Something like a breath of violets shook the tenderest chords of his heart.
Alice stood firmly, a statue of triumph, her right arm outstretched, holding the flag high above Hamilton's head; and close by her side the little hunchback Jean was posed in his most characteristic attitude, gazing at the banner which he himself had stolen and kept hidden for Alice's sake, and because he loved it.
There was a dead silence for some moments, during which Hamilton's face showed that he was ready to collapse; then the keen voice of Oncle Jazon broke forth: "Vive Zhorzh Vasinton! Vim la banniere d'Alice Roussillon!" He sprang to the middle of the area and flung his old cap high in air, with a shrill war-whoop.
"H'ist it! h'ist it! hissez la banniere de Mademoiselle Alice Roussillon! Voila, que c'est glorieuse, cette banniere la! H'ist it! h'ist it!" He was dancing with a rickety liveliness, his goatish legs and shriveled body giving him the look of an emaciated satyr.
Clark had been told by some of his creole officers the story of how Alice raised the flag when Helm took the fort, and how she snatched it from Hamilton's hand, as it were, and would not give it up when he demanded it.

The whole situation pretty soon began to explain itself, as he saw what Alice was doing.

Then he heard her say to Hamilton, while she slowly swayed the rippling flag back and forth: "I said, as you will remember, Monsieur le Gouverneur, that when you next should see this flag, I should wave it over your head.

Well, look, I am waving it! Vive la republique! Vive George Washington! What do you think of it, Monsieur le Gouverneur ?" The poor little hunchback Jean took off his cap and tossed it in rhythmical emphasis, keeping time to her words.
And now from behind the hollow square came a mighty voice: "C'est moi, Gaspard Roussillon; me voici, messieurs!" There was a spirit in the air which caught from Alice a thrill of romantic energy.

The men in the ranks and the officers in front of them felt a wave of irresistible sympathy sweep through their hearts.