thelastNapoleoneverheld，——andhebecameinfatuatedwiththeideaofasoldier’slife。Inthosedaysmilitarysplendor，theshowofuniforms，theauthorityofepaulets，offeredirresistibleseductionstoacertainstyleofyouth。PhilippethoughthehadthesamevocationforthearmythathisbrotherJosephshowedforart。Withouthismother’sknowledge，hewroteapetitiontotheEmperor，whichreadasfollows:——
Sire，——IamthesonofyourBridau；eighteenyearsofage，fivefeetsixinches；Ihavegoodlegs，agoodconstitution，andwishtobeoneofyoursoldiers。Iaskyoutoletmeenterthearmy，etc。
Withintwenty-fourhours，theEmperorhadsentPhilippetotheImperialLyceumatSaint-Cyr，andsixmonthslater，inNovember，1813，heappointedhimsub-lieutenantinaregimentofcavalry。Philippespentthegreaterpartofthatwinterincantonments，butassoonasheknewhowtorideahorsehewasdispatchedtothefront，andwenteagerly。DuringthecampaigninFrancehewasmadealieutenant，afteranaffairattheoutpostswherehisbraveryhadsavedhiscolonel’slife。TheEmperornamedhimcaptainatthebattleofLaFere-
Champenoise，andtookhimonhisstaff。Inspiredbysuchpromotion，PhilippewonthecrossatMontereau。HewitnessedNapoleon’sfarewellatFontainebleau，ravedatthesight，andrefusedtoservetheBourbons。Whenhereturnedtohismother，inJuly，1814，hefoundherruined。
Joseph’sscholarshipwaswithdrawnaftertheholidays，andMadameBridau，whosepensioncamefromtheEmperor’sprivypurse，vainlyentreatedthatitmightbeinscribedontherollsoftheministryoftheinterior。Joseph，moreofapainterthanever，wasdelightedwiththeturnofevents，andentreatedhismothertolethimgotoMonsieurRegnauld，promisingtoearnhisownliving。Hedeclaredhewasquitesufficientlyadvancedinthesecondclasstogetonwithoutrhetoric。