom　of　his　heart；　for　the　generous　affection　of　his　fellow…citizens；
whose　wishes；　he　hoped　would　plead　for　him　with　his　Majesty。

The　deputies　of　Besancon；　upon　their　arrival　at　Paris；　presented
themselves　to　the　different　ministers。　　The　minister　of　police　took　the
president　of　the　deputation　aside；　and　asked　him　the　meaning　of　the
presence　among　the　deputies　of　a　man　publicly　known　to　be　in　disgrace；
and　the　sight　of　whom　could　not　fail　to　be　disagreeable　to　the　chief　of
the　Empire。

Marshal　Moncey；　on　coming　out　from　this　private　interview；　pale　and
frightened；　entered　the　room　of　Colonel　Delelee：

〃My　friend；〃　said　he；　〃all　is　lost；　for　I　have　ascertained　at　the　bureau
that　they　are　still　hostile　to　you。　　If　the　Emperor　sees　you　among　us；　he
will　take　it　as　an　open　avowal　of　disregard　for　his　orders；　and　will　be
furious。〃

〃Ah；　well；　what　have　I　to　do　with　that？〃

〃But　in　order　to　avoid　compromising　the　department；　the　deputation；　and；
indeed；　in　order　to　avoid　compromising　yourself；　you　would　perhaps　do
well　〃the　Marshal　hesitated。　　〃I　will　do　well？〃　demanded　the　Colonel。

〃Perhaps　to　withdraw　without　making　any　display〃

Here　the　colonel　interrupted　the　president　of　the　deputation：　〃Marshal；
permit　me　to　decline　this　advice；　I　have　not　come　so　far　to　be
discouraged；　like　a　child；　before　the　first　obstacle。　　I　am　weary　of　a
disgrace　which　I　have　not　deserved；　and　still　more　weary　of　enforced
idleness。　　Let　the　Emperor　be　irritated　or　pleased；　he　shall　see　me；　let
him　order　me　to　be　shot；　if　he　wishes。　　I　do　not　count　worth　having　such
a　life　as　I　have　led　for　the　last　four　years。　　Nevertheless；　I　will　be
satisfied　with　whatever　my　colleagues；　the　deputies　of　Besancon；　shall
decide。〃

These　latter　did　not　disapprove　of　the　colonel's　resolution；　and　he
accompanied　them　to　the　Tuileries　on　the　day　of　the　solemn　reception　of
all　the　deputations　of　the　Empire。　　All　the　halls　of　the　Tuileries　were
packed　with　a　crowd　in　richly　embroidered　coats　and　brilliant　uniforms。
The　military　household　of　the　Emperor；　his　civil　household；　the　generals
present　at　Paris；　the　diplomatic　corps；　ministers　and　chiefs　of　the
different　administrations；　the　deputies　of　the　departments　with　their
prefects；　and　mayors　decorated　with　tricolored　scarfs；　were　all　assembled
in　numerous　groups；　and　conversed　in　a　low　tone　while　awaiting　the
arrival　of　his　Majesty。

In　one　of　these　groups　was　seen　a　tall　officer　dressed　in　a　very　simple
uniform；　cut　in　the　fashion　of　several　years　past。　　He　wore　neither　on
his　collar；　nor　even　on　his　breast　the　decoration　which　no　officer　of　his
grade　then　lacked。　　This　was　Colonel　Delelee。　　The　president　of　the
deputation　of　which　he　was　a　member　appeared　embarrassed　and　almost
distressed。　　Of　the　former　comrades　of　the　colonel；　very　few　dared　to
recognize　him；　and　the　boldest　gave　him　a　distant　nod　which　expressed　at
the　same　time　anxiety　and　pity；　while　the　more　prudent　did　not　even
glance　at　him。

As　for　him；　he　remained　unconcerned　and　resolute。

At　last　the　folding　doors　were　opened；　and　an　usher　cried　〃The　Emperor；
gentlemen。〃

The　groups　separated；　and　a　line　was　formed；　the　colonel　placing　himself
in　the　first　rank。

His　Majesty　commenced　his　tour　of　the　room；　welcoming　the　president　of
each　delegation　with　a　few　flattering　words。　　Arrived　before　the
delegation　from　Doubs；　the　Emperor；　having　addressed　a　few　words　to　the
brave　marshal　who　was　president；　was　about　to　pass　on　to　the　next；　when
his　eyes　fell　upon　an　officer　he　had　not　yet　seen。　　He　stopped　in
surprise；　and　addressed　to　the　deputy　his　familiar　inquiry；　〃Who　are
you？〃

〃Sire；　I　am　Colonel　Delelee；　former　aide…de…camp　of　General　Moreau。〃

These　words　were　pronounced　in　a　firm　voice；　which　resounded　in　the　midst
of　the　profound　silence　which　the　presence　of　the　sovereign　imposed。

The　Emperor　stepped　back；　and　fastened　both　eyes　on　the　colonel。　　The
latter　showed　no　emotion；　but　bowed　slightly。

Marshal　Moncey　was　pale　as　death。

The　Emperor　spoke。　　〃What　do　you　come　to　ask　here？〃

〃That　which　I　have　asked　for　many　years；　Sire：　that　your　Majesty　will
deign　to　tell　me　wherein　I　have　been　in　fault；　or　restore　to　me　my　rank。〃

Among　those　near　enough　to　hear　these　questions　and　replies；　few　could
breathe　freely。　　At　last　a　smile　half　opened　the　firmly　closed　lips　of
the　Emperor；　he　placed　his　finger　on　his　mouth；　and；　approaching　the
colonel；　said　to　him　in　a　softened　and　almost　friendly　tone；　〃You　have
reason　to　complain　a　little　of　that；　but　let　us　say　no　more　about　it；〃
and　continued　his　round。　　He　had　gone　ten　steps　from　the　group　formed　by
the　deputies　of　Bescancon；　when　he　came　back；　and；　stopping　before　the
colonel；　said；　〃Monsieur　Minister　of　War；　take　the　name　of　this　officer；
and　be　sure　to　remind　me　of　him。　　He　is　tired　of　doing　nothing；　and　we
will　give　him　occupation。〃

As　soon　as　the　audience　was　over；　the　struggle　was；　who　should　be　most
attentive　to　the　colonel。　　He　was　surrounded；　congratulated；　embraced；
and　pulled　about。　　Each　of　his　old　comrades　wished　to　carry　him　off；　and
his　hands　were　not　enough　to　grasp　all　those　extended　to　him。　　General
Savary；　who　that　very　evening　had　added　to　the　fright　of　Marshal　Moncey；
by　being　astonished　that　any　one　could　have　the　audacity　to　brave　the
Emperor；　extended　his　arm　over　the　shoulders　of　those　who　pressed　around
the　colonel；　and　shaking　his　hand　in　the　most　cordial　manner　possible；
〃Delelee；〃　cried　he；　〃do　not　forget　that　I　expect　you　to…morrow　to
breakfast。〃

Two　days　after　this　scene　at　court；　Colonel　Delelee　received　his
appointment　as　chief　of　staff　of　the　army　of　Portugal；　commanded　by　the
Duke　d'Abrantes。　　His　preparations　were　soon　made；　and　just　before
setting　out　he　had　a　last　interview　with　the　Emperor；　who　said　to　him；
〃Colonel；　I　know　that　it　is　useless　to　urge　you　to　make　up　for　lost　time。
In　a　little　while　I　hope　we　shall　both　be　satisfied　with　each　other。〃

On　coming　out　from　this　last　audience；　the　brave　Delelee　said　there　was
nothing　wanting　to　make　him　happy　except　a　good　opportunity　to　have
himself　cut　to　pieces　for　a　man　who　knew　so　well　how　to　close　the