Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 193 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

—— — —_— ** And if I kill you?’ ‘‘ Then, as I said before, I shall be missed and you will be found out at last.” The man in black suddenly threw down the ‘sword. **T cannot kill you. Perhaps I am a fool. But there are other places in the world. This Bonaparte does not rule everywhere. I will make a bargain with you.” | What is it?” “T will go away from here. Give me your word to keep the secret of these passages and I use them no more.” Gabriel hesitated. ‘* But others may use them.” “I promise for all. Will you do the same? ‘Come, I don’t want to kill you, but I must pro- tect myself.” ‘I will promise,” said Gabriel, slowly, ‘‘ but your friends must leave the emperor alone.” The man in black laughed bitterly. * You need not fear. He will bring his own fate on his own head. Turn your back, count ten, then look round.” Gabriel did as directed. When he wheeled round the loft was empty. The stranger had ‘vanished like a spirit. CHAPTER XIII. THE ATAMAN OF THE COSSACKS. WE must take a journey now. Away from the sunny vineyards and whiten- ing fields of Fair France, over the Rhine, the Neckar, and the Elbe, past the gloomy defiles of the Forest of Thuringia, the fertile meadows of Saxony, across the marshy wastes of the Vis- tula, and into the vast green solitudes of the Ukraine, in the month of June. Around us lies a level plain, flat as the sea in a dead calm, without a single swell to mar the uniformity; and all this plain is knee-deep in grass and flowers, as far as the dim horizon. Not a hillock breaks the monotony; but for all that there is nothing dull in the prospect, ‘when one is on the steppe; for there is a sense of freedom about the limitless expanse, a keen, tingling pleasure in every breath of the per- fumed breeze that reminds one of the sailor’s feelings when he is out of sight of land, with a ecapful of wind blowing. nd for variety there is plenty of it, for there are at least three hundred different ecies of flowers in every acre of surface) and é wild bustards and florikens are springing out of the coverts on every side, while the steppe hare goes scudding away like a flash when he hears the hoofs of the horses, the fal- ‘con hovers in the blue sky overhead, and afar off we can hear the lowing of cattle, and catch sight of little clouds of smoke, that tell of Cos- sack encampments. It was through the midst of this green ocean of vegetation, in the year 1812, that a little party of horsemen came riding at a gallop in the month of June. They were all mounted on the hardy steppe ‘ses that run half-wild, winter and summer, and defy the wolves, be they ever so hungry. _ They were galloping as if they bad but just out, though their horses were reeking with sweat, and they all wore a sortof military dress, which could hardly be called uniform, but was decidedly warlike. The leader was a young man ina green jacket, heavily laced with gold, with two rows of em- broidered cartridge cases on his breast and an Astrachan cap on his head with a red top and old tassel. His big crimson trowsers were hrust into big brown boots, and he wore terri- ble spurs, while his gay shawl sash was stuck full of pistols, of which he had six. He wore no sword, but carried a heavy whip in one hand with a short handle and a lash six or seven feet tong. in the shape of a snake. is companions had pistols, lances, and a dress of similar shape but of all colors, and they wore no spurs, but carried whips of the same pattern. , Presently the young man called out: ‘‘ What smoke is that ahead of us?’ “It is the sotnia of Nikolai Ivanovitch, lit- tle father,” said one of the Cossacks. ‘‘He al- ‘ways bas a hundred horses ready for the Ozar’s service.’ “So much the better,” returned the young man, lightiy; ‘‘ for this fellow I ride must have had a cow for his nurse, he moves so awk- wardly,” To he sure the poor animal was laboring heavily, for it had beew ridden twenty miles in an hour and a quarter, but the young Man was not wont to regard the sufferings of borse-flesh much, being one of the Czar’s couriers, whose business it is to kill horses by the score if there- by they can save an hour from St. Petersburg to Odessa. So he dug in bis spurs‘and brought down his heavy whip on the flank of the little black horse he rode, and the game creature answered gal- lantly, while the smoke ahead rose higher and higher, clear of the grass, till they could see the bee-hive shaped felt tents of the Cossacks, who in those days camped out like the Tartars, Into the camp they rode, and found a good hundred tents scattered about, with he of cattle, sheep and horses feeding about on the ee ee The Man in Red. eee - the —— steppe. Out of the felt tents came runnin tall, muscular Cossacks, recognizing the uniform of the courier and calling to each other: **Get horses quick! The Czar’s messenger has come!” From the principal habitation of the village came, too, a tall old man with a long white beard, who saluted the courier as he rede up, and asked: ‘‘ What is the news, Vassili Mattiovitch?” arms,” cried the courier, in a loud voice, so that all could hear him. . Then he pulled from his belt a big parchment and read aloud: **ALFXANDER, Czar of the two Russias, Archangel, Kiev, Toholsk, Irkoutsk Crim Tartary, and lord of all the true believers, to his children; “Your emperor calls Ph to arms to repel the in- vaders. The holy soil of Russia is about to be pro- faned by the wicked French, who, having ed their own king, wish to rule over the people of Russia, “To arms, my children, and drive the invaders home, as you once did the ferocious Tartars, Your emperor calls you! Will you desert him? “Especially, you Cossacks of the Don and Dnie- per, you Zaporovians of the free commenwealth, bt men who have conquered Siberia, and on whose ances rests the crown of Russia.: ‘Fly to arms. The Cossacks will. unite at Smo- lensko, under their Ataman Platoff. God save Russia! ALEXANDER,”’ The reading of this proclamation was greeted with a wild shout o roared: ‘*God save the Czar! God save the Czar!” Then ‘hey began to hug each other and dance for joy, till they were recalled to duty by the voice of their old Ataman, or Headman, who roared out: ‘** What are you fooling about? Cossacks, the edict is all read through and you are not yet in the saddle! Scatter and get the horses. We'll be the first at the meeting place of Smolensko.” And then, without so much as topping to kiss their wives and children, the b war- riors of the steppe ran off to the berd of horses, began to select their animals and lead them up, so that in less than two minutes after the courier had thrust the ukase back in his belt, the whole camp was a scene of bustle and mar- tial ardor, in the midst of which, Vassili Matti- ovitch threw himself on a fresh horse and gal- oped away with a couple of Cossacks out of this band, to carry the news over the ste that the Emperor of the French was advancing to violate the soil of Russia. And then, out of the ataman’s huge felt tent, a vepee a tall, thin man, with a pointed chin and very dark eyes, who said quietly to Nikolai Ivanovitch: **T told you that it would come soon. I knew the man better than you did.” The old ataman shook his head: “TI did not believe it ible. No one has dared enter Russia since the Swede, and he had to flee without an army.” ‘This man is as bold as Charles XTI., and brings ten times as strong an army with him,” replied the thin man. and take it.” The ataman curled his lip proudly. ‘Not to Moscow. e will bury bis army long before he gets there, lord general.” The pale man shook his head. Es ‘“*I tell you he will get to Moscow and take up his lodging in the Kremlin, Nikolai.” Then the Cossack laughed aloud, ‘*Ah, now [I know you jest, lord general. None but a Russian prince ever slept in the Kremlin, save as a prisoner. You are jokin with me, because I am a simple Cossack, lo general,” ‘Indeed I jest not,” replied the other in a tone of great gravity. ‘‘ Great trials are com-— ing on Russia, Nikolai. You will see more dead men this year than you have ever seen before, and we shall be beaten again and again. The man who is coming is a wonderful warrior. I have watched bim from a boy, and know bis | very heart.” The Russian looked respectfully at the other, though there was nothing in bis appearance to call for much attention beyond the fact of bis extreme meagerness. | He was dressed in a sort of half military eos- tume, but without arms, and’wore the stars of a general on his collar. “You area learned man, general,” said the ataman humbly. ‘We Russians’ can make a charge, but you men of the west know much more than we, Do you really think the French will reach our sacred ‘Moscow ?” os joy, and the Cossacks Death to the French! ‘**He will go to Moscow am sure of it. Nikolai, so sure that, if I | had the command—” .« ‘‘And why not, general?” asked vhe ataman, | quickly. ‘The Czar knows that we .ussians, while we can fight, are not generals, und he takes foreigners. There are Barclay de ‘Lolly | and Wittgenstein, and more bésides. You might have the best command of all—” The general shook his head. “Not this time, Nikolai. It is true they have treated me vilely; but I cannot fight them myself, though I know the time is coming “The Czar calls on his children to run | ——— —EE ae for them to fall. I will watch and advise, but after all, your armies will not beat them; thongh they will be beaten.” Nikolai stared. ‘* Not our armies? Then what will?” ‘* Russia,” replied the general slowly. winter, the snow, the cold.” Nikolai looked borrified. “The winter! What, do you mean that we cannot drive them out all this summer and autumn?” “*I do, Nikolai.” ** Then by the beard of Czar Ivan the Terri- —- ‘The ble, general, I'll show you that for once you. ere wrong.” ‘* How, Nikolai?’ The Cossack smiled proudly and waved his hand toward the fast mustering troops of his lancers of the steppe. ‘* They will show him, general, Our men met his cuirassiers once at Eylau, and we red them from their horses like so many sheep in a pasture,” : Rae ‘Yes, in a snowstorm, by surprise; but the ~ yeeye flight at Friedland, as I have beard, olai. The ataman colored slightly. ‘Yes, ’ll own they checked us there with a single regiment; but then they were devils. They were all black, horses, men, armor, and all; and our fellows thought there was a curse on them. Have you ever seen that regiment, general? They called them the Demon Cuiras- siers at Friedland.” ‘*] saw them at Tilsit.” $¢ Ay ay; but we wil beat them, for all that, this time. ‘You will not, Nikolai. The winter will, but as long as they bave their horses, your men can never face them on the field.” The ataman tossed bis head asif he didnot believe it, and, just at that minute, a Cossack brought up a horse for each of the chiefs—for the genera! seemed to be known in such capa- city—and they mounted without more ado and rode out of the camp, teking the road—only a cow-track, half hidden in grass—that led to Smolensko. Three hundred men, on wiry little horses; a forest of lances gleaming in the sun; the Cos- sacks singing together one of their old war songs, in lieu of a bend of music, to the accom- paniment of a kettle-drum and a small guitar; on they swept at a rapid amble, leaving the women and children to look after the tents in their absence. As the |: st wreath of smoke faded on_ the rey oe wae the tee said: + olai, you will not see the campa till you hae aed Paris.” _ ‘*So much the better,” was the answer, CHAPTER XIV. THE MARCH OF THE GRAND ARMY. “You have but one positive order; keep your horses fresh, and collect all the fo you can, The Cossacks are a mere rabble; let them come — rp and Le — — o—. ne “ e er was the King of Maples - son, and was addressing Count Gabriel of Fried. land, as he sat on his big black horse at the side of the road, where his division of cavalry was massed, waiting the order to mount. For Gabriel had received another step in the ladder of promotion at the beginning of the great Russian campaign, and had twelve thou sand cuirassiers under bis orders, The King of Naples was in his element that day. Never had such a force been collected in anes since the days of Attila and the Huns, _ Eighty thousand cayalry, twelve hundred guns and a half a million of men in arms cover- ed the face of the country, and one might ride a whole day at full speed without getting out of sight of the dense columns of men on the merch. The emperor’s head-quarters were at Thorn and the Grand Army was crossing the Niemen. On the other side Jay the territory of Ru not profaned for a century back by the foot an enemy. Gabriel could see the glitter of bayonets stretching out to the horizon in front, en? as far as he could see in the rear were the wuiite tilts of the wagons. They crossed the Niemen on five bridges and the steady stream of men kept on passing from dawn ‘till dark, long after the cavalry had spread over the face of the country in front, ¢ me be ee ee ee ee “e te - a + There were French, Prussian, Saxon and . Austrian contingents in that Grand Army and the Italian troops had come with the King of Naples so that three distinct languages anda | dozen different dialects were required by an staff officer who boped to communicate wi / all It seemed as if such a vast host must over-" whelm the country into which they were entering, and in truth they eat up everything | on the road, The cavalry, prom | in advance, had the best of the journey, for they came into fresh terri- tory, but -rodote: ¢ there were symptoms that their march would meet serious opposition. The Count of Friedland had the advance of the heavy cavalry and marched nearly thirty | sa | GOOOKS <€om (E(@) ———— + > Ae ‘i eet ee Eo . = Zz s ; 7 —