honour, for we were placed at the saluting point, with
the Emperor and the carriages of the Court upon our
right.

It is years since I have been to a review, for I cannot
approve of many things which I have seen. I do not ap-
prove of the red breeches of the infantry. It was in
white breeches that the infantry used to fight. Red is
for the cavalry. A little more, and they would ask our
busbies and our spurs! Had I been seen at a review they
might well have said that I, Etienne Gerard, had con-
doned it. So I have stayed at home. But this
war of the Crimea is different. The men go to bat-
tle. It is not for me to be absent when brave men
gather.

My faith, they march well, those little infantrymen!
They are not large, but they are very solid and they
carry themselves well. I took off my hat to them as they
passed. Then there came the guns. They were good
guns, well horsed and well manned. I took off my hat
to them. Then came the Engineers, and to them also
I took off my hat. There are no braver men than the
Engineers. Then came the cavalry, Lancers, Cuiras-
siers, Chasseurs, and Spahis. To all of them in turn I
was able to take off my hat, save only to the Spa-

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