A winding path conducted the party down into the Fond de Givonne, an outskirt of the city lying between two hills, where the single village street, running north and south and sloping gently upward toward the forest, was lined with gardens and modest houses.  This street was just then so obstructed by flying soldiers that Lieutenant Rochas, with Pache, Lapoulle, and Gaude, found himself caught in the throng and unable for the moment to move in either direction.  Maurice and Jean had some difficulty in rejoining them; and all were surprised to hear themselves hailed by a husky, drunken voice, proceeding from the tavern on the corner, near which they were blockaded.

“My stars, if here ain’t the gang!  Hallo, boys, how are you?  My stars, I’m glad to see you!”

They turned, and recognized Chouteau, leaning from a window of the ground floor of the inn.  He seemed to be very drunk, and went on, interspersing his speech with hiccoughs: 

“Say, fellows, don’t stand on ceremony if you’re thirsty.  There’s enough left for the comrades.”  He turned unsteadily and called to someone who was invisible within the room:  “Come here, you lazybones.  Give these gentlemen something to drink—­”

Loubet appeared in turn, advancing with a flourish and holding aloft in either hand a full bottle, which he waved above his head triumphantly.  He was not so far gone as his companion; with his Parisian blague, imitating the nasal drawl of the coco-venders of the boulevards on a public holiday, he cried: 

“Here you are, nice and cool, nice and cool!  Who’ll have a drink?”

Nothing had been seen of the precious pair since they had vanished under pretense of taking Sergeant Sapin into the ambulance.  It was sufficiently evident that since then they had been strolling and seeing the sights, taking care to keep out of the way of the shells, until finally they had brought up at this inn that was given over to pillage.

Lieutenant Rochas was very angry.  “Wait a bit, you scoundrels, just wait, and I’ll attend to your case! deserting and getting drunk while the rest of your company were under fire!”

But Chouteau would have none of his reprimand.  “See here, you old lunatic, I want you to understand that the grade of lieutenant is abolished; we are all free and equal now.  Aren’t you satisfied with the basting the Prussians gave you to-day, or do you want some more?”

The others had to restrain the lieutenant to keep him from assaulting the socialist.  Loubet himself, dandling his bottles affectionately in his arms, did what he could to pour oil upon the troubled waters.

“Quit that, now! what’s the use quarreling, when all men are brothers!” And catching sight of Lapoulle and Pache, his companions in the squad:  “Don’t stand there like great gawks, you fellows!  Come in here and take something to wash the dust out of your throats.”

Lapoulle hesitated a moment, dimly conscious of the impropriety there was in the indulgence when so many poor devils were in such sore distress, but he was so knocked up with fatigue, so terribly hungry and thirsty!  He said not a word, but suddenly making up his mind, gave one bound and landed in the room, pushing before him Pache, who, equally silent, yielded to the temptation he had not strength to resist.  And they were seen no more.