With
radiant face, and with his two hands resting on his legs, he looked
mockingly at his adversaries who had been surprised by his cleverness.
His superiority over his comrades was especially apparent in the battles
they fought in the woods of Bellevue.[7] There the field was larger, and
there was a greater variety of chances for surprising the enemy. He hid
himself under the dead leaves, lay close to the branches of trees, and
crept along brooks and ravines. It was often he who was selected to find
a place of vantage for the flag. But he was never willing to act as its
guardian, for he feared nothing so much as inactivity, preferring to
chase his comrades through the woods. The short journey to the Bellevue
woods was passed in the elaboration of various plans, and arguing about
those of his friends; he always wanted to have the last word. The return
journey was enlivened by biting criticism, which often ended in a
quarrel."[8]
[Footnote 7: The country house of Stanislas College is at Bellevue.
[Translator's note.]]
[Footnote 8: Unpublished notes by Abbe Chesnais.
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