This bearing was remarked at last by the emperor himself, for Colonel
D'Hubert, attached now to the Major-General's staff, came on several
occasions under the imperial eye. But it exasperated the higher strung
nature of Colonel Feraud. Passing through Magdeburg on service this last
allowed himself, while seated gloomily at dinner with the _Commandant
de Place_, to say of his lifelong adversary: "This man does not love
the emperor,"--and as his words were received in profound silence Colonel
Feraud, troubled in his conscience at the atrocity of the aspersion,
felt the need to back it up by a good argument. "I ought to know him,"
he said, adding some oaths. "One studies one's adversary. I have met him
on the ground half a dozen times, as all the army knows. What more do
you want? If that isn't opportunity enough for any fool to size up his
man, may the devil take me if I can tell what is." And he looked around
the table with sombre obstinacy.
Later on, in Paris, while feverishly busy reorganising his regiment,
Colonel Feraud learned that Colonel D'Hubert had been made a general. He
glared at his informant incredulously, then folded his arms and turned
away muttering:
"Nothing surprises me on the part of that man."
And aloud he added, speaking over his shoulder: "You would greatly
oblige me by telling General D'Hubert at the first opportunity that his
advancement saves him for a time from a pretty hot encounter. I was only
waiting for him to turn up here.
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