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to slip along in the dark as a merchant vessel。
Pontmercy had the colors hoisted to the peak； and sailed proudly past under the guns of the British frigates。 Twenty leagues further on； his audacity having increased； he attacked with his pinnace； and captured a large English transport which was carrying troops to Sicily； and which was so loaded down with men and horses that the vessel was sunk to the level of the sea。 In 1805 he was in that Malher division which took Gunzberg from the Archduke Ferdinand。
At Weltingen he received into his arms； beneath a storm of bullets； Colonel Maupetit； mortally wounded at the head of the 9th Dragoons。
He distinguished himself at Austerlitz in that admirable march in echelons effected under the enemy's fire。 When the cavalry of the Imperial Russian Guard crushed a battalion of the 4th of the line； Pontmercy was one of those who took their revenge and overthrew the Guard。
The Emperor gave him the cross。 Pontmercy saw Wurmser at Mantua； Melas； and Alexandria； Mack at Ulm； made prisoners in succession。
He formed a part of the eighth corps of the grand army which Mortier manded； and which captured Hamburg。 Then he was transferred to the 55th of the line； which was the old regiment of Flanders。
At Eylau he was in the cemetery where； for the space of two hours； the heroic Captain Louis Hugo； the uncle of the author of this book； sustained alone with his pany of eighty…three men every effort of the hostile army。 Pontmercy was one of the three who emerged alive from that cemetery。 He was at Friedland。
Then he saw Moscow。
Then La Beresina； then Lutzen； Bautzen； Dresden； Wachau； Leipzig； and the defiles of Gelenhausen； then Montmirail； Chateau…Thierry； Craon； the banks of the Marne； the banks of the Aisne； and the redoubtable position of Laon。 At Arnay…Le…Duc； being then a captain； he put ten Cossacks to the sword； and saved； not his general； but his corporal。
He was well slashed up on this occasion； and twenty…seven splinters were extracted from his left arm alone。
Eight days before the capitulation of Paris he had just exchanged with a rade and entered the cavalry。 He had what was called under the old regime； the double hand； that is to say； an equal aptitude for handling the sabre or the musket as a soldier； or a squadron or a battalion as an officer。
It is from this aptitude； perfected by a military education； which certain special branches of the service arise； the dragoons； for example； who are both cavalry…men and infantry at one and the same time。 He acpanied Napoleon to the Island of Elba。
At Waterloo； he was chief of a squadron of cuirassiers； in Dubois' brigade。
It was he who captured the standard of the Lunenburg battalion。
He came and cast the flag at the Emperor's feet。
He was covered with blood。 While tearing down the banner he had received a sword…cut across his face。
The Emperor； greatly pleased； shouted to him：
〃You are a colonel； you are a baron； you are an officer of the Legion of Honor！〃 Pontmercy replied：
〃Sire； I thank you for my widow。〃
An hour later； he fell in the ravine of Ohain。
Now； who was this Georges Pontmercy？ He was this same 〃brigand of the Loire。〃
We have already seen something of his history。
After Waterloo； Pontmercy； who had been pulled out of the hollow road of Ohain； as it will be remembered； had succeeded in joining the army； and had dragged himself from ambulance to ambulance as far as the cantonments of the Loire。
The Restoration had placed him on half…pay； then had sent him into residence； that is to say； under surveillance； at Vernon。 King Louis XVIII。； regarding all that which had taken place during the Hundred Days as not having occurred at all； did not recognize his quality as an officer of the Legion of Honor； nor his grade of colonel； nor his title of baron。
He； on his side； neglected no occasion of signing himself 〃Colonel Baron Pontmercy。〃 He had only an old blue coat； and he never went out without fastening to it his rosette as an officer of the Legion of Honor。 The Attorney for the Crown had him warned that the authorities would prosecute him for 〃illegal〃 wearing of this decoration。 When this notice was conveyed to him through an officious intermediary； Pontmercy retorted with a bitter smile：
〃I do not know whether I no longer understand French； or whether you no longer speak it； but the fact is that I do not understand。〃
Then he went out for eight successive days with his rosette。
They dared not interfere with him。 Two or three times the Minister of War and the general in mand of the department wrote to him with the following address： A Monsieur le mandant Pontmercy。〃
He sent back the letters with the seals unbroken。
At the same moment； Napoleon at Saint Helena was treating in the same fashion the missives of Sir Hudson Lowe addressed to General Bonaparte。
Pontmercy had ended； may we be pardoned the expression； by having in his mouth the same saliva as his Emperor。
In the same way； there were at Rome Carthaginian prisoners who refused to salute Flaminius； and who had a little of Hannibal's spirit。
One day he encountered the district…attorney in one of the streets of Vernon； stepped up to him； and said：
〃Mr。 Crown Attorney； am I permitted to wear my scar？〃
He had nothing save his meagre half…pay as chief of squadron。 He had hired the smallest house which he could find at Vernon。 He lived there alone； we have just seen how。
Under the Empire； between two wars； he had found time to marry Mademoiselle Gillenormand。 The old bourgeois； thoroughly indignant at bottom； had given his consent with a sigh； saying：
〃The greatest families are forced into it。〃 In 1815； Madame Pontmercy； an admirable woman in every sense； by the way； lofty in sentiment and rare； and worthy of her husband； died； leaving a child。
This child had been the colonel's joy in his solitude； but the grandfather had imperatively claimed his grandson； declaring that if the child were not given to him he would disinherit him。
The father had yielded in the little one's interest； and had transferred his lo