The next morning the 18th battalion of ‘chasseurs’, in dress uniform,
with knapsacks on their backs and fully armed, awaited in the Gare de
Lyon the moment to board the train destined to transport them to the
coast.
At a trumpet-call this movement was executed in silence, and in perfect
order; and only after all the men were installed did the functionaries
who kept the crowd in order take their own places in the carriages,
leaving a throng of relatives and friends jostling one another upon the
quay.
Fanny Dorville and her friend the duenna tried in vain to reach the
compartment wherein Henri had his place, already in marching order;
the presence of the Duc and the Duchesse de Montgeron prevented the two
women from approaching him. Nevertheless, at the moment when the train
began to move slowly out of the station, an employee found the means to
slip into the hands of the Marquis a small packet containing the little
fetich which his mistress had kept for him. It was a medallion of the
Holy Virgin, which had been blessed at Notre-Dame des-Victoires, and it
was attached to a long gold chain.
Thirty-six hours later, on the evening of the 26th of June, the
battalion embarked aboard the Imperial, which, with steam up, was due to
leave the Toulon roadstead at daybreak. At the moment of getting under
weigh, the officer in charge of the luggage, who was the last to leave
the shore, brought several despatches aboard the ship, and handed to
Lieutenant de Prerolles a telegram, which had been received the evening
before at the quay.
The Marquis opened it and read: “Chateau and lands sold for 1,450,000
francs. Everything paid, 1600 francs remain disposable.”
“That is to say,” thought the officer, sadly, “I have my pay and barely
three thousand francs’ income!”
Leaning both elbows upon the taffrail, he gazed long at the shores
of France, which appeared to fly toward the horizon; then, brusquely
turning his eyes to the quarters filled with the strong figures and
manly faces of the young foot-soldiers of the 18th battalion, he said
to himself that among such men, under whatever skies or at whatever
distance, one found his country--glancing aloft where floated above his
head the folds of his flag.