5. HOW THE BRIGADIER TOOK THE FIELD AGAINST THE MARSHAL MILLEFLEURS
Massena was a thin, sour little fellow, and after his hunting accidenthe had only one eye, but when it looked out from under his cocked hatthere was not much upon a field of battle which escaped it. He couldstand in front of a battalion, and with a single sweep tell you if abuckle or a gaiter button were out of place. Neither the officers northe men were very fond of him, for he was, as you know, a miser, andsoldiers love that their leaders should be free-handed. At the sametime, when it came to work they had a very high respect for him, andthey would rather fight under him than under anyone except the Emperorhimself, and Lannes, when he was alive. After all, if he had a tightgrasp upon his money-bags, there was a day also, you must remember, whenthat same grip was upon Zurich and Genoa. He clutched on to hispositions as he did to his strong box, and it took a very clever man toloosen him from either.
When I received his summons I went gladly to his headquarters, for I wasalways a great favourite of his, and there was no officer of whom hethought more highly. That was the best of serving with those good oldgenerals, that they knew enough to be able to pick out a fine soldierwhen they saw one. He was seated alone in his tent, with his chin uponhis hand, and his brow as wrinkled as if he had been asked for asubscription. He smiled, however, when he saw me before him.
'Good day, Colonel Gerard.'
'Good day, Marshal.'
'How is the Third of Hussars?'
'Seven hundred incomparable men upon seven hundred excellent horses.'
'And your wounds--are they healed?'
'My wounds never heal, Marshal,' I answered.
'And why?'
'Because I have always new ones.'
'General Rapp must look to his laurels,' said he, his face all breakinginto wrinkles as he laughed. 'He has had twenty-one from the enemy'sbullets, and as many from Larrey's knives and probes. Knowing that youwere hurt, Colonel, I have spared you of late.'
'Which hurt me most of all.'
'Tut, tut! Since the English got behind these accursed lines of TorresVedras, there has been little for us to do. You did not miss much duringyour imprisonment at Dartmoor. But now we are on the eve of action.'
'We advance?'
'No, retire.'
My face must have shown my dismay. What, retire before this sacred dogof a Wellington--he who had listened unmoved to my words, and had sentme to his land of fogs? I could have sobbed as I thought of it.
'What would you have?' cried Massena impatiently. 'When one is in check,it is necessary to move the king.'
'Forwards,' I suggested.
He shook his grizzled head.
'The lines are not to be forced,' said he. 'I have already lost GeneralSt. Croix and more men than I can replace. On the other hand, we havebeen here at Santarem for nearly six months. There is not a pound offlour nor a jug of wine on the countryside. We must retire.'
'There are flour and wine in Lisbon,' I persisted.
'Tut, you speak as if an army could charge in and charge out again likeyour regiment of hussars. If Soult were here with thirty thousandmen--but he will not come. I sent for you, however, Colonel Gerard, tosay that I have a very singular and important expedition which I intendto place under your direction.'
I pricked up my ears, as you can imagine. The Marshal unrolled a greatmap of the country and spread it upon the table. He flattened it outwith his little, hairy hands.
'This is Santarem,' he said pointing.
I nodded.
'And here, twenty-five miles to the east, is Almeixal, celebrated forits vintages and for its enormous Abbey.'
Again I nodded; I could not think what was coming.
'Have you heard of the Marshal Millefleurs?' asked Massena.
'I have served with all the Marshals,' said I, 'but there is none ofthat name.'
'It is but the nickname which the soldiers have given him,' saidMassena. 'If you had not been away from us for some months, it would notbe necessary for me to tell you about him. He is an Englishman, and aman of good breeding. It is on account of his manners that they havegiven him his title. I wish you to go to this polite Englishman atAlmeixal.'
'Yes, Marshal.'
'And to hang him to the nearest tree.'
'Certainly, Marshal.'
I turned briskly upon my heels, but Massena recalled me before I couldreach the opening of his tent.
'One moment, Colonel,' said he; 'you had best learn how matters standbefore you start. You must know, then, that this Marshal Millefleurs,whose real name is Alexis Morgan, is a man of very great ingenuity andbravery. He was an officer in the English Guards, but having been brokenfor cheating at cards, he left the army. In some manner he gathered anumber of English deserters round him and took to the mountains. Frenchstragglers and Portuguese brigands joined him, and he found himself atthe head of five hundred men. With these he took possession of theAbbey of Almeixal, sent the monks about their business, fortified theplace, and gathered in the plunder of all the country round.'
'For which it is high time he was hanged,' said I, making once more forthe door.
'One instant!' cried the Marshal, smiling at my impatience. 'The worstremains behind. Only last week the Dowager Countess of La Ronda, therichest woman in Spain, was taken by these ruffians in the passes as shewas journeying from King Joseph's Court to visit her grandson. She isnow a prisoner in the Abbey, and is only protected by her----'
'Grandmotherhood,' I suggested.
'Her power of paying a ransom,' said Massena. 'You have three missions,then: To rescue this unfortunate lady; to punish this villain; and, ifpossible, to break up this nest of brigands. It will be a proof of theconfidence which I have in you when I say that I can only spare you halfa squadron with which to accomplish all this.'
My word, I could hardly believe my ears! I thought that I should havehad my regiment at the least.
'I would give you more,' said he, 'but I commence my retreat today, andWellington is so strong in horse that every trooper becomes ofimportance. I cannot spare you another man. You will see what you cando, and you will report yourself to me at Abrantes not later thantomorrow night.'
It was very complimentary that he should rate my powers so high, but itwas also a little embarrassing. I was to rescue an old lady, to hang anEnglishman, and to break up a band of five hundred assassins--all withfifty men. But after all, the fifty men were Hussars of Conflans, andthey had an Etienne Gerard to lead them. As I came out into the warmPortuguese sunshine my confidence had returned to me, and I had alreadybegun to wonder whether the medal which I had so often deserved mightnot be waiting for me at Almeixal.
You may be sure that I did not take my fifty men at hap-hazard. Theywere all old soldiers of the German wars, some of them with threestripes, and most of them with two. Oudet and Papilette, two of the bestsub-officers in the regiment, were at their head. When I had them formedup in fours, all in silver grey and upon chestnut horses, with theirleopard skin shabracks and their little red panaches, my heart beat highat the sight. I could not look at their weather-stained faces, with thegreat moustaches which bristled over their chin-straps, without feelinga glow of confidence, and, between ourselves, I have no doubt that thatwas exactly how they felt when they saw their young Colonel on his greatblack war-horse riding at their head.
Well, when we got free of the camp and over the Tagus, I threw out myadvance and my flankers, keeping my own place at the head of the mainbody. Looking back from the hills above Santarem, we could see the darklines of Massena's army, with the flash and twinkle of the sabres andbayonets as he moved his regiments into position for their retreat. Tothe south lay the scattered red patches of the English outposts, andbehind the grey smoke-cloud which rose from Wellington's camp--thick,oily smoke, which seemed to our poor starving fellows to bear with itthe rich smell of seething camp-kettles. Away to the west lay a curve ofblue sea flecked with the white sails of the English ships.
You will understand that
as we were riding to the east, our road layaway from both armies. Our own marauders, however, and the scoutingparties of the English, covered the country, and it was necessary withmy small troop that I should take every precaution. During the whole daywe rode over desolate hill-sides, the lower portions covered by thebudding vines, but the upper turning from green to grey, and jaggedalong the skyline like the back of a starved horse. Mountain streamscrossed our path, running west to the Tagus, and once we came to a deep,strong river, which might have checked us had I not found the ford byobserving where houses had been built opposite each other upon eitherbank. Between them, as every scout should know, you will find your ford.There was none to give us information, for neither man nor beast, norany living thing except great clouds of crows, was to be seen during ourjourney.
The sun was beginning to sink when we came to a valley clear in thecentre, but shrouded by huge oak trees upon either side. We could not bemore than a few miles from Almeixal, so it seemed to me to be best tokeep among the groves, for the spring had been an early one and theleaves were already thick enough to conceal us. We were riding then inopen order among the great trunks, when one of my flankers camegalloping up.
'There are English across the valley, Colonel,' he cried, as he saluted.
'Cavalry or infantry?'
'Dragoons, Colonel,' said he; 'I saw the gleam of their helmets, andheard the neigh of a horse.'
Halting my men I hastened to the edge of the wood. There could be nodoubt about it. A party of English cavalry was travelling in a line withus, and in the same direction. I caught a glimpse of their red coats andof their flashing arms glowing and twinkling among the tree-trunks.Once, as they passed through a small clearing, I could see their wholeforce, and I judged that they were of about the same strength as myown--a half squadron at the most.
You who have heard some of my little adventures will give me credit forbeing quick in my decisions, and prompt in carrying them out. But here Imust confess that I was in two minds. On the one hand there was thechance of a fine cavalry skirmish with the English. On the other hand,there was my mission at the Abbey of Almeixal, which seemed already tobe so much above my power. If I were to lose any of my men, it wascertain that I should be unable to carry out my orders. I was sittingmy horse, with my chin in my gauntlet, looking across at the ripplinggleams of light from the further wood, when suddenly one of thesered-coated Englishmen rode out from the cover, pointing at me andbreaking into a shrill whoop and halloa as if I had been a fox. Threeothers joined him, and one who was a bugler sounded a call, whichbrought the whole of them into the open. They were, as I had thought, ahalf squadron, and they formed a double line with a front oftwenty-five, their officer--the one who had whooped at me--at theirhead.
For my own part, I had instantly brought my own troopers into the sameformation, so that there we were, hussars and dragoons, with only twohundred yards of grassy sward between us. They carried themselves well,those red-coated troopers, with their silver helmets, their high whiteplumes, and their long, gleaming swords; while, on the other hand, I amsure that they would acknowledge that they had never looked upon finerlight horsemen than the fifty hussars of Conflans who were facing them.They were heavier, it is true, and they may have seemed the smarter, forWellington used to make them burnish their metal work, which was notusual among us. On the other hand, it is well known that the Englishtunics were too tight for the sword-arm, which gave our men anadvantage. As to bravery, foolish, inexperienced people of every nationalways think that their own soldiers are braver than any others. Thereis no nation in the world which does not entertain this idea. But whenone has seen as much as I have done, one understands that there is novery marked difference, and that although nations differ very much indiscipline, they are all equally brave--except that the French haverather more courage than the rest.
Well, the cork was drawn and the glasses ready, when suddenly theEnglish officer raised his sword to me as if in a challenge, andcantered his horse across the grassland. My word, there is no finersight upon earth than that of a gallant man upon a gallant steed! Icould have halted there just to watch him as he came with such carelessgrace, his sabre down by his horse's shoulder, his head thrown back, hiswhite plume tossing--youth and strength and courage, with the violetevening sky above and the oak trees behind. But it was not for me tostand and stare. Etienne Gerard may have his faults, but, my faith, hewas never accused of being backward in taking his own part. The oldhorse, Rataplan, knew me so well that he had started off before ever Igave the first shake to the bridle.
There are two things in this world that I am very slow to forget: theface of a pretty woman, and the legs of a fine horse. Well, as we drewtogether, I kept on saying, 'Where have I seen those great roanshoulders? Where have I seen that dainty fetlock?' Then suddenly Iremembered, and as I looked up at the reckless eyes and the challengingsmile, whom should I recognize but the man who had saved me from thebrigands and played me for my freedom--he whose correct title was Milorthe Hon. Sir Russell Bart!
'Bart!' I shouted.
He had his arm raised for a cut, and three parts of his body open to mypoint, for he did not know very much about the use of the sword. As Ibrought my hilt to the salute he dropped his hand and stared at me.
'Halloa!' said he. 'It's Gerard!' You would have thought by his mannerthat I had met him by appointment. For my own part, I would haveembraced him had he but come an inch of the way to meet me.
'I thought we were in for some sport,' said he. 'I never dreamed that itwas you.'
I found this tone of disappointment somewhat irritating. Instead ofbeing glad at having met a friend, he was sorry at having missed anenemy.
'I should have been happy to join in your sport, my dear Bart,' said I.'But I really cannot turn my sword upon a man who saved my life.'
'Tut, never mind about that.'
'No, it is impossible. I should never forgive myself.'
'You make too much of a trifle.'
'My mother's one desire is to embrace you. If ever you should be inGascony----'
'Lord Wellington is coming there with 60,000 men.'
'Then one of them will have a chance of surviving,' said I, laughing.'In the meantime, put your sword in your sheath!'
Our horses were standing head to tail, and the Bart put out his hand andpatted me on the thigh.
'You're a good chap, Gerard,' said he. 'I only wish you had been born onthe right side of the Channel.'
'I was,' said I.
'Poor devil!' he cried, with such an earnestness of pity that he set melaughing again. 'But look here, Gerard,' he continued; 'this is all verywell, but it is not business, you know. I don't know what Massena wouldsay to it, but our Chief would jump out of his riding-boots if he sawus. We weren't sent out here for a picnic--either of us.'
'What would you have?'
'Well, we had a little argument about our hussars and dragoons, if youremember. I've got fifty of the Sixteenth all chewing their carbinebullets behind me. You've got as many fine-looking boys over yonder, whoseem to be fidgeting in their saddles. If you and I took the rightflanks we should not spoil each other's beauty--though a littleblood-letting is a friendly thing in this climate.'
There seemed to me to be a good deal of sense in what he said. For themoment Mr Alexis Morgan and the Countess of La Ronda and the Abbey ofAlmeixal went right out of my head, and I could only think of the finelevel turf and of the beautiful skirmish which we might have.
'Very good, Bart,' said I. 'We have seen the front of your dragoons. Weshall now have a look at their backs.'
'Any betting?' he asked.
'The stake,' said I, 'is nothing less than the honour of the Hussars ofConflans.'
'Well, come on!' he answered. 'If we break you, well and good--if youbreak us, it will be all the better for Marshal Millefleurs.'
When he said that I could only stare at him in astonishment.
'Why for Marshal Millefleurs?' I asked.
'It is the name of
a rascal who lives out this way. My dragoons havebeen sent by Lord Wellington to see him safely hanged.'
'Name of a name!' I cried. 'Why, my hussars have been sent by Massenafor that very object.'
We burst out laughing at that, and sheathed our swords. There was awhirr of steel from behind us as our troopers followed our example.
'We are allies!' he cried.
'For a day.'
'We must join forces.'
'There is no doubt of it.'
And so, instead of fighting, we wheeled our half squadrons round andmoved in two little columns down the valley, the shakos and the helmetsturned inwards, and the men looking their neighbours up and down, likeold fighting dogs with tattered ears who have learned to respect eachother's teeth. The most were on the broad grin, but there were some oneither side who looked black and challenging, especially the Englishsergeant and my own sub-officer Papilette. They were men of habit, yousee, who could not change all their ways of thinking in a moment.Besides, Papilette had lost his only brother at Busaco. As for the Bartand me, we rode together at the head and chatted about all that hadoccurred to us since that famous game of ecarte of which I have toldyou.
For my own part, I spoke to him of my adventures in England. They are avery singular people, these English. Although he knew that I had beenengaged in twelve campaigns, yet I am sure that the Bart thought morehighly of me because I had had an affair with the Bristol Bustler. Hetold me, too, that the Colonel who presided over his court-martial forplaying cards with a prisoner acquitted him of neglect of duty, butnearly broke him because he thought that he had not cleared his trumpsbefore leading his suit. Yes, indeed, they are a singular people.
At the end of the valley the road curved over some rising ground beforewinding down into another wider valley beyond. We called a halt when wecame to the top; for there, right in front of us, at the distance ofabout three miles, was a scattered, grey town, with a single enormousbuilding upon the flank of the mountain which overlooked it. We couldnot doubt that we were at last in sight of the Abbey that held the gangof rascals whom we had come to disperse. It was only now, I think, thatwe fully understood what a task lay in front of us, for the place was averitable fortress, and it was evident that cavalry should never havebeen sent out upon such an errand.
'That's got nothing to do with us,' said the Bart; Wellington andMassena can settle that between them.'
'Courage!' I answered. 'Pire took Leipzig with fifty hussars.'
'Had they been dragoons,' said the Bart, laughing, 'he would have hadBerlin. But you are senior officer; give us a lead, and we'll see whowill be the first to flinch.'
'Well,' said I, 'whatever we do must be done at once, for my orders areto be on my way to Abrantes by tomorrow night. But we must have someinformation first, and here is someone who should be able to give it tous.'
There was a square, whitewashed house standing by the roadside, whichappeared, from the bush hanging over the door, to be one of thosewayside tabernas which are provided for the muleteers. A lantern washung in the porch, and by its light we saw two men, the one in the brownhabit of a Capuchin monk, and the other girt with an apron, which showedhim to be the landlord. They were conversing together so earnestly thatwe were upon them before they were aware of us. The innkeeper turned tofly, but one of the Englishmen seized him by the hair, and held himtight.
'For mercy's sake, spare me,' he yelled. 'My house has been gutted bythe French and harried by the English, and my feet have been burned bythe brigands. I swear by the Virgin that I have neither money nor foodin my inn, and the good Father Abbot, who is starving upon my doorstep,will be witness to it.'
'Indeed, sir,' said the Capuchin, in excellent French, 'what this worthyman says is very true. He is one of the many victims to these cruelwars, although his loss is but a feather-weight compared to mine. Lethim go,' he added, in English, to the trooper, 'he is too weak to fly,even if he desired to.'
In the light of the lantern I saw that this monk was a magnificent man,dark and bearded, with the eyes of a hawk, and so tall that his cowlcame up to Rataplan's ears. He wore the look of one who had been throughmuch suffering, but he carried himself like a king, and we could formsome opinion of his learning when we each heard him talk our ownlanguage as fluently as if he were born to it.
'You have nothing to fear,' said I, to the trembling innkeeper. 'As toyou, father, you are, if I am not mistaken, the very man who can give usthe information which we require.'
'All that I have is at your service, my son. But,' he added, with a wansmile, 'my Lenten fare is always somewhat meagre, and this year it hasbeen such that I must ask you for a crust of bread if I am to have thestrength to answer your questions.'
We bore two days' rations in our haversacks, so that he soon had thelittle he asked for. It was dreadful to see the wolfish way in which heseized the piece of dried goat's flesh which I was able to offer him.
'Time presses, and we must come to the point,' said I. 'We want youradvice as to the weak points of yonder Abbey, and concerning the habitsof the rascals who infest it.'
He cried out something which I took to be Latin, with his hands claspedand his eyes upturned. 'The prayer of the just availeth much,' said he,'and yet I had not dared to hope that mine would have been so speedilyanswered. In me you see the unfortunate Abbot of Almeixal, who has beencast out by this rabble of three armies with their heretical leader. Oh!to think of what I have lost!' his voice broke, and the tears hung uponhis lashes.
'Cheer up, sir,' said the Bart. 'I'll lay nine to four that we have youback again by tomorrow night.'
It is not of my own welfare that I think,' said he, 'nor even of that ofmy poor, scattered flock. But it is of the holy relics which are left inthe sacrilegious hands of these robbers.'
'It's even betting whether they would ever bother their heads aboutthem,' said the Bart. 'But show us the way inside the gates, and we'llsoon clear the place out for you.'
In a few short words the good Abbot gave us the very points that wewished to know. But all that he said only made our task more formidable.The walls of the Abbey were forty feet high. The lower windows werebarricaded, and the whole building loopholed for musketry fire. The gangpreserved military discipline, and their sentries were too numerous forus to hope to take them by surprise. It was more than ever evident thata battalion of grenadiers and a couple of breaching pieces were what wasneeded. I raised my eyebrows, and the Bart began to whistle.
'We must have a shot at it, come what may,' said he.
The men had already dismounted, and, having watered their horses, wereeating their suppers. For my own part I went into the sitting-room ofthe inn with the Abbot and the Bart, that we might talk about our plans.
I had a little cognac in my _sauve vie_, and I divided it among us--justenough to wet our moustaches.
'It is unlikely,' said I, 'that those rascals know anything about ourcoming. I have seen no signs of scouts along the road. My own plan isthat we should conceal ourselves in some neighbouring wood, and then,when they open their gates, charge down upon them and take them bysurprise.'
The Bart was of opinion that this was the best that we could do, but,when we came to talk it over, the Abbot made us see that there weredifficulties in the way.
'Save on the side of the town, there is no place within a mile of theAbbey where you could shelter man or horse,' said he. 'As to thetownsfolk, they are not to be trusted. I fear, my son, that yourexcellent plan would have little chance of success in the face of thevigilant guard which these men keep.'
'I see no other way,' answered I. 'Hussars of Conflans are not soplentiful that I can afford to run half a squadron of them against aforty-foot wall with five hundred infantry behind it.'
'I am a man of peace,' said the Abbot, 'and yet I may, perhaps, give aword of counsel. I know these villains and their ways. Who should do sobetter, seeing that I have stayed for a month in this lonely spot,looking down in weariness of heart at the Abbey which was my own? I willtell yo
u now what I should myself do if I were in your place.'
'Pray tell us, father,' we cried, both together.
'You must know that bodies of deserters, both French and English, arecontinually coming in to them, carrying their weapons with them. Now,what is there to prevent you and your men from pretending to be such abody, and so making your way into the Abbey?'
I was amazed at the simplicity of the thing, and I embraced the goodAbbot. The Bart, however, had some objections to offer.
'That is all very well,' said he, 'but if these fellows are as sharp asyou say, it is not very likely that they are going to let a hundredarmed strangers into their crib. From all I have heard of Mr Morgan, orMarshal Millefleurs, or whatever the rascal's name is, I give him creditfor more sense than that.'
'Well, then,' I cried, 'let us send fifty in, and let them at daybreakthrow open the gates to the other fifty, who will be waiting outside.'
We discussed the question at great length and with much foresight anddiscretion. If it had been Massena and Wellington instead of two youngofficers of light cavalry, we could not have weighed it all with morejudgment. At last we agreed, the Bart and I, that one of us shouldindeed go with fifty men, under pretence of being deserters, and that inthe early morning he should gain command of the gate and admit theothers. The Abbot, it is true, was still of opinion that it wasdangerous to divide our force, but finding that we were both of the samemind, he shrugged his shoulders and gave in.
'There is only one thing that I would ask,' said he. 'If you lay handsupon this Marshal Millefleurs--this dog of a brigand--what will you dowith him?'
'Hang him,' I answered.
'It is too easy a death,' cried the Capuchin, with a vindictive glow inhis dark eyes. 'Had I my way with him--but, oh, what thoughts are thesefor a servant of God to harbour!' He clapped his hands to his foreheadlike one who is half demented by his troubles, and rushed out of theroom.
There was an important point which we had still to settle, and that waswhether the French or the English party should have the honour ofentering the Abbey first. My faith, it was asking a great deal ofEtienne Gerard that he should give place to any man at such a time! Butthe poor Bart pleaded so hard, urging the few skirmishes which he hadseen against my four-and-seventy engagements, that at last I consentedthat he should go. We had just clasped hands over the matter when therebroke out such a shouting and cursing and yelling from the front of theinn, that out we rushed with our drawn sabres in our hands, convincedthat the brigands were upon us.
You may imagine our feelings when, by the light of the lantern whichhung from the porch, we saw a score of our hussars and dragoons allmixed in one wild heap, red coats and blue, helmets and busbies,pommelling each other to their hearts' content. We flung ourselves uponthem, imploring, threatening, tugging at a lace collar, or at a spurredheel, until, at last, we had dragged them all apart. There they stood,flushed and bleeding, glaring at each other, and all panting togetherlike a line of troop horses after a ten-mile chase. It was only with ourdrawn swords that we could keep them from each other's throats. The poorCapuchin stood in the porch in his long brown habit, wringing his handsand calling upon all the saints for mercy.
He was, indeed, as I found upon inquiry, the innocent cause of all theturmoil, for, not understanding how soldiers look upon such things, hehad made some remark to the English sergeant that it was a pity that hissquadron was not as good as the French. The words were not out of hismouth before a dragoon knocked down the nearest hussar, and then, in amoment, they all flew at each other like tigers. We would trust them nomore after that, but the Bart moved his men to the front of the inn, andI mine to the back, the English all scowling and silent, and our fellowsshaking their fists and chattering, each after the fashion of their ownpeople.
Well, as our plans were made, we thought it best to carry them out atonce, lest some fresh cause of quarrel should break out between ourfollowers. The Bart and his men rode off, therefore, he having firsttorn the lace from his sleeves, and the gorget and sash from hisuniform, so that he might pass as a simple trooper. He explained to hismen what it was that was expected of them, and though they did not raisea cry or wave their weapons as mine might have done, there was anexpression upon their stolid and clean-shaven faces which filled me withconfidence. Their tunics were left unbuttoned, their scabbards andhelmets stained with dirt, and their harness badly fastened, so thatthey might look the part of deserters, without order or discipline. Atsix o'clock next morning they were to gain command of the main gate ofthe Abbey, while at that same hour my hussars were to gallop up to itfrom outside. The Bart and I pledged our words to it before he trottedoff with his detachment. My sergeant, Papilette, with two troopers,followed the English at a distance, and returned in half an hour to saythat, after some parley, and the flashing of lanterns upon them from thegrille, they had been admitted into the Abbey.
So far, then, all had gone well. It was a cloudy night with a sprinklingof rain, which was in our favour, as there was the less chance of ourpresence being discovered. My vedettes I placed two hundred yards inevery direction, to guard against a surprise, and also to prevent anypeasant who might stumble upon us from carrying the news to the Abbey.Oudin and Papilette were to take turns of duty, while the others withtheir horses had snug quarters in a great wooden granary. Having walkedround and seen that all was as it should be, I flung myself upon the bedwhich the innkeeper had set apart for me, and fell into a dreamlesssleep.
No doubt you have heard my name mentioned as being the beau-ideal of asoldier, and that not only by friends and admirers like ourfellow-townsfolk, but also by old officers of the great wars who haveshared the fortunes of those famous campaigns with me. Truth and modestycompel me to say, however, that this is not so. There are some giftswhich I lack--very few, no doubt--but, still, amid the vast armies ofthe Emperor there may have been some who were free from those blemisheswhich stood between me and perfection. Of bravery I say nothing. Thosewho have seen me in the field are best fitted to speak about that. Ihave often heard the soldiers discussing round the camp-fires as to whowas the bravest man in the Grand Army. Some said Murat, and some saidLasalle, and some Ney; but for my own part, when they asked me, I merelyshrugged my shoulders and smiled. It would have seemed mere conceit if Ihad answered that there was no man braver than Brigadier Gerard. At thesame time, facts are facts, and a man knows best what his own feelingsare. But there are other gifts besides bravery which are necessary for asoldier, and one of them is that he should be a light sleeper. Now, frommy boyhood onwards, I have been hard to wake, and it was this whichbrought me to ruin upon that night.
It may have been about two o'clock in the morning that I was suddenlyconscious of a feeling of suffocation. I tried to call out, but therewas something which prevented me from uttering a sound. I struggled torise, but I could only flounder like a hamstrung horse. I was strappedat the ankles, strapped at the knees, and strapped again at the wrists.Only my eyes were free to move, and there at the foot of my couch, bythe light of a Portuguese lamp, whom should I see but the Abbot and theinnkeeper!
The latter's heavy, white face had appeared to me when I looked upon itthe evening before to express nothing but stupidity and terror. Now, onthe contrary, every feature bespoke brutality and ferocity. Never have Iseen a more dreadful-looking villain. In his hand he held a long,dull-coloured knife. The Abbot, on the other hand, was as polished andas dignified as ever. His Capuchin gown had been thrown open, however,and I saw beneath it a black, frogged coat, such as I have seen amongthe English officers. As our eyes met he leaned over the wooden end ofthe bed and laughed silently until it creaked again.
'You will, I am sure, excuse my mirth, my dear Colonel Gerard,' said he.'The fact is, that the expression upon your face when you grasped thesituation was just a little funny. I have no doubt that you are anexcellent soldier, but I hardly think that you are fit to measure witswith the Marshal Millefleurs, as your fellows have been good enough tocall me. You appear to have given me c
redit for singularly littleintelligence, which argues, if I may be allowed to say so, a want ofacuteness upon your own part. Indeed, with the single exception of mythick-headed compatriot, the British dragoon, I have never met anyonewho was less competent to carry out such a mission.'
You can imagine how I felt and how I looked, as I listened to thisinsolent harangue, which was all delivered in that flowery andcondescending manner which had gained this rascal his nickname. I couldsay nothing, but they must have read my threat in my eyes, for thefellow who had played the part of the innkeeper whispered something tohis companion.
'No, no, my dear Chenier, he will be infinitely more valuable alive,'said he. 'By the way, Colonel, it is just as well that you are a soundsleeper, for my friend here, who is a little rough in his ways, wouldcertainly have cut your throat if you had raised any alarm. I shouldrecommend you to keep in his good graces, for Sergeant Chenier, late ofthe 7th Imperial Light Infantry, is a much more dangerous person thanCaptain Alexis Morgan, of His Majesty's foot-guards.'
Chenier grinned and shook his knife at me, while I tried to look theloathing which I felt at the thought that a soldier of the Emperor couldfall so low.
'It may amuse you to know,' said the Marshal, in that soft, suave voiceof his, 'that both your expeditions were watched from the time that youleft your respective camps. I think that you will allow that Chenier andI played our parts with some subtlety. We had made every arrangementfor your reception at the Abbey, though we had hoped to receive thewhole squadron instead of half. When the gates are secured behind them,our visitors will find themselves in a very charming little mediaevalquadrangle, with no possible exit, commanded by musketry fire from ahundred windows. They may choose to be shot down; or they may choose tosurrender. Between ourselves, I have not the slightest doubt that theyhave been wise enough to do the latter. But since you are naturallyinterested in the matter, we thought that you would care to come with usand to see for yourself. I think I can promise you that you will findyour titled friend waiting for you at the Abbey with a face as long asyour own.'
The two villains began whispering together, debating, as far as I couldhear, which was the best way of avoiding my vedettes.
'I will make sure that it is all clear upon the other side of the barn,'said the Marshal at last. 'You will stay here, my good Chenier, and ifthe prisoner gives any trouble you will know what to do.'
So we were left together, this murderous renegade and I--he sitting atthe end of the bed, sharpening his knife upon his boot in the light ofthe single smoky little oil-lamp. As to me, I only wonder now, as I lookback upon it, that I did not go mad with vexation and self-reproach as Ilay helplessly upon the couch, unable to utter a word or move a finger,with the knowledge that my fifty gallant lads were so close to me, andyet with no means of letting them know the straits to which I wasreduced. It was no new thing for me to be a prisoner; but to be taken bythese renegades, and to be led into their Abbey in the midst of theirjeers, befooled and out-witted by their insolent leaders--that wasindeed more than I could endure. The knife of the butcher beside mewould cut less deeply than that.
I twitched softly at my wrists, and then at my ankles, but whichever ofthe two had secured me was no bungler at his work. I could not moveeither of them an inch. Then I tried to work the handkerchief down overmy mouth, but the ruffian beside me raised his knife with such athreatening snarl that I had to desist. I was lying still looking at hisbull neck, and wondering whether it would ever be my good fortune to fitit for a cravat, when I heard returning steps coming down the innpassage and up the stair. What word would the villain bring back? If hefound it impossible to kidnap me, he would probably murder me where Ilay. For my own part, I was indifferent which it might be, and I lookedat the doorway with the contempt and defiance which I longed to put intowords. But you can imagine my feelings, my dear friends, when, insteadof the tall figure and dark, sneering face of the Capuchin, my eyes fellupon the grey pelisse and huge moustaches of my good little sub-officer,Papilette!
The French soldier of those days had seen too much to be ever taken bysurprise. His eyes had hardly rested upon my bound figure and thesinister face beside me before he had seen how the matter lay.
'Sacred name of a dog!' he growled, and out flashed his great sabre.Chenier sprang forward at him with his knife, and then, thinking betterof it, he darted back and stabbed frantically at my heart. For my ownpart, I had hurled myself off the bed on the side opposite to him, andthe blade grazed my side before ripping its way through blanket andsheet. An instant later I heard the thud of a heavy fall, and thenalmost simultaneously a second object struck the floor--somethinglighter but harder, which rolled under the bed. I will not horrify youwith details, my friends. Suffice it that Papilette was one of thestrongest swordsmen in the regiment, and that his sabre was heavy andsharp. It left a red blotch upon my wrists and my ankles, as it cut thethongs which bound me.
When I had thrown off my gag, the first use which I made of my lips wasto kiss the sergeant's scarred cheeks. The next was to ask him if allwas well with the command. Yes, they had had no alarms. Oudin had justrelieved him, and he had come to report. Had he seen the Abbot? No, hehad seen nothing of him. Then we must form a cordon and prevent hisescape. I was hurrying out to give the orders, when I heard a slow andmeasured step enter the door below, and come creaking up the stairs.
Papilette understood it all in an instant. 'You are not to kill him,' Iwhispered, and thrust him into the shadow on one side of the door; Icrouched on the other. Up he came, up and up, and every footfall seemedto be upon my heart. The brown skirt of his gown was not over thethreshold before we were both on him, like two wolves on a buck. Down wecrashed, the three of us, he fighting like a tiger, and with suchamazing strength that he might have broken away from the two of us.Thrice he got to his feet, and thrice we had him over again, untilPapilette made him feel that there was a point to his sabre. He hadsense enough then to know that the game was up, and to lie still while Ilashed him with the very cords which had been round my own limbs.
'There has been a fresh deal, my fine fellow,' said I, 'and you willfind that I have some of the trumps in _my_ hand this time.'
'Luck always comes to the aid of a fool,' he answered. 'Perhaps it is aswell, otherwise the world would fall too completely into the power ofthe astute. So, you have killed Chenier, I see. He was an insubordinatedog, and always smelt abominably of garlic. Might I trouble you to layme upon the bed? The floor of these Portuguese tabernas is hardly afitting couch for anyone who has prejudices in favour of cleanliness.'
I could not but admire the coolness of the man, and the way in which hepreserved the same insolent air of condescension in spite of this suddenturning of the tables. I dispatched Papilette to summon a guard, whilstI stood over our prisoner with my drawn sword, never taking my eyes offhim for an instant, for I must confess that I had conceived a greatrespect for his audacity and resource.
'I trust,' said he, 'that your men will treat me in a becoming manner.'
'You will get your deserts--you may depend upon that.'
'I ask nothing more. You may not be aware of my exalted birth, but I amso placed that I cannot name my father without treason, nor my motherwithout a scandal. I cannot _claim_ Royal honours, but these things areso much more graceful when they are conceded without a claim. The thongsare cutting my skin. Might I beg you to loosen them?'
'You do not give me credit for much intelligence,' I remarked, repeatinghis own words.
'_Touche_,' he cried, like a pinked fencer. 'But here come your men, soit matters little whether you loosen them or not.'
I ordered the gown to be stripped from him and placed him under a strongguard. Then, as morning was already breaking, I had to consider what mynext step was to be. The poor Bart and his Englishmen had fallen victimsto the deep scheme which might, had we adopted all the craftysuggestions of our adviser, have ended in the capture of the wholeinstead of the half of our force. I must extricate them if it were stillpossibl
e. Then there was the old lady, the Countess of La Ronda, to bethought of. As to the Abbey, since its garrison was on the alert it washopeless to think of capturing that. All turned now upon the value whichthey placed upon their leader. The game depended upon my playing thatone card. I will tell you how boldly and how skilfully I played it.
It was hardly light before my bugler blew the assembly, and out wetrotted on to the plain. My prisoner was placed on horseback in the verycentre of the troops. It chanced that there was a large tree just out ofmusket-shot from the main gate of the Abbey, and under this we halted.Had they opened the great doors in order to attack us, I should havecharged home upon them; but, as I had expected, they stood upon thedefensive, lining the long wall and pouring down a torrent of hootingsand taunts and derisive laughter upon us. A few fired their muskets, butfinding that we were out of reach they soon ceased to waste theirpowder. It was the strangest sight to see that mixture of uniforms,French, English, and Portuguese, cavalry, infantry, and artillery, allwagging their heads and shaking their fists at us.
My word, their hubbub soon died away when we opened our ranks, andshowed whom we had got in the midst of us! There was silence for a fewseconds, and then such a howl of rage and grief! I could see some ofthem dancing like mad-men upon the wall. He must have been a singularperson, this prisoner of ours, to have gained the affection of such agang.
I had brought a rope from the inn, and we slung it over the lower boughof the tree.
'You will permit me, monsieur, to undo your collar,' said Papilette,with mock politeness.
'If your hands are perfectly clean,' answered our prisoner, and set thewhole half-squadron laughing.
There was another yell from the wall, followed by a profound hush as thenoose was tightened round Marshal Millefleurs' neck. Then came a shriekfrom a bugle, the Abbey gates flew open, and three men rushed out wavingwhite cloths in their hands. Ah, how my heart bounded with joy at thesight of them. And yet I would not advance an inch to meet them, so thatall the eagerness might seem to be upon their side. I allowed mytrumpeter, however, to wave a handkerchief in reply, upon which thethree envoys came running towards us. The Marshal, still pinioned, andwith the rope round his neck, sat his horse with a half smile, as onewho is slightly bored and yet strives out of courtesy not to show it.If I were in such a situation I could not wish to carry myself better,and surely I can say no more than that.
They were a singular trio, these ambassadors. The one was a Portuguesecacadore in his dark uniform, the second a French chasseur in thelightest green, and the third a big English artilleryman in blue andgold. They saluted, all three, and the Frenchman did the talking.
'We have thirty-seven English dragoons in our hands,' said he. 'We giveyou our most solemn oath that they shall all hang from the Abbey wallwithin five minutes of the death of our Marshal.'
'Thirty-seven!' I cried. 'You have fifty-one.'
'Fourteen were cut down before they could be secured.'
'And the officer?'
'He would not surrender his sword save with his life. It was not ourfault. We would have saved him if we could.'
Alas for my poor Bart! I had met him but twice, and yet he was a manvery much after my heart. I have always had a regard for the English forthe sake of that one friend. A braver man and a worse swordsman I havenever met.
I did not, as you may think, take these rascals' word for anything.Papilette was dispatched with one of them, and returned to say that itwas too true. I had now to think of the living.
'You will release the thirty-seven dragoons if I free your leader?'
'We will give you ten of them.'
'Up with him!' I cried.
'Twenty,' shouted the chasseur.
'No more words,' said I. 'Pull on the rope!'
'All of them,' cried the envoy, as the cord tightened round theMarshal's neck.
'With horses and arms?'
They could see that I was not a man to jest with.
'All complete,' said the chasseur, sulkily.
'And the Countess of La Ronda as well?' said I.
But here I met with firmer opposition. No threats of mine could inducethem to give up the Countess. We tightened the cord. We moved the horse.We did all but leave the Marshal suspended. If once I broke his neck thedragoons were dead men. It was as precious to me as to them.
'Allow me to remark,' said the Marshal, blandly, 'that you are exposingme to a risk of a quinsy. Do you not think, since there is a differenceof opinion upon this point, that it would be an excellent idea toconsult the lady herself? We would neither of us, I am sure, wish tooverride her own inclinations.'
Nothing could be more satisfactory. You can imagine how quickly Igrasped at so simple a solution. In ten minutes she was before us, amost stately dame, with her grey curls peeping out from under hermantilla. Her face was as yellow as though it reflected the countlessdoubloons of her treasury.
'This gentleman,' said the Marshal, 'is exceedingly anxious to conveyyou to a place where you will never see us more. It is for you to decidewhether you would wish to go with him, or whether you prefer to remainwith me.'
She was at his horse's side in an instant. 'My own Alexis,' she cried,'nothing can ever part us.'
He looked at me with a sneer upon his handsome face.
'By the way, you made a small slip of the tongue, my dear Colonel,' saidhe. 'Except by courtesy, no such person exists as the Dowager Countessof La Ronda. The lady whom I have the honour to present to you is myvery dear wife, Mrs Alexis Morgan--or shall I say Madame la MarechaleMillefleurs?'
It was at this moment that I came to the conclusion that I was dealingwith the cleverest, and also the most unscrupulous, man whom I had evermet. As I looked upon this unfortunate old woman my soul was filled withwonder and disgust. As for her, her eyes were raised to his face withsuch a look as a young recruit might give to the Emperor.
'So be it,' said I at last; 'give me the dragoons and let me go.'
They were brought out with their horses and weapons, and the rope wastaken from the Marshal's neck.
'Good-bye, my dear Colonel,' said he. 'I am afraid that you will haverather a lame account to give of your mission, when you find your wayback to Massena, though, from all I hear, he will probably be too busyto think of you. I am free to confess that you have extricated yourselffrom your difficulties with greater ability than I had given you creditfor. I presume that there is nothing which I can do for you before yougo?'
'There is one thing.'
'And that is?'
'To give fitting burial to this young officer and his men.'
'I pledge my word to it.'
'And there is one other.'
'Name it.'
'To give me five minutes in the open with a sword in your hand and ahorse between your legs.'
'Tut, tut!' said he. 'I should either have to cut short your promisingcareer, or else to bid adieu to my own bonny bride. It is unreasonableto ask such a request of a man in the first joys of matrimony.'
I gathered my horsemen together and wheeled them into column.
'Au revoir,' I cried, shaking my sword at him. 'The next time you maynot escape so easily.'
'Au revoir,' he answered. 'When you are weary of the Emperor, you willalways find a commission waiting for you in the service of the MarshalMillefleurs.'