The Soldier's Wife — page 217: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

7 96 ear. Lonsdale’a hands were thrown upward, and he fell heavily upon his back. The spas: modic shudder which simultaneously quivered along the whole line, was something not merely to be seen—but likewise to be heard ! The victim was not dead. Though pierced by several balls, life yet lingered in him ; his hands waved like the fins of a fish when taken out of the water and in the last agonies of death The Drum Major had four more loaded muskets at hand: these he promptly ordered the four oldest and steadiest of the firing-party to take. They obeyed him—obeyed also the few rapidly whispered instructions he gave: and hastening towards the prostrate form of their comrade, they placed the muzzles to his head and poured in the last volley, crashing his skull and seatter- ing his brains upon the ground where be lay. If the former acts of the tragedy were hideous and horrible, this last one was satanic, hellish, and damnable ! Promptly was the word of command given for the line to break by falling back into com- panies; and the next order was to “ march past in slow time.’ As each company came in a line with the body, the word was given to “mark time’—which is a process of lifting the feet but bringing them back to the spot whence they were raised, so that the corps while thus engaged makes no advance. The order “ Eyes Left” was then issued, for the purpose of com- pelling the company thus marking time to fix their eyes upon the corpse which lay brained and skull-shattered there, Oh, the refinements of infernal cruelty to which the military code has reached! Oh, the essence of all imaginable horrors which it has succeeded in concentrating ! Could it be supposed that the spectacle of that murdered and mangled man would make the bebolders virtuous and good # No—such was not the intention; but it was to produce a mechanized and slavish obedience under the ter- rorism of a frightful example. While the regiment was thus marching past in slow time, each company being successively compelled to pause and gaze in the manner de- scribed on the slaughtered victim, the quick galloping tramp of a horse’s hoofs was heard, from the outside of the barrack-wall, approach- ing the gates, which had been closed during the execution. The sentinel who stood there, in- stinctively struck with the idea that it was some messenger of authority approaching, fluug open those gates; and Reginald Herbert galloped into the barrack-yard. But the instant his eyes encountered the spectacle of death, he threw up his arms in despair,—exclaiming In a voice of vending agony, * Oh, it is too late |” A fearful sensation seized upon all present: the troops came to a dead halt without any word of command to that effect. Every one understood what it was, A reprieve had ar- rived—but as its bearer had proclaimed in that anguished tone, it had come tov late | Oolonel Wyndham was the first to rush up to the spot where Mr, Herbert threw himself from his horse, a prey to all the horrible feelings of a man who has hoped to do a good deed, but who is bullied in the attempt. Almost frantic, THK sOLDIER’S WIFE. he gave the Colonel the despatch ; but while this officer was yet reading it, another eireum- stance of mingled horror and mystery trans pired, to divert somewhat the attention of all present in that barrack-yard from the other dread incidents of the hour thac was passing. Through the gates, which had been thrown open for Mr, Herbert, an ominous cortege hegan to make its way. Several laborers supported a hurdle upon their shoulders ; and in this lay be object, which, though covered up with some rude kind of cloth, was nevertheless urnmista- kably a corpse, A crowd of dismayed and horrified spectators thronged in the rear of the working-men and their burthen, The sentinel] suffered the latter to pass, but sternly bade the multitude keep back. Colonel Wyndham and other officers, accompanied by Mr. Herbert, has tened to learn whose corpse it was which was thus borne into the barrack-yard, The men de- posited the hurdle upon the ground—the cover- Ing was taken off—and the horrified ejaculation of “Captain Redburn!” burst forth from the lips of the officers, It was a ghastly spectacle. Gerald was in his undress uniform, just as he had quitted the barracks on the preceding day to ride across to the Manor: his garments were saturated with water, and were soiled with mud and slime, His sword was gone from its sheath. One side of his head appeared to be completely beaten in; and his features were horribly disfigured, as if le had received murderous blows even on the |very face. His pockets had been rifled, with the exception of his watch, which was inside the breast of his buttoned-up surtout-coat ; so that it had either escaped the assassin’s notice—or else the tnurderer must have been alarmed in the n#dst of the despoiling process and taken precipitately to flight. The tale of the laboring men who had borne the body to the barracks, was soon told. a field about_two miles from Middleton, and which was separated by a deep slimy ditch from the main road leading to Oakleigh—when one of them fancied he saw a human hand _ pro- jecting out of the muddy water. This led toa search; and the body of Captain Redbuarn was drawn out upon the bank. In the road close by there were indications of a struggle having taken place, and also of the corpse having been dragged from the spot where the conflict had evidently occurred, to that part of the ditch in which it was found immersed. When the working-men’s tale was told, Col, Wyndham hastily inquired of Mr. Herbert how he became possessed of the reprieve? Regi- nald’s explanations were alike promptly given ; and it thus became evident that the murderer of Gerald Redburn could be no other than the moneter-looking man whom he had so recently left at Clive Hall, For everything was but too terribly clear pow! Sir Arehibald Redburn must have returned on the preceding night to the Manor, bearing the reprieve with himn— Gerald, in pursuance of the purpose for which he had gone home, had set off to bear the pre- cious document to Middleton—he had been way laid and murdered on the road—his assassin had fled with the despatch, und thus had caused the LS a They were at work ere now, in Gomicbooks (ele)