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diff --git a/old/agrrd10.txt b/old/agrrd10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0f57860 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/agrrd10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7768 @@ +Project Gutenberg Etext of Adventures of Gerard by A. Conan Doyle +#14 in our series by Arthur Conan Doyle + + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the copyright laws for your country before posting these files!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations* + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. 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If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Association/Carnegie-Mellon + University" within the 60 days following each + date you prepare (or were legally required to prepare) + your annual (or equivalent periodic) tax return. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +The Project gratefully accepts contributions in money, time, +scanning machines, OCR software, public domain etexts, royalty +free copyright licenses, and every other sort of contribution +you can think of. Money should be paid to "Project Gutenberg +Association / Carnegie-Mellon University". + +*END*THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +Scanned by Charles Keller with OmniPage Professional OCR software +donated by Caere Corporation. + + + + + +THE ADVENTURES OF GERARD + +BY +A. CONAN DOYLE + + + + +"Il etait brave mais avec cette graine de foilie dans sa +bravoure que les Francais aiment." + +FRENCH BIOGRAPHY. + + + +PREFACE + +I hope that some readers may possibly be interested in these +little tales of the Napoleonic soldiers to the extent of +following them up to the springs from which they flow. The age +was rich in military material, some of it the most human and the +most picturesque that I have ever read. Setting aside historical +works or the biographies of the leaders there is a mass of +evidence written by the actual fighting men themselves, which +describes their feelings and their experiences, stated always +from the point of view of the particular branch of the service to +which they belonged. The Cavalry were particularly happy in +their writers of memoirs. Thus De Rocca in his "Memoires sur la +guerre des Francais en Espagne" has given the narrative of a +Hussar, while De Naylies in his "Memoires sur la guerre +d'Espagne" gives the same campaigns from the point of view of the +Dragoon. Then we have the "Souvenirs Militaires du Colonel de +Gonneville," which treats a series of wars, including that of +Spain, as seen from under the steel-brimmed hair-crested helmet +of a Cuirassier. Pre-eminent among all these works, and among +all military memoirs, are the famous reminiscences of Marbot, +which can be obtained in an English form. Marbot was a Chasseur, +so again we obtain the Cavalry point of view. Among other books +which help one to an understanding of the Napoleonic soldier I +would specially recommend "Les Cahiers du Capitaine Coignet," +which treat the wars from the point of view of the private of the +Guards, and "Les Memoires du Sergeant Bourgoyne," who was a +non-commissioned officer in the same corps. The Journal of +Sergeant Fricasse and the Recollections of de Fezenac and of de +Segur complete the materials from which I have worked in my +endeavour to give a true historical and military atmosphere to an +imaginary figure. + +ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE. + +March, 1903. + + +CONTENTS + +I. HOW BRIGADIER GERARD LOST HIS EAR + +II. HOW THE. BRIGADIER CAPTURED SARAGOSSA + +III. HOW THE BRIGADIER SLEW THE FOX + +IV. HOW THE BRIGADIER SAVED THE ARMY + +V. HOW THE BRIGADIER TRIUMPHED IN ENGLAND + +VI. HOW THE BRIGADIER RODE TO MINSK + +VII. HOW THE BRIGADE BORE HIMSELF AT WATERLOO + +VIII. THE LAST ADVENTURE OF THE BRIGADIER + + + + +I. How Brigadier Gerard Lost His Ear + + +It was the old Brigadier who was talking in the cafe. + +I have seen a great many cities, my friends. I would not dare to +tell you how many I have entered as a conqueror with eight +hundred of my little fighting devils clanking and jingling behind +me. The cavalry were in front of the Grande Armee, and the +Hussars of Conflans were in front of the cavalry, and I was in +front of the Hussars. But of all the cities which we visited +Venice is the most ill-built and ridiculous. I cannot imagine +how the people who laid it out thought that the cavalry could +manoeuvre. It would puzzle Murat or Lassalle to bring a squadron +into that square of theirs. For this reason we left Kellermann's +heavy brigade and also my own Hussars at Padua on the mainland. +But Suchet with the infantry held the town, and he had chosen me +as his aide- de-camp for that winter, because he was pleased +about the affair of the Italian fencing-master at Milan. The +fellow was a good swordsman, and it was fortunate for the credit +of French arms that it was I who was opposed to him. Besides, he +deserved a lesson, for if one does not like a prima donna's +singing one can always be silent, but it is intolerable that a +public affront should be put upon a pretty woman. So the +sympathy was all with me, and after the affair had blown over and +the man's widow had been pensioned Suchet chose me as his own +galloper, and I followed him to Venice, where I had the strange +adventure which I am about to tell you. + +You have not been to Venice? No, for it is seldom that the +French travel. We were great travellers in those days. From +Moscow to Cairo we had travelled everywhere, but we went in +larger parties than were convenient to those whom we visited, and +we carried our passports in our limbers. It will be a bad day +for Europe when the French start travelling again, for they are +slow to leave their homes, but when they have done so no one can +say how far they will go if they have a guide like our little man +to point out the way. But the great days are gone and the great +men are dead, and here am I, the last of them, drinking wine of +Suresnes and telling old tales in a cafe. + +But it is of Venice that I would speak. The folk there live like +water-rats upon a mud-bank, but the houses are very fine, and the +churches, especially that of St. Mark, are as great as any I have +seen. But above all they are proud of their statues and their +pictures, which are the most famous in Europe. There are many +soldiers who think that because one's trade is to make war one +should never have a thought above fighting and plunder. There +was old Bouvet, for example--the one who was killed by the +Prussians on the day that I won the Emperor's medal; if you took +him away from the camp and the canteen, and spoke to him of books +or of art, he would sit and stare at you. But the highest +soldier is a man like myself who can understand the things of the +mind and the soul. It is true that I was very young when I +joined the army, and that the quarter- master was my only +teacher, but if you go about the world with your eyes open you +cannot help learning a great deal. + +Thus I was able to admire the pictures in Venice, and to know the +names of the great men, Michael Titiens, and Angelus, and the +others, who had painted them. No one can say that Napoleon did +not admire them also, for the very first thing which he did when +he captured the town was to send the best of them to Paris. We +all took what we could get, and I had two pictures for my share. + +One of them, called "Nymphs Surprised," I kept for myself, and +the other, "Saint Barbara," I sent as a present for my mother. + +It must be confessed, however, that some of our men behaved very +badly in this matter of the statues and the pictures. The people +at Venice were very much attached to them, and as to the four +bronze horses which stood over the gate of their great church, +they loved them as dearly as if they had been their children. I +have always been a judge of a horse, and I had a good look at +these ones, but I could not see that there was much to be said +for them. They were too coarse-limbed for light cavalry charges +and they had not the weight for the gun-teams. + +However, they were the only four horses, alive or dead, in the +whole town, so it was not to be expected that the people would +know any better. They wept bitterly when they were sent away, +and ten French soldiers were found floating in the canals that +night. As a punishment for these murders a great many more of +their pictures were sent away, and the soldiers took to breaking +the statues and firing their muskets at the stained-glass +windows. + +This made the people furious, and there was very bad feeling in +the town. Many officers and men disappeared during that winter, +and even their bodies were never found. + +For myself I had plenty to do, and I never found the time heavy +on my hands. In every country it has been my custom to try to +learn the language. For this reason I always look round for some +lady who will be kind enough to teach it to me, and then we +practise it together. This is the most interesting way of +picking it up, and before I was thirty I could speak nearly every +tongue in Europe; but it must be confessed that what you learn is +not of much use for the ordinary purposes of life. My business, +for example, has usually been with soldiers and peasants, and +what advantage is it to be able to say to them that I love only +them, and that I will come back when the wars are over? + +Never have I had so sweet a teacher as in Venice. Lucia was her +first name, and her second--but a gentleman forgets second names. +I can say this with all discretion, that she was of one of the +senatorial families of Venice and that her grandfather had been +Doge of the town. + +She was of an exquisite beauty--and when I, Etienne Gerard, use +such a word as "exquisite," my friends, it has a meaning. I have +judgment, I have memories, I have the means of comparison. Of +all the women who have loved me there are not twenty to whom I +could apply such a term as that. But I say again that Lucia was +exquisite. + +Of the dark type I do not recall her equal unless it were Dolores +of Toledo. There was a little brunette whom I loved at Santarem +when I was soldiering under Massena in Portugal--her name has +escaped me. She was of a perfect beauty, but she had not the +figure nor the grace of Lucia. There was Agnes also. I could +not put one before the other, but I do none an injustice when I +say that Lucia was the equal of the best. + +It was over this matter of pictures that I had first met her, for +her father owned a palace on the farther side of the Rialto +Bridge upon the Grand Canal, and it was so packed with +wall-paintings that Suchet sent a party of sappers to cut some of +them out and send them to Paris. + +I had gone down with them, and after I had seen Lucia in tears it +appeared to me that the plaster would crack if it were taken from +the support of the wall. I said so, and the sappers were +withdrawn. After that I was the friend of the family, and many a +flask of Chianti have I cracked with the father and many a sweet +lesson have I had from the daughter. Some of our French officers +married in Venice that winter, and I might have done the same, +for I loved her with all my heart; but Etienne Gerard has his +sword, his horse, his regiment, his mother, his Emperor, and his +career. A debonair Hussar has room in his life for love, but +none for a wife. So I thought then, my friends, but I did not +see the lonely days when I should long to clasp those vanished +hands, and turn my head away when I saw old comrades with their +tall children standing round their chairs. This love which I had +thought was a joke and a plaything--it is only now that I +understand that it is the moulder of one's life, the most solemn +and sacred of all things-- Thank you, my friend, thank you! It +is a good wine, and a second bottle cannot hurt. + +And now I will tell you how my love for Lucia was the cause of +one of the most terrible of all the wonderful adventures which +have ever befallen me, and how it was that I came to lose the top +of my right ear. You have often asked me why it was missing. +To-night for the first time I will tell you. + +Suchet's head-quarters at that time was the old palace of the +Doge Dandolo, which stands on the lagoon not far from the place +of San Marco. It was near the end of the winter, and I had +returned one night from the Theatre Goldini, when I found a note +from Lucia and a gondola waiting. She prayed me to come to her +at once as she was in trouble. To a Frenchman and a soldier +there was but one answer to such a note. In an instant I was in +the boat and the gondolier was pushing out into the dark lagoon. + +I remember that as I took my seat in the boat I was struck by the +man's great size. He was not tall, but he was one of the +broadest men that I have ever seen in my life. But the +gondoliers of Venice are a strong breed, and powerful men are +common enough among them. The fellow took his place behind me +and began to row. + +A good soldier in an enemy's country should everywhere and at all +times be on the alert. It has been one of the rules of my life, +and if I have lived to wear grey hairs it is because I have +observed it. And yet upon that night I was as careless as a +foolish young recruit who fears lest he should be thought to be +afraid. My pistols I had left behind in my hurry. My sword was +at my belt, but it is not always the most convenient of weapons. +I lay back in my seat in the gondola, lulled by the gentle swish +of the water and the steady creaking of the oar. Our way lay +through a network of narrow canals with high houses towering on +either side and a thin slit of star-spangled sky above us. Here +and there, on the bridges which spanned the canal, there was the +dim glimmer of an oil lamp, and sometimes there came a gleam from +some niche where a candle burned before the image of a saint. +But save for this it was all black, and one could only see the +water by the white fringe which curled round the long black nose +of our boat. It was a place and a time for dreaming. I thought +of my own past life, of all the great deeds in which I had been +concerned, of the horses that I had handled, and of the women +that I had loved. Then I thought also of my dear mother, and I +fancied her joy when she heard the folk in the village talking +about the fame of her son. Of the Emperor also I thought, and of +France, the dear fatherland, the sunny France, mother of +beautiful daughters and of gallant sons. My heart glowed within +me as I thought of how we had brought her colours so many hundred +leagues beyond her borders. To her greatness I would dedicate my +life. I placed my hand upon my heart as I swore it, and at that +instant the gondolier fell upon me from behind. + +When I say that he fell upon me I do not mean merely that he +attacked me, but that he really did tumble upon me with all his +weight. The fellow stands behind you and above you as he rows, +so that you can neither see him nor can you in any way guard +against such an assault. + +One moment I had sat with my mind filled with sublime +resolutions, the next I was flattened out upon the bottom of the +boat, the breath dashed out of my body, and this monster pinning +me down. I felt the fierce pants of his hot breath upon the back +of my neck. In an instant he had torn away my sword, had slipped +a sack over my head, and had tied a rope firmly round the outside +of it. + +There I was at the bottom of the gondola as helpless as a trussed +fowl. I could not shout, I could not move; I was a mere bundle. +An instant later I heard once more the swishing of the water and +the creaking of the oar. + +This fellow had done his work and had resumed his journey as +quietly and unconcernedly as if he were accustomed to clap a sack +over a colonel of Hussars every day of the week. + +I cannot tell you the humiliation and also the fury which filled +my mind as I lay there like a helpless sheep being carried to the +butcher's. I, Etienne Gerard, the champion of the six brigades +of light cavalry and the first swordsman of the Grand Army, to be +overpowered by a single unarmed man in such a fashion! Yet I lay +quiet, for there is a time to resist and there is a time to save +one's strength. I had felt the fellow's grip upon my arms, and I +knew that I would be a child in his hands. I waited quietly, +therefore, with a heart which burned with rage, until my +opportunity should come. + +How long I lay there at the bottom of the boat I can not tell; +but it seemed to me to be a long time, and always there were the +hiss of the waters and the steady creaking of the oar. Several +times we turned corners, for I heard the long, sad cry which +these gondoliers give when they wish to warn their fellows that +they are coming. At last, after a considerable journey, I felt +the side of the boat scrape up against a landing-place. The +fellow knocked three times with his oar upon wood, and in answer +to his summons I heard the rasping of bars and the turning of +keys. A great door creaked back upon its hinges. + +"Have you got him?" asked a voice, in Italian. + +My monster gave a laugh and kicked the sack in which I lay. + +"Here he is," said he. + +"They are waiting." He added something which I could not +understand. + +"Take him, then," said my captor. He raised me in his arms, +ascended some steps, and I was thrown down upon a hard floor. A +moment later the bars creaked and the key whined once more. I +was a prisoner inside a house. + +From the voices and the steps there seemed now to be several +people round me. I understand Italian a great deal better than I +speak it, and I could make out very well what they were saying. + +"You have not killed him, Matteo?" + +"What matter if I have?" + +"My faith, you will have to answer for it to the tribunal." + +"They will kill him, will they not?" + +"Yes, but it is not for you or me to take it out of their hands." + +"Tut! I have not killed him. Dead men do not bite, and his +cursed teeth met in my thumb as I pulled the sack over his head." + +"He lies very quiet." + +"Tumble him out and you will find that he is lively enough." + +The cord which bound me was undone and the sack drawn from over +my head. With my eyes closed I lay motionless upon the floor. + +"By the saints, Matteo, I tell you that you have broken his +neck." + +"Not I. He has only fainted. The better for him if he never +came out of it again." + +I felt a hand within my tunic. + +"Matteo is right," said a voice. "His heart beats like a hammer. +Let him lie and he will soon find his senses." + +I waited for a minute or so and then I ventured to take a +stealthy peep from between my lashes. At first I could see +nothing, for I had been so long in darkness and it was but a dim +light in which I found myself. Soon, however, I made out that a +high and vaulted ceiling covered with painted gods and goddesses +was arching over my head. This was no mean den of cut-throats +into which I had been carried, but it must be the hall of some +Venetian palace. Then, without movement, very slowly and +stealthily I had a peep at the men who surrounded me. There was +the gondolier, a swart, hard-faced, murderous ruffian, and beside +him were three other men, one of them a little, twisted fellow +with an air of authority and several keys in his hand, the other +two tall young servants in a smart livery. As I listened to +their talk I saw that the small man was the steward of the house, +and that the others were under his orders. + +There were four of them, then, but the little steward might be +left out of the reckoning. Had I a weapon I should have smiled +at such odds as those. But, hand to hand, I was no match for the +one even without three others to aid him. Cunning, then, not +force, must be my aid. I wished to look round for some mode of +escape, and in doing so I gave an almost imperceptible movement +of my head. Slight as it was it did not escape my guardians. + +"Come, wake up, wake up!" cried the steward. + +"Get on your feet, little Frenchman," growled the gondolier. +"Get up, I say," and for the second time he spurned me with his +foot. + +Never in the world was a command obeyed so promptly as that one. +In an instant I had bounded to my feet and rushed as hard as I +could to the back of the hall. They were after me as I have seen +the English hounds follow a fox, but there was a long passage +down which I tore. + +It turned to the left and again to the left, and then I found +myself back in the hall once more. They were almost within touch +of me and there was no time for thought. I turned toward the +staircase, but two men were coming down it. I dodged back and +tried the door through which I had been brought, but it was +fastened with great bars and I could not loosen them. The +gondolier was on me with his knife, but I met him with a kick on +the body which stretched him on his back. His dagger flew with a +clatter across the marble floor. I had no time to seize it, for +there were half a dozen of them now clutching at me. As I rushed +through them the little steward thrust his leg before me and I +fell with a crash, but I was up in an instant, and breaking from +their grasp I burst through the very middle of them and made for +a door at the other end of the hall. I reached it well in front +of them, and I gave a shout of triumph as the handle turned +freely in my hand, for I could see that it led to the outside and +that all was clear for my escape. But I had forgotten this +strange city in which I was. Every house is an island. As I +flung open the door, ready to bound out into the street, the +light of the hall shone upon the deep, still, black water which +lay flush with the topmost step. + +I shrank back, and in an instant my pursuers were on me. + +But I am not taken so easily. Again I kicked and fought my way +through them, though one of them tore a handful of hair from my +head in his effort to hold me. The little steward struck me with +a key and I was battered and bruised, but once more I cleared a +way in front of me. + +Up the grand staircase I rushed, burst open the pair of huge +folding doors which faced me, and learned at last that my efforts +were in vain. + +The room into which I had broken was brilliantly lighted. With +its gold cornices, its massive pillars, and its painted walls and +ceilings it was evidently the grand hall of some famous Venetian +palace. There are many hundred such in this strange city, any +one of which has rooms which would grace the Louvre or +Versailles. In the centre of this great hall there was a raised +dais, and upon it in a half circle there sat twelve men all clad +in black gowns, like those of a Franciscan monk, and each with a +mask over the upper part of his face. + +A group of armed men--rough-looking rascals--were standing round +the door, and amid them facing the dais was a young fellow in the +uniform of the light infantry. As he turned his head I +recognised him. It was Captain Auret, of the 7th, a young Basque +with whom I had drunk many a glass during the winter. + +He was deadly white, poor wretch, but he held himself manfully +amid the assassins who surrounded him. Never shall I forget the +sudden flash of hope which shone in his dark eyes when he saw a +comrade burst into the room, or the look of despair which +followed as he understood that I had come not to change his fate +but to share it. + +You can think how amazed these people were when I hurled myself +into their presence. My pursuers had crowded in behind me and +choked the doorway, so that all further flight was out of the +question. It is at such instants that my nature asserts itself. +With dignity I advanced toward the tribunal. My jacket was torn, +my hair was dishevelled, my head was bleeding, but there was that +in my eyes and in my carriage which made them realise that no +common man was before them. Not a hand was raised to arrest me +until I halted in front of a formidable old man, whose long grey +beard and masterful manner told me that both by years and by +character he was the man in authority. + +"Sir," said I, "you will, perhaps, tell me why I have been +forcibly arrested and brought to this place. I am an honourable +soldier, as is this other gentleman here, and I demand that you +will instantly set us both at liberty." + +There was an appalling silence to my appeal. It was not pleasant +to have twelve masked faces turned upon you and to see twelve +pairs of vindictive Italian eyes fixed with fierce intentness +upon your face. But I stood as a debonair soldier should, and I +could not but reflect how much credit I was bringing upon the +Hussars of Conflans by the dignity of my bearing. I do not think +that anyone could have carried himself better under such +difficult circumstances. I looked with a fearless face from one +assassin to another, and I waited for some reply. + +It was the grey-beard who at last broke the silence. + +"Who is this man?" he asked. + +"His name is Gerard," said the little steward at the door. + +"Colonel Gerard," said I. "I will not deceive you. I am Etienne +Gerard, THE Colonel Gerard, five times mentioned in despatches +and recommended for the sword of honour. I am aide-de-camp to +General Suchet, and I demand my instant release, together with +that of my comrade in arms." + +The same terrible silence fell upon the assembly, and the same +twelve pairs of merciless eyes were bent upon my face. Again it +was the grey-beard who spoke. + +"He is out of his order. There are two names upon our list +before him." + +"He escaped from our hands and burst into the room." + +"Let him await his turn. Take him down to the wooden cell." + +"If he resist us, your Excellency?" + +"Bury your knives in his body. The tribunal will uphold you. +Remove him until we have dealt with the others." + +They advanced upon me, and for an instant I thought of +resistance. It would have been a heroic death, but who was there +to see it or to chronicle it? I might be only postponing my +fate, and yet I had been in so many bad places and come out +unhurt that I had learned always to hope and to trust my star. I +allowed these rascals to seize me, and I was led from the room, +the gondolier walking at my side with a long naked knife in his +hand. I could see in his brutal eyes the satisfaction which it +would give him if he could find some excuse for plunging it into +my body. + +They are wonderful places, these great Venetian houses, palaces, +and fortresses, and prisons all in one. I was led along a +passage and down a bare stone stair until we came to a short +corridor from which three doors opened. Through one of these I +was thrust and the spring lock closed behind me. The only light +came dimly through a small grating which opened on the passage. + +Peering and feeling, I carefully examined the chamber in which I +had been placed. I understood from what I had heard that I +should soon have to leave it again in order to appear before this +tribunal, but still it is not my nature to throw away any +possible chances. + +The stone floor of the cell was so damp and the walls for some +feet high were so slimy and foul that it was evident they were +beneath the level of the water. A single slanting hole high up +near the ceiling was the only aperture for light or air. Through +it I saw one bright star shining down upon me, and the sight +filled me with comfort and with hope. I have never been a man of +religion, though I have always had a respect for those who were, +but I remember that night that the star shining down the shaft +seemed to be an all-seeing eye which was upon me, and I felt as a +young and frightened recruit might feel in battle when he saw the +calm gaze of his colonel turned upon him. + +Three of the sides of my prison were formed of stone, but the +fourth was of wood, and I could see that it had only recently +been erected. Evidently a partition had been thrown up to divide +a single large cell into two smaller ones. There was no hope for +me in the old walls, in the tiny window, or in the massive door. +It was only in this one direction of the wooden screen that there +was any possibility of exploring. My reason told me that if I +should pierce it--which did not seem very difficult--it would +only be to find myself in another cell as strong as that in which +I then was. Yet I had always rather be doing something than +doing nothing, so I bent all my attention and all my energies +upon the wooden wall. Two planks were badly joined, and so loose +that I was certain I could easily detach them. I searched about +for some tool, and I found one in the leg of a small bed which +stood in the corner. I forced the end of this into the chink of +the planks, and I was about to twist them outward when the sound +of rapid footsteps caused me to pause and to listen. + +I wish I could forget what I heard. Many a hundred men have I +seen die in battle, and I have slain more myself than I care to +think of, but all that was fair fight and the duty of a soldier. +It was a very different matter to listen to a murder in this den +of assassins. They were pushing someone along the passage, +someone who resisted and who clung to my door as he passed. They +must have taken him into the third cell, the one which was +farthest from me. "Help! Help!" cried a voice, and then I heard +a blow and a scream. "Help! Help!" cried the voice again, and +then "Gerard! Colonel Gerard!" It was my poor captain of +infantry whom they were slaughtering. + +"Murderers! Murderers!" I yelled, and I kicked at my door, but +again I heard him shout and then everything was silent. A minute +later there was a heavy splash, and I knew that no human eye +would ever see Auret again. He had gone as a hundred others had +gone whose names were missing from the roll-calls of their +regiments during that winter in Venice. + +The steps returned along the passage, and I thought that they +were coming for me. Instead of that they opened the door of the +cell next to mine and they took someone out of it. I heard the +steps die away up the stair. + +At once I renewed my work upon the planks, and within a very few +minutes I had loosened them in such a way that I could remove and +replace them at pleasure. Passing through the aperture I found +myself in the farther cell, which, as I expected, was the other +half of the one in which I had been confined. I was not any +nearer to escape than I had been before, for there was no other +wooden wall which I could penetrate and the spring lock of the +door had been closed. There were no traces to show who was my +companion in misfortune. Closing the two loose planks behind me +I returned to my own cell and waited there with all the courage +which I could command for the summons which would probably be my +death knell. + +It was a long time in coming, but at last I heard the sound of +feet once more in the passage, and I nerved myself to listen to +some other odious deed and to hear the cries of the poor victim. +Nothing of the kind occurred, however, and the prisoner was +placed in the cell without violence. I had no time to peep +through my hole of communication, for next moment my own door was +flung open and my rascally gondolier, with the other assassins, +came into the cell. + +"Come, Frenchman," said he. He held his blood- stained knife in +his great, hairy hand, and I read in his fierce eyes that he only +looked for some excuse in order to plunge it into my heart. +Resistance was useless. I followed without a word. I was led up +the stone stair and back into that gorgeous chamber in which I +had left the secret tribunal. I was ushered in, but to my +surprise it was not on me that their attention was fixed. One of +their own number, a tall, dark young man, was standing before +them and was pleading with them in low, earnest tones. His voice +quivered with anxiety and his hands darted in and out or writhed +together in an agony of entreaty. "You cannot do it! You cannot +do it!" he cried. + +"I implore the tribunal to reconsider this decision." + +"Stand aside, brother," said the old man who presided. + +"The case is decided and another is up for judgment." + +"For Heaven's sake be merciful!" cried the young man. + +"We have already been merciful," the other answered. + +"Death would have been a small penalty for such an offence. Be +silent and let judgment take its course." + +I saw the young man throw himself in an agony of grief into his +chair. I had no time, however, to speculate as to what it was +which was troubling him, for his eleven colleagues had already +fixed their stern eyes upon me. + +The moment of fate had arrived. + +"You are Colonel Gerard?" said the terrible old man. + +"I am." + +"Aide-de-camp to the robber who calls himself General Suchet, who +in turn represents that arch-robber Buonaparte?" + +It was on my lips to tell him that he was a liar, but there is a +time to argue and a time to be silent. + +"I am an honourable soldier," said I. "I have obeyed my orders +and done my duty." + +The blood flushed into the old man's face and his eyes blazed +through his mask. + +"You are thieves and murderers, every man of you," he cried. +"What are you doing here? You are Frenchmen. + +Why are you not in France? Did we invite you to Venice? By what +right are you here? Where are our pictures? Where are the +horses of St. Mark? Who are you that you should pilfer those +treasures which our fathers through so many centuries have +collected? We were a great city when France was a desert. Your +drunken, brawling, ignorant soldiers have undone the work of +saints and heroes. What have you to say to it?" + +He was, indeed, a formidable old man, for his white beard +bristled with fury and he barked out the little sentences like a +savage hound. For my part I could have told him that his +pictures would be safe in Paris, that his horses were really not +worth making a fuss about, and that he could see heroes--I say +nothing of saints--without going back to his ancestors or even +moving out of his chair. All this I could have pointed out, but +one might as well argue with a Mameluke about religion. I +shrugged my shoulders and said nothing. + +"The prisoner has no defence," said one of my masked judges. + +"Has any one any observation to make before judgment is passed?" +The old man glared round him at the others. + +"There is one matter, your Excellency," said another. + +"It can scarce be referred to without reopening a brother's +wounds, but I would remind you that there is a very particular +reason why an exemplary punishment should be inflicted in the +case of this officer." + +"I had not forgotten it," the old man answered. + +"Brother, if the tribunal has injured you in one direction, it +will give you ample satisfaction in another." + +The young man who had been pleading when I entered the room +staggered to his feet. + +"I cannot endure it," he cried. "Your Excellency must forgive +me. The tribunal can act without me. I am ill. + +I am mad." He flung his hands out with a furious gesture and +rushed from the room. + +"Let him go! Let him go!" said the president. "It is, indeed, +more than can be asked of flesh and blood that he should remain +under this roof. But he is a true Venetian, and when the first +agony is over he will understand that it could not be otherwise." + +I had been forgotten during this episode, and though I am not a +man who is accustomed to being overlooked I should have been all +the happier had they continued to neglect me. But now the old +president glared at me again like a tiger who comes back to his +victim. + +"You shall pay for it all, and it is but justice that you +should," he said. "You, an upstart adventurer and foreigner, +have dared to raise your eyes in love to the grand daughter of a +Doge of Venice who was already betrothed to the heir of the +Loredans. He who enjoys such privileges must pay a price for +them." + +"It cannot be higher than they are worth," said I. + +"You will tell us that when you have made a part payment," said +he. "Perhaps your spirit may not be so proud by that time. +Matteo, you will lead this prisoner to the wooden cell. To-night +is Monday. Let him have no food or water, and let him be led +before the tribunal again on Wednesday night. We shall then +decide upon the death which he is to die." + +It was not a pleasant prospect, and yet it was a reprieve. One +is thankful for small mercies when a hairy savage with a +blood-stained knife is standing at one's elbow. He dragged me +from the room and I was thrust down the stairs and back into my +cell. The door was locked and I was left to my reflections. + +My first thought was to establish connection with my neighbour in +misfortune. I waited until the steps had died away, and then I +cautiously drew aside the two boards and peeped through. The +light was very dim, so dim that I could only just discern a +figure huddled in the corner, and I could hear the low whisper of +a voice which prayed as one prays who is in deadly fear. The +boards must have made a creaking. There was a sharp exclamation +of surprise. + +"Courage, friend, courage!" I cried. "All is not lost. + +Keep a stout heart, for Etienne Gerard is by your side." + +"Etienne!" It was a woman's voice which spoke--a voice which was +always music to my ears. I sprang through the gap and I flung my +arms round her. + +"Lucia! Lucia!" I cried. + +It was "Etienne!" and "Lucia!" for some minutes, for one does not +make speeches at moments like that. It was she who came to her +senses first. + +"Oh, Etienne, they will kill you. How came you into their +hands?" + +"In answer to your letter." + +"I wrote no letter." + +"The cunning demons! But you?" + +"I came also in answer to your letter." + +"Lucia, I wrote no letter." + +"They have trapped us both with the same bait." + +"I care nothing about myself, Lucia. Besides, there is no +pressing danger with me. They have simply returned me to my +cell." + +"Oh, Etienne, Etienne, they will kill you. Lorenzo is there." + +"The old greybeard?" + +"No, no, a young dark man. He loved me, and I thought I loved +him until--until I learned what love is, Etienne. He will never +forgive you. He has a heart of stone." + +"Let them do what they like. They cannot rob me of the past, +Lucia. But you--what about you?" + +"It will be nothing, Etienne. Only a pang for an instant and +then all over. They mean it as a badge of infamy, dear, but I +will carry it like a crown of honour since it was through you +that I gained it." + +Her words froze my blood with horror. All my adventures were +insignificant compared to this terrible shadow which was creeping +over my soul. + +"Lucia! Lucia!" I cried. "For pity's sake tell me what these +butchers are about to do. Tell me, Lucia! + +Tell me!" + +"I will not tell you, Etienne, for it would hurt you far more +than it would me. Well, well, I will tell you lest you should +fear it was something worse. The president has ordered that my +ear be cut off, that I may be marked for ever as having loved a +Frenchman." + +Her ear! The dear little ear which I had kissed so often. I put +my hand to each little velvet shell to make certain that this +sacrilege had not yet been committed. + +Only over my dead body should they reach them. I swore it to her +between my clenched teeth. + +"You must not care, Etienne. And yet I love that you should care +all the same." + +"They shall not hurt you--the fiends!" + +"I have hopes, Etienne. Lorenzo is there. He was silent while I +was judged, but he may have pleaded for me after I was gone." + +"He did. I heard him." + +"Then he may have softened their hearts." + +I knew that it was not so, but how could I bring myself to tell +her? I might as well have done so, for with the quick instinct +of woman my silence was speech to her. + +"They would not listen to him! You need not fear to tell me, +dear, for you will find that I am worthy to be loved by such a +soldier. Where is Lorenzo now?" + +"He left the hall." + +"Then he may have left the house as well." + +"I believe that he did." + +"He has abandoned me to my fate. Etienne, Etienne, they are +coming!" + +Afar off I heard those fateful steps and the jingle of distant +keys. What were they coming for now, since there were no other +prisoners to drag to judgment? It could only be to carry out the +sentence upon my darling. + +I stood between her and the door, with the strength of a lion in +my limbs. I would tear the house down before they should touch +her. + + +"Go back! Go back!" she cried. "They will murder you, Etienne. +My life, at least, is safe. For the love you bear me, Etienne, +go back. It is nothing. I will make no sound. You will not +hear that it is done." + +She wrestled with me, this delicate creature, and by main force +she dragged me to the opening between the cells. But a sudden +thought had crossed my mind. + +"We may yet be saved," I whispered. "Do what I tell you at once +and without argument. Go into my cell. + +Quick!" + +I pushed her through the gap and helped her to replace the +planks. I had retained her cloak in my hands, and with this +wrapped round me I crept into the darkest corner of her cell. +There I lay when the door was opened and several men came in. I +had reckoned that they would bring no lantern, for they had none +with them before. + +To their eyes I was only a dark blur in the corner. + +"Bring a light," said one of them. + +"No, no; curse it!" cried a rough voice, which I knew to be that +of the ruffian, Matteo. "It is not a job that I like, and the +more I saw it the less I should like it. I am sorry, signora, +but the order of the tribunal has to be obeyed." + +My impulse was to spring to my feet and to rush through them all +and out by the open door. But how would that help Lucia? +Suppose that I got clear away, she would be in their hands until +I could come back with help, for single-handed I could not hope +to clear a way for her. All this flashed through my mind in an +instant, and I saw that the only course for me was to lie still, +take what came, and wait my chance. The fellow's coarse hand +felt about among my curls--those curls in which only a woman's +fingers had ever wandered. The next instant he gripped my ear +and a pain shot through me as if I had been touched with a hot +iron. I bit my lip to stifle a cry, and I felt the blood run +warm down my neck and back. + +"There, thank Heaven, that's over," said the fellow, giving me a +friendly pat on the head. "You're a brave girl, signora, I'll +say that for you, and I only wish you'd have better taste than to +love a Frenchman. You can blame him and not me for what I have +done." + +What could I do save to lie still and grind my teeth at my own +helplessness? At the same time my pain and my rage were always +soothed by the reflection that I had suffered for the woman whom +I loved. It is the custom of men to say to ladies that they +would willingly endure any pain for their sake, but it was my +privilege to show that I had said no more than I meant. I +thought also how nobly I would seem to have acted if ever the +story came to be told, and how proud the regiment of Conflans +might well be of their colonel. These thoughts helped me to +suffer in silence while the blood still trickled over my neck and +dripped upon the stone floor. It was that sound which nearly led +to my destruction. + + +"She's bleeding fast," said one of the valets. "You had best +fetch a surgeon or you will find her dead in the morning." + +"She lies very still and she has never opened her mouth," said +another. "The shock has killed her." + +"Nonsense; a young woman does not die so easily." It was Matteo +who spoke. "Besides, I did but snip off enough to leave the +tribunal's mark upon her. Rouse up, signora, rouse up!" + +He shook me by the shoulder, and my heart stood still for fear he +should feel the epaulet under the mantle. + +"How is it with you now?" he asked. + +I made no answer. + +"Curse it, I wish I had to do with a man instead of a woman, and +the fairest woman in Venice," said the gondolier. "Here, +Nicholas, lend me your handkerchief and bring a light." + +It was all over. The worst had happened. Nothing could save me. +I still crouched in the corner, but I was tense in every muscle, +like a wild cat about to spring. + +If I had to die I was determined that my end should be worthy of +my life. + +One of them had gone for a lamp and Matteo was stooping over me +with a handkerchief. In another instant my secret would be +discovered. But he suddenly drew himself straight and stood +motionless. At the same instant there came a confused murmuring +sound through the little window far above my head. It was the +rattle of oars and the buzz of many voices. Then there was a +crash upon the door upstairs, and a terrible voice roared: +"Open! Open in the name of the Emperor!" + +The Emperor! It was like the mention of some saint which, by its +very sound, can frighten the demons. + +Away they ran with cries of terror--Matteo, the valets, the +steward, all of the murderous gang. Another shout and then the +crash of a hatchet and the splintering of planks. There were the +rattle of arms and the cries of French soldiers in the hall. +Next instant feet came flying down the stair and a man burst +frantically into my cell. + +"Lucia!" he cried, "Lucia!" He stood in the dim light, panting +and unable to find his words. Then he broke out again. "Have I +not shown you how I love you, Lucia? What more could I do to +prove it? I have betrayed my country, I have broken my vow, I +have ruined my friends, and I have given my life in order to save +you." + +It was young Lorenzo Loredan, the lover whom I had superseded. +My heart was heavy for him at the time, but after all it is every +man for himself in love, and if one fails in the game it is some +consolation to lose to one who can be a graceful and considerate +winner. + +I was about to point this out to him, but at the first word I +uttered he gave a shout of astonishment, and, rushing out, he +seized the lamp which hung in the corridor and flashed it in my +face. + +"It is you, you villain!" he cried. "You French coxcomb. You +shall pay me for the wrong which you have done me." + +But the next instant he saw the pallor of my face and the blood +which was still pouring from my head. + +"What is this?" he asked. "How come you to have lost your ear?" + +I shook off my weakness, and pressing my handkerchief to my wound +I rose from my couch, the debonair colonel of Hussars. + +"My injury, sir, is nothing. With your permission we will not +allude to a matter so trifling and so personal." + +But Lucia had burst through from her cell and was pouring out the +whole story while she clasped Lorenzo's arm. + +"This noble gentleman--he has taken my place, Lorenzo! He has +borne it for me. He has suffered that I might be saved." + +I could sympathise with the struggle which I could see in the +Italian's face. At last he held out his hand to me. + +"Colonel Gerard," he said, "you are worthy of a great love. I +forgive you, for if you have wronged me you have made a noble +atonement. But I wonder to see you alive. I left the tribunal +before you were judged, but I understood that no mercy would be +shown to any Frenchman since the destruction of the ornaments of +Venice." + +"He did not destroy them," cried Lucia. "He has helped to +preserve those in our palace." + +"One of them, at any rate," said I, as I stooped and kissed her +hand. + +This was the way, my friends, in which I lost my ear. Lorenzo +was found stabbed to the heart in the Piazza of St. Mark within +two days of the night of my adventure. Of the tribunal and its +ruffians, Matteo and three others were shot, the rest banished +from the town. + +Lucia, my lovely Lucia, retired into a convent at Murano after +the French had left the city, and there she still may be, some +gentle lady abbess who has perhaps long forgotten the days when +our hearts throbbed together, and when the whole great world +seemed so small a thing beside the love which burned in our +veins. Or perhaps it may not be so. Perhaps she has not +forgotten. + +There may still be times when the peace of the cloister is broken +by the memory of the old soldier who loved her in those distant +days. Youth is past and passion is gone, but the soul of the +gentleman can never change, and still Etienne Gerard would bow +his grey head before her and would very gladly lose his other ear +if he might do her a service. + + + +II. How the Brigadier Captured Saragossa + +Have I ever told you, my friends, the circumstances connected +with my joining the Hussars of Conflans at the time of the siege +of Saragossa and the very remarkable exploit which I performed in +connection with the taking of that city? No? Then you have +indeed something still to learn. I will tell it to you exactly +as it occurred. Save for two or three men and a score or two of +women, you are the first who have ever heard the story. + +You must know, then, that it was in the Second Hussars--called +the Hussars of Chamberan--that I had served as a lieutenant and +as a junior captain. At the time I speak of I was only +twenty-five years of age, as reckless and desperate a man as any +in that great army. + +It chanced that the war had come to a halt in Germany, while it +was still raging in Spain, so the Emperor, wishing to reinforce +the Spanish army, transferred me as senior captain to the Hussars +of Conflans, which were at that time in the Fifth Army Corps +under Marshal Lannes. + +It was a long journey from Berlin to the Pyrenees. + +My new regiment formed part of the force which, under Marshal +Lannes, was then besieging the Spanish town of Saragossa. I +turned my horse's head in that direction, therefore, and behold +me a week or so later at the French headquarters, whence I was +directed to the camp of the Hussars of Conflans. + +You have read, no doubt, of this famous siege of Saragossa, and I +will only say that no general could have had a harder task than +that with which Marshal Lannes was confronted. The immense city +was crowded with a horde of Spaniards--soldiers, peasants, +priests --all filled with the most furious hatred of the French, +and the most savage determination to perish before they would +surrender. There were eighty thousand men in the town and only +thirty thousand to besiege them. Yet we had a powerful +artillery, and our engineers were of the best. There was never +such a siege, for it is usual that when the fortifications are +taken the city falls, but here it was not until the +fortifications were taken that the real fighting began. Every +house was a fort and every street a battle-field, so that slowly, +day by day, we had to work our way inwards, blowing up the houses +with their garrisons until more than half the city had +disappeared. Yet the other half was as determined as ever and in +a better position for defence, since it consisted of enormous +convents and monasteries with walls like the Bastille, which +could not be so easily brushed out of our way. This was the +state of things at the time that I joined the army. + +I will confess to you that cavalry are not of much use in a +siege, although there was a time when I would not have permitted +anyone to have made such an observation. The Hussars of Conflans +were encamped to the south of the town, and it was their duty to +throw out patrols and to make sure that no Spanish force was +advancing from that quarter. The colonel of the regiment was not +a good soldier, and the regiment was at that time very far from +being in the high condition which it afterwards attained. Even +in that one evening I saw several things which shocked me, for I +had a high standard, and it went to my heart to see an ill- +arranged camp, an ill-groomed horse, or a slovenly trooper. That +night I supped with twenty-six of my new brother-officers, and I +fear that in my zeal I showed them only too plainly that I found +things very different to what I was accustomed in the army of +Germany. + +There was silence in the mess after my remarks, and I felt that I +had been indiscreet when I saw the glances that were cast at me. +The colonel especially was furious, and a great major named +Olivier, who was the fire-eater of the regiment, sat opposite to +me curling his huge black moustaches, and staring at me as if he +would eat me. However, I did not resent his attitude, for I felt +that I had indeed been indiscreet, and that it would give a bad +impression if upon this my first evening I quarrelled with my +superior officer. + +So far I admit that I was wrong, but now I come to the sequel. +Supper over, the colonel and some other officers left the room, +for it was in a farm-house that the mess was held. There +remained a dozen or so, and a goat-skin of Spanish wine having +been brought in we all made merry. Presently this Major Olivier +asked me some questions concerning the army of Germany and as to +the part which I had myself played in the campaign. Flushed with +the wine, I was drawn on from story to story. It was not +unnatural, my friends. + +You will sympathise with me. Up there I had been the model for +every officer of my years in the army. I was the first +swordsman, the most dashing rider, the hero of a hundred +adventures. Here I found myself not only unknown, but even +disliked. Was it not natural that I should wish to tell these +brave comrades what sort of man it was that had come among them? +Was it not natural that I should wish to say, "Rejoice, my +friends, rejoice! It is no ordinary man who has joined you +to-night, but it is I, THE Gerard, the hero of Ratisbon, the +victor of Jena, the man who broke the square at Austerlitz"? I +could not say all this. But I could at least tell them some +incidents which would enable them to say it for themselves. I +did so. They listened unmoved. I told them more. At last, +after my tale of how I had guided the army across the Danube, one +universal shout of laughter broke from them all. I sprang to my +feet, flushed with shame and anger. They had drawn me on. They +were making game of me. They were convinced that they had to do +with a braggart and a liar. Was this my reception in the Hussars +of Conflans? + +I dashed the tears of mortification from my eyes, and they +laughed the more at the sight. + +"Do you know, Captain Pelletan, whether Marshal Lannes is still +with the army?" asked the major. + +"I believe that he is, sir," said the other. + +"Really, I should have thought that his presence was hardly +necessary now that Captain Gerard has arrived." + +Again there was a roar of laughter. I can see the ring of faces, +the mocking eyes, the open mouths-- Olivier with his great black +bristles, Pelletan thin and sneering, even the young +sub-lieutenants convulsed with merriment. Heavens, the indignity +of it! But my rage had dried my tears. I was myself again, +cold, quiet, self-contained, ice without and fire within. + +"May I ask, sir," said I to the major, "at what hour the regiment +is paraded?" + +"I trust, Captain Gerard, that you do not mean to alter our +hours," said he, and again there was a burst of laughter, which +died away as I looked slowly round the circle. + +"What hour is the assembly?" I asked, sharply, of Captain +Pelletan. + +Some mocking answer was on his tongue, but my glance kept it +there. "The assembly is at six," he answered. + +"I thank you," said I. I then counted the company and found that +I had to do with fourteen officers, two of whom appeared to be +boys fresh from St. Cyr. I could not condescend to take any +notice of their indiscretion. + +There remained the major, four captains, and seven lieutenants. + +"Gentlemen," I continued, looking from one to the other of them, +"I should feel myself unworthy of this famous regiment if I did +not ask you for satisfaction for the rudeness with which you have +greeted me, and I should hold you to be unworthy of it if on any +pretext you refused to grant it." + +"You will have no difficulty upon that score," said the major. +"I am prepared to waive my rank and to give you every +satisfaction in the name of the Hussars of Conflans." + +"I thank you," I answered. "I feel, however, that I have some +claim upon these other gentlemen who laughed at my expense." + +"Whom would you fight, then?" asked Captain Pelletan. + +"All of you," I answered. + +They looked in surprise from one to the other. Then they drew +off to the other end of the room, and I heard the buzz of their +whispers. They were laughing. Evidently they still thought that +they had to do with some empty braggart. Then they returned. + +"Your request is unusual," said Major Olivier, "but it will be +granted. How do you propose to conduct such a duel? The terms +lie with you." + +"Sabres," said I. "And I will take you in order of seniority, +beginning with you, Major Olivier, at five o'clock. I will thus +be able to devote five minutes to each before the assembly is +blown. I must, however, beg you to have the courtesy to name the +place of meeting, since I am still ignorant of the locality." + +They were impressed by my cold and practical manner. + +Already the smile had died away from their lips. + +Olivier's face was no longer mocking, but it was dark and stern. + +"There is a small open space behind the horse lines," said he. +"We have held a few affairs of honour there and it has done very +well. We shall be there, Captain Gerard, at the hour you name." + +I was in the act of bowing to thank them for their acceptance +when the door of the mess-room was flung open and the colonel +hurried into the room, with an agitated face. + +"Gentlemen," said he, "I have been asked to call for a volunteer +from among you for a service which involves the greatest possible +danger. I will not disguise from you that the matter is serious +in the last degree, and that Marshal Lannes has chosen a cavalry +officer because he can be better spared than an officer of +infantry or of engineers. Married men are not eligible. Of the +others, who will volunteer?" + +I need not say that all the unmarried officers stepped to the +front. The colonel looked round in some embarrassment. + +I could see his dilemma. It was the best man who should go, and +yet it was the best man whom he could least spare. + +"Sir," said I, "may I be permitted to make a suggestion?" + +He looked at me with a hard eye. He had not forgotten my +observations at supper. "Speak!" said he. + +"I would point out, sir," said I, "that this mission is mine both +by right and by convenience." + +"Why so, Captain Gerard?" + +"By right because I am the senior captain. By convenience +because I shall not be missed in the regiments since the men have +not yet learned to know me." + +The colonel's features relaxed. + +"There is certainly truth in what you say, Captain Gerard," said +he. "I think that you are indeed best fitted to go upon this +mission. If you will come with me I will give you your +instructions." + +I wished my new comrades good-night as I left the room, and I +repeated that I should hold myself at their disposal at five +o'clock next morning. They bowed in silence, and I thought that +I could see from the expression of their faces that they had +already begun to take a more just view of my character. + +I had expected that the colonel would at once inform me what it +was that I had been chosen to do, but instead of that he walked +on in silence, I following behind him. + +We passed through the camp and made our way across the trenches +and over the ruined heaps of stones which marked the old wall of +the town. Within, there was a labyrinth of passages formed among +the debris of the houses which had been destroyed by the mines of +the engineers. Acres and acres were covered with splintered +walls and piles of brick which had once been a populous suburb. +Lanes had been driven through it and lanterns placed at the +corners with inscriptions to direct the wayfarer. The colonel +hurried onward until at last, after a long walk, we found our way +barred by a high grey wall which stretched right across our path. + +Here behind a barricade lay our advance guard. The colonel led +me into a roofless house, and there I found two general officers, +a map stretched over a drum in front of them, they kneeling +beside it and examining it carefully by the light of a lantern. +The one with the clean-shaven face and the twisted neck was +Marshal Lannes, the other was General Razout, the head of the +engineers. + +"Captain Gerard has volunteered to go," said the colonel. + +Marshal Lannes rose from his knees and shook me by the hand. + +"You are a brave man, sir," said he. "I have a present to make +to you," he added, handing me a very tiny glass tube. "It has +been specially prepared by Dr. Fardet. At the supreme moment you +have but to put it to your lips and you will be dead in an +instant." + +This was a cheerful beginning. I will confess to you, my +friends, that a cold chill passed up my back and my hair rose +upon my head. + +"Excuse me, sir," said I, as I saluted, "I am aware that I have +volunteered for a service of great danger, but the exact details +have not yet been given to me." + +"Colonel Perrin," said Lannes, severely, "it is unfair to allow +this brave officer to volunteer before he has learned what the +perils are to which he will be exposed." + +But already I was myself once more. + +"Sir," said I, "permit me to remark that the greater the danger +the greater the glory, and that I could only repent of +volunteering if I found that there were no risks to be run." + +It was a noble speech, and my appearance gave force to my words. +For the moment I was a heroic figure. + +As I saw Lannes's eyes fixed in admiration upon my face it +thrilled me to think how splendid was the debut which I was +making in the army of Spain. If I died that night my name would +not be forgotten. My new comrades and my old, divided in all +else, would still have a point of union in their love and +admiration of Etienne Gerard. + +"General Razout, explain the situation!" said Lannes, briefly. + +The engineer officer rose, his compasses in his hand. + +He led me to the door and pointed to the high grey wall which +towered up amongst the debris of the shattered houses. + +"That is the enemy's present line of defence," said he. "It is +the wall of the great Convent of the Madonna. If we can carry it +the city must fall, but they have run countermines all round it, +and the walls are so enormously thick that it would be an immense +labour to breach it with artillery. We happen to know, however, +that the enemy have a considerable store of powder in one of the +lower chambers. If that could be exploded the way would be clear +for us." + +"How can it be reached?" I asked. + +"I will explain. We have a French agent within the town named +Hubert. This brave man has been in constant communication with +us, and he had promised to explode the magazine. It was to be +done in the early morning, and for two days running we have had a +storming party of a thousand Grenadiers waiting for the breach to +be formed. But there has been no explosion, and for these two +days we have had no communication from Hubert. + +The question is, what has become of him?" + +"You wish me to go and see?" + +"Precisely. Is he ill, or wounded, or dead? Shall we still wait +for him, or shall we attempt the attack elsewhere? + +We cannot determine this until we have heard from him. This is a +map of the town, Captain Gerard. + +You perceive that within this ring of convents and monasteries +are a number of streets which branch off from a central square. +If you come so far as this square you will find the cathedral at +one corner. In that corner is the street of Toledo. Hubert +lives in a small house between a cobbler's and a wine-shop, on +the right-hand side as you go from the cathedral. Do you follow +me?" + +"Clearly." + +"You are to reach that house, to see him, and to find out if his +plan is still feasible or if we must abandon it." + +He produced what appeared to be a roll of dirty brown flannel. +"This is the dress of a Franciscan friar," said he. "You will +find it the most useful disguise." + +I shrank away from it. + +"It turns me into a spy," I cried. "Surely I can go in my +uniform?" + +"Impossible! How could you hope to pass through the streets of +the city? Remember, also, that the Spaniards take no prisoners, +and that your fate will be the same in whatever dress you are +taken." + +It was true, and I had been long enough in Spain to know that +that fate was likely to be something more serious than mere +death. All the way from the frontier I had heard grim tales of +torture and mutilation. I enveloped myself in the Franciscan +gown. + +"Now I am ready." + +"Are you armed?" + +"My sabre." + +"They will hear it clank. Take this knife, and leave your sword. +Tell Hubert that at four o'clock, before dawn, the storming party +will again be ready. There is a sergeant outside who will show +you how to get into the city. Good-night, and good luck!" + +Before I had left the room, the two generals had their cocked +hats touching each other over the map. At the door an +under-officer of engineers was waiting for me. + +I tied the girdle of my gown, and taking off my busby, I drew the +cowl over my head. My spurs I removed. Then in silence I +followed my guide. + +It was necessary to move with caution, for the walls above were +lined by the Spanish sentries, who fired down continually at our +advance posts. Slinking along under the very shadow of the great +convent, we picked our way slowly and carefully among the piles +of ruins until we came to a large chestnut tree. Here the +sergeant stopped. + +"It is an easy tree to climb," said he. "A scaling ladder would +not be simpler. Go up it, and you will find that the top branch +will enable you to step upon the roof of that house. After that +it is your guardian angel who must be your guide, for I can help +you no more." + +Girding up the heavy brown gown, I ascended the tree as directed. +A half moon was shining brightly, and the line of roof stood out +dark and hard against the purple, starry sky. The tree was in +the shadow of the house. + +Slowly I crept from branch to branch until I was near the top. I +had but to climb along a stout limb in order to reach the wall. +But suddenly my ears caught the patter of feet, and I cowered +against the trunk and tried to blend myself with its shadow. A +man was coming toward me on the roof. I saw his dark figure +creeping along, his body crouching, his head advanced, the barrel +of his gun protruding. His whole bearing was full of caution and +suspicion. Once or twice he paused, and then came on again until +he had reached the edge of the parapet within a few yards of me. +Then he knelt down, levelled his musket, and fired. + +I was so astonished at this sudden crash at my very elbow that I +nearly fell out of the tree. For an instant I could not be sure +that he had not hit me. But when I heard a deep groan from +below, and the Spaniard leaned over the parapet and laughed +aloud, I understood what had occurred. It was my poor, faithful +sergeant, who had waited to see the last of me. The Spaniard had +seen him standing under the tree and had shot him. You will +think that it was good shooting in the dark, but these people +used trabucos, or blunderbusses, which were filled up with all +sorts of stones and scraps of metal, so that they would hit you +as certainly as I have hit a pheasant on a branch. The Spaniard +stood peering down through the darkness, while an occasional +groan from below showed that the sergeant was still living. The +sentry looked round and everything was still and safe. + +Perhaps he thought that he would like to finish of this accursed +Frenchman, or perhaps he had a desire to see what was in his +pockets; but whatever his motive, he laid down his gun, leaned +forward, and swung himself into the tree. The same instant I +buried my knife in his body, and he fell with a loud crashing +through the branches and came with a thud to the ground. I heard +a short struggle below and an oath or two in French. + +The wounded sergeant had not waited long for his vengeance. + +For some minutes I did not dare to move, for it seemed certain +that someone would be attracted by the noise. + +However, all was silent save for the chimes striking midnight in +the city. I crept along the branch and lifted myself on to the +roof. The Spaniard's gun was lying there, but it was of no +service to me, since he had the powder-horn at his belt. At the +same time, if it were found, it would warn the enemy that +something had happened, so I thought it best to drop it over the +wall. + +Then I looked round for the means of getting of the roof and down +into the city. + +It was very evident that the simplest way by which I could get +down was that by which the sentinel had got up, and what this was +soon became evident. A voice along the roof called "Manuelo! +Manuelo!" several times, and, crouching in the shadow, I saw in +the moonlight a bearded head, which protruded from a trap- door. + +Receiving no answer to his summons, the man climbed through, +followed by three other fellows, all armed to the teeth. You +will see here how important it is not to neglect small +precautions, for had I left the man's gun where I found it, a +search must have followed and I should certainly have been +discovered. As it was, the patrol saw no sign of their sentry, +and thought, no doubt, that he had moved along the line of the +roofs. + +They hurried on, therefore, in that direction, and I, the instant +that their backs were turned, rushed to the open trap-door and +descended the flight of steps which led from it. The house +appeared to be an empty one, for I passed through the heart of it +and out, by an open door, into the street beyond. + +It was a narrow and deserted lane, but it opened into a broader +road, which was dotted with fires, round which a great number of +soldiers and peasants were sleeping. + +The smell within the city was so horrible that one wondered how +people could live in it, for during the months that the siege had +lasted there had been no attempt to cleanse the streets or to +bury the dead. Many people were moving up and down from fire to +fire, and among them I observed several monks. Seeing that they +came and went unquestioned, I took heart and hurried on my way in +the direction of the great square. Once a man rose from beside +one of the fires and stopped me by seizing my sleeve. He pointed +to a woman who lay motionless on the road, and I took him to mean +that she was dying, and that he desired me to administer the last +offices of the Church. I sought refuge, however, in the very +little Latin that was left to me. "Ora pro nobis," said I, from +the depths of my cowl. "Te Deum laudamus. + +Ora pro nobis." I raised my hand as I spoke and pointed forward. +The fellow released my sleeve and shrank back in silence, while +I, with a solemn gesture, hurried upon my way. + +As I had imagined, this broad boulevard led out into the central +square, which was full of troops and blazing with fires. I +walked swiftly onward, disregarding one or two people who +addressed remarks to me. I passed the cathedral and followed the +street which had been described to me. Being upon the side of +the city which was farthest from our attack, there were no troops +encamped in it, and it lay in darkness, save for an occasional +glimmer in a window. It was not difficult to find the house to +which I had been directed, between the wine- shop and the +cobbler's. There was no light within and the door was shut. +Cautiously I pressed the latch, and I felt that it had yielded. +Who was within I could not tell, and yet I must take the risk. I +pushed the door open and entered. + +It was pitch-dark within--the more so as I had closed the door +behind me. I felt round and came upon the edge of a table. Then +I stood still and wondered what I should do next, and how I could +gain some news of this Hubert, in whose house I found myself. +Any mistake would cost me not only my life but the failure of my +mission. Perhaps he did not live alone. Perhaps he was only a +lodger in a Spanish family, and my visit might bring ruin to him +as well as to myself. Seldom in my life have I been more +perplexed. And then, suddenly, something turned my blood cold in +my veins. It was a voice, a whispering voice, in my very ear. +"Mon Dieu!" cried the voice, in a tone of agony. "Oh, mon Dieu! +mon Dieu!" Then there was a dry sob in the darkness, and all was +still once more. + +It thrilled me with horror, that terrible voice, but it thrilled +me also with hope, for it was the voice of a Frenchman. + +"Who is there?" I asked. + +There was a groaning, but no reply. + +"Is that you, Monsieur Hubert?" + +"Yes, yes," sighed the voice, so low that I could hardly hear it. +"Water, water, for Heaven's sake, water!" + +I advanced in the direction of the sound, but only to come in +contact with the wall. Again I heard a groan, but this time +there could be no doubt that it was above my head. I put up my +hands, but they felt only empty air. + +"Where are you?" I cried. + +"Here! Here!" whispered the strange, tremulous voice. + +I stretched my hand along the wall and I came upon a man's naked +foot. It was as high as my face, and yet, so far as I could +feel, it had nothing to support it. I staggered back in +amazement. Then I took a tinder- box from my pocket and struck a +light. At the first flash a man seemed to be floating in the air +in front of me, and I dropped the box in my amazement. Again +with tremulous fingers I struck the flint against the steel, and +this time I lit not only the tinder but the wax taper. I held it +up, and if my amazement was lessened my horror was increased by +that which it revealed. + +The man had been nailed to the wall as a weasel is nailed to the +door of a barn. Huge spikes had been driven through his hands +and his feet. The poor wretch was in his last agony, his head +sunk upon his shoulder and his blackened tongue protruding from +his lips. He was dying as much from thirst as from his wounds, +and these inhuman wretches had placed a beaker of wine upon the +table in front of him to add a fresh pang to his tortures. + +I raised it to his lips. He had still strength enough to +swallow, and the light came back a little to his dim eyes. + +"Are you a Frenchman?" he whispered. + +"Yes. They have sent me to learn what had befallen you." + +"They discovered me. They have killed me for it. + +But before I die let me tell you what I know. A little more of +that wine, please! Quick! Quick! I am very near the end. My +strength is going. Listen to me! + +The powder is stored in the Mother Superior's room. + +The wall is pierced, and the end of the train is in Sister +Angela's cell, next the chapel. All was ready two days ago. But +they discovered a letter and they tortured me." + +"Good heavens! have you been hanging here for two days?" + +"It seems like two years. Comrade, I have served France, have I +not? Then do one little service for me. + +Stab me to the heart, dear friend! I implore you, I entreat you, +to put an end to my sufferings." + +The man was indeed in a hopeless plight, and the kindest action +would have been that for which he begged. + +And yet I could not in cold blood drive my knife into his body, +although I knew how I should have prayed for such a mercy had I +been in his place. But a sudden thought crossed my mind. In my +pocket I held that which would give an instant and a painless +death. It was my own safeguard against torture, and yet this +poor soul was in very pressing need of it, and he had deserved +well of France. I took out my phial and emptied it into the cup +of wine. I was in the act of handing it to him when I heard a +sudden clash of arms outside the door. + +In an instant I put out my light and slipped behind the +window-curtains. Next moment the door was flung open and two +Spaniards strode into the room, fierce, swarthy men in the dress +of citizens, but with muskets slung over their shoulders. I +looked through the chink in the curtains in an agony of fear lest +they had come upon my traces, but it was evident that their visit +was simply in order to feast their eyes upon my unfortunate +compatriot. + +One of them held the lantern which he carried up in front of the +dying man, and both of them burst into a shout of mocking +laughter. Then the eyes of the man with the lantern fell upon +the flagon of wine upon the table. He picked it up, held it, +with a devilish grin, to the lips of Hubert, and then, as the +poor wretch involuntarily inclined his head forward to reach it, +he snatched it back and took a long gulp himself. At the same +instant he uttered a loud cry, clutched wildly at his own throat, +and fell stone-dead upon the floor. His comrade stared at him in +horror and amazement. Then, overcome by his own superstitious +fears, he gave a yell of terror and rushed madly from the room. +I heard his feet clattering wildly on the cobble-stones until the +sound died away in the distance. + +The lantern had been left burning upon the table, and by its +light I saw, as I came out from behind my curtain, that the +unfortunate Hubert's head had fallen forward upon his chest and +that he also was dead. That motion to reach the wine with his +lips had been his last. A clock ticked loudly in the house, but +otherwise all was absolutely still. On the wall hung the twisted +form of the Frenchman, on the floor lay the motionless body of +the Spaniard, all dimly lit by the horn lantern. For the first +time in my life a frantic spasm of terror came over me. I had +seen ten thousand men in every conceivable degree of mutilation +stretched upon the ground, but the sight had never affected me +like those two silent figures who were my companions in that +shadowy room. I rushed into the street as the Spaniard had done, +eager only to leave that house of gloom behind me, and I had run +as far as the cathedral before my wits came back to me. + +There I stopped, panting, in the shadow, and, my hand pressed to +my side, I tried to collect my scattered senses and to plan out +what I should do. As I stood there, breathless, the great brass +bells roared twice above my head. It was two o'clock. Four was +the hour when the storming-party would be in its place. I had +still two hours in which to act. + +The cathedral was brilliantly lit within, and a number of people +were passing in and out; so I entered, thinking that I was less +likely to be accosted there, and that I might have quiet to form +my plans. It was certainly a singular sight, for the place had +been turned into an hospital, a refuge, and a store-house. One +aisle was crammed with provisions, another was littered with sick +and wounded, while in the centre a great number of helpless +people had taken up their abode, and had even lit their cooking +fires upon the mosaic floors. There were many at prayer, so I +knelt in the shadow of a pillar, and I prayed with all my heart +that I might have the good luck to get out of this scrape alive, +and that I might do such a deed that night as would make my name +as famous in Spain as it had already become in Germany. I waited +until the clock struck three, and then I left the cathedral and +made my way toward the Convent of the Madonna, where the assault +was to be delivered. You will understand, you who know me so +well, that I was not the man to return tamely to the French camp +with the report that our agent was dead and that other means must +be found of entering the city. Either I should find some means +to finish his uncompleted task or there would be a vacancy for a +senior captain in the Hussars of Conflans. + +I passed unquestioned down the broad boulevard, which I have +already described, until I came to the great stone convent which +formed the outwork of the defence. + +It was built in a square with a garden in the centre. In this +garden some hundreds of men were assembled, all armed and ready, +for it was known, of course, within the town that this was the +point against which the French attack was likely to be made. Up +to this time our fighting all over Europe had always been done +between one army and another. It was only here in Spain that we +learned how terrible a thing it is to fight against a people. + +On the one hand there is no glory, for what glory could be gained +by defeating this rabble of elderly shopkeepers, ignorant +peasants, fanatical priests, excited women, and all the other +creatures who made up the garrison? On the other hand there were +extreme discomfort and danger, for these people would give you no +rest, would observe no rules of war, and were desperately earnest +in their desire by hook or by crook to do you an injury. I began +to realise how odious was our task as I looked upon the motley +but ferocious groups who were gathered round the watch-fires in +the garden of the Convent of the Madonna. It was not for us +soldiers to think about politics, but from the beginning there +always seemed to be a curse upon this war in Spain. + +However, at the moment I had no time to brood over such matters +as these. There was, as I have said, no difficulty in getting as +far as the convent garden, but to pass inside the convent +unquestioned was not so easy. + +The first thing which I did was to walk round the garden, and I +was soon able to pick out one large stained-glass window which +must belong to the chapel. I had understood from Hubert that the +Mother Superior's room, in which the powder was stored, was near +to this, and that the train had been laid through a hole in the +wall from some neighbouring cell. I must, at all costs, get into +the convent. There was a guard at the door, and how could I get +in without explanations? But a sudden inspiration showed me how +the thing might be done. In the garden was a well, and beside +the well were a number of empty buckets. I filled two of these, +and approached the door. The errand of a man who carries a +bucket of water in each hand does not need to be explained. The +guard opened to let me through. I found myself in a long, +stone-flagged corridor, lit with lanterns, with the cells of the +nuns leading out from one side of it. Now at last I was on the +high road to success. I walked on without hesitation, for I knew +by my observations in the garden which way to go for the chapel. + +A number of Spanish soldiers were lounging and smoking in the +corridor, several of whom addressed me as I passed. I fancy it +was for my blessing that they asked, and my "Ora pro nobis" +seemed to entirely satisfy them. Soon I had got as far as the +chapel, and it was easy enough to see that the cell next door was +used as a magazine, for the floor was all black with powder in +front of it. The door was shut, and two fierce-looking fellows +stood on guard outside it, one of them with a key stuck in his +belt. Had we been alone, it would not have been long before it +would have been in my hand, but with his comrade there it was +impossible for me to hope to take it by force. The cell next +door to the magazine on the far side from the chapel must be the +one which belonged to Sister Angela. It was half open. I took +my courage in both hands and, leaving my buckets in the corridor, +I walked unchallenged into the room. + +I was prepared to find half a dozen fierce Spanish desperadoes +within, but what actually met my eyes was even more embarrassing. +The room had apparently been set aside for the use of some of the +nuns, who for some reason had refused to quit their home. Three +of them were within, one an elderly, stern-faced dame, who was +evidently the Mother Superior, the others, young ladies of +charming appearance. They were seated together at the far side +of the room, but they all rose at my entrance, and I saw with +some amazement, by their manner and expressions, that my coming +was both welcome and expected. In a moment my presence of mind +had returned, and I saw exactly how the matter lay. + +Naturally, since an attack was about to be made upon the convent, +these sisters had been expecting to be directed to some place of +safety. Probably they were under vow not to quit the walls, and +they had been told to remain in this cell until they received +further orders. + +In any case I adapted my conduct to this supposition, since it +was clear that I must get them out of the room, and this would +give me a ready excuse to do so. I first cast a glance at the +door and observed that the key was within. I then made a gesture +to the nuns to follow me. The Mother Superior asked me some +question, but I shook my head impatiently and beckoned to her +again. + +She hesitated, but I stamped my foot and called them forth in so +imperious a manner that they came at once. + +They would be safer in the chapel, and thither I led them, +placing them at the end which was farthest from the magazine. As +the three nuns took their places before the altar my heart +bounded with joy and pride within me, for I felt that the last +obstacle had been lifted from my path. + +And yet how often have I not found that that is the very moment +of danger? I took a last glance at the Mother Superior, and to +my dismay I saw that her piercing dark eyes were fixed, with an +expression in which surprise was deepening into suspicion, upon +my right hand. There were two points which might well have +attracted her attention. One was that it was red with the blood +of the sentinel whom I had stabbed in the tree. That alone might +count for little, as the knife was as familiar as the breviary to +the monks of Saragossa. + +But on my forefinger I wore a heavy gold ring --the gift of a +certain German baroness whose name I may not mention. It shone +brightly in the light of the altar lamp. Now, a ring upon a +friar's hand is an impossibility, since they are vowed to +absolute poverty. + +I turned quickly and made for the door of the chapel, but the +mischief was done. As I glanced back I saw that the Mother +Superior was already hurrying after me. I ran through the chapel +door and along the corridor, but she called out some shrill +warning to the two guards in front. Fortunately I had the +presence of mind to call out also, and to point down the passage +as if we were both pursuing the same object. Next instant I had +dashed past them, sprang into the cell, slammed the heavy door, +and fastened it upon the inside. + +With a bolt above and below and a huge lock in the centre it was +a piece of timber that would take some forcing. + +Even now if they had had the wit to put a barrel of powder +against the door I should have been ruined. It was their only +chance, for I had come to the final stage of my adventure. Here +at last, after such a string of dangers as few men have ever +lived to talk of, I was at one end of the powder train, with the +Saragossa magazine at the other. They were howling like wolves +out in the passage, and muskets were crashing against the door. +I paid no heed to their clamour, but I looked eagerly around for +that train of which Hubert had spoken. Of course, it must be at +the side of the room next to the magazine. I crawled along it on +my hands and knees, looking into every crevice, but no sign could +I see. Two bullets flew through the door and flattened +themselves against the wall. The thudding and smashing grew ever +louder. I saw a grey pile in a corner, flew to it with a cry of +joy, and found that it was only dust. Then I got back to the +side of the door where no bullets could ever reach me--they were +streaming freely into the room--and I tried to forget this +fiendish howling in my ear and to think out where this train +could be. It must have been carefully laid by Hubert lest these +nuns should see it. I tried to imagine how I should myself have +arranged it had I been in his place. + +My eye was attracted by a statue of St. Joseph which stood in the +corner. There was a wreath of leaves along the edge of the +pedestal, with a lamp burning amidst them. I rushed across to it +and tore the leaves aside. + +Yes, yes, there was a thin black line, which disappeared through +a small hole in the wall. I tilted over the lamp and threw +myself on the ground. Next instant came a roar like thunder, the +walls wavered and tottered around me, the ceiling clattered down +from above, and over the yell of the terrified Spaniards was +heard the terrific shout of the storming column of Grenadiers. +As in a dream--a happy dream--I heard it, and then I heard no +more. + +When I came to my senses two French soldiers were propping me up, +and my head was singing like a kettle. + +I staggered to my feet and looked around me. The plaster had +fallen, the furniture was scattered, and there were rents in the +bricks, but no signs of a breach. In fact, the walls of the +convent had been so solid that the explosion of the magazine had +been insufficient to throw them down. On the other hand, it had +caused such a panic among the defenders that our stormers had +been able to carry the windows and throw open the doors almost +without assistance. As I ran out into the corridor I found it +full of troops, and I met Marshal Lannes himself, who was +entering with his staff. He stopped and listened eagerly to my +story. + +"Splendid, Captain Gerard, splendid!" he cried. + +"These facts will certainly be reported to the Emperor." + +"I would suggest to your Excellency," said I, "that I have only +finished the work that was planned and carried out by Monsieur +Hubert, who gave his life for the cause." + +"His services will not be forgotten," said the Marshal. + +"Meanwhile, Captain Gerard, it is half-past four, and you must be +starving after such a night of exertion. + +My staff and I will breakfast inside the city. I assure you that +you will be an honoured guest." + +"I will follow your Excellency," said I. "There is a small +engagement which detains me." + +He opened his eyes. + +"At this hour?" + +"Yes, sir," I answered. "My fellow-officers, whom I never saw +until last night, will not be content unless they catch another +glimpse of me the first thing this morning." + +"Au revoir, then," said Marshal Lannes, as he passed upon his +way. + +I hurried through the shattered door of the convent. + +When I reached the roofless house in which we had held the +consultation the night before, I threw of my gown and I put on +the busby and sabre which I had left there. + +Then, a Hussar once more, I hurried onward to the grove which was +our rendezvous. My brain was still reeling from the concussion +of the powder, and I was exhausted by the many emotions which had +shaken me during that terrible night. It is like a dream, all +that walk in the first dim grey light of dawn, with the +smouldering camp-fires around me and the buzz of the waking army. +Bugles and drums in every direction were mustering the infantry, +for the explosion and the shouting had told their own tale. I +strode onward until, as I entered the little clump of cork oaks +behind the horse lines, I saw my twelve comrades waiting in a +group, their sabres at their sides. They looked at me curiously +as I approached. Perhaps with my powder- blackened face and my +blood-stained hands I seemed a different Gerard to the young +captain whom they had made game of the night before. + +"Good morning, gentlemen," said I. "I regret exceedingly if I +have kept you waiting, but I have not been master of my own +time." + +They said nothing, but they still scanned me with curious eyes. +I can see them now, standing in a line before me, tall men and +short men, stout men and thin men: Olivier, with his warlike +moustache; the thin, eager face of Pelletan; young Oudin, flushed +by his first duel; Mortier, with the sword-cut across his +wrinkled brow. + +I laid aside my busby and drew my sword. + +"I have one favour to ask you, gentlemen," said I. + +"Marshal Lannes has invited me to breakfast and I cannot keep him +waiting." + +"What do you suggest?" asked Major Olivier. + +"That you release me from my promise to give you five minutes +each, and that you will permit me to attack you all together." I +stood upon my guard as I spoke. + +But their answer was truly beautiful and truly French. With one +impulse the twelve swords flew from their scabbards and were +raised in salute. There they stood, the twelve of them, +motionless, their heels together, each with his sword upright +before his face. + +I staggered back from them. I looked from one to the other. For +an instant I could not believe my own eyes. They were paying me +homage, these, the men who had jeered me! Then I understood it +all. I saw the effect that I had made upon them and their desire +to make reparation. When a man is weak he can steel himself +against danger, but not against emotion. + +"Comrades," I cried, "comrades--!" but I could say no more. + +Something seemed to take me by the throat and choke me. And then +in an instant Olivier's arms were round me, Pelletan had seized +me by the right hand, Mortier by the left, some were patting me +on the shoulder, some were clapping me on the back, on every side +smiling faces were looking into mine; and so it was that I knew +that I had won my footing in the Hussars of Conflans. + + + +III. +How the Brigadier Slew the Fox[*] + + +[*] This story, already published in The Green Flag, is included +here so that all of the Brigadier Gerard stories may appear +together. + + +In all the great hosts of France there was only one officer +toward whom the English of Wellington's Army retained a deep, +steady, and unchangeable hatred. + +There were plunderers among the French, and men of violence, +gamblers, duellists, and roues. All these could be forgiven, for +others of their kidney were to be found among the ranks of the +English. But one officer of Massena's force had committed a +crime which was unspeakable, unheard of, abominable; only to be +alluded to with curses late in the evening, when a second bottle +had loosened the tongues of men. The news of it was carried back +to England, and country gentlemen who knew little of the details +of the war grew crimson with passion when they heard of it, and +yeomen of the shires raised freckled fists to Heaven and swore. +And yet who should be the doer of this dreadful deed but our +friend the Brigadier, Etienne Gerard, of the Hussars of Conflans, +gay-riding, plume-tossing, debonair, the darling of the ladies +and of the six brigades of light cavalry. + +But the strange part of it is that this gallant gentleman did +this hateful thing, and made himself the most unpopular man in +the Peninsula, without ever knowing that he had done a crime for +which there is hardly a name amid all the resources of our +language. He died of old age, and never once in that +imperturbable self- confidence which adorned or disfigured his +character knew that so many thousand Englishmen would gladly have +hanged him with their own hands. On the contrary, he numbered +this adventure among those other exploits which he has given to +the world, and many a time he chuckled and hugged himself as he +narrated it to the eager circle who gathered round him in that +humble cafe where, between his dinner and his dominoes, he would +tell, amid tears and laughter, of that inconceivable Napoleonic +past when France, like an angel of wrath, rose up, splendid and +terrible, before a cowering continent. Let us listen to him as +he tells the story in his own way and from his own point of view. + +You must know, my friends, said he, that it was toward the end of +the year eighteen hundred and ten that I and Massena and the +others pushed Wellington backward until we had hoped to drive him +and his army into the Tagus. But when we were still twenty-five +miles from Lisbon we found that we were betrayed, for what had +this Englishman done but build an enormous line of works and +forts at a place called Torres Vedras, so that even we were +unable to get through them! They lay across the whole Peninsula, +and our army was so far from home that we did not dare to risk a +reverse, and we had already learned at Busaco that it was no +child's play to fight against these people. What could we do, +then, but sit down in front of these lines and blockade them to +the best of our power? There we remained for six months, amid +such anxieties that Massena said afterward that he had not one +hair which was not white upon his body. + +For my own part, I did not worry much about our situation, but I +looked after our horses, who were in much need of rest and green +fodder. For the rest, we drank the wine of the country and +passed the time as best we might. There was a lady at +Santarem--but my lips are sealed. It is the part of a gallant +man to say nothing, though he may indicate that he could say a +great deal. + +One day Massena sent for me, and I found him in his tent with a +great plan pinned upon the table. He looked at me in silence +with that single piercing eye of his, and I felt by his +expression that the matter was serious. He was nervous and ill +at ease, but my bearing seemed to reassure him. It is good to be +in contact with brave men. + +"Colonel Etienne Gerard," said he, "I have always heard that you +are a very gallant and enterprising officer." + +It was not for me to confirm such a report, and yet it would be +folly to deny it, so I clinked my spurs together and saluted. + +"You are also an excellent rider." + +I admitted it. + +"And the best swordsman in the six brigades of light cavalry." + +Massena was famous for the accuracy of his information. + +"Now," said he, "if you will look at this plan you will have no +difficulty in understanding what it is that I wish you to do. +These are the lines of Torres Vedras. You will perceive that +they cover a vast space, and you will realise that the English +can only hold a position here and there. Once through the lines +you have twenty-five miles of open country which lie between them +and Lisbon. It is very important to me to learn how Wellington's +troops are distributed throughout that space, and it is my wish +that you should go and ascertain." + +His words turned me cold. + +"Sir," said I, "it is impossible that a colonel of light cavalry +should condescend to act as a spy." + +He laughed and clapped me on the shoulder. + +"You would not be a Hussar if you were not a hot- head," said he. +"If you will listen you will understand that I have not asked you +to act as a spy. What do you think of that horse?" + +He had conducted me to the opening of his tent, and there was a +chasseur who led up and down a most admirable creature. He was a +dapple grey, not very tall, a little over fifteen hands perhaps, +but with the short head and splendid arch of the neck which comes +with the Arab blood. His shoulders and haunches were so +muscular, and yet his legs so fine, that it thrilled me with joy +just to gaze upon him. A fine horse or a beautiful woman--I +cannot look at them unmoved, even now when seventy winters have +chilled my blood. You can think how it was in the year '10. + +"This," said Massena, "is Voltigeur, the swiftest horse in our +army. What I desire is that you should start tonight, ride round +the lines upon the flank, make your way across the enemy's rear, +and return upon the other flank, bringing me news of his +disposition. You will wear a uniform, and will, therefore, if +captured, be safe from the death of a spy. It is probable that +you will get through the lines unchallenged, for the posts are +very scattered. Once through, in daylight you can outride +anything which you meet, and if you keep off the roads you may +escape entirely unnoticed. If you have not reported yourself by +to-morrow night, I will understand that you are taken, and I will +offer them Colonel Petrie in exchange." + +Ah, how my heart swelled with pride and joy as I sprang into the +saddle and galloped this grand horse up and down to show the +Marshal the mastery which I had of him! He was magnificent--we +were both magnificent, for Massena clapped his hands and cried +out in his delight. + +It was not I, but he, who said that a gallant beast deserves a +gallant rider. Then, when for the third time, with my panache +flying and my dolman streaming behind me, I thundered past him, I +saw upon his hard old face that he had no longer any doubt that +he had chosen the man for his purpose. I drew my sabre, raised +the hilt to my lips in salute, and galloped on to my own +quarters. + +Already the news had spread that I had been chosen for a mission, +and my little rascals came swarming out of their tents to cheer +me. Ah! it brings the tears to my old eyes when I think how +proud they were of their Colonel. + +And I was proud of them also. They deserved a dashing leader. + +The night promised to be a stormy one, which was very much to my +liking. It was my desire to keep my departure most secret, for +it was evident that if the English heard that I had been detached +from the army they would naturally conclude that something +important was about to happen. My horse was taken, therefore, +beyond the picket line, as if for watering, and I followed and +mounted him there. I had a map, a compass, and a paper of +instructions from the Marshal, and with these in the bosom of my +tunic and my sabre at my side I set out upon my adventure. + +A thin rain was falling and there was no moon, so you may imagine +that it was not very cheerful. But my heart was light at the +thought of the honour which had been done me and the glory which +awaited me. This exploit should be one more in that brilliant +series which was to change my sabre into a baton. Ah, how we +dreamed, we foolish fellows, young, and drunk with success! +Could I have foreseen that night as I rode, the chosen man of +sixty thousand, that I should spend my life planting cabbages on +a hundred francs a month! Oh, my youth, my hopes, my comrades! +But the wheel turns and never stops. Forgive me, my friends, for +an old man has his weakness. + +My route, then, lay across the face of the high ground of Torres +Vedras, then over a streamlet, past a farmhouse which had been +burned down and was now only a landmark, then through a forest of +young cork oaks, and so to the monastery of San Antonio, which +marked the left of the English position. Here I turned south and +rode quietly over the downs, for it was at this point that +Massena thought that it would be most easy for me to find my way +unobserved through the position. I went very slowly, for it was +so dark that I could not see my hand in front of me. In such +cases I leave my bridle loose and let my horse pick its own way. +Voltigeur went confidently forward, and I was very content to sit +upon his back and to peer about me, avoiding every light. + +For three hours we advanced in this cautious way, until it seemed +to me that I must have left all danger behind me. I then pushed +on more briskly, for I wished to be in the rear of the whole army +by daybreak. There are many vineyards in these parts which in +winter become open plains, and a horseman finds few difficulties +in his way. + +But Massena had underrated the cunning of these English, for it +appears that there was not one line of defence but three, and it +was the third, which was the most formidable, through which I was +at that instant passing. As I rode, elated at my own success, a +lantern flashed suddenly before me, and I saw the glint of +polished gun-barrels and the gleam of a red coat. + +"Who goes there?" cried a voice--such a voice! I swerved to the +right and rode like a madman, but a dozen squirts of fire came +out of the darkness, and the bullets whizzed all round my ears. +That was no new sound to me, my friends, though I will not talk +like a foolish conscript and say that I have ever liked it. But +at least it had never kept me from thinking clearly, and so I +knew that there was nothing for it but to gallop hard and try my +luck elsewhere. I rode round the English picket, and then, as I +heard nothing more of them, I concluded rightly that I had at +last come through their defences. + +For five miles I rode south, striking a tinder from time to time +to look at my pocket compass. And then in an instant-- I feel +the pang once more as my memory brings back the moment--my horse, +without a sob or staggers fell stone-dead beneath me! + +I had never known it, but one of the bullets from that infernal +picket had passed through his body. The gallant creature had +never winced nor weakened, but had gone while life was in him. +One instant I was secure on the swiftest, most graceful horse in +Massena's army. The next he lay upon his side, worth only the +price of his hide, and I stood there that most helpless, most +ungainly of creatures, a dismounted Hussar. What could I do with +my boots, my spurs, my trailing sabre? I was far inside the +enemy's lines. How could I hope to get back again? + +I am not ashamed to say that I, Etienne Gerard, sat upon my dead +horse and sank my face in my hands in my despair. + +Already the first streaks were whitening the east. + +In half an hour it would be light. That I should have won my way +past every obstacle and then at this last instant be left at the +mercy of my enemies, my mission ruined, and myself a +prisoner--was it not enough to break a soldier's heart? + +But courage, my friends! We have these moments of weakness, the +bravest of us; but I have a spirit like a slip of steel, for the +more you bend it the higher it springs. + +One spasm of despair, and then a brain of ice and a heart of +fire. All was not yet lost. I who had come through so many +hazards would come through this one also. I rose from my horse +and considered what had best be done. + +And first of all it was certain that I could not get back. Long +before I could pass the lines it would be broad daylight. I must +hide myself for the day, and then devote the next night to my +escape. I took the saddle, holsters, and bridle from poor +Voltigeur, and I concealed them among some bushes, so that no one +finding him could know that he was a French horse. Then, leaving +him lying there, I wandered on in search of some place where I +might be safe for the day. In every direction I could see camp +fires upon the sides of the hills, and already figures had begun +to move around them. I must hide quickly, or I was lost. + +But where was I to hide? It was a vineyard in which I found +myself, the poles of the vines still standing, but the plants +gone. There was no cover there. Besides, I should want some +food and water before another night had come. I hurried wildly +onward through the waning darkness, trusting that chance would be +my friend. + +And I was not disappointed. Chance is a woman, my friends, and +she has her eye always upon a gallant Hussar. + +Well, then, as I stumbled through the vineyard, something loomed +in front of me, and I came upon a great square house with another +long, low building upon one side of it. Three roads met there, +and it was easy to see that this was the posada, or wine-shop. + +There was no light in the windows, and everything was dark and +silent, but, of course, I knew that such comfortable quarters +were certainly occupied, and probably by someone of importance. +I have learned, however, that the nearer the danger may really be +the safer place, and so I was by no means inclined to trust +myself away from this shelter. The low building was evidently +the stable, and into this I crept, for the door was unlatched. + +The place was full of bullocks and sheep, gathered there, no +doubt, to be out of the clutches of marauders. + +A ladder led to a loft, and up this I climbed and concealed +myself very snugly among some bales of hay upon the top. This +loft had a small open window, and I was able to look down upon +the front of the inn and also upon the road. There I crouched +and waited to see what would happen. + +It was soon evident that I had not been mistaken when I had +thought that this might be the quarters of some person of +importance. Shortly after daybreak an English light dragoon +arrived with a despatch, and from then onward the place was in a +turmoil, officers continually riding up and away. Always the +same name was upon their lips: "Sir Stapleton--Sir Stapleton." + +It was hard for me to lie there with a dry moustache and watch +the great flagons which were brought out by the landlord to these +English officers. But it amused me to look at their +fresh-coloured, clean-shaven, careless faces, and to wonder what +they would think if they knew that so celebrated a person was +lying so near to them. And then, as I lay and watched, I saw a +sight which filled me with surprise. + +It is incredible the insolence of these English! What do you +suppose Milord Wellington had done when he found that Massena had +blockaded him and that he could not move his army? I might give +you many guesses. You might say that he had raged, that he had +despaired, that he had brought his troops together and spoken to +them about glory and the fatherland before leading them to one +last battle. No, Milord did none of these things. But he sent a +fleet ship to England to bring him a number of fox-dogs; and he +with his officers settled himself down to chase the fox. It is +true what I tell you. Behind the lines of Torres Vedras these +mad Englishmen made the fox chase three days in the week. + +We had heard of it in the camp, and now I was myself to see that +it was true. + +For, along the road which I have described, there came these very +dogs, thirty or forty of them, white and brown, each with its +tail at the same angle, like the bayonets of the Old Guard. My +faith, but it was a pretty sight! And behind and amidst them +there rode three men with peaked caps and red coats, whom I +understood to be the hunters. After them came many horsemen with +uniforms of various kinds, stringing along the roads in twos and +threes, talking together and laughing. + +They did not seem to be going above a trot, and it appeared to me +that it must indeed be a slow fox which they hoped to catch. +However, it was their affair, not mine, and soon they had all +passed my window and were out of sight. I waited and I watched, +ready for any chance which might offer. + +Presently an officer, in a blue uniform not unlike that of our +flying artillery, came cantering down the road--an elderly, stout +man he was, with grey side-whiskers. He stopped and began to +talk with an orderly officer of dragoons, who waited outside the +inn, and it was then that I learned the advantage of the English +which had been taught me. I could hear and understand all that +was said. + +"Where is the meet?" said the officer, and I thought that he was +hungering for his bifstek. But the other answered him that it +was near Altara, so I saw that it was a place of which he spoke. + +"You are late, Sir George," said the orderly. + +"Yes, I had a court-martial. Has Sir Stapleton Cotton gone?" + +At this moment a window opened, and a handsome young man in a +very splendid uniform looked out of it. + +"Halloa, Murray!" said he. "These cursed papers keep me, but I +will be at your heels." + +"Very good, Cotton. I am late already, so I will ride on." + +"You might order my groom to bring round my horse," said the +young General at the window to the orderly below, while the other +went on down the road. + +The orderly rode away to some outlying stable, and then in a few +minutes there came a smart English groom with a cockade in his +hat, leading by the bridle a horse-- and, oh, my friends, you +have never known the perfection to which a horse can attain until +you have seen a first- class English hunter. He was superb: +tall, broad, strong, and yet as graceful and agile as a deer. +Coal black he was in colour, and his neck, and his shoulder, and +his quarters, and his fetlocks--how can I describe him all to +you? The sun shone upon him as on polished ebony, and he raised +his hoofs in a little playful dance so lightly and prettily, +while he tossed his mane and whinnied with impatience. Never +have I seen such a mixture of strength and beauty and grace. I +had often wondered how the English Hussars had managed to ride +over the chasseurs of the Guards in the affair at Astorga, but I +wondered no longer when I saw the English horses. + +There was a ring for fastening bridles at the door of the inn, +and the groom tied the horse there while he entered the house. +In an instant I had seen the chance which Fate had brought to me. +Were I in that saddle I should be better off than when I started. +Even Voltigeur could not compare with this magnificent creature. +To think is to act with me. In one instant I was down the ladder +and at the door of the stable. The next I was out and the bridle +was in my hand. I bounded into the saddle. + +Somebody, the master or the man, shouted wildly behind me. What +cared I for his shouts! I touched the horse with my spurs and he +bounded forward with such a spring that only a rider like myself +could have sat him. I gave him his head and let him go--it did +not matter to me where, so long as we left this inn far behind +us. He thundered away across the vineyards, and in a very few +minutes I had placed miles between myself and my pursuers. They +could no longer tell in that wild country in which direction I +had gone. I knew that I was safe, and so, riding to the top of a +small hill, I drew my pencil and note-book from my pocket and +proceeded to make plans of those camps which I could see and to +draw the outline of the country. + +He was a dear creature upon whom I sat, but it was not easy to +draw upon his back, for every now and then his two ears would +cock, and he would start and quiver with impatience. At first I +could not understand this trick of his, but soon I observed that +he only did it when a peculiar noise--"yoy, yoy, yoy"--came from +somewhere among the oak woods beneath us. And then suddenly this +strange cry changed into a most terrible screaming, with the +frantic blowing of a horn. Instantly he went mad--this horse. +His eyes blazed. His mane bristled. He bounded from the earth +and bounded again, twisting and turning in a frenzy. My pencil +flew one way and my note-book another. And then, as I looked +down into the valley, an extraordinary sight met my eyes. + +The hunt was streaming down it. The fox I could not see, but the +dogs were in full cry, their noses down, their tails up, so close +together that they might have been one great yellow and white +moving carpet. And behind them rode the horsemen--my faith, what +a sight! Consider every type which a great army could show. +Some in hunting dress, but the most in uniforms: blue dragoons, +red dragoons, red-trousered hussars, green riflemen, +artillerymen, gold-slashed lancers, and most of all red, red, +red, for the infantry officers ride as hard as the cavalry. + +Such a crowd, some well mounted, some ill, but all flying along +as best they might, the subaltern as good as the general, +jostling and pushing, spurring and driving, with every thought +thrown to the winds save that they should have the blood of this +absurd fox! Truly, they are an extraordinary people, the +English! + +But I had little time to watch the hunt or to marvel at these +islanders, for of all these mad creatures the very horse upon +which I sat was the maddest. You understand that he was himself +a hunter, and that the crying of these dogs was to him what the +call of a cavalry trumpet in the street yonder would be to me. +It thrilled him. It drove him wild. Again and again he bounded +into the air, and then, seizing the bit between his teeth, he +plunged down the slope and galloped after the dogs. + +I swore, and tugged, and pulled, but I was powerless. + +This English General rode his horse with a snaffle only, and the +beast had a mouth of iron. It was useless to pull him back. One +might as well try to keep a grenadier from a wine-bottle. I gave +it up in despair, and, settling down in the saddle, I prepared +for the worst which could befall. + +What a creature he was! Never have I felt such a horse between +my knees. His great haunches gathered under him with every +stride, and he shot forward ever faster and faster, stretched +like a greyhound, while the wind beat in my face and whistled +past my ears. I was wearing our undress jacket, a uniform simple +and dark in itself--though some figures give distinction to any +uniform--and I had taken the precaution to remove the long +panache from my busby. The result was that, amidst the mixture +of costumes in the hunt, there was no reason why mine should +attract attention, or why these men, whose thoughts were all with +the chase, should give any heed to me. The idea that a French +officer might be riding with them was too absurd to enter their +minds. I laughed as I rode, for, indeed, amid all the danger, +there was something of comic in the situation. + +I have said that the hunters were very unequally mounted, and so +at the end of a few miles, instead of being one body of men, like +a charging regiment, they were scattered over a considerable +space, the better riders well up to the dogs and the others +trailing away behind. + +Now, I was as good a rider as any, and my horse was the best of +them all, and so you can imagine that it was not long before he +carried me to the front. And when I saw the dogs streaming over +the open, and the red-coated huntsman behind them, and only seven +or eight horsemen between us, then it was that the strangest +thing of all happened, for I, too, went mad--I, Etienne Gerard! + +In a moment it came upon me, this spirit of sport, this desire to +excel, this hatred of the fox. Accursed animal, should he then +defy us? Vile robber, his hour was come! + +Ah, it is a great feeling, this feeling of sport, my friends, +this desire to trample the fox under the hoofs of your horse. I +have made the fox chase with the English. I have also, as I may +tell you some day, fought the box-fight with the Bustler, of +Bristol. And I say to you that this sport is a wonderful +thing--full of interest as well as madness. + +The farther we went the faster galloped my horse, and soon there +were but three men as near the dogs as I was. + +All thought of fear of discovery had vanished. My brain +throbbed, my blood ran hot--only one thing upon earth seemed +worth living for, and that was to overtake this infernal fox. I +passed one of the horsemen--a Hussar like myself. There were +only two in front of me now: the one in a black coat, the other +the blue artilleryman whom I had seen at the inn. His grey +whiskers streamed in the wind, but he rode magnificently. For a +mile or more we kept in this order, and then, as we galloped up a +steep slope, my lighter weight brought me to the front. + +I passed them both, and when I reached the crown I was riding +level with the little, hard-faced English huntsman. + +In front of us were the dogs, and then, a hundred paces beyond +them, was a brown wisp of a thing, the fox itself, stretched to +the uttermost. The sight of him fired my blood. "Aha, we have +you then, assassin!" I cried, and shouted my encouragement to the +huntsman. I waved my hand to show him that there was one upon +whom he could rely. + +And now there were only the dogs between me and my prey. These +dogs, whose duty it is to point out the game, were now rather a +hindrance than a help to us, for it was hard to know how to pass +them. The huntsman felt the difficulty as much as I, for he rode +behind them, and could make no progress toward the fox. He was a +swift rider, but wanting in enterprise. For my part, I felt that +it would be unworthy of the Hussars of Conflans if I could not +overcome such a difficulty as this. + +Was Etienne Gerard to be stopped by a herd of fox-dogs? + +It was absurd. I gave a shout and spurred my horse. + +"Hold hard, sir! Hold hard!" cried the huntsman. + +He was uneasy for me, this good old man, but I reassured him by a +wave and a smile. The dogs opened in front of me. One or two +may have been hurt, but what would you have? The egg must be +broken for the omelette. I could hear the huntsman shouting his +congratulations behind me. One more effort, and the dogs were +all behind me. Only the fox was in front. + +Ah, the joy and pride of that moment! To know that I had beaten +the English at their own sport. Here were three hundred, all +thirsting for the life of this animal, and yet it was I who was +about to take it. I thought of my comrades of the light cavalry +brigade, of my mother, of the Emperor, of France. I had brought +honour to each and all. Every instant brought me nearer to the +fox. The moment for action had arrived, so I unsheathed my +sabre. I waved it in the air, and the brave English all shouted +behind me. + +Only then did I understand how difficult is this fox chase, for +one may cut again and again at the creature and never strike him +once. He is small, and turns quickly from a blow. At every cut +I heard those shouts of encouragement from behind me, and they +spurred me to yet another effort. And then at last the supreme +moment of my triumph arrived. In the very act of turning I +caught him fair with such another back-handed cut as that with +which I killed the aide-de-camp of the Emperor of Russia. He +flew into two pieces, his head one way and his tail another. I +looked back and waved the blood- stained sabre in the air. For +the moment I was exalted --superb! + +Ah! how I should have loved to have waited to have received the +congratulations of these generous enemies. + +There were fifty of them in sight, and not one who was not waving +his hand and shouting. They are not really such a phlegmatic +race, the English. A gallant deed in war or in sport will always +warm their hearts. As to the old huntsman, he was the nearest to +me, and I could see with my own eyes how overcome he was by what +he had seen. He was like a man paralysed, his mouth open, his +hand, with outspread fingers, raised in the air. For a moment my +inclination was to return and to embrace him. + +But already the call of duty was sounding in my ears, and these +English, in spite of all the fraternity which exists among +sportsmen, would certainly have made me prisoner. There was no +hope for my mission now, and I had done all that I could do. I +could see the lines of Massena's camp no very great distance off, +for, by a lucky chance, the chase had taken us in that direction. + +I turned from the dead fox, saluted with my sabre, and galloped +away. + +But they would not leave me so easily, these gallant huntsmen. I +was the fox now, and the chase swept bravely over the plain. It +was only at the moment when I started for the camp that they +could have known that I was a Frenchman, and now the whole swarm +of them were at my heels. We were within gunshot of our pickets +before they would halt, and then they stood in knots and would +not go away, but shouted and waved their hands at me. No, I will +not think that it was in enmity. Rather would I fancy that a +glow of admiration filled their breasts, and that their one +desire was to embrace the stranger who had carried himself so +gallantly and well. + + + +IV. How the Brigadier Saved the Army + +I have told you, my friends, how we held the English shut up for +six months, from October, 1810, to March, 1811, within their +lines of Torres Vedras. It was during this time that I hunted +the fox in their company, and showed them that amidst all their +sportsmen there was not one who could outride a Hussar of +Conflans. When I galloped back into the French lines with the +blood of the creature still moist upon my blade the outposts who +had seen what I had done raised a frenzied cry in my honour, +whilst these English hunters still yelled behind me, so that I +had the applause of both armies. It made the tears rise to my +eyes to feel that I had won the admiration of so many brave men. +These English are generous foes. That very evening there came a +packet under a white flag addressed "To the Hussar officer who +cut down the fox." Within, I found the fox itself in two pieces, +as I had left it. There was a note also, short but hearty, as +the English fashion is, to say that as I had slaughtered the fox +it only remained for me to eat it. They could not know that it +was not our French custom to eat foxes, and it showed their +desire that he who had won the honours of the chase should also +partake of the game. It is not for a Frenchman to be outdone in +politeness, and so I returned it to these brave hunters, and +begged them to accept it as a side-dish for their next dejeuner +de la chasse. + +It is thus that chivalrous opponents make war. + +I had brought back with me from my ride a clear plan of the +English lines, and this I laid before Massena that very evening. + +I had hoped that it would lead him to attack, but all the +marshals were at each other's throats, snapping and growling like +so many hungry hounds. Ney hated Massena, and Massena hated +Junot, and Soult hated them all. For this reason, nothing was +done. In the meantime food grew more and more scarce, and our +beautiful cavalry was ruined for want of fodder. With the end of +the winter we had swept the whole country bare, and nothing +remained for us to eat, although we sent our forage parties far +and wide. It was clear even to the bravest of us that the time +had come to retreat. I was myself forced to admit it. + +But retreat was not so easy. Not only were the troops weak and +exhausted from want of supplies, but the enemy had been much +encouraged by our long inaction. Of Wellington we had no great +fear. We had found him to be brave and cautious, but with little +enterprise. Besides, in that barren country his pursuit could +not be rapid. + +But on our flanks and in our rear there had gathered great +numbers of Portuguese militia, of armed peasants, and of +guerillas. These people had kept a safe distance all the winter, +but now that our horses were foundered they were as thick as +flies all round our outposts, and no man's life was worth a sou +when once he fell into their hands. I could name a dozen +officers of my own acquaintance who were cut off during that +time, and the luckiest was he who received a ball from behind a +rock through his head or his heart. There were some whose deaths +were so terrible that no report of them was ever allowed to reach +their relatives. So frequent were these tragedies, and so much +did they impress the imagination of the men, that it became very +difficult to induce them to leave the camp. + +There was one especial scoundrel, a guerilla chief named Manuelo, +"The Smiler," whose exploits filled our men with horror. He was +a large, fat man of jovial aspect, and he lurked with a fierce +gang among the mountains which lay upon our left flank. A volume +might be written of this fellow's cruelties and brutalities, but +he was certainly a man of power, for he organised his brigands in +a manner which made it almost impossible for us to get through +his country. This he did by imposing a severe discipline upon +them and enforcing it by cruel penalties, a policy by which he +made them formidable, but which had some unexpected results, as I +will show you in my story. Had he not flogged his own +lieutenant--but you will hear of that when the time comes. + +There were many difficulties in connection with a retreat, but it +was very evident that there was no other possible course, and so +Massena began to quickly pass his baggage and his sick from +Torres Novas, which was his headquarters, to Coimbra, the first +strong post on his line of communications. He could not do this +unperceived, however, and at once the guerillas came swarming +closer and closer upon our flanks. One of our divisions, that of +Clausel, with a brigade of Montbrun's cavalry, was far to the +south of the Tagus, and it became very necessary to let them know +that we were about to retreat, for Otherwise they would be left +unsupported in the very heart of the enemy's country. I remember +wondering how Massena would accomplish this, for simple couriers +could not get through, and small parties would be certainly +destroyed. In some way an order to fall back must be conveyed to +these men, or France would be the weaker by fourteen thousand +men. Little did I think that it was I, Colonel Gerard, who was +to have the honour of a deed which might have formed the crowning +glory of any other man's life, and which stands high among those +exploits which have made my own so famous. + +At that time I was serving on Massena's staff, and he had two +other aides-de-camp, who were also very brave and intelligent +officers. The name of one was Cortex and of the other Duplessis. +They were senior to me in age, but junior in every other respect. +Cortex was a small, dark man, very quick and eager. He was a +fine soldier, but he was ruined by his conceit. To take him at +his own valuation, he was the first man in the army. + +Duplessis was a Gascon, like myself, and he was a very fine +fellow, as all Gascon gentlemen are. We took it in turn, day +about, to do duty, and it was Cortex who was in attendance upon +the morning of which I speak. I saw him at breakfast, but +afterward neither he nor his horse was to be seen. All day +Massena was in his usual gloom, and he spent much of his time +staring with his telescope at the English lines and at the +shipping in the Tagus. + +He said nothing of the mission upon which he had sent our +comrade, and it was not for us to ask him any questions. + +That night, about twelve o'clock, I was standing outside the +Marshal's headquarters when he came out and stood motionless for +half an hour, his arms folded upon his breast, staring through +the darkness toward the east. + +So rigid and intent was he that you might have believed the +muffled figure and the cocked hat to have been the statue of the +man. What he was looking for I could not imagine; but at last he +gave a bitter curse, and, turning on his heel, he went back into +the house, banging the door behind him. + +Next day the second aide-de-camp, Duplessis, had an interview +with Massena in the morning, after which neither he nor his horse +was seen again. That night, as I sat in the ante-room, the +Marshal passed me, and I observed him through the window standing +and staring to the east exactly as he had done before. For fully +half an hour he remained there, a black shadow in the gloom. + +Then he strode in, the door banged, and I heard his spurs and his +scabbard jingling and clanking through the passage. At the best +he was a savage old man, but when he was crossed I had almost as +soon face the Emperor himself. I heard him that night cursing +and stamping above my head, but he did not send for me, and I +knew him too well to go unsought. + +Next morning it was my turn, for I was the only aide- de-camp +left. I was his favourite aide-de-camp. His heart went out +always to a smart soldier. I declare that I think there were +tears in his black eyes when he sent for me that morning. + +"Gerard," said he. "Come here!" + +With a friendly gesture he took me by the sleeve and he led me to +the open window which faced the east. Beneath us was the +infantry camp, and beyond that the lines of the cavalry with the +long rows of picketed horses. + +We could see the French outposts, and then a stretch of open +country, intersected by vineyards. A range of hills lay beyond, +with one well-marked peak towering above them. Round the base of +these hills was a broad belt of forest. A single road ran white +and clear, dipping and rising until it passed through a gap in +the hills. + +"This," said Massena, pointing to the mountain, "is the Sierra de +Merodal. Do you perceive anything upon the top?" + +I answered that I did not. + +"Now?" he asked, and he handed me his field-glass. + +With its aid I perceived a small mound or cairn upon the crest. + +"What you see," said the Marshal, "is a pile of logs which was +placed there as a beacon. We laid it when the country was in our +hands, and now, although we no longer hold it, the beacon remains +undisturbed. Gerard, that beacon must be lit to-night. France +needs it, the Emperor needs it, the army needs it. Two of your +comrades have gone to light it, but neither has made his way to +the summit. To-day it is your turn, and I pray that you may have +better luck." + +It is not for a soldier to ask the reason for his orders, and so +I was about to hurry from the room, but the Marshal laid his hand +upon my shoulder and held me. + +"You shall know all, and so learn how high is the cause for which +you risk your life," said he. "Fifty miles to the south of us, +on the other side of the Tagus, is the army of General Clausel. +His camp is situated near a peak named the Sierra d'Ossa. On the +summit of this peak is a beacon, and by this beacon he has a +picket. It is agreed between us that when at midnight he shall +see our signal-fire he shall light his own as an answer, and +shall then at once fall back upon the main army. If he does not +start at once I must go without him. For two days I have +endeavoured to send him his message. It must reach him to-day, +or his army will be left behind and destroyed." + +Ah, my friends, how my heart swelled when I heard how high was +the task which Fortune had assigned to me! + +If my life were spared, here was one more splendid new leaf for +my laurel crown. If, on the other hand, I died, then it would be +a death worthy of such a career. I said nothing, but I cannot +doubt that all the noble thoughts that were in me shone in my +face, for Massena took my hand and wrung it. + +"There is the hill and there the beacon," said he. + +"There is only this guerilla and his men between you and it. I +cannot detach a large party for the enterprise and a small one +would be seen and destroyed. Therefore to you alone I commit it. +Carry it out in your own way, but at twelve o'clock this night +let me see the fire upon the hill." + +"If it is not there," said I, "then I pray you, Marshal Massena, +to see that my effects are sold and the money sent to my mother." +So I raised my hand to my busby and turned upon my heel, my heart +glowing at the thought of the great exploit which lay before me. + +I sat in my own chamber for some little time considering how I +had best take the matter in hand. The fact that neither Cortex +nor Duplessis, who were very zealous and active officers, had +succeeded in reaching the summit of the Sierra de Merodal, showed +that the country was very closely watched by the guerillas. I +reckoned out the distance upon a map. There were ten miles of +open country to be crossed before reaching the hills. Then came +a belt of forest on the lower slopes of the mountain, which may +have been three or four miles wide. And then there was the +actual peak itself, of no very great height, but without any +cover to conceal me. Those were the three stages of my journey. + +It seemed to me that once I had reached the shelter of the wood +all would be easy, for I could lie concealed within its shadows +and climb upward under the cover of night. + +From eight till twelve would give me four hours of darkness in +which to make the ascent. It was only the first stage, then, +which I had seriously to consider. + +Over that flat country there lay the inviting white road, and I +remembered that my comrades had both taken their horses. That +was clearly their ruin, for nothing could be easier than for the +brigands to keep watch upon the road, and to lay an ambush for +all who passed along it. It would not be difficult for me to +ride across country, and I was well horsed at that time, for I +had not only Violette and Rataplan, who were two of the finest +mounts in the army, but I had the splendid black English hunter +which I had taken from Sir Cotton. However, after much thought, +I determined to go upon foot, since I should then be in a better +state to take advantage of any chance which might offer. As to +my dress, I covered my Hussar uniform with a long cloak, and I +put a grey forage cap upon my head. You may ask me why I did not +dress as a peasant, but I answer that a man of honour has no +desire to die the death of a spy. It is one thing to be +murdered, and it is another to be justly executed by the laws of +war. I would not run the risk of such an end. + +In the late afternoon I stole out of the camp and passed through +the line of our pickets. Beneath my cloak I had a field-glass +and a pocket pistol, as well as my sword. In my pocket were +tinder, flint, and steel. + +For two or three miles I kept under cover of the vineyards, and +made such good progress that my heart was high within me, and I +thought to myself that it only needed a man of some brains to +take the matter in hand to bring it easily to success. Of +course, Cortex and Duplessis galloping down the high-road would +be easily seen, but the intelligent Gerard lurking among the +vines was quite another person. I dare say I had got as far as +five miles before I met any check. At that point there is a +small wine-house, round which I perceived some carts and a number +of people, the first that I had seen. Now that I was well +outside the lines I knew that every person was my enemy, so I +crouched lower while I stole along to a point from which I could +get a better view of what was going on. I then perceived that +these people were peasants, who were loading two waggons with +empty wine- casks. I failed to see how they could either help or +hinder me, so I continued upon my way. + +But soon I understood that my task was not so simple as had +appeared. As the ground rose the vineyards ceased, and I came +upon a stretch of open country studded with low hills. Crouching +in a ditch I examined them with a glass, and I very soon +perceived that there was a watcher upon every one of them, and +that these people had a line of pickets and outposts thrown +forward exactly like our own. I had heard of the discipline +which was practised by this scoundrel whom they called "The +Smiler," and this, no doubt, was an example of it. + +Between the hills there was a cordon of sentries, and though I +worked some distance round to the flank I still found myself +faced by the enemy. It was a puzzle what to do. + +There was so little cover that a rat could hardly cross without +being seen. Of course, it would be easy enough to slip through +at night, as I had done with the English at Torres Vedras, but I +was still far from the mountain and I could not in that case +reach it in time to light the midnight beacon. I lay in my ditch +and I made a thousand plans, each more dangerous than the last. +And then suddenly I had that flash of light which comes to the +brave man who refuses to despair. + +You remember I have mentioned that two waggons were loading up +with empty casks at the inn. The heads of the oxen were turned +to the east, and it was evident that those waggons were going in +the direction which I desired. Could I only conceal myself upon +one of them, what better and easier way could I find of passing +through the lines of the guerillas? So simple and so good was +the plan that I could not restrain a cry of delight as it crossed +my mind, and I hurried away instantly in the direction of the +inn. There, from behind some bushes, I had a good look at what +was going on upon the road. + +There were three peasants with red montero caps loading the +barrels, and they had completed one waggon and the lower tier of +the other. A number of empty barrels still lay outside the +wine-house waiting to be put on. + +Fortune was my friend--I have always said that she is a woman and +cannot resist a dashing young Hussar. As I watched, the three +fellows went into the inn, for the day was hot and they were +thirsty after their labour. Quick as a flash I darted out from +my hiding-place, climbed on to the waggon, and crept into one of +the empty casks. + +It had a bottom but no top, and it lay upon its side with the +open end inward. There I crouched like a dog in its kennel, my +knees drawn up to my chin, for the barrels were not very large +and I am a well-grown man. As I lay there, out came the three +peasants again, and presently I heard a crash upon the top of me +which told that I had another barrel above me. They piled them +upon the cart until I could not imagine how I was ever to get out +again. However, it is time to think of crossing the Vistula when +you are over the Rhine, and I had no doubt that if chance and my +own wits had carried me so far they would carry me farther. + +Soon, when the waggon was full, they set forth upon their way, +and I within my barrel chuckled at every step, for it was +carrying me whither I wished to go. We travelled slowly, and the +peasants walked beside the waggons. + +This I knew, because I heard their voices close to me. They +seemed to me to be very merry fellows, for they laughed heartily +as they went. What the joke was I could not understand. Though +I speak their language fairly well I could not hear anything +comic in the scraps of their conversation which met my ear. + +I reckoned that at the rate of walking of a team of oxen we +covered about two miles an hour. Therefore, when I was sure that +two and a half hours had passed-- such hours, my friends, +cramped, suffocated, and nearly poisoned with the fumes of the +lees--when they had passed, I was sure that the dangerous open +country was behind us, and that we were upon the edge of the +forest and the mountain. So now I had to turn my mind upon how I +was to get out of my barrel. I had thought of several ways, and +was balancing one against the other when the question was decided +for me in a very simple but unexpected manner. + +The waggon stopped suddenly with a jerk, and I heard a number of +gruff voices in excited talk. "Where, where?" cried one. "On +our cart," said another. "Who is he?" said a third. "A French +officer; I saw his cap and his boots." They all roared with +laughter. "I was looking out of the window of the posada and I +saw him spring into the cask like a toreador with a Seville bull +at his heels." "Which cask, then?" "It was this one," said the +fellow, and sure enough his fist struck the wood beside my head. + +What a situation, my friends, for a man of my standing! + +I blush now, after forty years, when I think of it. + +To be trussed like a fowl and to listen helplessly to the rude +laughter of these boors--to know, too, that my mission had come +to an ignominious and even ridiculous end --I would have blessed +the man who would have sent a bullet through the cask and freed +me from my misery. + +I heard the crashing of the barrels as they hurled them off the +waggon, and then a couple of bearded faces and the muzzles of two +guns looked in at me. They seized me by the sleeves of my coat, +and they dragged me out into the daylight. A strange figure I +must have looked as I stood blinking and gaping in the blinding +sunlight. + +My body was bent like a cripple's, for I could not straighten my +stiff joints, and half my coat was as red as an English soldier's +from the lees in which I had lain. + +They laughed and laughed, these dogs, and as I tried to express +by my bearing and gestures the contempt in which I held them +their laughter grew all the louder. But even in these hard +circumstances I bore myself like the man I am, and as I cast my +eye slowly round I did not find that any of the laughers were +very ready to face it. + +That one glance round was enough to tell me exactly how I was +situated. I had been betrayed by these peasants into the hands +of an outpost of guerillas. There were eight of them, +savage-looking, hairy creatures, with cotton handkerchiefs under +their sombreros, and many- buttoned jackets with coloured sashes +round the waist. + +Each had a gun and one or two pistols stuck in his girdle. + +The leader, a great, bearded ruffian, held his gun against my ear +while the others searched my pockets, taking from me my overcoat, +my pistol, my glass, my sword, and, worst of all, my flint and +steel and tinder. Come what might, I was ruined, for I had no +longer the means of lighting the beacon even if I should reach +it. + +Eight of them, my friends, with three peasants, and I unarmed! +Was Etienne Gerard in despair? Did he lose his wits? Ah, you +know me too well; but they did not know me yet, these dogs of +brigands. Never have I made so supreme and astounding an effort +as at this very instant when all seemed lost. Yet you might +guess many times before you would hit upon the device by which I +escaped them. Listen and I will tell you. + +They had dragged me from the waggon when they searched me, and I +stood, still twisted and warped, in the midst of them. But the +stiffness was wearing off, and already my mind was very actively +looking out for some method of breaking away. It was a narrow +pass in which the brigands had their outpost. It was bounded on +the one hand by a steep mountain side. On the other the ground +fell away in a very long slope, which ended in a bushy valley +many hundreds of feet below. These fellows, you understand, were +hardy mountaineers, who could travel either up hill or down very +much quicker than I. They wore abarcas, or shoes of skin, tied +on like sandals, which gave them a foothold everywhere. A less +resolute man would have despaired. But in an instant I saw and +used the strange chance which Fortune had placed in my way. On +the very edge of the slope was one of the wine-barrels. I moved +slowly toward it, and then with a tiger spring I dived into it +feet foremost, and with a roll of my body I tipped it over the +side of the hill. + +Shall I ever forget that dreadful journey--how I bounded and +crashed and whizzed down that terrible slope? I had dug in my +knees and elbows, bunching my body into a compact bundle so as to +steady it; but my head projected from the end, and it was a +marvel that I did not dash out my brains. There were long, +smooth slopes, and then came steeper scarps where the barrel +ceased to roll, and sprang into the air like a goat, coming down +with a rattle and crash which jarred every bone in my body. How +the wind whistled in my ears, and my head turned and turned until +I was sick and giddy and nearly senseless! Then, with a swish +and a great rasping and crackling of branches, I reached the +bushes which I had seen so far below me. Through them I broke my +way, down a slope beyond, and deep into another patch of +underwood, where, striking a sapling, my barrel flew to pieces. +From amid a heap of staves and hoops I crawled out, my body +aching in every inch of it, but my heart singing loudly with joy +and my spirit high within me, for I knew how great was the feat +which I had accomplished, and I already seemed to see the beacon +blazing on the hill. + +A horrible nausea had seized me from the tossing which I had +undergone, and I felt as I did upon the ocean when first I +experienced those movements of which the English have taken so +perfidious an advantage. I had to sit for a few moments with my +head upon my hands beside the ruins of my barrel. But there was +no time for rest. + +Already I heard shouts above me which told that my pursuers were +descending the hill. I dashed into the thickest part of the +underwood, and I ran and ran until I was utterly exhausted. Then +I lay panting and listened with all my ears, but no sound came to +them. I had shaken off my enemies. + +When I had recovered my breath I travelled swiftly on, and waded +knee-deep through several brooks, for it came into my head that +they might follow me with dogs. + +On gaining a clear place and looking round me, I found to my +delight that in spite of my adventures I had not been much out of +my way. Above me towered the peak of Merodal, with its bare and +bold summit shooting out of the groves of dwarf oaks which +shrouded its flanks. + +These groves were the continuation of the cover under which I +found myself, and it seemed to me that I had nothing to fear now +until I reached the other side of the forest. At the same time I +knew that every man's hand was against me, that I was unarmed, +and that there were many people about me. I saw no one, but +several times I heard shrill whistles, and once the sound of a +gun in the distance. + +It was hard work pushing one's way through the bushes, and so I +was glad when I came to the larger trees and found a path which +led between them. Of course, I was too wise to walk upon it, but +I kept near it and followed its course. I had gone some +distance, and had, as I imagined, nearly reached the limit of the +wood, when a strange, moaning sound fell upon my ears. At first +I thought it was the cry of some animal, but then there came +words, of which I only caught the French exclamation, "Mon Dieu!" +With great caution I advanced in the direction from which the +sound proceeded, and this is what I saw. + +On a couch of dried leaves there was stretched a man dressed in +the same grey uniform which I wore myself. + +He was evidently horribly wounded, for he held a cloth to his +breast which was crimson with his blood. A pool had formed all +round his couch, and he lay in a haze of flies, whose buzzing and +droning would certainly have called my attention if his groans +had not come to my ear. + +I lay for a moment, fearing some trap, and then, my pity and +loyalty rising above all other feelings, I ran forward and knelt +by his side. He turned a haggard face upon me, and it was +Duplessis, the man who had gone before me. It needed but one +glance at his sunken cheeks and glazing eyes to tell me that he +was dying. + +"Gerard!" said he; "Gerard!" + +I could but look my sympathy, but he, though the life was ebbing +swiftly out of him, still kept his duty before him, like the +gallant gentleman he was. + +"The beacon, Gerard! You will light it?" + +"Have you flint and steel?" + +"It is here!" + +"Then I will light it to-night." + +"I die happy to hear you say so. They shot me, Gerard. + +But you will tell the Marshal that I did my best." + +"And Cortex?" + +"He was less fortunate. He fell into their hands and died +horribly. If you see that you cannot get away, Gerard, put a +bullet into your own heart. Don't die as Cortex did." + +I could see that his breath was failing, and I bent low to catch +his words. + +"Can you tell me anything which can help me in my task?" I asked. + +"Yes, yes; de Pombal. He will help you. Trust de Pombal." With +the words his head fell back and he was dead. + +"Trust de Pombal. It is good advice." To my amazement a man was +standing at the very side of me. + +So absorbed had I been in my comrade's words and intent on his +advice that he had crept up without my observing him. Now I +sprang to my feet and faced him. He was a tall, dark fellow, +black-haired, black-eyed, black-bearded, with a long, sad face. +In his hand he had a wine-bottle and over his shoulder was slung +one of the trabucos or blunderbusses which these fellows bear. +He made no effort to unsling it, and I understood that this was +the man to whom my dead friend had commended me. + +"Alas, he is gone!" said he, bending over Duplessis. + +"He fled into the wood after he was shot, but I was fortunate +enough to find where he had fallen and to make his last hours +more easy. This couch was my making, and I had brought this wine +to slake his thirst." + +"Sir," said I, "in the name of France I thank you. I am but a +colonel of light cavalry, but I am Etienne Gerard, and the name +stands for something in the French army. May I ask----" + +"Yes, sir, I am Aloysius de Pombal, younger brother of the famous +nobleman of that name. At present I am the first lieutenant in +the band of the guerilla chief who is usually known as Manuelo, +'The Smiler.' " + +My word, I clapped my hand to the place where my pistol should +have been, but the man only smiled at the gesture. + +"I am his first lieutenant, but I am also his deadly enemy," said +he. He slipped off his jacket and pulled up his shirt as he +spoke. "Look at this!" he cried, and he turned upon me a back +which was all scored and lacerated with red and purple weals. +"This is what 'The Smiler' has done to me, a man with the noblest +blood of Portugal in my veins. What I will do to 'The Smiler' +you have still to see." + +There was such fury in his eyes and in the grin of his white +teeth that I could no longer doubt his truth, with that clotted +and oozing back to corroborate his words. + +"I have ten men sworn to stand by me," said he. "In a few days I +hope to join your army, when I have done my work here. In the +meanwhile--" A strange change came over his face, and he +suddenly slung his musket to the front: "Hold up your hands, you +French hound!" he yelled. "Up with them, or I blow your head +of!" + +You start, my friends! You stare! Think, then, how I stared and +started at this sudden ending of our talk. + +There was the black muzzle and there the dark, angry eyes behind +it. What could I do? I was helpless. I raised my hands in the +air. At the same moment voices sounded from all parts of the +wood, there were crying and calling and rushing of many feet. A +swarm of dreadful figures broke through the green bushes, a dozen +hands seized me, and I, poor, luckless, frenzied I, was a +prisoner once more. Thank God, there was no pistol which I could +have plucked from my belt and snapped at my own head. Had I been +armed at that moment I should not be sitting here in this cafe +and telling you these old-world tales. + +With grimy, hairy hands clutching me on every side I was led +along the pathway through the wood, the villain de Pombal giving +directions to my Captors. Four of the brigands carried up the +dead body of Duplessis. + +The shadows of evening were already falling when we cleared the +forest and came out upon the mountain-side. + +Up this I was driven until we reached the headquarters of the +guerillas, which lay in a cleft close to the summit of the +mountain. There was the beacon which had cost me so much, a +square stack of wood, immediately above our heads. Below were +two or three huts which had belonged, no doubt, to goatherds, and +which were now used to shelter these rascals. Into one of these +I was cast, bound and helpless, and the dead body of my poor +comrade was laid beside me. + +I was lying there with the one thought still consuming me, how to +wait a few hours and to get at that pile of fagots above my head, +when the door of my prison opened and a man entered. Had my +hands been free I should have flown at his throat, for it was +none other than de Pombal. A couple of brigands were at his +heels, but he ordered them back and closed the door behind him. + +"You villain!" said I. + +"Hush!" he cried. "Speak low, for I do not know who may be +listening, and my life is at stake. I have some words to say to +you, Colonel Gerard; I wish well to you, as I did to your dead +companion. As I spoke to you beside his body I saw that we were +surrounded, and that your capture was unavoidable. I should have +shared your fate had I hesitated. I instantly captured you +myself, so as to preserve the confidence of the band. + +Your own sense will tell you that there was nothing else for me +to do. I do not know now whether I can save you, but at least I +will try." + +This was a new light upon the situation. I told him that I could +not tell how far he spoke the truth, but that I would judge him +by his actions. + +"I ask nothing better," said he. "A word of advice to you! The +chief will see you now. Speak him fair, or he will have you sawn +between two planks. Contradict nothing he says. Give him such +information as he wants. It is your only chance. If you can +gain time something may come in our favour. Now, I have no more +time. Come at once, or suspicion may be awakened." + +He helped me to rise, and then, opening the door, he dragged me +out very roughly, and with the aid of the fellows outside he +brutally pushed and thrust me to the place where the guerilla +chief was seated, with his rude followers gathered round him. + +A remarkable man was Manuelo, "The Smiler." He was fat and +florid and comfortable, with a big, clean- shaven face and a bald +head, the very model of a kindly father of a family. As I looked +at his honest smile I could scarcely believe that this was, +indeed, the infamous ruffian whose name was a horror through the +English Army as well as our own. It is well known that Trent, +who was a British officer, afterward had the fellow hanged for +his brutalities. He sat upon a boulder and he beamed upon me +like one who meets an old acquaintance. + +I observed, however, that one of his men leaned upon a long saw, +and the sight was enough to cure me of all delusions. + +"Good evening, Colonel Gerard," said he. "We have been highly +honoured by General Massena's staff: Major Cortex one day, +Colonel Duplessis the next, and now Colonel Gerard. Possibly the +Marshal himself may be induced to honour us with a visit. You +have seen Duplessis, I understand. Cortex you will find nailed +to a tree down yonder. It only remains to be decided how we can +best dispose of yourself." + +It was not a cheering speech; but all the time his fat face was +wreathed in smiles, and he lisped out his words in the most +mincing and amiable fashion. Now, however, he suddenly leaned +forward, and I read a very real intensity in his eyes. + +"Colonel Gerard," said he, "I cannot promise you your life, for +it is not our custom, but I can give you an easy death or I can +give you a terrible one. Which shall it be?" + +"What do you wish me to do in exchange?" + +"If you would die easy I ask you to give me truthful answers to +the questions which I ask." + +A sudden thought flashed through my mind. + +"You wish to kill me," said I; "it cannot matter to you how I +die. If I answer your questions, will you let me choose the +manner of my own death?" + +"Yes, I will," said he, "so long as it is before midnight +to-night." + +"Swear it!" I cried. + +"The word of a Portuguese gentleman is sufficient," said he. + +"Not a word will I say until you have sworn it." + +He flushed with anger and his eyes swept round toward the saw. +But he understood from my tone that I meant what I said, and that +I was not a man to be bullied into submission. He pulled a cross +from under his zammara or jacket of black sheepskin. + +"I swear it," said he. + +Oh, my joy as I heard the words! What an end-- what an end for +the first swordsman of France! I could have laughed with delight +at the thought. + +"Now, your questions!" said I. + +"You swear in turn to answer them truly?" + +"I do, upon the honour of a gentleman and a soldier." + +It was, as you perceive, a terrible thing that I promised, but +what was it compared to what I might gain by compliance? + +"This is a very fair and a very interesting bargain," said he, +taking a note-book from his pocket. + +"Would you kindly turn your gaze toward the French camp?" + +Following the direction of his gesture, I turned and looked down +upon the camp in the plain beneath us. In spite of the fifteen +miles, one could in that clear atmosphere see every detail with +the utmost distinctness. + +There were the long squares of our tents and our huts, with the +cavalry lines and the dark patches which marked the ten batteries +of artillery. How sad to think of my magnificent regiment +waiting down yonder, and to know that they would never see their +colonel again! With one squadron of them I could have swept all +these cut-throats of the face of the earth. My eager eyes filled +with tears as I looked at the corner of the camp where I knew +that there were eight hundred men, any one of whom would have +died for his colonel. But my sadness vanished when I saw beyond +the tents the plumes of smoke which marked the headquarters at +Torres Novas. There was Massena, and, please God, at the cost of +my life his mission would that night be done. A spasm of pride +and exultation filled my breast. I should have liked to have had +a voice of thunder that I might call to them, "Behold it is I, +Etienne Gerard, who will die in order to save the army of +Clausel!" It was, indeed, sad to think that so noble a deed +should be done, and that no one should be there to tell the tale. + +"Now," said the brigand chief, "you see the camp and you see also +the road which leads to Coimbra. It is crowded with your +fourgons and your ambulances. Does this mean that Massena is +about to retreat?" + +One could see the dark moving lines of waggons with an occasional +flash of steel from the escort. There could, apart from my +promise, be no indiscretion in admitting that which was already +obvious. + +"He will retreat," said I. + +"By Coimbra?" + +"I believe so." + +"But the army of Clausel?" + +I shrugged my shoulders. + +"Every path to the south is blocked. No message can reach them. +If Massena falls back the army of Clausel is doomed." + +"It must take its chance," said I. + +"How many men has he?" + +"I should say about fourteen thousand." + +"How much cavalry?" + +"One brigade of Montbrun's Division." + +"What regiments?" + +"The 4th Chasseurs, the 9th Hussars, and a regiment of +Cuirassiers." + +"Quite right," said he, looking at his note-book. "I can tell +you speak the truth, and Heaven help you if you don't." Then, +division by division, he went over the whole army, asking the +composition of each brigade. + +Need I tell you that I would have had my tongue torn out before I +would have told him such things had I not a greater end in view? +I would let him know all if I could but save the army of Clausel. + +At last he closed his note-book and replaced it in his pocket. +"I am obliged to you for this information, which shall reach Lord +Wellington to-morrow," said he. + +"You have done your share of the bargain; it is for me now to +perform mine. How would you wish to die? As a soldier you +would, no doubt, prefer to be shot, but some think that a jump +over the Merodal precipice is really an easier death. A good few +have taken it, but we were, unfortunately, never able to get an +opinion from them afterward. There is the saw, too, which does +not appear to be popular. We could hang you, no doubt, but it +would involve the inconvenience of going down to the wood. +However, a promise is a promise, and you seem to be an excellent +fellow, so we will spare no pains to meet your wishes." + +"You said," I answered, "that I must die before midnight. + +I will choose, therefore, just one minute before that hour." + +"Very good," said he. "Such clinging to life is rather childish, +but your wishes shall be met." + +"As to the method," I added, "I love a death which all the world +can see. Put me on yonder pile of fagots and burn me alive, as +saints and martyrs have been burned before me. That is no common +end, but one which an Emperor might envy." + +The idea seemed to amuse him very much. "Why not?" said he. "If +Massena has sent you to spy upon us, he may guess what the fire +upon the mountain means." + +"Exactly," said I. "You have hit upon my very reason. He will +guess, and all will know, that I have died a soldier's death." + +"I see no objection whatever," said the brigand, with his +abominable smile. "I will send some goat's flesh and wine into +your hut. The sun is sinking and it is nearly eight o'clock. In +four hours be ready for your end." + +It was a beautiful world to be leaving. I looked at the golden +haze below, where the last rays of the sinking sun shone upon the +blue waters of the winding Tagus and gleamed upon the white sails +of the English transports. + +Very beautiful it was, and very sad to leave; but there are +things more beautiful than that. The death that is died for the +sake of others, honour, and duty, and loyalty, and love--these +are the beauties far brighter than any which the eye can see. My +breast was filled with admiration for my own most noble conduct, +and with wonder whether any soul would ever come to know how I +had placed myself in the heart of the beacon which saved the army +of Clausel. I hoped so and I prayed so, for what a consolation +it would be to my mother, what an example to the army, what a +pride to my Hussars! When de Pombal came at last into my hut +with the food and the wine, the first request I made him was that +he would write an account of my death and send it to the French +camp. + +He answered not a word, but I ate my supper with a better +appetite from the thought that my glorious fate would not be +altogether unknown. + +I had been there about two hours when the door opened again, and +the chief stood looking in. I was in darkness, but a brigand +with a torch stood beside him, and I saw his eyes and his teeth +gleaming as he peered at me. + +"Ready?" he asked. + +"It is not yet time." + +"You stand out for the last minute?" + +"A promise is a promise." + +"Very good. Be it so. We have a little justice to do among +ourselves, for one of my fellows has been misbehaving. + +We have a strict rule of our own which is no respecter of +persons, as de Pombal here could tell you. + +Do you truss him and lay him on the faggots, de Pombal, and I +will return to see him die." + +De Pombal and the man with the torch entered, while I heard the +steps of the chief passing away. De Pombal closed the door. + +"Colonel Gerard," said he, "you must trust this man, for he is +one of my party. It is neck or nothing. We may save you yet. +But I take a great risk, and I want a definite promise. If we +save you, will you guarantee that we have a friendly reception in +the French camp and that all the past will be forgotten?" + +"I do guarantee it." + +"And I trust your honour. Now, quick, quick, there is not an +instant to lose! If this monster returns we shall die horribly, +all three." + +I stared in amazement at what he did. Catching up a long rope he +wound it round the body of my dead comrade, and he tied a cloth +round his mouth so as to almost cover his face. + +"Do you lie there!" he cried, and he laid me in the place of the +dead body. "I have four of my men waiting, and they will place +this upon the beacon." He opened the door and gave an order. +Several of the brigands entered and bore out Duplessis. For +myself I remained upon the floor, with my mind in a turmoil of +hope and wonder. + +Five minutes later de Pombal and his men were back. + +"You are laid upon the beacon," said he; "I defy anyone in the +world to say it is not you, and you are so gagged and bound that +no one can expect you to speak or move. Now, it only remains to +carry forth the body of Duplessis and to toss it over the Merodal +precipice." + +Two of them seized me by the head and two by the heels, and +carried me, stiff and inert, from the hut. As I came into the +open air I could have cried out in my amazement. The moon had +risen above the beacon, and there, clear outlined against its +silver light, was the figure of the man stretched upon the top. +The brigands were either in their camp or standing round the +beacon, for none of them stopped or questioned our little party. +De Pombal led them in the direction of the precipice. At the +brow we were out of sight, and there I was allowed to use my feet +once more. De Pombal pointed to a narrow, winding track. + +"This is the way down," said he, and then, suddenly, + +"Dios mio, what is that?" + +A terrible cry had risen out of the woods beneath us. + +I saw that de Pombal was shivering like a frightened horse. + +"It is that devil," he whispered. "He is treating another as he +treated me. But on, on, for Heaven help us if he lays his hands +upon us." + +One by one we crawled down the narrow goat track. + +At the bottom of the cliff we were back in the woods once more. +Suddenly a yellow glare shone above us, and the black shadows of +the tree-trunks started out in front. + +They had fired the beacon behind us. Even from where we stood we +could see that impassive body amid the flames, and the black +figures of the guerillas as they danced, howling like cannibals, +round the pile. Ha! how I shook my fist at them, the dogs, and +how I vowed that one day my Hussars and I would make the +reckoning level! + +De Pombal knew how the outposts were placed and all the paths +which led through the forest. But to avoid these villains we had +to plunge among the hills and walk for many a weary mile. And +yet how gladly would I have walked those extra leagues if only +for one sight which they brought to my eyes! It may have been +two o'clock in the morning when we halted upon the bare shoulder +of a hill over which our path curled. Looking back we saw the +red glow of the embers of the beacon as if volcanic fires were +bursting from the tall peak of Merodal. And then, as I gazed, I +saw something else-- something which caused me to shriek with joy +and to fall upon the ground, rolling in my delight. For, far +away upon the southern horizon, there winked and twinkled one +great yellow light, throbbing and flaming, the light of no house, +the light of no star, but the answering beacon of Mount d'Ossa, +which told that the army of Clausel knew what Etienne Gerard had +been sent to tell them. + + +V. How the Brigadier Triumphed in England + +I have told you, my friends, how I triumphed over the English at +the fox-hunt when I pursued the animal so fiercely that even the +herd of trained dogs was unable to keep up, and alone with my own +hand I put him to the sword. Perhaps I have said too much of the +matter, but there is a thrill in the triumphs of sport which even +warfare cannot give, for in warfare you share your successes with +your regiment and your army, but in sport it is you yourself +unaided who have won the laurels. It is an advantage which the +English have over us that in all classes they take great interest +in every form of sport. It may be that they are richer than we, +or it may be that they are more idle: but I was surprised when I +was a prisoner in that country to observe how widespread was this +feeling, and how much it filled the minds and the lives of the +people. A horse that will run, a cock that will fight, a dog +that will kill rats, a man that will box--they would turn away +from the Emperor in all his glory in order to look upon any of +these. + +I could tell you many stories of English sport, for I saw much of +it during the time that I was the guest of Lord Rufton, after the +order for my exchange had come to England. There were months +before I could be sent back to France, and during this time I +stayed with this good Lord Rufton at his beautiful house of High +Combe, which is at the northern end of Dartmoor. He had ridden +with the police when they had pursued me from Princetown, and he +had felt toward me when I was overtaken as I would myself have +felt had I, in my own country, seen a brave and debonair soldier +without a friend to help him. In a word, he took me to his +house, clad me, fed me, and treated me as if he had been my +brother. I will say this of the English, that they were always +generous enemies, and very good people with whom to fight. + +In the Peninsula the Spanish outposts would present their muskets +at ours, but the British their brandy-flasks. And of all these +generous men there was none who was the equal of this admirable +milord, who held out so warm a hand to an enemy in distress. + +Ah! what thoughts of sport it brings back to me, the very name of +High Combe! I can see it now, the long, low brick house, warm +and ruddy, with white plaster pillars before the door. He was a +great sportsman, this Lord Rufton, and all who were about him +were of the same sort. But you will be pleased to hear that +there were few things in which I could not hold my own, and in +some I excelled. Behind the house was a wood in which pheasants +were reared, and it was Lord Rufton's joy to kill these birds, +which was done by sending in men to drive them out while he and +his friends stood outside and shot them as they passed. For my +part, I was more crafty, for I studied the habits of the bird, +and stealing out in the evening I was able to kill a number of +them as they roosted in the trees. Hardly a single shot was +wasted, but the keeper was attracted by the sound of the firing, +and he implored me in his rough English fashion to spare those +that were left. That night I was able to place twelve birds as a +surprise upon Lord Rufton's supper- table, and he laughed until +he cried, so overjoyed was he to see them. "Gad, Gerard, you'll +be the death of me yet!" he cried. Often he said the same thing, +for at every turn I amazed him by the way in which I entered into +the sports of the English. + +There is a game called cricket which they play in the summer, and +this also I learned. Rudd, the head gardener, was a famous +player of cricket, and so was Lord Rufton himself. Before the +house was a lawn, and here it was that Rudd taught me the game. +It is a brave pastime, a game for soldiers, for each tries to +strike the other with the ball, and it is but a small stick with +which you may ward it off. Three sticks behind show the spot +beyond which you may not retreat. I can tell you that it is no +game for children, and I will confess that, in spite of my nine +campaigns, I felt myself turn pale when first the ball flashed +past me. So swift was it that I had not time to raise my stick +to ward it off, but by good fortune it missed me and knocked down +the wooden pins which marked the boundary. It was for Rudd then +to defend himself and for me to attack. When I was a boy in +Gascony I learned to throw both far and straight, so that I made +sure that I could hit this gallant Englishman. + +With a shout I rushed forward and hurled the ball at him. It +flew as swift as a bullet toward his ribs, but without a word he +swung his staff and the ball rose a surprising distance in the +air. Lord Rufton clapped his hands and cheered. Again the ball +was brought to me, and again it was for me to throw. This time +it flew past his head, and it seemed to me that it was his turn +to look pale. + +But he was a brave man, this gardener, and again he faced me. +Ah, my friends, the hour of my triumph had come! It was a red +waistcoat that he wore, and at this I hurled the ball. You would +have said that I was a gunner, not a hussar, for never was so +straight an aim. With a despairing cry--the cry of the brave man +who is beaten --he fell upon the wooden pegs behind him, and they +all rolled upon the ground together. He was cruel, this English +milord, and he laughed so that he could not come to the aid of +his servant. It was for me, the victor, to rush forward to +embrace this intrepid player, and to raise him to his feet with +words of praise, and encouragement, and hope. He was in pain and +could not stand erect, yet the honest fellow confessed that there +was no accident in my victory. "He did it a-purpose! He did it +a-purpose!" + +Again and again he said it. Yes, it is a great game this +cricket, and I would gladly have ventured upon it again but Lord +Rufton and Rudd said that it was late in the season, and so they +would play no more. + +How foolish of me, the old, broken man, to dwell upon these +successes, and yet I will confess that my age has been very much +soothed and comforted by the memory of the women who have loved +me and the men whom I have overcome. It is pleasant to think +that five years afterward, when Lord Rufton came to Paris after +the peace, he was able to assure me that my name was still a +famous one in the north of Devonshire for the fine exploits that +I had performed. Especially, he said, they still talked over my +boxing match with the Honourable Baldock. It came about in this +way. Of an evening many sportsmen would assemble at the house of +Lord Rufton, where they would drink much wine, make wild bets, +and talk of their horses and their foxes. How well I remember +those strange creatures. Sir Barrington, Jack Lupton, of +Barnstable, Colonel Addison, Johnny Miller, Lord Sadler, and my +enemy, the Honourable Baldock. They were of the same stamp all +of them, drinkers, madcaps, fighters, gamblers, full of strange +caprices and extraordinary whims. Yet they were kindly fellows +in their rough fashion, save only this Baldock, a fat man, who +prided himself on his skill at the box-fight. It was he who, by +his laughter against the French because they were ignorant of +sport, caused me to challenge him in the very sport at which he +excelled. You will say that it was foolish, my friends, but the +decanter had passed many times, and the blood of youth ran hot in +my veins. I would fight him, this boaster; I would show him that +if we had not skill at least we had courage. Lord Rufton would +not allow it. I insisted. The others cheered me on and slapped +me on the back. "No, dash it, Baldock, he's our guest," said +Rufton. "It's his own doing," the other answered. "Look here, +Rufton, they can't hurt each other if they wear the mawleys," +cried Lord Sadler. And so it was agreed. + +What the mawleys were I did not know, but presently they brought +out four great puddings of leather, not unlike a fencing glove, +but larger. With these our hands were covered after we had +stripped ourselves of our coats and our waistcoats. Then the +table, with the glasses and decanters, was pushed into the corner +of the room, and behold us; face to face! Lord Sadler sat in the +arm-chair with a watch in his open hand. "Time!" said he. + +I will confess to you, my friends, that I felt at that moment a +tremor such as none of my many duels have ever given me. With +sword or pistol I am at home, but here I only understood that I +must struggle with this fat Englishman and do what I could, in +spite of these great puddings upon my hands, to overcome him. +And at the very outset I was disarmed of the best weapon that was +left to me. "Mind, Gerard, no kicking!" said Lord Rufton in my +ear. I had only a pair of thin dancing slippers, and yet the man +was fat, and a few well-directed kicks might have left me the +victor. But there is an etiquette just as there is in fencing, +and I refrained. I looked at this Englishman and I wondered how +I should attack him. His ears were large and prominent. Could I +seize them I might drag him to the ground. I rushed in, but I +was betrayed by this flabby glove, and twice I lost my hold. He +struck me, but I cared little for his blows, and again I seized +him by the ear. He fell, and I rolled upon him and thumped his +head upon the ground. + +How they cheered and laughed, these gallant Englishmen, and how +they clapped me on the back! + +"Even money on the Frenchman," cried Lord Sadler. + +"He fights foul," cried my enemy, rubbing his crimson ears. "He +savaged me on the ground." + +"You must take your chance of that," said Lord Rufton, coldly. + +"Time!" cried Lord Sadler, and once again we advanced to the +assault. + +He was flushed, and his small eyes were as vicious as those of a +bull-dog. There was hatred on his face. For my part I carried +myself lightly and gaily. A French gentleman fights but he does +not hate. I drew myself up before him, and I bowed as I have +done in the duello. + +There can be grace and courtesy as well as defiance in a bow; I +put all three into this one, with a touch of ridicule in the +shrug which accompanied it. It was at this moment that he struck +me. The room spun round me. I fell upon my back. But in an +instant I was on my feet again and had rushed to a close combat. +His ear, his hair, his nose, I seized them each in turn. Once +again the mad joy of the battle was in my veins. The old cry of +triumph rose to my lips. "Vive l'Empereur!" I yelled as I drove +my head into his stomach. He threw his arm round my neck, and +holding me with one hand he struck me with the other. I buried +my teeth in his arm, and he shouted with pain. "Call him off, +Rufton!" he screamed. + +"Call him off, man! He's worrying me!" They dragged me away +from him. Can I ever forget it?--the laughter, the cheering, the +congratulations! Even my enemy bore me no ill-will, for he shook +me by the hand. For my part I embraced him on each cheek. Five +years afterward I learned from Lord Rufton that my noble bearing +upon that evening was still fresh in the memory of my English +friends. + +It is not, however, of my own exploits in sport that I wish to +speak to you to-night, but it is of the Lady Jane Dacre and the +strange adventure of which she was the cause. Lady Jane Dacre +was Lord Rufton's sister and the lady of his household. I fear +that until I came it was lonely for her, since she was a +beautiful and refined woman with nothing in common with those who +were about her. Indeed, this might be said of many women in the +England of those days, for the men were rude and rough and +coarse, with boorish habits and few accomplishments, while the +women were the most lovely and tender that I have ever known. We +became great friends, the Lady Jane and I, for it was not +possible for me to drink three bottles of port after dinner like +those Devonshire gentlemen, and so I would seek refuge in her +drawing-room, where evening after evening she would play the +harpsichord and I would sing the songs of my own land. In those +peaceful moments I would find a refuge from the misery which +filled me, when I reflected that my regiment was left in the +front of the enemy without the chief whom they had learned to +love and to follow. + +Indeed, I could have torn my hair when I read in the English +papers of the fine fighting which was going on in Portugal and on +the frontiers of Spain, all of which I had missed through my +misfortune in falling into the hands of Milord Wellington. + +From what I have told you of the Lady Jane you will have guessed +what occurred, my friends. Etienne Gerard is thrown into the +company of a young and beautiful woman. What must it mean for +him? What must it mean for her? It was not for me, the guest, +the captive, to make love to the sister of my host. But I was +reserved. + +I was discreet. I tried to curb my own emotions and to +discourage hers. For my own part I fear that I betrayed myself, +for the eye becomes more eloquent when the tongue is silent. +Every quiver of my fingers as I turned over her music-sheets told +her my secret. But she--she was admirable. It is in these +matters that women have a genius for deception. If I had not +penetrated her secret I should often have thought that she forgot +even that I was in the house. For hours she would sit lost in a +sweet melancholy, while I admired her pale face and her curls in +the lamp-light, and thrilled within me to think that I had moved +her so deeply. Then at last I would speak, and she would start +in her chair and stare at me with the most admirable pretence of +being surprised to find me in the room. Ah! how I longed to hurl +myself suddenly at her feet, to kiss her white hand, to assure +her that I had surprised her secret and that I would not abuse +her confidence. + +But no, I was not her equal, and I was under her roof as a +castaway enemy. My lips were sealed. I endeavoured to imitate +her own wonderful affectation of indifference, but, as you may +think? I was eagerly alert for any opportunity of serving her. + +One morning Lady Jane had driven in her phaeton to Okehampton, +and I strolled along the road which led to that place in the hope +that I might meet her on her return. + +It was the early winter, and banks of fading fern sloped down to +the winding road. It is a bleak place this Dartmoor, wild and +rocky--a country of wind and mist. + +I felt as I walked that it is no wonder Englishmen should suffer +from the spleen. My own heart was heavy within me, and I sat +upon a rock by the wayside looking out on the dreary view with my +thoughts full of trouble and foreboding. Suddenly, however, as I +glanced down the road, I saw a sight which drove everything else +from my mind, and caused me to leap to my feet with a cry of +astonishment and anger. + +Down the curve of the road a phaeton was coming, the pony tearing +along at full gallop. Within was the very lady whom I had come +to meet. She lashed at the pony like one who endeavours to +escape from some pressing danger, glancing ever backward over her +shoulder. The bend of the road concealed from me what it was +that had alarmed her, and I ran forward not knowing what to +expect. + +The next instant I saw the pursuer, and my amazement was +increased at the sight. It was a gentleman in the red coat of an +English fox-hunter, mounted on a great grey horse. He was +galloping as if in a race, and the long stride of the splendid +creature beneath him soon brought him up to the lady's flying +carriage. I saw him stoop and seize the reins of the pony, so as +to bring it to a halt. The next instant he was deep in talk with +the lady, he bending forward in his saddle and speaking eagerly, +she shrinking away from him as if she feared and loathed him. + +You may think, my dear friends, that this was not a sight at +which I could calmly gaze. How my heart thrilled within me to +think that a chance should have been given to me to serve the +Lady Jane! I ran--oh, good Lord, how I ran! At last, +breathless, speechless, I reached the phaeton. The man glanced +up at me with his blue English eyes, but so deep was he in his +talk that he paid no heed to me, nor did the lady say a word. +She still leaned back, her beautiful pale face gazing up at him. +He was a good-looking fellow--tall, and strong, and brown; a pang +of jealousy seized me as I looked at him. He was talking low and +fast, as the English do when they are in earnest. + +"I tell you, Jinny, it's you and only you that I love," said he. +"Don't bear malice, Jinny. Let by-gones be by-gones. Come now, +say it's all over." + +"No, never, George, never!" she cried. + +A dusky red suffused his handsome face. The man was furious. + +"Why can't you forgive me, Jinny?" + +"I can't forget the past." + +"By George, you must! I've asked enough. It's time to order +now. I'll have my rights, d'ye hear?" His hand closed upon her +wrist. + +At last my breath had returned to me. + +"Madame," I said, as I raised my hat, "do I intrude, or is there +any possible way in which I can be of service to you?" + +But neither of them minded me any more than if I had been a fly +who buzzed between them. Their eyes were locked together. + +"I'll have my rights, I tell you. I've waited long enough." + +"There's no use bullying, George." + +"Do you give in?" + +"No, never!" + +"Is that your final answer?" + +"Yes, it is." + +He gave a bitter curse and threw down her hand. + +"All right, my lady, we'll see about this." + +"Excuse me, sir!" said I, with dignity. + +"Oh, go to blazes!" he cried, turning on me with his furious +face. The next instant he had spurred his horse and was +galloping down the road once more. + +Lady Jane gazed after him until he was out of sight, and I was +surprised to see that her face wore a smile and not a frown. +Then she turned to me and held out her hand. + +"You are very kind, Colonel Gerard. You meant well, I am sure." + +"Madame," said I, "if you can oblige me with the gentleman's name +and address I will arrange that he shall never trouble you +again." + +"No scandal, I beg of you," she cried. + +"Madame, I could not so far forget myself. Rest assured that no +lady's name would ever be mentioned by me in the course of such +an incident. In bidding me to go to blazes this gentleman has +relieved me from the embarrassment of having to invent a cause of +quarrel." + +"Colonel Gerard," said the lady, earnestly, "you must give me +your word as a soldier and a gentleman that this matter goes no +farther, and also that you will say nothing to my brother about +what you have seen. Promise me!" + +"If I must." + +"I hold you to your word. Now drive with me to High Combe, and I +will explain as we go." + +The first words of her explanation went into me like a +sabre-point. + +"That gentleman," said she, "is my husband." + +"Your husband!" + +"You must have known that I was married." She seemed surprised +at my agitation. + +"I did not know." + +"This is Lord George Dacre. We have been married two years. +There is no need to tell you how he wronged me. I left him and +sought a refuge under my brother's roof. Up till to-day he has +left me there unmolested. + +What I must above all things avoid is the chance of a duel +betwixt my husband and my brother. It is horrible to think of. +For this reason Lord Rufton must know nothing of this chance +meeting of to-day." + +"If my pistol could free you from this annoyance ----" + +"No, no, it is not to be thought of. Remember your promise, +Colonel Gerard. And not a word at High Combe of what you have +seen!" + +Her husband! I had pictured in my mind that she was a young +widow. This brown-faced brute with his "go to blazes" was the +husband of this tender dove of a woman. Oh, if she would but +allow me to free her from so odious an encumbrance! There is no +divorce so quick and certain as that which I could give her. But +a promise is a promise, and I kept it to the letter. My mouth +was sealed. + +In a week I was to be sent back from Plymouth to St. Malo, and it +seemed to me that I might never hear the sequel of the story. +And yet it was destined that it should have a sequel and that I +should play a very pleasing and honourable part in it. + + +It was only three days after the event which I have described +when Lord Rufton burst hurriedly into my room. + +His face was pale and his manner that of a man in extreme +agitation. + +"Gerard," he cried, "have you seen Lady Jane Dacre?" + +I had seen her after breakfast and it was now mid-day. + +"By Heaven, there's villainy here!" cried my poor friend, rushing +about like a madman. "The bailiff has been up to say that a +chaise and pair were seen driving full split down the Tavistock +Road. The blacksmith heard a woman scream as it passed his +forge. Jane has disappeared. By the Lord, I believe that she +has been kidnapped by this villain Dacre." He rang the bell +furiously. "Two horses, this instant!" he cried. "Colonel +Gerard, your pistols! Jane comes back with me this night from +Gravel Hanger or there will be a new master in High Combe Hall." + +Behold us then within half an hour, like two knight- errants of +old, riding forth to the rescue of this lady in distress. It was +near Tavistock that Lord Dacre lived, and at every house and +toll-gate along the road we heard the news of the flying +post-chaise in front of us, so there could be no doubt whither +they were bound. As we rode Lord Rufton told me of the man whom +we were pursuing. + +His name, it seems, was a household word throughout all England +for every sort of mischief. Wine, women, dice, cards, racing--in +all forms of debauchery he had earned for himself a terrible +name. He was of an old and noble family, and it had been hoped +that he had sowed his wild oats when he married the beautiful +Lady Jane Rufton. + +For some months he had indeed behaved well, and then he had +wounded her feelings in their most tender part by some unworthy +liaison. She had fled from his house and taken refuge with her +brother, from whose care she had now been dragged once more, +against her will. I ask you if two men could have had a fairer +errand than that upon which Lord Rufton and myself were riding. + +"That's Gravel Hanger," he cried at last, pointing with his crop, +and there on the green side of a hill was an old brick and timber +building as beautiful as only an English country-house can be. +"There's an inn by the park-gate, and there we shall leave our +horses," he added. + +For my own part it seemed to me that with so just a cause we +should have done best to ride boldly up to his door and summon +him to surrender the lady. But there I was wrong. For the one +thing which every Englishman fears is the law. He makes it +himself, and when he has once made it it becomes a terrible +tyrant before whom the bravest quails. He will smile at breaking +his neck, but he will turn pale at breaking the law. It seems, +then, from what Lord Rufton told me as we walked through the +park, that we were on the wrong side of the law in this matter. +Lord Dacre was in the right in carrying off his wife, since she +did indeed belong to him, and our own position now was nothing +better than that of burglars and trespassers. It was not for +burglars to openly approach the front door. We could take the +lady by force or by craft, but we could not take her by right, +for the law was against us. This was what my friend explained to +me as we crept up toward the shelter of a shrubbery which was +close to the windows of the house. Thence we could examine this +fortress, see whether we could effect a lodgment in it, and, +above all, try to establish some communication with the beautiful +prisoner inside. + +There we were, then, in the shrubbery, Lord Rufton and I, each +with a pistol in the pockets of our riding coats, and with the +most resolute determination in our hearts that we should not +return without the lady. + +Eagerly we scanned every window of the wide-spread house. + +Not a sign could we see of the prisoner or of anyone else; but on +the gravel drive outside the door were the deep- sunk marks of +the wheels of the chaise. There was no doubt that they had +arrived. Crouching among the laurel bushes we held a whispered +council of wary but a singular interruption brought it to an end. + +Out of the door of the house there stepped a tall, flaxen- haired +man, such a figure as one would choose for the flank of a +Grenadier company. As he turned his brown face and his blue eyes +toward us I recognised Lord Dacre. + +With long strides he came down the gravel path straight for the +spot where we lay. + +"Come out, Ned!" he shouted; "you'll have the game- keeper +putting a charge of shot into you. Come out, man, and don't +skulk behind the bushes." + +It was not a very heroic situation for us. My poor friend rose +with a crimson face. I sprang to my feet also and bowed with +such dignity as I could muster. + +"Halloa! it's the Frenchman, is it?" said he, without returning +my bow. "I've got a crow to pluck with him already. As to you, +Ned, I knew you would be hot on our scent, and so I was looking +out for you. I saw you cross the park and go to ground in the +shrubbery. Come in, man, and let us have all the cards on the +table." + +He seemed master of the situation, this handsome giant of a man, +standing at his ease on his own ground while we slunk out of our +hiding-place. Lord Rufton had said not a word, but I saw by his +darkened brow and his sombre eyes that the storm was gathering. +Lord Dacre led the way into the house, and we followed close at +his heels. + +He ushered us himself into an oak-panelled sitting-room, closing +the door behind us. Then he looked me up and down with insolent +eyes. + +"Look here, Ned," said he, "time was when an English family could +settle their own affairs in their own way. + +What has this foreign fellow got to do with your sister and my +wife?" + +"Sir," said I, "permit me to point out to you that this is not a +case merely of a sister or a wife, but that I am the friend of +the lady in question, and that I have the privilege which every +gentleman possesses of protecting a woman against brutality. It +is only by a gesture that I can show you what I think of you." I +had my riding glove in my hand, and I flicked him across the face +with it. He drew back with a bitter smile and his eyes were as +hard as flint. + +"So you've brought your bully with you, Ned?" said he. "You +might at least have done your fighting yourself, if it must come +to a fight." + +"So I will," cried Lord Rufton. "Here and now." + +"When I've killed this swaggering Frenchman," said Lord Dacre. +He stepped to a side table and opened a brass-bound case. "By +Gad," said he, "either that man or I go out of this room feet +foremost. I meant well by you, Ned; I did, by George, but I'll +shoot this led- captain of yours as sure as my name's George +Dacre. + +Take your choice of pistols, sir, and shoot across this table. +The barkers are loaded. Aim straight and kill me if you can, for +by the Lord if you don't, you're done." + +In vain Lord Rufton tried to take the quarrel upon himself. Two +things were clear in my mind--one that the Lady Jane had feared +above all things that her husband and brother should fight, the +other that if I could but kill this big milord, then the whole +question would be settled forever in the best way. Lord Rufton +did not want him. Lady Jane did not want him. Therefore, I, +Etienne Gerard, their friend, would pay the debt of gratitude +which I owed them by freeing them of this encumbrance. But, +indeed, there was no choice in the matter, for Lord Dacre was as +eager to put a bullet into me as I could be to do the same +service to him. In vain Lord Rufton argued and scolded. The +affair must continue. + +"Well, if you must fight my guest instead of myself, let it be +to-morrow morning with two witnesses," he cried, at last; "this +is sheer murder across the table." + +"But it suits my humour, Ned," said Lord Dacre. + +"And mine, sir," said I. + +"Then I'll have nothing to do with it," cried Lord Rufton. "I +tell you, George, if you shoot Colonel Gerard under these +circumstances you'll find yourself in the dock instead of on the +bench. I won't act as second, and that's flat." + +"Sir," said I, "I am perfectly prepared to proceed without a +second." + +"That won't do. It's against the law," cried Lord Dacre. "Come, +Ned, don't be a fool. You see we mean to fight. Hang it, man, +all I want you to do is to drop a handkerchief." + +"I'll take no part in it." + +"Then I must find someone who will," said Lord Dacre. + +He threw a cloth over the pistols which lay upon the table, and +he rang the bell. A footman entered. "Ask Colonel Berkeley if +he will step this way. You will find him in the billiard-room." + +A moment later there entered a tall thin Englishman with a great +moustache, which was a rare thing amid that clean-shaven race. I +have heard since that they were worn only by the Guards and the +Hussars. This Colonel Berkeley was a guardsman. He seemed a +strange, tired, languid, drawling creature with a long black +cigar thrusting out, like a pole from a bush, amidst that immense +moustache. He looked from one to the other of us with true +English phlegm, and he betrayed not the slightest surprise when +he was told our intention. + +"Quite so," said he; "quite so." + +"I refuse to act, Colonel Berkeley," cried Lord Rufton. + +"Remember, this duel cannot proceed without you, and I hold you +personally responsible for anything that happens." + +This Colonel Berkeley appeared to be an authority upon the +question, for he removed the cigar from his mouth and he laid +down the law in his strange, drawling voice. + +"The circumstances are unusual but not irregular, Lord Rufton," +said he. "This gentleman has given a blow and this other +gentleman has received it. That is a clear issue. Time and +conditions depend upon the person who demands satisfaction. Very +good. He claims it here and now, across the table. He is acting +within his rights. I am prepared to accept the responsibility." + +There was nothing more to be said. Lord Rufton sat moodily in +the corner with his brows drawn down and his hands thrust deep +into the pockets of his riding-breeches. + +Colonel Berkeley examined the two pistols and laid them both in +the centre of the table. Lord Dacre was at one end and I at the +other, with eight feet of shining mahogany between us. On the +hearth-rug with his back to the fire, stood the tall colonel, his +handkerchief in his left hand, his cigar between two fingers of +his right. + +"When I drop the handkerchief," said he, "you will pick up your +pistols and you will fire at your own convenience. + +Are you ready?" + +"Yes," we cried. + +His hand opened and the handkerchief fell. I bent swiftly +forward and seized a pistol, but the table, as I have said, was +eight feet across, and it was easier for this long-armed milord +to reach the pistols than it was for me. + +I had not yet drawn myself straight before he fired, and to this +it was that I owe my life. His bullet would have blown out my +brains had I been erect. As it was it whistled through my curls. +At the same instant, just as I threw up my own pistol to fire, +the door flew open and a pair of arms were thrown round me. It +was the beautiful, flushed, frantic face of Lady Jane which +looked up into mine. + +"You sha'n't fire! Colonel Gerard, for my sake don't fire," she +cried. "It is a mistake, I tell you, a mistake, a mistake! He +is the best and dearest of husbands. Never again shall I leave +his side." Her hands slid down my arm and closed upon my pistol. + +"Jane, Jane," cried Lord Rufton; "come with me. + +You should not be here. Come away." + +"It is all confoundedly irregular," said Colonel Berkeley. + +"Colonel Gerard, you won't fire, will you? My heart would break +if he were hurt." + +"Hang it all, Jinny, give the fellow fair play," cried Lord +Dacre. "He stood my fire like a man, and I won't see him +interfered with. Whatever happens I can't get worse than I +deserve." + +But already there had passed between me and the lady a quick +glance of the eyes which told her everything. + +Her hands slipped from my arm. "I leave my husband's life and my +own happiness to Colonel Gerard," said she. + +How well she knew me, this admirable woman! I stood for an +instant irresolute, with the pistol cocked in my hand. My +antagonist faced me bravely, with no blenching of his sunburnt +face and no flinching of his bold, blue eyes. + +"Come, come, sir, take your shot!" cried the colonel from the +mat. + +"Let us have it, then," said Lord Dacre. + +I would, at least, show them how completely his life was at the +mercy of my skill. So much I owed to my own self-respect. I +glanced round for a mark. The colonel was looking toward my +antagonist, expecting to see him drop. His face was sideways to +me, his long cigar projecting from his lips with an inch of ash +at the end of it. + +Quick as a flash I raised my pistol and fired. + +"Permit me to trim your ash, sir," said I, and I bowed with a +grace which is unknown among these islanders. + +I am convinced that the fault lay with the pistol and not with my +aim. I could hardly believe my own eyes when I saw that I had +snapped off the cigar within half an inch of his lips. He stood +staring at me with the ragged stub of the cigar-end sticking out +from his singed mustache. I can see him now with his foolish, +angry eyes and his long, thin, puzzled face. Then he began to +talk. I have always said that the English are not really a +phlegmatic or a taciturn nation if you stir them out of their +groove. No one could have talked in a more animated way than +this colonel. Lady Jane put her hands over her ears. + +"Come, come, Colonel Berkeley," said Lord Dacre, sternly, "you +forget yourself. There is a lady in the room." + +The colonel gave a stiff bow. + +"If Lady Dacre will kindly leave the room," said he, + +"I will be able to tell this infernal little Frenchman what I +think of him and his monkey tricks." + +I was splendid at that moment, for I ignored the words that he +had said and remembered only the extreme provocation. + +"Sir," said I, "I freely offer you my apologies for this unhappy +incident. I felt that if I did not discharge my pistol Lord +Dacre's honour might feel hurt, and yet it was quite impossible +for me, after hearing what this lady has said, to aim it at her +husband. I looked round for a mark, therefore, and I had the +extreme misfortune to blow your cigar out of your mouth when my +intention had merely been to snuff the ash. I was betrayed by my +pistol. This is my explanation, sir, and if after listening to +my apologies you still feel that I owe you satisfaction, I need +not say that it is a request which I am unable to refuse." + +It was certainly a charming attitude which I had assumed, and it +won the hearts of all of them. Lord Dacre stepped forward and +wrung me by the hand. "By George, sir," said he, "I never +thought to feel toward a Frenchman as I do to you. You're a man +and a gentleman, and I can't say more." Lord Rufton said +nothing, but his hand-grip told me all that he thought. Even +Colonel Berkeley paid me a compliment, and declared that he would +think no more about the unfortunate cigar. + +And she--ah, if you could have seen the look she gave me, the +flushed cheek, the moist eye, the tremulous lip! + +When I think of my beautiful Lady Jane it is at that moment that +I recall her. They would have had me stay to dinner, but you +will understand, my friends, that this was no time for either +Lord Rufton or myself to remain at Gravel Hanger. This +reconciled couple desired only to be alone. In the chaise he had +persuaded her of his sincere repentance, and once again they were +a loving husband and wife. If they were to remain so it was best +perhaps that I should go. Why should I unsettle this domestic +peace? Even against my own will my mere presence and appearance +might have their effect upon the lady. No, no, I must tear +myself away--even her persuasions were unable to make me stop. +Years afterward I heard that the household of the Dacres was +among the happiest in the whole country, and that no cloud had +ever come again to darken their lives. Yet I dare say if he +could have seen into his wife's mind--but there, I say no more! +A lady's secret is her own, and I fear that she and it are buried +long years ago in some Devonshire churchyard. Perhaps all that +gay circle are gone and the Lady Jane only lives now in the +memory of an old half-pay French brigadier. He at least can +never forget. + + + +VI. How the Brigadier Rode to Minsk + +I would have a stronger wine to-night, my friends, a wine of +Burgundy rather than of Bordeaux. It is that my heart, my old +soldier heart, is heavy within me. It is a strange thing, this +age which creeps upon one. One does not know, one does not +understand; the spirit is ever the same, and one does not +remember how the poor body crumbles. But there comes a moment +when it is brought home, when quick as the sparkle of a whirling +sabre it is clear to us, and we see the men we were and the men +we are. Yes, yes, it was so to-day, and I would have a wine of +Burgundy to-night. White Burgundy--Montrachet --Sir, I am your +debtor! + +It was this morning in the Champ de Mars. Your pardon, friends, +while an old man tells his trouble. You saw the review. Was it +not splendid? I was in the enclosure for veteran officers who +have been decorated. + +This ribbon on my breast was my passport. The cross itself I +keep at home in a leathern pouch. They did us honour, for we +were placed at the saluting point, with the Emperor and the +carriages of the Court upon our right. + +It is years since I have been to a review, for I cannot approve +of many things which I have seen. I do not approve of the red +breeches of the infantry. It was in white breeches that the +infantry used to fight. Red is for the cavalry. A little more, +and they would ask our busbies and our spurs! Had I been seen at +a review they might well have said that I, Etienne Gerard, had +condoned it. So I have stayed at home. But this war of the +Crimea is different. The men go to battle. + +It is not for me to be absent when brave men gather. + +My faith, they march well, those little infantrymen! + +They are not large, but they are very solid and they carry +themselves well. I took off my hat to them as they passed. Then +there came the guns. They were good guns, well horsed and well +manned. I took off my hat to them. Then came the Engineers, and +to them also I took off my hat. There are no braver men than the +Engineers. Then came the cavalry, Lancers, Cuirassiers, +Chasseurs, and Spahis. To all of them in turn I was able to take +off my hat, save only to the Spahis. + +The Emperor had no Spahis. But when all of the others had +passed, what think you came at the close? A brigade of Hussars, +and at the charge! + +Oh, my friends, the pride and the glory and the beauty, the flash +and the sparkle, the roar of the hoofs and the jingle of chains, +the tossing manes, the noble heads, the rolling cloud, and the +dancing waves of steel! My heart drummed to them as they passed. +And the last of all, was it not my own old regiment? My eyes +fell upon the grey and silver dolmans, with the leopard-skin +shabraques, and at that instant the years fell away from me and I +saw my own beautiful men and horses, even as they had swept +behind their young colonel, in the pride of our youth and our +strength, just forty years ago. Up flew my cane. "Chargez! En +avant! Vive l'Empereur!" + +It was the past calling to the present. But oh, what a thin, +piping voice! Was this the voice that had once thundered from +wing to wing of a strong brigade? And the arm that could scarce +wave a cane, were these the muscles of fire and steel which had +no match in all Napoleon's mighty host? They smiled at me. They +cheered me. The Emperor laughed and bowed. But to me the +present was a dim dream, and what was real were my eight hundred +dead Hussars and the Etienne of long ago. + +Enough--a brave man can face age and fate as he faced Cossacks +and Uhlans. But there are times when Montrachet is better than +the wine of Bordeaux. + +It is to Russia that they go, and so I will tell you a story of +Russia. Ah, what an evil dream of the night it seems! Blood and +ice. Ice and blood. Fierce faces with snow upon the whiskers. +Blue hands held out for succour. And across the great white +plain the one long black line of moving figures, trudging, +trudging, a hundred miles, another hundred, and still always the +same white plain. Sometimes there were fir-woods to limit it, +sometimes it stretched away to the cold blue sky, but the black +line stumbled on and on. Those weary, ragged, starving men, the +spirit frozen out of them, looked neither to right nor left, but +with sunken faces and rounded backs trailed onward and ever +onward, making for France as wounded beasts make for their lair. +There was no speaking, and you could scarce hear the shuffle of +feet in the snow. Once only I heard them laugh. It was outside +Wilna, when an aide-de-camp rode up to the head of that dreadful +column and asked if that were the Grand Army. All who were +within hearing looked round, and when they saw those broken men, +those ruined regiments, those fur-capped skeletons who were once +the Guard, they laughed, and the laugh crackled down the column +like a feu de joie. I have heard many a groan and cry and scream +in my life, but nothing so terrible as the laugh of the Grand +Army. + +But why was it that these helpless men were not destroyed by the +Russians? Why was it that they were not speared by the Cossacks +or herded into droves, and driven as prisoners into the heart of +Russia? On every side as you watched the black snake winding +over the snow you saw also dark, moving shadows which came and +went like cloud drifts on either flank and behind. They were the +Cossacks, who hung round us like wolves round the flock. + +But the reason why they did not ride in upon us was that all the +ice of Russia could not cool the hot hearts of some of our +soldiers. To the end there were always those who were ready to +throw themselves between these savages and their prey. One man +above all rose greater as the danger thickened, and won a higher +name amid disaster than he had done when he led our van to +victory. To him I drink this glass--to Ney, the red-maned Lion, +glaring back over his shoulder at the enemy who feared to tread +too closely on his heels. I can see him now, his broad white +face convulsed with fury, his light blue eyes sparkling like +flints, his great voice roaring and crashing amid the roll of the +musketry. His glazed and featherless cocked hat was the ensign +upon which France rallied during those dreadful days. + +It is well known that neither I nor the regiment of Hussars of +Conflans were at Moscow. We were left behind on the lines of +communication at Borodino. How the Emperor could have advanced +without us is incomprehensible to me, and, indeed, it was only +then that I understood that his judgment was weakening and that +he was no longer the man that he had been. However, a soldier +has to obey orders, and so I remained at this village, which was +poisoned by the bodies of thirty thousand men who had lost their +lives in the great battle. I spent the late autumn in getting my +horses into condition and reclothing my men, so that when the +army fell back on Borodino my Hussars were the best of the +cavalry, and were placed under Ney in the rear-guard. + +What could he have done without us during those dreadful days? +"Ah, Gerard," said he one evening-- but it is not for me to +repeat the words. Suffice it that he spoke what the whole army +felt. The rear-guard covered the army and the Hussars of +Conflans covered the rear-guard. There was the whole truth in a +sentence. + +Always the Cossacks were on us. Always we held them off. Never +a day passed that we had not to wipe our sabres. That was +soldiering indeed. + +But there came a time between Wilna and Smolensk when the +situation became impossible. Cossacks and even cold we could +fight, but we could not fight hunger as well. Food must be got +at all costs. That night Ney sent for me to the waggon in which +he slept. His great head was sunk on his hands. Mind and body +he was wearied to death. + +"Colonel Gerard," said he, "things are going very badly with us. +The men are starving. We must have food at all costs." + +"The horses," I suggested. + +"Save your handful of cavalry; there are none left." + +"The band," said I. + +He laughed, even in his despair. + +"Why the band?" he asked. + +"Fighting men are of value." + +"Good," said he. "You would play the game down to the last card +and so would I. Good, Gerard, good!" + +He clasped my hand in his. "But there is one chance for us yet, +Gerard." He unhooked a lantern from the roof of the waggon and +he laid it on a map which was stretched before him. "To the +south of us," said he, "there lies the town of Minsk. I have +word from a Russian deserter that much corn has been stored in +the town- hall. I wish you to take as many men as you think +best, set forth for Minsk, seize the corn, load any carts which +you may collect in the town, and bring them to me between here +and Smolensk. If you fail it is but a detachment cut off. If +you succeed it is new life to the army." + +He had not expressed himself well, for it was evident that if we +failed it was not merely the loss of a detachment. It is quality +as well as quantity which counts. + +And yet how honourable a mission and how glorious a risk! If +mortal men could bring it, then the corn should come from Minsk. +I said so, and spoke a few burning words about a brave man's duty +until the Marshal was so moved that he rose and, taking me +affectionately by the shoulders, pushed me out of the waggon. + +It was clear to me that in order to succeed in my enterprise I +should take a small force and depend rather upon surprise than +upon numbers. A large body could not conceal itself, would have +great difficulty in getting food, and would cause all the +Russians around us to concentrate for its certain destruction. +On the other hand, if a small body of cavalry could get past the +Cossacks unseen it was probable that they would find no troops to +oppose them, for we knew that the main Russian army was several +days' march behind us. This corn was meant, no doubt, for their +consumption. A squadron of Hussars and thirty Polish Lancers +were all whom I chose for the venture. That very night we rode +out of the camp, and struck south in the direction of Minsk. + +Fortunately there was but a half moon, and we were able to pass +without being attacked by the enemy. Twice we saw great fires +burning amid the snow, and around them a thick bristle of long +poles. These were the lances of Cossacks, which they had stood +upright while they slept. It would have been a great joy to us +to have charged in amongst them, for we had much to revenge, and +the eyes of my comrades looked longingly from me to those red +flickering patches in the darkness. My faith, I was sorely +tempted to do it, for it would have been a good lesson to teach +them that they must keep a few miles between themselves and a +French army. It is the essence of good generalship, however, to +keep one thing before one at a time, and so we rode silently on +through the snow, leaving these Cossack bivouacs to right and +left. Behind us the black sky was all mottled with a line of +flame which showed where our own poor wretches were trying to +keep themselves alive for another day of misery and starvation. + +All night we rode slowly onward, keeping our horses' tails to the +Pole Star. There were many tracks in the snow, and we kept to +the line of these, that no one might remark that a body of +cavalry had passed that way. + +These are the little precautions which mark the experienced +officer. Besides, by keeping to the tracks we were most likely +to find the villages, and only in the villages could we hope to +get food. The dawn of day found us in a thick fir-wood, the +trees so loaded with snow that the light could hardly reach us. +When we had found our way out of it it was full daylight, the rim +of the rising sun peeping over the edge of the great snow-plain +and turning it crimson from end to end. I halted my Hussars and +Lancers under the shadow of the wood, and I studied the country. +Close to us there was a small farm-house. Beyond, at the +distance of several miles, was a village. Far away on the +sky-line rose a considerable town all bristling with church +towers. This must be Minsk. In no direction could I see any +signs of troops. It was evident that we had passed through the +Cossacks and that there was nothing between us and our goal. A +joyous shout burst from my men when I told them our position, and +we advanced rapidly toward the village. + +I have said, however, that there was a small farm- house +immediately in front of us. As we rode up to it I observed that +a fine grey horse with a military saddle was tethered by the +door. Instantly I galloped forward, but before I could reach it +a man dashed out of the door, flung himself on to the horse, and +rode furiously away, the crisp, dry snow flying up in a cloud +behind him. The sunlight gleamed upon his gold epaulettes, and I +knew that he was a Russian officer. He would raise the whole +country-side if we did not catch him. I put spurs to Violette +and flew after him. My troopers followed; but there was no horse +among them to compare with Violette, and I knew well that if I +could not catch the Russian I need expect no help from them. + +But it is a swift horse indeed and a skilful rider who can hope +to escape from Violette with Etienne Gerard in the saddle. He +rode well, this young Russian, and his mount was a good one, but +gradually we wore him down. + +His face glanced continually over his shoulder--dark, handsome +face, with eyes like an eagle--and I saw as I closed with him +that he was measuring the distance between us. Suddenly he half +turned; there were a flash and a crack as his pistol bullet +hummed past my ear. + +Before he could draw his sword I was upon him; but he still +spurred his horse, and the two galloped together over the plain, +I with my leg against the Russian's and my left hand upon his +right shoulder. I saw his hand fly up to his mouth. Instantly I +dragged him across my pommel and seized him by the throat, so +that he could not swallow. His horse shot from under him, but I +held him fast and Violette came to a stand. Sergeant Oudin of +the Hussars was the first to join us. He was an old soldier, and +he saw at a glance what I was after. + +"Hold tight, Colonel," said he, "I'll do the rest." + +He slipped out his knife, thrust the blade between the clenched +teeth of the Russian, and turned it so as to force his mouth +open. There, on his tongue, was the little wad of wet paper +which he had been so anxious to swallow. Oudin picked it out and +I let go of the man's throat. From the way in which, half +strangled as he was, he glanced at the paper I was sure that it +was a message of extreme importance. His hands twitched as if he +longed to snatch it from me. He shrugged his shoulders, however, +and smiled good-humouredly when I apologised for my roughness. + +"And now to business," said I, when he had done coughing and +hawking. "What is your name?" + +"Alexis Barakoff." + +"Your rank and regiment?" + +"Captain of the Dragoons of Grodno." + +"What is this note which you were carrying?" + +"It is a line which I had written to my sweetheart." + +"Whose name," said I, examining the address, "is the Hetman +Platoff. Come, come, sir, this is an important military +document, which you are carrying from one general to another. +Tell me this instant what it is." + +"Read it and then you will know." He spoke perfect French, as do +most of the educated Russians. But he knew well that there is +not one French officer in a thousand who knows a word of Russian. +The inside of the note contained one single line, which ran like +this:-- + +"Pustj Franzuzy pridutt v Minsk. Min gotovy." + +I stared at it, and I had to shake my head. Then I showed it to +my Hussars, but they could make nothing of it. The Poles were +all rough fellows who could not read or write, save only the +sergeant, who came from Memel, in East Prussia, and knew no +Russian. It was maddening, for I felt that I had possession of +some important secret upon which the safety of the army might +depend, and yet I could make no sense of it. Again I entreated +our prisoner to translate it, and offered him his freedom if he +would do so. He only smiled at my request. + +I could not but admire him, for it was the very smile which I +should have myself smiled had I been in his position. + +"At least," said I, "tell us the name of this village." + +"It is Dobrova." + +"And that is Minsk over yonder, I suppose." + +"Yes, that is Minsk." + +"Then we shall go to the village and we shall very soon find some +one who will translate this despatch." + +So we rode onward together, a trooper with his carbine unslung on +either side of our prisoner. The village was but a little place, +and I set a guard at the ends of the single street, so that no +one could escape from it. It was necessary to call a halt and to +find some food for the men and horses, since they had travelled +all night and had a long journey still before them. + +There was one large stone house in the centre of the village, and +to this I rode. It was the house of the priest --a snuffy and +ill-favoured old man who had not a civil answer to any of our +questions. An uglier fellow I never met, but, my faith, it was +very different with his only daughter, who kept house for him. +She was a brunette, a rare thing in Russia, with creamy skin, +raven hair, and a pair of the most glorious dark eyes that ever +kindled at the sight of a Hussar. From the first glance I saw +that she was mine. It was no time for love-making when a +soldier's duty had to be done, but still, as I took the simple +meal which they laid before me, I chatted lightly with the lady, +and we were the best of friends before an hour had passed. +Sophie was her first name, her second I never knew. I taught her +to call me Etienne, and I tried to cheer her up, for her sweet +face was sad and there were tears in her beautiful dark eyes. I +pressed her to tell me what it was which was grieving her. + +"How can I be otherwise," said she, speaking French with a most +adorable lisp, "when one of my poor countrymen is a prisoner in +your hands? I saw him between two of your Hussars as you rode +into the village." + +"It is the fortune of war," said I. "His turn to-day; mine, +perhaps, to-morrow." + +"But consider, Monsieur--" said she. + +"Etienne," said I. + +"Oh, Monsieur----" + +"Etienne," said I. + +"Well, then," she cried, beautifully flushed and desperate, +"consider, Etienne, that this young officer will be taken back to +your army and will be starved or frozen, for if, as I hear, your +own soldiers have a hard march, what will be the lot of a +prisoner?" + +I shrugged my shoulders. + +"You have a kind face, Etienne," said she; "you would not condemn +this poor man to certain death. I entreat you to let him go." + +Her delicate hand rested upon my sleeve, her dark eyes looked +imploringly into mine. + +A sudden thought passed through my mind. I would grant her +request, but I would demand a favour in return. + +At my order the prisoner was brought up into the room. + +"Captain Barakoff," said I, "this young lady has begged me to +release you, and I am inclined to do so. I would ask you to give +your parole that you will remain in this dwelling for twenty-four +hours, and take no steps to inform anyone of our movements." + +"I will do so," said he. + +"Then I trust in your honour. One man more or less can make no +difference in a struggle between great armies, and to take you +back as a prisoner would be to condemn you to death. Depart, +sir, and show your gratitude not to me, but to the first French +officer who falls into your hands." + +When he was gone I drew my paper from my pocket. + +"Now, Sophie," said I, "I have done what you asked me, and all +that I ask in return is that you will give me a lesson in +Russian." + +"With all my heart," said she. + +"Let us begin on this," said I, spreading out the paper before +her. "Let us take it word for word and see what it means." + +She looked at the writing with some surprise. "It means," said +she, "if the French come to Minsk all is lost." Suddenly a look +of consternation passed over her beautiful face. "Great +Heavens!" she cried, "what is it that I have done? I have +betrayed my country! Oh, Etienne, your eyes are the last for +whom this message is meant. How could you be so cunning as to +make a poor, simple-minded, and unsuspecting girl betray the +cause of her country?" + +I consoled my poor Sophie as best I might, and I assured her that +it was no reproach to her that she should be outwitted by so old +a campaigner and so shrewd a man as myself. But it was no time +now for talk. This message made it clear that the corn was +indeed at Minsk, and that there were no troops there to defend +it. I gave a hurried order from the window, the trumpeter blew +the assembly, and in ten minutes we had left the village behind +us and were riding hard for the city, the gilded domes and +minarets of which glimmered above the snow of the horizon. +Higher they rose and higher, until at last, as the sun sank +toward the west, we were in the broad main street, and galloped +up it amid the shouts of the moujiks and the cries of frightened +women until we found ourselves in front of the great town-hall. +My cavalry I drew up in the square, and I, with my two sergeants, +Oudin and Papilette, rushed into the building. + +Heavens! shall I ever forget the sight which greeted us? Right +in front of us was drawn up a triple line of Russian Grenadiers. +Their muskets rose as we entered, and a crashing volley burst +into our very faces. Oudin and Papilette dropped upon the floor, +riddled with bullets. + +For myself, my busby was shot away and I had two holes through my +dolman. The Grenadiers ran at me with their bayonets. +"Treason!" I cried. "We are betrayed! Stand to your horses!" I +rushed out of the hall, but the whole square was swarming with +troops. + +From every side street Dragoons and Cossacks were riding down +upon us, and such a rolling fire had burst from the surrounding +houses that half my men and horses were on the ground. "Follow +me!" I yelled, and sprang upon Violette, but a giant of a Russian +Dragoon officer threw his arms round me and we rolled on the +ground together. + +He shortened his sword to kill me, but, changing his mind, he +seized me by the throat and banged my head against the stones +until I was unconscious. So it was that I became the prisoner of +the Russians. + +When I came to myself my only regret was that my captor had not +beaten out my brains. There in the grand square of Minsk lay +half my troopers dead or wounded, with exultant crowds of +Russians gathered round them. + +The rest in a melancholy group were herded into the porch of the +town-hall, a sotnia of Cossacks keeping guard over them. Alas! +what could I say, what could I do? It was evident that I had led +my men into a carefully- baited trap. They had heard of our +mission and they had prepared for us. And yet there was that +despatch which had caused me to neglect all precautions and to +ride straight into the town. How was I to account for that? The +tears ran down my cheeks as I surveyed the ruin of my squadron, +and as I thought of the plight of my comrades of the Grand Army +who awaited the food which I was to have brought them. Ney had +trusted me and I had failed him. How often he would strain his +eyes over the snow-fields for that convoy of grain which should +never gladden his sight! My own fate was hard enough. An exile +in Siberia was the best which the future could bring me. But you +will believe me, my friends, that it was not for his own sake, +but for that of his starving comrades, that Etienne Gerard's +cheeks were lined by his tears, frozen even as they were shed. + +"What's this?" said a gruff voice at my elbow; and I turned to +face the huge, black-bearded Dragoon who had dragged me from my +saddle. "Look at the Frenchman crying! I thought that the +Corsican was followed by brave men and not by children." + +"If you and I were face to face and alone, I should let you see +which is the better man," said I. + +For answer the brute struck me across the face with his open +hand. I seized him by the throat, but a dozen of his soldiers +tore me away from him, and he struck me again while they held my +hands. + +"You base hound," I cried, "is this the way to treat an officer +and a gentleman?" + +"We never asked you to come to Russia," said he. "If you do you +must take such treatment as you can get. I would shoot you +off-hand if I had my way." + +"You will answer for this some day," I cried, as I wiped the +blood from my moustache. + +"If the Hetman Platoff is of my way of thinking you will not be +alive this time to-morrow," he answered, with a ferocious scowl. +He added some words in Russian to his troops, and instantly they +all sprang to their saddles. + +Poor Violette, looking as miserable as her master, was led round +and I was told to mount her. My left arm was tied with a thong +which was fastened to the stirrup- iron of a sergeant of +Dragoons. So in most sorry plight I and the remnant of my men +set forth from Minsk. + +Never have I met such a brute as this man Sergine, who commanded +the escort. The Russian army contains the best and the worst in +the world, but a worse than Major Sergine of the Dragoons of +Kieff I have never seen in any force outside of the guerillas of +the Peninsula. + +He was a man of great stature, with a fierce, hard face and a +bristling black beard, which fell over his cuirass. + +I have been told since that he was noted for his strength and his +bravery, and I could answer for it that he had the grip of a +bear, for I had felt it when he tore me from my saddle. He was a +wit, too, in his way, and made continual remarks in Russian at +our expense which set all his Dragoons and Cossacks laughing. +Twice he beat my comrades with his riding-whip, and once he +approached me with the lash swung over his shoulder, but there +was something in my eyes which prevented it from falling. + +So in misery and humiliation, cold and starving, we rode in a +disconsolate column across the vast snow-plain. The sun had +sunk, but still in the long northern twilight we pursued our +weary journey. Numbed and frozen, with my head aching from the +blows it had received, I was borne onward by Violette, hardly +conscious of where I was or whither I was going. The little mare +walked with a sunken head, only raising it to snort her contempt +for the mangy Cossack ponies who were round her. + +But suddenly the escort stopped, and I found that we had halted +in the single street of a small Russian village. + +There was a church on one side, and on the other was a large +stone house, the outline of which seemed to me to be familiar. I +looked around me in the twilight, and then I saw that we had been +led back to Dobrova, and that this house at the door of which we +were waiting was the same house of the priest at which we had +stopped in the morning. Here it was that my charming Sophie in +her innocence had translated the unlucky message which had in +some strange way led us to our ruin. To think that only a few +hours before we had left this very spot with such high hopes and +all fair prospects for our mission, and now the remnants of us +waited as beaten and humiliated men for whatever lot a brutal +enemy might ordain! But such is the fate of the soldier, my +friends --kisses to-day, blows to-morrow. Tokay in a palace, +ditch-water in a hovel, furs or rags, a full purse or an empty +pocket, ever swaying from the best to the worst, with only his +courage and his honour unchanging. + +The Russian horsemen dismounted, and my poor fellows were ordered +to do the same. It was already late, and it was clearly their +intention to spend the night in this village. There were great +cheering and joy amongst the peasants when they understood that +we had all been taken, and they flocked out of their houses with +flaming torches, the women carrying out tea and brandy for the +Cossacks. Amongst others the old priest came forth-- the same +whom we had seen in the morning. He was all smiles now, and he +bore with him some hot punch on a salver, the reek of which I can +remember still. Behind her father was Sophie. With horror I saw +her clasp Major Sergine's hand as she congratulated him upon the +victory he had won and the prisoners he had made. The old +priest, her father, looked at me with an insolent face and made +insulting remarks at my expense, pointing at me with his lean and +grimy hand. His fair daughter Sophie looked at me also, but she +said nothing, and I could read her tender pity in her dark eyes. +At last she turned to Major Sergine and said something to him in +Russian, on which he frowned and shook his head impatiently. + +She appeared to plead with him, standing there in the flood of +light which shone from the open door of her father's house. My +eyes were fixed upon the two faces, that of the beautiful girl +and of the dark, fierce man, for my instinct told me that it was +my own fate which was under debate. For a long time the soldier +shook his head, and then, at last softening before her pleadings, +he appeared to give way. He turned to where I stood with my +guardian sergeant beside me. + +"These good people offer you the shelter of their roof for the +night," said he to me, looking me up and down with vindictive +eyes. "I find it hard to refuse them, but I tell you straight +that for my part I had rather see you on the snow. It would cool +your hot blood, you rascal of a Frenchman!" + +I looked at him with the contempt that I felt. + +"You were born a savage and you will die one," said I. + +My words stung him, for he broke into an oath, raising his whip +as if he would strike me. + +"Silence, you crop-eared dog!" he cried. "Had I my way some of +the insolence would be frozen out of you before morning." +Mastering his passion, he turned upon Sophie with what he meant +to be a gallant manner. "If you have a cellar with a good lock," +said he, "the fellow may lie in it for the night, since you have +done him the honour to take an interest in his comfort. I must +have his parole that he will not attempt to play us any tricks, +as I am answerable for him until I hand him over to the Hetman +Platoff to-morrow." + +His supercilious manner was more than I could endure. + +He had evidently spoken French to the lady in order that I might +understand the humiliating way in which he referred to me. + +"I will take no favour from you," said I. "You may do what you +like, but I will never give you my parole." + +The Russian shrugged his great shoulders, and turned away as if +the matter were ended. + +"Very well, my fine fellow, so much the worse for your fingers +and toes. We shall see how you are in the morning after a night +in the snow." + +"One moment, Major Sergine," cried Sophie. "You must not be so +hard upon this prisoner. There are some special reasons why he +has a claim upon our kindness and mercy." + +The Russian looked with suspicion upon his face from her to me. + +"What are the special reasons? You certainly seem to take a +remarkable interest in this Frenchman," said he. + +"The chief reason is that he has this very morning of his own +accord released Captain Alexis Barakoff, of the Dragoons of +Grodno." + +"It is true," said Barakoff, who had come out of the house. "He +captured me this morning, and he released me upon parole rather +than take me back to the French army, where I should have been +starved." + +"Since Colonel Gerard has acted so generously you will surely, +now that fortune has changed, allow us to offer him the poor +shelter of our cellar upon this bitter night," said Sophie. "It +is a small return for his generosity." + +But the Dragoon was still in the sulks. + +"Let him give me his parole first that he will not attempt to +escape," said he. "Do you hear, sir? Do you give me your +parole?" + +"I give you nothing," said I. + +"Colonel Gerard," cried Sophie, turning to me with a coaxing +smile, "you will give me your parole, will you not?" + +"To you, mademoiselle, I can refuse nothing. I will give you my +parole, with pleasure." + +"There, Major Sergine," cried Sophie, in triumph, + +"that is surely sufficient. You have heard him say that he gives +me his parole. I will be answerable for his safety ." + +In an ungracious fashion my Russian bear grunted his consent, and +so I was led into the house, followed by the scowling father and +by the big, black-bearded Dragoon. In the basement there was a +large and roomy chamber, where the winter logs were stored. +Thither it was that I was led, and I was given to understand that +this was to be my lodging for the night. One side of this bleak +apartment was heaped up to the ceiling with fagots of firewood. +The rest of the room was stone- flagged and bare-walled, with a +single, deep-set window upon one side, which was safely guarded +with iron bars. For light I had a large stable lantern, which +swung from a beam of the low ceiling. Major Sergine smiled as he +took this down, and swung it round so as to throw its light into +every corner of that dreary chamber. + +"How do you like our Russian hotels, monsieur?" he asked, with +his hateful sneer. "They are not very grand, but they are the +best that we can give you. Perhaps the next time that you +Frenchmen take a fancy to travel you will choose some other +country where they will make you more comfortable." He stood +laughing at me, his white teeth gleaming through his beard. Then +he left me, and I heard the great key creak in the lock. + +For an hour of utter misery, chilled in body and soul, I sat upon +a pile of fagots, my face sunk upon my hands and my mind full of +the saddest thoughts. It was cold enough within those four +walls, but I thought of the sufferings of my poor troopers +outside, and I sorrowed with their sorrow. Then. I paced up and +down, and I clapped my hands together and kicked my feet against +the walls to keep them from being frozen. The lamp gave out some +warmth, but still it was bitterly cold, and I had had no food +since morning. It seemed to me that everyone had forgotten me, +but at last I heard the key turn in the lock, and who should +enter but my prisoner of the morning, Captain Alexis Barakoff. A +bottle of wine projected from under his arm, and he carried a +great plate of hot stew in front of him. + +"Hush!" said he; "not a word! Keep up your heart! + +I cannot stop to explain, for Sergine is still with us. + +Keep awake and ready!" With these hurried words he laid down the +welcome food and ran out of the room. + +"Keep awake and ready!" The words rang in my ears. I ate my +food and I drank my wine, but it was neither food nor wine which +had warmed the heart within me. What could those words of +Barakoff mean? + +Why was I to remain awake? For what was I to be ready? Was it +possible that there was a chance yet of escape? I have never +respected the man who neglects his prayers at all other times and +yet prays when he is in peril. It is like a bad soldier who pays +no respect to the colonel save when he would demand a favour of +him. And yet when I thought of the salt-mines of Siberia on the +one side and of my mother in France upon the other, I could not +help a prayer rising, not from my lips, but from my heart, that +the words of Barakoff might mean all that I hoped. But hour +after hour struck upon the village clock, and still I heard +nothing save the call of the Russian sentries in the street +outside. + +Then at last my heart leaped within me, for I heard a light step +in the passage. An instant later the key turned, the door +opened, and Sophie was in the room. + +"Monsieur--" she cried. + +"Etienne," said I. + +"Nothing will change you," said she. "But is it possible that +you do not hate me? Have you forgiven me the trick which I +played you?" + +"What trick?" I asked. + +"Good heavens! Is it possible that even now you have not +understood it? You have asked me to translate the despatch. I +have told you that it meant, 'If the French come to Minsk all is +lost.' " + +"What did it mean, then?" + +"It means, 'Let the French come to Minsk. We are awaiting +them."' + +I sprang back from her. + +"You betrayed me!" I cried. "You lured me into this trap. It is +to you that I owe the death and capture of my men. Fool that I +was to trust a woman!" + +"Do not be unjust, Colonel Gerard. I am a Russian woman, and my +first duty is to my country. Would you not wish a French girl to +have acted as I have done? + +Had I translated the message correctly you would not have gone to +Minsk and your squadron would have escaped. + +Tell me that you forgive me!" + +She looked bewitching as she stood pleading her cause in front of +me. And yet, as I thought of my dead men, I could not take the +hand which she held out to me. + +"Very good," said she, as she dropped it by her side. + +"You feel for your own people and I feel for mine, and so we are +equal. But you have said one wise and kindly thing within these +walls, Colonel Gerard. You have said, 'One man more or less can +make no difference in a struggle between two great armies.' Your +lesson of nobility is not wasted. Behind those fagots is an +unguarded door. Here is the key to it. Go forth, Colonel +Gerard, and I trust that we may never look upon each other's +faces again." + +I stood for an instant with the key in my hand and my head in a +whirl. Then I handed it back to her. + +"I cannot do it," I said. + +"Why not?" + +"I have given my parole." + +"To whom?" she asked. + +"Why, to you." + +"And I release you from it." + +My heart bounded with joy. Of course, it was true what she said. +I had refused to give my parole to Sergine. I owed him no duty. +If she relieved me from my promise my honour was clear. I took +the key from her hand. + +"You will find Captain Barakoff at the end of the village +street," said she. "We of the North never forget either an +injury or a kindness. He has your mare and your sword waiting +for you. Do not delay an instant, for in two hours it will be +dawn." + +So I passed out into the star-lit Russian night, and had that +last glimpse of Sophie as she peered after me through the open +door. She looked wistfully at me as if she expected something +more than the cold thanks which I gave her, but even the humblest +man has his pride, and I will not deny that mine was hurt by the +deception which she had played upon me. I could not have brought +myself to kiss her hand, far less her lips. The door led into a +narrow alley, and at the end of it stood a muffled figure, who +held Violette by the bridle. + +"You told me to be kind to the next French officer whom I found +in distress," said he. "Good luck! Bon voyage!" he whispered, +as I bounded into the saddle. + +"Remember, 'Poltava' is the watchword." + +It was well that he had given it to me, for twice I had to pass +Cossack pickets before I was clear of the lines. + +I had just ridden past the last vedettes and hoped that I was a +free man again, when there was a soft thudding in the snow behind +me, and a heavy man upon a great black horse came swiftly after +me. My first impulse was to put spurs to Violette. My second, +as I saw a long black beard against a steel cuirass, was to halt +and await him. + +"I thought that it was you, you dog of a Frenchman," he cried, +shaking his drawn sword at me. "So you have broken your parole, +you rascal!" + +"I gave no parole." + +"You lie, you hound!" + +I looked around and no one was coming. The vedettes were +motionless and distant. We were all alone, with the moon above +and the snow beneath. Fortune has ever been my friend. + +"I gave you no parole." + +"You gave it to the lady." + +"Then I will answer for it to the lady." + +"That would suit you better, no doubt. But, unfortunately, you +will have to answer for it to me." + +"I am ready." + +"Your sword, too! There is treason in this! Ah, I see it all! +The woman has helped you. She shall see Siberia for this night's +work." + +The words were his death-warrant. For Sophie's sake I could not +let him go back alive. Our blades crossed, and an instant later +mine was through his black beard and deep in his throat. I was +on the ground almost as soon as he, but the one thrust was +enough. He died, snapping his teeth at my ankles like a savage +wolf. + +Two days later I had rejoined the army at Smolensk, and was a +part once more of that dreary procession which tramped onward +through the snow, leaving a long weal of blood to show the path +which it had taken. + +Enough, my friends; I would not re-awaken the memory of those +days of misery and death. They still come to haunt me in my +dreams. When we halted at last in Warsaw we had left behind us +our guns, our transport, and three-fourths of our comrades. But +we did not leave behind us the honour of Etienne Gerard. They +have said that I broke my parole. Let them beware how they say +it to my face, for the story is as I tell it, and old as I am my +forefinger is not too weak to press a trigger when my honour is +in question. + + + +VII . How the Brigadier Bore Himself at Waterloo + +I. THE STORY OF THE FOREST INN + +Of all the great battles in which I had the honour of drawing my +sword for the Emperor and for France there was not one which was +lost. At Waterloo, although, in a sense, I was present, I was +unable to fight, and the enemy was victorious. It is not for me +to say that there is a connection between these two things. You +know me too well, my friends, to imagine that I would make such a +claim. But it gives matter for thought, and some have drawn +flattering conclusions from it. + +After all, it was only a matter of breaking a few English squares +and the day would have been our own. If the Hussars of Conflans, +with Etienne Gerard to lead them, could not do this, then the +best judges are mistaken. + +But let that pass. The Fates had ordained that I should hold my +hand and that the Empire should fall. But they had also ordained +that this day of gloom and sorrow should bring such honour to me +as had never come when I swept on the wings of victory from +Boulogne to Vienna. + +Never had I burned so brilliantly as at that supreme moment when +the darkness fell upon all around me. You are aware that I was +faithful to the Emperor in his adversity, and that I refused to +sell my sword and my honour to the Bourbons. Never again was I +to feel my war horse between my knees, never again to hear the +kettledrums and silver trumpets behind me as I rode in front of +my little rascals. But it comforts my heart, my friends, and it +brings the tears to my eyes, to think how great I was upon that +last day of my soldier life, and to remember that of all the +remarkable exploits which have won me the love of so many +beautiful women, and the respect of so many noble men, there was +none which, in splendour, in audacity, and in the great end which +was attained, could compare with my famous ride upon the night of +June 18th, 1815. I am aware that the story is often told at +mess-tables and in barrack-rooms, so that there are few in the +army who have not heard it, but modesty has sealed my lips, until +now, my friends, in the privacy of these intimate gatherings, I +am inclined to lay the true facts before you. + +In the first place, there is one thing which I can assure you. +In all his career Napoleon never had so splendid an army as that +with which he took the field for that campaign. In 1813 France +was exhausted. For every veteran there were five children--Marie +Louises, as we called them; for the Empress had busied herself in +raising levies while the Emperor took the field. But it was very +different in 1815. The prisoners had all come back-- the men +from the snows of Russia, the men from the dungeons of Spain, the +men from the hulks in England. + +These were the dangerous men, veterans of twenty battles, longing +for their old trade, and with hearts filled with hatred and +revenge. The ranks were full of soldiers who wore two and three +chevrons, every chevron meaning five years' service. And the +spirit of these men was terrible. They were raging, furious, +fanatical, adoring the Emperor as a Mameluke does his prophet, +ready to fall upon their own bayonets if their blood could serve +him. If you had seen these fierce old veterans going into +battle, with their flushed faces, their savage eyes, their +furious yells, you would wonder that anything could stand against +them. So high was the spirit of France at that time that every +other spirit would have quailed before it; but these people, +these English, had neither spirit nor soul, but only solid, +immovable beef, against which we broke ourselves in vain. That +was it, my friends! On the one side, poetry, gallantry, self- +sacrifice--all that is beautiful and heroic. On the other side, +beef. Our hopes, our ideals, our dreams--all were shattered on +that terrible beef of Old England. + +You have read how the Emperor gathered his forces, and then how +he and I, with a hundred and thirty thousand veterans, hurried to +the northern frontier and fell upon the Prussians and the +English. On the 16th of June, Ney held the English in play at +Quatre-Bras while we beat the Prussians at Ligny. It is not for +me to say how far I contributed to that victory, but it is well +known that the Hussars of Conflans covered themselves with glory. +They fought well, these Prussians, and eight thousand of them +were left upon the field. The Emperor thought that he had done +with them, as he sent Marshal Grouchy with thirty-two thousand +men to follow them up and to prevent their interfering with his +plans. Then with nearly eighty thousand men, he turned upon +these "Goddam" Englishmen. How much we had to avenge upon them, +we Frenchmen--the guineas of Pitt, the hulks of Portsmouth, the +invasion of Wellington, the perfidious victories of Nelson! At +last the day of punishment seemed to have arisen. + +Wellington had with him sixty-seven thousand men, but many of +them were known to be Dutch and Belgian, who had no great desire +to fight against us. Of good troops he had not fifty thousand. +Finding himself in the presence of the Emperor in person with +eighty thousand men, this Englishman was so paralysed with fear +that he could neither move himself nor his army. You have seen +the rabbit when the snake approaches. So stood the English upon +the ridge of Waterloo. The night before, the Emperor, who had +lost an aide-de- camp at Ligny, ordered me to join his staff, and +I had left my Hussars to the charge of Major Victor. I know not +which of us was the most grieved, they or I, that I should be +called away upon the eve of battle, but an order is an order, and +a good soldier can but shrug his shoulders and obey. With the +Emperor I rode across the front of the enemy's position on the +morning of the 18th, he looking at them through his glass and +planning which was the shortest way to destroy them. Soult was +at his elbow, and Ney and Foy and others who had fought the +English in Portugal and Spain. "Have a care, Sire," said Soult. +"The English infantry is very solid." + +"You think them good soldiers because they have beaten you," said +the Emperor, and we younger men turned away our faces and smiled. +But Ney and Foy were grave and serious. All the time the English +line, chequered with red and blue and dotted with batteries, was +drawn up silent and watchful within a long musket- shot of us. +On the other side of the shallow valley our own people, having +finished their soup, were assembling for the battle. It had +rained very heavily, but at this moment the sun shone out and +beat upon the French army, turning our brigades of cavalry into +so many dazzling rivers of steel, and twinkling and sparkling on +the innumerable bayonets of the infantry. At the sight of that +splendid army, and the beauty and majesty of its appearance, I +could contain myself no longer, but, rising in my stirrups, I +waved my busby and cried, "Vive l'Empereur!" a shout which +growled and roared and clattered from one end of the line to the +other, while the horsemen waved their swords and the footmen held +up their shakos upon their bayonets. The English remained +petrified upon their ridge. They knew that their hour had come. + +And so it would have come if at that moment the word had been +given and the whole army had been permitted to advance. We had +but to fall upon them and to sweep them from the face of the +earth. To put aside all question of courage, we were the more +numerous, the older soldiers, and the better led. But the +Emperor desired to do all things in order, and he waited until +the ground should be drier and harder, so that his artillery +could manoeuvre. So three hours were wasted, and it was eleven +o'clock before we saw Jerome Buonaparte's columns advance upon +our left and heard the crash of the guns which told that the +battle had begun. The loss of those three hours was our +destruction. The attack upon the left was directed upon a +farm-house which was held by the English Guards, and we heard the +three loud shouts of apprehension which the defenders were +compelled to utter. They were still holding out, and D'Erlon's +corps was advancing upon the right to engage another portion of +the English line, when our attention was called away from the +battle beneath our noses to a distant portion of the field of +action. + +The Emperor had been looking through his glass to the extreme +left of the English line, and now he turned suddenly to the Duke +of Dalmatia, or Soult, as we soldiers preferred to call him. + +"What is it, Marshal?" said he. + +We all followed the direction of his gaze, some raising our +glasses, some shading our eyes. There was a thick wood over +yonder, then a long, bare slope, and another wood beyond. Over +this bare strip between the two woods there lay something dark, +like the shadow of a moving cloud. + +"I think that they are cattle, Sire," said Soult. + +At that instant there came a quick twinkle from amid the dark +shadow. + +"It is Grouchy," said the Emperor, and he lowered his glass. +"They are doubly lost, these English. I hold them in the hollow +of my hand. They cannot escape me." + +He looked round, and his eyes fell upon me. + +"Ah! here is the prince of messengers," said he. "Are you well +mounted, Colonel Gerard?" + +I was riding my little Violette, the pride of the brigade. + +I said so. + +"Then ride hard to Marshal Grouchy, whose troops you see over +yonder. Tell him that he is to fall upon the left flank and rear +of the English while I attack them in front. Together we should +crush them and not a man escape." + +I saluted and rode off without a word, my heart dancing with joy +that such a mission should be mine. I looked at that long, solid +line of red and blue looming through the smoke of the guns, and I +shook my fist at it as I went. "We shall crush them and not a +man escape." + +They were the Emperor's words, and it was I, Etienne Gerard, who +was to turn them into deeds. I burned to reach the Marshal, and +for an instant I thought of riding through the English left wing, +as being the shortest cut. I have done bolder deeds and come out +safely, but I reflected that if things went badly with me and I +was taken or shot the message would be lost and the plans of the +Emperor miscarry. I passed in front of the cavalry, therefore, +past the Chasseurs, the Lancers of the Guard, the Carabineers, +the Horse Grenadiers, and, lastly, my own little rascals, who +followed me wistfully with their eyes. Beyond the cavalry the +Old Guard was standing, twelve regiments of them, all veterans of +many battles, sombre and severe, in long blue overcoats and high +bearskins from which the plumes had been removed. Each bore +within the goatskin knapsack upon his back the blue and white +parade uniform which they would use for their entry into Brussels +next day. As I rode past them I reflected that these men had +never been beaten, and as I looked at their weather-beaten faces +and their stern and silent bearing, I said to myself that they +never would be beaten. Great heavens, how little could I foresee +what a few more hours would bring! + +On the right of the Old Guard were the Young Guard and the 6th +Corps of Lobau, and then I passed Jacquinot's Lancers and +Marbot's Hussars, who held the extreme flank of the line. All +these troops knew nothing of the corps which was coming toward +them through the wood, and their attention was taken up in +watching the battle which raged upon their left. More than a +hundred guns were thundering from each side, and the din was so +great that of all the battles which I have fought I cannot recall +more than half-a-dozen which were as noisy. I looked back over +my shoulder, and there were two brigades of Cuirassiers, English +and French, pouring down the hill together, with the sword-blades +playing over them like summer lightning. How I longed to turn +Violette, and to lead my Hussars into the thick of it! What a +picture! Etienne Gerard with his back to the battle, and a fine +cavalry action raging behind him. + +But duty is duty, so I rode past Marbot's vedettes and on in the +direction of the wood, passing the village of Frishermont upon my +left. + +In front of me lay the great wood, called the Wood of Paris, +consisting mostly of oak trees, with a few narrow paths leading +through it. I halted and listened when I reached it, but out of +its gloomy depths there came no blare of trumpet, no murmur of +wheels, no tramp of horses to mark the advance of that great +column which, with my own eyes, I had seen streaming toward it. +The battle roared behind me, but in front all was as silent as +that grave in which so many brave men would shortly sleep. The +sunlight was cut off by the arches of leaves above my head, and a +heavy damp smell rose from the sodden ground. For several miles +I galloped at such a pace as few riders would care to go with +roots below and branches above. Then, at last, for the first +time I caught a glimpse of Grouchy's advance guard. Scattered +parties of Hussars passed me on either side, but some distance +of, among the trees. I heard the beating of a drum far away, and +the low, dull murmur which an army makes upon the march. Any +moment I might come upon the staff and deliver my message to +Grouchy in person, for I knew well that on such a march a Marshal +of France would certainly ride with the van of his army. + +Suddenly the trees thinned in front of me, and I understood with +delight that I was coming to the end of the wood? whence I could +see the army and find the Marshal. + +Where the track comes out from amid the trees there is a small +cabaret, where wood-cutters and waggoners drink their wine. +Outside the door of this I reined up my horse for an instant +while I took in the scene which was before me. Some few miles +away I saw a second great forest, that of St. Lambert, out of +which the Emperor had seen the troops advancing. It was easy to +see, however, why there had been so long a delay in their leaving +one wood and reaching the other, because between the two ran the +deep defile of the Lasnes, which had to be crossed. Sure enough, +a long column of troops --horse, foot, and guns--was streaming +down one side of it and swarming up the other, while the advance +guard was already among the trees on either side of me. A +battery of Horse Artillery was coming along the road, and I was +about to gallop up to it and ask the officer in command if he +could tell me where I should find the Marshal, when suddenly I +observed that, though the gunners were dressed in blue, they had +not the dolman trimmed with red brandenburgs as our own +horse-gunners wear it. Amazed at the sight, I was looking at +these soldiers to left and right when a hand touched my thigh, +and there was the landlord, who had rushed from his inn. + +"Madman!" he cried, "why are you here? What are you doing?" + +"I am seeking Marshal Grouchy." + +"You are in the heart of the Prussian army. Turn and fly!" + +"Impossible; this is Grouchy's corps." + +"How do you know?" + +"Because the Emperor has said it." + +"Then the Emperor has made a terrible mistake! I tell you that a +patrol of Silesian Hussars has this instant left me. Did you not +see them in the wood?" + +"I saw Hussars." + +"They are the enemy." + +"Where is Grouchy?" + +"He is behind. They have passed him." + +"Then how can I go back? If I go forward I may see him yet. I +must obey my orders and find him where- ever{sic} he is." + +The man reflected for an instant. + +"Quick! quick!" he cried, seizing my bridle. "Do what I say and +you may yet escape. They have not observed you yet. Come with +me and I will hide you until they pass." + +Behind his house there was a low stable, and into this he thrust +Violette. Then he half led and half dragged me into the kitchen +of the inn. It was a bare, brick- floored room. A stout, +red-faced woman was cooking cutlets at the fire. + +"What's the matter now?" she asked, looking with a frown from me +to the innkeeper. "Who is this you have brought in?" + +"It is a French officer, Marie. We cannot let the Prussians take +him." + +"Why not?" + +"Why not? Sacred name of a dog, was I not myself a soldier of +Napoleon? Did I not win a musket of honour among the Velites of +the Guard? Shall I see a comrade taken before my eyes? Marie, +we must save him." But the lady looked at me with most +unfriendly eyes. + +"Pierre Charras," she said, "you will not rest until you have +your house burned over your head. Do you not understand, you +blockhead, that if you fought for Napoleon it was because +Napoleon ruled Belgium? He does so no longer. The Prussians are +our allies and this is our enemy. I will have no Frenchman in +this house. + +Give him up!" + +The innkeeper scratched his head and looked at me in despair, but +it was very evident to me that it was neither for France nor for +Belgium that this woman cared, but that it was the safety of her +own house that was nearest her heart. + +"Madame," said I, with all the dignity and assurance I could +command, "the Emperor is defeating the English, and the French +army will be here before evening. + +If you have used me well you will be rewarded, and if you have +denounced me you will be punished and your house will certainly +be burned by the provost-martial." + +She was shaken by this, and I hastened to complete my victory by +other methods. + +"Surely," said I, "it is impossible that anyone so beautiful can +also be hard-hearted? You will not refuse me the refuge which I +need." + +She looked at my whiskers and I saw that she was softened. I +took her hand, and in two minutes we were on such terms that her +husband swore roundly that he would give me up himself if I +pressed the matter farther. + +"Besides, the road is full of Prussians," he cried. + +"Quick! quick! into the loft!" + +"Quick! quick! into the loft!" echoed his wife, and together they +hurried me toward a ladder which led to a trap-door in the +ceiling. There was loud knocking at the door, so you can think +that it was not long before my spurs went twinkling through the +hole and the board was dropped behind me. An instant later I +heard the voices of the Germans in the rooms below me. + +The place in which I found myself was a single long attic, the +ceiling of which was formed by the roof of the house. It ran +over the whole of one side of the inn, and through the cracks in +the flooring I could look down either upon the kitchen, the +sitting-room, or the bar at my pleasure. There were no windows, +but the place was in the last stage of disrepair, and several +missing slates upon the roof gave me light and the means of +observation. + +The place was heaped with lumber-fodder at one end and a huge +pile of empty bottles at the other. There was no door or window +save the hole through which I had come up. + +I sat upon the heap of hay for a few minutes to steady myself and +to think out my plans. It was very serious that the Prussians +should arrive upon the field of battle earlier than our reserves, +but there appeared to be only one corps of them, and a corps more +or less makes little difference to such a man as the Emperor. He +could afford to give the English all this and beat them still. + +The best way in which I could serve him, since Grouchy was +behind, was to wait here until they were past, and then to resume +my journey, to see the Marshal, and to give him his orders. If +he advanced upon the rear of the English instead of following the +Prussians all would be well. The fate of France depended upon my +judgment and my nerve. It was not the first time, my friends, as +you are well aware, and you know the reasons that I had to trust +that neither nerve nor judgment would ever fail me. Certainly, +the Emperor had chosen the right man for his mission. "The +prince of messengers" he had called me. I would earn my title. + +It was clear that I could do nothing until the Prussians had +passed, so I spent my time in observing them. I have no love for +these people, but I am compelled to say that they kept excellent +discipline, for not a man of them entered the inn, though their +lips were caked with dust and they were ready to drop with +fatigue. Those who had knocked at the door were bearing an +insensible comrade, and having left him they returned at once to +the ranks. Several others were carried in in the same fashion +and laid in the kitchen, while a young surgeon, little more than +a boy, remained behind in charge of them. + +Having observed them through the cracks in the floor, I next +turned my attention to the holes in the roof, from which I had an +excellent view of all that was passing outside. The Prussian +corps was still streaming past. It was easy to see that they had +made a terrible march and had little food, for the faces of the +men were ghastly, and they were plastered from head to foot with +mud from their falls upon the foul and slippery roads. Yet, +spent as they were, their spirit was excellent, and they pushed +and hauled at the gun-carriages when the wheels sank up to the +axles in the mire, and the weary horses were floundering +knee-deep unable to draw them through. + +The officers rode up and down the column encouraging the more +active with words of praise, and the laggards with blows from the +flat of their swords. All the time from over the wood in front +of them there came the tremendous roar of the battle, as if all +the rivers on earth had united in one gigantic cataract, booming +and crashing in a mighty fall. Like the spray of the cataract +was the long veil of smoke which rose high over the trees. + +The officers pointed to it with their swords, and with hoarse +cries from their parched lips the mud-stained men pushed onward +to the battle. For an hour I watched them pass, and I reflected +that their vanguard must have come into touch with Marbot's +vedettes and that the Emperor knew already of their coming. "You +are going very fast up the road, my friends, but you will come +down it a great deal faster," said I to myself, and I consoled +myself with the thought. + +But an adventure came to break the monotony of this long wait. I +was seated beside my loophole and congratulating myself that the +corps was nearly past, and that the road would soon be clear for +my journey, when suddenly I heard a loud altercation break out in +French in the kitchen. + +"You shall not go!" cried a woman's voice. + +"I tell you that I will!" said a man's, and there was a sound of +scuffling. + +In an instant I had my eye to the crack in the floor. + +There was my stout lady, like a faithful watch-dog, at the bottom +of the ladder, while the young German surgeon, white with anger, +was endeavouring to come up it. + +Several of the German soldiers who had recovered from their +prostration were sitting about on the kitchen floor and watching +the quarrel with stolid, but attentive, faces. + +The landlord was nowhere to be seen. + +"There is no liquor there," said the woman. + +"I do not want liquor; I want hay or straw for these men to lie +upon. Why should they lie on the bricks when there is straw +overhead?" + +"There is no straw." + +"What is up there?" + +"Empty bottles." + +"Nothing else?" + +"No." + +For a moment it looked as if the surgeon would abandon his +intention, but one of the soldiers pointed up to the ceiling. I +gathered from what I could understand of his words that he could +see the straw sticking out between the planks. In vain the woman +protested. Two of the soldiers were able to get upon their feet +and to drag her aside, while the young surgeon ran up the ladder, +pushed open the trap-door, and climbed into the loft. + +As he swung the door back I slipped behind it, but as luck would +have it he shut it again behind him, and there we were left +standing face to face. + +Never have I seen a more astonished young man. + +"A French officer!" he gasped. + +"Hush!" said I, "hush! Not a word above a whisper." + +I had drawn my sword. + +"I am not a combatant," he said; "I am a doctor. + +Why do you threaten me with your sword? I am not armed." + +"I do not wish to hurt you, but I must protect myself. I am in +hiding here." + +"A spy!" + +"A spy does not wear such a uniform as this, nor do you find +spies on the staff of an army. I rode by mistake into the heart +of this Prussian corps, and I concealed myself here in the hope +of escaping when they are past. + +I will not hurt you if you do not hurt me, but if you do not +swear that you will be silent as to my presence you will never go +down alive from this attic." + +"You can put up your sword, sir," said the surgeon, and I saw a +friendly twinkle in his eyes. "I am a Pole by birth, and I have +no ill-feeling to you or your people. + +I will do my best for my patients, but I will do no more. + +Capturing Hussars is not one of the duties of a surgeon. + +With your permission I will now descend with this truss of hay to +make a couch for these poor fellows below." + +I had intended to exact an oath from him, but it is my experience +that if a man will not speak the truth he will not swear the +truth, so I said no more. The surgeon opened the trap-door, +threw out enough hay for his purpose, and then descended the +ladder, letting down the door behind him. I watched him +anxiously when he rejoined his patients, and so did my good +friend the landlady, but he said nothing and busied himself with +the needs of his soldiers. + +By this time I was sure that the last of the army corps was past, +and I went to my loophole confident that I should find the coast +clear, save, perhaps, for a few stragglers, whom I could +disregard. The first corps was indeed past, and I could see the +last files of the infantry disappearing into the wood; but you +can imagine my disappointment when out of the Forest of St. +Lambert I saw a second corps emerging, as numerous as the first. + +There could be no doubt that the whole Prussian army, which we +thought we had destroyed at Ligny, was about to throw itself upon +our right wing while Marshal Grouchy had been coaxed away upon +some fool's errand. + +The roar of guns, much nearer than before, told me that the +Prussian batteries which had passed me were already in action. +Imagine my terrible position! Hour after hour was passing; the +sun was sinking toward the west. + +And yet this cursed inn, in which I lay hid, was like a little +island amid a rushing stream of furious Prussians. + +It was all important that I should reach Marshal Grouchy, and yet +I could not show my nose without being made prisoner. You can +think how I cursed and tore my hair. How little do we know what +is in store for us! + +Even while I raged against my ill-fortune, that same fortune was +reserving me for a far higher task than to carry a message to +Grouchy--a task which could not have been mine had I not been +held tight in that little inn on the edge of the Forest of Paris. + +Two Prussian corps had passed and a third was coming up, when I +heard a great fuss and the sound of several voices in the +sitting-room. By altering my position I was able to look down +and see what was going on. + +Two Prussian generals were beneath me, their heads bent over a +map which lay upon the table. Several aides- de-camp and staff +officers stood round in silence. Of the two generals, one was a +fierce old man, white-haired and wrinkled, with a ragged, +grizzled moustache and a voice like the bark of a hound. The +other was younger, but long-faced and solemn. He measured +distances upon the map with the air of a student, while his +companion stamped and fumed and cursed like a corporal of +Hussars. It was strange to see the old man so fiery and the +young one so reserved. I could not understand all that they +said, but I was very sure about their general meaning. + +"I tell you we must push on and ever on!" cried the old fellow, +with a furious German oath. "I promised Wellington that I would +be there with the whole army even if I had to be strapped to my +horse. Bulow's corps is in action, and Ziethen's shall support +it with every man and gun. Forward, Gneisenau, forward!" + +The other shook his head. + +"You must remember, your Excellency, that if the English are +beaten they will make for the coast. What will your position be +then, with Grouchy between you and the Rhine?" + +"We shall beat them, Gneisenau; the Duke and I will grind them to +powder between us. Push on, I say! The whole war will be ended +in one blow. Bring Pirsch up, and we can throw sixty thousand +men into the scale while Thielmann holds Grouchy beyond Wavre." + +Gneisenau shrugged his shoulders, but at that instant an orderly +appeared at the door. + +"An aide-de-camp from the Duke of Wellington," said he. + +"Ha, ha!" cried the old man; "let us hear what he has to say!" + +An English officer, with mud and blood all over his scarlet +jacket, staggered into the room. A crimson- stained handkerchief +was knotted round his arm, and he held the table to keep himself +from falling. + +"My message is to Marshal Blucher," said he; + +"I am Marshal Blucher. Go on! go on!" cried the impatient old +man. + +"The Duke bade me to tell you, sir, that the British Army can +hold its own and that he has no fears for the result. The French +cavalry has been destroyed, two of their divisions of infantry +have ceased to exist, and only the Guard is in reserve. If you +give us a vigorous support the defeat will be changed to absolute +rout and--" His knees gave way under him and he fell in a heap +upon the floor. + +"Enough! enough!" cried Blucher. "Gneisenau, send an +aide-de-camp to Wellington and tell him to rely upon me to the +full. Come on, gentlemen, we have our work to do!" He bustled +eagerly out of the room with all his staff clanking behind him, +while two orderlies carried the English messenger to the care of +the surgeon. + +Gneisenau, the Chief of the Staff, had lingered behind for an +instant, and he laid his hand upon one of the aides- de-camp. +The fellow had attracted my attention, for I have always a quick +eye for a fine man. He was tall and slender, the very model of a +horseman; indeed, there was something in his appearance which +made it not unlike my own. His face was dark and as keen as that +of a hawk, with fierce black eyes under thick, shaggy brows, and +a moustache which would have put him in the crack squadron of my +Hussars. He wore a green coat with white facings, and a +horse-hair helmet--a Dragoon, as I conjectured, and as dashing a +cavalier as one would wish to have at the end of one's +sword-point. + +"A word with you, Count Stein," said Gneisenau. "If the enemy +are routed, but if the Emperor escapes, he will rally another +army, and all will have to be done again. + +But if we can get the Emperor, then the war is indeed ended. It +is worth a great effort and a great risk for such an object as +that." + +The young Dragoon said nothing, but he listened attentively. + +"Suppose the Duke of Wellington's words should prove to be +correct, and the French army should be driven in utter rout from +the field, the Emperor will certainly take the road back through +Genappe and Charleroi as being the shortest to the frontier. We +can imagine that his horses will be fleet, and that the fugitives +will make way for him. Our cavalry will follow the rear of the +beaten army, but the Emperor will be far away at the front of the +throng." + +The young Dragoon inclined his head. + +"To you, Count Stein, I commit the Emperor. If you take him your +name will live in history. You have the reputation of being the +hardest rider in our army. + +Do you choose such comrades as you may select--ten or a dozen +should be enough. You are not to engage in the battle, nor are +you to follow the general pursuit, but you are to ride clear of +the crowd, reserving your energies for a nobler end. Do you +understand me?" + +Again the Dragoon inclined his head. This silence impressed me. +I felt that he was indeed a dangerous man. + +"Then I leave the details in your own hands. Strike at no one +except the highest. You cannot mistake the Imperial carriage, +nor can you fail to recognise the figure of the Emperor. Now I +must follow the Marshal. + +Adieu! If ever I see you again I trust that it will be to +congratulate you upon a deed which will ring through Europe." + +The Dragoon saluted and Gneisenau hurried from the room. The +young officer stood in deep thought for a few moments. Then he +followed the Chief of the Staff. + +I looked with curiosity from my loophole to see what his next +proceeding would be. His horse, a fine, strong chestnut with two +white stockings, was fastened to the rail of the inn. He sprang +into the saddle, and, riding to intercept a column of cavalry +which was passing, he spoke to an officer at the head of the +leading regiment. + +Presently after some talk I saw two Hussars--it was a Hussar +regiment--drop out of the ranks and take up their position beside +Count Stein. The next regiment was also stopped, and two Lancers +were added to his escort. The next furnished him with two +Dragoons and the next with two Cuirassiers. Then he drew his +little group of horsemen aside and he gathered them round him, +explaining to them what they had to do. Finally the nine +soldiers rode off together and disappeared into the Wood of +Paris. + +I need not tell you, my friends, what all this portended. + +Indeed, he had acted exactly as I should have done in his place. +From each colonel he had demanded the two best horsemen in the +regiment, and so he had assembled a band who might expect to +catch whatever they should follow. Heaven help the Emperor if, +without an escort, he should find them on his track! + +And I, dear friends--imagine the fever, the ferment, the madness +of my mind! All thought of Grouchy had passed away. No guns +were to be heard to the east. He could not be near. If he +should come up he would not now be in time to alter the event of +the day. The sun was already low in the sky and there could not +be more than two or three hours of daylight. My mission might be +dismissed as useless. But here was another mission, more +pressing, more immediate, a mission which meant the safety, and +perhaps the life, of the Emperor. At all costs, through every +danger, I must get back to his side. + +But how was I to do it? The whole Prussian army was now between +me and the French lines. They blocked every road, but they could +not block the path of duty when Etienne Gerard sees it lie before +him. I could not wait longer. I must be gone. + +There was but the one opening to the loft, and so it was only +down the ladder that I could descend. I looked into the kitchen +and I found that the young surgeon was still there. In a chair +sat the wounded English aide-de- camp, and on the straw lay two +Prussian soldiers in the last stage of exhaustion. The others +had all recovered and been sent on. These were my enemies, and I +must pass through them in order to gain my horse. From the +surgeon I had nothing to fear; the Englishman was wounded, and +his sword stood with his cloak in a corner; the two Germans were +half insensible, and their muskets were not beside them. What +could be simpler? I opened the trap-door, slipped down the +ladder, and appeared in the midst of them, my sword drawn in my +hand. + +What a picture of surprise! The surgeon, of course, knew all, +but to the Englishman and the two Germans it must have seemed +that the god of war in person had descended from the skies. With +my appearance, with my figure, with my silver and grey uniform, +and with that gleaming sword in my hand, I must indeed have been +a sight worth seeing. The two Germans lay petrified with staring +eyes. The English officer half rose, but sat down again from +weakness, his mouth open and his hand on the back of his chair. + +"What the deuce!" he kept on repeating, "what the deuce!" + +"Pray do not move," said I; "I will hurt no one, but woe to the +man who lays hands upon me to stop me. You have nothing to fear +if you leave me alone, and nothing to hope if you try to hinder +me. I am Colonel Etienne Gerard, of the Hussars of Conflans." + +"The deuce!" said the Englishman. "You are the man that killed +the fox." A terrible scowl had darkened his face. The jealousy +of sportsmen is a base passion. He hated me, this Englishman, +because I had been before him in transfixing the animal. How +different are our natures! Had I seen him do such a deed I would +have embraced him with cries of joy. But there was no time for +argument. + +"I regret it, sir," said I; "but you have a cloak here and I must +take it." + +He tried to rise from his chair and reach his sword, but I got +between him and the corner where it lay. + +"If there is anything in the pockets----" + +"A case," said he. + +"I would not rob you," said I; and raising the cloak I took from +the pockets a silver flask, a square wooden case and a +field-glass. All these I handed to him. The wretch opened the +case, took out a pistol, and pointed it straight at my head. + +"Now, my fine fellow," said he, "put down your sword and give +yourself up." + +I was so astounded at this infamous action that I stood petrified +before him. I tried to speak to him of honour and gratitude, but +I saw his eyes fix and harden over the pistol. + +"Enough talk!" said he. "Drop it!" + +Could I endure such a humiliation? Death were better than to be +disarmed in such a fashion. The word + +"Fire!" was on my lips when in an instant the English man +vanished from before my face, and in his place was a great pile +of hay, with a red-coated arm and two Hessian boots waving and +kicking in the heart of it. Oh, the gallant landlady! It was my +whiskers that had saved me. + +"Fly, soldier, fly!" she cried, and she heaped fresh trusses of +hay from the floor on to the struggling Englishman. In an +instant I was out in the courtyard, had led Violette from her +stable, and was on her back. A pistol bullet whizzed past my +shoulder from the window, and I saw a furious face looking out at +me. I smiled my contempt and spurred out into the road. The +last of the Prussians had passed, and both my road and my duty +lay clear before me. If France won, all well. If France lost, +then on me and my little mare depended that which was more than +victory or defeat--the safety and the life of the Emperor. "On, +Etienne, on!" I cried. + +"Of all your noble exploits, the greatest, even if it be the +last, lies now before you!" + + +II. THE STORY OF THE NINE PRUSSIAN HORSEMEN + +I told you when last we met, my friends, of the important mission +from the Emperor to Marshal Grouchy, which failed through no +fault of my own, and I described to you how during a long +afternoon I was shut up in the attic of a country inn, and was +prevented from coming out because the Prussians were all around +me. You will remember also how I overheard the Chief of the +Prussian Staff give his instructions to Count Stein, and so +learned the dangerous plan which was on foot to kill or capture +the Emperor in the event of a French defeat. At first I could +not have believed in such a thing, but since the guns had +thundered all day, and since the sound had made no advance in my +direction, it was evident that the English had at least held +their own and beaten off all our attacks. + +I have said that it was a fight that day between the soul of +France and the beef of England, but it must be confessed that we +found the beef was very tough. It was clear that if the Emperor +could not defeat the English when alone, then it might, indeed, +go hard with him now that sixty thousand of these cursed +Prussians were swarming on his flank. In any case, with this +secret in my possession, my place was by his side. + +I had made my way out of the inn in the dashing manner which I +have described to you when last we met, and I left the English +aide-de-camp shaking his foolish fist out of the window. I could +not but laugh as I looked back at him, for his angry red face was +framed and frilled with hay. Once out on the road I stood erect +in my stirrups, and I put on the handsome black riding- coat, +lined with red, which had belonged to him. It fell to the top of +my high boots, and covered my tell-tale uniform completely. As +to my busby, there are many such in the German service, and there +was no reason why it should attract attention. So long as no one +spoke to me there was no reason why I should not ride through the +whole of the Prussian army; but though I understood German, for I +had many friends among the German ladies during the pleasant +years that I fought all over that country, still I spoke it with +a pretty Parisian accent which could not be confounded with their +rough, unmusical speech. I knew that this quality of my accent +would attract attention, but I could only hope and pray that I +would be permitted to go my way in silence. + +The Forest of Paris was so large that it was useless to think of +going round it, and so I took my courage in both hands and +galloped on down the road in the track of the Prussian army. It +was not hard to trace it, for it was rutted two feet deep by the +gun-wheels and the caissons. Soon I found a fringe of wounded +men, Prussians and French, on each side of it, where Bulow's +advance had come into touch with Marbot's Hussars. One old man +with a long white beard, a surgeon, I suppose, shouted at me, and +ran after me still shouting, but I never turned my head and took +no notice of him save to spur on faster. I heard his shouts long +after I had lost sight of him among the trees. + +Presently I came up with the Prussian reserves. The infantry +were leaning on their muskets or lying exhausted on the wet +ground, and the officers stood in groups listening to the mighty +roar of the battle and discussing the reports which came from the +front. I hurried past at the top of my speed, but one of them +rushed out and stood in my path with his hand up as a signal to +me to stop. Five thousand Prussian eyes were turned upon me. +There was a moment! You turn pale, my friends, at the thought of +it. Think how every hair upon me stood on end. But never for +one instant did my wits or my courage desert me. "General +Blucher!" I cried. Was it not my guardian angel who whispered +the words in my ear? The Prussian sprang from my path, saluted, +and pointed forward. They are well disciplined, these Prussians, +and who was he that he should dare to stop the officer who bore a +message to the general? + +It was a talisman that would pass me out of every danger, and my +heart sang within me at the thought. So elated was I that I no +longer waited to be asked, but as I rode through the army I +shouted to right and left, + +"General Blucher! General Blucher!" and every man pointed me +onward and cleared a path to let me pass. + +There are times when the most supreme impudence is the highest +wisdom. But discretion must also be used, and I must admit that +I became indiscreet. For as I rode upon my way, ever nearer to +the fighting line, a Prussian officer of Uhlans gripped my bridle +and pointed to a group of men who stood near a burning farm. +"There is Marshal Blucher. Deliver your message!" said he, and +sure enough, my terrible old grey-whiskered veteran was there +within a pistol-shot, his eyes turned in my direction. + +But the good guardian angel did not desert me. + +Quick as a flash there came into my memory the name of the +general who commanded the advance of the Prussians. + + +{illust. caption = "There is Marshal Blucher. Deliver your +message!"} + + +"General Bulow!" I cried. The Uhlan let go my bridle. "General +Bulow! General Bulow!" I shouted, as every stride of the dear +little mare took me nearer my own people. Through the burning +village of Planchenoit I galloped, spurred my way between two +columns of Prussian infantry, sprang over a hedge, cut down a +Silesian Hussar who flung himself before me, and an instant +afterward, with my coat flying open to show the uniform below, I +passed through the open files of the tenth of the line, and was +back in the heart of Lobau's corps once more. Outnumbered and +outflanked, they were being slowly driven in by the pressure of +the Prussian advance. I galloped onward, anxious only to find +myself by the Emperor's side. + +But a sight lay before me which held me fast as though I had been +turned into some noble equestrian statue. I could not move, I +could scarce breathe, as I gazed upon it. There was a mound over +which my path lay, and as I came out on the top of it I looked +down the long, shallow valley of Waterloo. I had left it with +two great armies on either side and a clear field between them. +Now there were but long, ragged fringes of broken and exhausted +regiments upon the two ridges, but a real army of dead and +wounded lay between. For two miles in length and half a mile +across the ground was strewed and heaped with them. But +slaughter was no new sight to me, and it was not that which held +me spellbound. It was that up the long slope of the British +position was moving a walking forest-black, tossing, waving, +unbroken. Did I not know the bearskins of the Guard? And did I +not also know, did not my soldier's instinct tell me, that it was +the last reserve of France; that the Emperor, like a desperate +gamester, was staking all upon his last card? Up they went and +up--grand, solid, unbreakable, scourged with musketry, riddled +with grape, flowing onward in a black, heavy tide, which lapped +over the British batteries. With my glass I could see the +English gunners throw themselves under their pieces or run to the +rear. On rolled the crest of the bearskins, and then, with a +crash which was swept across to my ears, they met the British +infantry. A minute passed, and another, and another. My heart +was in my mouth. + +They swayed back and forward; they no longer advanced; they were +held. Great Heaven! was it possible that they were breaking? +One black dot ran down the hill, then two, then four, then ten, +then a great, scattered, struggling mass, halting, breaking, +halting, and at last shredding out and rushing madly downward. +"The Guard is beaten! The Guard is beaten!" From all around me +I heard the cry. Along the whole line the infantry turned their +faces and the gunners flinched from their guns. + +"The Old Guard is beaten! The Guard retreats!" An officer with +a livid face passed me yelling out these words of woe. "Save +yourselves! Save yourselves! You are betrayed!" cried another. +"Save yourselves! Save yourselves!" Men were rushing madly to +the rear, blundering and jumping like frightened sheep. Cries +and screams rose from all around me. And at that moment, as I +looked at the British position, I saw what I can never forget. A +single horseman stood out black and clear upon the ridge against +the last red angry glow of the setting sun. So dark, so +motionless, against that grim light, he might have been the very +spirit of Battle brooding over that terrible valley. As I gazed, +he raised his hat high in the air, and at the signal, with a low, +deep roar like a breaking wave, the whole British army flooded +over their ridge and came rolling down into the valley. + +Long steel-fringed lines of red and blue, sweeping waves of +cavalry, horse batteries rattling and bounding--down they came on +to our crumbling ranks. It was over. A yell of agony, the agony +of brave men who see no hope, rose from one flank to the other, +and in an instant the whole of that noble army was swept in a +wild, terror- stricken crowd from the field. Even now, dear +friends, I cannot, as you see, speak of that dreadful moment with +a dry eye or with a steady voice. + +At first I was carried away in that wild rush, whirled off like a +straw in a flooded gutter. But, suddenly, what should I see +amongst the mixed regiments in front of me but a group of stern +horsemen, in silver and grey, with a broken and tattered standard +held aloft in the heart of them! Not all the might of England +and of Prussia could break the Hussars of Conflans. But when I +joined them it made my heart bleed to see them. The major, seven +captains, and five hundred men were left upon the field. Young +Captain Sabbatier was in command, and when I asked him where were +the five missing squadrons he pointed back and answered: "You +will find them round one of those British squares." Men and +horses were at their last gasp, caked with sweat and dirt, their +black tongues hanging out from their lips; but it made me thrill +with pride to see how that shattered remnant still rode knee to +knee, with every man, from the boy trumpeter to the +farrier-sergeant, in his own proper place. + +Would that I could have brought them on with me as an escort for +the Emperor! In the heart of the Hussars of Conflans he would be +safe indeed. But the horses were too spent to trot. I left them +behind me with orders to rally upon the farm-house of St. Aunay, +where we had camped two nights before. For my own part, I forced +my horse through the throng in search of the Emperor. + +There were things which I saw then, as I pressed through that +dreadful crowd, which can never be banished from my mind. In +evil dreams there comes back to me the memory of that flowing +stream of livid, staring, screaming faces upon which I looked +down. It was a nightmare. In victory one does not understand +the horror of war. It is only in the cold chill of defeat that +it is brought home to you. I remember an old Grenadier of the +Guard lying at the side of the road with his broken leg doubled +at a right angle. "Comrades, comrades, keep off my leg!" he +cried, but they tripped and stumbled over him all the same. In +front of me rode a Lancer officer without his coat. His arm had +just been taken off in the ambulance. The bandages had fallen. +It was horrible. Two gunners tried to drive through with their +gun. A Chasseur raised his musket and shot one of them through +the head. I saw a major of Cuirassiers draw his two holster +pistols and shoot first his horse and then himself. Beside the +road a man in a blue coat was raging and raving like a madman. +His face was black with powder, his clothes were torn, one +epaulette was gone, the other hung dangling over his breast. +Only when I came close to him did I recognise that it was Marshal +Ney. He howled at the flying troops and his voice was hardly +human. Then he raised the stump of his sword-- it was broken +three inches from the hilt. "Come and see how a Marshal of +France can die!" he cried. Gladly would I have gone with him, +but my duty lay elsewhere. + +He did not, as you know, find the death he sought, but he met it +a few weeks later in cold blood at the hands of his enemies. + +There is an old proverb that in attack the French are more than +men, in defeat they are less than women. I knew that it was true +that day. But even in that rout I saw things which I can tell +with pride. Through the fields which skirt the road moved +Cambronne's three reserve battalions of the Guard, the cream of +our army. + +They walked slowly in square, their colours waving over the +sombre line of the bearskins. All round them raged the English +cavalry and the black Lancers of Brunswick, wave after wave +thundering up, breaking with a crash, and recoiling in ruin. +When last I saw them, the English guns, six at a time, were +smashing grape-shot through their ranks and the English infantry +were closing in upon three sides and pouring volleys into them; +but still, like a noble lion with fierce hounds clinging to its +flanks, the glorious remnant of the Guard, marching slowly, +halting, closing up, dressing, moved majestically from their last +battle. Behind them the Guard's battery of twelve- pounders was +drawn up upon the ridge. Every gunner was in his place, but no +gun fired. "Why do you not fire?" I asked the colonel as I +passed. "Our powder is finished." "Then why not retire?" "Our +appearance may hold them back for a little. We must give the +Emperor time to escape." Such were the soldiers of France. + +Behind this screen of brave men the others took their breath, and +then went on in less desperate fashion. They had broken away +from the road, and all over the countryside in the twilight I +could see the timid, scattered, frightened crowd who ten hours +before had formed the finest army that ever went down to battle. +I with my splendid mare was soon able to get clear of the throng, +and just after I passed Genappe I overtook the Emperor with the +remains of his Staff. Soult was with him still, and so were +Drouot, Lobau, and Bertrand, with five Chasseurs of the Guard, +their horses hardly able to move. + +The night was falling, and the Emperor's haggard face gleamed +white through the gloom as he turned it toward me. + +"Who is that?" he asked. + +"It is Colonel Gerard," said Soult. + +"Have you seen Marshal Grouchy?" + +"No, Sire. The Prussians were between." + +"It does not matter. Nothing matters now. Soult, I will go +back." + +He tried to turn his horse, but Bertrand seized his bridle. "Ah, +Sire," said Soult, "the enemy has had good fortune enough +already." They forced him on among them. He rode in silence +with his chin upon his breast, the greatest and the saddest of +men. Far away behind us those remorseless guns were still +roaring. Sometimes out of the darkness would come shrieks and +screams and the low thunder of galloping hoofs. At the sound we +would spur our horses and hasten onward through the scattered +troops. At last, after riding all night in the clear moonlight, +we found that we had left both pursued and pursuers behind. By +the time we passed over the bridge at Charleroi the dawn was +breaking. What a company of spectres we looked in that cold, +clear, searching light, the Emperor with his face of wax, Soult +blotched with powder, Lobau dabbled with blood! But we rode more +easily now, and had ceased to glance over our shoulders, for +Waterloo was more than thirty miles behind us. One of the +Emperor's carriages had been picked up at Charleroi, and we +halted now on the other side of the Sambre, and dismounted from +our horses. + +You will ask me why it was that during all this time I had said +nothing of that which was nearest my heart, the need for guarding +the Emperor. As a fact, I had tried to speak of it both to Soult +and to Lobau, but their minds were so overwhelmed with the +disaster and so distracted by the pressing needs of the moment +that it was impossible to make them understand how urgent was my +message. Besides, during this long flight we had always had +numbers of French fugitives beside us on the road, and, however +demoralised they might be, we had nothing to fear from the attack +of nine men. But now, as we stood round the Emperor's carriage +in the early morning, I observed with anxiety that not a single +French soldier was to be seen upon the long, white road behind +us. We had outstripped the army. I looked round to see what +means of defence were left to us. The horses of the Chasseurs of +the Guard had broken down, and only one of them, a grey-whiskered +sergeant, remained. + +There were Soult, Lobau, and Bertrand; but, for all their +talents, I had rather, when it came to hard knocks, have a single +quartermaster-sergeant of Hussars at my side than the three of +them put together. There remained the Emperor himself, the +coachman, and a valet of the household who had joined us at +Charleroi--eight all told; but of the eight only two, the +Chasseur and I, were fighting soldiers who could be depended upon +at a pinch. A chill came over me as I reflected how utterly +helpless we were. At that moment I raised my eyes, and there +were the nine Prussian horsemen coming over the hill. + +On either side of the road at this point are long stretches of +rolling plain, part of it yellow with corn and part of it rich +grass land watered by the Sambre. To the south of us was a low +ridge, over which was the road to France. Along this road the +little group of cavalry was riding. So well had Count Stein +obeyed his instructions that he had struck far to the south of us +in his determination to get ahead of the Emperor. Now he was +riding from the direction in which we were going-- the last in +which we could expect an enemy. When I caught that first glimpse +of them they were still half a mile away. + +"Sire!" I cried, "the Prussians!" + +They all started and stared. It was the Emperor who broke the +silence. + +"Who says they are Prussians?" + +"I do, Sire--I, Etienne Gerard!" + +Unpleasant news always made the Emperor furious against the man +who broke it. He railed at me now in the rasping, croaking, +Corsican voice which only made itself heard when he had lost his +self-control. + +"You were always a buffoon," he cried. "What do you mean, you +numskull, by saying that they are Prussians? + +How could Prussians be coming from the direction of France? You +have lost any wits that you ever possessed." + +His words cut me like a whip, and yet we all felt toward the +Emperor as an old dog does to its master. + +His kick is soon forgotten and forgiven. I would not argue or +justify myself. At the first glance I had seen the two white +stockings on the forelegs of the leading horse, and I knew well +that Count Stein was on its back. + +For an instant the nine horsemen had halted and surveyed us. Now +they put spurs to their horses, and with a yell of triumph they +galloped down the road. They had recognised that their prey was +in their power. + +At that swift advance all doubt had vanished. "By heavens, Sire, +it is indeed the Prussians!" cried Soult. + +Lobau and Bertrand ran about the road like two frightened hens. +The sergeant of Chasseurs drew his sabre with a volley of curses. +The coachman and the valet cried and wrung their hands. Napoleon +stood with a frozen face, one foot on the step of the carriage. +And I--ah, my friends, I was magnificent! What words can I use +to do justice to my own bearing at that supreme instant of my +life? So coldly alert, so deadly cool, so clear in brain and +ready in hand. He had called me a numskull and a buffoon. How +quick and how noble was my revenge! When his own wits failed +him, it was Etienne Gerard who supplied the want. + +To fight was absurd; to fly was ridiculous. The Emperor was +stout, and weary to death. At the best he was never a good +rider. How could he fly from these, the picked men of an army? +The best horseman in Prussia was among them. But I was the best +horseman in France. I, and only I, could hold my own with them. +If they were on my track instead of the Emperor's, all might +still be well. These were the thoughts which flashed so swiftly +through my mind that in an instant I had sprung from the first +idea to the final conclusion. Another instant carried me from +the final conclusion to prompt and vigorous action. I rushed to +the side of the Emperor, who stood petrified, with the carriage +between him and our enemies. "Your coat, Sire! your hat!" I +cried. I dragged them of him. + +Never had he been so hustled in his life. In an instant I had +them on and had thrust him into the carriage. The next I had +sprung on to his famous white Arab and had ridden clear of the +group upon the road. + +You have already divined my plan; but you may well ask how could +I hope to pass myself off as the Emperor. + +My figure is as you still see it, and his was never beautiful, +for he was both short and stout. But a man's height is not +remarked when he is in the saddle, and for the rest one had but +to sit forward on the horse and round one's back and carry +oneself like a sack of flour. I wore the little cocked hat and +the loose grey coat with the silver star which was known to every +child from one end of Europe to the other. Beneath me was the +Emperor's own famous white charger. It was complete. + +Already as I rode clear the Prussians were within two hundred +yards of us. I made a gesture of terror and despair with my +hands, and I sprang my horse over the bank which lined the road. +It was enough. A yell of exultation and of furious hatred broke +from the Prussians. + +It was the howl of starving wolves who scent their prey. I +spurred my horse over the meadow-land and looked back under my +arm as I rode. Oh, the glorious moment when one after the other +I saw eight horsemen come over the bank at my heels! Only one +had stayed behind, and I heard shouting and the sounds of a +struggle. I remembered my old sergeant of Chasseurs, and I was +sure that number nine would trouble us no more. The road was +clear and the Emperor free to continue his journey. + +But now I had to think of myself. If I were overtaken the +Prussians would certainly make short work of me in their +disappointment. If it were so--if I lost my life--I should still +have sold it at a glorious price. But I had hopes that I might +shake them off. With ordinary horsemen upon ordinary horses I +should have had no difficulty in doing so, but here both steeds +and riders were of the best. It was a grand creature that I +rode, but it was weary with its long night's work, and the +Emperor was one of those riders who do not know how to manage a +horse. He had little thought far them and a heavy hand upon +their mouths. On the other hand, Stein and his men had come both +far and fast. The race was a fair one. + +So quick had been my impulse, and so rapidly had I acted upon it, +that I had not thought enough of my own safety. Had I done so in +the first instance I should, of course, have ridden straight back +the way we had come, for so I should have met our own people. +But I was off the road and had galloped a mile over the plain +before this occurred to me. Then when I looked back I saw that +the Prussians had spread out into a long line, so as to head me +off from the Charleroi road. I could not turn back, but at least +I could edge toward the north. I knew that the whole face of the +country was covered with our flying troops, and that sooner or +later I must come upon some of them. + +But one thing I had forgotten--the Sambre. In my excitement I +never gave it a thought until I saw it, deep and broad, gleaming +in the morning sunlight. It barred my path, and the Prussians +howled behind me. I galloped to the brink, but the horse refused +the plunge. I spurred him, but the bank was high and the stream +deep. + +He shrank back trembling and snorting. The yells of triumph were +louder every instant. I turned and rode for my life down the +river bank. It formed a loop at this part, and I must get across +somehow, for my retreat was blocked. Suddenly a thrill of hope +ran through me, for I saw a house on my side of the stream and +another on the farther bank. Where there are two such houses it +usually means that there is a ford between them. A sloping path +led to the brink and I urged my horse down it. On he went, the +water up to the saddle, the foam flying right and left. He +blundered once and I thought we were lost, but he recovered and +an instant later was clattering up the farther slope. As we came +out I heard the splash behind me as the first Prussian took the +water. There was just the breadth of the Sambre between us. + +I rode with my head sunk between my shoulders in Napoleon's +fashion, and I did not dare to look back for fear they should see +my moustache. I had turned up the collar of the grey coat so as +partly to hide it. Even now if they found out their mistake they +might turn and overtake the carriage. But when once we were on +the road I could tell by the drumming of their hoofs how far +distant they were, and it seemed to me that the sound grew +perceptibly louder, as if they were slowly gaining upon me. We +were riding now up the stony and rutted lane which led from the +ford. I peeped back very cautiously from under my arm and I +perceived that my danger came from a single rider, who was far +ahead of his comrades. + +He was a Hussar, a very tiny fellow, upon a big black horse, and +it was his light weight which had brought him into the foremost +place. It is a place of honour; but it is also a place of +danger, as he was soon to learn. I felt the holsters, but, to my +horror, there were no pistols. There was a field-glass in one +and the other was stuffed with papers. My sword had been left +behind with Violette. + +Had I only my own weapons and my own little mare I could have +played with these rascals. But I was not entirely unarmed. The +Emperor's own sword hung to the saddle. It was curved and short, +the hilt all crusted with gold--a thing more fitted to glitter at +a review than to serve a soldier in his deadly need. I drew it, +such as it was, and I waited my chance. Every instant the clink +and clatter of the hoofs grew nearer. I heard the panting of the +horse, and the fellow shouted some threat at me. There was a +turn in the lane, and as I rounded it I drew up my white Arab on +his haunches. As we spun round I met the Prussian Hussar face to +face. He was going too fast to stop, and his only chance was to +ride me down. Had he done so he might have met his own death, +but he would have injured me or my horse past all hope of escape. +But the fool flinched as he saw me waiting and flew past me on my +right. I lunged over my Arab's neck and buried my toy sword in +his side. It must have been the finest steel and as sharp as a +razor, for I hardly felt it enter, and yet his blood was within +three inches of the hilt. His horse galloped on and he kept his +saddle for a hundred yards before he sank down with his face on +the mane and then dived over the side of the neck on to the road. +For my own part I was already at his horse's heels. A few +seconds had sufficed for all that I have told. + +I heard the cry of rage and vengeance which rose from the +Prussians as they passed their dead comrade, and I could not but +smile as I wondered what they could think of the Emperor as a +horseman and a swordsman. I glanced back cautiously as before, +and I saw that none of the seven men stopped. The fate of their +comrade was nothing compared to the carrying out of their +mission. + +They were as untiring and as remorseless as bloodhounds. + +But I had a good lead and the brave Arab was still going well. I +thought that I was safe. And yet it was at that very instant +that the most terrible danger befell me. The lane divided, and I +took the smaller of the two divisions because it was the more +grassy and the easier for the horse's hoofs. Imagine my horror +when, riding through a gate, I found myself in a square of +stables and farm-buildings, with no way out save that by which I +had come! Ah, my friends, if my hair is snowy white, have I not +had enough to make it so? + +To retreat was impossible. I could hear the thunder of the +Prussians' hoofs in the lane. I looked round me, and Nature has +blessed me with that quick eye which is the first of gifts to any +soldier, but most of all to a leader of cavalry. Between a long, +low line of stables and the farm-house there was a pig-sty. Its +front was made of bars of wood four feet high; the back was of +stone, higher than the front. What was beyond I could not tell. +The space between the front and the back was not more than a few +yards. It was a desperate venture, and yet I must take it. +Every instant the beating of those hurrying hoofs was louder and +louder. I put my Arab at the pig-sty. She cleared the front +beautifully and came down with her forefeet upon the sleeping pig +within, slipping forward upon her knees. I was thrown over the +wall beyond, and fell upon my hands and face in a soft +flower-bed. My horse was upon one side of the wall, I upon the +other, and the Prussians were pouring into the yard. But I was +up in an instant and had seized the bridle of the plunging horse +over the top of the wall. It was built of loose stones, and I +dragged down a few of them to make a gap. As I tugged at the +bridle and shouted the gallant creature rose to the leap, and an +instant afterward she was by my side and I with my foot on the +stirrup. + +An heroic idea had entered my mind as I mounted into the saddle. +These Prussians, if they came over the pig- sty, could only come +one at once, and their attack would not be formidable when they +had not had time to recover from such a leap. Why should I not +wait and kill them one by one as they came over? It was a +glorious thought. They would learn that Etienne Gerard was not a +safe man to hunt. My hand felt for my sword, but you can imagine +my feelings, my friends, when I came upon an empty scabbard. It +had been shaken out when the horse had tripped over that infernal +pig. On what absurd trifles do our destinies hang--a pig on one +side, Etienne Gerard on the other! Could I spring over the wall +and get the sword? Impossible! The Prussians were already in +the yard. I turned my Arab and resumed my flight. + +But for a moment it seemed to me that I was in a far worse trap +than before. I found myself in the garden of the farm-house, an +orchard in the centre and flower- beds all round. A high wall +surrounded the whole place. I reflected, however, that there +must be some point of entrance, since every visitor could not be +expected to spring over the pig-sty. I rode round the wall. As +I expected, I came upon a door with a key upon the inner side. I +dismounted, unlocked it, opened it, and there was a Prussian +Lancer sitting his horse within six feet of me. + +For a moment we each stared at the other. Then I shut the door +and locked it again. A crash and a cry came from the other end +of the garden. I understood that one of my enemies had come to +grief in trying to get over the pig-sty. How could I ever get +out of this cul-de-sac? It was evident that some of the party +had galloped round, while some had followed straight upon my +tracks. Had I my sword I might have beaten off the Lancer at the +door, but to come out now was to be butchered. And yet if I +waited some of them would certainly follow me on foot over the +pig-sty, and what could I do then? I must act at once or I was +lost. But it is at such moments that my wits are most active and +my actions most prompt. Still leading my horse, I ran for a +hundred yards by the side of the wall away from the spot where +the Lancer was watching. There I stopped, and with an effort I +tumbled down several of the loose stones from the top of the +wall. The instant I had done so I hurried back to the door. As +I had expected, he thought I was making a gap for my escape at +that point, and I heard the thud of his horse's hoofs as he +galloped to cut me off. As I reached the gate I looked back, and +I saw a green-coated horseman, whom I knew to be Count Stein, +clear the pig-sty and gallop furiously with a shout of triumph +across the garden. + +"Surrender, your Majesty, surrender!" he yelled; "we will give +you quarter!" I slipped through the gate, but had no time to +lock it on the other side. Stein was at my very heels, and the +Lancer had already turned his horse. Springing upon my Arab's +back, I was off once more with a clear stretch of grass land +before me. Stein had to dismount to open the gate, to lead his +horse through, and to mount again before he could follow. + +It was he that I feared rather than the Lancer, whose horse was +coarse-bred and weary. I galloped hard for a mile before I +ventured to look back, and then Stein was a musket-shot from me, +and the Lancer as much again, while only three of the others were +in sight. My nine Prussians were coming down to more manageable +numbers, and yet one was too much for an unarmed man. + +It had surprised me that during this long chase I had seen no +fugitives from the army, but I reflected that I was considerably +to the west of their line of flight, and that I must edge more +toward the east if I wished to join them. Unless I did so it was +probable that my pursuers, even if they could not overtake me +themselves, would keep me in view until I was headed off by some +of their comrades coming from the north. As I looked to the +eastward I saw afar off a line of dust which stretched for miles +across the country. This was certainly the main road along which +our unhappy army was flying. But I soon had proof that some of +our stragglers had wandered into these side tracks, for I came +suddenly upon a horse grazing at the corner of a field, and +beside him, with his back against the bank, his master, a French +Cuirassier, terribly wounded and evidently on the point of death. +I sprang down, seized his long, heavy sword, and rode on with it. +Never shall I forget the poor man's face as he looked at me with +his failing sight. He was an old, grey-moustached soldier, one +of the real fanatics, and to him this last vision of his Emperor +was like a revelation from on high. + +Astonishment, love, pride--all shone in his pallid face. He said +something--I fear they were his last words --but I had no time to +listen, and I galloped on my way. + +All this time I had been on the meadow-land, which was +intersected in this part by broad ditches. Some of them could +not have been less than from fourteen to fifteen feet, and my +heart was in my mouth as I went at each of them, for a slip would +have been my ruin. + +But whoever selected the Emperor's horses had done his work well. +The creature, save when it balked on the bank of the Sambre, +never failed me for an instant. + +We cleared everything in one stride. And yet we could not shake +off! those infernal Prussians. As I left each water-course +behind me I looked back with renewed hope; but it was only to see +Stein on his white-legged chestnut flying over it as lightly as I +had done myself. He was my enemy, but I honoured him for the way +in which he carried himself that day. + +Again and again I measured the distance which separated him from +the next horseman. I had the idea that I might turn and cut him +down, as I had the Hussar, before his comrade could come to his +help. But the others had closed up and ere not far behind. I +reflected that this Stein was probably as fine a swordsman as he +was a rider, and that it might take me some little time to get +the better of him. In that case the others would come to his aid +an I should be lost. On the whole, it was wiser to continue my +flight. + +A road with poplars on either side ran across the plain from east +to west. It would lead me toward that long line of dust which +marked the French retreat. I wheeled my horse, therefore, and +galloped down it. As I rode I saw a single house in front of me +upon the right, with a great bush hung over the door to mark it +as an inn. Outside there were several peasants, but for them I +cared nothing. What frightened me was to see the gleam of a red +coat, which showed that there were British in the place. +However, I could not turn and I could not stop, so there was +nothing for it but to gallop on and to take my chance. There +were no troops in sight, so these men must be stragglers or +marauders, from whom I had little to fear. As I approached I saw +that there were two of them sitting drinking on a bench outside +the inn door. I saw them stagger to their feet, and it was +evident that they were both very drunk. One stood swaying in the +middle of the road. + +"It's Boney! So help me, it's Boney!" he yelled. He ran with +his hands out to catch me, but luckily for himself his drunken +feet stumbled and he fell on his face on the road. The other was +more dangerous. He had rushed into the inn, and just as I passed +I saw him run out with his musket in his hand. He dropped upon +one knee, and I stooped forward over my horse's neck. + +A single shot from a Prussian or an Austrian is a small matter, +but the British were at that time the best shots in Europe, and +my drunkard seemed steady enough when he had a gun at his +shoulder. I heard the crack, and my horse gave a convulsive +spring which would have unseated many a rider. For an instant I +thought he was killed, but when I turned in my saddle I saw a +stream of blood running down the off hind-quarter. I looked back +at the Englishman, and the brute had bitten the end off another +cartridge and was ramming it into his musket, but before he had +it primed we were beyond his range. These men were foot-soldiers +and could not join in the chase, but I heard them whooping and +tally-hoing behind me as if I had been a fox. The peasants also +shouted and ran through the fields flourishing their sticks. +From all sides I heard cries, and everywhere were the rushing, +waving figures of my pursuers. To think of the great Emperor +being chivvied over the country-side in this fashion! It made me +long to have these rascals within the sweep of my sword. + +But now I felt that I was nearing the end of my course. I had +done all that a man could be expected to do--some would say +more--but at last I had come to a point from which I could see no +escape. The horses of my pursuers were exhausted, but mine was +exhausted and wounded also. It was losing blood fast, and we +left a red trail upon the white, dusty road. Already his pace +was slackening, and sooner or later he must drop under me. I +looked back, and there were the five inevitable Prussians--Stein +a hundred yards in front, then a Lancer, and then three others +riding together. + +Stein had drawn his sword, and he waved it at me. For my own +part I was determined not to give myself up. + +I would try how many of these Prussians I could take with me into +the other world. At this supreme moment all the great deeds of +my life rose in a vision before me, and I felt that this, my last +exploit, was indeed a worthy close to such a career. My death +would be a fatal blow to those who loved me, to my dear mother, +to my Hussars, to others who shall be nameless. But all of them +had my honour and my fame at heart, and I felt that their grief +would be tinged with pride when they learned how I had ridden and +how I had fought upon this last day. Therefore I hardened my +heart and, as my Arab limped more and more upon his wounded leg, +I drew the great sword which I had taken from the Cuirassier, and +I set my teeth for my supreme struggle. My hand was in the very +act of tightening the bridle, for I feared that if I delayed +longer I might find myself on foot fighting against five mounted +men. + +At that instant my eye fell upon something which brought hope to +my heart and a shout of joy to my lips. + +From a grove of trees in front of me there projected the steeple +of a village church. But there could not be two steeples like +that, for the corner of it had crumbled away or been struck by +lightning, so that it was of a most fantastic shape. I had seen +it only two daye{sic} before, and it was the church of the +village of Gosselies. It was not the hope of reaching the +village which set my heart singing with joy, but it was that I +knew my ground now, and that farm-house not half a mile ahead, +with its gable end sticking out from amid the trees, must be that +very farm of St. Aunay where we had bivouacked, and which I had +named to Captain Sabbatier as the rendezvous of the Hussars of +Conflans. There they were, my little rascals, if I could but +reach them. With every bound my horse grew weaker. Each instant +the sound of the pursuit grew louder. I heard a gust of +crackling German oaths at my very heels. A pistol bullet sighed +in my ears. Spurring frantically and beating my poor Arab with +the flat of my sword I kept him at the top of his speed. The +open gate of the farm-yard lay before me. I saw the twinkle of +steel within. Stein's horse's head was within ten yards of me as +I thundered through. + +"To me, comrades! To me!" I yelled. I heard a buzz as when the +angry bees swarm from their nest. Then my splendid white Arab +fell dead under me and I was hurled on to the cobble-stones of +the yard, where I can remember no more. + +Such was my last and most famous exploit, my dear friends, a +story which rang through Europe and has made the name of Etienne +Gerard famous in history. + +Alas! that all my efforts could only give the Emperor a few weeks +more liberty, since he surrendered upon the 15th of July to the +English. But it was not my fault that he was not able to collect +the forces still waiting for him in France, and to fight another +Waterloo with a happier ending. Had others been as loyal as I +was the history of the world might have been changed, the Emperor +would have preserved his throne, and such a soldier as I would +not have been left to spend his life in planting cabbages or to +while away his old age telling stories in a cafe. You ask me +about the fate of Stein and the Prussian horsemen! Of the three +who dropped upon the way I know nothing. One you will remember +that I killed. There remained five, three of whom were cut down +by my Hussars, who, for the instant, were under the impression +that it was indeed the Emperor whom they were defending. Stein +was taken, slightly wounded, and so was one of the Uhlans. The +truth was not told to them, for we thought it best that no news, +or false news, should get about as to where the Emperor was, so +that Count Stein still believed that he was within a few yards of +making that tremendous capture. "You may well love and honour +your Emperor," said he, "for such a horseman and such a swordsman +I have never seen." He could not understand why the young +colonel of Hussars laughed so heartily at his words--but he has +learned since. + + + +VIII. The Last Adventure of the Brigadier + +I will tell you no more stories, my dear friends. It is said +that man is like the hare, which runs in a circle and comes back +to die at the point from which it started. + +Gascony has been calling to me of late. I see the blue Garonne +winding among the vineyards and the bluer ocean toward which its +waters sweep. I see the old town also, and the bristle of masts +from the side of the long stone quay. My heart hungers for the +breath of my native air and the warm glow of my native sun. + +Here in Paris are my friends, my occupations, my pleasures. +There all who have known me are in their grave. And yet the +southwest wind as it rattles on my windows seems always to be the +strong voice of the motherland calling her child back to that +bosom into which I am ready to sink. I have played my part in my +time. The time has passed. I must pass also. + +Nay, dear friends, do not look sad, for what can be happier than +a life completed in honour and made beautiful with friendship and +love? And yet it is solemn also when a man approaches the end of +the long road and sees the turning which leads him into the +unknown. But the Emperor and all his Marshals have ridden round +that dark turning and passed into the beyond. My Hussars, +too--there are not fifty men who are not waiting yonder. I must +go. But on this the last night I will tell you that which is +more than a tale--it is a great historical secret. My lips have +been sealed, but I see no reason why I should not leave behind me +some account of this remarkable adventure, which must otherwise +be entirely lost, since I and only I, of all living men, have a +knowledge of the facts. + +I will ask you to go back with me to the year 1821. + +In that year our great Emperor had been absent from us for six +years, and only now and then from over the seas we heard some +whisper which showed that he was still alive. You cannot think +what a weight it was upon our hearts for us who loved him to +think of him in captivity eating his giant soul out upon that +lonely island. From the moment we rose until we closed our eyes +in sleep the thought was always with us, and we felt dishonoured +that he, our chief and master, should be so humiliated without +our being able to move a hand to help him. There were many who +would most willingly have laid down the remainder of their lives +to bring him a little ease, and yet all that we could do was to +sit and grumble in our cafes and stare at the map, counting up +the leagues of water which lay between us. + +It seemed that he might have been in the moon for all that we +could do to help him. But that was only because we were all +soldiers and knew nothing of the sea. + +Of course, we had our own little troubles to make us bitter, as +well as the wrongs of our Emperor. There were many of us who had +held high rank and would hold it again if he came back to his +own. We had not found it possible to take service under the +white flag of the Bourbons, or to take an oath which might turn +our sabres against the man whom we loved. So we found ourselves +with neither work nor money. What could we do save gather +together and gossip and grumble, while those who had a little +paid the score and those who had nothing shared the bottle? Now +and then, if we were lucky, we managed to pick a quarrel with one +of the Garde du Corps, and if we left him on his hack in the Bois +we felt that we had struck a blow for Napoleon once again. They +came to know our haunts in time, and they avoided them as if they +had been hornets' nests. + +There was one of these--the Sign of the Great Man --in the Rue +Varennes, which was frequented by several of the more +distinguished and younger Napoleonic officers. Nearly all of us +had been colonels or aides- de-camp, and when any man of less +distinction came among us we generally made him feel that he had +taken a liberty. There were Captain Lepine, who had won the +medal of honour at Leipzig; Colonel Bonnet, aide-de-camp to +Macdonald; Colonel Jourdan, whose fame in the army was hardly +second to my own; Sabbatier of my own Hussars, Meunier of the Red +Lancers, Le Breton of the Guards, and a dozen others. + +Every night we met and talked, played dominoes, drank a glass or +two, and wondered how long it would be before the Emperor would +be back and we at the head of our regiments once more. The +Bourbons had already lost any hold they ever had upon the +country, as was shown a few years afterward, when Paris rose +against them and they were hunted for the third time out of +France. Napoleon had but to show himself on the coast, and he +would have marched without firing a musket to the capital, +exactly as he had done when he came back from Elba. + +Well, when affairs were in this state there arrived one night in +February, in our cafe, a most singular little man. He was short +but exceedingly broad, with huge shoulders, and a head which was +a deformity, so large was it. His heavy brown face was scarred +with white streaks in a most extraordinary manner, and he had +grizzled whiskers such as seamen wear. Two gold earrings in his +ears, and plentiful tattooing upon his hands and arms, told us +also that he was of the sea before he introduced himself to us as +Captain Fourneau, of the Emperor's navy. He had letters of +introduction to two of our number, and there could be no doubt +that he was devoted to the cause. He won our respect, too, for +he had seen as much fighting as any of us, and the burns upon his +face were caused by his standing to his post upon the Orient, at +the Battle of the Nile, until the vessel blew up underneath him. +Yet he would say little about himself, but he sat in the corner +of the cafe watching us all with a wonderfully sharp pair of eyes +and listening intently to our talk. + +One night I was leaving the cafe when Captain Fourneau followed +me, and touching me on the arm he led me without saying a word +for some distance until we reached his lodgings. "I wish to have +a chat with you," said he, and so conducted me up the stair to +his room. There he lit a lamp and handed me a sheet of paper +which he took from an envelope in his bureau. It was dated a few +months before from the Palace of Schonbrunn at Vienna. "Captain +Fourneau is acting in the highest interests of the Emperor +Napoleon. + +Those who love the Emperor should obey him without +question.--Marie Louise." That is what I read. I was familiar +with the signature of the Empress, and I could not doubt that +this was genuine. + +"Well," said he, "are you satisfied as to my credentials?" + +"Entirely." + +"Are you prepared to take your orders from me?" + +"This document leaves me no choice." + +"Good! In the first place, I understand from something you said +in the cafe that you can speak English?" + +"Yes, I can." + +"Let me hear you do so." + +I said in English, "Whenever the Emperor needs the help of +Etienne Gerard I am ready night and day to give my life in his +service." Captain Fourneau smiled. + +"It is funny English," said he, "but still it is better than no +English. For my own part I speak English like an Englishman. It +is all that I have to show for six years spent in an English +prison. Now I will tell you why I have come to Paris. I have +come in order to choose an agent who will help me in a matter +which affects the interests of the Emperor. I was told that it +was at the cafe of the Great Man that I would find the pick of +his old officers, and that I could rely upon every man there +being devoted to his interests. I studied you all, therefore, +and I have come to the conclusion that you are the one who is +most suited for my purpose." + +I acknowledged the compliment. "What is it that you wish me to +do?" I asked. + +"Merely to keep me company for a few months," said he. "You must +know that after my release in England I settled down there, +married an English wife, and rose to command a small English +merchant ship, in which I have made several voyages from +Southampton to the Guinea coast. They look on me there as an +Englishman. + +You can understand, however, that with my feelings about the +Emperor I am lonely sometimes, and that it would be an advantage +to me to have a companion who would sympathize with my thoughts. +One gets very bored on these long voyages, and I would make it +worth your while to share my cabin." + +He looked hard at me with his shrewd grey eyes all the time that +he was uttering this rigmarole, and I gave him a glance in return +which showed him that he was not dealing with a fool. He took +out a canvas bag full of money. + +"There are a hundred pounds in gold in this bag," said he. "You +will be able to buy some comforts for your voyage. I should +recommend you to get them in Southampton, whence we will start in +ten days. The name of the vessel is the Black Swan. I return to +Southampton to-morrow, and I shall hope to see you in the course +of the next week." + +"Come now," said I. "Tell me frankly what is the destination of +our voyage?" + +"Oh, didn't I tell you?" he answered. "We are bound for the +Guinea coast of Africa." + +"Then how can that be in the highest interests of the Emperor?" I +asked. + +"It is in his highest interests that you ask no indiscreet +questions and I give no indiscreet replies," he answered, +sharply. So he brought the interview to an end, and I found +myself back in my lodgings with nothing save this bag of gold to +show that this singular interview had indeed taken place. + +There was every reason why I should see the adventure to a +conclusion, and so within a week I was on my way to England. I +passed from St. Malo to Southampton, and on inquiry at the docks +I had no difficulty in finding the Black Swan, a neat little +vessel of a shape which is called, as I learned afterward, a +brig. There was Captain Fourneau himself upon the deck, and +seven or eight rough fellows hard at work grooming her and making +her ready for sea. He greeted me and led me down to his cabin. + +"You are plain Mr. Gerard now," said he, "and a Channel Islander. +I would be obliged to you if you would kindly forget your +military ways and drop your cavalry swagger when you walk up and +down my deck. + +A beard, too, would seem more sailor-like than those moustaches." + +I was horrified by his words, but, after all, there are no ladies +on the high seas, and what did it matter? He rang for the +steward. + +"Gustav," said he, "you will pay every attention to my friend, +Monsieur Etienne Gerard, who makes this voyage with us. This is +Gustav Kerouan, my Breton steward," he explained, "and you are +very safe in his hands." + +This steward, with his harsh face and stern eyes, looked a very +warlike person for so peaceful an employment. + +I said nothing, however, though you may guess that I kept my eyes +open. A berth had been prepared for me next the cabin, which +would have seemed comfortable enough had it not contrasted with +the extraordinary splendour of Fourneau's quarters. He was +certainly a most luxurious person, for his room was new-fitted +with velvet and silver in a way which would have suited the yacht +of a noble better than a little West African trader. + +So thought the mate, Mr. Burns, who could not hide his amusement +and contempt whenever he looked at it. + +This fellow, a big, solid, red-headed Englishman, had the other +berth connected with the cabin. There was a second mate named +Turner, who lodged in the middle of the ship, and there were nine +men and one boy in the crew, three of whom, as I was informed by +Mr. Burns, were Channel Islanders like myself. This Burns, the +first mate, was much interested to know why I was coming with +them. + +"I come for pleasure," said I. + +He stared at me. + +"Ever been to the West Coast?" he asked. + +I said that I had not. + +"I thought not," said he. "You'll never come again for that +reason, anyhow." + +Some three days after my arrival we untied the ropes by which the +ship was tethered and we set off upon our journey. I was never a +good sailor, and I may confess that we were far out of sight of +any land before I was able to venture upon deck. At last, +however, upon the fifth day I drank the soup which the good +Kerouan brought me, and I was able to crawl from my bunk and up +the stair. The fresh air revived me, and from that time onward I +accommodated myself to the motion of the vessel. My beard had +begun to grow also, and I have no doubt that I should have made +as fine a sailor as I have a soldier had I chanced to be born to +that branch of the service. I learned to pull the ropes which +hoisted the sails, and also to haul round the long sticks to +which they are attached. For the most part, however, my duties +were to play ecarte with Captain Fourneau, and to act as his +companion. It was not strange that he should need one, for +neither of his mates could read or write, though each of them was +an excellent seaman. + +If our captain had died suddenly I cannot imagine how we should +have found our way in that waste of waters, for it was only he +who had the knowledge which enabled him to mark our place upon +the chart. He had this fixed upon the cabin wall, and every day +he put our course upon it so that we could see at a glance how +far we were from our destination. It was wonderful how well he +could calculate it, for one morning he said that we should see +the Cape Verd light that very night, and there it was, sure +enough, upon our left front the moment that darkness came. Next +day, however, the land was out of sight, and Burns, the mate, +explained to me that we should see no more until we came to our +port in the Gulf of Biafra. Every day we flew south with a +favouring wind, and always at noon the pin upon the chart was +moved nearer and nearer to the African coast. I may explain that +palm oil was the cargo which we were in search of, and that our +own lading consisted of coloured cloths, old muskets, and such +other trifles as the English sell to the savages. + +At last the wind which had followed us so long died away, and for +several days we drifted about on a calm and oily sea, under a sun +which brought the pitch bubbling out between the planks upon the +deck. We turned and turned our sails to catch every wandering +puff, until at last we came out of this belt of calm and ran +south again with a brisk breeze, the sea all round us being alive +with flying fishes. For some days Burns appeared to be uneasy, +and I observed him continually shading his eyes with his hand and +staring at the horizon as if he were looking for land. Twice I +caught him with his red head against the chart in the cabin, +gazing at that pin, which was always approaching and yet never +reaching the African coast. At last one evening, as Captain +Fourneau and I were playing ecarte in the cabin, the mate entered +with an angry look upon his sunburned face. + +"I beg your pardon, Captain Fourneau," said he. + +"But do you know what course the man at the wheel is steering?" + +"Due south," the captain answered, with his eyes fixed upon his +cards. + +"And he should be steering due east." + +"How do you make that out?" + +The mate gave an angry growl. + +"I may not have much education," said he, "but let me tell you +this, Captain Fourneau, I've sailed these waters since I was a +little nipper of ten, and I know the line when I'm on it, and I +know the doldrums, and I know how to find my way to the oil +rivers. We are south of the line now, and we should be steering +due east instead of due south if your port is the port that the +owners sent you to." + +"Excuse me, Mr. Gerard. Just remember that it is my lead," said +the captain, laying down his cards. + +"Come to the map here, Mr. Burns, and I will give you a lesson in +practical navigation. Here is the trade wind from the southwest +and here is the line, and here is the port that we want to make, +and here is a man who will have his own way aboard his own ship." +As he spoke he seized the unfortunate mate by the throat and +squeezed him until he was nearly senseless. Kerouan, the +steward, had rushed in with a rope, and between them they gagged +and trussed the man, so that he was utterly helpless. + +"There is one of our Frenchmen at the wheel. We had best put the +mate overboard," said the steward. + +"That is safest," said Captain Fourneau. + +But that was more than I could stand. Nothing would persuade me +to agree to the death of a helpless man. + +With a bad grace Captain Fourneau consented to spare him, and we +carried him to the after-hold, which lay under the cabin. There +he was laid among the bales of Manchester cloth. + +"It is not worth while to put down the hatch," said Captain +Fourneau. "Gustav, go to Mr. Turner and tell him that I would +like to have a word with him." + +The unsuspecting second mate entered the cabin, and was instantly +gagged and secured as Burns had been. + +He was carried down and laid beside his comrade. The hatch was +then replaced. + +"Our hands have been forced by that red-headed dolt," said the +captain, "and I have had to explode my mine before I wished. +However, there is no great harm done, and it will not seriously +disarrange my plans. + +"Kerouan, you will take a keg of rum forward to the crew and tell +them that the captain gives it to them to drink his health on the +occasion of crossing the line. + +"They will know no better. As to our own fellows, bring them +down to your pantry so that we may me sure that they are ready +for business. Now, Colonel Gerard, with your permission we will +resume our game of ecarte." + +It is one of those occasions which one does not forget. + +This captain, who was a man of iron, shuffled and cut, dealt and +played as if he were in his cafe. From below we heard the +inarticulate murmurings of the two mates, half smothered by the +handkerchiefs which gagged them. Outside the timbers creaked and +the sails hummed under the brisk breeze which was sweeping us +upon our way. Amid the splash of the waves and the whistle of +the wind we heard the wild cheers and shoutings of the English +sailors as they broached the keg of rum. We played half-a-dozen +games and then the captain rose. "I think they are ready for us +now," said he. He took a brace of pistols from a locker, and he +handed one of them to me. + +But we had no need to fear resistance, for there was no one to +resist. The Englishman of those days, whether soldier or sailor, +was an incorrigible drunkard. + +Without drink he was a brave and good man. But if drink were +laid before him it was a perfect madness-- nothing could induce +him to take it with moderation. + +In the dim light of the den which they inhabited, five senseless +figures and two shouting, swearing, singing madmen represented +the crew of the Black Swan. Coils of rope were brought forward +by the steward, and with the help of two French seamen (the third +was at the wheel) we secured the drunkards and tied them up, so +that it was impossible for them to speak or move. They were +placed under the fore-hatch, as their officers had been under the +after one, and Kerouan was directed twice a day to give them food +and drink. So at last we found that the Black Swan was entirely +our own. + +Had there been bad weather I do not know what we should have +done, but we still went gaily upon our way with a wind which was +strong enough to drive us swiftly south, but not strong enough to +cause us alarm. On the evening of the third day I found Captain +Fourneau gazing eagerly out from the platform in the front of the +vessel. "Look, Gerard, look!" he cried, and pointed over the +pole which stuck out in front. + +A light blue sky rose from a dark blue sea, and far away, at the +point where they met, was a shadowy something like a cloud, but +more definite in shape. + +"What is it?" I cried. + +"It is land." + +"And what land?" + +I strained my ears for the answer, and yet I knew already what +the answer would be. + +"It is St. Helena." + +Here, then, was the island of my dreams! Here was the cage where +our great Eagle of France was confined! + +All those thousands of leagues of water had not sufficed to keep +Gerard from the master whom he loved. + +There he was, there on that cloud-bank yonder over the dark blue +sea. How my eyes devoured it! How my soul flew in front of the +vessel--flew on and on to tell him that he was not forgotten, +that after many days one faithful servant was coming to his side. +Every instant the dark blur upon the water grew harder and +clearer. + +Soon I could see plainly enough that it was indeed a mountainous +island. The night fell, but still I knelt upon the deck, with my +eyes fixed upon the darkness which covered the spot where I knew +that the great Emperor was. An hour passed and another one, and +then suddenly a little golden twinkling light shone out exactly +ahead of us. It was the light of the window of some +house--perhaps of his house. It could not be more than a mile or +two away. Oh, how I held out my hands to it!--they were the +hands of Etienne Gerard, but it was for all France that they were +held out. + +Every light had been extinguished aboard our ship, and presently, +at the direction of Captain Fourneau, we all pulled upon one of +the ropes, which had the effect of swinging round one of the +sticks above us, and so stopping the vessel. Then he asked me to +step down to the cabin. + +"You understand everything now, Colonel Gerard," said he, "and +you will forgive me if I did not take you into my complete +confidence before. In a matter of such importance I make no man +my confidant. I have long planned the rescue of the Emperor, and +my remaining in England and joining their merchant service was +entirely with that design. All has worked out exactly as I +expected. I have made several successful voyages to the West +Coast of Africa, so that there was no difficulty in my obtaining +the command of this one. One by one I got these old French +man-of-war's-men among the hands. As to you, I was anxious to +have one tried fighting man in case of resistance, and I also +desired to have a fitting companion for the Emperor during his +long homeward voyage. My cabin is already fitted up for his use. +I trust that before to-morrow morning he will be inside it, and +we out of sight of this accursed island." + +You can think of my emotion, my friends, as I listened to these +words. I embraced the brave Fourneau, and implored him to tell +me how I could assist him. + +"I must leave it all in your hands," said he. "Would that I +could have been the first to pay him homage, but it would not be +wise for me to go. The glass is falling, there is a storm +brewing, and we have the land under our lee. Besides, there are +three English cruisers near the island which may be upon us at +any moment. It is for me, therefore, to guard the ship and for +you to bring off the Emperor." + +I thrilled at the words. + +"Give me your instructions!" I cried. + +"I can only spare you one man, for already I can hardly pull +round the yards," said he. "One of the boats has been lowered, +and this man will row you ashore and await your return. The +light which you see is indeed the light of Longwood. All who are +in the house are your friends, and all may be depended upon to +aid the Emperor's escape. There is a cordon of English sentries, +but they are not very near to the house. Once you have got as +far as that you will convey our plans to the Emperor, guide him +down to the boat, and bring him on board." + +The Emperor himself could not have given his instructions more +shortly and clearly. There was not a moment to be lost. The +boat with the seaman was waiting alongside. I stepped into it, +and an instant afterward we had pushed off. Our little boat +danced over the dark waters, but always shining before my eyes +was the light of Longwood, the light of the Emperor, the star of +hope. Presently the bottom of the boat grated upon the pebbles +of the beach. It was a deserted cove, and no challenge from a +sentry came to disturb us. I left the seaman by the boat and I +began to climb the hillside. + +There was a goat track winding in and out among the rocks, so I +had no difficulty in finding my way. It stands to reason that +all paths in St. Helena would lead to the Emperor. I came to a +gate. No sentry--and I passed through. Another gate--still no +sentry! I wondered what had become of this cordon of which +Fourneau had spoken. I had come now to the top of my climb, for +there was the light burning steadily right in front of me. I +concealed myself and took a good look round, but still I could +see no sign of the enemy. As I approached I saw the house, a +long, low building with a veranda. A man was walking up and down +upon the path in front. I crept nearer and had a look at him. + +Perhaps it was this cursed Hudson Lowe. What a triumph if I +could not only rescue the Emperor, but also avenge him! But it +was more likely that this man was an English sentry. I crept +nearer still, and the man stopped in front of the lighted window, +so that I could see him. No; it was no soldier, but a priest. I +wondered what such a man could be doing there at two in the +morning. Was he French or English? If he were one of the +household I might take him into my confidence. If he were +English he might ruin all my plans. + +I crept a little nearer still, and at that moment he entered the +house, a flood of light pouring out through the open door. All +was clear for me now and I understood that not an instant was to +be lost. Bending myself double I ran swiftly forward to the +lighted window. + +Raising my head I peeped through, and there was the Emperor lying +dead before me. + +My friends, I fell down upon the gravel walk as senseless as if a +bullet had passed through my brain. So great was the shock that +I wonder that I survived it. + +And yet in half an hour I had staggered to my feet again, +shivering in every limb, my teeth chattering, and there I stood +staring with the eyes of a maniac into that room of death. + +He lay upon a bier in the centre of the chamber, calm, composed, +majestic, his face full of that reserve power which lightened our +hearts upon the day of battle. A half-smile was fixed upon his +pale lips, and his eyes, half-opened, seemed to be turned on +mine. He was stouter than when I had seen him at Waterloo, and +there was a gentleness of expression which I had never seen in +life. On either side of him burned rows of candles, and this was +the beacon which had welcomed us at sea, which had guided me over +the water, and which I had hailed as my star of hope. Dimly I +became conscious that many people were kneeling in the room; the +little Court, men and women, who had shared his fortunes, +Bertrand, his wife, the priest, Montholon--all were there. I +would have prayed too, but my heart was too heavy and bitter for +prayer. And yet I must leave, and I could not leave him without +a sign. Regardless of whether I was seen or not, I drew myself +erect before my dead leader, brought my heels together, and +raised my hand in a last salute. Then I turned and hurried of +through the darkness, with the picture of the wan, smiling lips +and the steady grey eyes dancing always before me. + +It had seemed to me but a little time that I had been away, and +yet the boatman told me that it was hours. + +Only when he spoke of it did I observe that the wind was blowing +half a gale from the sea and that the waves were roaring in upon +the beach. Twice we tried to push out our little boat, and twice +it was thrown back by the sea. The third time a great wave +filled it and stove the bottom. Helplessly we waited beside it +until the dawn broke, to show a raging sea and a flying scud +above it. There was no sign of the Black Swan. Climbing the +hill we looked down, but on all the great torn expanse of the +ocean there was no gleam of a sail. She was gone. Whether she +had sunk, or whether she was recaptured by her English crew, or +what strange fate may have been in store for her, I do not know. +Never again in this life did I see Captain Fourneau to tell him +the result of my mission. For my own part I gave myself up to +the English, my boatman and I pretending that we were the only +survivors of a lost vessel--though, indeed, there was no pretence +in the matter. At the hands of their officers I received that +generous hospitality which I have always encountered, but it was +many a long month before I could get a passage back to the dear +land outside of which there can be no happiness for so true a +Frenchman as myself. + +And so I tell you in one evening how I bade good-bye to my +master, and I take my leave also of you, my kind friends, who +have listened so patiently to the long- winded stories of an old +broken soldier. Russia, Italy, Germany, Spain, Portugal, and +England, you have gone with me to all these countries, and you +have seen through my dim eyes something of the sparkle and +splendour of those great days, and I have brought back to you +some shadow of those men whose tread shook the earth. Treasure +it in your minds and pass it on to your children, for the memory +of a great age is the most precious treasure that a nation can +possess. As the tree is nurtured by its own cast leaves so it is +these dead men and vanished days which may bring out another +blossoming of heroes, of rulers, and of sages. I go to Gascony, +but my words stay here in your memory, and long after Etienne +Gerard is forgotten a heart may be warmed or a spirit braced by +some faint echo of the words that he has spoken. Gentlemen, an +old soldier salutes you and bids you farewell. + + + + + +Project Gutenberg Etext of Adventures of Gerard by A. 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