Of the French we had seen little save the twinkle of their fires, and a few horsemen here and there upon the curves of the ridge; but as we stood and waited there came suddenly a grand blare from their bands, and their whole army came flooding over the low hill which had hid them, brigade after brigade and division after division, until the broad slope in its whole length and depth was blue with their uniforms and bright with the glint of their weapons.
Mais comme nous étions là à attendre, tout à coup retentit la bruyante fanfare de leurs musiques. Leur armée entière monta et déborda, par-dessus la faible hauteur qui les avait cachés; les brigades succédant aux brigades, les divisions aux divisions, jusqu'à ce qu'enfin toute la pente, jusqu'en bas, eût pris la couleur bleue de leurs uniformes, et scintilla de l'éclat de leurs armes.