...one of the vulgarest of vulgar Frenchmen, and a fool into the bargain. De Boissac was a type, and I fancy the real thing; a regular, chatty, boastful, conceited, bright little Gaul, who had been in China , the Crimea, Italy, Japan, and Africa, and had worn the hair off his little bullet head with serving in various climes. I was promoted to be Chef-de-bataillon, said kepi (just as if I had asked an...