noon
My first care was to look after the uniform of my new corps , in which I knew I must appear . My last remaining bank note -- the sole survivor of my little stock of wealth -- was before me ; and I sat calculating with myself the costly outlay of a hussar dress , the full uniform of which had not till now entered into my computation . Never was my ingenuity more sorely tried than in the endeavor to bring the outlay within the narrow limits of my little purse ; and when at length I would think that all had been remembered , some small but costly item would rise up against me , and disconcert all my calculations . At noon I set out to wait on my new colonel , whose quarters were in the Place Vendome . The visit was a short and not over pleasant one ; a crowd of officers filled the rooms , among whom I edged my way with difficulty towards the place where Colonel Marbois was standing . He was a short , thick-set , vulgar-looking man , of about fifty ; his mustache and whiskers meeting above the lip , and his bushy , black beard below , gave him the air of a pioneer , which his harsh Breton accent did not derogate from . `` Ah , c'est vous ! ''