THE TURCO OF THE COMMUNE 45

that was going on, only with some
wonderful fresh life and freedom about
it, this deserter, in spite of himself,
mingled innocently in the great Parisian
orgy, and became a celebrity of the
moment. Everywhere the Federals
hailed him and féted him. The Com-
mune were so proud of getting him that
they showed him off, advertised him,
wore him, as it were, like a cockade.
Twenty times a day the Square sent him
to the war office, the war office to the
Hotel de Ville. For, you see, it had
been whispered that their marines were
make-believe marines, their artillery
make-believe artillery! At any rate,
here was a genuine Turco. To con-
vince oneself of that, one had but to
look at the frizzled crop of the young
monkey, and to note the savage lissom-
ness of his little body swaying about on
the big horse in the caracoles of the
Santasia.

Yet was there something wanting to
the happiness of Kadour. He would