Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 10 — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

-— a ae se =. 7" = _ ° - = ——— a 22 -t.°6 ee! eS ee ee ee - eeeee ee O—ee - «* - a - i et es ~ ——— = =o i : rt : . “policy to disguise myself by only - Becessary forsee of his life in the colonies,.an Rie nat only looked Mmodestiy stationed ~“ Ah! good ae Parisian, ‘*“Good day, father Duf Re eV terten ignorant of what was the cause of disturbance, mt my sore leg was a token that might make me sus- ty My face was unknown: in all probability the rst persons who met me would secure my person. Had I been in full possession of my limbs, I could have dis- ‘tanced all pursuit; I must yield at present; and scarcely had I procoeded two hundred paces when I was overtaken by the gendarmes who were scouring the coumtry in all ons, and who seized and conveyed me back to the cursed clock-house. The nnpropitious result of this attempt did not discour- me. At Bapaume we were placed in the citadel, an old police-station, guarded by a detachment of conseripts of the 30th regiment of the line; ove sentinel only was placed over us, and he was under the window, and near enough for me to enter into conversation with him, which I did. The soldier, to whom I addressed myself appeared a fellow enough, and T thought I could easily bribe him. I offered him fifty francs to let us es- cape whilst he was on guard. He refused at first; but b the tone of his voice, and by acertain twinkling of his es, I thought I saw his impatience to get such a sum only t hé was afraid of consequences. ‘T'o encourage him, I increased the dose, and showed him three louis, when he said he would aid ns; at the same time adding that his round would be from midnight till two o'clock. Having made our arrangements, I commenced operations; the wall was pierced so as to allow us a free caress, and we only waited until the opportunity should arrive. At length, midnight struck; the soldier immediately an- nounced to me that he was there, and I gave him the three boule and then made the necessary dispositions. When all was ready, I called out. “ Is it time ?’* I said to the ‘sentinel. “Yes, make haste,"’ he answered, after a trifling hesitation. J thenght it singular that he did not. answer inetantly, and imagining that his conduct was somewhat dubious, I listened. He seemed to be marctiing; and, by the moonlight, I also perceived the shadow of several men in the ditch, and had no longer any doubt but that we were betrayed. However, as I might have been mistaken, to make quite sure, I took some straw, which I stuffed into some clothes, and put. it at the’ aperture which we had e; and at the same instant a sabre blow that wonld have eleft an anvil informed me that I had well eacaped, and . ed me more and more in the opinion that we must not always trust to conscripts. ‘The prison was soon Slled with gendarmes, who drew up a statement of facts; mer examined ns, wishing very much to know all, and i declared that I had given the conscript three louis, which he flatly denied; he was examined, and on their being found in his shoes, he was put in the black-hole. As forus, we were threatened most menacingly; but as Pe one not punish us, they contented themselves with doubling the guard. There was now no method of escape, “without one of those opportunities for which I watched tacessantly, and which presented itself earlier than I ex- ted. The nextday wasthe day of ourdeparture, and we descended into the barraci-yard, which was in great eonfision from the arrival of a fresh number of prisoners and a detachment of conscripts from Ardennes, who were ‘to the camp at Boulogne, The adjutante were eqnabbling with the gendarmes about room for formin ‘three divisions, and making the muster-call. While eac were counting theirmen, | glided cautiously in at the tail “Ww just leaving the court, and thus pass- ——- af a baggage 1% 5 the ¢ Wy, tiotionless, and in as smal) a compass as elu le, to elude detection. Once beyond the ram- eat I had only to’steal away; and I seized the oppor- whilst the wagoner, thirsty, as these people always are, baa gone into an ale-house to refresh himself; and whilet his horses awaited him on the road, I lightened his veyance of a load of which he was not aware. I slept in a field of maize, and when night arrived, directed my steps eastward. CHAPTER XVL I rma vEetuen through Picardy toward e. At this period Napoleon abandoned his intention of & de- scent on land, and was about to make war against Austria with his vast army, but ‘had left many battalions on the shores of the British Channel. There were in the two cainps, that on the left and that on the right, depots of almost every corps, and soldiers of every nation in ‘Earope. The uniforms were various, and this variety might be usefu) in concealing me; but I thonght that would be bad wing a military garb. I eee for s moment of becoming actnally a soldier, but then to enter a regiment it would have been to have certain , which I had not. I Qen gave ap the intention, anid yet my abode at Boulogne ‘was dangerous, until I should decide om something. One day that I was more embarrassed more un. es than usual, [ met on the walks a t of marine- ery, whoni I had met at Paris, and who was, as we?! ae myself, a native of Arras; but having embarked when very young in a ship of war, he’ had passed the greater had learnt nothing ant P dole ae He e on me as a bon vivant; and <pablietiued which I energetically espoused his cause, had ive country row, in given him # high opinion of my courage What, is it you?" said he, “ Roger Bontem ; and what are you doinjr at Boulogne?” “ t am I doing! why, sec employment in the train of the army.” on want employment; do you know that it is ivilisi difficult to get a berth now? But if you will listen to my advice—though this is not for such con- Wersation; let us go to Galand’s.” Wethen went to a sort of sutler’s which was in of the angles of the street. 5 eaid the ant to the hoat. li—What will you have this morning?—a dram ?—mixed or plain?” “ Five-and-twent ods! papa Galand, do you take us for blackguards? It ie the best pullet and snper-excellent wine that we want, ‘do. you hear?” Then addres me,—“ Is it not true pide y, that ey Lie yr of our tiends are sk friendet ou m agree to;"’ an e into B feo room, where M. Gaiend adisttied his favorite omers, { was very hungry, and saw with lively satisfaction the sd ‘geome fora of which I was to partake. A Ww -maid, from twenty-five to t years, well made, bh a face and good or w such girls have, ‘who can constitute the city of a whole regiment, seme cilasathe hie oeiia ena toherine OG lively, c an poe fy ev mo- seal ioe ittiiitenh a Conta gratis e mirth of the sergeant, who was delighted with her. “She is the sister-in-law of our said he to me; “what cat- beads she has! she is as plump asa ball, and as roun: as @ waey—e dainty lass, upon my faith.” At the same time and looking carefully — —— ———— 9 ee Dnufailli, pulling her about, began to play all sorts of naval tricks; sometimes drawing her on his knees, sometimes applying to her shining cheeks oneof those hearty smacks which bespeak more love than discretion. I confess I was annoyed at this coquetry, which delayed our meal, when Mademoiselle Jeannette (so was the nymph called) having abruptly broken away from the arms of my Amphitryon, returned with part of a devilled turkey and two bottles, which she placed before us. “Well done,” said the sergeant; ‘* here is wherewithal to moisten onr food, and increase the juices. Ishall play my part. After that we shal! see; for here, my boy, it is alias f wish. I have only to make a si: nal. Is it not so, Jeannette? Yes, my comrade,” continued he, ‘‘I am master here.” I congratulated him on so much good fortune, snd we began to eat and drink with might and main. It was long since I had been at such a festival, and I played my part manfully. Abundance of bottles were emptied; and we were about, I believe, to nncork the seventh, when the sergeant went out, and soon returned, bringing with him two new guests, a forager and a sergeant-major. ‘* Pive-and- y gods! 1 like good fellowship,”’ cried Dufailli. ‘“ By Jeve, I have made two recruits. I know how to go recruiting; ask these gentlemen.” “Oh, yes,”’ said the forager, “he is the cock, father Defailli, to invent plots to seduce conscripts; when I think of them, I remember my own adveniure.”’ * Ah, you still remember that!"’ “ Yes, yes, my old lad;TI re- member it.and the major also, when you were deep enough to enlist him as secretary of the regiment.” “Welll has he not done well? A thousand thunders! is it not better to be the first accountable man in an artil- lery company than sit &cratchine away on paper in a study? What say you, forager?” “‘Tagree with you; but’’—** But, but, you will tell me perhaps, you, that you were happier when, with your old dag of amaster, you were obliged to lay hold of the waterimg-pot, and make yourself dripping wet with throwing * spawn over your tulips. We were going to embark at Brest on board Invincible, and you would only go out as a flower-gardener. ‘Well, then,’ eaid I, ‘ go as flower-gardener; the captain likes flowers; every man to hie taste, but also every man to his trade; and I carried on mine. 1 think I see you now; you were rather disappointed when, instead of employing yourself in cultivating marine plants, as you expected, you were sent to man the shrouds of a thirty-six: and when ou were ordered to fire abomb-shell! that was a noseray or you! But no more of that; and let’s drink a measure of wine, Come, lads, here’é to our comrades.”’ I filled al) the glasses, and the sergeant continued— “You see that I am not wanted now; therefore let us make of all of us but ‘a pair of friends. This ie easily done; I have caught these nicely in my snare, but that. nothing; we recruiters of the marines are but fools to thy recruiters of earlier ere hn are still but greenhorna, Ah! you never knew Belle-Rose: he was 'the lad for takin in the knowing ones! Such asT am; I was not a thoroug noodie, and yet he twisted me completely round his finger, T think I bave alrvady told you the tale; but at all events I will give it you again for the general good. “ Under the anctent me, do you see, we had colo- nies, the isle of France, Bourbon, Martiniqne, &c.; now they are ours no longer; we have only the isle of Oleron left; it ie litle more than nothing; or, as somebody said, it isa foot of earth whilst we wait for the rest. The de- ecent would have restored us all the others; but bah, the descent—we must no longer think of that, that is settled; the flotilla will rot in the port, and they will make tire- wood of the hulls. But I am getting out of my latitude, oo seaward, instead of landward; now then for elle-Rose! “Ae I told you, he was a spark who had cut his wisdom- teeth, and in his time oA te fellows were not of the same kidney with those of present day. “Thad left Arras at fourteen, and been at Paris for elx months, ‘ntice to e gansmith, when, one morning,m master des me to carry to the colonel of: the carabl- neers, who lived in the Palace Royale, a pair of pistols which he had been repairing. I soon performed this com- mission, and unfortunately these oureed pistols ehonld re- turn eighteen france to the shop, and the colonel counted out the money, adding a trifle for myself. So far, 60 good; but, lo and behold, in crossing a street I heard somebod knock at a window; I raised my eyes, toe that should see some acqnaintance, when what should I see but a madame de Pompadour, who, with all hor charms displayed, wastapping at a window, and, who, by an incli- nation of her head, accompanied with a charming sywile, invited me to go up to her. She might have been called a picture moving in itaframe, A magnificent neck. a skin white as snow, a wide cheat, and above all, a delightful countenance, combined to inflame me. I went up ctairs four at a time, and on introducing myself to my princess Ifound ber » divinity. ‘Approach, my little one,’ said she *< me, tapping my cheek lightly; ‘you are going to make me a little present, are you not?’ | ““T put my trembling hand into my ket, and takin out the piece of money given to me by the colonel—* Wel my child,’ continued she, ‘I think you are a Picardy lad, and I am your countrywoman. Oh, you wish to treat your townswoman to a glass of wine.’ “The request was urged so sweetly that I had no power o! denial left, and the eighteen francs of the colonel were trenched upon. One glass produced another, that gene- rated a third, which begot a fourth, and 60 on, until I was drunk with wine and delight. Night arrived, and I know not how, But I awoke in the street on 4 heap of stones at the gate of an hotel. “My surprise was at on looking about me, and still woes "when, on loo in my purse, the birds were own. “How could I retarn to my master’s? Where wee 4 I determined to walk about till daybreak; I had only to kill time, or rather torment myself about the consequences of a firet fault. I turned mechanically towards the market of the Innocents. Mind how you trust your country- women! said I to myself! I am nicely fleeced! If I had only some money left— “T confess that at this moment some droll ideas crossed brain. I had often seen pasted upon the walls of Paris— *Pocket-book Lost,’ with one thousand, two thousand, or even three thousand francs’ reward for the person who would bring it back. I thought I might find one of these about me on the pavement and walking like a man who is looking for something, 1 was seriously on the probability of gnome | good a windfal!, when I was aroused from my reverie by a blow of a fist, which encountered my back. * What, my boy, you out so early this morning!” ‘Ah, is it you, Fanfan; and by what chance in this quarter at this hour?’ “Fanfan was a pastry-cook’s apprentice, whom I knew, e told me that he had left the oven for @ mistress who fitted him and in a moment the last elx weeks; that he had a8 eee ee ee —_——_-—-S OO Giininienegtiaines out; that for a short time he was from home, beca. intimate friend of his mistress had chosen to sleep We. her. ‘As for the rest,’ said he, ‘I wink atit. IfI passa night at the Sourciere, I return to my haunt next morning, and recover myself during the day.’ Fanfan, the. pastry- cook, a poured to me a keen fellow; and thinking that he might devise some plan to extricate me from my embar- rassment, I told him the whole of it. ***Ts that all?’ said he. ‘Come to me at mid-day at the public-house at the Barriere des Sergents, and I may give a some useful counsel: under any circumstances we'll ine together.’ “JT was punctual at the rendezvous, and Fanfan did not keep me waiting; he was there before me, and on my en- trance I was led into a small room, where I found him seated before a tub of oysters, with a female on each side of him, one of whom, on perceiving me, burst out into a loud fit oflanghter. ‘Ah, what is that for? said Fanfan. * Oh heaven, itis my townsman.’ ‘It ismy townswoman,' said I, confused. * Yes, my little one, it is your towns- woman.” Iwas going to complain of the trick she had served me on the reves evening, but embracing Fanfen, whom she called her pet, she langhed more heartily than before,and I saw that the best thing I could do was to join in the laugh like a jolly fellow. “ * Well,’ said Fanfan, pouring out a glass of white wine, and helping me to a aoven_ oysters, ‘you see, ‘you must never despair of Providence. We have some piss’ feet on the gridiron; do you like pigs’ feet?” And before I could answer his question, they were puton the table. The appetite I dis- played was 80 much in the affirmative, that Fanfan had no further oecasion to ask my opinion of them. Thecha- blis soon put me in epirits, and I forgot the disagreeables which had given me such cause of dreading my mastcr; and, as the companion of my townswoman had cast a acious eye on me, I did not hesitate to make desperate ove to her. By the honor of Dufailli! she was soon won, and gave me her band. “You really love me then,’ said Fanchette—so was my damsel named. ‘Love you?’ said I; *why, if you like, we will be married.’ * That is ri¢ht,’ said Fanfan ‘marry ; and to commence, I will wed you at once. I marry you, my boy; do you understand? so embrace;’ and® at the eame time he united our hands and drew our faces towards each other. ‘Poor child,’ said Fanchette, giving me a second kiss without the aid of my friend, ‘be easy ; I will instruct you.’ ‘“At this period the Notables had just assembled, and they were good pigeons. Fanchette plucked them, and we shared the spoil. Each day we banqueted without limit. These Notables supplied our throats as well as exerting théir own! And I had always a well-supplied puree. “ Fanchette and I denied ourselves nothing; but how brief are the moments of happiness! Oh, how brief! “Scarcely had a month of this charniing life elapse when Fanchette and my townswoman were apprehende and taken to prison. What had they done? Tf do not know, but evil tongues said something about the abstrac- tion of a repeating-watch. I, who had no particular wish to make acquaintance with the lieutenant-general of police, thought it best to make as few inquiries as pos sible. “This arrest was a blow which we had not looked for. Fanfan and I were overwhelmed at it. Fanchette waa such a dear girl! and then how was to carry on the war! My kettle was upset; farewell oysters, farewell chablia, farewell hours of Jove! I should have stuck to my anvil and Fanfan reproached himself for having quitted his attypans. Pe e were walking sorrowfully on the Quai de la Fer. raille, when we were suddenly aroused by 8 sound oj military music, two clarionets, a large drum, and cym bals. e crowd had gathered round this band, stationed in a car, above which floated colors and plumes. I think they were playing the air, * Where can we find joys equal to those at home ?” When the musicians had finished, the drums beat a roll, and a gentleman, covered with gold lace, got up and spoke, showing a large representation of a soldier in full uniform. ‘ By the authority of his majee ty,’ evid he, * Tam hereto explain to the subjects of the king of France the advantages which he offers in admit tine them to his colonies, “Young men who are round me, ou must have heard of the land of Cocagne, and it is te ndia that we must go to find this fortunate countiy There we must go if we would live in clover. “*Wonld you have gold, pearls, or diamonds? The roads are paved with them; you have only to stoop and ick them up, and not even that, for the savages will col ect them for you. “*Do you love women? There they are for all tastes negresses, who belong to all the world; then ereoles white as you or I, and who dote to madness on white men, which is natural enough in a country where the men are all black; and note seater ome every one o: them is as rich as Greens ; which, between ourselves, is very advantageous in ma : De you Awe wine? It is like the women, of all sorts: Malaga, Bordeaux, Champagne, &c. For instance —you must not often expect to meet with Burgundy, > will not deceive you, it will not bear sea carriage: but ask for any other that is made throughout the world, at six nce @ bottle, and believe me, you will find them but toc happy to ure it for you. es, gentlemen, for six pence; and that cannot surprise you, when you learn tha, sometimes one, two, or three hundred ships, loaded with wines, arrive at the same time in one single harbor, Pic- ture to yourself the embarrassment of the captains; in haste to return, they ys are unload, and announce that they shall re ita favor from any who will empty the casks tis. “<Thatde not all, Do not you think it would te a sweet life always to have sugar in plenty? I have not mentioned coffee, lemons, pomegranates, oranges, piie- apples, and the millions of delicions fruits which gro here as wild as they did in Paradise; and the liquors, which are much esteemed. “*If I were addressing