Beadle's Dime Library No. 157 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

Mourad, the Mameluke. 21 — ee —- Gros Pierre turned on him savagely. ‘How! I’il show you! By killing you as I killed St. George, you sneaking ariatii rat!” He reached to his belt for a pistol, but it had become fastened for some cause, and Mourad cried out: ‘‘ The second boast. Die then!” In the same instant the bystanders saw some- thing flash between the two; and a cry of inex- pressible horror burst from Vidocq, who was nearest, as the huge frame of the galley slave fell on the pavement. | “ Mon Dieu! ILV acoupe en deux!” God! He has cut him in two.] | The Mameluke quietly stepped back and mut- tered something in Arabic to St. George, who at once started into the midst of the group, ‘He has cut in two the man who said the feat was a fable. Let him lie there. Now,only a word, The man Barras sent you to arrest 1s | in that house. It is General Bonaparte, the hero of Egy You see from what I have saved you. Now comes the question. want to earn from Bonaparte twice the money promised by Barras?” ‘Of course we do,” cried Vidocq, ‘‘ What do you say, Casse Tete?” “T say that any man who follows General Bonaparte is certain to find victory,” answered Casse Tete, with enthusiasm. ‘‘{ am ready to do what this gentleman wishes.” ‘‘ And so am I,” echoed Riquet, ‘‘Bidet and Plomier, are you read twenty thousand francs apiece?” ask turning to them. *T am ready to try,” replied Bidet, curtly. “ And I haven’t seen so much money for a long time,” observed Plomicr. ‘‘ Count me in.” St, George stepped to the side of the only man who had not a, and asked: ‘“What says our friend, Crocasse? Is he ready thousand francs or another blow to earn Vidocq, to earn twent of our Mameluke’s saber? He awaits to know, close behind you.” Crocasse turned, and, even in the darkness, saw the rolling eyes of Mourad, as the young Mameluke stood, with his saber drawn ba near his waist, as if to lend all the force of his body to a back-h blow. “Don't stir,” observed St. , warning- ly. ‘If you move he will cut, warn you that saber will cut a hair.” “Mercy!” muttered Crocasse, thorough! awed by the imminent peril in which he stood. “T will do anything you wish.” “Take him between you, Ri Tete,” commanded Vidocg, * an for we have no time to lose.” He came up close to St. a ‘‘ Well, captain, have I kept faith so far with you?” he asked, confidential y: “You have. Can we trust Crocasse/” ‘* With the others on each side of him. It’s joss as well your friend cut Gros Pierra in half. thought these Mamelukes didn’t understand any French?” ‘This one does a Jittle. You know he’s Gen- eral Bonaparte’s personal attendant.” They were hurrying on through the streets as they conversed, making the best of their way to the Luxembourg. Suddenly Vidocq stopped. ‘“By heavens, | forgot! Has no one seen him?” He uttered an impatient oath. ‘“* How could I be such a fool? He must have seen us come out, and have suspected something. I don’t remeraber seeing him anywhere as we came out.” Lafangere, who was close behind, began to laugh, Not so sharp as I thought him, this Vidocq. Bottot is taken care of by our own people.” ‘*How?” asked Vidocq, wonderingly. ~ y the people on the general’s carriage. Our friend is now snug within the walls of. the salle de la police of the garrison, under General Mu- rat’s orders.” ou know?” “ How do “T know St. George, and I saw him s to Captain Perrin, who wason the box. Perrin is not the man to let Bottot fool him.” Vidoeq took off his hat in the midst of all the rain, and bowed profoundly. | ‘*Monsieur St. George, your head is better than mine, and I count myself no fool. You forget nothing.” Presently they came to the garden of the a of Luxembourg, and St. Berge said to idoeq: ‘* Now it is your turn. I don’t feel able to coax the man outside. Can you do it?” Vidocg laughed, | ‘Oh, that’s nothing, Certainly. Have your carriage ready, and Til get Monsieur Barras out here in five minutes.” et and Casse then come on, Where is Bottot? [My | forward on his face in the passage, and ; —— — -— | GG | ‘* Well, what do you want?” ‘The safety of the Republic,” replied Vidoeq. “The word is all right, You'll find Monsieur Barras up-stairs, where you went before, and he’s pacing up and down, looking as anxious as— Crack! Vidocq was standing close by him, and of a sudden raised his hand and dealt the other what seemed to be a gentle tap on the nape of the neck. Yet under that tap the porter suddenly fell lay as still as if he bad been dead. ‘* He’s sufe for the present,” observed the rob- ber, coolly. ‘Now, Monsieur St. George, I hepe you'll not object to standing outside while I goin to Barras, You can see and bear all, but I don’t want him to see you.” ‘“ A good arrangement.” They stole up-stairs and Vidocq knocked at the door of Barras’s gorgeous cabinet, while St. Do you | George hid himself behind an angle of the wall. The anxious Director came to the coor instant- ly and threw it open. readily. ars ely he demanded, as soon as he saw idocq; ‘‘ have you got him?” “Yes, your excellency. That is—” “What? What?’ Barras seemed fairly devoured with his anxiety as he asked: “What do bbe mean?” ‘‘IT mean, that is, if we have bay the right man. You know, Monsieur Barras, your description could only apply, as 1 thought, to one man in the city of Paris. If that is the man, we have him. | Barras looked frowningly at him, gnawing his lip and appearing to hesitate. ‘What man have you got?” he asked at last. ‘‘General Bonaparte. 1 hope we’ve not made a mistake, monsieur.” Barras looked intensely relieved, and a smile broke out all over his face. ‘No, no, there isno mistake. You have done exactly right. You want the money! Come I oh give it to you at once.” ocq Hage ¥* “Tt is not that, monsieur; I am quite read to trust to monsieur’s honor. But I must tell monsieur that there is a little trouble among the men outside.” . “Trouble! of what kind?” ‘* One of them, monsieur, Casse Tete by name, used to serve with the general in Italy, and he recognized him at the time of the arrest. He has henen to tell the men that there is some mistake, that the general is a good patriot; and has worked on the others so that wg would not let Monsieur Bottot drive to the Bicetre, but insisted on coming here at once.” “Then where is neral Bonaparte now?’ asked Barras, with a pale face. ‘* Outside at the back gate, in a close carriage muffied, gagged and bound.” “And what do you want me to do?” “To go out- to them and tell them with your own lips that they have the right man, and that General Bonaparte is a traitor to the French republic. That will satisfy them, but nothing short of it.” Barras drew a deep breath. “Ts that all? Certainly. I will go.” He was going out, when Vidocg coughed. ‘*Excuse me, monsieur, but 1 think that it would aid very much in convincing the men if you took out with you—” He coughed a second time, delicately, but with a volume of meaning. “Take with me what?” ‘‘The money, monsieur.” ‘True, true. You area sharp fellow. Help yourself first, and rae me carry the rest.” St. George heard the agpen, | gold, and, ping round the corner, saw oes ae is pockets with money, with a grin of ineffa- ble satisfaction on his face, while Barras was gloomily watching, like a man who is playing a desperate game of chance and finds the luc ory eH him. “ , are you ready?” he asked, at last. “Certainly, monsieur. I precede or follow you?” asked Vid politely. very nishing, Monsieur ras, how differ- ent are the feelings of a man who has noth bit a few sous in his pocket, as I had when entered this place, and the same man when he has five gold rouleaus of ten thousand francs, in ke pd his macnn | ELI? ; n’t need your aphorisms,” replied Barras, sternly. ‘“ You forget to whom you k.” _ Vidoeg took off his hat and bowed in a way indicating the most profound respect. ‘“‘T hope not, monsieur. I salute. the setting sun as it sheds onme the last glory of its beams, Shall I show 75 the way?” ‘*Do you want any one with you?” Barras nod ‘Yourself, if you are not needed out here.” “Goon, You seem to be an original; but as “No. Lafangere, take command out long as you have taken General pene Iam You can see the c ge following us. Now, qt satisfied to let you have a little freedom Monsieur Vid I ee at your oar. r 5 ia ge hi i iat J e e gardens 0 palace oeq preceded him down stairs, a closely followed by the creole, and they knocked George w till they were at the door be- at the door obta o are had before The porter came and gruffly demanded: fore he stole r. He heard Barras say: ‘Ugh! Whata night. I must get my hat.” | “By no means. Let monsieur take my cloak. It has a hood and will cover mounsieur from the impertinent elements, that have no more re- _ for a Director of France than a street y And in a moment Vidocq had taken off his cloak, and was wrapping it tenderly round the velvet coat of the Director. ‘** Now, monsieur, forward. Take care of the va: ra is our time.” s e said the last words he saw St. George behind Barras. cloak was flung over the cheated Director’s head, and both men grasped him with all their strength. CHAPTER XXII. OTHER PLOTTERS. MonstzeuR BARRAS was so surprised and alarmed by the sudden onslaught made on him, that he could make no effectual resistance, thcugh he kicked and struggled desperately. But he was in the hands of two powerful wiry men, one of whom had him by the hea wrapped up in a cloak, while the other held his legs and hustled him along like a bag of meal to the carriage, where they were about to bundle him in, when St. George said: “No, ne. Give him a chance to yield with due dignity. Hold him!” He drew off the smothering cloak and said sternly to the ng 4? | Director: ‘‘ A cry for help will insure yourdeath. You are a by order of General Bonaparte. Are you ready to go quietly, or must we tie and gag you, as you wished done to Bonaparte?” arras, pale with his desperate struggle, yet retained dignity enough to say: ‘*{ surrender to foree. Where are you about orto the | ard-house of the garrison. Y “To the gu s) : ou will be released as soon as France is tranquil. Do you give your parole not to attempt to es- cape on the way, or must we secure you?’ “T will not ne + Banal ttoescape. General Bona- parte might at s me, who made him what he is, the indignity of bonds,” said Barras, bitterly. St. RE no answer to him, but turned to Lafangere. ‘‘ You and Mourad go inside with him. Who is that on the box?” “Perrin,” answered the coachman, from be- hind his collar. “Is this another :abbit. for the spit | Lafangere laughed and took Barras into the cnerines, while St. George and V turned away with the other men, as the coach drove off into the darkness. , “Go to Gohier’s and wait,” called out St. George as the vehicle disappeared, and they — hear the voice of Perrin, shouting back to m: ““One at atime. I will be there.” “‘ Well, gentlemen,” said St. George to the six ruffians by wkom he was surrounded, *‘so far so good. You have earned ten thousand francs apiece, and Monsieur Vidocg has it in bis pocket. e other ten thousand will be much easier.” Vidocg fidgeted and whispered: “What made you tell them that?” **Leave all tome. You shall lose nothing,” was the answer of the creole. ‘‘ Pay out the money to the other five.” Vidocq, with an air of resignation, pulled out. the rouleaux of gold from his pockets and was about to give one to each of his comrades, when St. George interrupted: ‘** No, on second thought we will not pay in advance, or anything at all till the job is over. “You might leave me in the lurch. I did this to try e. Which of you is desirous of being paid off and going home at once without further trouble?” ‘“‘L am,” growled Crocasse; but the rest were silent; and St. George answered: ‘*'You know you'll only get half the money. The — is only half done.’ ‘Ten thousand francs is enough for me,” the. ruffian growled ina surly tone. “Pay me and let me go.” ‘Monsieur Vidoeq,” said the creole politely, ‘‘Oblige me with ten thousand frances for this. gentleman, and Monsieur Casse Tete will then remember that Crocasse is one of the enemy who has left our little band in the time of dan-. e. Casse Tete nodded silently and stole behind Crocasse, who was eagerly awaiting the money to be given him by St. George. ‘‘Now, Monsieur Crocasse,” continued the creole in the same tone, “I am about to do a very foolish thing with my eyes open. I am about to trust you with ten thousand francs and your liberty, which I know you will use to sound the tocsin and raise the Sections on us to spoil our plans for to-night. Here is your money, my friend, but if any zealous friend of General Howaparte should Leck you on the head to save you from the folly you are con- tem ig it will be your own fault for leaving your comrades in the time of ag pad Crocasse listened impatientl he got hold of his little roll of when he answered with cS That's my lek ut Cody ™ In another minute a second) (EC)