As soon as the marshal had ridden off, his officers pressed round
him, but before speaking to them individually Hector said a few
words to the men, thanking them for the greeting they had given
him, and saying that he was glad indeed to be back among them.
Then he talked for a time to the officers, two or three of whom,
after saying a few words apart to Captain de Thiou, had hurried
away. Half an hour later de Thiou said:

"I have no doubt that you will be glad of supper, colonel. Ours
is just prepared, and we hope that you will join us."

"I am hungry, de Thiou, now I come to think of it, for except a
crust of bread this morning I have not touched anything today."

"It is fortunate that we are better off than usual," de Thiou said.
"We had the luck to buy a pig from one of Weimar's troopers. The
cavalry get the best of it, for though there are orders against
pillaging, there is no doubt that a good deal of it goes on;
and, marching as we have been, there is no one to see that orders
are strictly carried out. However, we have benefited by it this
afternoon."

Accompanying de Thiou, Hector was surprised to find that at a short
distance in front of the spot where the regiment was bivouacked
a large arbour had been erected.

"I did not notice this as I rode in," he said.

"It was not even thought of then, colonel; it was begun a few minutes
after you rode up, and the men have worked right willingly, and