He recollected, with a burn on his cheeks, a sacrilege of his raw and eager youth, some twelve years since; he had forgotten to take off his hat.

Never would he forget the embarrassment of that moment when the attendant peremptorily bade him remove it.

He, to have forgotten! He, who held Napoleon above all heroes! The shame of it! To-day many old soldiers were gathered meditatively round the heavy circular railing.

They were always drawn hither on memorable anniversaries.

Their sires and grandsires had carried some of those tattered flags, had won them.