The job advertisement intrigued a lot more people than it was meant to, possibly because it sounded like the start of an action movie. "Foreign Legion operator" wanted, it read. Must be under 50 ...

André Duroc pretends to be a duke in order to extort money from Aunt Solange. But his trickery is discovered, he must flee and, thanks to a uniform, takes part in the great maneuvers.

He joins the French Foreign Legion, and starts his instruction in Corsica. He is a good legionnaire. He feels he’ll lose his mind and escapes after 11 months. He wrote a letter to his mother ...