“For the first few months I played the conscript’s part—­that is to say, there was more stir than work; but with a good will one gets the better of stones, as of everything else.  I did not become, so to speak, the leader of a column, but I brought up the rank among the good workmen, and I ate my bread with a good appetite, seeing I had earned it with a good will.  For even underground, you see, I still kept my pride.  The thought that I was working to do my part in changing rocks into houses pleased my heart.  I said to myself, ’Courage, Chaufour, my old boy; you are helping to beautify your country.’  And that kept up my spirit.

“Unfortunately, some of my companions were rather too sensible to the charms of the brandy-bottle; so much so, that one day one of them, who could hardly distinguish his right hand from his left, thought proper to strike a light close to a charged mine.  The mine exploded suddenly, and sent a shower of stone grape among us, which killed three men, and carried away the arm of which I have now only the sleeve.”

“So you were again without means of living?” said I to the old soldier.

“That is to say, I had to change them,” replied he, quietly.  “The difficulty was to find one which would do with five fingers instead of ten; I found it, however.”

“How was that?”

“Among the Paris street-sweepers.”

“What! you have been one—­”

“Of the pioneers of the health force for a while, neighbor, and that was not my worst time either.  The corps of sweepers is not so low as it is dirty, I can tell you!  There are old actresses in it who could never learn to save their money, and ruined merchants from the exchange; we even had a professor of classics, who for a little drink would recite Latin to you, or Greek tragedies, as you chose.  They could not have competed for the Monthyon prize; but we excused faults on account of poverty, and cheered our poverty by our good-humor and jokes.  I was as ragged and as cheerful as the rest, while trying to be something better.  Even in the mire of the gutter I preserved my faith that nothing is dishonorable which is useful to our country.

“‘Chaufour,’ said I to myself with a smile, ’after the sword, the hammer; after the hammer, the broom; you are going downstairs, my old boy, but you are still serving your country.’”

“‘However, you ended by leaving your new profession?’ said I.”

“A reform was required, neighbor.  The street-sweepers seldom have their feet dry, and the damp at last made the wounds in my good leg open again.  I could no longer follow the regiment, and it was necessary to lay down my arms.  It is now two months since I left off working in the sanitary department of Paris.