Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 193 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

- % 24 : thought to himself, “I must find out who is this man, that hates him so.” He went resolutely on down the dark passage, feeling his way along the wall, and walking cautiously, for fear of a flight of steps, and as he had expected, it led him on and on, in a ralual slope; till it began to rise again, and e saw a light glimmering ahead. Hurrying on, be found himself out in a wild rocky glen of the forest, where the wild orchids covered the ground, and a network of vines and creepers hid the opening to the pas- sage, otherwise open and unguarded. Tue spider’s webs at the mouth of the cave showed that no one had pass d that way re- cently, and he was about to turn back, when he beard the sound of a horse’s footsteps ap- proaching, and saw the very person of whom he was just then thinking ride toward him. Instinctively he stepped behind a tree. He wished to be sure whether General Grupisch, or whoever he might be, really entered the palace in that way. Tie strange general, still clad in the Russian uniform, came forward into the glen, took a rapid glance round it; then tied his horse to a tree and deliberately entered the passage. Without a moment’s hesitation, Gabriel rose up. went to the horse as soon as he was sure the master was out of hearing, untied it and rode off, full gallop, to the palace. He had resolved to catch the general at the other end of the passage, and have an explanation or a fight. it took him about two minutes to reach the palace, and he hastily fastened the reins to a post, ran to his own apartments, armed himself, and then went to the door of the secret passage to await the visitor. He bad not very long to wait. Presently, biding behind the angle of the corridor, he saw the general come out and go straight to the emperor’s own (late) private cabinet. He entered through one of the panels of the wall, and Gabriel saw how he had deceived Roustan, four years before. Then the young man stole round to the front door of the suit, suddenly entered it, and, by advancing rapidly, surprised the stranger in the act of rifling a large desk, full of state papery: 3 ibriel had a pis‘ol in his hand, and he cocked it as he entered the room. The click caught the ear of the other but he de no observation except to hold out his hand, with: “IT am glad to see you, young man, I came here to find you.” “* More likely to find something else,” retorted Gabriel, pointing to the —— The stranger s ed his shoulders. “That is only look over these. “From whom?’ **From the king of France.” CHAPTER XXXIV. THE GENERAL MAKES AN OFFER. GABRIEL could not help frowning at the name of the King of France. It grated on him after becoming used to the empire. “The king,” be repeated, disdainfully. ‘It is fitting for the Bourbons to hunt through the emperor’s papers after old scandals. The office becomes a gentleman of the old school, who is willing to kiss the hand of a courtesan, if by so doing he can gain her influence with the king.” The other listened to his tirade with a coolly eo ing smile. **'You are foolish,” he answered, quietly, “ to regret the coming of ason of St. Louis to the throne his ancestors illustrated. Ro vulgar Corsican has not treated you so well that you need cling tohim. I said that I came to see you. So I did. These were mere passin amusements on the way. y have you no been to see the king? His majesty will receive you, as he has done Ney, Macdonald, Soult and he rest, with open arms.” : Gabriel made no answer, but he could not re- main in a hostile attitude before such language; so np ae his pistol and put it back in his pocket. The strange general noted the action. ‘*] thought you would hardly shoot a man, who had spared your life once, now, when he comes to do you a service,” “Who are you, then,” cried Gabriel, impetu- ously, ‘‘ who seem to hate the man I love, and a such influence with the king? Who are you The stranger looked at him with the old mock- ing smile. *I told you you should know when the lilies waved over France. You have heard my name often, and yet I cannot say it aloud. Hark in your ear.” He whispered in the young man’s ear a name that caused him to start back and look at the stranger with amazement. ‘But he is dead,” cried Gabriel, at last. ‘‘ He is dead, buried. His grave is in Pere la Chaise. I have seen it there with a wreath of immor- telles round it.” The stranger shrugged bis shoulders. ‘* Tombstones are great liars. I am not dead, business. I have orders to . re The Man in Red. as you see, yet I cannot prove my life. That I owe to him. sé To whom ? ** To little Bonaparte.” ‘The emperor, if you please,” said Gabriel, stiffly, at which the other aughed angrily. “The emperor, indeed! Bah, young man, I used to cuff his ears for impertinence at Brienne, and I have beaten him on the battle-field when- ever they havo taken my advice. You would not have had the chance we gave you had they not been afraid to follow my advice. I would have been in Paris in Christmas week. As it was, I made them take Paris, instead of fight- ing bim. I knew the French would leave bim then. The emperor, indeed! Little Bonaparte, no higher than my boot. He seemed to take a malicious littling the fallen ‘emperor, an nettled into saying: ‘Tt is well for you to slander him. Henever turned traitor to his country and entered Paris at the heels of the enemies of France.” The general looked vexed. ‘*Tf you wish to quarrel, I can go; but your wife is not so obstinately proud.” Gabriel’s eyes flashed fire. ‘* Keep her name out of this question, please. What do you mean?” ‘*Oh, no harm,noharm. You misunderstand me. I mean simply that madame has gone to Paris with your child to ask the king to restore to you your place at court or the army.” ** How do you know this?” **] met her on the road hither, with that grim- looking old cuirassier of yours on the box, and he stared at me as if he had seen a ghost. I fancy that man must know my face. He — have served under me. It is only the old fel- lows that know me. Eh, my young friend, you forget that France bas been through twenty years of war now. Twenty years ago!” And he, too, seemed to be thinking over old memories, as he bent his tall, thin figure and paced up and down, humming an old revolu- tionary air that Gabriel had not heard since he was a little child. : Presently he resumed: ‘* Yes, knew they were going to the Tuileries; for all the world is going there, and _ are the only malcontent. So I told the ng— ** Does he know who you are?” quickly inter- rupted Gabriel. ‘He does; and so does the Czar, with three other people, besides yourself. The rest only know me as Grupisch, or Count Antony, or General Cosaxe, or any one of a dozen different names. It is not “4 cue to be known by young men; and I only tel you, because, as you know, we are related. My father and yours were first cousins; yet it isa strange thing that Iam not at all like my father or mother. Ah, well, they are gone long ago.” And he sig slightly. Gabriel hesitated. ‘*And Madame St. Jean—is she any relative of yours also?” “A relative? no.” “ Why, I thought—” ‘*That she takes a great interest in me. So she does. She is my godmother, and as you know, a strict Catholic takes a grave view of that relation.” ‘* Indeed?” ‘*'Yes, indeed. Besides she was always 4 very loyalwoman. She has befriended me from the moment I lost my ~ cangge | And there is Monsieur de Belleville too. He leasure in be- Gabriel was chette warned me only just in time, and we fled. I met two men at the back door, and stabbed one, so I got off; but Fanchette nearly got taken, I understood.” “Yes: and my man, Casse Tete, saved her by stunning the gendarme.” The strange general burst into a short, bard laugh as he paced up and down the room, recall- ing old memories. They seemed .0o afford him pleasure, ‘‘Ah, they were good times, after all,” he said presently. ‘‘ There was excitement, more than there is on the battlefield, unless it be a pitched affair. So it was Casse Tete saved her. I wondered what made the girl drop us all so suddenly after that scrape.” ” oP you? How?’ ‘* Well, I've never seen her since. The mar- quise would not have dared to discharge her with so many secrets in her possession, Now I know what has become of her.” “‘ And what has, think you?” ‘Why she and that grim-looking old cuiras- sier of yours have made a match of it some- where, of course.” ** Impossible, or I should have known it.” ‘Young man, you will find out, when you are as old as I, that a man knows nothing that a woman chooses to hide from him. Have you seen Fanchette since?” “No, I had forgotten it, but, now you speak of it, 1 have not.” **Very well. Ask your Casse Tete when he comes back, and you will find out he knows where she is.” “IT will. But, general, one thing puzzles me still about you.” ‘‘Very likely,” returned the other, dryly. “I do not intend to tell you everything I know.” ‘Tell me this only. How Aid you enter the emperor’s tent at Wagram?” he general laughed. ** Find out.” ‘‘] can understand here and Moscow, where there are secret passages; but in the open camp there are none.” ‘But there are veterans from the army of the Rhine, the Sambre, the Meuse, and mee them not a few who knew me as their gene in old times, as good as little Bonaparte.” He said the last words very spitefully, and went,.on with the same virulence: ““I know it is the fashion to call him the prince of generals, and to declare that never a man in the Republican armies could come near him in genius. Nevertheless, even in your fa- mous Old Guard, there were men who had won their places under other generals besides this braggart of Corsica. And they would not be- tray me, even if they knew me, It is enough of talking. Letit pass. I came to see you, not to explain mysteries. Do you wish to enter the service of France?’ ‘*I do, if I can remain in it with honor.” “Ve one Visit the king to-morrow, ask an audie He will confirm your title and give you back your old regiment. If he hesi- tates, tell him J told you to ask thefavor. Look there, out of the window. Madame returns, I must go at once. Farewell.” CHAPTER XXXYV, UNDER THE BOURBONS, Hr was about to leave the room, when Ga- briel said, quietly: ‘‘You might as well go by the front door. Your horse is in the — The general started angrily. was 4 god- father, and has done well by me. Ah, m ‘In the wae How do you know? oung friend, little Bonaparte did one good| ‘‘I took him there after you had entered the thing when he restored the church. It is well ge from the forest. There is no further enough to call the priests old deceivers; but | need of concealment now. Your party is tri- how are you going to have morality without | umphent. Leave these secret passages and them? Here are two old people, who should be back-stair intrigues to us, who are out of nursing their gout in arm-cbairs, working and wer.” plotting like beavers to help me, who have no That is true, young man. The tables are other claim on them but that of having been | turned now. [should not be surprised to find held in their arms before a vase of holy water. | you in a foreign enaniens ene Soatnss France There is something in the church after all.” n the same way for which you blamed us a few “ And you think that is the only reason they | years ago.” have for befriending you?” said Gabriel inquir- ‘That you will never see, general. I blame ingly. no one now, but though I may enter a foreign “ Assuredly, unless—” service, it will not be with an enemy of France.” ** Unless what, general?” ‘‘Perhaps not. At the same time, you will ‘Unless you can find a better reason.” oblige me by having my horse taken back “IT? Why no, of course, only—” where I left him, I do not wish to be recog- “Only what?” nized, and your man bas already stared at me ‘‘ Well, it was but a trifle, four years ago.” in ner, that convinces me that he remembers ” n the police were after me in | my face. Paris?” “sehen re ‘*T will send bim round then with the horse. ‘Yes. How did you get off?” You can speak to him alone.” ‘‘ Pardieu, it was a narrow escape. Howin| ‘That willdo as well. Farewell, [ had no the world did Fouche manage to gebe suspicion | idea you had found out so mucb.” of that house?” | Then he went through the panel door, and Gabriel smiled. Gabriel went out to meet his wife, who was ust descending from the carriage with the ““T can answer that question. The emperor and myself, in nals, looking {for you, stumbled on the house, and went in to have our fortunes told.” “Yes, yes, and Camille must needs talk. These women are all the same. They never know how to keep silent, And little Bonaparte got angry, of course, and went to Fouche. I see. But she never told me who had been there at the time, and I was nearly caught, Fan- “4 ‘S PEEP Oto = 4 BEES $8 YEME VSEBE 4S £BSERE SSASeSHEBY ¢ BSS = child, the latter in a high state of excitement. ‘* Oh, papa,” he exclaimed, ‘‘ we’ve had such fun to-day. We've been to Paris to see the king, and he’s a big fat old man, ever so much taller than our emperor, and he took me up and asked me how I'd like to be a soldier.” Gabriel looked at his wife, who was red and pale by turns, and seemed very nervous, ‘*Yes, mon cher,” she faltered, ‘‘I went to Syn E() Gomichdoo