He had no alternative but to mingle with his comrades, and, for exercise, to walk with them up and down a spacious hall.

Napoleon, weary of this monotonous promenade, told his comrades that he thought they might amuse themselves much better with the snow, in the great courtyard, if they would get shovels and make hornworks, dig trenches, raise parapets, cavaliers, etc.

"This being done," said he, "we may divide ourselves into sections, form a siege, and I will undertake to direct the attacks." The proposal, which was received with enthusiasm, was immediately put into execution.

This little sham war was carried on for the space of a fortnight, and did not cease until a quantity of gravel and small stones having got mixed with the snow of which we made our bullets, many of the combatants, besiegers as well as besieged, were seriously wounded.

I well remember that I was one of the worst sufferers from this sort of grapeshot fire.
It is almost unnecessary to contradict the story about the ascent in the balloon.