Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 206 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

Sas 21 directing Martin to do the same with the clothes of the sentry. Then he said to One Eye: in the valley. They are pretty sure to drink when their officer is away, unless he has spilt the liquor. We must go and find out what has been done. You stay bere and stop any one coming the same way as I did. Keep them as lons as you ein till 1 come back.” Then he rode off down the valley toward the guard-house, and was halted in the fog by a dragoon shouting: ‘Halt! who comes there?” “Captain Gervaise!” cried Albert, who had the advantage of being able to mimic the ab- sent officer’s tones well. “Advance and give the countersign,” cried the man in answer, and Albert rode forward, saving, in a low Voice: ** Salamanca.” “‘Countersign correct. Thought you was never coming, sir,” replied the man, innocently. ‘** We've found something since you’ve gone.” “Indeed?” said Albert, keeping a little away from the man, to avoid recognition. ‘Yes, sir. There is an open barrel of brandy at the back of the guard-house, and I’m afraid the men have got at it.” ‘¢ Aha! come on,” said Albert, and he rode on to the hut, where the sound of voices in revelry satisfied him that the vedette’s suspicions were correct. He turned to the man, “You like brandee?” he asked. “Sometimes, sir,” was the reply, “but I don’t get drunk on duty.” Albert laughed, and ventured on a longer speech in English. ‘*Go drink! It all right. Go drink. Ilike to see men drink. Go,” The man seemed to be utterly amazed. “Well, if you say so, I s’pose it’s all right,” he said, slowly. ‘‘ Do you mean it, sir?” oe, Vee. a” The Frenchman imitated Gervaise’s voice and manner so perfectly that his accent was unnoticed, and the orderly darted off to the guard-house, from whence Delmont soon heard the sounds of laughing and song, from which he rightly judged that the dragoons were safe be get as drunk as the foot soldiers before them. He rode away up the valley just as the gun for taps was fired, and heard the bugle of the guard at Longwood sounding ‘‘Guard turn out, ‘*The relief is coming,” he thought. “ Now, if I can only get past that peril, I shall have two clear hours.” He had questioned Jean Martin closely on the habits of the guard at Longwood, for One Eye, during their former attempt, had spent_ six months on the island, most of the time at Miss Mason’s, in the guise of a Spanish merchant, an invalid, who came to St, Helena for his health. Miss Mason had taken him to board, and he had acquired information of the doings at Long- wood obtainable in no other way than by daily observation, all of which he had imparted to Delmont. : Delmont knew that the sentries on the side of the valley were frequently slack, and that the corporal, to avoid a long climb, seldom marched the relief down himself, but sent the sentry alone to relieve bis comrade. He galloped up the valley and hid himself behind a tree, where Martin was walking his beat, and soon had the satisfaction of hearing the English sentry come down the path, call- ing: f Tom, Tom, Ford. Where are ye?” ‘*Halt!” was Martin’s only reply, to which the other answered: “Oh, you be blowed with yer rey I see ye, and you know who I am. I say, Tom, old Jarvey’s gone out to raise a row at the guard~ouse, ain’t he?’ Yes,” replied Albert, as Martin stood by the tree which sheltered him. “Tt’s my ea ’e’s a hold bloat, and that’s w’ot ’e is. *H makes more fuss bout pore old Boney, as is a-dyin’ by inches, nor if he was a accrybat as could get out ef this bloomin’ hisland on a tight-rope. ’Ad any ’larms, Tom?’ “No,” returned Martin, who felt safe to say the werd Nek ; But the Englishman’s ear noted the difference, and he retorted: ‘¢ What are ye tryin’ to do, Tom? Talkin like them Frevchmen? Well, I wish ye joy o the next two hours. You'll be snug in the guard-’ouse, while I ’as to tramp it. Good- night. Give us the word. It warn’t out at the ouse when I was on.” “Come, den,” said Martin, and the other, with an “Oh, stop tryin’ that ’ere frog-talk, Tom,” advanced _ receive the word, and re- ceived, instead, another of those scientific taps on the back of the head from Delmont which laid him out, senseless. The ed him down to the stream and left him there, secured and gagged. Then the two comrades started to ascend the hiJ!, Delmont riding, Martin following on foot. After a steep climb they reached the top of | “So far, so good. But the dragoons are still | ee eee ss ee ee ee the hill, where they were challenged by a sec- ond sentry: ‘“'Who goes there?” ‘‘Captain Gervaise and rounds,” replied the adventurous Delmont, who had arranged his plan of action. ‘* Halt, rounds! Advance one with the coun- tersign,” was the return. Martin, in the English soldier’s dress, gave | the word ‘‘ Salamanca,” and they passed on. | | | | | Albert stopped at the sentry. ‘* Any alarm?’ he asked. ‘* Nothing, sir, since you went out.” The disguised officer nodded to him and went mole It behoved him now to exercise the utmost care. Had he known what were Gervaise’s orders to the sentries, he might not have felt so uneasy; but he had no means of knowing these, and had to proceed as before, on the theory of the rounds, They passed four sentries in the grounds of Longwood, and in each case the word “ rounds ” | and the name of Gervais3 acted as a charm, till ET A they came to the door of the house itself, and Martin whispered: “They have drawn in the posts close to the house. What does it mean?’ “JT will find out,” said Albert. ‘‘ Hold the horse.” He dismounted and approached the door. The sentry challenged: * Who goes there?” ‘“‘ Captain Gervaise,” was the reply. ‘* All right, sir,” returned the sentry. ‘‘No one has been here since you went away, and the Frenchmen are quiet,” The disguised officer nodded, and went to the door, the man stepping aside and asking: ‘* Any more orders, sir.” “No,” replied Albert, briefly. He didn’t dare say much now, and felt thank- ful that there was no light to show his face as he went in. In another moment he was in the house at Longwood, having passed every guard in a manner that surprised bimself. Of the interior arrangements of the house he knew nothing, but was aware that the emperor had quite a large retinue of French officers. He moved along the e+ till he saw pw. by under a doorway, when he knocked cautiously, ‘*Count Montbolon came to the door, and Delmont saw the emperor within, with the Italian doctor Autoumarchi kneeling on one side, Bertrand on the other, both looking anx- rote at Napoleon, who was groaning, as if in terrible pain. Montholon, seeing the red uniform, saidin a harsh tone: ‘“* Captain, this is an intrusion.” Delmont raised bis hand. “For God sake,” he said in a low tone ‘be cautious. I am Delmont. If his majesty be only strong enough to walk, we can carry him off to-night.” The quick witted Frenchman’s face lighted up for a moment as he grasped Delmont’s hand, saying: ‘** Ah you are a wonderful man.” Then it fell again, as he added: “ But it is too late. Come in and see.” Then the daring adventurer, who had braved so many perils, entered, for the first time, the sick room of Napoleon, and beheld before him the wreck of the first man in the world. The emperor lay back in his large wicker chair, the sweat poping from his pallid face, his eyes glaring with the agony that forced groans from him, and Delmont knew then that the count had spoken the truth. Bertrand and Autoumarchi barely noticed him, though they knew who be was and made way for him to look at the emperor. ‘“How long has he been sof’ whispered the adventurer, huskily. ‘* About an hour. The attack is nearly over,” returned Montholon. ‘‘ He will know us pres- ently, the doctor thinks.” In fact, in about five minutes from that time, the hollow groans of the sufferer died away; he closed his eyes awhile and appeared to sleep; then opened them with a faint smile, and said : “Ab, you are very kind, allof you. What time is it, Bertrand” ‘* Half-past nine, sire.” ‘*T am better. But that was a hard fight. I fear I cannot endure many more. Where were we, Montholon? We must finish our work, you know. It was about the Russian campaign.’ “Yes, sire.” “Take your seat then. We have time to finish a chapter to-night,” Hle was going back to his work, this man whom nothing appalled. Then he lifted his eyes and saw Delmont. The sight seemed to displease him, for he said woe X “There was no necessity for your visit, mon- sieur. I will not trust the English doctors. They might poison me, and think they were serving theirown country by killing her foe. I am better, I do not need you.” Delmont fell on his knees, sobbing: ‘Oh, sire, it is not the English jailer who is a here, but your majesty’s faithful servant Del- mont. Oh, sire, if you could but walk a few steps, we could piece you on the ocean at once, and be free of British bolts and bars forever.” The emperor looked at bim steadily. ‘* Young man,” he said, holding out his hand, ‘come hither.” In a moment Delmont was kissing his hand in a transport of emotion, while the attendants looked on sympathetically. Even the emperor seemed moved, for a bright: drop rolled down bis cheek as he said to Ber- trand: ‘*You were right, count, and I was wrong. There is such a thing as disinterested affection left. I can give him nothing, yet he loves me. “* Love you, sire! Oh, I would die to-night if I could but secure you a year of freedom.” ‘Young man,” said Napoleon softly. ‘ Free- dom will soon be mine; but it will be God that sends it. Icould not support the motion of a carriage if the English set me free and offered to drive me to the harbor. You see then that I was right when I told you, in answer to your signal, that it was too late.” Delmont bowed his uead in sorrow, and the emperor went on. ‘‘T made the mistake of my lifein 1812. lL thought J could conquer nature, as I had con- quered men. Alexander fled before my eagles but the Russian winter destroyed the Gran Army. Since then everything has been too late. Learn from me that men can be subdued but not nature. Now tell me; how came you here? And first, who are you ?”’ ‘* A Frenchman, sire, Albert Delmont. I was a student at St. Cyr while you were trying to save France, and I graduated as an officer too late for Waterloo. e first duty I was ordered. to perform was to command the firing party at. Marshal Ney’s execution.” The emperor interrupted him. “Did you obey Eee order?’ ‘*T did, sire. ate me if you will—” “You did right, young man. Soldiers must obey orders. ell, what next? What is this X hear of a legacy of Ney? Idid not know he had ats gg to leave.” Albert detailed as briefly as possible the story of Ney’s legacy and the procurement of the lugger, at which the emperor smiled and said to Bertrand: **Do you know that reminds me of the consul- ate and early days? I knew that Maret and Otrants were into that smuggling trade, but L bad no idea that Ney was head of such a con- spiracy. Proceed, monsieur.” Delmont detailed his first fight with the Pe- nelope and the ruse by which be had been final- ly decoyed into the poe of the British when the emperor said with a sigh: ‘‘It was your destiny and mine. Had you come here four years ago, I might have made my escape; but it was not to Well, how did you escape?” “My comrade and I stole the only boat the Penelope had left, sire, in which we floated, starving, for ten days, till a Spanish ship came and rescued us, Then we had all the work to do over again.” ‘ What work?” “To find the sunken reef on which the treasure galleons lay; to procure the money; to fit out our vessels to come here,” ‘* And how did you do it?” ‘By co-operation, sire. We went to the United States, where we found friends of France, and men ready to help your majesty. We communicated the secret under an oath to a band of brave souls, and by their assistance recovered the treasure. It lay in water twenty fathoms deep, and, but for certain American inventions, we should never have found it. The Americans are a wonderful people, sire. With an army of them we would renew the contest and conquer the world again, with you to lead us,” The emperor sighed as he said: “It is too Jate. The time has passed. All that [ can do now is to leave posterily a true account of the past. And you, my friend, what can [ do to reward you for your faithfu efforts in my cause?” “Nothing, sire. My reward would have been to see your majesty once more at the head. of an army ; but as that may not be, I can only obey your majesty’s orders. There may be some errand your majesty has to perform, some message to send which the English will not. allow. Tell me, and I will perform it,” The emperor looked at him in a singular way, as he said: “Young man, you know not what you are asking, You ask a discrowned monarch to ac- cept you as an instrument of his revenge on the foes who have beaten him.” Delmont’s face lighted up. ‘*Oh, sire,” be cried, “tell me how to re- venge your cause on England for her y and I will do your will to the letter. I have a head to plan enterprises, and I hate the En- glish, but I know not how to hurt her most. You know, sire. Tell me and I will obey.” The emperor looked at him thoughtfully. ‘You say, indeed, you have a head to plan, GOMlERVOOKS : ——— os — (E() — a etl