Read "The Blockade of Phalsburg" by Erckmann-Chatrian online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
The next day we must answer to the call before the mayoralty. All the children in town surrounded us and whistled. Fortunately, the blindages of the Place d'Armes were not finished, so that we went to learn our exercises in the large court of the college, near the _chemin de ronde_ at the corner of the powder-house. As the pupils had been dismissed for some time, the place was at liberty.
Imagine to yourself this large court filled with citizens in bonnets, coats, cloaks, vests, and breeches, obliged to obey the orders of their former tinkers, chimney-sweeps, stable-boys, now turned into corporals, sergeants, and sergeant-majors. Imagine these peaceable men, in fours, in sixes, in tens, stretching out their legs in concert, and marching to the step, "One -- _two_! One -- _two_! Halt! Steady! " while others, marching backward, frowning, called out insolently: "Moses, dress thy shoulders! " "Moses, bring thy nose into line! " "Attention, Moses! Carry arms! Ah, old shoe, thou'lt never be good for anything! Can any one be so stupid at his age? Look -- just look! Thunder! Canst thou not do that? One -- _two_! What an old blockhead! Come, begin again! Carry arms!"