72 MARCEL PROUST
the ranks, but were treated as a kind of officer-cadet. If their
training was satisfactory, they would pass out as sub-officers' in
the reserve. They would then have to serve occasional periods of
a month's training, and would gradually be promoted to
lieutenant, captain or even higher rank. But on I5 July 1889 a
law was passed limiting military service to three years and
abolishing the yolontariat. Proust seized the opportunity to
volunteer before the new law became effective on I November,
and on I j November he was called to the colours in the 76th
Infantry at Orleans. The following year of the discipline and love
of comrades which to certain neurotics are so welcome was one
of the happiest of his life.^2
His way was smoothed by his status as a volunteer. Army
officers regarded the young noblemen and sons of the upper
bourgeoisie who made up the ranks of the yolontariat as men of
their own class and as future colleagues; and whether officially or
not the volunteers were allowed to have batmen to take care of
their uniform and equipment. His commanding officer, Colonel
Arvers-'my excellent colonel'-was of a paternal and kindly
disposition, and Trooper Proust had been recommended to his
special care through the political contacts of Dr Proust. Colonel
Arvers went so far as to grant him exemption, no doubt on
medical grounds, from early morning parade and from jumping
ditches when at riding-exercise. Another of his officers was
Captain Walewski, a grandson of Napoleon by his amour with
Marie Walewska. He was respected by his men not only for his
glorious descent and personal resemblance to the great Emperor,
but for his courtesy and kindnes, in command. He is an evident
original of the Prince de Borodin0 at Doncieres.^3 There was also
1 The sous~officier was a senior N.C.O. of rank ranging from sergeant to
sergeant-major.
2 His army pay-book gives his height as five reet six inches (1"68 metres)
on II November 1889. He may well have grown a little further by his
twenty-first year. He was therefore of middle height, which explains why
some of his friends have described him as tall, others as short. His hair and
eyes, in the army's opinion, are 'chestnut' ('chatains'). A surviving lock of his
hair, clipped from his dead body in November 1922, is very dark brown,
almost black, with only a very few grey hairs.
8 Count Walewski's mother had been a mistress of Napoleon TIl.
Similarly, the Narrator remarks, 'the second Princesse de Borodino was
thought to have bestowed her favours upon Napoleon III', and accounts by
this for Borodino's facial resemblance to both Emperors (II, 129).