Read The Exploits of Brigadier Gerard Page 7

  7. HOW THE BRIGADIER WON HIS MEDAL

  The Duke of Tarentum, or Macdonald, as his old comrades prefer to callhim, was, as I could perceive, in the vilest of tempers. His grim,Scotch face was like one of those grotesque door-knockers which one seesin the Faubourg St Germain. We heard afterwards that the Emperor hadsaid in jest that he would have sent him against Wellington in theSouth, but that he was afraid to trust him within the sound of thepipes. Major Charpentier and I could plainly see that he was smoulderingwith anger.

  'Brigadier Gerard of the Hussars,' said he, with the air of the corporalwith the recruit.

  I saluted.

  'Major Charpentier of the Horse Grenadiers.'

  My companion answered to his name.

  'The Emperor has a mission for you.'

  Without more ado he flung open the door and announced us.

  I have seen Napoleon ten times on horseback to once on foot, and I thinkthat he does wisely to show himself to the troops in this fashion, forhe cuts a very good figure in the saddle. As we saw him now he was theshortest man out of six by a good hand's breadth, and yet I am no verybig man myself, though I ride quite heavy enough for a hussar. It isevident, too, that his body is too long for his legs. With his big,round head, his curved shoulders, and his clean-shaven face, he is morelike a Professor at the Sorbonne than the first soldier in France. Everyman to his taste, but it seems to me that, if I could clap a pair offine light cavalry whiskers, like my own, on to him, it would do him noharm. He has a firm mouth, however, and his eyes are remarkable. I haveseen them once turned on me in anger, and I had rather ride at a squareon a spent horse than face them again. I am not a man who is easilydaunted, either.

  He was standing at the side of the room, away from the window, lookingup at a great map of the country which was hung upon the wall. Berthierstood beside him, trying to look wise, and just as we entered, Napoleonsnatched his sword impatiently from him and pointed with it on the map.He was talking fast and low, but I heard him say, 'The valley of theMeuse,' and twice he repeated 'Berlin.' As we entered, his aide-de-campadvanced to us, but the Emperor stopped him and beckoned us to his side.

  'You have not yet received the cross of honour, Brigadier Gerard?' heasked.

  I replied that I had not, and was about to add that it was not for wantof having deserved it, when he cut me short in his decided fashion.

  'And you, Major?' he asked.

  'No, sire.'

  'Then you shall both have your opportunity now.'

  He led us to the great map upon the wall and placed the tip ofBerthier's sword on Rheims.

  'I will be frank with you, gentlemen, as with two comrades. You haveboth been with me since Marengo, I believe?' He had a strangely pleasantsmile, which used to light up his pale face with a kind of coldsunshine. 'Here at Rheims are our present headquarters on this the 14thof March. Very good. Here is Paris, distant by road a good twenty-fiveleagues. Blucher lies to the north, Schwarzenberg to the south.' Heprodded at the map with the sword as he spoke.

  'Now,' said he, 'the further into the country these people march, themore completely I shall crush them. They are about to advance uponParis. Very good. Let them do so. My brother, the King of Spain, will bethere with a hundred thousand men. It is to him that I send you. Youwill hand him this letter, a copy of which I confide to each of you. Itis to tell him that I am coming at once, in two days' time, with everyman and horse and gun to his relief. I must give them forty-eight hoursto recover. Then straight to Paris! You understand me, gentlemen?'

  Ah, if I could tell you the glow of pride which it gave me to be takeninto the great man's confidence in this way. As he handed our letters tous I clicked my spurs and threw out my chest, smiling and nodding to lethim know that I saw what he would be after. He smiled also, and restedhis hand for a moment upon the cape of my dolman. I would have givenhalf my arrears of pay if my mother could have seen me at that instant.

  'I will show you your route,' said he, turning back to the map. 'Yourorders are to ride together as far as Bazoches. You will then separate,the one making for Paris by Oulchy and Neuilly, and the other to thenorth by Braine, Soissons, and Senlis. Have you anything to say,Brigadier Gerard?'

  I am a rough soldier, but I have words and ideas. I had begun to speakabout glory and the peril of France when he cut me short.

  'And you, Major Charpentier?'

  'If we find our route unsafe, are we at liberty to choose another?' saidhe.

  'Soldiers do not choose, they obey.' He inclined his head to show thatwe were dismissed, and turned round to Berthier. I do not know what hesaid, but I heard them both laughing.

  Well, as you may think, we lost little time in getting upon our way. Inhalf an hour we were riding down the High Street of Rheims, and itstruck twelve o'clock as we passed the Cathedral. I had my little greymare, Violette, the one which Sebastiani had wished to buy afterDresden. It is the fastest horse in the six brigades of light cavalry,and was only beaten by the Duke of Rovigo's racer from England. As toCharpentier, he had the kind of horse which a horse grenadier or acuirassier would be likely to ride: a back like a bedstead, youunderstand, and legs like the posts. He is a hulking fellow himself, sothat they looked a singular pair. And yet in his insane conceit he ogledthe girls as they waved their handkerchiefs to me from the windows, andhe twirled his ugly red moustache up into his eyes, just as if it wereto him that their attention was addressed.

  When we came out of the town we passed through the French camp, and thenacross the battle-field of yesterday, which was still covered both byour own poor fellows and by the Russians. But of the two the camp wasthe sadder sight. Our army was thawing away. The Guards were all right,though the young guard was full of conscripts. The artillery and theheavy cavalry were also good if there were more of them, but theinfantry privates with their under officers looked like schoolboys withtheir masters. And we had no reserves. When one considered that therewere 80,000 Prussians to the north and 150,000 Russians and Austrians tothe south, it might make even the bravest man grave.

  For my own part, I confess that I shed a tear until the thought camethat the Emperor was still with us, and that on that very morning he hadplaced his hand upon my dolman and had promised me a medal of honour.This set me singing, and I spurred Violette on, until Charpentier had tobeg me to have mercy on his great, snorting, panting camel. The road wasbeaten into paste and rutted two feet deep by the artillery, so that hewas right in saying that it was not the place for a gallop.

  I have never been very friendly with this Charpentier; and now fortwenty miles of the way I could not draw a word from him. He rode withhis brows puckered and his chin upon his breast, like a man who is heavywith thought. More than once I asked him what was on his mind, thinkingthat, perhaps, with my quicker intelligence I might set the matterstraight. His answer always was that it was his mission of which he wasthinking, which surprised me, because, although I had never thought muchof his intelligence, still it seemed to me to be impossible that anyonecould be puzzled by so simple and soldierly a task.

  Well, we came at last to Bazoches, where he was to take the southernroad and I the northern. He half turned in his saddle before he left me,and he looked at me with a singular expression of inquiry in his face.

  'What do you make of it, Brigadier?' he asked.

  'Of what?'

  'Of our mission.'

  'Surely it is plain enough.'

  'You think so? Why should the Emperor tell us his plans?'

  'Because he recognized our intelligence.'

  My companion laughed in a manner which I found annoying.

  'May I ask what you intend to do if you find these villages full ofPrussians?' he asked.

  'I shall obey my orders.'

  'But you will be killed.'

  'Very possibly.'

  He laughed again, and so offensively that I clapped my hand to my sword.But before I could tell him what I thought of his stupidity and rudenesshe had wheeled his horse, and was lumbering away d
own the other road. Isaw his big fur cap vanish over the brow of the hill, and then I rodeupon my way, wondering at his conduct. From time to time I put my handto the breast of my tunic and felt the paper crackle beneath my fingers.Ah, my precious paper, which should be turned into the little silvermedal for which I had yearned so long. All the way from Braine toSermoise I was thinking of what my mother would say when she saw it.

  I stopped to give Violette a meal at a wayside auberge on the side of ahill not far from Soissons--a place surrounded by old oaks, and with somany crows that one could scarce hear one's own voice. It was from theinnkeeper that I learned that Marmont had fallen back two days before,and that the Prussians were over the Aisne. An hour later, in the fadinglight, I saw two of their vedettes upon the hill to the right, and then,as darkness gathered, the heavens to the north were all glimmering fromthe lights of a bivouac.

  When I heard that Blucher had been there for two days, I was muchsurprised that the Emperor should not have known that the countrythrough which he had ordered me to carry my precious letter was alreadyoccupied by the enemy. Still, I thought of the tone of his voice when hesaid to Charpentier that a soldier must not choose, but must obey. Ishould follow the route he had laid down for me as long as Violettecould move a hoof or I a finger upon her bridle. All the way fromSermoise to Soissons, where the road dips up and down, curving among firwoods, I kept my pistol ready and my sword-belt braced, pushing onswiftly where the path was straight, and then coming slowly round thecorners in the way we learned in Spain.

  When I came to the farmhouse which lies to the right of the road justafter you cross the wooden bridge over the Crise, near where the greatstatue of the Virgin stands, a woman cried to me from the field, sayingthat the Prussians were in Soissons. A small party of their lancers, shesaid, had come in that very afternoon, and a whole division was expectedbefore midnight. I did not wait to hear the end of her tale, but clappedspurs into Violette, and in five minutes was galloping her into thetown.

  Three Uhlans were at the mouth of the main street, their horsestethered, and they gossiping together, each with a pipe as long as mysabre. I saw them well in the light of an open door, but of me theycould have seen only the flash of Violette's grey side and the blackflutter of my cloak. A moment later I flew through a stream of themrushing from an open gateway. Violette's shoulder sent one of themreeling, and I stabbed at another but missed him. Pang, pang, went twocarbines, but I had flown round the curve of the street, and never somuch as heard the hiss of the balls. Ah, we were great, both Violetteand I. She lay down to it like a coursed hare, the fire flying from herhoofs. I stood in my stirrups and brandished my sword. Someone sprangfor my bridle. I sliced him through the arm, and I heard him howlingbehind me. Two horsemen closed upon me. I cut one down and outpaced theother. A minute later I was clear of the town, and flying down a broadwhite road with the black poplars on either side. For a time I heard therattle of hoofs behind me, but they died and died until I could not tellthem from the throbbing of my own heart. Soon I pulled up and listened,but all was silent. They had given up the chase.

  Well, the first thing that I did was to dismount and to lead my mareinto a small wood through which a stream ran. There I watered her andrubbed her down, giving her two pieces of sugar soaked in cognac from myflask. She was spent from the sharp chase, but it was wonderful to seehow she came round with a half-hour's rest. When my thighs closed uponher again, I could tell by the spring and the swing of her that it wouldnot be her fault if I did not win my way safe to Paris.

  I must have been well within the enemy's lines now, for I heard a numberof them shouting one of their rough drinking songs out of a house by theroadside, and I went round by the fields to avoid it. At another timetwo men came out into the moonlight (for by this time it was a cloudlessnight) and shouted something in German, but I galloped on withoutheeding them, and they were afraid to fire, for their own hussars aredressed exactly as I was. It is best to take no notice at these times,and then they put you down as a deaf man.

  It was a lovely moon, and every tree threw a black bar across the road.I could see the countryside just as if it were daytime, and verypeaceful it looked, save that there was a great fire raging somewhere inthe north. In the silence of the night-time, and with the knowledge thatdanger was in front and behind me, the sight of that great distant firewas very striking and awesome. But I am not easily clouded, for I haveseen too many singular things, so I hummed a tune between my teeth andthought of little Lisette, whom I might see in Paris. My mind was fullof her when, trotting round a corner, I came straight upon half-a-dozenGerman dragoons, who were sitting round a brushwood fire by theroadside.

  I am an excellent soldier. I do not say this because I am prejudiced inmy own favour, but because I really am so. I can weigh every chance in amoment, and decide with as much certainty as though I had brooded for aweek. Now I saw like a flash that, come what might, I should be chased,and on a horse which had already done a long twelve leagues. But it wasbetter to be chased onwards than to be chased back. On this moonlitnight, with fresh horses behind me, I must take my risk in either case;but if I were to shake them off, I preferred that it should be nearSenlis than near Soissons.

  All this flashed on me as if by instinct, you understand. My eyes hadhardly rested on the bearded faces under the brass helmets before myrowels had touched Violette, and she was off with a rattle like apas-de-charge. Oh, the shouting and rushing and stamping from behind us!Three of them fired and three swung themselves on to their horses. Abullet rapped on the crupper of my saddle with a noise like a stick on adoor. Violette sprang madly forward, and I thought she had been wounded,but it was only a graze above the near fore-fetlock. Ah, the dear littlemare, how I loved her when I felt her settle down into that long, easygallop of hers, her hoofs going like a Spanish girl's castanets. I couldnot hold myself. I turned on my saddle and shouted and raved, 'Vivel'Empereur!' I screamed and laughed at the gust of oaths that came backto me.

  But it was not over yet. If she had been fresh she might have gained amile in five. Now she could only hold her own with a very little over.There was one of them, a young boy of an officer, who was better mountedthan the others. He drew ahead with every stride. Two hundred yardsbehind him were two troopers, but I saw every time that I glanced roundthat the distance between them was increasing. The other three who hadwaited to shoot were a long way in the rear.

  The officer's mount was a bay--a fine horse, though not to be spoken ofwith Violette; yet it was a powerful brute, and it seemed to me that ina few miles its freshness might tell. I waited until the lad was a longway in front of his comrades, and then I eased my mare down a little--avery, very little, so that he might think he was really catching me.When he came within pistol-shot of me I drew and cocked my own pistol,and laid my chin upon my shoulder to see what he would do. He did notoffer to fire, and I soon discerned the cause. The silly boy had takenhis pistols from his holsters when he had camped for the night. Hewagged his sword at me now and roared some threat or other. He did notseem to understand that he was at my mercy. I eased Violette down untilthere was not the length of a long lance between the grey tail and thebay muzzle.

  'Rendez-vous!' he yelled.

  'I must compliment monsieur upon his French,' said I, resting the barrelof my pistol upon my bridle-arm, which I have always found best whenshooting from the saddle. I aimed at his face, and could see, even inthe moonlight, how white he grew when he understood that it was all upwith him. But even as my finger pressed the trigger I thought of hismother, and I put my ball through his horse's shoulder. I fear he hurthimself in the fall, for it was a fearful crash, but I had my letter tothink of, so I stretched the mare into a gallop once more.

  But they were not so easily shaken off, these brigands. The two troopersthought no more of their young officer than if he had been a recruitthrown in the riding-school. They left him to the others and thunderedon after me. I had pulled up on the brow of a hill, thinking that I hadheard the last of them;
but, my faith, I soon saw there was no time forloitering, so away we went, the mare tossing her head and I my shako, toshow what we thought of two dragoons who tried to catch a hussar. But atthis moment, even while I laughed at the thought, my heart stood stillwithin me, for there at the end of the long white road was a black patchof cavalry waiting to receive me. To a young soldier it might haveseemed the shadow of the trees, but to me it was a troop of hussars,and, turn where I could, death seemed to be waiting for me.

  Well, I had the dragoons behind me and the hussars in front. Never sinceMoscow have I seemed to be in such peril. But for the honour of thebrigade I had rather be cut down by a light cavalryman than by a heavy.I never drew bridle, therefore, or hesitated for an instant, but I letViolette have her head. I remember that I tried to pray as I rode, but Iam a little out of practice at such things, and the only words I couldremember were the prayer for fine weather which we used at the school onthe evening before holidays. Even this seemed better than nothing, and Iwas pattering it out, when suddenly I heard French voices in front ofme. Ah, mon Dieu, but the joy went through my heart like a musket-ball.They were ours--our own dear little rascals from the corps of Marmont.Round whisked my two dragoons and galloped for their lives, with themoon gleaming on their brass helmets, while I trotted up to my friendswith no undue haste, for I would have them understand that though ahussar may fly, it is not in his nature to fly very fast. Yet I fearthat Violette's heaving flanks and foam-spattered muzzle gave the lieto my careless bearing.

  Who should be at the head of the troop but old Bouvet, whom I saved atLeipzig! When he saw me his little pink eyes filled with tears, and,indeed, I could not but shed a few myself at the sight of his joy. Itold him of my mission, but he laughed when I said that I must passthrough Senlis.

  'The enemy is there,' said he. 'You cannot go.'

  'I prefer to go where the enemy is,' I answered.

  'But why not go straight to Paris with your despatch? Why should youchoose to pass through the one place where you are almost sure to betaken or killed?'

  'A soldier does not choose--he obeys,' said I, just as I had heardNapoleon say it.

  Old Bouvet laughed in his wheezy way, until I had to give my moustachiosa twirl and look him up and down in a manner which brought him toreason.

  'Well', said he, 'you had best come along with us, for we are all boundfor Senlis. Our orders are to reconnoitre the place. A squadron ofPoniatowski's Polish Lancers are in front of us. If you must ridethrough it, it is possible that we may be able to go with you.'

  So away we went, jingling and clanking through the quiet night until wecame up with the Poles--fine old soldiers all of them, though a trifleheavy for their horses. It was a treat to see them, for they could nothave carried themselves better if they had belonged to my own brigade.We rode together, until in the early morning we saw the lights ofSenlis. A peasant was coming along with a cart, and from him we learnedhow things were going there.

  His information was certain, for his brother was the Mayor's coachman,and he had spoken with him late the night before. There was a singlesquadron of Cossacks--or a polk, as they call it in their frightfullanguage--quartered upon the Mayor's house, which stands at the cornerof the market-place, and is the largest building in the town. A wholedivision of Prussion infantry was encamped in the woods to the north,but only the Cossacks were in Senlis. Ah, what a chance to avengeourselves upon these barbarians, whose cruelty to our poor countryfolkwas the talk at every camp fire.

  We were into the town like a torrent, hacked down the vedettes, rodeover the guard, and were smashing in the doors of the Mayor's housebefore they understood that there was a Frenchman within twenty miles ofthem. We saw horrid heads at the windows--heads bearded to the temples,with tangled hair and sheepskin caps, and silly, gaping mouths. 'Hourra!Hourra!' they shrieked, and fired with their carbines, but our fellowswere into the house and at their throats before they had wiped the sleepout of their eyes. It was dreadful to see how the Poles flung themselvesupon them, like starving wolves upon a herd of fat bucks--for, as youknow, the Poles have a blood feud against the Cossacks. The most werekilled in the upper rooms, whither they had fled for shelter, and theblood was pouring down into the hall like rain from a roof. They areterrible soldiers, these Poles, though I think they are a trifle heavyfor their horses. Man for man, they are as big as Kellerman'scuirassiers. Their equipment is, of course, much lighter, since they arewithout the cuirass, back-plate, and helmet.

  Well, it was at this point that I made an error--a very serious error itmust be admitted. Up to this moment I had carried out my mission in amanner which only my modesty prevents me from describing as remarkable.But now I did that which an official would condemn and a soldier excuse.

  There is no doubt that the mare was spent, but still it is true that Imight have galloped on through Senlis and reached the country, where Ishould have had no enemy between me and Paris. But what hussar can ridepast a fight and never draw rein? It is to ask too much of him.Besides, I thought that if Violette had an hour of rest I might havethree hours the better at the other end. Then on the top of it camethose heads at the windows, with their sheepskin hats and theirbarbarous cries. I sprang from my saddle, threw Violette's bridle over arail-post, and ran into the house with the rest. It is true that I wastoo late to be of service, and that I was nearly wounded by alance-thrust from one of these dying savages. Still, it is a pity tomiss even the smallest affair, for one never knows what opportunity foradvancement may present itself. I have seen more soldierly work inoutpost skirmishes and little gallop-and-hack affairs of the kind thanin any of the Emperor's big battles.

  When the house was cleared I took a bucket of water out for Violette,and our peasant guide showed me where the good Mayor kept his fodder. Myfaith, but the little sweetheart was ready for it. Then I sponged downher legs, and leaving her still tethered I went back into the house tofind a mouthful for myself, so that I should not need to halt againuntil I was in Paris.

  And now I come to the part of my story which may seem singular to you,although I could tell you at least ten things every bit as queer whichhave happened to me in my lifetime. You can understand that, to a manwho spends his life in scouting and vedette duties on the bloody groundwhich lies between two great armies, there are many chances of strangeexperiences. I'll tell you, however, exactly what occurred.

  Old Bouvet was waiting in the passage when I entered, and he asked mewhether we might not crack a bottle of wine together. 'My faith, we mustnot be long,' said he. 'There are ten thousand of Theilmann's Prussiansin the woods up yonder.'

  'Where is the wine?' I asked.

  'Ah, you may trust two hussars to find where the wine is,' said he, andtaking a candle in his hand, he led the way down the stone stairs intothe kitchen.

  When we got there we found another door, which opened on to a windingstair with the cellar at the bottom. The Cossacks had been there beforeus, as was easily seen by the broken bottles littered all over it.However, the Mayor was a _bon-vivant_, and I do not wish to have abetter set of bins to pick from. Chambertin, Graves, Alicant, white wineand red, sparkling and still, they lay in pyramids peeping coyly out ofsawdust. Old Bouvet stood with his candle looking here and peepingthere, purring in his throat like a cat before a milk-pail. He hadpicked upon a Burgundy at last, and had his hand outstretched to thebottle when there came a roar of musketry from above us, a rush of feet,and such a yelping and screaming as I have never listened to. ThePrussians were upon us!

  Bouvet is a brave man: I will say that for him. He flashed out his swordand away he clattered up the stone steps, his spurs clinking as he ran.I followed him, but just as we came out into the kitchen passage atremendous shout told us that the house had been recaptured.

  'It is all over,' I cried, grasping at Bouvet's sleeve.

  'There is one more to die,' he shouted, and away he went like a madmanup the second stair. In effect, I should have gone to my death also hadI been in his place, for he had done very wrong i
n not throwing out hisscouts to warn him if the Germans advanced upon him. For an instant Iwas about to rush up with him, and then I bethought myself that, afterall, I had my own mission to think of, and that if I were taken theimportant letter of the Emperor would be sacrificed. I let Bouvet diealone, therefore, and I went down into the cellar again, closing thedoor behind me.

  Well, it was not a very rosy prospect down there either. Bouvet haddropped the candle when the alarm came, and I, pawing about in thedarkness, could find nothing but broken bottles. At last I came uponthe candle, which had rolled under the curve of a cask, but, try as Iwould with my tinderbox, I could not light it. The reason was that thewick had been wet in a puddle of wine, so suspecting that this might bethe case, I cut the end off with my sword. Then I found that it lightedeasily enough. But what to do I could not imagine. The scoundrelsupstairs were shouting themselves hoarse, several hundred of them fromthe sound, and it was clear that some of them would soon want to moistentheir throats. There would be an end to a dashing soldier, and of themission and of the medal. I thought of my mother and I thought of theEmperor. It made me weep to think that the one would lose so excellent ason and the other the best light cavalry officer he ever had sinceLasalle's time. But presently I dashed the tears from my eyes.'Courage!' I cried, striking myself upon the chest. 'Courage, my braveboy. Is it possible that one who has come safely from Moscow without somuch as a frost-bite will die in a French wine-cellar?' At the thought Iwas up on my feet and clutching at the letter in my tunic, for thecrackle of it gave me courage.

  My first plan was to set fire to the house, in the hope of escaping inthe confusion. My second to get into an empty wine-cask. I was lookinground to see if I could find one, when suddenly, in the corner, I espieda little low door, painted of the same grey colour as the wall, so thatit was only a man with quick sight who would have noticed it. I pushedagainst it, and at first I imagined that it was locked. Presently,however, it gave a little, and then I understood that it was held by thepressure of something on the other side. I put my feet against ahogshead of wine, and I gave such a push that the door flew open and Icame down with a crash upon my back, the candle flying out of my hands,so that I found myself in darkness once more. I picked myself up andstared through the black archway into the gloom beyond.

  There was a slight ray of light coming from some slit or grating. Thedawn had broken outside, and I could dimly see the long, curving sidesof several huge casks, which made me think that perhaps this was wherethe Mayor kept his reserves of wine while they were maturing. At anyrate, it seemed to be a safer hiding-place than the outer cellar, sogathering up my candle, I was just closing the door behind me, when Isuddenly saw something which filled me with amazement, and even, Iconfess, with the smallest little touch of fear.

  I have said that at the further end of the cellar there was a dim greyfan of light striking downwards from somewhere near the roof. Well, as Ipeered through the darkness, I suddenly saw a great, tall man skip intothis belt of daylight, and then out again into the darkness at thefurther end. My word, I gave such a start that my shako nearly broke itschin-strap! It was only a glance, but, none the less, I had time to seethat the fellow had a hairy Cossack cap on his head, and that he was agreat, long-legged, broad-shouldered brigand, with a sabre at his waist.My faith, even Etienne Gerard was a little staggered at being left alonewith such a creature in the dark.

  But only for a moment. 'Courage!' I thought. 'Am I not a hussar, abrigadier, too, at the age of thirty-one, and the chosen messenger ofthe Emperor?' After all, this skulker had more cause to be afraid of methan I of him. And then suddenly I understood that he wasafraid--horribly afraid. I could read it from his quick step and hisbent shoulders as he ran among the barrels, like a rat making for itshole. And, of course, it must have been he who had held the door againstme, and not some packing-case or wine-cask as I had imagined. He was thepursued then, and I the pursuer. Aha, I felt my whiskers bristle as Iadvanced upon him through the darkness! He would find that he had nochicken to deal with, this robber from the North. For the moment I wasmagnificent.

  At first I had feared to light my candle lest I should make a mark ofmyself, but now, after cracking my shin over a box, and catching myspurs in some canvas, I thought the bolder course the wiser. I lit it,therefore, and then I advanced with long strides, my sword in my hand.'Come out, you rascal!' I cried. 'Nothing can save you. You will at lastmeet with your deserts.'

  I held my candle high, and presently I caught a glimpse of the man'shead staring at me over a barrel. He had a gold chevron on his blackcap, and the expression of his face told me in an instant that he was anofficer and a man of refinement.

  'Monsieur,' he cried, in excellent French, 'I surrender myself on apromise of quarter. But if I do not have your promise, I will then sellmy life as dearly as I can.'

  'Sir,' said I, 'a Frenchman knows how to treat an unfortunate enemy.Your life is safe.' With that he handed his sword over the top of thebarrel, and I bowed with the candle on my heart. 'Whom have I the honourof capturing?' I asked.

  'I am the Count Boutkine, of the Emperor's own Don Cossacks,' said he.'I came out with my troop to reconnoitre Senlis, and as we found no signof your people we determined to spend the night here.'

  'And would it be an indiscretion,' I asked, 'if I were to inquire howyou came into the back cellar?'

  'Nothing more simple,' said he. 'It was our intention to start at earlydawn. Feeling chilled after dressing, I thought that a cup of wine woulddo me no harm, so I came down to see what I could find. As I wasrummaging about, the house was suddenly carried by assault so rapidlythat by the time I had climbed the stairs it was all over. It onlyremained for me to save myself, so I came down here and hid myself inthe back cellar, where you have found me.'

  I thought of how old Bouvet had behaved under the same conditions, andthe tears sprang to my eyes as I contemplated the glory of France. ThenI had to consider what I should do next. It was clear that this RussianCount, being in the back cellar while we were in the front one, had notheard the sounds which would have told him that the house was once againin the hands of his own allies. If he should once understand this thetables would be turned, and I should be his prisoner instead of he beingmine. What was I to do? I was at my wits' end, when suddenly there cameto me an idea so brilliant that I could not but be amazed at my owninvention.

  'Count Boutkine,' said I, 'I find myself in a most difficult position.'

  'And why?' he asked.

  'Because I have promised you your life.'

  His jaw dropped a little.

  'You would not withdraw your promise?' he cried.

  'If the worst comes to the worst I can die in your defence,' said I;'but the difficulties are great.'

  'What is it, then?' he asked.

  'I will be frank with you,' said I. 'You must know that our fellows, andespecially the Poles, are so incensed against the Cossacks that the meresight of the uniform drives them mad. They precipitate themselvesinstantly upon the wearer and tear him limb from limb. Even theirofficers cannot restrain them.'

  The Russian grew pale at my words and the way in which I said them.

  'But this is terrible,' said he.

  'Horrible!' said I. 'If we were to go up together at this moment Icannot promise how far I could protect you.'

  'I am in your hands,' he cried. 'What would you suggest that we shoulddo? Would it not be best that I should remain here?'

  'That worst of all.'

  'And why?'

  'Because our fellows will ransack the house presently, and then youwould be cut to pieces. No, no, I must go and break it to them. But eventhen, when once they see that accursed uniform, I do not know what mayhappen.'

  'Should I then take the uniform off?'

  'Excellent!' I cried. 'Hold, we have it! You will take your uniform offand put on mine. That will make you sacred to every French soldier.'

  'It is not the French I fear so much as the Poles.'

  'But my uniform wi
ll be a safeguard against either.'

  'How can I thank you?' he cried. 'But you--what are you to wear?'

  'I will wear yours.'

  'And perhaps fall a victim to your generosity?'

  'It is my duty to take the risk,' I answered; 'but I have no fears. Iwill ascend in your uniform. A hundred swords will be turned upon me."Hold!" I will shout, "I am the Brigadier Gerard!" Then they will see myface. They will know me. And I will tell them about you. Under theshield of these clothes you will be sacred.'

  His fingers trembled with eagerness as he tore off his tunic. His bootsand breeches were much like my own, so there was no need to change them,but I gave him my hussar jacket, my dolman, my shako, my sword-belt, andmy sabre-tasche, while I took in exchange his high sheepskin cap withthe gold chevron, his fur-trimmed coat, and his crooked sword. Be itwell understood that in changing the tunics I did not forget to changemy thrice-precious letter also from my old one to my new.

  'With your leave,' said I, 'I shall now bind you to a barrel.'

  He made a great fuss over this, but I have learned in my soldieringnever to throw away chances, and how could I tell that he might not,when my back was turned, see how the matter really stood, and break inupon my plans? He was leaning against a barrel at the time, so I ran sixtimes round it with a rope, and then tied it with a big knot behind. Ifhe wished to come upstairs he would, at least, have to carry a thousandlitres of good French wine for a knapsack. I then shut the door of theback cellar behind me, so that he might not hear what was going forward,and tossing the candle away I ascended the kitchen stair.

  There were only about twenty steps, and yet, while I came up them, Iseemed to have time to think of everything that I had ever hoped to do.It was the same feeling that I had at Eylau when I lay with my brokenleg and saw the horse artillery galloping down upon me. Of course, Iknew that if I were taken I should be shot instantly as being disguisedwithin the enemy's lines. Still, it was a glorious death--in the directservice of the Emperor--and I reflected that there could not be lessthan five lines, and perhaps seven, in the _Moniteur_ about me. Palarethad eight lines, and I am sure that he had not so fine a career.

  When I made my way out into the hall, with all the nonchalance in myface and manner that I could assume, the very first thing that I saw wasBouvet's dead body, with his legs drawn up and a broken sword in hishand. I could see by the black smudge that he had been shot at closequarters. I should have wished to salute as I went by, for he was agallant man, but I feared lest I should be seen, and so I passed on.

  The front of the hall was full of Prussian infantry, who were knockingloopholes in the wall, as though they expected that there might be yetanother attack. Their officer, a little man, was running about givingdirections. They were all too busy to take much notice of me, butanother officer, who was standing by the door with a long pipe in hismouth, strode across and clapped me on the shoulder, pointing to thedead bodies of our poor hussars, and saying something which was meantfor a jest, for his long beard opened and showed every fang in his head.I laughed heartily also, and said the only Russian words that I knew. Ilearned them from little Sophie, at Wilna, and they meant: 'If the nightis fine we shall meet under the oak tree, but if it rains we shall meetin the byre.' It was all the same to this German, however, and I have nodoubt that he gave me credit for saying something very witty indeed, forhe roared laughing, and slapped me on my shoulder again. I nodded to himand marched out of the hall-door as coolly as if I were the commandantof the garrison.

  There were a hundred horses tethered about outside, most of thembelonging to the Poles and hussars. Good little Violette was waitingwith the others, and she whinnied when she saw me coming towards her.But I would not mount her. No. I was much too cunning for that. On thecontrary, I chose the most shaggy little Cossack horse that I could see,and I sprang upon it with as much assurance as though it had belonged tomy father before me. It had a great bag of plunder slung over its neck,and this I laid upon Violette's back, and led her along beside me. Neverhave you seen such a picture of the Cossack returning from the foray. Itwas superb.

  Well, the town was full of Prussians by this time. They lined theside-walks and pointed me out to each other, saying, as I could judgefrom their gestures, 'There goes one of those devils of Cossacks. Theyare the boys for foraging and plunder.'

  One or two officers spoke to me with an air of authority, but I shook myhead and smiled, and said, 'If the night is fine we shall meet under theoak tree, but if it rains we shall meet in the byre,' at which theyshrugged their shoulders and gave the matter up. In this way I workedalong until I was beyond the northern outskirt of the town. I could seein the roadway two lancer vedettes with their black and white pennons,and I knew that when I was once past these I should be a free man oncemore. I made my pony trot, therefore, Violette rubbing her nose againstmy knee all the time, and looking up at me to ask how she had deservedthat this hairy doormat of a creature should be preferred to her. I wasnot more than a hundred yards from the Uhlans when, suddenly, you canimagine my feelings when I saw a real Cossack coming galloping along theroad towards me.

  Ah, my friend, you who read this, if you have any heart, you will feelfor a man like me, who had gone through so many dangers and trials, onlyat this very last moment to be confronted with one which appeared to putan end to everything. I will confess that for a moment I lost heart, andwas inclined to throw myself down in my despair, and to cry out that Ihad been betrayed. But, no; I was not beaten even now. I opened twobuttons of my tunic so that I might get easily at the Emperor's message,for it was my fixed determination when all hope was gone to swallow theletter and then die sword in hand. Then I felt that my little, crookedsword was loose in its sheath, and I trotted on to where the vedetteswere waiting. They seemed inclined to stop me, but I pointed to theother Cossack, who was still a couple of hundred yards off, and they,understanding that I merely wished to meet him, let me pass with asalute.

  I dug my spurs into my pony then, for if I were only far enough from thelancers I thought I might manage the Cossack without much difficulty. Hewas an officer, a large, bearded man, with a gold chevron in his cap,just the same as mine. As I advanced he unconsciously aided me bypulling up his horse, so that I had a fine start of the vedettes. On Icame for him, and I could see wonder changing to suspicion in his browneyes as he looked at me and at my pony, and at my equipment. I do notknow what it was that was wrong, but he saw something which was as itshould not be. He shouted out a question, and then when I gave no answerhe pulled out his sword. I was glad in my heart to see him do so, for Ihad always rather fight than cut down an unsuspecting enemy. Now I madeat him full tilt, and, parrying his cut, I got my point in just underthe fourth button of his tunic. Down he went, and the weight of himnearly took me off my horse before I could disengage. I never glanced athim to see if he were living or dead, for I sprang off my pony and on toViolette, with a shake of my bridle and a kiss of my hand to the twoUhlans behind me. They galloped after me, shouting, but Violette had hadher rest, and was just as fresh as when she started. I took the firstside road to the west and then the first to the south, which would takeme away from the enemy's country. On we went and on, every stride takingme further from my foes and nearer to my friends. At last, when Ireached the end of a long stretch of road, and looking back from itcould see no sign of any pursuers, I understood that my troubles wereover.

  And it gave me a glow of happiness, as I rode, to think that I had doneto the letter what the Emperor had ordered. What would he say when hesaw me? What could he say which would do justice to the incredible wayin which I had risen above every danger? He had ordered me to go throughSermoise, Soissons, and Senlis, little dreaming that they were all threeoccupied by the enemy. And yet I had done it. I had borne his letter insafety through each of these towns. Hussars, dragoons, lancers,Cossacks, and infantry--I had run the gauntlet of all of them, and hadcome out unharmed.

  When I had got as far as Dammartin I caught a first glimpse of our ownou
tposts. There was a troop of dragoons in a field, and of course Icould see from the horsehair crests that they were French. I gallopedtowards them in order to ask them if all was safe between there andParis, and as I rode I felt such a pride at having won my way back to myfriends again, that I could not refrain from waving my sword in the air.

  At this a young officer galloped out from among the dragoons, alsobrandishing his sword, and it warmed my heart to think that he shouldcome riding with such ardour and enthusiasm to greet me. I madeViolette caracole, and as we came together I brandished my sword moregallantly than ever, but you can imagine my feelings when he suddenlymade a cut at me which would certainly have taken my head off if I hadnot fallen forward with my nose in Violette's mane. My faith, itwhistled just over my cap like an east wind. Of course, it came fromthis accursed Cossack uniform which, in my excitement, I had forgottenall about, and this young dragoon had imagined that I was some Russianchampion who was challenging the French cavalry. My word, he was afrightened man when he understood how near he had been to killing thecelebrated Brigadier Gerard.

  Well, the road was clear, and about three o'clock in the afternoon I wasat St Denis, though it took me a long two hours to get from there toParis, for the road was blocked with commissariat waggons and guns ofthe artillery reserve, which was going north to Marmont and Mortier. Youcannot conceive the excitement which my appearance in such a costumemade in Paris, and when I came to the Rue de Rivoli I should think I hada quarter of a mile of folk riding or running behind me. Word had gotabout from the dragoons (two of whom had come with me), and everybodyknew about my adventures and how I had come by my uniform. It was atriumph--men shouting and women waving their handkerchiefs and blowingkisses from the windows.

  Although I am a man singularly free from conceit, still I must confessthat, on this one occasion, I could not restrain myself from showingthat this reception gratified me. The Russian's coat had hung very looseupon me, but now I threw out my chest until it was as tight as asausage-skin. And my little sweetheart of a mare tossed her mane andpawed with her front hoofs, frisking her tail about as though she said,'We've done it together this time. It is to us that commissions shouldbe intrusted.' When I kissed her between the nostrils as I dismounted atthe gate of the Tuileries, there was as much shouting as if a bulletinhad been read from the Grand Army.

  I was hardly in costume to visit a King; but, after all, if one has asoldierly figure one can do without all that. I was shown up straightaway to Joseph, whom I had often seen in Spain. He seemed as stout, asquiet, and as amiable as ever. Talleyrand was in the room with him, or Isuppose I should call him the Duke of Benevento, but I confess that Ilike old names best. He read my letter when Joseph Buonaparte handed itto him, and then he looked at me with the strangest expression in thosefunny little, twinkling eyes of his.

  'Were you the only messenger?' he asked.

  'There was one other, sir,' said I. 'Major Charpentier, of the HorseGrenadiers.'

  'He has not yet arrived,' said the King of Spain.

  'If you had seen the legs of his horse, sire, you would not wonder atit,' I remarked.

  'There may be other reasons,' said Talleyrand, and he gave that singularsmile of his.

  Well, they paid me a compliment or two, though they might have said agood deal more and yet have said too little. I bowed myself out, andvery glad I was to get away, for I hate a Court as much as I love acamp. Away I went to my old friend Chaubert, in the Rue Miromesnil, andthere I got his hussar uniform, which fitted me very well. He andLisette and I supped together in his rooms, and all my dangers wereforgotten. In the morning I found Violette ready for anothertwenty-league stretch. It was my intention to return instantly to theEmperor's headquarters, for I was, as you may well imagine, impatient tohear his words of praise, and to receive my reward.

  I need not say that I rode back by a safe route, for I had seen quiteenough of Uhlans and Cossacks. I passed through Meaux and ChateauThierry, and so in the evening I arrived at Rheims, where Napoleon wasstill lying. The bodies of our fellows and of St Prest's Russians hadall been buried, and I could see changes in the camp also. The soldierslooked better cared for; some of the cavalry had received remounts, andeverything was in excellent order. It was wonderful what a good generalcan effect in a couple of days.

  When I came to the headquarters I was shown straight into the Emperor'sroom. He was drinking coffee at a writing-table, with a big plan drawnout on paper in front of him. Berthier and Macdonald were leaning, oneover each shoulder, and he was talking so quickly that I don't believethat either of them could catch a half of what he was saying. But whenhis eyes fell upon me he dropped the pen on to the chart, and he sprangup with a look in his pale face which struck me cold.

  'What the deuce are you doing here?' he shouted. When he was angry hehad a voice like a peacock.

  'I have the honour to report to you, sire,' said I, 'that I havedelivered your despatch safely to the King of Spain.'

  'What!' he yelled, and his two eyes transfixed me like bayonets. Oh,those dreadful eyes, shifting from grey to blue, like steel in thesunshine. I can see them now when I have a bad dream.

  'What has become of Charpentier?' he asked.

  'He is captured,' said Macdonald.

  'By whom?'

  'The Russians.'

  'The Cossacks?'

  'No, a single Cossack.'

  'He gave himself up?'

  'Without resistance.'

  'He is an intelligent officer. You will see that the medal of honour isawarded to him.'

  When I heard those words I had to rub my eyes to make sure that I wasawake.

  'As to you,' cried the Emperor, taking a step forward as if he wouldhave struck me, 'you brain of a hare, what do you think that you weresent upon this mission for? Do you conceive that I would send a reallyimportant message by such a hand as yours, and through every villagewhich the enemy holds? How you came through them passes mycomprehension; but if your fellow-messenger had had but as little senseas you, my whole plan of campaign would have been ruined. Can you notsee, coglione, that this message contained false news, and that it wasintended to deceive the enemy whilst I put a very different scheme intoexecution?'

  When I heard those cruel words and saw the angry, white face whichglared at me, I had to hold the back of a chair, for my mind was failingme and my knees would hardly bear me up. But then I took courage as Ireflected that I was an honourable gentleman, and that my whole life hadbeen spent in toiling for this man and for my beloved country.

  'Sire,' said I, and the tears would trickle down my cheeks whilst Ispoke, 'when you are dealing with a man like me you would find it wiserto deal openly. Had I known that you had wished the despatch to fallinto the hands of the enemy, I would have seen that it came there. As Ibelieved that I was to guard it, I was prepared to sacrifice my life forit. I do not believe, sire, that any man in the world ever met with moretoils and perils than I have done in trying to carry out what I thoughtwas your will.'

  I dashed the tears from my eyes as I spoke, and with such fire andspirit as I could command I gave him an account of it all, of my dashthrough Soissons, my brush with the dragoons, my adventure in Senlis, myrencontre with Count Boutkine in the cellar, my disguise, my meetingwith the Cossack officer, my flight, and how at the last moment I wasnearly cut down by a French dragoon. The Emperor, Berthier, andMacdonald listened with astonishment on their faces. When I had finishedNapoleon stepped forward and he pinched me by the ear.

  'There, there!' said he. 'Forget anything which I may have said. Iwould have done better to trust you. You may go.'

  I turned to the door, and my hand was upon the handle, when the Emperorcalled upon me to stop.

  'You will see,' said he, turning to the Duke of Tarentum, 'thatBrigadier Gerard has the special medal of honour, for I believe that ifhe has the thickest head he has also the stoutest heart in my army.'

  8. HOW THE BRIGADIER WAS TEMPTED BY THE DEVIL

  The spring is at hand, my friends
. I can see the little greenspear-heads breaking out once more upon the chestnut trees, and the cafetables have all been moved into the sunshine. It is more pleasant to sitthere, and yet I do not wish to tell my little stories to the wholetown. You have heard my doings as a lieutenant, as a squadron officer,as a colonel, as the chief of a brigade. But now I suddenly becomesomething higher and more important. I become history.

  If you have read of those closing years of the life of the Emperor whichwere spent in the Island of St Helena, you will remember that, again andagain, he implored permission to send out one single letter which shouldbe unopened by those who held him. Many times he made this request, andeven went so far as to promise that he would provide for his own wantsand cease to be an expense to the British Government if it were grantedto him. But his guardians knew that he was a terrible man, this pale,fat gentleman in the straw hat, and they dared not grant him what heasked. Many have wondered who it was to whom he could have had anythingso secret to say. Some have supposed that it was to his wife, and somethat it was to his father-in-law; some that it was to the EmperorAlexander, and some to Marshal Soult. What will you think of me, myfriends, when I tell you it was to me--to me, the Brigadier Gerard--thatthe Emperor wished to write? Yes, humble as you see me, with only my 100francs a month of half-pay between me and hunger, it is none the lesstrue that I was always in the Emperor's mind, and that he would havegiven his left hand for five minutes' talk with me. I will tell youtonight how this came about.

  It was after the Battle of Fere-Champenoise where the conscripts intheir blouses and their sabots made such a fine stand, that we, the morelong-headed of us, began to understand that it was all over with us. Ourreserve ammunition had been taken in the battle, and we were left withsilent guns and empty caissons. Our cavalry, too, was in a deplorablecondition, and my own brigade had been destroyed in the charge atCraonne. Then came the news that the enemy had taken Paris, that thecitizens had mounted the white cockade; and finally, most terrible ofall, that Marmont and his corps had gone over to the Bourbons. We lookedat each other and asked how many more of our generals were going to turnagainst us. Already there were Jourdan, Marmont, Murat, Bernadotte, andJomini--though nobody minded much about Jomini, for his pen was alwayssharper than his sword. We had been ready to fight Europe, but it lookednow as though we were to fight Europe and half of France as well.

  We had come to Fontainebleau by a long, forced march, and there we wereassembled, the poor remnants of us, the corps of Ney, the corps of mycousin Gerard, and the corps of Macdonald: twenty-five thousand in all,with seven thousand of the guard. But we had our prestige, which wasworth fifty thousand, and our Emperor, who was worth fifty thousandmore. He was always among us, serene, smiling, confident, taking hissnuff and playing with his little riding-whip. Never in the days of hisgreatest victories have I admired him as much as I did during theCampaign of France.

  One evening I was with a few of my officers, drinking a glass of wine ofSuresnes. I mention that it was wine of Suresnes just to show you thattimes were not very good with us. Suddenly I was disturbed by a messagefrom Berthier that he wished to see me. When I speak of my oldcomrades-in-arms, I will, with your permission, leave out all the fineforeign titles which they had picked up during the wars. They areexcellent for a Court, but you never heard them in the camp, for wecould not afford to do away with our Ney, our Rapp, or our Soult--nameswhich were as stirring to our ears as the blare of our trumpets blowingthe reveille. It was Berthier, then, who sent to say that he wished tosee me.

  He had a suite of rooms at the end of the gallery of Francis the First,not very far from those of the Emperor. In the ante-chamber were waitingtwo men whom I knew well: Colonel Despienne, of the 57th of the line,and Captain Tremeau, of the Voltigeurs. They were both oldsoldiers--Tremeau had carried a musket in Egypt--and they were also bothfamous in the army for their courage and their skill with weapons.Tremeau had become a little stiff in the wrist, but Despienne wascapable at his best of making me exert myself. He was a tiny fellow,about three inches short of the proper height for a man--he was exactlythree inches shorter than myself--but both with the sabre and with thesmall-sword he had several times almost held his own against me when weused to exhibit at Verron's Hall of Arms in the Palais Royal. You maythink that it made us sniff something in the wind when we found threesuch men called together into one room. You cannot see the lettuce anddressing without suspecting a salad.

  'Name of a pipe!' said Tremeau, in his barrack-room fashion. 'Are wethen expecting three champions of the Bourbons?'

  To all of us the idea appeared not improbable. Certainly in the wholearmy we were the very three who might have been chosen to meet them.

  'The Prince of Neufchatel desires to speak with the Brigadier Gerard,'said a footman, appearing at the door.

  In I went, leaving my two companions consumed with impatience behind me.It was a small room, but very gorgeously furnished. Berthier was seatedopposite to me at a little table, with a pen in his hand and a note-bookopen before him. He was looking weary and slovenly--very different fromthat Berthier who used to give the fashion to the army, and who had sooften set us poorer officers tearing our hair by trimming his pelissewith fur one campaign, and with grey astrakhan the next. On hisclean-shaven, comely face there was an expression of trouble, and helooked at me as I entered his chamber in a way which had in it somethingfurtive and displeasing.

  'Chief of Brigade Gerard!' said he.

  'At your service, your Highness!' I answered.

  'I must ask you, before I go further, to promise me, upon your honour asa gentleman and a soldier, that what is about to pass between us shallnever be mentioned to any third person.'

  My word, this was a fine beginning! I had no choice but to give thepromise required.

  'You must know, then, that it is all over with the Emperor,' said he,looking down at the table and speaking very slowly, as if he had a hardtask in getting out the words. 'Jourdan at Rouen and Marmont at Parishave both mounted the white cockade, and it is rumoured that Talleyrandhas talked Ney into doing the same. It is evident that furtherresistance is useless, and that it can only bring misery upon ourcountry. I wish to ask you, therefore, whether you are prepared to joinme in laying hands upon the Emperor's person, and bringing the war to aconclusion by delivering him over to the allies?'

  I assure you that when I heard this infamous proposition put forward bythe man who had been the earliest friend of the Emperor, and who hadreceived greater favours from him than any of his followers, I couldonly stand and stare at him in amazement. For his part he tapped hispen-handle against his teeth, and looked at me with a slanting head.

  'Well?' he asked.

  'I am a little deaf on one side,' said I, coldly. 'There are somethings which I cannot hear. I beg that you will permit me to return tomy duties.'

  'Nay, but you must not be headstrong,' rising up and laying his handupon my shoulder. 'You are aware that the Senate has declared againstNapoleon, and that the Emperor Alexander refuses to treat with him.'

  'Sir,' I cried, with passion, 'I would have you know that I do not carethe dregs of a wine-glass for the Senate or for the Emperor Alexandereither.'

  'Then for what do you care?'

  'For my own honour and for the service of my glorious master, theEmperor Napoleon.'

  'That is all very well,' said Berthier, peevishly, shrugging hisshoulders. 'Facts are facts, and as men of the world, we must look themin the face. Are we to stand against the will of the nation? Are we tohave civil war on the top of all our misfortunes? And, besides, we arethinning away. Every hour comes the news of fresh desertions. We havestill time to make our peace, and, indeed, to earn the highest regard,by giving up the Emperor.'

  I shook so with passion that my sabre clattered against my thigh.

  'Sir,' I cried, 'I never thought to have seen the day when a Marshal ofFrance would have so far degraded himself as to put forward such aproposal. I leave you to your own conscience; but as for me, until Ihave
the Emperor's own order, there shall always be the sword of EtienneGerard between his enemies and himself.'

  I was so moved by my own words and by the fine position which I hadtaken up, that my voice broke, and I could hardly refrain from tears. Ishould have liked the whole army to have seen me as I stood with my headso proudly erect and my hand upon my heart proclaiming my devotion tothe Emperor in his adversity. It was one of the supreme moments of mylife.

  'Very good,' said Berthier, ringing a bell for the lackey. 'You willshow the Chief of Brigade Gerard into the salon.'

  The footman led me into an inner room, where he desired me to be seated.For my own part, my only desire was to get away, and I could notunderstand why they should wish to detain me. When one has had no changeof uniform during a whole winter's campaign, one does not feel at homein a palace.

  I had been there about a quarter of an hour when the footman opened thedoor again, and in came Colonel Despienne. Good heavens, what a sight hewas! His face was as white as a guardsman's gaiters, his eyesprojecting, the veins swollen upon his forehead, and every hair of hismoustache bristling like those of an angry cat. He was too angry tospeak, and could only shake his hands at the ceiling and make a gurglingin his throat. 'Parricide! Viper!' those were the words that I couldcatch as he stamped up and down the room.

  Of course it was evident to me that he had been subjected to the sameinfamous proposals as I had, and that he had received them in the samespirit. His lips were sealed to me, as mine were to him, by the promisewhich we had taken, but I contented myself with muttering 'Atrocious!Unspeakable!'--so that he might know that I was in agreement with him.

  Well, we were still there, he striding furiously up and down, and Iseated in the corner, when suddenly a most extraordinary uproar brokeout in the room which we had just quitted. There was a snarling,worrying growl, like that of a fierce dog which has got his grip. Thencame a crash and a voice calling for help. In we rushed, the two of us,and, my faith, we were none too soon.

  Old Tremeau and Berthier were rolling together upon the floor, with thetable upon the top of them. The Captain had one of his great, skinnyyellow hands upon the Marshal's throat, and already his face waslead-coloured, and his eyes were starting from their sockets. As toTremeau, he was beside himself, with foam upon the corners of his lips,and such a frantic expression upon him that I am convinced, had we notloosened his iron grip, finger by finger, that it would never haverelaxed while the Marshal lived. His nails were white with the power ofhis grasp.

  'I have been tempted by the devil!' he cried, as he staggered to hisfeet. 'Yes, I have been tempted by the devil!'

  As to Berthier, he could only lean against the wall, and pant for acouple of minutes, putting his hands up to his throat and rolling hishead about. Then, with an angry gesture, he turned to the heavy bluecurtain which hung behind his chair.

  The curtain was torn to one side and the Emperor stepped out into theroom. We sprang to the salute, we three old soldiers, but it was alllike a scene in a dream to us, and our eyes were as far out asBerthier's had been. Napoleon was dressed in his green-coated chasseuruniform, and he held his little, silver-headed switch in his hand. Helooked at us each in turn, with a smile upon his face--that frightfulsmile in which neither eyes nor brow joined--and each in turn had, Ibelieve, a pringling on his skin, for that was the effect which theEmperor's gaze had upon most of us. Then he walked across to Berthierand put his hand upon his shoulder.

  'You must not quarrel with blows, my dear Prince,' said he; 'they areyour title to nobility.' He spoke in that soft, caressing manner whichhe could assume. There was no one who could make the French tongue soundso pretty as the Emperor, and no one who could make it more harsh andterrible.

  'I believe he would have killed me,' cried Berthier, still rolling hishead about.

  'Tut, tut! I should have come to your help had these officers not heardyour cries. But I trust that you are not really hurt!' He spoke withearnestness, for he was in truth very fond of Berthier--more so than ofany man, unless it were of poor Duroc.

  Berthier laughed, though not with a very good grace.

  'It is new for me to receive my injuries from French hands,' said he.

  'And yet it was in the cause of France,' returned the Emperor. Then,turning to us, he took old Tremeau by the ear. 'Ah, old grumbler,' saidhe, 'you were one of my Egyptian grenadiers, were you not, and had yourmusket of honour at Marengo. I remember you very well, my good friend.So the old fires are not yet extinguished! They still burn up when youthink that your Emperor is wronged. And you, Colonel Despienne, youwould not even listen to the tempter. And you, Gerard, your faithfulsword is ever to be between me and my enemies. Well, well, I have hadsome traitors about me, but now at last we are beginning to see who arethe true men.'

  You can fancy, my friends, the thrill of joy which it gave us when thegreatest man in the whole world spoke to us in this fashion. Tremeaushook until I thought he would have fallen, and the tears ran down hisgigantic moustache. If you had not seen it, you could never believe theinfluence which the Emperor had upon those coarse-grained, savage oldveterans.

  'Well, my faithful friends,' said he, 'if you will follow me into thisroom, I will explain to you the meaning of this little farce which wehave been acting. I beg, Berthier, that you will remain in this chamber,and so make sure that no one interrupts us.'

  It was new for us to be doing business, with a Marshal of France assentry at the door. However, we followed the Emperor as we were ordered,and he led us into the recess of the window, gathering us around him andsinking his voice as he addressed us.

  'I have picked you out of the whole army,' said he, 'as being not onlythe most formidable but also the most faithful of my soldiers. I wasconvinced that you were all three men who would never waver in yourfidelity to me. If I have ventured to put that fidelity to the proof,and to watch you while attempts were at my orders made upon your honour,it was only because, in the days when I have found the blackest treasonamongst my own flesh and blood, it is necessary that I should be doublycircumspect. Suffice it that I am well convinced now that I can relyupon your valour.'

  'To the death, sire!' cried Tremeau, and we both repeated it after him.

  Napoleon drew us all yet a little closer to him, and sank his voicestill lower.

  'What I say to you now I have said to no one--not to my wife or mybrothers; only to you. It is all up with us, my friends. We have come toour last rally. The game is finished, and we must make provisionaccordingly.'

  My heart seemed to have changed to a nine-pounder ball as I listened tohim. We had hoped against hope, but now when he, the man who was alwaysserene and who always had reserves--when he, in that quiet, impassivevoice of his, said that everything was over, we realized that the cloudshad shut for ever, and the last gleam gone. Tremeau snarled and grippedat his sabre, Despienne ground his teeth, and for my own part I threwout my chest and clicked my heels to show the Emperor that there weresome spirits which could rise to adversity.

  'My papers and my fortune must be secured,' whispered the Emperor. 'Thewhole course of the future may depend upon my having them safe. They areour base for the next attempt--for I am very sure that these poorBourbons would find that my footstool is too large to make a throne forthem. Where am I to keep these precious things? My belongings will besearched--so will the houses of my supporters. They must be secured andconcealed by men whom I can trust with that which is more precious to methan my life. Out of the whole of France, you are those whom I havechosen for this sacred trust.

  'In the first place, I will tell you what these papers are. You shallnot say that I have made you blind agents in the matter. They are theofficial proof of my divorce from Josephine, of my legal marriage toMarie Louise, and of the birth of my son and heir, the King of Rome. Ifwe cannot prove each of these, the future claim of my family to thethrone of France falls to the ground. Then there are securities to thevalue of forty millions of francs--an immense sum, my friends, but of nomore value than this
riding-switch when compared to the other papers ofwhich I have spoken. I tell you these things that you may realize theenormous importance of the task which I am committing to your care.Listen, now, while I inform you where you are to get these papers, andwhat you are to do with them.

  'They were handed over to my trusty friend, the Countess Walewski, atParis, this morning. At five o'clock she starts for Fontainebleau in herblue berline. She should reach here between half-past nine and ten. Thepapers will be concealed in the berline, in a hiding-place which noneknow but herself. She has been warned that her carriage will be stoppedoutside the town by three mounted officers, and she will hand the packetover to your care. You are the younger man, Gerard, but you are of thesenior grade. I confide to your care this amethyst ring, which you willshow the lady as a token of your mission, and which you will leave withher as a receipt for her papers.

  'Having received the packet, you will ride with it into the forest asfar as the ruined dove-house--the Colombier. It is possible that I maymeet you there--but if it seems to me to be dangerous, I will send mybody-servant, Mustapha, whose directions you may take as being mine.There is no roof to the Colombier, and tonight will be a full moon. Atthe right of the entrance you will find three spades leaning against thewall. With these you will dig a hole three feet deep in thenorth-eastern corner--that is, in the corner to the left of the door,and nearest to Fontainebleau. Having buried the papers, you will replacethe soil with great care, and you will then report to me at the palace.'

  These were the Emperor's directions, but given with an accuracy andminuteness of detail such as no one but himself could put into an order.When he had finished, he made us swear to keep his secret as long as helived, and as long as the papers should remain buried. Again and againhe made us swear it before he dismissed us from his presence.

  Colonel Despienne had quarters at the 'Sign of the Pheasant,' and it wasthere that we supped together. We were all three men who had beentrained to take the strangest turns of fortune as part of our daily lifeand business, yet we were all flushed and moved by the extraordinaryinterview which we had had, and by the thought of the great adventurewhich lay before us. For my own part, it had been my fate three severaltimes to take my orders from the lips of the Emperor himself, butneither the incident of the Ajaccio murderers nor the famous ride whichI made to Paris appeared to offer such opportunities as this new andmost intimate commission.

  'If things go right with the Emperor,' said Despienne, 'we shall alllive to be marshals yet.'

  We drank with him to our future cocked hats and our batons.

  It was agreed between us that we should make our way separately to ourrendezvous, which was to be the first mile-stone upon the Paris road. Inthis way we should avoid the gossip which might get about if three menwho were so well known were to be seen riding out together. My littleViolette had cast a shoe that morning, and the farrier was at work uponher when I returned, so that my comrades were already there when Iarrived at the trysting-place. I had taken with me not only my sabre,but also my new pair of English rifled pistols, with a mallet forknocking in the charges. They had cost me a hundred and fifty francs atTrouvel's, in the Rue de Rivoli, but they would carry far further andstraighter than the others. It was with one of them that I had saved oldBouvet's life at Leipzig.

  The night was cloudless, and there was a brilliant moon behind us, sothat we always had three black horsemen riding down the white road infront of us. The country is so thickly wooded, however, that we couldnot see very far. The great palace clock had already struck ten, butthere was no sign of the Countess. We began to fear that something mighthave prevented her from starting.

  And then suddenly we heard her in the distance. Very faint at first werethe birr of wheels and the tat-tat-tat of the horses' feet. Then theygrew louder and clearer and louder yet, until a pair of yellow lanternsswung round the curve, and in their light we saw the two big brownhorses tearing along the high, blue carriage at the back of them. Thepostilion pulled them up panting and foaming within a few yards of us.In a moment we were at the window and had raised our hands in a saluteto the beautiful pale face which looked out at us.

  'We are the three officers of the Emperor, madame,' said I, in a lowvoice, leaning my face down to the open window. 'You have already beenwarned that we should wait upon you.'

  The Countess had a very beautiful, cream-tinted complexion of a sortwhich I particularly admire, but she grew whiter and whiter as shelooked up at me. Harsh lines deepened upon her face until she seemed,even as I looked at her, to turn from youth into age.

  'It is evident to me,' she said, 'that you are three impostors.'

  If she had struck me across the face with her delicate hand she couldnot have startled me more. It was not her words only, but the bitternesswith which she hissed them out.

  'Indeed, madame,' said I. 'You do us less than justice. These are theColonel Despienne and Captain Tremeau. For myself, my name is BrigadierGerard, and I have only to mention it to assure anyone who has heard ofme that----'

  'Oh, you villains!' she interrupted. 'You think that because I am only awoman I am very easily to be hoodwinked! You miserable impostors!'

  I looked at Despienne, who had turned white with anger, and at Tremeau,who was tugging at his moustache.

  'Madame,' said I, coldly, 'when the Emperor did us the honour to intrustus with this mission, he gave me this amethyst ring as a token. I hadnot thought that three honourable gentlemen would have needed suchcorroboration, but I can only confute your unworthy suspicions byplacing it in your hands.'

  She held it up in the light of the carriage lamp, and the most dreadfulexpression of grief and of horror contorted her face.

  'It is his!' she screamed, and then, 'Oh, my God, what have I done? Whathave I done?'

  I felt that something terrible had befallen. 'Quick, madame, quick!' Icried. 'Give us the papers!'

  'I have already given them.'

  'Given them! To whom?'

  'To three officers.'

  'When?'

  'Within the half-hour.'

  'Where are they?'

  'God help me, I do not know. They stopped the berline, and I handed themover to them without hesitation, thinking that they had come from theEmperor.'

  It was a thunder-clap. But those are the moments when I am at my finest.

  'You remain here,' said I, to my comrades. 'If three horsemen pass you,stop them at any hazard. The lady will describe them to you. I will bewith you presently.' One shake of the bridle, and I was flying intoFontainebleau as only Violette could have carried me. At the palace Iflung myself off, rushed up the stairs, brushed aside the lackeys whowould have stopped me, and pushed my way into the Emperor's own cabinet.He and Macdonald were busy with pencil and compasses over a chart. Helooked up with an angry frown at my sudden entry, but his face changedcolour when he saw that it was I.

  'You can leave us, Marshal,' said he, and then, the instant the door wasclosed: 'What news about the papers?'

  'They are gone!' said I, and in a few curt words I told him what hadhappened. His face was calm, but I saw the compasses quiver in his hand.

  'You must recover them, Gerard!' he cried. 'The destinies of my dynastyare at stake. Not a moment is to be lost! To horse, sir, to horse!'

  'Who are they, sire?'

  'I cannot tell. I am surrounded with treason. But they will take them toParis. To whom should they carry them but to the villain Talleyrand?Yes, yes, they are on the Paris road, and may yet be overtaken. With thethree best mounts in my stables and----'

  I did not wait to hear the end of the sentence. I was already clatteringdown the stairs. I am sure that five minutes had not passed before I wasgalloping Violette out of the town with the bridle of one of theEmperor's own Arab chargers in either hand. They wished me to takethree, but I should have never dared to look my Violette in the faceagain. I feel that the spectacle must have been superb when I dashed upto my comrades and pulled the horses on to their haunches in themoonligh
t.

  'No one has passed?'

  'No one.'

  'Then they are on the Paris road. Quick! Up and after them!'

  They did not take long, those good soldiers. In a flash they were uponthe Emperor's horses, and their own left masterless by the roadside.Then away we went upon our long chase, I in the centre, Despienne uponmy right, and Tremeau a little behind, for he was the heavier man.Heavens, how we galloped! The twelve flying hoofs roared and roaredalong the hard, smooth road. Poplars and moon, black bars and silverstreaks, for mile after mile our course lay along the same chequeredtrack, with our shadows in front and our dust behind. We could hear therasping of bolts and the creaking of shutters from the cottages as wethundered past them, but we were only three dark blurs upon the road bythe time that the folk could look after us. It was just strikingmidnight as we raced into Corbail; but an hostler with a bucket ineither hand was throwing his black shadow across the golden fan whichwas cast from the open door of the inn.

  'Three riders!' I gasped. 'Have they passed?'

  'I have just been watering their horses,' said he. 'I should thinkthey----'

  'On, on, my friends!' and away we flew, striking fire from thecobblestones of the little town. A gendarme tried to stop up, but hisvoice was drowned by our rattle and clatter. The houses slid past, andwe were out on the country road again, with a clear twenty miles betweenourselves and Paris. How could they escape us, with the finest horses inFrance behind them? Not one of the three had turned a hair, but Violettewas always a head and shoulders to the front. She was going withinherself too, and I knew by the spring of her that I had only to let herstretch herself, and the Emperor's horses would see the colour of hertail.

  'There they are!' cried Despienne.

  'We have them!' growled Tremeau.

  'On, comrades, on!' I shouted, once more.

  A long stretch of white road lay before us in the moonlight. Far awaydown it we could see three cavaliers, lying low upon their horses'necks. Every instant they grew larger and clearer as we gained uponthem. I could see quite plainly that the two upon either side werewrapped in mantles and rode upon chestnut horses, whilst the man betweenthem was dressed in a chasseur uniform and mounted upon a grey. Theywere keeping abreast, but it was easy enough to see from the way inwhich he gathered his legs for each spring that the centre horse was farthe fresher of the three. And the rider appeared to be the leader of theparty, for we continually saw the glint of his face in the moonshine ashe looked back to measure the distance between us. At first it was onlya glimmer, then it was cut across with a moustache, and at last when webegan to feel their dust in our throats I could give a name to my man.

  'Halt, Colonel de Montluc!' I shouted. 'Halt, in the Emperor's name!'

  I had known him for years as a daring officer and an unprincipledrascal. Indeed, there was a score between us, for he had shot my friend,Treville, at Warsaw, pulling his trigger, as some said, a good secondbefore the drop of the handkerchief.

  Well, the words were hardly out of my mouth when his two comradeswheeled round and fired their pistols at us. I heard Despienne give aterrible cry, and at the same instant both Tremeau and I let drive atthe same man. He fell forward with his hands swinging on each side ofhis horse's neck. His comrade spurred on to Tremeau, sabre in hand, andI heard the crash which comes when a strong cut is met by a strongerparry. For my own part I never turned my head, but I touched Violettewith the spur for the first time and flew after the leader. That heshould leave his comrades and fly was proof enough that I should leavemine and follow.

  He had gained a couple of hundred paces, but the good little mare setthat right before we could have passed two milestones. It was in vainthat he spurred and thrashed like a gunner driver on a soft road. Hishat flew off with his exertions, and his bald head gleamed in themoonshine. But do what he might, he still heard the rattle of the hoofsgrowing louder and louder behind him. I could not have been twenty yardsfrom him, and the shadow head was touching the shadow haunch, when heturned with a curse in his saddle and emptied both his pistols, oneafter the other, into Violette.

  I have been wounded myself so often that I have to stop and think beforeI can tell you the exact number of times. I have been hit by musketballs, by pistol bullets, and by bursting shells, besides being piercedby bayonet, lance, sabre, and finally by a brad-awl, which was the mostpainful of any. Yet out of all these injuries I have never known thesame deadly sickness as came over me when I felt the poor, silent,patient creature, which I had come to love more than anything in theworld except my mother and the Emperor, reel and stagger beneath me. Ipulled my second pistol from my holster and fired point-blank betweenthe fellow's broad shoulders. He slashed his horse across the flank withhis whip, and for a moment I thought that I had missed him. But then onthe green of his chasseur jacket I saw an ever-widening black smudge,and he began to sway in his saddle, very slightly at first, but more andmore with every bound, until at last over he went, with his foot caughtin the stirrup, and his shoulders thud-thud-thudding along the road,until the drag was too much for the tired horse, and I closed my handupon the foam-spattered bridle-chain. As I pulled him up it eased thestirrup leather, and the spurred heel clinked loudly as it fell.

  'Your papers!' I cried, springing from my saddle. 'This instant!'

  But even as I said, it, the huddle of the green body and the fantasticsprawl of the limbs in the moonlight told me clearly enough that it wasall over with him. My bullet had passed through his heart, and it wasonly his own iron will which had held him so long in the saddle. He hadlived hard, this Montluc, and I will do him justice to say that he diedhard also.

  But it was the papers--always the papers--of which I thought. I openedhis tunic and I felt in his shirt. Then I searched his holsters and hissabre-tasche. Finally I dragged off his boots, and undid his horse'sgirth so as to hunt under the saddle. There was not a nook or crevicewhich I did not ransack. It was useless. They were not upon him.

  When this stunning blow came upon me I could have sat down by theroadside and wept. Fate seemed to be fighting against me, and that is anenemy from whom even a gallant hussar might not be ashamed to flinch. Istood with my arm over the neck of my poor wounded Violette, and I triedto think it all out, that I might act in the wisest way. I was awarethat the Emperor had no great respect for my wits, and I longed to showhim that he had done me an injustice. Montluc had not the papers. Andyet Montluc had sacrificed his companions in order to make his escape. Icould make nothing of that. On the other hand, it was clear that, if hehad not got them, one or other of his comrades had. One of them wascertainly dead. The other I had left fighting with Tremeau, and if heescaped from the old swordsman he had still to pass me. Clearly, my worklay behind me.

  I hammered fresh charges into my pistols after I had turned this over inmy head. Then I put them back in the holsters, and I examined my littlemare, she jerking her head and cocking her ears the while, as if to tellme that an old soldier like herself did not make a fuss about a scratchor two. The first shot had merely grazed her off-shoulder, leaving askin-mark, as if she had brushed a wall. The second was more serious. Ithad passed through the muscle of her neck, but already it had ceased tobleed. I reflected that if she weakened I could mount Montluc's grey,and meanwhile I led him along beside us, for he was a fine horse, worthfifteen hundred francs at the least, and it seemed to me that no one hada better right to him than I.

  Well, I was all impatience now to get back to the others, and I had justgiven Violette her head, when suddenly I saw something glimmering in afield by the roadside. It was the brass-work upon the chasseur hat whichhad flown from Montluc's head; and at the sight of it a thought made mejump in the saddle. How could the hat have flown off? With its weight,would it not have simply dropped? And here it lay, fifteen paces fromthe roadway! Of course, he must have thrown it off when he had made surethat I would overtake him. And if he threw it off--I did not stop toreason any more, but sprang from the mare with my heart beating the_pas-de-charge_. Yes,
it was all right this time. There, in the crown ofthe hat was stuffed a roll of papers in a parchment wrapper bound roundwith yellow ribbon. I pulled it out with the one hand and, holding thehat in the other, I danced for joy in the moonlight. The Emperor wouldsee that he had not made a mistake when he put his affairs into thecharge of Etienne Gerard.

  I had a safe pocket on the inside of my tunic just over my heart, whereI kept a few little things which were dear to me, and into this I thrustmy precious roll. Then I sprang upon Violette, and was pushing forwardto see what had become of Tremeau, when I saw a horseman riding acrossthe field in the distance. At the same instant I heard the sound ofhoofs approaching me, and there in the moonlight was the Emperor uponhis white charger, dressed in his grey overcoat and his three-corneredhat, just as I had seen him so often upon the field of battle.

  'Well!' he cried, in the sharp, sergeant-major way of his. 'Where are mypapers?'

  I spurred forward and presented them without a word. He broke the ribbonand ran his eyes rapidly over them. Then, as we sat our horses head totail, he threw his left arm across me with his hand upon my shoulder.Yes, my friends, simple as you see me, I have been embraced by my greatmaster.

  'Gerard,' he cried, 'you are a marvel!'

  I did not wish to contradict him, and it brought a flush of joy upon mycheeks to know that he had done me justice at last.

  'Where is the thief, Gerard?' he asked.

  'Dead, sire.'

  'You killed him?'

  'He wounded my horse, sire, and would have escaped had I not shot him.'

  'Did you recognize him?'

  'De Montluc is his name, sire--a Colonel of Chasseurs.'

  'Tut,' said the Emperor. 'We have got the poor pawn, but the hand whichplays the game is still out of our reach.' He sat in silent thought fora little, with his chin sunk upon his chest. 'Ah, Talleyrand,Talleyrand,' I heard him mutter, 'if I had been in your place and you inmine, you would have crushed a viper when you held it under your heel.For five years I have known you for what you are, and yet I have let youlive to sting me. Never mind, my brave,' he continued, turning to me,'there will come a day of reckoning for everybody, and when it arrives,I promise you that my friends will be remembered as well as my enemies.'

  'Sire,' said I, for I had had time for thought as well as he, 'if yourplans about these papers have been carried to the ears of your enemies,I trust you do not think that it was owing to any indiscretion upon thepart of myself or of my comrades.'

  'It would be hardly reasonable for me to do so,' he answered, 'seeingthat this plot was hatched in Paris, and that you only had your orders afew hours ago.'

  'Then how----?'

  'Enough,' he cried, sternly. 'You take an undue advantage of yourposition.'

  That was always the way with the Emperor. He would chat with you as witha friend and a brother, and then when he had wiled you into forgettingthe gulf which lay between you, he would suddenly, with a word or with alook, remind you that it was as impassable as ever. When I have fondledmy old hound until he has been encouraged to paw my knees, and I havethen thrust him down again, it has made me think of the Emperor and hisways.

  He reined his horse round, and I followed him in silence and with aheavy heart. But when he spoke again his words were enough to drive allthought of myself out of my mind.

  'I could not sleep until I knew how you had fared,' said he. 'I havepaid a price for my papers. There are not so many of my old soldiersleft that I can afford to lose two in one night.'

  When he said 'two' it turned me cold.

  'Colonel Despienne was shot, sire,' I stammered.

  'And Captain Tremeau cut down. Had I been a few minutes earlier, I mighthave saved him. The other escaped across the fields.'

  I remembered that I had seen a horseman a moment before I had met theEmperor. He had taken to the fields to avoid me, but if I had known, andViolette been unwounded, the old soldier would not have gone unavenged.I was thinking sadly of his sword-play, and wondering whether it was hisstiffening wrist which had been fatal to him, when Napoleon spoke again.

  'Yes, Brigadier,' said he, 'you are now the only man who will know wherethese papers are concealed.'

  It must have been imagination, my friends, but for an instant I mayconfess that it seemed to me that there was a tone in the Emperor'svoice which was not altogether one of sorrow. But the dark thought hadhardly time to form itself in my mind before he let me see that I wasdoing him an injustice.

  'Yes, I have paid a price for my papers,' he said, and I heard themcrackle as he put his hand up to his bosom. 'No man has ever had morefaithful servants--no man since the beginning of the world.'

  As he spoke we came upon the scene of the struggle. Colonel Despienneand the man whom we had shot lay together some distance down the road,while their horses grazed contentedly beneath the poplars. CaptainTremeau lay in front of us upon his back, with his arms and legsstretched out, and his sabre broken short off in his hand. His tunic wasopen, and a huge blood-clot hung like a dark handkerchief out of a slitin his white shirt. I could see the gleam of his clenched teeth fromunder his immense moustache.

  The Emperor sprang from his horse and bent down over the dead man.

  'He was with me since Rivoli,' said he, sadly. 'He was one of my oldgrumblers in Egypt.'

  And the voice brought the man back from the dead. I saw his eyelidsshiver. He twitched his arm, and moved the sword-hilt a few inches. Hewas trying to raise it in salute. Then the mouth opened, and the hilttinkled down on to the ground.

  'May we all die as gallantly,' said the Emperor, as he rose, and from myheart I added 'Amen.'

  There was a farm within fifty yards of where we were standing, and thefarmer, roused from his sleep by the clatter of hoofs and the crackingof pistols, had rushed out to the roadside. We saw him now, dumb withfear and astonishment, staring open-eyed at the Emperor. It was to himthat we committed the care of the four dead men and of the horses also.For my own part, I thought it best to leave Violette with him and totake De Montluc's grey with me, for he could not refuse to give me backmy own mare, whilst there might be difficulties about the other.Besides, my little friend's wound had to be considered, and we had along return ride before us.

  The Emperor did not at first talk much upon the way. Perhaps the deathsof Despienne and Tremeau still weighed heavily upon his spirits. He wasalways a reserved man, and in those times, when every hour brought himthe news of some success of his enemies or defection of his friends, onecould not expect him to be a merry companion. Nevertheless, when Ireflected that he was carrying in his bosom those papers which he valuedso highly, and which only a few hours ago appeared to be for ever lost,and when I further thought that it was I, Etienne Gerard, who had placedthem there, I felt that I had deserved some little consideration. Thesame idea may have occurred to him, for when we had at last left theParis high road, and had entered the forest, he began of his own accordto tell me that which I should have most liked to have asked him.

  'As to the papers,' said he, 'I have already told you that there is noone now, except you and me, who knows where they are to be concealed. MyMameluke carried the spades to the pigeon-house, but I have told himnothing. Our plans, however, for bringing the packet from Paris havebeen formed since Monday. There were three in the secret, a woman andtwo men. The woman I would trust with my life; which of the two men hasbetrayed us I do not know, but I think that I may promise to find out.'

  We were riding in the shadow of the trees at the time, and I could hearhim slapping his riding-whip against his boot, and taking pinch afterpinch of snuff, as was his way when he was excited.

  'You wonder, no doubt,' said he, after a pause, 'why these rascals didnot stop the carriage at Paris instead of at the entrance toFontainebleau.'

  In truth, the objection had not occurred to me, but I did not wish toappear to have less wits than he gave me credit for, so I answered thatit was indeed surprising.

  'Had they done so they would have made a public scandal
, and run achance of missing their end. Short of taking the berline to pieces, theycould not have discovered the hiding-place. He planned it well--he couldalways plan well--and he chose his agents well also. But mine were thebetter.'

  It is not for me to repeat to you, my friends, all that was said to meby the Emperor as we walked our horses amid the black shadows andthrough the moon-silvered glades of the great forest. Every word of itis impressed upon my memory, and before I pass away it is likely that Iwill place it all upon paper, so that others may read it in the days tocome. He spoke freely of his past, and something also of his future; ofthe devotion of Macdonald, of the treason of Marmont, of the little Kingof Rome, concerning whom he talked with as much tenderness as anybourgeois father of a single child; and, finally, of his father-in-law,the Emperor of Austria, who would, he thought, stand between his enemiesand himself. For myself, I dared not say a word, remembering how I hadalready brought a rebuke upon myself; but I rode by his side, hardlyable to believe that this was indeed the great Emperor, the man whoseglance sent a thrill through me, who was now pouring out his thoughts tome in short, eager sentences, the words rattling and racing like thehoofs of a galloping squadron. It is possible that, after theword-splittings and diplomacy of a Court, it was a relief to him tospeak his mind to a plain soldier like myself.

  In this way the Emperor and I--even after years it sends a flush ofpride into my cheeks to be able to put those words together--the Emperorand I walked our horses through the Forest of Fontainebleau, until wecame at last to the Colombier. The three spades were propped against thewall upon the right-hand side of the ruined door, and at the sight ofthem the tears sprang to my eyes as I thought of the hands for whichthey were intended. The Emperor seized one and I another.

  'Quick!' said he. 'The dawn will be upon us before we get back to thepalace.'

  We dug the hole, and placing the papers in one of my pistol holsters toscreen them from the damp, we laid them at the bottom and covered themup. We then carefully removed all marks of the ground having beendisturbed, and we placed a large stone upon the top. I dare say thatsince the Emperor was a young gunner, and helped to train his piecesagainst Toulon, he had not worked so hard with his hands. He was moppinghis forehead with his silk handkerchief long before we had come to theend of our task.

  The first grey cold light of morning was stealing through the treetrunks when we came out together from the old pigeon-house. The Emperorlaid his hand upon my shoulder as I stood ready to help him to mount.

  'We have left the papers there,' said he, solemnly, 'and I desire thatyou shall leave all thought of them there also. Let the recollection ofthem pass entirely from your mind, to be revived only when you receive adirect order under my own hand and seal. From this time onwards youforget all that has passed.'

  'I forget it, sire,' said I.

  We rode together to the edge of the town, where he desired that I shouldseparate from him. I had saluted, and was turning my horse, when hecalled me back.

  'It is easy to mistake the points of the compass in the forest,' saidhe. 'Would you not say that it was in the north-eastern corner that weburied them?'

  'Buried what, sire?'

  'The papers, of course,' he cried, impatiently.

  'What papers, sire?'

  'Name of a name! Why, the papers that you have recovered for me.'

  'I am really at a loss to know what your Majesty is talking about.'

  He flushed with anger for a moment, and then he burst out laughing.

  'Very good, Brigadier!' he cried. 'I begin to believe that you are asgood a diplomatist as you are a soldier, and I cannot say more thanthat.'

  * * * * *

  So that was my strange adventure in which I found myself the friend andconfident agent of the Emperor. When he returned from Elba he refrainedfrom digging up the papers until his position should be secure, and theystill remained in the corner of the old pigeon-house after his exile toSt Helena. It was at this time that he was desirous of getting them intothe hands of his own supporters, and for that purpose he wrote me, as Iafterwards learned, three letters, all of which were intercepted by hisguardians. Finally, he offered to support himself and his ownestablishment--which he might very easily have done out of the giganticsum which belonged to him--if they would only pass one of his lettersunopened. This request was refused, and so, up to his death in '21, thepapers still remained where I have told you. How they came to be dug upby Count Bertrand and myself, and who eventually obtained them, is astory which I would tell you, were it not that the end has not yet come.

  Some day you will hear of those papers, and you will see how, after hehas been so long in his grave, that great man can still set Europeshaking. When that day comes, you will think of Etienne Gerard, and youwill tell your children that you have heard the story from the lips ofthe man who was the only one living of all who took part in that strangehistory--the man who was tempted by Marshal Berthier, who led that wildpursuit upon the Paris road, who was honoured by the embrace of theEmperor, and who rode with him by moonlight in the Forest ofFontainebleau. The buds are bursting and the birds are calling, myfriends. You may find better things to do in the sunlight than listeningto the stories of an old, broken soldier. And yet you may well treasurewhat I say, for the buds will have burst and the birds sung in manyseasons before France will see such another ruler as he whose servantswe were proud to be.

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