In June we began "squadron school," and were drilled on the manoeuvring
ground with our respective squadrons. It was only then that all the
officers attended the drill, for the training of the _peloton_ had
been left almost entirely to the Sergeants. By this time we might
be regarded as trained troopers, and, indeed, in time of war the
_Volontaires_ would have been quite fit to act as Sergeants, although
it did not seem to be the aim of the French military authorities
to use the _Volontaires_ as such, in the reserve, in case of war.
All the reserve men had their own Sergeants already, and it was
therefore difficult to understand why so much of our time was wasted
in giving us a military education far superior to that of the average
non-commissioned officer.
Since we had begun to see less of Sergeant Legros I had not been
incessantly punished as I had been when we were constantly under his
orders, and I almost dared to hope that I should be able to finish my
time without getting further acquainted with the _Salle de Police_.
However, it was not so to be. One Sunday morning at six o'clock a
Corporal, who was on weekly duty, came to me and asked me to let him
have five francs, adding that if I gave him the money he would not send
me down to clean the stables. I gave him the money, but half an hour
later he came and asked me for more. He had no time to press me hard,
as he was called away by the Sergeant, but, as soon as the latter had
done with him, he came back just as I was going down to stables. He was
already drunk, and said he wanted another five francs. I absolutely
declined to give him the money, pointing out that as he was on duty
that day he would be severely punished for getting drunk, and I might
also get punished for having supplied him with money. This put him in
a frightful rage, and he asked me if I took him for a fool. I told him
that it didn't matter whether I took him for a fool or not, but that he
knew perfectly well that he made a fool of himself when he was drunk.
"All right," he said; "you will have two days' _Salle de Police_ for
having called me a fool. By the way," he added, "Lemaire is sick, and
you will have to take the guard for him."
I remonstrated, explaining that I had taken the guard the previous
week, and that it could not therefore be my turn to take the guard,
even to replace a sick man.
"You refuse to obey the orders of the Corporals?"
"Of course I don't refuse," I said, knowing well that in his state of
mind he might, upon the least provocation, report me as having refused
to obey orders, and this would have meant a court-martial, and most
likely a sentence of several years' hard labour.
"Well, get ready then," said the Corporal.
"I want to go and talk to the Sergeant-major first," I replied.
"No you don't," he said, standing in front of me.
Of course I could not lay hands on him, for, as I have already
explained, the slightest assault on any man holding a rank superior to
one's own was invariably punished with _death_. I therefore proceeded
to get my things ready, well knowing, however, that it was physically
impossible for me to get my kit into proper order for parade upon so
short a notice. Soon after, the Corporal having reeled away, I went to
the Sergeant-major's room, but there I found only his orderly, who told
me to my utter dismay that the Sergeant-major had gone the previous
evening on twenty-four hours' leave. I therefore walked down to the
stables in order to find the Sergeant of the Week. On my way, however,
I fell foul of the Corporal, who asked me where I was going.
"I am going to speak to the Sergeant of the Week," I said.
"No you don't," he replied; "you just walk back with me."
"I am going to the Sergeant of the Week," I repeated.
"You refuse to obey orders then?" asked the Corporal.
"No, but I am going to the Sergeant of the Week."
"By God," he said, "if you don't follow me to the room at once I will
go straight to the Captain of the Week and report you for having
refused to obey orders."
Of course I had no alternative but to follow the Corporal, and I had
to dress anyhow in order to be ready in time for the parade of the
guard. The leather tops of my trousers were not properly polished, my
sword and carbine were not spick and span as they ought to have been
for parade, and the brass work of my helmet was a trifle tarnished, for
it had not been cleaned since the previous afternoon. As it was, I had
to run to join the other troopers on parade, and when I got there the
command "Attention" had already been given. Captain des Tourelles was
Captain of the Week, and the moment he caught sight of me he ordered me
to come to him.
"You are late," he said.
"Captain," I replied, "the reason of it is----"
"Shut up!" he interrupted; "don't answer me--you are filthy, you
dirty beast!" He then began to examine my buttons, my sword, my
helmet, my carbine, muttering the whole time, "Swine, swine. You are a
_Volontaire_, I think, and you come here late, and as filthy as a pig!
You shall have four days' _Salle de Police_."
"But--sir----" I ejaculated.
"You dare answer me! You shall have four days more. Step back into the
ranks!"
After we had been paraded and dismissed to the guardroom, I went to
the Sergeant of the Guard to explain my case. This man was of low
extraction, a peasant, in fact, who had been promoted to the rank of
Sergeant merely on account of his undoubted severity. (He had once
sent a man before the court-martial for refusing to obey him, and the
poor trooper was sentenced to two years' hard labour.) This would seem
to constitute a poor qualification for promotion, but, in many French
regiments, it is notorious that a Corporal who sends a man before a
court-martial is almost certain to be rewarded for his harshness. The
Sergeant took very little interest in what I told him, and said it was
no business of his, and that I had better speak to the Sergeant-major
about it. The following day, when I left the guard, I went to see my
Sergeant-major, but, unfortunately for me, he had obtained a two days'
extension of leave, and the Sergeant _fourrier_, who was acting in his
stead, told me that my punishment had already appeared on the report,
and had been forwarded to the Colonel.
"Very well then," I said, losing my temper, "I shall go and complain to
the Colonel," and I asked him to transmit my application to see that
officer. He strongly urged me not to do so, assuring me that I should
get no redress, but I was obstinate, and my demand was duly forwarded
through the usual channels.
At noon the Sergeant _fourrier_ showed me a copy of the Colonel's
orders for the day. "You have got it pretty hot," he said, and he
showed me the passage of the Colonel's decision referring to my case.
To my dismay I read the following:
"The punishments inflicted on Trooper Decle by Corporal Armand and by
Captain des Tourelles are altered to twenty days' _Salle de Police_."
I had, therefore, to sleep in the cells that night, and the Sergeant
told me that the answer to my application to see the Colonel would
probably appear in the following day's regimental orders. I did not
see Sergeant Legros until the following day, for, as I have explained
before, troopers who have taken the guard are exempt from duty for
four and twenty hours. The next morning, however, when we went to
schoolroom, Legros called me.
"So you have been at your tricks once more, eh, Decle?" he said.
I told him exactly what had occurred, but he only shrugged his
shoulders.
"Serves you right!" he said. "You _Volontaires_ get into the habit of
throwing your money right and left, and if you hadn't begun by tipping
the Corporal all this wouldn't have happened."
In the regimental orders of the day the Colonel stated that the
application of Trooper Decle to see him was granted, and that the said
Trooper Decle would have to be at his house at 1 P.M. the next day.
I therefore got Titi and my other orderly to clean my clothes and my
equipment with the utmost care, and at one o'clock sharp I proceeded to
the Colonel's house. I was received by one of his orderlies, who took
me to the kitchen. He went to inform the Colonel that I was there, and
returned saying that the Colonel had sent word that I must wait. The
cook very graciously offered me a cup of coffee, and during the good
three-quarters of an hour that I had to wait she related to me the
details of her family history, telling me that she had already saved
£20, which would make a nice little dowry when she got married, and
also suggesting that I should take her out for a walk next Sunday. (I
could only politely express my regret at being unable to do this, as I
was undergoing punishment.) She further told me that she did not care
much for her place, as "_la Colonelle_"[42] was too close-fisted, and
there was not enough _grattage_ (perquisites) in the place. At the end
of three-quarters of an hour the Colonel's orderly told me to walk
upstairs, and showed me into a study where the Colonel was writing at
a desk, in regimental trousers, a pair of slippers, and a black alpaca
coat. He did not turn round, and I stood, helmet in hand, near the
door. I had quite forgotten the regulations, and, finding myself in
polite society, I had instinctively uncovered. Just as I remembered
that I ought to keep my helmet on, and was replacing it, the Colonel,
hearing me move, turned his head round.
"What are you fiddling about with your helmet for?" he asked. "Stand
still, will you?" and he went on writing. Ten minutes later he ordered
me to come forward. I saluted and stood at attention.
"Take off your helmet," said the Colonel.
I took it off.
"Your hair is too long, you will have to get it cut; and you will soon
get a court-martial if you go on like that. Put on your helmet. What do
you want?"
"Sir," I began, "I have been punished----"
"Punished!" he exclaimed. "Yes, you are always punished. You are the
worst trooper in my regiment. We don't want men like you in the French
army. What do you want?"
"Sir," I once more began, "I have been punished by Corporal----"
"I know it," he replied, waxing quite angry. "I told you so before, you
are always punished--always punished. If it is to tell me that you have
come here, you might have stopped at the barracks. Why the deuce don't
you tell me what you want? Do you think I am standing here at your
orders?"
"If you will allow me to explain, sir," I replied, "I will tell you why
and how I have been punished."
"I don't want to know anything about it," said the Colonel, in an angry
voice. "Let me see, how many days have you got?"
"Twenty days, sir," I said.
"Have you finished your punishment?"
"No, sir, I have only done two days so far."
"And you dare to come and complain to me! But I ought not to be
astonished--for cool cheek and impudence you haven't your equal. Go
back to barracks and tell the _Adjudant_ to put you down ten days more
for having made an unjustified complaint. That's all--look sharp!"
I saluted, and as I was walking towards the door the Colonel added:
"I will teach you not to come and bother me in future." On my way to
barracks I thought of the advice the Sergeant _fourrier_ had given me,
and I felt distinctly sorry that I had not followed it.
At the end of ten days I began to be so exhausted by sleepless nights
and the hard physical work we had now to do that I began to feel
seriously ill. I also had a relapse of sore throat accompanied with
fever, undoubtedly due to all lack of sanitary precautions in the
_Salle de Police_. Since the warm weather had come, to the other
horrors of the place another was added. Fleas and lice came through the
boards by thousands, and our rooms were infested with vermin. I went to
the medical visit, and the doctor found me so seriously ill that he had
to send me to the hospital, promising at the same time that he would
do his best to try and get me invalided. A fortnight later he proposed
me for _invalidation_, but the Special Commission before whom I was
examined refused to invalid me, but consented to allow me two months'
sick leave. I was kept a week longer in hospital, and at the end of
that time left the regiment for two months. This interval of respite I
spent in Switzerland, where I did a good deal of mountain climbing.
I can hardly describe my feelings when I had to return to my regiment
and to go back to slavery. When I rejoined my corps I found but a few
men in barracks, as the regiment was away at the manoeuvres. The fifth
squadron alone, which forms the depôt, was left in barracks, and there
also remained a few troopers in each squadron, mostly sick men, who
were to look after the chargers which had been left behind as unfit
for hard work in the field. I tried my best to get permission to join
my regiment, but this was not granted me; on the other hand, the Major
in command of the depôt, who was acting as Colonel in the absence of
the regiment, selected me to train some of the young horses which had
proved refractory. This is the only good time I had as a trooper. I
was particularly fond of the work, being allowed to ride whenever I
liked, and having permission to use my own hunting-saddle. I had six
horses to train, so that I was in the saddle almost the whole day, and
had no one to bully me.
When the regiment returned, the _Volontaires_ were once more put
together, and prepared for their final examination, which was to take
place in the middle of October. On their return from the manoeuvres the
troopers who had completed their five years' service left for their
homes amidst great rejoicings. Shortly after the departure of the
time-expired men (_la classe_) a good many of those who had remained
behind broke away from the regiment, but most of them returned before
the expiration of six days, the law being that after six days' time
a trooper absent without leave becomes a deserter, and is tried by
court-martial, the sentence passed on him ranging from one to three
years' hard labour. Those who absented themselves for less than six
days were punished with fifteen days' prison by the Colonel, but after
some time so many troopers absconded in that way, that, in order to put
a stop to the practice, the Colonel promised that any man absenting
himself without leave in future would get thirty days' prison, and
that all the troopers belonging to his company would be confined to
barracks for thirty days also. Notwithstanding this, one trooper, who
had twice absconded within the last four months, ran away once more,
and the troopers of his company were duly consigned to barracks during
thirty days. When the fellow returned at the end of the fifth day, his
comrades, infuriated by the punishment they had received through his
misconduct, determined to punish him on their own account, and the
Lieutenant in command of the _peloton_, when he heard of this, secretly
consented to the plan. When the trooper returned, the Lieutenant
ordered that before he was taken to prison he was to be sent to the
room "to change his clothes." The moment he entered he was seized by
the other troopers, tied face downwards on to a table, and every one
of the twenty-four troopers of the company filed past him, each one
dealing him a sharp blow with the buckle end of his charger's girth.
He was then untied, and led to the riding-school, where a blanket was
in readiness. In this blanket were placed sundry wooden clogs, besides
platters and a scabbard or two. The blanket was then held all round
by the defaulter's comrades, and he was chucked into it, and sent
flying high up into the air perhaps a dozen times. I witnessed the
punishment, and wondered how the poor fellow, after being sent flying
more than fifteen feet into the air, and then dropping amidst a shower
of scabbards, clogs, and platters, back into the blanket, was not
killed outright. When the punishment had come to an end the trooper
was marched to the prison, or, rather, supported thither. On the way
he met his Lieutenant and complained bitterly of the treatment he had
received, but the officer merely told him that he had fully deserved
all he had got. The following day he was so bruised and shaken that
he could not rise, and he asked for a doctor. The latter went to see
him, but declined to do anything for him, merely relieving him from
punishment drill during the next couple of days.
At that time there were from twelve to fourteen troopers in prison, so
that a _peloton de chasse_ (punishment company) was organised, under
the orders of a certain Sergeant de Cormet, who enjoyed the reputation
of being the most severe Sergeant of the whole regiment. An episode
which occurred during the previous winter may be quoted as an example
of his method. It was bitterly cold, and he was drilling the prisoners,
making them do the sword exercise and keeping the troopers for five or
ten minutes in the same position. He had ordered the second position
of the "_coup de sabre vers la droite_," which consists in holding
the sword extended to the right at arm's length; at the end of a few
minutes the troopers became so tired that none of them were able to
hold their bodies straight, and had to put their left shoulders down,
and let the points of their swords drop. De Cormet, as usual, walked
behind them, coolly saying, "Trooper Gabier, four days more for not
holding yourself straight; Trooper Chirac, your sword is not straight,
you will have two days more," and so on. All of a sudden one of the
prisoners, a poor weak fellow, said to him:
"Sergeant, my hands are frozen; will you allow me to blow in them for
one minute? I can't hold my sword any longer."
"Four days for speaking in the ranks," answered Cormet, in his
monotonous voice.
The trooper's fingers were as white as wax, and he soon repeated his
request with a similar result. At last, unable to stand the pain any
longer, the trooper put his sword under his arm and blew on his fingers.
"Hold your sword in position at once," said the Sergeant; "I shall
report you to the Colonel."
"But, Sergeant, I can't," cried the trooper.
"You refuse to obey?" said the Sergeant.
"I can't, I can't," said the trooper, sobbing with pain, and at the
same time trying to grasp his sword, but finding himself unable to
close his benumbed fingers.
Again the Sergeant ordered him to hold his sword out, but the man burst
into tears, and once more sobbed, "I can't, I can't!" Thereupon the
Sergeant commanded another prisoner to carry the sword, and calling out
to one of the troopers on guard, ordered him to fetch the Corporal,
and when the latter came he had the poor fellow conveyed to the cells,
and reported him for refusal to obey orders. The trooper was therefore
tried by court-martial, and sentenced to _two years' hard labour_! I
little dreamt at the time that the day would come when, as will be seen
presently, I would have the misfortune to be placed in the power of
this fiend.
As the day fixed for our final examination approached we were all
busy looking through our various books in order to be well up to the
subjects in which we were to be examined. Our Sergeant chiefly made us
practise to give the word of command; and when one of us was placed
in command of the company, he had, before ordering any movement, to
explain fully the way in which such movement ought to be executed. In
fact, we were taught to act as Sergeants. At last the great day came.
The subjects on which we were to be examined were these:
Dismounted drill, and command.
Hippology.
_Voltige._
Gymnastics.
Topography.
Knowledge of regulations in barracks and in the field.
Riding.
Mounted drill, and command.
The maximum number of marks which could be gained for each subject
was twenty. We were examined by a Board of Officers, consisting of a
Major, the Captain _instructeur_, our own Captain, and one Lieutenant.
The order in which we were called was settled according to the numbers
under which we had been enrolled, so that I came third on the list of
troopers; the three _Volontaires_ who had been made Corporals coming of
course before the others. The first subject on which we were examined
was dismounted drill. (The Corporals could select their own subject, so
that their examination was merely nominal.) The two _Volontaires_ who
were examined before me were told to explain the mere rudiments of the
subject, but when my turn came I was ordered to explain and command the
most difficult manoeuvres. I did this with credit to myself, and I was
further ordered to command sword drill; this I also did well, and I was
then sent back to the ranks. With the exception of three or four of the
_Volontaires_, who bungled most frightfully in explaining the simplest
movements, all of us knew our work thoroughly well. We were then taken
to the riding-school and examined on Hippology; only four or five of
us knew anything about this, and d'Alvarez, who was a Corporal, knew
so little about the subject that the Lieutenant had to prompt all his
answers.
We were then dismissed for breakfast, and were told to return at
eleven o'clock to the riding-school to be examined on _voltige_ and
gymnastics. We were hardly given a chance to show what we could do,
however, as the officers were anxious to go and have luncheon. When
they returned at 3 P.M. we were taken to the schoolroom, where our
proficiency in topography was put to the test. I have never seen
anything more ridiculous than this part of the examination, for with
the exception of the Captain _instructeur_, the officers seemed to know
very little about the subject, and most of the _Volontaires_ knew still
less. We were closely examined on all questions dealing with the duties
of Sergeants and Corporals, in barracks and in the field, and, although
the officers who examined us tried their best to put me wrong, I showed
myself quite proficient, which evidently disconcerted the officers,
as I heard them whispering, "We must give him good marks, but it's a
nuisance, you know."
"We shall find a way," replied my Captain. I did not realise then what
this meant, but I understood it quite soon enough.
This part of the examination over, we were dismissed for the day, and
ordered to be ready for mounted drill, with full kit, the next morning
at 8 A.M. At the appointed time, the officers who had examined us the
previous day turned up at the barracks, and accompanied by a trumpeter
we started for the manoeuvring ground.
We had first to ride individually at various paces, and were then
ordered to go over the jumps. Very little notice was taken of our
riding, and while this went on the officers chatted together, hardly
bestowing a glance on us.
After this we had, each in turn, to take command of the _peloton_, and
to explain and command various evolutions according to the officer's
orders. I was successful in all the various manoeuvres I was ordered to
command; but many of the others made a sad mess of it, especially when
they had to wheel their company round, take it at a gallop to a certain
point, and then return so as to march past in fours before the Major.
Miscalculation of distances was the commonest source of error. The
examination over, we were marched back to barracks, and in the evening
my Sergeant-major told me that he had seen the marks, and that I was
among the first half. I expressed my delight, but he said warmly:
"Don't crow yet, my boy; they mean to keep you a second year, and they
will find a way to do it."
I was thunderstruck, for I never thought, for an instant, of such a
contingency. I told the Sergeant-major that it would be monstrous,
considering that I had proved my proficiency.
"Take my warning," he said, "and don't be astonished if they keep you
another year."
De Lanoy, to whom I went, then said that he did not think that the
Colonel could possibly keep me, as he would have to keep a good many
others who were below me in proficiency if he did so.
It was, therefore, with a beating heart that, on the following day, I
stood on parade, awaiting the result of the examination, which was to
be proclaimed to us by our Captain, who had prepared a little speech
for the occasion.
"I have to congratulate you," he said, "on your proficiency, which is
due to the untiring efforts of Sergeant Legros, whom I hope soon to see
duly rewarded. With the exception of two or three of you, I have never
had a better or more intelligent set of troopers under my orders. Now I
will, before reading out to you the result of the examination, explain
how it has been arrived at. The maximum of marks allotted for each
subject is twenty, and the number of marks gained by each candidate is
multiplied by a coefficient fixed according to the relative importance
of the subject." He then read out to us the various coefficients
(which will be found farther on). "In your previous examinations,"
he went on, "we did not reckon good conduct, but this being a final
examination, and the submission of each trooper to discipline being a
matter of such paramount importance, the Colonel has decided to give it
due prominence, and has, therefore fixed the coefficient at the figure
of fifty, which makes altogether the maximum number of marks to be
gained 2000. I am glad to add that many of you have obtained more than
three-quarters of the possible number of marks, and this, I say once
more, is entirely due to the efforts of your able Sergeant."
The Captain then read out the list. At the head of it stood the names
of the three _Volontaires_ who had been previously appointed Corporals,
the first being d'Alvarez. This made us smile, for, though we all liked
him, we knew perfectly well, that if it had not been for the influence
of his family, he would have ranked near the end of the list. The
two other Corporals had worked hard since their promotion, and fully
deserved their position. The Captain, however, continued to read out
name after name, and yet mine had not been reached. I became more and
more alarmed, and I turned cold when it came at last, at the very end
of the list, with 633 marks only, while the man before me, one of the
most vulgar, ignorant, and stupid fellows I ever met, had 1027. All the
others looked at me, and felt in their hearts that a gross injustice
had been committed.
I was aroused from my thoughts by the Captain's voice:
"Decle," he said, "I am sorry to have to communicate bad news to you;
but the Colonel, after due consideration, has decided that, having
regard to the too small amount of marks you have obtained--you see you
are the only one who has less than half of the possible maximum--the
Colonel, I repeat, has decided that you shall be kept back to complete
your military education. I am sorry for you, but it cannot be helped.
As to the others, those who are already Corporals will be promoted to
the rank of Sergeant, and the next three on the list are promoted to
the rank of Corporal."
Thereupon he dismissed us. I went to him, and begged and implored him
to ask the Colonel to reconsider his decision, but he replied that I
was merely wasting my time and his.
The blow had fallen, and I felt like a madman! The first thing I
did was to obtain a copy of the list, which was posted up in the
schoolroom. I then saw how the trick had been played. A few words of
explanation will make the device clear.
The result of the examination, so far as I was concerned, was as
follows:
+-----------------------------+--------------+------------+---------+
| |Co-efficients.| My Marks. | Totals. |
+-----------------------------+--------------+------------+---------+
|Dismounted drill and command | 8 | 13 | 104 |
|Hippology | 5 | 16 | 80 |
|Voltige | 6 | 12 | 72 |
|Gymnastics | 5 | 10 | 50 |
|Topography | 5 | 9 | 45 |
|Knowledge of regulations | 6 | 10 | 60 |
|Riding | 7 | 18 | 126 |
|Mounted drill and command | 8 | 12 | 96 |
| | | +---------+
| Grand total | | | 633 |
+-----------------------------+--------------+------------+---------+
The highest marks obtained out of a possible 1000 were 816, the lowest
marks (given to the _Volontaire_ next to me on the list) were 177. By
the actual marks obtained I ought to have been classed the fifth out
of fourteen, but as the examiners were determined that I should be the
last on the list, the following plan was devised:--
"Good conduct" was added to the other items, and a coefficient of no
less than fifty was allotted to it. With the exception of two other
_Volontaires_ besides myself, twenty marks were given to every one
for good conduct, thus increasing their totals by _one thousand_! The
_Volontaire_ who was last but one was given seventeen marks for good
conduct, and this, multiplied by fifty, made 850 to be added on to his
beggarly 177, giving him a total of 1027 marks. I was given nothing
for good conduct, so that I remained with my original 633 marks, and
was thus classed last. The regulations stated that _Volontaires_, who
at the end of the year had failed to show a proficiency sufficient to
enable them to obtain a number of marks at least equal to half the
possible maximum at the final examination might be detained for a
second year--I was therefore detained _according to the regulations_!
It was with an almost broken heart that I bade good-bye to all
my comrades, and when I watched the train which took them away
disappearing in the distance, I felt like a marooned stowaway who
watches the departing ship sink below the horizon. When they had gone
I went to my room at the hotel, seriously debating whether I should
desert or else shoot myself. That I did neither remains a source of
wonder to me.
FOOTNOTE:
[42] It is customary in France to designate the wives of superior
officers and officials by their husbands' titles; even in good society
people will speak of La Générale, La Colonelle, La Commandante, la
Préfete, La Sous-préfete, and so on.