The Merry Past 



stole from me last year. I have here," continued she, 

 laying her hand on her sabre, " an instrument pre- 

 sented me by the First Consul, which shall cut the 

 affair short." As she spoke very loud, her conversa- 

 tion was heard and applauded by the pit. 



Madame Langenois retained some of the stern 

 characteristics of a soldier, even when away from 

 her regiment. Travelling on one occasion in woman's 

 dress in a diligence, something rather strange about 

 her appearance caused some young men to seek to 

 amuse themselves at her expense, upon which she 

 declared they should soon be made to repent of 

 their behaviour. When the diligence stopped at 

 an inn for breakfast, she ordered her valise to be 

 taken upstairs, and in ten minutes returned, fully 

 accoutred in the regimentals of an officer of Dragoons, 

 with her sabre by her side, challenging in rather 

 severe expression the four young men to fight her, 

 one after another. She at the same time threw some 

 papers upon the table, saying : " Read these, you 

 who have never been under fire, and you will see 

 that, though a woman, I have made seven campaigns, 

 received nine wounds, and that at present, after 

 having left the army, I enjoy a pension of eight 

 hundred livres (;£34) bestowed on me by the First 

 Consul, as a reward for my services." 



Some of the other passengers interfering, and 

 those who had unintentionally offended her having 

 apologised, her good humour returned, and she 

 continued, for the remainder of the journey, a very 

 agreeable companion. 



285 



