Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 193 — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

bar of the Marseillaise as he retired from the room, and when he got outside he took off his white cook’s , waved it over Be head, Cree ve utterance an energetic whisper, whic cade him te in the yp Ae as if he had shouted, but which could not be heard inside the breakfast-room. ' And the words were the prohibited ones: “VIVE L’ EMPEREUR!!!” Clearly Casse Tete was very much excited at such a simple matter as the blooming of a few violets; but if so the excitement was shared by other people, for all the old ‘soldiers were out of the barracks in the garden that morning pick- ing violets, and when they turned out for guard mount every man had a bunch of the little flowers stuck in the front of his helmet. That morning the general, contrary to his usual custom, did not i t the guard, so he missed seeing the unusual spectacle of soldiers crowned with flowers, but in the streets of Grenoble every one was wearing them except the old emigrants, and about noon the sub- refect of the town, an old nobleman who had ken the place for the salary, came over to Lenoir’s chateau, out of breath and all in a tremble, and said to him: ‘Excuse me, general; but can I have a few minutes’ frank talk with you?” Gabriel looked at him keenly. ‘“You are agitated, monsieur. Certainly you can speak frankly. There is no need of evasion between us. Have any of my men been getting into trouble in the town?” “Well, no, not exactly, general; but—it is necessary to be cautious—do you ever try to ted the messages they send on the tele- gra The semaphore telegraph, a system of signal- REN a small towers, had {pet been introduced in France, where it lasted till the year 1850, ‘The telegraph !” echoed Gabriel. ‘‘No. Do you, monsieur? The sub-prefect nodded. “Yes, and do you know what they are signal- ing to Paris this morning?” Gabriel’s face altered slightly. ‘‘No. How should I?” He could not help the hard, cold tone of his voice; but the other did not notice it. He brought his face close to Gabriel’s ear, and whispered in trembling accents: “The usurper has landed.” “Of whom are you speakirfg?”’ asked the general, still more colaly and the poor sub- perfect threw up his hands. ‘““Of whom? Mon Dieu! of whom cculdit be but the wretch, the butcher, Bonaparte! He has landed at Cannes, and is coming this way. What is to be done, general?” “T can hardly say, monsieur, till I get my orders. Marshal Ney commands this district, I believe.” He felt a dull sense of impending evil in his heart for which he could not account, when he knew how the old soldiers were delirious with -at the news shadowed forth by the bloom- ng of the violets. *[ repeat, monsieur, that I cannot act on the news till it comes to me in official form,” he wenton. ‘‘If the King of France orders me to arrest General Bonaparte, I can, I trust, obey the order.” “Then yon will obey the king’s order?” cried the other hastily. “Certainly, monsieur, if my men will obey mine. I will be frank with you. I fear that there may be a mutiny.” “But we can quell that,” interrupted _the oe dg st **T have already sent word to the Duke of Richelieu to hasten here with the new Red Musketeers—” Gabriel smiled a little disdainfully. ‘“‘ Better send after the first messenger to tell ae ke Se at If the old Death’s e njay co able to keep thet fn aoe afte 308,48 The prefect yi 4), hauds, “ tam I todo? This is a terrible posi- tion, a frightful sibility.” ‘Not at all, sir. In such a crisis one has only to do one’s wa Ycurs is clear, like mine, to die at your post. arte I Jon't want to die,” cried the poor magistrate in despalr. “Then you have only to run away when you see the bearskins of the Old Guard coming over the hills to the south. Better men than you have done the same ere now, sub-prefect, “ In the mean time, go back to the Hotel de Ville, and behave as nothing had happened. Don’t let every One see you’re frightened.” The sub-prefect thanked him nervously and mounted 4 +r ered out the regimcnt for a ever had the old ’ oked so pind they did that morning anes, %08 day or into action at Jena. True, there Pa Were not as | as then, but their 4 fe air of pride and indomitable Gabriel's heart peyypronzed faces that made The . ir horses had never looked so well, and as ‘Qe, hisown charzer, that ancient for old Co., The Man ih Red. ‘ - . * ‘ eg trotter caracoled under his master like a colt. The men moved tike machines that day, in the most complicated evolutions of the 1, and when they made a final charge down on their general and halted in front of bim, Major Foulard’s horse was not ten feet off and the whole line had pulled up from a full gallop within twenty-five feet, without a break. The charge was perfect. Gabriel took off his helmet then, and bowed to the regiment, calling out: “*Death’s Heads, attention! to say to you.” A dead silence fell on the line, only broken by tbe rattle of bridle-bits, as the horses tossed their manes, ‘‘Death’s Heads,” continued Gabriel, ‘I have received intelligence this morning that we may be ordered out at a moment’s notice, I want every man to keep himself in readiness. It has been intimated to me that this regiment may hesitate to obey my orders. In such a case, I tell you all, I should not survive the dis- grace of your disobedience. That is all.” He replaced his helmet, wheeled his horse and rode away, saying to Major Foulard: ‘* Dismiss them.” Then he went home to his chateau, and told Inez what he had heard, ae “ Ma belle, he has come, and [ know the peo- le will receive him with open arms, as they aid when he came back from Egypt.” “And you?” she asked, anxiously. ‘‘ What will you do, Gabriel? Are there to be more wars? Think how useless it is, with all Europe against us.” ‘« Ma belle,” he replied, tenderly. ‘‘It is not that which will determine me. But do you re- member, Inez, where I first saw you?” “Yes, yes. At the Pavilion of Diana in the park of Versailles. But what has that to do with the emperor?” I have a word ‘““Much. But for him I should never have ained you. He raised me from a private sol- tie to be a general and a count. still hold what he gave me. If he commanded me to sac- rifice myself, I must do it now, as I did in the ast.” ee You are right, mon cher,” she said, sadly; ‘“but suppose we fail after all? We shall have to leave France.” “Tell me, ma belle,” he returned, “‘is France so sweet. to live in under the Bourbons? When their rule is riveted on us again, farewell to French glory. It will be time for the men of Austerlitz to fly to—” ‘“ Where?” she asked, seeing him hesitate. ** Anywhere, to be free. Even to Russia.” And he was surprised to hear Inez answer: ‘Would we were there now. I stifle under this cloud of cowardly courtiers after seeing the men of the empire.” Then they went about their usual avocations and everything was quiet in and around the dull old town of Grenoble for several days, At last, on the fourth of March, came a courier in hot haste from the south, who dashed up to the chateau and called out: ‘* General, general! the enemy are coming!” Gabriel came out in full uniform, and at the same moment Casse Tete, as if the signal had been given him, rode out of the stable, likewise uniformed, and leading Cosaque. ‘* What enemy?” asked Gabriel, coldly. - ‘*The usurper! Yonder on the hill. Turn out and cut him to pieces, I go to alarm the Marshal] of the District,” And away galloped the courier just as a dis- tant shout came to Gabriel’s ears, CHAPTER XXXIX. MY EMPEROR. GABRIEL and Casse Tete heard the shout. It came from the direction of the barracks, and there was no mistaking the familiar rise and fall of the old and well-known cry: “ Vive V Empereur |” Gabriel looked sternly at Casse Tete, who was nearly breaking out. ‘‘Shut up your mouth, noisy one. J am the commander now.” Casse Tete saluted silently; but his eyes were dancing at the sight of his master’s full uniform, and he grinned all over his face as he brought up Cosaque. . Gabriel mounted, dashed in his spurs, and was off like a shot to the barracks, where he found the men outside, shouting and hugging. each other, as if frantic. The sight of the general produced a sudden si- lence, and Gabriel beckoned to a trumpeter. Sound the assembly, and to horse!” 6c notes rung out, and the men rushed to the stables under the instinct of discipline. tod cage three minutes after the adjutant salu- ted . Lhe line is formed, general.” “Take your te: was the cold order, and the neral drew his sword. th’s Head Cuirassiers, attention! Draw Hie ub fincane em marOe rie al Himself at the head of the column and they dashed down the broad Grande Rue of Pe he 1. " Grenobls, ocross the Place D’Armes, the people running out and cheering them, and then out of the old fourteenth-century gate and on to the broad green glacis. Already half the people of the town were ouf, waving their hats and shouting, for there, coming slowly over the top of the hill on the road from Cannes, they could see the renowned black bearskius of the Old Guard, preceded by @ troop of scarlet-clad Jancers, and following a group of officers on horseback. But what is that figure in front on which all eyes are fixed? Ab, which of the Death's Heads was there that did not know that gray surtout, the little, black, three-cornered hat, the simple dark green uniform faced with white? Gabriel saw it, and in a moment all his stern- ly assumed calm vanished. He could not hel the choking in his throat, the filling up of h eyes; and he was forced to turn his back to hide. bis emotion, as he shouted with simulated stern- ness: ‘* Front into line, gallop, march! Halt!” Then came a thundering and clattering, as the old Death’s Heads swung into line, right op- posite the advancing column of infantry, and the townspeople shrunk back, for they expected a charge. They halted, and a dead silence fell on the line, amid which one could distinguish the snorts of the horses and the occasional rattle of equipments as a charger shook himself. The men sat like statues, staring straight at the soli- tary horseman in the gray coat, who rode im front of the little column of infantry. Gabriel] Lenoir, trembling slightly, reined up in front of his men, and sat there watching the advanc?, The dark column moved steadily on till it ar- rived within three bundred yards of the Death’s Heads. Then it halted, as the man inthe gra coat held up his hand, and he came on, all alone. Nearer and nearer he came, till he was within twenty feet of Gabriel, when he threw open his coat, and pushed back his hat to show his face plainly. ‘* Well, count,” he said to Gabriel, “and have you nothing to say to me?’ ‘Your majesty,” replied the young man, very pale, ‘‘ has only to command, for me to obey, even to death.’ : apoleon smiled on him with that rare grace he knew so well how to assume, ‘* Monsieur le Comte de Friedland,” be said, ‘*T have only to request that you will ride with me to the Tuileries, to accept the title of Mar- sho] of France and Duke of Grenoble.” Gabriel shook his head sadly. ‘** It needs not that, sire, to make me the faith. ful servant of your majesty. I take the ris with my eyes open.” The emperor tossed his head slightly, as if nettled. ‘*This does not look like risk,” he said. ‘I have not fired a shot, and the people are flock- ing to meet and welcome me.” 4 sire, were it only France, all would be els But even your majesty cannot fight alk uro ‘** In short, count,” retorted the emperor, bitin his lip, ** you think I shall abdicate a secon time. If so, I will give them another fight for it, first. Are you on my side or not?” ‘Your majesty has only to order me, and I am ready to follow.” ‘*But your regiment, count?” “Your majesty has only to speak to them tc be answefed.” oe emperor rode past him and took off his ‘‘ Death’s Head Cuirassiers,” he cried, “‘ what have you to say tome? Speak out.” In a moment the order of that line of bronze statues was broken up asif a tempest had shat- tered it, and from five hundred throats came the deep roar: = Vive Siegee shone “te a en the em r’s face and he said to Gabriel, cordially: * By? ‘‘ We need no answer better than that. I hope my old carvers of Jena have not forgotten how to mes rs ig ert nd then the men began to shout and for the first time in their history, fee Death's Head Cuirassiers broke their ranks, officers and all, and dashed round the emperor. shaking aloft their swords and shouting “ Vive ’Em- ereur !” like men frantic, while the Old Guard ok up the cry, and broke ranks, too, so that in a few minutes there was a confused mass of horse and foot, running to and fro, wild with enthusiasm, while the townspeople came crowd- ing in among the soldiers, shaking hands, em- bracing and rushing to kiss the skirt of the old gray surtout so famous in ce, until even the iron nerves of the emperor gave way. and he could only falter, in tones broken by emo- tion: ‘My children, God bless you! This is indeed coming home again,” And then what a triumphal march they hed, through the streets of Grenoble to the Ho!el de Ville, where the emperor lodged that nigbt! The Death’s H2ads in front, grimmer than ever, ashamed of their momentary Japse from ECORTIE DOO KS (C