Page:A French Volunteer of the War of Independence.djvu/184

l60 Stayed, in turn, on the shores of the Lake of Geneva, at Lausanne, and in the Canton of Vaud.

My brother, who was by nature the most calm, thoughtful and least adventurous man in the world, had so completely shared in the general error as to the certainty of our success, that he had contributed all his available cash, amounting perhaps to 40,000 francs, to the fund, raised at Coblentz by the gentlemen of our province, for the support of the army. He entered on the campaign with fifty pieces of gold in his pocket, and a horse worth eighty louis under him. When we arrived at Basle, we found ourselves in poverty. We had no servant, and carried what property we had about us; we could have appropriately quoted the saying of Bias; so my brother was obliged to sell his horse in order to save its keep, and the Bucepha-