Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 10 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

| —— a -~—-. —— 26 attack a first-rate man-of-war. It was midnight, and we had just left a smal) bay near Dankirk, and were steering towards the English coast, when, by the light of the moon, which, bursting forth from the thick clouds, cast her bril- liant rays on the waves, at a short distance we saw a sail. It was a brig of war which was ploughing the glittering wave. Paulet instantly discerned it. °**My lads,”’ he cried, “it is our own; every man lie down on his face, and I will answer for our success.”’ In on inetant we boarded her. The English crew fought bravely, and a bloody struggle ensued on the deck. Fleuriot, who, ac- cording to custom was the first to board, fell amongst the number of the dead. Paulet was wounded, but was avenged: and well avenged his lieutenant also. He struck down all who faced him, and never did I witness euch a scene of slaughter. In less than ten minutes we were masters of the ship, and the tri-colored flag was hoisted in the place of the red flag. Twelve of our crew bad fallen in the action, in which an equal desperation wae testified on both sides. Amongst those whe fell was one Lebel, whose resem- blance to me was so striking that it daily caused the most singular mistakes. I call: d to mind that my ‘‘Sosia’’ had regular credentials, and it occurred to me that I should ao wrong to let slip so favorable an mo ab sever Lebel had become food for the fishes, and consequently had no further need of a passport, which would stand me in the greatest stead. The idea appeared to me admirable. I only had one cause of fear, which was that Lebel might have left his ket-book with the owner of the privateer. 1 was over- Soved at discovering it about his person, and immediately took possession of it without being discovered by any person; and when they threw into the sea the sacks sand in which the dead bodies were put that they might the more readily sink, I felt myself lightened of a great weight, thinking that at length 1 had got rid of that Vidocq who had played me so many scurvy tricks. However, I was not completely assured, for Dufailli, who was our master-at-arms, knew poy name. This cir- cumstance annoyed me; and that I might have nothing to dread from him, I determined to let him into my secret by some pretended confidence. My precaution was useless. I called for Dufailli and oa him in every part of the vessel, but found him not; | went on board the “ Re- vanche™ and looked for him, called to him, but no answer was given; I went down to the powder-room, but no Dufailli. What conld have become of him ? I went to the spirit-room ; near a barrel of gin and some botiles | saw an extended body, it was he. I shook him, turned him on his back —he was breathiess—livid—dead. Such was the end of my protector: a mageiee of the brain, asudden apop exy, or instantaneous choking caused by intoxication, had terminated his career. Since the first creation of marine serveants, never was there one who got drunk with such consistent regularity and unre- mitting perseverance. A single trait characterized him, and this prince of drunkards related the circumstance as the most delightful event of his life. It occurred on Twelfth-day. Dufailli had drawn king; and to honor his tuyalty, his comrades seated him on a handbarrow borne by four gunners. On each side of him were placed bottles cf brandy for distribution; and elevated on this soem oe | palanquin, Dufailli made a halt before every booth in the camp, where he drank, and made others drink, amidst overwhelming shouts. These rejoicings were so often repeated, that at last his head became gid- dy; and his ephemeral majesty, introduced to a public- house. swallowed, without scarcely tasting it, a pound of bacov, which he mistook for Gruyére cheere. The meat was indigestible ; and Dufailli, conducted back to his bar- rack, threw himeelf on his bed, when he soon began to ex- perience a most violent convulsion of the stomach, and in vain did he strive to repress the event that foll wed. The crisis over, he fell asleep, and was only awakened from his lethargic stupor by the growling of a dog and the noise of a cat, who were quarreling in his room! O dignity of human nature, where wert thou? Such were the lessons of temperance which the Spartans gave their children, by making their slaves drunken, and thei: pointing out the effect of their excesses to them. I have delayed an instant, to give the last and finishing touch to my fellow-countryman. Le isnomore, Peace be to his manes? Returned on board the brig, where Paulet had left me with the captain of the prize and five men of the crew of the ** Revanche,’’ scarcely had we closed the hatchways on our prisoners, than we began coasting our way into Boulogne: but the reportof the can- non fired by the English before we had boarded had sum- moned one of their frigates, which bore down upon us, crowding all sail, and was soon 8o near that several shots passed over us, and we were pursued as far as Calais, when the swell of the sea becoming very great, and a stormy wind blowing on shore, we thought she would sheer off for fear of gettingamongat the breakers; but she was no longer under control, and driven towards land had to contend at once with all the violence of the elements. Torun aground was her only chance of safety, but that was not attempted. Ina moment the pigate was impelled be- yexth the cross fires o1 the batteries de la Cote de Fer, of the jetty, and of Fort Rouge; and from every quarter, there came a shower of bombs, chain-shot, and grape. Amidst the horrible noise of a thousand shots, a cry of distress was heard, and the frigate sank without any pos- sibility of succour being afforded. An hour afterwards it was daylight; and in the distance wo saw several fragments floating. A man and woman were tied to a mast, and waved a handkerchief, which we saw just as we were doubling Cape Grenet, I thonght we could rescue these unforinnate beings, and proposed the attempt to the commander of the prize; and on his refu- sal tv allow us the use of the jolly oat, in a rage I threat- ened to break his skull. ‘ Well,” said he, with a disdain- ful smile, and shrugging his shoulders, ‘ Captain Paulet is more humane than you; he has seen them, but does not stir about it, because it is useless. They are there, and we are here, and every one for bimself in bad weather; we have suffered quite loss enough, if it were only Fleuriot.”’ This answer restored me to my natural coolness, and made me understand that we ourselves were in greater danger than I had imagined. In fact, the waves evinced it; over our bh were gulls and divers, mingling their piercing cries with the shrill whistling the north wind; in the horizon, darkeni more and more, were long black and red at ; the face of heaven was disfigured, and all betokened the impend- ing tempest. Fortunately, Paulet had skilfully calculated time and distance; we failed in reaching Boulogne har- bor, but found shelter and anchorage at Portel, not far from thence. On going ashore here, we saw lying on the strand the two unfortunates whom I would have succored; the flow of the tide had cast them lifeless on a foreign — on which we gave them burial. They had been _ perhaps, and I was touched at their fate; but other a ee = - —_— ——-- The New - —_—--- cares diminished my regrets. All the population of the village, women, children, and old men, were assembled on the coast. The families of a hundred and fifty fishermen were in despair at seeing their frail barks fired upon by six English ships of the line, whose solid hulks were fur- rowi ng the waves. Each spectator, with an anxiety more easily imagined than described, followed with his cyes the bark in which he was most interested, and according as it was sunk or escaped from peril, were cries, tears, la- mentations, or transports of rapturous joy evinced. Mothers, daughters, wives, and children, tore their hair, rent their clothes, threw themselves on the earth, rttering imprecaticns and blasphemies. Others, without reflect- ing how much they insulted distress, without thinking of rendering thanks to Heaven, towards which their ney pliant hands had been raised the instant before, danced, sung, aud, with faces shining through forgotten tears, manifested every symptom of the most overpowering joy. Fervent vows, the patronage of Saint Nicholas, the eflicacy of his intercession, all was forgotten, Perhaps, next day, recollection might have returned, and a little more compassion been evinced fora suffering neenber but during the storm egotism was paramount; , asl was answered, ‘every one for himself.” CHAPTER XVII. I returned to Boulogne the same evening where I learnt that, in consequence of an order from he general in command, all the individuals who, in each corps, were marked as black sheep, were to be immediately arrested, and sent on board the cruisers, It was a sort of press which was intended to purge the army, and to check its demoralization, which had increased. to an. alarming ex- tent. Thus I judged it best to quit the “* Revanche,’’ on board which, to repair the losses of the late fight, the owner did not fail to send some of the men whom the gener had deemed it expedient to get rid of. Since Can- vetand his myrmidons were no op aer in the camp, I thought there could be no ill result if I again turned sol- dier. Furnished with Lebel’s_ papers, I entered a com- pany of gunners, then employed in coast service; and as ebel had formerly been a corporal in this division, I ob- tained that rank on the first vacancy; that is, a fortnight after my enrolment. Rvgular behavior, and a perfect knowledge of my duties, with which I was well acquaint- ed, as an artillery-man of the old school, soon acquired for me the favor of my officers; and a circumstance which might have gone greatly against me still farther concili- ated them towards me. I was on guard at the fort of Eure, during the spring- tides, and the weather was excessively bad; mountains of water were daxhed over the platform with.so much vio- lence, that the thirty-six pounders were shaken from the embrasure, and, at the dash of every wave it seemed as if the whole fort was rent to pieces. Until the Channel should be calmer, it was evident that no ship would dare to venture out; and night having come on, I did not sta- \ion seutinels, but allowed the soldiers to remain in bed until next day. 1 watched for them—or rather I could not sleep, as I had no need of repose—when, about three in the morning, some words, which I knew to be English, struck on my ear; atthe same time aknocking commenced at a door under the steps, leading to the battery. I thought we were aurpcioos, and immediately roused everybody. I pie them under arms, and had already determined on selling my life dearly, when I heard a woman's voice, who supplicated our aid. I soon heard distinctly these words in French: “Open, we have been shipwrecked!’’ I wavered an instant, and then with due precaution, and a determination to sacrifice the first who on entering should betray any hostile intent, lL opened the door and saw a woman, an infant, and five sailors, all more dead than alive, My first care was to have them all placed before a roaring fire, for they were dripping with wet and almost motionless from cold. My men andI lent them shirts and clothing; and as soon as thvy were a lit- ile revived, they tol! us the accident to which their visit to us was attributable. Having sailed for the Havannah, in a three-masted vessel, and on the point of fitiishing a prosperous voyage, they had da-hed upon the mole of our pier, and only escaped d: ath by throwing themselves on our battery from the maintop. Nineteen of their crew, umongst whom was the captain, had pcrished in the waves, The sea still blockaded us for several days, without any boat daring to venture out tous, At the end of the time I was rowed on shore with my wrecked sailors, whom conducted myself to the chief officer of the naval service, who congratulated me, as if I had taken so many prison- ers. If it were so brilliant a capture, I could really have said that it had only cau-ed me one single fright. Tow- ever that may be, in the company it procured for me a very high opinion. I continued to fulfill my dnties with exemplary punc- tuality, and three months glided away, during which I had nothing bunt praise. This I determined always to de- serve, but an adveuturer'’s career was still to be my lot. A fatality which I was compelled to submit to unresist- ingly, and often unknowingly, perpetually threw me in contact with persons and things which were most in op- position to the destiny I was attecspting cut out for myself. It was to this singular fatality, that withont be- ing enrolled in the secret societies of the army, I was in- debted for being initiated into its mysterivs. It was at Bonlogne that these societies were first formed. The first of ali was that of the Olympiens, whose founder was one Crombet of Namur, It was at firat only composed of a few young naval officers, but it rapidly increased, and all military men were admitted; principally, however, those of the artillery corps. Nothing was more common at Boulogne than dnelling; and the mania had extended cyen tothe dull and peacea- ble Netherlanders of the flotilla, nnder the orders of Admiral Wehrwel. There. was not far from the camp on the left, at the foot of a hill, a small wood, which could be passed at no hour without observing on the turf a dozen individuals engaged in what they called an affair of honor. It was here that a celebrated amazon, the demoiselle Div***, fell under the sword of a quondam lover, Colonel Camb***, who, not recognizing her in her male attire, had accepted from her a, challenge to single combat. The demoteelle Div***, whom he had forsaken for another, had wished to perish beneath his hand, One day i was castin my eyes on the scene of blood encounter, from the extremity of the left camp whic peopled the extensive plain, when I saw at some distance rom the little wood two men, one of whom was advanc- ing towards the other, who was retreating across the lain. _By the white trousers I knew the champions were ollanders, and 1 paused a moment. to look at them. Soon the assailant ret in hig turn, and then, mutually alarmed, they both retreated, brandishing their sabres; one, plucking apa little courage, made a thrust York Library. — —— | at his adversary, and then pursued him to the brink of @ ditch which he was unable to leap. Both then throwing down their swords, a pucilistie combat commenced be tween the heroes, who thus decided their quarrel. I was greatly amused at this comic duel, when I saw near @ farm where we sometimes went to eat “ccdiau” (a kind of white soup made with flour and eggs) two individuals who. stripped to the skin, were already prepared, sword in hand, attended by their seconds, who. were respecw ively a quarter-master of the tenth regiment of dra. ons and a forger of artillery. The weapons soon crossed. and the smaller of the two combatants, who was an arti le sergeant, skipped about in a very singular manner, an having traversed ina strange way at least fifty paces, I thought he must be iufallibly run through, when in an instant he disappeared, asif the earth had opened and swallowed him up, and a loud burst of langhtersuccocded After the first shoutings of this noisy mirth, the seconds approached, and I observed that they stooped down, Impelled by a feeling of curiosity, I went towards the spot and arrived just in time to help them in pulling out froma hole dug for the formation of a large hog-trough, the poor devil whose sudden disappearance h 80 greatly astonished me. He was almost lifeless, and covered with mire from head to feet. The air soon brought him back to his senses, but he was afraid to breathe; he dared not open his eyes or mouth, so foul was the liqnid in which he had been at Ye In this woeful plight, the first words that saluted is ears were jokes. Feeling disgusted at euch wn- feeling conduct, I yielded to my just indignation, and darted at his antagonist one of those significant glances, which between soldier and soldier need no interpreter. “Enough,” said he, ‘I am ready for you.” And scarcely was I on my Ayesha when on the arm which held the foil, to which I ha popes mine, I saw & tattoving, which I thought was not unknown to me. It was the ficure of an anchor, of which the stem was encircled the folds of a serpent. ‘I see the tail,” I exclaim “take care of the head; and with this word of advice f thrust at my man, and hit him on the right breast. ‘1 ath wonnded,” he then said, “that is first blood.”"—*' It is,” said I, “first blood;” and without another word I —— to tear my shirt to stanch the blood that flowed from his wound. 1 necessarily exposed his breast, where, as I had judged, I saw the head of the serpent, which was deline- ated as if gnawing the extremity of his bosom. Observing bow earnestly ! alternately examined his fea. tures and this mark, my adversary seemed to grow un- easy: but I hastened to asstre him, by these words which I whiepered in his ear: “I know you; but fear nothing, 1 am discreet.’"—**I know you toe,” he replied, squeezing my hand, **and TI will be also silent.” He who thus ce ised secrecy was a fugitive galley-slave from the Bagne of Toulon, He told me his assumed name, and stated that he. was principal quarter-master of the tenth dra ons, where in expense he su all the oftivers of s regiment, Whilst this mutnal recognition was taking place, the individual whose cause I had espoused as the champién of his wrongs, was endeavoring to wash off ina rivolet the thickest of the filth which covered himyand he soon returned to us; and all were now quiet and tll behaved, so that there were no longer any grounds-of difference, : and the inclination for laughter was turned into an un.-| common wish for reconciliation, | The principal quarter-master, whom T had woutided bat slight! Ys proposed that we shonld ratify articles of peace at the Canon d'Or, where they had always ready excellent stewed eels and ready-plucked poultry. Te there gave us a princely breakfast, which was kept up till supper came, for which his adversary paid. On our separation, the quarter-master made me promize to meet him again, and the sergeant would not be content ed unless I accompanied him home, This serceant was M. Bertrand, who lodged in the upper town, in the houxe of a superior officer. As soon ay we were alone, he testified his gratitude with all the warmth of which he was capable; for after drinking, a coward who has been rescued from peril may evince some feeling, He made me offers of any kind of service, and as I would accept of none, he said, “* You think, perhaps, that Ihave no influence; I should be out a paltry protector, certainly comrade, if I had only the power of a subaltern; but that is because I do not wish to be otherwise. IL have no ambi- tion, and all the Olympiens are like me; they despise the miserable distinction which rank confers.” I asked who the Olympiens were? “ They are,” he replied; ‘men who adore liberty, and seek equality; will you be an Olympien? For if BO, eay the word, and you shall be admitted in- stantly.’ I thanked M. Bertrand, adding, that I did not see any necessity to enrol myself in a society to which the atten- tion of the police would be drawn sooner or later. “You are right," he replied; and then with earnestness added, “Do not enter for it will go. badly with them.”’ He'then gave me details concerning the O piens; and, as if im. pelled by the feeling of confidentia communication whict champagne so peculiarly excites, he told me, urder the géa) of secrecy, the object of his mission to Boulogne. | After this first interview, I continued to see M. Ber- trand, who remained for some time in his office of “ spy.” until the period having arrived when he was sufficiently instructed, he asked and pro