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diff --git a/30457-8.txt b/30457-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9485148 --- /dev/null +++ b/30457-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11555 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Through Russian Snows, by G. A Henty + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Through Russian Snows + A Story of Napoleon's Retreat from Moscow + +Author: G. A Henty + +Illustrator: W. H. Overend + +Release Date: November 12, 2009 [EBook #30457] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THROUGH RUSSIAN SNOWS *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Graeme Mackreth and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + + + + + + +[Illustration: THROUGH RUSSIAN SNOWS + +G·A·HENTY] + +[Illustration: SERGEANT JULIAN WYATT RECEIVES THE CROSS OF THE LEGION OF +HONOUR.] + + THROUGH RUSSIAN SNOWS + + A STORY OF + + NAPOLEON'S RETREAT FROM MOSCOW + + BY + + G.A. HENTY + + Author of "Beric the Briton," "One of the 28th," + "Condemned as a Nihilist," "For Name and Fame," + "In the Heart of the Rockies," etc. + + _WITH EIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS BY W.H. OVEREND AND THREE MAPS_ + + NEW YORK + CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS + 1902 + + COPYRIGHT, 1895, BY + CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS + + THE CAXTON PRESS + NEW YORK. + + + + +PREFACE + + +There are few campaigns that, either in point of the immense scale upon +which it was undertaken, the completeness of its failure, or the +enormous loss of life entailed, appeal to the imagination in so great a +degree as that of Napoleon against Russia. Fortunately, we have in the +narratives of Sir Robert Wilson, British commissioner with the Russian +army, and of Count Segur, who was upon Napoleon's staff, minute +descriptions of the events as seen by eye-witnesses, and besides these +the campaign has been treated fully by various military writers. I have +as usual avoided going into details of horrors and of acts of cruelty +and ferocity on both sides, surpassing anything in modern warfare, and +have given a mere outline of the operations, with a full account of the +stern fight at Smolensk and the terrible struggle at Borodino. I would +warn those of my readers who may turn to any of the military works for a +further history of the campaign, that the spelling of Russian places and +names varies so greatly in the accounts of different writers, that +sometimes it is difficult to believe that the same person or town is +meant, and even in the narratives by Sir Robert Wilson, and by Lord +Cathcart, our ambassador at St. Petersburg, who was in constant +communication with him, scarcely a name will be found similarly spelt. I +mention this, as otherwise much confusion might be caused by those who +may compare my story with some of these recognized authorities, or +follow the incidents of the campaign upon maps of Russia. + + Yours sincerely, + + G.A. HENTY. + + + + + CONTENTS + + + CHAP. PAGE + + I. TWO BROTHERS, 11 + + II. BEFORE THE JUSTICES, 30 + + III. IN A FRESH SCRAPE, 48 + + IV. THE SMUGGLER'S CAVE, 67 + + V. FOLLOWING A TRAIL, 84 + + VI. A COMMISSION, 103 + + VII. A FRENCH PRISON, 122 + + VIII. PISTOL PRACTICE, 140 + + IX. A DUEL, 158 + + X. SMOLENSK, 177 + + XI. WITH THE RUSSIAN ARMY, 195 + + XII. BORODINO, 213 + + XIII. WITH THE REAR-GUARD, 242 + + XIV. NEY'S RETREAT, 263 + + XV. IN COMFORTABLE QUARTERS, 292 + + XVI. AN UNEXPECTED MEETING, 309 + + + + + ILLUSTRATIONS + + + SERGEANT JULIAN WYATT RECEIVES THE CROSS OF THE LEGION + OF HONOUR, _Frontispiece_, 253 + + "MARK MY WORDS, YOU YOUNG SCOUNDREL, I WILL BE EVEN + WITH YOU YET," 57 + + JULIAN FINDS HIMSELF A PRISONER AMONG THE SMUGGLERS, 64 + + "CAPTAIN MARSHALL'S PISTOL FELL TO THE GROUND, AND HE + STAGGERED BACK A PACE," 162 + + "ON THE MARCH LITTLE STEPHANIE OFTEN CHOSE TO BE CARRIED + ON JULIAN'S SHOULDER," 260 + + "I AM THE COUNTESS STEPHANIE WORONSKI. I AM GLAD TO + SEE YOU," 278 + + THE LAST OF A VETERAN OF NAPOLEON'S _GRANDE ARMÉE_, 310 + + JULIAN INTRODUCES STEPHANIE TO HIS BROTHER FRANK, 321 + + Map showing the Route of Napoleon's March to Moscow, 180 + + Plan of the Battle of Smolensk, 186 + + Plan of the Battle of Borodino, 214 + + + + +[Illustration] + +THROUGH RUSSIAN SNOWS + + + + +CHAPTER I + +TWO BROTHERS + + +When Colonel Wyatt died, all Weymouth agreed that it was a most +unfortunate thing for his sons Julian and Frank. The loss of a father is +always a misfortune to lads, but it was more than usually so in this +case. They had lost their mother years before, and Colonel Wyatt's +sister had since kept house for him. As a housekeeper she was an +efficient substitute, as a mother to the boys she was a complete +failure. How she ever came to be Colonel Wyatt's sister was a puzzle to +all their acquaintances. The Colonel was quick and alert, sharp and +decisive in speech, strong in his opinions, peremptory in his manner, +kindly at heart, but irascible in temper. Mrs. Troutbeck was gentle and +almost timid in manner; report said that she had had a hard time of it +in her married life, and that Troutbeck had frightened out of her any +vestige of spirit that she had ever possessed. Mrs. Troutbeck never +argued, and was always in perfect agreement with any opinion expressed, +a habit that was constantly exciting the wrath and indignation of her +brother. + +The idea of controlling the boys never once entered her mind. So long +as the Colonel was alive there was no occasion for such control, and in +this respect she did not attempt after his death to fill his place. It +seemed, indeed, that she simply transferred her allegiance from the +Colonel to them. Whatever they did was right in her eyes, and they were +allowed to do practically whatever they pleased. There was a difference +in age of three years and a half between the brothers; Julian at the +time of his father's death being sixteen, while Frank was still a few +months short of thirteen. Casual acquaintances often remarked that there +was a great likeness between them; and, indeed, both were +pleasant-looking lads with somewhat fair complexions, their brown hair +having a tendency to stand up in a tuft on the forehead, while both had +grey eyes, and square foreheads. Mrs. Troutbeck was always ready to +assent to the remark as to their likeness, but would gently qualify it +by saying that it did not strike her so much as it did other people. + +"Their dispositions are quite different," she said, "and knowing them as +I do, I see the same differences in their faces." + +Any close observer would, indeed, have recognized it at once. Both faces +were pleasant, but while Julian's wore an expression of easy good +temper, and a willingness to please and to be pleased, there was a lack +of power and will in the lower part of the face; there was neither +firmness in the mouth nor determination in the chin. Upon the other +hand, except when smiling or talking, Frank's lips were closely pressed +together, and his square chin and jaw clearly indicated firmness of will +and tenacity of purpose. Julian was his aunt's favourite, and was one of +the most popular boys at his school. He liked being popular, and as long +as it did not put him to any great personal trouble was always ready to +fall in with any proposal, to take part in every prank, to lend or give +money if he had it in his pocket, to sympathize with any one in +trouble. + +"He has the most generous disposition of any boy I ever saw!" his aunt +would frequently declare. "He's always ready to oblige. No matter what +he is doing, he will throw it aside in a moment if I want anything done, +or ask him to go on an errand into the town. Frank is very nice, he is +very kind and all that sort of thing, but he goes his own way more, and +I don't find him quite so willing to oblige as Julian; but then, of +course, he is much younger, and one can't expect a boy of twelve to be +as thoughtful to an old woman as a young fellow of nearly seventeen." + +As time went on the difference in their characters became still more +marked. Julian had left school a year after his father's death, and had +since been doing nothing in particular. He had talked vaguely of going +into the army, and his father's long services would have given him a +claim for a commission had he decided upon writing to ask for one, but +Julian could never bring himself to decide upon anything. Had there been +an old friend of his father's at hand ready to settle the matter for him +he would have made no opposition whatever, but his aunt was altogether +opposed to the idea, and so far from urging him to move in the matter +she was always ready to say, whenever it happened to be mentioned, +"There is no hurry, my dear Julian. We hear terrible stories of the +hardships that the soldiers suffer in Spain; and although, if you decide +upon going, of course I can't say no, still there can be no hurry about +it." + +This was quite Julian's own opinion. He was very comfortable where he +was. He was his own master, and could do as he liked. He was amply +supplied with pocket-money by his aunt; he was fond of sailing, fishing, +and shooting; and as he was a general favourite among the boatmen and +fishermen he was able to indulge in his fondness for the sea to as large +an extent as he pleased, though it was but seldom that he had a chance +of a day's shooting. Julian had other tastes of a less healthy +character; he was fond of billiards and of society, he had a fine voice +and a taste for music, and the society he chose was not that most +calculated to do him good. He spent less and less of his time at home, +and rarely returned of an evening until the other members of the +household were in bed. Whatever his aunt thought of the matter she never +remonstrated with him, and was always ready to make the excuse to +herself, "I can't expect a fine young fellow like that to be tied to an +old woman's apron-strings. Young men will be young men, and it is only +natural that he should find it dull at home." + +When Julian arrived at the age of nineteen it was tacitly understood +that the idea of his going into the army had been altogether dropped, +and that when a commission was asked for, it would be for Frank. +Although Julian was still her favourite, Mrs. Troutbeck was more +favourably disposed towards Frank than of old. She knew from her friends +that he was quite as popular among his schoolmates as his brother had +been, although in a different way. He was a hard and steady worker, but +he played as hard as he worked, and was a leader in every game. He, +however, could say "no" with a decision that was at once recognized as +being final, and was never to be persuaded into joining in any forbidden +amusement or to take share in any mischievous adventure. When his own +work was done he was always willing to give a quarter of an hour to +assist any younger lad who found his lessons too hard for him, and +though he was the last boy to whom any one would think of applying for a +loan of money, he would give to the extent of his power in any case +where a subscription was raised for a really meritorious purpose. + +Thus when the school contributed a handsome sum towards a fund that was +being raised for the relief of the families of the fishermen who had +been lost, when four of their boats were wrecked in a storm, no one +except the boys who got up the collection knew that nearly half the +amount for which the school gained credit came from the pocket of Frank +Wyatt. + +The brothers, though differing so widely in disposition, were very fond +of each other. In his younger years Frank had looked up to his big +brother as a sort of hero, and Julian's good-nature and easy-going +temper led him to be always kind to his young brother, and to give him +what he valued most--assistance at his lessons and a patient attention +to all his difficulties. As the years went on, Frank came to perceive +clearly enough the weak points in his brother's character, and with his +usual outspokenness sometimes remonstrated with him strongly. + +"It is horrible to see a fellow like you wasting your life as you do, +Julian. If you don't care for the army, why don't you do something else? +I should not care what it was, so that it but gave you something to +occupy yourself, and if it took you out of here, all the better. You +know that you are not doing yourself any good." + +"I am not doing myself any harm, you young beggar," Julian replied good +temperedly. + +"I don't know, Julian," the boy said sturdily; "you are not looking half +as well as you used to do. I am sure late hours don't suit you, and +there is no good to be got out of billiards. I know the sort of fellows +you meet there are not the kind to do you any good, or that father would +have liked to see you associate with if he had been alive. Just ask +yourself honestly if you think he would. If you can say 'yes,' I will +shut up and say no more about it; but can you say 'yes'?" + +Julian was silent. "I don't know that I can," he said after a pause. +"There is no harm in any of them that I know of, but I suppose that in +the way you put it, they are not the set father would have fancied, with +his strict notions. I have thought of giving it up a good many times, +but it is an awkward thing, when you are mixed up with a lot of +fellows, to drop them without any reason." + +"You have only got to say that you find late hours don't agree with you, +and that you have made up your mind to cut it altogether." + +"That is all very well for you, Frank, and I will do you justice to say +that if you determined to do a thing, you would do it without minding +what any one said." + +"Without minding what any one I did not care for, said," Frank +interrupted. "Certainly; why should I heed a bit what people I do not +care for say, so long as I feel that I am doing what is right." + +"I wish I were as strong-willed as you are, Frank," Julian said rather +ruefully, "then I should not have to put up with being bullied by a +young brother." + +"You are too good tempered, Julian," Frank said, almost angrily. "Here +are you, six feet high and as strong as a horse, and with plenty of +brain for anything, just wasting your life. Look at the position father +held here, and ask yourself how many of his old friends do you know. +Why, rather than go on as you are doing, I would enlist and go out to +the Peninsula and fight the French. That would put an end to all this +sort of thing, and you could come back again and start afresh. You will +have money enough for anything you like. You come into half father's +£16,000 when you come of age, and I have no doubt that you will have +Aunt's money." + +"Why should I?" Julian asked in a more aggrieved tone than he had +hitherto used. + +"Because you are her favourite, Julian, and quite right that you should +be. You have always been awfully good to her, and that is one reason why +I hate you to be out of an evening; for although she never says a word +against you, and certainly would not hear any one else do so, I tell you +it gives me the blues to see her face as she sits there listening for +your footsteps." + +"It is a beastly shame, and I will give it up, Frank; honour bright, I +will." + +"That is right, old fellow; I knew you would if you could only once peep +in through the window of an evening and see her face." + +"As for her money," Julian went on, "if she does not divide it equally +between us, I shall, you may be sure." + +"I sha'n't want it," Frank said decidedly. "You know I mean to go into +the army, and with the interest of my own money I shall have as much as +I shall possibly want, and if I had more it would only bother me, and do +me harm in my profession. With you it is just the other way. You are the +head of the family, and as Father's son ought to take a good place. You +could buy an estate and settle down on it, and what with its management, +and with horses and hunting and shooting, you would be just in your +element." + +"Well, we will see about it when the time comes. I am sure I hope the +old lady will be with us for a long time yet. She is as kind-hearted a +soul as ever lived, though it would have been better for me, no doubt, +if she held the reins a little tighter. Well, anyhow, Frank, I will cut +the billiards altogether." + +They exchanged a silent grip of the hand on the promise, and Julian, +looking more serious than usual, put on his hat and went out. There was +a curious reversal of the usual relations between the brothers. Julian, +although he always laughed at his young brother's assumption of the part +of mentor, really leant upon his stronger will, and as often as not, +even if unconsciously, yielded to his influence, while Frank's +admiration for his brother was heightened by the unfailing good temper +with which the latter received his remonstrances and advice. "He is an +awfully good fellow," he said to himself when Julian left the room. +"Anyone else would have got into a rage at my interference; but he has +only one fault; he can't say no, and that is at the root of everything. +I can't understand myself why a fellow finds it more difficult to say no +than to say yes. If it is right to do a thing one does it, if it is not +right one leaves it alone, and the worst one has to stand, if you don't +do what other fellows want, is a certain amount of chaff, and that hurts +no one." + +Frank, indeed, was just as good tempered as Julian, although in an +entirely different way. He had never been known to be in a passion, but +put remonstrance and chaff aside quietly, and went his own way without +being in the slightest degree affected by them. + +Julian kept his promise, and was seen no more in the billiard saloon. +Fortunately for him the young fellows with whom he was in the habit of +playing were all townsmen, clerks, the sons of the richer tradesmen, or +of men who owned fishing-boats or trading vessels, and others of that +class--not, indeed, as Frank had said, the sort of men whom Colonel +Wyatt would have cared for his son to have associated with--but harmless +young fellows who frequented the billiard-rooms as a source of amusement +and not of profit, and who therefore had no motive for urging Julian to +play. To Mrs. Troutbeck's delight he now spent four or five evenings at +home, only going out for an hour to smoke a pipe and to have a chat with +the fishermen. Once or twice a week he would be absent all night, going +out, as he told his aunt, for a night's fishing, and generally returning +in the morning with half a dozen mackerel or other fish as his share of +the night's work. + +Sometimes he would ask Frank to accompany him, and the latter, when he +had no particular work on hand, would do so, and thoroughly enjoyed the +sport. + +Smuggling was at the time carried on extensively, and nowhere more +actively than between Weymouth and Exmouth on the one hand, and Swanage +on the other. Consequently, in spite of the vigilance of the revenue +men, cargoes were frequently run. The long projection of Chesil Beach +and Portland afforded a great advantage to the smugglers; and Lieutenant +Downes, who commanded the revenue cutter _Boxer_, had been heard to +declare that he would gladly subscribe a year's pay if a channel could +be cut through the beach. Even when he obtained information that a cargo +was likely to be run to the west, unless the winds and tides were alike +propitious, it took so long a time to get round Portland Bill that he +was certain to arrive too late to interfere with the landing, while, at +times, an adverse wind and the terrors of the "race" with its tremendous +current and angry waves would keep the _Boxer_ lying for days to the +west of the Island, returning to Weymouth only to hear that during her +absence a lugger had landed her cargo somewhere to the east. + +"Job himself would have lost his temper if he had been a revenue officer +at Weymouth," Lieutenant Downes would exclaim angrily. "Why, sir, I +would rather lie for three months off the mouth of an African river +looking for slavers, than be stationed at Weymouth in search of +smuggling craft, for a month; it is enough to wear a man to a +thread-paper. Half the coast population seem to me to be in alliance +with these rascals, and I am so accustomed to false information now, +that as a rule when one of my men gets a hint that a cargo is going to +be run near Swanage I start at once for the west, knowing well enough +that wherever the affair is to come off it certainly will not be within +ten miles of the point named. Even in Weymouth itself the sympathy of +the population lies rather with the smugglers than the revenue men." + +The long war with France had rendered brandy, French wines, lace, and +silks fabulously dear, and the heavy duties charged reduced to a +minimum the legitimate traffic that might otherwise have been carried +on; therefore, even well-to-do people favoured the men who brought these +luxuries to their doors, at a mere fraction of the price that they would +otherwise have had to pay for them. Then, too, there was an element of +romance in the career of a smuggler who risked his life every day, and +whose adventures, escapes, and fights with the revenue men were told +round every fireside. The revenue officer was not far wrong when he said +that the greater portion of the population round the coast, including +all classes, were friendly to, if not in actual alliance with, the +smugglers. Julian was well aware that many of the fishermen with whom he +went out often lent a hand to the smugglers in landing their goods and +taking them inland, or in hiding them in caves in the cliffs known only +to the smugglers and themselves. He had heard many stories from them of +adventures in which they had been engaged, and the manner in which, by +showing signal lights from the sea, they had induced the revenue men to +hurry to the spot at which they had seen a flash, and so to leave the +coast clear for the landing of the goods. + +"It must be great fun," he said one day. "I must say I should like to +take part in running a cargo, for once." + +"Well, Master Julian, there would not be much difficulty about that, if +so be you really mean it. We can put you up to it easy enough, but you +know, sir, it isn't all fun. Sometimes the revenue men come down upon us +in spite of all the pains we take to throw them off the scent. Captain +Downes is getting that artful that one is never sure whether he has been +got safely away or not. A fortnight ago he pretty nigh came down on a +lugger that was landing a cargo in Lulworth Cove. We thought that it had +all been managed well. Word had gone round that the cargo was to be run +there, and the morning before, a woman went on to the cliffs and got in +talk with one of the revenue men. She let out, as how her husband had +been beating her, and she had made up her mind to pay him out. There was +going, she said, to be a cargo run that night at a point half way +between Weymouth and Lyme Regis. + +"I know she did the part well, as she acted it on three or four of us +afterwards, and the way she pretended to be in a passion and as spiteful +as a cat, would have taken any fellow in. In course the revenue chap +asked her what her name was and where she lived, and I expect they did +not find her when they looked for her afterwards in the place she told +him. He wanted her to go with him to the officer of the station, but she +said that she would never do that, for if it got to be known that she +had peached about it, it would be as much as her life was worth. Well, a +boy who was watching saw the revenue chap go off, as soon as she was out +of sight, straight to the coast-guard station, and ten minutes later the +officer in charge there set off for Weymouth. + +"The boy followed and he saw him go on board the _Boxer_. Directly +afterwards Captain Downes came ashore with him and had a long talk with +the chief of the coast-guard there; then he went on board again, and we +all chuckled when we saw the _Boxer_ get up her anchor, set all sail, +make out to Portland, and go round the end of the rock. Two hours later +a look-out on the hills saw her bearing out to sea to the southwest, +meaning, in course, to run into the bay after it was dark. On shore the +officer at Weymouth got a horse and rode along the cliffs to the +eastward. He stopped at each coast-guard station, right on past +Lulworth, and soon afterwards three parts of the men at each of them +turned out and marched away west. + +"We thought that we had fooled them nicely, and that evening half a +dozen of our boats sailed into Lulworth harbour and anchored there +quiet. One of them rowed ashore and landed two hands to look round. They +brought back news as there were only two or three revenue men left at +the station, and it would be easy enough to seize them and tie them up +till it was all over. In course, everything worked for a bit just as we +thought it would. The lugger we were expecting showed her light in the +offing and was signalled that the coast was clear. It was a dark night, +and the two revenue men on duty in the cove were seized and tied up by +some of the shore band without a blow being struck. Two or three chaps +were placed at the door of the station, so that if the two men left +there turned out they would be gagged at once. Everything was ready, and +a big lot of carts came down to the water's edge. The lugger anchored +outside the cove; we got up our kedges and rowed out to her, and a dozen +shoreboats did the same. As soon as we got alongside they began to +bundle the kegs in, when not three hundred yards away came a hail, 'What +craft is that?' + +"It struck us all into a heap, and you could have heard a pin drop. Then +came the hail again, 'If you don't answer I will sink you,' whereupon +the skipper of the lugger shouted out, 'the _Jennie_ of Portsmouth.' +'Lend a hand, lads, with the sails,' he whispered to us; 'slip the +cable, Tom.' We ran up the sails in a jiffy, you may be sure, and all +the sharper that, as they were half-way up, four guns flashed out. One +hulled the lugger, the others flew overhead. Close as they were they +could not have seen us, for we could scarce see them and we were under +the shadow of the cliffs, but I suppose they fired at the voices. 'Sink +the tubs, lads,' the skipper said as the lugger glided away from us. +There was a nice little air blowing off shore, and she shot away into +the darkness in no time. We all rowed into the mouth of the cove for +shelter, and were only just in time, for a shower of grape splashed the +water up a few yards behind us. + +"We talked it over for a minute or two, and settled that the _Boxer_ +would be off after the lugger and would not pay any more attention to +us. Some of them were in favour of taking the kegs that we had got +ashore, but the most of us were agin that, and the captain himself had +told us to sink them, so we rowed out of the cove again and tied sinkers +to the kegs and lowered them down three or four hundred yards west of +the mouth of the cove. We went on board our boats and the other chaps +went on shore, and you may guess we were not long in getting up our +sails and creeping out of the cove. It was half an hour after the first +shots were fired before we heard the _Boxer_ at it again. I reckon that +in the darkness they could not make out whether the lugger had kept +along east or west under the cliffs, and I expect they went the wrong +way at first, and only found her at last with their night-glasses when +she was running out to sea. + +"Well, next morning we heard that the shore men had not landed five +minutes when there was a rush of forty or fifty revenue men into the +village. There ain't no doubt they had only gone west to throw us off +our guard, and, as soon as it was dark, turned and went eastward. They +could not have known that the job was to come off at Lulworth, but were +on the look-out all along, and I reckon that it was the same with the +_Boxer_. She must have beaten back as soon as it was dark enough for her +not to be seen from the hills, and had been crawling along on the +look-out close to the shore, when she may have caught sight of the +lugger's signal. Indeed, we heard afterwards that it called back the +coast-guard men, for they had passed Lulworth and were watching at a +spot between that and St. Alban's Head, where a cargo had been run a +month or two before, when they caught sight of the signal off Lulworth. +Well, you may guess they did not get much for their pains. The carts had +all made off as soon as they heard the _Boxer's_ guns, and knew that the +game was up, for the night anyhow, and they found every light out in +Lulworth, and everyone, as it seemed, fast asleep. I believe, from what +I have heard, that there was a great row afterwards between Captain +Downes and the revenue officer ashore. The chap ashore would have it +that it was all the captain's fault for being in such a hurry, and that +if he had waited an hour they would have got all the carts with the +cargo, even if he had not caught the lugger. + +"Well, that was true enough; but I don't see that Downes was to blame, +for until he came along he could not be sure where the lugger was, and +indeed she was so close in under the cliff that it is like enough he +would have missed her altogether and have gone on another two or three +miles, if it had not been that they caught the noise of the boats +alongside her taking in the kegs. The lugger got away all right; she is +a fast craft, and though the _Boxer_ can walk along in a strong wind, in +a light breeze the lugger had the legs of her altogether. That shows +you, Mr. Julian, that Captain Downes has cut his eye-teeth, and that it +is mighty hard to fool him. He was never nearer making a good capture +than he was that night. The lugger ran her cargo two nights afterwards +at the very spot where the woman had told the revenue man that she was +going to do it. There was a little bit of a fight, but the coast-guard +were not strong enough to do any good, and had to make off, and before +they could bring up anything like a strong force, every bale and keg had +been carried inland, and before morning there was scarce a farmhouse +within ten miles that had not got some of it stowed away in their snug +hiding-places. Downes will be more vicious than ever after that job, and +you see, master, you are like to run a goodish risk of getting your head +broke and of being hauled off to jail. Still, if you would like to join +some night in a run we can put you in the way." + +"Yes, I should like it very much," Julian said. "There can't be much +risk, for there has not been anything like a regular fight anywhere +along this part of the coast for the last two years, and from what I +have heard, there must have been twenty cargoes run in that time." + +"All that, sir, all that; nigher thirty, I should say. There is three +luggers at it reg'lar." + +"Are they French or English?" + +"Two of them is French and one English, but the crews are all mixed. +They carry strong crews all of them, and a longish gun in their sterns, +so that in case they are chased they may have a chance of knocking away +a spar out of anything after them. They would not fight if a cutter came +up alongside them--that might make a hanging matter of it, while if none +of the revenue chaps are killed it is only a case of long imprisonment, +though the English part of the crew generally have the offer of entering +on a king's ship instead, and most of them take it. Life on board a +man-of-war may not be a pleasant one, but after all it is better than +being boxed up in a prison for years. Anyhow, that is the light in which +I should look at it myself." + +"I should think so," Julian agreed. "However, you see there is no great +risk in landing the kegs, for it is very seldom you get so nearly caught +as you did at Lulworth. Let me know when the next affair is coming off, +Bill, and if it is anywhere within a moderate distance of Weymouth I +will go with you if you will take me. Anyhow, whether I go or not, you +may be quite sure that I shall keep the matter to myself." + +"The most active chap about here," Bill said after he had hauled his +nets, and the boat was making her way back to Weymouth, "is that +Faulkner. He is a bitter bad one, he is. Most of the magistrates about +here don't trouble their heads about smuggling, and if they find a keg +of first class brandy quite accidental any morning on their doorstep, +they don't ask where it comes from, but just put it down into their +cellars. Sometimes information gets sworn before them, and they has to +let the revenue people know, but somehow or other, I can't say how it +is," and the fisherman gave a portentous wink, "our fellows generally +get some sort of an idea that things ain't right, and the landing don't +come off as expected; queer, ain't it? But that fellow Faulkner, he +ain't like that. He worries hisself about the smugglers just about as +much as Captain Downes does. He is just as hard on smugglers as he is on +poachers, and he is wonderful down on them, he is. Do you know him, +sir?" + +"I know him by sight. He is a big, pompous man; his place is about two +miles up the valley, and there are some large woods round it." + +"That is so, sir; and they say as they are chock-full of pheasants. He +has a lot of keepers, and four years ago there was a desperate fight +there. Two keepers and three poachers got shot, and two others were +caught; they were tried at the 'sizes for murder and hanged. He is a +regular bully, he is, but he ain't no coward. If he was he would never +stir out after sunset, but instead of that he is out night after night +on the cliffs, when there is any talk of a cargo being run. He is known +to carry pistols about with him, and so though his life has been +threatened many times, nothing has ever come of it. One thing is, he has +got a big black horse, about the best horse there is in this part of the +country, and he always rides mighty fast down into the town or up on to +the cliffs, where he gets among the revenue men, and in course he is +safe enough. He was down with that lot at Lulworth that night, and they +say he cussed and swore loud enough to be heard all over the village, +when they found that they had got there too late. He is a bitter bad +weed, is Faulkner." + +"I know he is very unpopular even in the town," Julian said. "He is the +hardest magistrate on the bench, and if it were not for the others not a +man brought before him would ever get off. I have heard that he is very +much disliked by the other magistrates, and that some time ago, when he +wanted to join the club, they would not have him at any price. I can't +make out why a fellow should go out of his way to make himself disliked. +I can understand his being down on poachers; no one likes to be robbed, +but the smuggling cannot make any difference to him one way or the +other." + +"No; that is what we says. It don't concern him, 'cept that magistrates +are bound in a sort of way to see that the law is not broken. But why +shouldn't he do like the others and go on his way quiet, unless he gets +an information laid before him, or a warning from the revenue people as +he is wanted. You mark my words, Master Julian, some night that chap +will get a bullet or a charge of shot in his body." + +After this Julian went on more than one occasion with Bill and other +fishermen to look on at the landing of contraband cargoes. If the +distance was within a walk they would start from Weymouth straight +inland, and come down by the road along which the carts were to fetch +the goods up, for it was only occasionally that the fishermen would take +their boats. At Lulworth, of course, there had been no risk in their +doing so, as boats, when fishing to the east, would often make their way +into the cove and drop anchor there for a few hours. But when the run +was to be made at lonely spots, the sight of fishing boats making in to +anchor would have excited the suspicions of the coast-guard on the +cliffs. The number of fishermen who took part in the smugglers' +proceedings was but small. All of these had either brothers or other +relations on board the luggers, or were connected with some of the +smugglers' confederates on shore. They received a handsome sum for their +night's work, which was at times very hard, as the kegs had often to be +carried up steep and dangerous paths to the top of the cliffs, and then +a considerable distance across the downs to the nearest points the carts +could come to. + +It was the excitement of the adventure, however, rather than the pay, +and the satisfaction derived from outwitting the revenue men, that was +the main attraction to the fishermen. Julian took no share in the work. +He went dressed in the rough clothes he wore on the fishing excursions +at night, and heartily enjoyed the animated bustle of the scene, as +scores of men carrying kegs or bales on their backs, made their way up +some narrow ravine, silently laid down their loads beside the carts and +pack-horses, and then started back again for another trip. He +occasionally lent a hand to lash the kegs on either side of the horses, +or to lift a bale into the cart. No one ever asked any question; it was +assumed that he was there with one of the carts, and he recognized the +wisdom of Bill's advice the first time he went out. + +"It is best not to speak till you are spoken to, Master Julian; there is +more chaps there besides yourself, as are thought to be sound asleep in +their beds at Weymouth, and it is just as well to keep yourself to +yourself. There is never no knowing when things may go wrong, and then +it is as likely as not that some one may peach, and the fewer names as +comes out the better. Now you mind, sir, if there is an alarm, and the +revenue chaps come down on us, you just make a bolt at once. It ain't no +business of yours, one way or the other. You ain't there to make money +or to get hold of cheap brandy; you just go to look on and amuse +yourself, and all you have got to do is to make off as hard as you can +go directly there is an alarm. Everyone else does the same as gets a +chance, I can tell you. The country people never fight; though the +smugglers, if they are cornered, and can't get back to the lugger +without it, will use their weapons if they see a chance; but you have +got nothing to do with that. Don't you wait a minute for me and my +mates, for we shall bolt too. If we were on the shore when they came on +us we should embark with the crew and get on board the lugger. In +course, if just a few of the revenue men were fools enough to come on +us, they would be tumbled over in double quick time, and tied up till +the goods were all taken inland, and be left till some of their mates +found them in the morning. + +"That is how it is, you know, that we get most of our cargoes run. One +of the chaps on the cliff may make us out, but you see it takes a long +time to send along the line and get enough of them together to interfere +with us. Unless they have got a pretty good strong force together, they +ain't such fools as to risk their lives by meddling with a hundred men +or more, with a lot of valuable goods to land, and the knowledge that if +they are caught it is a long term in jail. The men know well enough that +if there is anything on, there will be a watch kept over them, and that +if they were to fire a pistol as a signal, there would be news of it +sent to the smugglers in no time. Sometimes, too, the coast-guards +nearest the point where the landing is to be, are pounced on suddenly +and tied up. I reckon, too, that a good many of them keep an eye shut as +long as they can, and then go off pretty leisurely to pass the word +along that they have heard oars or have seen signals, especially if they +have got a hot-headed boatswain in charge of their station, a sort of +chap who would want to go down to meddle with a hundred men, with only +five or six at his back. A man with a wife and some children, perhaps, +don't relish the thought of going into a bad scrimmage like that if he +can keep out of it; why should he? He gets a bit of money if they make a +good seizure, but he knows well enough that he ain't going to make a +seizure unless he has got a pretty strong party; and you take my word +for it, four times out of five when we make a clear run, it is because +the coast-guard keep an eye closed as long as they dare. They know well +enough that it ain't such an uncommon thing for a man to be found at the +bottom of the cliff, without anything to show how he got there, and the +coroner's jury finds as it was a dark night and he tumbled over, and +they brings in a verdict according. But it ain't every man as cares +about taking the risk of accidents of that kind, and, somehow or other, +they happens to just the chaps as is wonderful sharp and active. They +have all been sailors, you know, and are ready enough for a fight when +they are strong enough to have a chance, but that is a very different +thing from walking backwards and forwards on a dark night close to the +edge of a cliff, three or four hundred feet high, without a comrade +within a quarter of a mile, and the idea that an accident of this kind +might occur any time." + + + + +CHAPTER II + +BEFORE THE JUSTICES + + +One morning when Frank was dressing, the servant came up and told him +that a fisherman, who said his name was Bill Bostock, wanted to speak to +him. As he had often been out with Julian in the man's boat, he put on +his jacket and ran to the door. + +"Good morning, Bill!" he said; "what is it?" + +"I will talk with you outside, sir, if you don't mind." + +A good deal surprised Frank put on his cap and went out with him. + +"There has been a bad business, Master Frank, a mighty bad job." + +"What sort of a job, Bill?" + +"A smuggling affair, Master Frank. There was a fight. I hears one of the +revenue men was killed. I don't know as that is so, but some of them +have been knocked about, and have got some pistol wounds, no doubt. But +that ain't the worst part of the business. Mr. Julian is among those as +has been caught." + +"Julian!" Frank exclaimed in astonishment. "Why, what in the world had +Julian got to do with it?" + +"Well, sir," the sailor said apologetically, "you see it was like this. +Mr. Julian is a young gentleman as loves a bit of a spree, and he has +been out many a night with some of us to see a cargo run." + +Frank uttered an exclamation of surprise and consternation. + +"I thought perhaps as you knowed it, sir." + +"I never dreamt of such a thing, Bill. How could Julian have been so mad +as to mix himself up in such a business? I suppose this is your doing; +you must have led him into this mischief." + +"No, sir," the sailor said in an aggrieved voice. "How was I to lead a +young gentleman like your brother into a thing as he didn't choose to +do? I don't say as I didn't mention to him, promiscuous like, that I +lent a hand some times in running a cargo; but how was I to know as he +would up and say, 'I will go with you some night, Bill.' Well, I argues +with him, and I points out to him as he might get into a scrape; but, +says he, 'I am not going to take no share in it, but just want to look +on and see the fun,' as he calls it. I points out to him as it was not +always fun, but he puts that aside, and, says he, it would not be fun +unless there was a little excitement about it. He promised me faithful +that he would always cut and run as soon as he heard there was any talk +of the revenue men a-coming, and what was I to do? I don't say, sir, as +how if it had been you I would have taken you with me, 'cause you are +young, you see, and I should have felt as I was 'sponsible for you. But +Mr. Julian is a man now, and when he says, 'I mean to go with you +anyhow, Bill,' it was not for me to say, you sha'n't go. Mr. Julian, he +is a sort of gent that gets over one somehow, and there ain't no saying +'no' to him." + +"Well, it is of no use talking about that now," Frank said impatiently. +"First tell me all about it, and then we will see what had best be +done." + +"Well, Master Frank, it was eight miles to the west. The chaps concerned +in it thought they had managed to throw dust into the eyes of Captain +Downes, and to get the _Boxer_ away to Swanage, and how he got wind of +the affair, and where it was to be, is more nor I can tell. Everything +was going on smooth enough, and half the cargo was in the carts, when +all of a sudden there was a shout 'Surrender, you scoundrels!' and that +fellow Faulkner dashed up with a pistol in his hand, and behind him came +a score of revenue men. I dodged under a cart and bolted. I heard some +pistol shots fired, for just at that time a lot of the smugglers had +come up to the carts with kegs. As if the firing on shore had been a +signal, I heard directly after some guns down by the water, and knew +that Downes and the _Boxer_ had come on the lugger. I made straight +back, but I could not sleep all night for wondering whether Mr. Julian +had got off too, and I was up afore it was light, and went round to one +or two of the other chaps as was there. One had not come back; the other +had only been in half an hour. He had hid up, close to where we was +surprised. + +"After it was over the revenue chaps lit a lot of lanterns and then made +a big fire, and by its light my mate could see pretty well what was +going on. They had got about twenty prisoners. Most of the country +people and carts had, luckily enough for them, gone off with their loads +a few minutes afore the revenue men came up. A dozen pack-horses and +three or four carts had been took, and, in course, all the loads the men +were carrying up. Among those who was took was Mr. Julian. He was +standing close to me when they came up, and I expect he was collared +immediate. Faulkner, he sat down on a tub by the side of the fire and +takes out a book, and the prisoners was brought up one by one and +questions asked them. Mr. Julian was one of the last. Faulkner got up +from his seat and rowed him tremendous. What he said my mate could not +catch, but he could hear his voice, and he was going on at him cruel; +then I suppose Mr. Julian lost his temper, and my mate says he could see +that he was giving it him back hot. I expect it was something wonderful +hard and nasty he said, for Faulkner jumped at him and hit him in the +face. Then your brother threw himself on him. My mate says he would have +thrown him backwards into the fire, if some of the revenue men had not +seized him and dragged him off. + +"After that there was a row between Faulkner and Captain Downes, who had +come up just before with half a dozen sailors. I expect Downes was +telling him that he ought to be ashamed of himself. Anyhow they got to +high words, as was easy to be heard. Half an hour later most of them +started with the prisoners, leaving half a dozen of the officers to look +after the things they had taken. When they had gone, my mate went down +close to the water, and was able to make out the cutter and the lugger +anchored close together--so she has been caught. There was nothing else +to wait for, so he tramped off home and had only been in a few minutes +before I came to him." + +"This is awful," Frank said, in dismay. "The only thing I see that can +be done is for me to go and have a talk with Captain Downes. He was a +friend of my father's; and I think he is a kind-hearted man, though, of +course, he has to be sharp in carrying out his duty of trying to put +down smuggling. Well, I will run in for breakfast now, or my aunt will +wonder what has become of me; then I will go straight on board the +_Boxer_. + +"She is not in yet," Bill said. "She would not start until daylight; and +I don't suppose she will be round for another two hours. You see she is +not clear of Portland Bill yet." + +"That is unfortunate. However, I hope I shall see him before the +magistrates sit. What time do they meet?" + +"They generally sit at eleven o'clock; but it ain't their day, and they +will have to be summoned special. I should not wonder if they don't meet +till two o'clock; because they could not be sure what time the _Boxer_ +will get round, and, as he will have taken some prisoners in the lugger, +they would not begin until he arrived." + +"Very well; I will go round to the court-house after breakfast, and +inquire what time the sitting will be. Anyhow, I hope to be able to see +the lieutenant before they meet. I don't know that any good can come of +it; for, as he had nothing to do with Julian's capture, he certainly +would not be able to save him from appearing, especially after that row +with Faulkner." + +"He's a bad un that, Master Frank, and I wish your brother had chucked +him into that fire. A bit of burning might have done him good; and, if +ever a chap deserved it, he did." + +Frank went back into the house. + +"My dear Frank," Mrs. Troutbeck exclaimed, "where have you been? I have +never known you keep breakfast waiting before. Why, what is the matter, +dear? Nothing about Julian, I hope; hasn't he come home yet?" + +"No, Aunt; and I am sorry to say that he has got into an awkward scrape. +It seems that he went out, for the fun of the thing, to see a cargo run. +The revenue people came up, and he was one of those who were caught. Of +course he had nothing to do with the smuggling part of the business, nor +with a bit of a fight there was. Still, as he was there, I am afraid +there is no doubt that he will have to appear before the magistrates +with the others." + +Mrs. Troutbeck sat in speechless consternation. + +"Oh, dear! oh, dear!" she exclaimed at last. "How could he have been so +silly? It is dreadful, my dear, and it will be such a disgrace. What +shall we do?" + +"There is nothing to do, Aunt, that I can see. As to the disgrace, that +is nothing very dreadful. No end of people are mixed up in smuggling; +and I have heard that many of the gentry wink at it, and are glad enough +to buy a keg of brandy cheap without asking any questions where it comes +from. So the mere fact that Julian went to have a look at a cargo being +run is not anything very serious. I suppose it was against the law even +to be present, but there was nothing disgraceful about it. It is lucky +my holidays began last week, and if there is anything to be done I can +do it." + +"Could not Mr. Downes get him off? He used often to be here in your +father's time, though I have not seen much of him since; but I am sure +he would do anything he could." + +"I have been thinking of that, Aunt. The _Boxer_ was there last night +and captured the smuggler, but her crew had nothing to do with the fight +on shore; and, therefore, I don't think there is any chance of his being +able to interfere in the matter. Still, I will see him as soon as the +cutter comes in." + +On going down to the court-house, Frank found that the magistrates would +meet at two o'clock. Then, as the _Boxer_ had only just appeared round +Portland, he went and saw the chief officer of the coast-guard to +endeavour to obtain permission to have an interview with Julian. + +"I am sorry I can do nothing in the matter, lad," he replied. "It is out +of my hands, owing to a magistrate being present at the capture. It was, +indeed, his business more than ours; for it was he who obtained +information of the affair, and called upon us to aid him in the capture +of men engaged in unlawful practices. Therefore, you see, the prisoners +are in the hands of the civil authorities. I hear he has given strict +orders that no one is, on any pretence, to speak to the prisoners." + +"I hear that he struck my brother." + +"I don't know how you heard it, lad, but it is true. However, I do not +feel at liberty to say anything about it. I am very sorry for your +brother, who is a fine young fellow. However, I hope that as he was +unarmed, and was not, I suppose, actually concerned in the smuggling +business, the matter will be passed over lightly, even if he is not +discharged at once. At any rate, we shall in no way press the case +against him." + +Frank, indeed, afterwards learned that the officer dropped a hint to the +men to make as little as possible of Julian's capture, and of the +vigorous resistance he had made when first seized. + +The _Boxer_ dropped anchor off the town at twelve o'clock, and the +lieutenant landed at once. The officer of the coast-guard went down to +meet him on the quay, and for half an hour they walked up and down the +parade together, in earnest conversation. Frank remained on the opposite +side of the road until they stopped, and the commander of the _Boxer_ +beckoned to him. + +"Well, lad," he said, as Frank came up, "this is a nasty scrape that +your brother has got into; but I don't think they can do anything to +him. Mr. Moorsby has been telling me that you have been to him; but +neither he nor I can do anything in the matter--it is in the civil +hands. If it had been anyone else but Faulkner who had been in charge, I +have no doubt it could have been managed. Of course, your brother ought +not to have been there, but as he was only looking on, and taking no +active part in the affair, he might have been released without any +difficulty. However, I don't think you need worry yourself. Certainly, +we shall not press the case against him. It is unfortunate that he used +his tongue as sharply as he did to Mr. Faulkner, though I don't say but +that he had great provocation, or that what he said was not perfectly +true; still, it would have been much better left unsaid. However, I +question if before the hearing is over Faulkner will not have cause to +regret that he did not let your brother go home as soon as they got back +here." + +He nodded, and Frank understood that there was no more to say, and, +thanking the officer, turned and walked off home. The fisherman met him +on the way. + +"You keep up your heart, Mr. Frank. Me and some of the others have been +having a talk with the coast-guards, and they will be all right. Of +course, there is not one of them that does not know Mr. Julian, so they +won't say more than they can help against him; and every one of them is +glad to hear that he gave it to that Faulkner hot. He ain't no more a +favourite with them than he is with other people, and it was not by +their own will that they ran in and pulled your brother off him. If they +hadn't, he would not have been sitting on the bench to-day, nor for many +a week, I reckon; for he would have been pretty badly burned if he had +fallen across that fire. So you may be sure that they will make it easy +for Mr. Julian, and I expect you will have him back home this evening. +They would never have took him at all if they had known who he was; but, +of course, being dark, and he in his fishing togs, they did not see it +was him." + +Frank returned home in much better spirits than he had left. His aunt +was standing at the window, and hurried to the door to let him in. + +"Well, Frank, have you got him out? I hoped you would have brought him +home with you." + +"There was no chance of that, Aunt. Of course, when anyone is taken and +locked up, he cannot be discharged until the case has been gone into. +But I have seen Mr. Moorsby, the coast-guard officer on shore, and +Captain Downes, and they both say that the case will not be pressed +against him, and that, as he was not taking any part in the affair, and +merely looking on, they don't think anything will be done to him. The +coast-guardsmen who will have to give evidence all know him, and will +not say anything against him if they can help it. So I should not be at +all surprised, Aunt, if we have him back here this afternoon." + +"Oh, I do wish," Mrs. Troutbeck said tearfully, "that it could have been +managed so that he would not have been obliged to be placed in the dock +with smugglers and all sorts of people." + +"It would, no doubt, have been better if it could have been avoided, +Aunt, but there is no helping it; and if he is discharged it won't go +for much against him--certainly not here, where nobody regards smuggling +as a crime." + +At half-past one Frank went down to the court-house. It was already +crowded, but Captain Downes, who came up at the same moment, took him +in, and obtained a place for him at the solicitors' table. The seizure +had created quite a sensation in Weymouth, not only because two or three +Weymouth men were among the prisoners, but because, owing to the fight +that had taken place, the matter was very much more serious than a mere +capture of contraband goods. There was a general buzz of conversation +until three magistrates came in and took their places, and there was a +little murmur of satisfaction as Colonel Chambers, the chairman, took +his seat; for, had he not been present, Mr. Faulkner, who was next in +seniority, would have taken the chair. A minute later, twelve prisoners +were brought in. Five Frenchmen and two Englishmen were a portion of the +crew of the smuggler; two were farmers' men, the drivers of the carts; +one was a local fisherman; the eleventh was one of the party that had +gone from Weymouth; Julian Wyatt made up the number. + +Two or three of the party had their heads bandaged up; one had his arm +in a sling; several others had marks of hard knocks, and Julian a pair +of black eyes. When the little murmur that followed the entry of the +prisoners had subsided, and the crier had called out "Silence in court," +the inquiry began. + +Mr. Moorsby was the first witness. He deposed that having received +information that a landing of contraband goods was likely to take place, +he, accompanied by Mr. Faulkner, who represented the civil authorities, +went to the spot. They perceived that a landing of goods was taking +place; but, as it had been arranged that his party should not show +themselves until the revenue cutter came up and seized the lugger, they +remained in hiding until they heard from a man placed down by the shore +that the cutter was coming in. Then they rushed out and seized the +parties engaged in the proceedings. Some of them resisted violently, and +a serious fray took place. Three of his men were wounded with pistol +shots, one of them very seriously. One of the smugglers had been killed, +and three were so seriously injured that they could not at present be +placed in the dock. + +"Are any of the prisoners represented in court?" the chairman asked. + +A solicitor sitting next to Frank rose. "I represent Mr. Julian Wyatt," +he said. Frank looked up at him in surprise. The idea of obtaining legal +assistance for Julian had not occurred to him, and he wondered how his +brother had been able to communicate with a solicitor. "I would suggest, +your honour," the latter went on, "that the evidence should be taken +separately in the different charges, as there is a considerable +difference in the position of prisoners." + +Another solicitor rose. "I appear for John Turnbull and William Sims," +he said, "and I would support the appeal of Mr. Probert. My clients, who +are farming men, took no part whatever in the fray, which is the serious +portion of the affair. While I am ready to admit that they were engaged +in the illegal operation of aiding in the landing of contraband goods, +I shall be able to prove that they are innocent of the more serious +charge of resisting by force their capture by the revenue officers, and +with using deadly weapons against the representatives of the law, and +that their case stands in an altogether different category to that of +the main body of the prisoners." + +"You do not intend, I hope," Mr. Faulkner said, "to express a wish that +we should have what would practically be twelve investigations instead +of one, or that the witnesses should all be obliged to go that number of +times into the box." + +"By no means, your honour; I am only intimating my intention of +cross-examining each witness as to the share my clients took in the +affair, and pointing out beforehand that their case stands on an +entirely different footing to that of the men who took part in the more +serious charge of resisting the officers." + +One after another of the coast-guard men gave their evidence, each +identifying one or more of the prisoners in whose capture they had taken +a personal part. None of the first five had anything to say regarding +Julian. Then James Wingfield entered the box. After stating that he was +the coxswain of the Weymouth coast-guard boat he proceeded: + +"When Mr. Moorsby gave the order I ran forward. I saw a biggish man +standing with his hands in the pockets of his pea-jacket. He seemed to +be looking on, and was not at work; but, thinking that he might be a +leader, me and Harry Wilkens ran at him and seized him. It was not until +afterwards we knew that he was Mr. Julian Wyatt. After we had caught him +I handed him over to Wilkens, and that is all I know about him." + +He then proceeded to testify against several of the other prisoners in +whose capture he had taken part. When he had finished his evidence, +Julian's solicitor rose. + +"You say that the prisoner you first took, Mr. Wyatt, was taking no +active part in the affair?" + +"No, sir, he was just standing there looking on." + +"And did he resist the capture?" + +"Not to say resist, sir. When we first clapped hands on him he gave a +start, for we had come upon him sudden, without noise. He just tried to +shake us off, not knowing, I reckon, who we were; but as soon as I said, +'In the King's name, you are my prisoner,' he was just as quiet as a +lamb." + +The solicitor sat down. Then the chairman asked the witness if any arms +were found on the prisoner. + +"No, sir." + +"Not even a stick?" + +"I won't say as he may not have had a bit of a stick, your honour, +though I did not notice it, his hands being in his pockets; anyhow, he +did not try to use it." + +Wilkens was the next witness, and his evidence, as far as Julian was +concerned, was precisely similar to that of the coxswain. Against the +seven men of the lugger the evidence was conclusive. All had resisted +desperately, and this had enabled several of their party to make their +escape in the darkness. The Weymouth fisherman had been caught coming up +from the beach with a keg on his shoulder, and had thrown it down and +attempted to run away, but had made no resistance when he had been +taken; the two farm men had been captured at their horses' heads, and +had at once surrendered. When the evidence had been gone through, Mr. +Probert addressed the court on behalf of Julian. He urged that there was +no evidence whatever to show that he was concerned either in the +smuggling operations or in the resistance to the revenue officers. + +"I do not pretend," he said, "that he was there by accident; but I +maintain that he was there simply in the capacity of a looker-on. He +stands, in fact, precisely in the same position that any member of the +general public might do, who had been present as a spectator at any sort +of riot. It is unquestionably a very unwise action on the part of any +individual to attend a meeting of any sort at which it is possible that +riotous proceedings may take place, but I maintain that, however +imprudent and foolish, there is nothing criminal in his doing so, and I +am sure that there is no case on record in which a man has been punished +for his presence at a riot in which he did not participate. My client +acted foolishly, but I ask the court to say that his foolishness was not +criminal. He had accidentally learned that there was to be a landing of +contraband goods, and, with the thoughtlessness of youth, he went to see +what he considered the fun. Even if there had been a shadow of +criminality in his being present, I should ask you to say that the +unpleasant experience that he has undergone--his detention for twelve +hours in a police cell, and his appearance here--is ample punishment for +his boyish escapade, which might have been committed by any +high-spirited young fellow of nineteen." + +After the other solicitor had addressed the court on behalf of the two +farmers' men, the magistrates consulted together. The spectators, +watching them attentively, saw that for a time they seemed unanimous, +then it was equally evident that there was a difference of opinion on +some point or other, and they presently rose and left the court. + +"It is Faulkner against the other two," Mr. Probert whispered to Frank. +"Of course they were unanimous about the smugglers, but I expect they +differed as to the others. It is lucky that the Colonel is in the chair. +Harrington is a mild little fellow, and Faulkner would be able to twist +him round his finger if there were only the two of them, but there is no +fear of that with the Colonel there to keep him straight." + +In ten minutes they returned, and by the flushed, angry face of Mr. +Faulkner, Frank judged at once that he had been overruled. The chairman +briefly announced the decision of the court, and committed the seven +smugglers for trial on the whole of the charges. The Weymouth fisherman +was also committed, but only on the charge of being engaged in the +unlawful act of defrauding His Majesty's revenue, and was allowed out on +bail. The two farm labourers were fined fifty pounds apiece, which their +solicitor at once paid. + +"The majority of the bench are in favour of your immediate discharge, +Mr. Wyatt, being of opinion that the evidence has failed altogether to +prove any of the charges against you, and, being of opinion that you +have already paid dearly enough for your reckless folly in attending an +unlawful operation of this kind, they trust that it will be a lesson to +you for life. The other and more serious charge against you will now be +taken." + +Frank, who was in the act of rising from his seat in delight at Julian's +acquittal, sank down again in dismay at the concluding words. He had no +idea of any further charge. + +"What is it?" he whispered to Mr. Probert. + +"Faulkner has charged him with an attempt to murder him. Have you not +heard of it? Don't be frightened. I have seen the witnesses, and have no +doubt that this case will break down like the other." + +After all the prisoners but Julian had been removed from the dock, Mr. +Faulkner left the bench and took his seat in the body of the court. The +charge was then read over by the clerk, and Mr. Faulkner's name was +called; as he stepped into the witness-box, a low hiss ran through the +fishermen who formed a large proportion of the spectators. + +"Silence!" the chairman said angrily. "If I hear any repetition of this +indecent demonstration, I will have the court cleared at once." + +Mr. Faulkner then proceeded to give his evidence. "He had," he said, +"spoken severely to the prisoner in his quality as a magistrate, upon +his taking part in smuggling transactions. At this the prisoner became +violently abusive and uttered such murderous threats that he thought he +would have struck him, and in self-defence he (the witness) gave him a +blow, whereupon the prisoner had sprung upon him like a tiger, had +lifted him in his arms, and had carried him bodily towards the fire, and +would assuredly have thrown him into it had he not been prevented from +doing so by some of the coast-guardsmen." + +Mr. Probert rose quietly. "You are a magistrate, Mr. Faulkner, I +believe?" Mr. Faulkner gave no reply to the question, and after a little +pause the solicitor went on: "Do you consider that, as a magistrate, Mr. +Faulkner, it comes within your province to abuse a prisoner unconvicted +of any crime?" + +"I deny that I abused him," Mr. Faulkner said hotly. + +"There is no occasion for heat, sir," Mr. Probert said quietly. "You are +in the position of a witness at present and not of a magistrate, and +must reply like any other witness. Well, you deny having abused him. Do +you consider that calling a gentleman of good standing in this town, the +son of a distinguished officer, a loafing young scoundrel, not abuse; or +by telling him that six months in one of His Majesty's jails would do +him a world of good?" + +"I deny that I used those words." + +"Well, sir, that is a question of pure credibility. It is possible that +I may be in a position to prove to the satisfaction of the bench that +you did use them, and many others of an equally offensive character. Mr. +Wyatt naturally resented such language, which you had no more right to +address to him than you would have to address to me. If a magistrate +forgets his position, and abuses a prisoner in the language of a +fish-fag, he must expect to be answered in the same way by anyone of +spirit. You say that, thereupon, he became abusive and used murderous +threats? Now we should like to hear a little more about this. First of +all, let us hear the abuse, will you? Tell the court, if you please, +Mr. Faulkner, what were the abusive expressions," he added. + +"He said, sir, that I was a disgrace to the bench." + +There was a general laugh in the court, which was instantly repressed. +Mr. Faulkner's eyes ran furiously over the crowded benches. + +"I must ask you to look at me, Mr. Faulkner," the solicitor said mildly. +"Well, he said that you were a disgrace to the bench. That is scarcely, +perhaps, as much a matter of abuse as one of private opinion. What did +he say next?" + +"He said I was a curse to the whole neighbourhood." + +"Again a mere matter of opinion." + +"And after that that I was a sneaking, meddlesome, interfering old fox." + +There was again a buzz of laughter, mingled with exclamations of "So you +are," "He wasn't far wrong;" upon which Colonel Chalmers directed the +constable to turn all the offending parties out of court. Some fishermen +nearest to the door were hustled out. + +"Well, I am afraid that I must admit," Mr. Probert said, "that to call +you a meddlesome old fox was abusive, although nothing like so abusive +as to call a man a loafing young scoundrel. Now as to the threats." + +"He said that I would be brought home one of these days with a bullet in +my body." + +"That is purely a matter of prophecy, Mr. Faulkner, and not a threat, +unless he intended you to understand that it was he who would fire the +bullet. Do you mean to tell the court that you had any reason to suppose +that this young gentleman, whose reputation is untarnished, and who has +never had a charge brought against him except the ridiculous one that +has just been dismissed, intended to imply by those words that he +himself had any idea of taking your life?" + +"It might bear that construction." + +"It might bear any construction in the mind of a man determined to see +everything in the worst possible light. It is a matter of public +notoriety, Mr. Faulkner, that you have received several threatening +letters, and that the active part you have taken against poachers and +smugglers has caused some feeling against you. Do you not think it +likely that when Mr. Wyatt used the words you have repeated he referred +to this circumstance?" + +"A magistrate who does his duty must necessarily be unpopular with the +criminal classes." + +"Possibly, Mr. Faulkner, though I have known many magistrates who did +their duty and who were by no means unpopular; but you have not answered +my question. Do you not think that in saying what he did Mr. Wyatt +simply alluded to the fact of your well-known unpopularity, and to the +threatening letters that you have received?" + +"Possibly he did," Mr. Faulkner admitted reluctantly, "although that was +not my impression at the time." + +"Well, then, unless there were further threats, as you call them, I +think we have disposed of the alleged abuse and the alleged murderous +threats. Now we come to the other charge. You thought that he was about +to strike you, and in self-defence gave him a blow. What made you think +that he was going to strike you?" + +"He made a step towards me with a threatening gesture." + +"Oh, I dare say that he was angry, but a gentleman who has been called a +loafing young scoundrel is somewhat apt to lose his temper. You might +even do so yourself, Mr. Faulkner, if so addressed. Well, then, he made +a step towards you; thereupon you struck him in the face, and judging +from his appearance you struck him pretty hard, and then you say he +caught you up and carried you along. It says a good deal for his +strength that he was able to do so. Now you say he carried you towards +the fire, and would have thrown you upon it had not some of the +coast-guardsmen interfered in time. Now, how do you know that that was +his intention?" + +"I firmly believe that it was so." + +"It is not a question of belief. You might believe that he was going to +throw you up to the moon. You struggled, I suppose--you would scarcely +submit to be carried like a baby--I imagine that is about the long and +short of it. But even if he had intended to throw you on the fire, which +certainly seems to be merely a matter of your imagination, you can +hardly pretend that had he carried out this intention that it would have +been murder. Surely with a score of your friends standing by, you would +have been hauled out immediately, none the worse except for a few singes +and a burn or two. This was not a burning fiery furnace, Mr. Faulkner, +but merely a bit of a bonfire from a few sticks that had been set on +fire in order to throw a little light on the proceedings." + +"I might have been very seriously burnt." + +"Well, even supposing that you had been, that is not a question of +murder. I presume that you framed this indictment you have charged the +prisoner, not with an intention of committing grievous damage upon you, +but with murder, and if you now admit that, under the circumstances, +death could hardly have resulted by any possibility from this imaginary +intention of throwing you on the fire being carried out, it is clear +that the charge of murder must drop through. I have no further questions +to ask you, though I may have some remarks to make after having heard +your witnesses." + + + + +CHAPTER III + +IN A FRESH SCRAPE + + +The first witness called by Mr. Faulkner was Captain Downes. + +"Will you tell us what you know about this affair?" the chairman said. + +"After having captured the smuggler, I took six men and went up to see +if I could be of any assistance to Mr. Moorsby, and also to hear whether +he had been as successful with his capture as I had. I found that +everything was over, and that a fire had been lighted. I was talking to +Mr. Moorsby when my attention was excited by loud words between Mr. +Faulkner and Mr. Wyatt, with whom I am acquainted. Mr. Faulkner struck +him in the face, and there was a scuffle, the prisoner lifting the +magistrate, although a much heavier man, completely off his feet. In the +course of the scuffle they approached the fire, and being afraid that +they might fall into it, I ran up with Mr. Moorsby and some of the men, +and pulled them away." + +"Did it seem to you, Captain Downes, that the prisoner was carrying Mr. +Faulkner straight to the fire?" + +"He was certainly going straight in that direction, but whether +intentionally or not I am unable to say." + +"Do you think that if you and your men had not interfered they would +have fallen into the fire?" + +"I think they would certainly have done so." + +"Do you think that the prisoner intended to throw Mr. Faulkner into the +fire?" + +"That I cannot say." + +"Have you any questions to ask the witness, Mr. Faulkner?" the chairman +asked. + +"You do not think it likely, I suppose, that the prisoner could have +intended himself to tumble into the fire?" + +"I should think it very unlikely." + +Mr. Faulkner sat down, and Mr. Probert rose. + +"You think it very unlikely, Captain Downes, that Mr. Wyatt would +deliberately have walked into the fire, and I quite share your opinion; +but it has not yet been proved that he was deliberately going towards +the fire at all. You say he lifted Mr. Faulkner in his arms. Now it +seems to me that, having done so, he would not be able to see at all +which way he was going, as Mr. Wyatt's eyes would both be on a level +with Mr. Faulkner's chest; moreover, it must be evident that, judging +from his present appearance, he could scarcely have seen anything at +all, after receiving such a blow. Does it not strike you as being still +more likely that, partially blinded as he was, and being unwilling to +strike the magistrate in return, however much the latter had forfeited +all claim to respect, he closed with him, and in the heat of passion +lifted him up and carried him along at random?" + +"I think that very likely," the lieutenant replied. + +"Had you yourself been struck as the prisoner was struck, Captain +Downes, what course do you think it would have been proper for you to +pursue?" + +"I don't know what would have been proper, but I know what I should have +done. Magistrate or no magistrate, I should have knocked my assailant +down, or at any rate I should have tried to." + +"As a naval man, Captain Downes, you have had some experience of the +conduct gentlemen generally observe to their prisoners. I presume that +it is not their custom to strike them, even if they did make a somewhat +free use of their tongues?" + +"Certainly not," Captain Downes said emphatically. + +"Would you go so far as to say that you would consider it to be a +disgraceful and cowardly act?" + +"I should so consider it." + +There was again a murmur of applause in court, which was instantly +arrested when Mr. Probert held up his hand deprecatingly. "Thank you, +Captain Downes," he went on. "Now we come to the question of the quarrel +that gave rise to this affair. Mr. Faulkner has not thought fit to ask +you any questions about it. Were you standing close enough to hear what +passed?" + +"I was standing close by, and both Mr. Faulkner and the prisoner spoke +loudly enough to be heard at such a distance." + +"The magistrate first began the conversation?" + +"He did." + +"He used very strong language, did he not?" + +"Very strong." + +"Did you think that he was justified in using such strong language?" + +"Certainly not; I thought that it was most improper." + +"And do you think that a gentleman accosted so improperly is to be +greatly blamed if he uses strong language in return?" + +"It would no doubt have been better if he had held his tongue at the +time, and have called him to account afterwards." + +"Still the provocation was very strong, Captain Downes, and you could +not altogether blame him." + +"I did not blame him at all," the witness said curtly. + +"And what did you think when Mr. Faulkner suddenly struck his prisoner +in the face?" + +"Am I to answer that question?" the witness asked the bench. + +"I do not think that it is an improper question," the chairman replied. + +"Very well, sir. Then, if I must say it, I thought it was one of the +most blackguardly and cowardly things I ever saw done." + +"Thank you, Captain Downes. I do not think it necessary to ask you any +further questions." + +"Have you any more witnesses to call, Mr. Faulkner?" the chairman asked +coldly. + +Mr. Faulkner's face was white with rage. "I have a dozen other +witnesses," he said hoarsely, "but I have no doubt they will all follow +the lead their officer has set them. I shall therefore call no more." + +"I do not think, your worships," Mr. Probert said, rising, "that it is +necessary for me to address you. I would only submit to you that there +is not a shadow of evidence to support the charge of an attempt to +murder. As to the abusive language, I cannot say that my client's words +were a retort courteous, but they were only a retort natural, and were +simply the consequence of the extraordinary conduct of Mr. Faulkner, +acting at the time in his capacity of magistrate. As to the charge of +threatening language, it is altogether absurd. My client simply asserted +what is true by common report--that Mr. Faulkner had been threatened, +and that it was possible that those threats might some day or other be +carried into effect. I have only, therefore, to leave the case in the +hands of your worships." + +The two magistrates put their heads together for a short time. Then the +chairman said: "The bench is of opinion that the charge of attempted +murder is altogether without foundation, and that of abusive language +and the use of threats should never have been brought, seeing that they +were the result of what we cannot but consider the very ill-judged and +improper conduct of the plaintiff. You are therefore discharged, Mr. +Wyatt; but my colleague and myself cannot but again express a hope that +this and the preceding charge may prove a lesson to you to avoid taking +part, even as a spectator, in such breeches of the law as those which +led to this very regrettable occurrence." + +As the magistrate concluded, a roar of applause rose in the court. In +vain the constables shouted for silence. The chairman at once ordered +the room to be cleared, and at the same time motioned to Julian not to +leave the court, as he was preparing to do. When the court was cleared, +he called Julian up to him. + +"I think, Mr. Wyatt," he said, "it would be as well for you to remain +here for a time, and then go out by the back way. It would be very +unfortunate if any demonstration took place. Enough harm has been done +already; do not let us make it any worse." + +"Certainly not, sir. I am heartily sorry for what has occurred," and +beckoning to Frank, who was still seated at the solicitors' table, he +retired with him to a waiting-room. + +"Thank goodness, Julian, you have got out of that scrape." + +"Thank goodness, indeed, Frank. I behaved like an awful fool, but I +never dreamt that anything like this would come of it. I have been to +see cargoes run several times. It was very good fun. I never helped in +any way, and had always made up my mind that I would make myself scarce +if the revenue people should turn up, but it all happened so suddenly +that I was a prisoner before I knew what was going on. As to the other +affair, no doubt it would have been better for me to have said nothing, +but of course I knew that he had no right to say what he did, and I had +not the least idea that he would hit me; when he did, I went at him in a +fury, and I don't mind acknowledging that I did intend to chuck him in +the fire--not with any idea of killing him, you know, though I did think +he would be burnt a bit." + +"It was lucky you sent for Probert, Julian; I had never thought of it." + +"No more did I, Frank. I was perfectly astonished when he got up and +said that he appeared for me, but I supposed that Aunt or you had sent +for him." + +"I am sure Aunt didn't, or she would have told me." + +"I should not be surprised, Frank, if it were Captain Downes. In the +first place, he was a friend of Father's, and in the next place, because +he is heartily sick of Faulkner's constant interference and the way he +goes on. I expect that if Mr. Moorsby had got up he would have said just +the same things." + +"I will leave you here for a few minutes, Julian. I must run round and +tell Aunt; she is in a fearful stew about you." + +Frank ran out at the main entrance. A number of fishermen were hanging +about outside. Bill came up to him: + +"Isn't Mr. Julian coming out, Master Frank?" + +"Not at present. The magistrates don't want any fuss in the streets, no +more does my brother, and he will stay there till every one has cleared +off, so the best thing you can do, Bill, is to persuade the others to go +off home. Julian knows well enough that you are all pleased that he has +got off, but you see if there were a fuss got up about it in the streets +it would do him harm and not good." + +"All right, sir, I will get them off. They just wanted to give him a +cheer." + +"Well, they did that in Court, Bill, and you know that he appreciates +their good intentions. Well, I must be off." + +Mrs. Troutbeck was still on the watch. However, she did not come to the +door. Frank opened it, and ran into the parlour. His Aunt had dropped +into a chair, with her handkerchief to her eyes. + +"So he has not come back with you, Frank. It is dreadful. What are they +going to do with him?" + +"They are not going to do anything, Aunt. He has been acquitted. Only +he did not come home with me because there are a lot of sailors waiting +outside to cheer him, and the magistrates did not want a row over him, +nor did Julian either. I have just run home to tell you that it is all +right, and now I am going back for him. I expect by the time I get there +they will all have gone, and we may be home in a quarter of an hour, so +I think, Aunt, the best thing you can do is to get tea ready, for I +don't expect he has had much to eat there, or any appetite to eat it." + +It was good advice, for Mrs. Troutbeck was on the point of going into +hysterics from joy and relief. However, the thought of the necessity for +getting a good meal to welcome Julian on his arrival turned her thoughts +into another channel, and, wiping her eyes hastily, she rose and gave +directions, while Frank started again for the court-house. The fishermen +had left, but there were still a number of boys about the place. The +private entrance was, however, free from observers, and the brothers +started at once, keeping to the back streets until they neared the +house. + +"My dear Julian," Mrs. Troutbeck exclaimed as she threw her arms round +his neck, "what a relief it is to have you back again. It has been +terrible for you." + +"It hasn't been very pleasant, Aunt," he replied cheerfully, "but it is +all right now, and certainly I ought not to grumble. I have had better +luck than I deserved. I was a fool to go there, but I did not think that +there was any real chance of the revenue people coming down upon us. It +was thought they had been thrown off the scent altogether." + +"What a dreadful face you have got, Julian!" + +"Oh, that is nothing, Aunt; it will go off in a few days, and until it +has I must either stay indoors or keep out of the town altogether." + +"I am afraid tea won't be ready for a few minutes, Julian. You see I +have had such a very short notice." + +"I can hold on comfortably, Aunt; besides, I have got to have a change +and a wash. That is of more importance than tea just at present." + +After the meal was over, Frank gave the details of the examination, the +narrative being very frequently stopped by exclamations and questions on +the part of Mrs. Troutbeck. + +"I have never heard of such a wicked thing. The idea of that man +charging you with attempting to murder him! Julian, he ought to be +punished for it." + +"I fancy he has been punished, Aunt. I don't see how he is to keep his +commission as a justice after what was said in court. Still, it is a bad +thing for me. I was discharged, but it will always be against me. If I +ever get into any sort of trouble again, people will say: 'Ah, yes; he +was charged with attempting murder when he was a young fellow, and +although he was lucky enough to get off then, there must have been +something in it. He is evidently a man of ungovernable temper.'" + +"But, my dear Julian, everyone knows that you have a very sweet temper." + +"I was not in a sweet temper then at any rate, Aunt." + +"Of course not, Julian. I should not have been so myself if anyone had +hit me such a terrible blow as that in the face." + +Her nephews both laughed, for they had never seen her ruffled out of her +usual serenity. + +"Well, Aunt, don't let us talk any more about it," Julian said. "I would +give a good deal if it hadn't happened. As it is, one must make the best +of it, and I hope that it will be forgotten in time. I wish now that I +had gone into the army, but it is too late for that. I shall think over +what I had best take to. I should certainly like to get away from here +until it has blown over altogether." + +On the following morning Frank met Captain Downes, and learned that he +was right in his conjecture, and that it was he who had retained Mr. +Probert's services in Julian's behalf before the magistrates. + +For the next few days Julian kept in the house, except that after +nightfall he went out for a long walk. The report of the proceedings in +the court had caused a great sensation in Weymouth, and the feeling was +so strong against Mr. Faulkner that he was hooted in the streets when he +rode into the town. The general expectation was that he would resign his +position on the bench; and when at the end of a week he did not do so, a +private meeting of the other magistrates was held, and it was whispered +in the town that a report of the proceedings at the court had been sent +to the Home Secretary, with an expression of opinion that Mr. Faulkner's +brother magistrates felt that they could not sit again with him on the +bench after what had taken place. + +Ten days after the affair Julian started early one morning for a day's +rabbit-shooting at the house of a friend who lived some six miles up the +valley. Some snow fell in the course of the afternoon and put a stop to +shooting, and he started to walk home. When he was within a few hundred +yards of Mr. Faulkner's place he heard a horse coming along behind him. +The snow that had fallen had deadened the sound of the hoofs on the +road, and, looking round, he saw Mr. Faulkner riding fast, at a distance +of but fifty yards away. Had he caught sight of him sooner Julian would +have left the road and entered the wood to avoid him, but it was too +late now, and he hoped that at any rate the man would pass on without +speaking. The horseman had apparently not recognized Julian until he +came abreast of him, when, with a sudden exclamation, he reined in his +horse. + +[Illustration: "MARK MY WORDS, YOU YOUNG SCOUNDREL, I WILL BE EVEN WITH +YOU YET."] + +"So it is you, Julian Wyatt?" he said, in a tone of suppressed fury. + +"It is I, Mr. Faulkner," Julian replied quietly; "and as I don't want +to have anything to say to you, I think that you had better go on your +way without interfering with me." + +"Mark my words, you young scoundrel, I will be even with you yet." + +"The debt is not all on your side, Mr. Faulkner. I, too, have got a debt +to pay; and perhaps some day we may square matters up, when you have not +got a score of coast-guardsmen at your back. However, I am content to +leave matters as they are so long as you do the same. As to your owing a +debt to me, it is yourself you have to thank for the trouble you have +got into; it was no doing of mine. However, I warn you that you had +better abstain from insulting me again. I did not strike you back when +you hit me last time, but if you call me scoundrel again you shall see +that I can hit as hard as you can, and I will teach you to keep a civil +tongue in your head." + +"You mark my words," Mr. Faulkner repeated. "I will have you watched, +and I will hunt you down, and if I am not mistaken I will put a rope +round your neck one of these days." So saying, he struck spurs into his +horse and galloped on. + +Julian stood looking after him until he saw him turn in at his gate. The +drive to the house led, as he knew, diagonally through the wood, and as +he walked forward he heard the horse's galloping hoofs grow louder and +louder. Suddenly there was the report of a gun some seventy or eighty +yards away. It was mingled with that of a sudden cry, and Julian heard +the horse galloping on even faster than before. With an exclamation of +"Good heavens! something has happened!" he broke through the hedge and +ran in the direction of the sound. As he approached it he thought that +he caught sight of a man running through the trees, but he kept straight +on until he came upon the drive. Twenty yards away Mr. Faulkner lay +stretched on the ground. He went up to him, and stooped over him. His +eyes were closed, and as he lay on his back Julian saw blood oozing +through a bullet-hole in his coat high up on the left side of the chest. + +Feeling sure that Mr. Faulkner was dead he started up, and without a +moment's hesitation ran into the wood again, in the direction where he +had thought that he had seen a figure. A minute later he came upon some +footprints on a bare spot between the trees, where the snow had fallen +lightly. Noting the direction they took, he followed at once. He saw no +more signs of footprints, but followed the direction as nearly as he +could until he came to the farthest side of the wood; then he leaped out +into the field beyond, and followed the edge of the wood until he again +reached the road. He then turned and went back again, and fifty yards +from the point where he had first run out he came upon the footprints +again. + +"He was going to take to the hills, he muttered," as he set off along +the track. He ran at a trot, and as he went, loaded both barrels of his +gun. "Very likely the villain will show fight," he said to himself; "I +must take him by surprise if I can." + +After a quarter of a mile's run he reached the foot of the hill, and +near its crest, three-quarters of a mile away, caught sight of the +figure of a man. A moment later he had passed over the crest. Julian +started at full speed up the hill. There was no need to follow the +footprints now; indeed the strong wind that was blowing had swept the +snow into the hollows, and the face of the hill was bare. When he +reached the top of the hill he had decreased his distance considerably. +He saw to his surprise that the man was bearing to the right, a course +that would ere long bring him to the edge of the cliff. The run up the +hill had left him breathless, and for some time the man, who was also +running, fully maintained his lead. Then Julian began to gain upon him. +The man had again changed his course, and was now going parallel with +the line of cliffs. Three miles from the point where he had reached the +top Julian was within a quarter of a mile of him. He would have caught +him before this, had he not been obliged at times to make detours so as +to avoid passing high ground, where the man, if he looked back, would +have perceived him. By this time he was almost sure that the fugitive +was a poacher, who had been recently released from a term of two years +in prison for poaching in Mr. Faulkner's preserves. At last he saw him +turn sharp to the right again. "Where on earth is he going?" Julian said +to himself. "The cliffs are not many hundred yards away." + +Hitherto he had supposed that the man was keeping away from the cliff to +avoid meeting any of the coast-guards who would be on duty there, but +this change of direction puzzled him completely. Keeping his eye on the +poacher, he saw him enter a small clump of bushes, from which he did not +emerge. Julian at once slackened his pace down to a walk. It was likely +enough that the man had noticed that he was being pursued, and had +determined to rid himself of the pursuer. It was not a pleasant idea, +that the fellow might now be kneeling among the bushes with his gun at +his shoulder. + +"It could hardly be that either," he said to himself, "for if he +intended to shoot me he would have turned the other way; for the sound +of his gun would be probably heard by some of the coast-guard, and they +could not fail to see him running away. At any rate," he muttered, "I am +not going to turn back after such a chase as I have had." + +Standing still and looking at the spot, he saw that the clump of bushes +grew in a slight hollow, and that by turning to the right he would be +able to approach within twenty or thirty yards of it without exposing +himself to view. This he did, and in a short time lost sight of the +bushes. Moving with great caution, he made his way towards them, and +when he approached the slope into the hollow, lay down and crawled +along, keeping his gun in front of him. As he neared the spot he lay +down on his stomach in the short turf and wound himself along until he +could see down into the bushes. With his gun at his shoulder, and his +finger on the trigger, he gazed down into the hollow. To his surprise he +could see no signs of the fugitive. The leafless boughs afforded but +slight shelter, and after gazing fixedly at them for two or three +minutes, he became convinced that the man was no longer there. As soon +as he came to this conclusion he stood up and looked over the +surrounding country. It was bleak and bare, and entirely destitute of +hedges or any other shelter. + +It was but for five or six minutes at the utmost that he had lost sight +of the bushes, and in that time the man could not have got far. "Where +on earth has he hidden himself?" Julian muttered. + +He went down to the clump of bushes, still holding his gun in readiness +for instant use. The patch was but some thirty feet long by half as +wide. He walked backwards and forwards among the low bushes, but the +fugitive was certainly not there. Going to the end of the patch he could +see plainly enough the track where the man had entered, for although +there was little snow on the top of the ground it lay among the tufts of +grass. He walked round the clump, but there were no signs of any +footsteps leaving it. "This is the rummest thing I ever saw," he +muttered; "the fellow can't have flown away; yet, he certainly has not +walked off." + +Thinking it over, an idea suddenly occurred to him. When sailing along +the coast with Bill, the latter had one day pointed out to him a hole in +the cliff some twenty feet above high-water mark. "Do you see that hole, +Mr. Julian?" + +"Yes, I see it plain enough. What of it?" + +"Well, sir, if I owned all the goods that have been taken into that hole +on dark still nights I should be a rich man." + +"Do you mean to say that they run cargoes there, Bill?" + +"Not kegs--they are too heavy and too awkward to get away--but laces, +and silks, and such like. Many a lugger when she comes from abroad lands +all them sorts of things here, and then sails away and takes her chance +of running the rest of the cargo somewhere else." + +"But how can anyone get up there? I see nothing like a path." + +"There ain't no path, sir. The revenue men would have found it out long +ago if there had been. The boat comes along, as I said, of a dark night, +when there is no swell on, and the chaps inside show a tiny light to +guide them to the spot. When the boat comes, they lower a rope down and +haul the bales up; and then the boat goes back to the lugger, and she +ups sail, and no one is the wiser." + +"But what do they do with the stuff? I don't mean, where do they stow +it, but how do they get it away?" + +"There is a passage somewhere," Bill replied. "I don't know where it +goes out. I reckon there ain't half a dozen men in Weymouth who do know. +I should say, except the men whose business it is to take the goods +inland and forward them to London, there is only one chap who is in the +secret; and he is not in Weymouth now--he is in jail. That is Joe +Markham. He is in for poaching. But for a good many years he sailed in +one of those French luggers. Then, as I have heard, he was keeper of the +cave for a bit; but he had to give it up--he was too well known to the +coast-guard, and they kept too sharp an eye on him for him to venture to +go out. He had had enough of the sea, and no doubt he had got some money +laid by; anyhow, he took a cottage by the river, and took to poaching, +more for devilment, I should say, than because he wanted the money. I +expect he was well paid by the smugglers, for he used to get up half the +stories to put them off the scent, and never missed being present when a +run was made." + +This conversation came back to Julian's memory, as he stood by the clump +of bushes wondering what had become of the man that he had pursued, and +it flashed upon him that the spot where he was standing could not be far +from the smugglers' cavern, and that the entrance to this might very +well be among these bushes. The man knew where that entrance was, and +nothing was more likely than that he should make for it as a place of +concealment until an opportunity occurred to get on board a lugger and +cross the channel. It was a very likely place; men could come and go at +night without risk of being seen or heard by any of the coast-guardsmen +on the cliff, and would not be likely to encounter anyone within two or +three miles of it. Years might pass without anyone happening to enter +the bushes. + +Laying down his gun, Julian began to search in earnest. It was half an +hour before, feeling about in the coarse grass, he came upon a handle. +He pulled at it, gently at first, then as it did not yield, he exerted +his strength, and it gave way, and a section of the rough herbage rose, +while three feet away it sank in the same proportion. Raising it higher, +he saw that the trap-door--for such it was--was two feet wide by about +five feet long and eighteen inches deep; it was, in fact, a deep tray +pivoted on the centre and filled with earth, on which grass grew as +freely as in the ground adjoining. + +The greater portion of the trap was overhung by bushes, which grew so +thickly around the part which sank that the probability was small indeed +that anyone would tread upon it. Julian saw, too, that under the handle +was a bolt that, when fastened, would hold the trap firmly down. No +doubt the man in his haste had forgotten to fasten it before he +descended. Looking down, Julian saw a circular hole like a well, +evidently artificially made in the chalk; a ladder was fastened against +one side. + +[Illustration: JULIAN FINDS HIMSELF A PRISONER AMONG THE SMUGGLERS.] + +Julian hesitated. Should he return to Weymouth, inform the authorities +that he had traced the murderer of Mr. Faulkner to a place of +concealment, and bring them there to arrest him, or should he go down +and encounter him single-handed? Although of a fearless disposition, he +would have decided on the more prudent course had it not been that to +have done so, would have let the authorities into the knowledge of the +smugglers' cave. Although he had determined to have nothing more to do +with them, this he felt would be an act of treachery, for it was only +because he had been believed by Bill to be absolutely trustworthy, that +the latter had told him of the existence of this cavern and of the +secret exit, and without that information he would never have searched +for and discovered the trap-door. Then, too, the thought that the credit +he would gain by the capture of the murderer single-handed would go far +to efface the memory of the disgrace that had befallen him, helped to +decide him. + +He fetched his gun and slung it over his shoulder, got upon the ladder, +and pulled the trap-door down behind him. As he did so he found that it +moved easily, and that he could push it up again without any difficulty, +and feeling the bolt, discovered that it had been partially shot, but +not sufficiently to catch fairly, although containing so far a hold of +the frame, that it had torn a groove in the somewhat rotten wood with +the force that he had used to raise it. He went down the ladder very +cautiously, until, after descending for some thirty steps, his foot +encountered solid ground. After a moment's consideration he knelt down +and proceeded on his hands and knees. Almost immediately he felt the +ground slope away in front of him. He got on to his feet again. Holding +out his arms he found that the passage was about four feet wide, and he +began to descend with extreme care, feeling his way along both walls. He +had gone, he thought, about fifty yards when the passage made a sharp +turn, still descending, and at a considerable distance ahead the light +streamed in through a rugged hole. He walked more confidently now, and +soon the light was sufficient to enable him to see the path he was +following. + +On arriving at the aperture, he saw that, as he expected, he was looking +over the sea. On one side of the hole there was a shelf cut in the +chalk. This was stained as if by oil, and he guessed at once that it was +a look-out and a spot for signalling a craft in the offing. The path +here turned again and ran parallel with the face of the cliff. There was +no occasion to exercise care in walking now, as here and there the light +streamed in through openings a few inches long. He now unslung his gun, +stooped and took off his boots, and then proceeded noiselessly. The +descent was considerable, and in some places steps had been cut. At last +he arrived at a door. It was roughly but very solidly made, and would +doubtless sustain an attack for some time before it yielded, and so +would give time to the occupants, in case the trap-door was discovered, +to make their escape by the lower entrance on to the beach. There was a +latch to it. Lifting this quietly, he found the door yielded, and, +holding his gun in his right hand ready to cover the fugitive the moment +he entered, Julian threw the door wide open and sprang forward. + +He had not calculated on a further descent, but the floor of the cave +was five feet below him, and he fell heavily upon it, the gun going off +as it struck the floor. Instantaneous as the fall had been, his eyes had +taken in the scene. Several lanterns faintly lit up the cave; while in +the centre a table, at which several figures were sitting, was +illuminated by three or four candles. He was partly stunned by the +heaviness of his fall, but vaguely heard shouts of surprise and alarm, +and was, a minute later, roughly seized and dragged along. Then he felt +that he was being tightly bound. For some minutes he was left to +himself, but he could see three men with guns in their hands standing +near the door by which he had entered, listening attentively. Presently +he heard steps coming down the passage and two other men came through +the door, shut and bolted it carefully, and then came down the steps +into the cabin. + +They spoke to their comrades as they came in, and the news was evidently +satisfactory, for the men leaned their guns against the wall and came to +the table. There was some talk for a few minutes, and then Julian was +raised and placed in a sitting position on the head of a cask by the +table. One of the men then addressed him in French. Julian, who by this +time had recovered from the effects of his fall, shook his head. The +other then spoke to the poacher, who had seated himself opposite Julian, +and the latter then said: + +"You are the young fellow who was tried in court three weeks ago, are +you not?" + +"Yes, I am." + +"I thought so; I was there. It was the very day I got to Weymouth. Well, +what the deuce are you doing here? You are the chap who has followed me +all the way up the hill?" + +Julian nodded. + +"What did you follow me for?" + +"Because I was in the road when you shot Faulkner. I heard the gun, and +ran in and found him dead. I caught sight of you in the wood, and went +in chase of you." + +"What did you intend to do, you young fool?" + +"I intended to capture you," Julian said fearlessly. + +"What for? I have done you a good service as well as myself. You had no +reason to bear him any good-will, and some of the men who were there +told me that though Downes got you off, it was true that you were going +to throw Faulkner into the fire." + +"So I was; but he had just struck me and I was in a furious passion; but +that was a different thing altogether to shooting a man in cold blood." + +"He got me two years' imprisonment," the man said, "which to my mind was +a good reason for shooting him when I got the chance; and another thing +was he would never leave us alone, but was always on our heels. There +are two or three men in prison now that he got sent there, and eight +more are waiting their trial. He made war on us, and I have turned the +tables on him. + +"I heard that you had been at several of the runs, and of course you are +in with some of our fellows. How did you get to know about the entrance +to this place?" + +"I only knew that there was a cave here, that it was used by the +smugglers, and that it had an entrance somewhere. The man who told me +knew well that I was to be trusted, but it was only because you +disappeared among those bushes, and that there were no footprints to +show that you had left them, that it appeared to me that the passage +might be there, and so I looked about until I found the handle to the +trap-door." + +"Why didn't you go and call the coast-guard? There was a station not a +quarter of a mile away." + +"Because I could not have done that without betraying the secret of the +cavern. I found the entrance myself, but I should never have done so, if +I had not been told about the cave and the secret passage, and I felt +that it would be an act of treachery to betray it." + +"And you were really fool enough to think that if you captured me +single-handed I should walk with you like a lamb to the gallows?" + +"I didn't intend to give you a chance of making a fight. I intended to +rush straight in and covered you with my gun." + +"Well, you have plenty of pluck, young fellow, if you haven't much +wisdom; but if you think that after getting in here, I shall let you go +out again to bring the constables down on me you are mistaken +altogether." + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE SMUGGLER'S CAVE + + +Joe Markham had, as soon as he arrived, told the French smugglers that +he had shot the magistrate who had for the last five or six years given +them so much trouble and caused them so much loss, and who had, as the +last affair showed, become more dangerous than ever, as he could only +have obtained information as to the exact point of landing by having +bribed someone connected with them. + +"It was a case of his life or our business," he said. "If he had not +been got out of the way we must have given up the trade altogether on +this part of the coast; besides, he has been the cause, not only of +several seizures of cargoes, but of the death of eight or ten of our +comrades and of the imprisonment of many others. Now that he is out of +the way we shall find things a great deal easier." + +"It served him right," the leader of the party said, "and you have +rendered good service; but what are you going to do? Do you think that +any suspicion will fall upon you?" + +"Yes; I have put myself in an awkward position, I am afraid. I thought +that the job had been so well managed that it could never be traced to +me, but when I got up to the top of the hill I saw a fellow just +starting from the bottom. I did not think much of it at the time, but he +came up so quickly after me that he must have run all the way up. He has +chased me hard, and as he got nearer I could see that he had a gun too. +He was not more than a quarter of a mile away when I got to the +trap-door." + +"Why didn't you hide yourself in the bushes and put a bullet into him, +Markham?" + +"For several reasons. In the first place, the gun might have been heard +by some of those cussed revenue men. Then there would be an inquiry and +a search. They would have seen by the direction he had been going, that +he must have been shot from the bushes, and as no one would have been in +sight when they ran up, the thing would have been such a puzzle to them +that you may be sure they would have suspected there must be some hidden +way out of the clump. Besides, they would probably have hunted every +inch of the ground to see if they could find anything that would give +them a clue as to who had fired the shot. That is one reason." + +"And quite good enough without any others," the Frenchman said. + +"Well, there was another one that went for almost as much with me. I +shot down Faulkner because he was a curse to us all. He had imprisoned +several of my pals, and done a lot of damage to the trade, and was +likely to break it up altogether, besides which I had a big grudge +against him on my own account. But I should not have liked to shoot down +this fellow in cold blood. I had no feeling against him; he has done me +no harm; I did not even know who he was. If he had overtaken me in the +open, you may be sure that I should have made a fight of it, for it +would have been my life against his. I don't pretend to be soft; there +is little enough of that about me, and I have fought hard several times +in the old days when we were surprised; but I could not have shot down +that fellow without giving him a chance of his life. If there had not +been the trap-door to escape by I should have stood up, given him fair +warning, and fought it out man to man. As it was--" at this point the +conversation had been arrested by the sudden entrance of Julian. + +"Who is he?" the chief of the smugglers asked Joe when he had finished +his conversation with the prisoner. "Is he a spy?" + +"No; he is a young chap as lives down in the town. He is a pal of some +of our friends there, and has been with them at the landings of goods. +He was caught in that last affair, but got off because they could not +prove that he was actually engaged in the business. He is an enemy of +Faulkner's too; they had a row there, and Faulkner hit him in the face. +You can see the mark still; and he would have thrown Faulkner on to the +bonfire they had lit if he had not been prevented by some of the +coast-guards. It is through what he had heard from our friends of this +cavern, and there being an entrance to it somewhere, that he came to +look for the trap-door. I certainly pushed the bolt forward when I came +down, but I was in a hurry, so I suppose it could not have caught +rightly." + +"Well, what is to be done, Joe?" + +"I don't know. You see he knows about my shooting Faulkner. I would +trust him not to peach about this cavern or the trap-door, but I don't +know as I would about the other thing. It seems to me that he is just as +likely to be suspected of having a hand in it as I am. His row with +Faulkner is the talk of the place, and when Faulkner is found with a +bullet in him, he will be the first fellow to be suspected. Well, if +that was so, and you see he would not be able to account for himself for +three or four hours afterwards, he might be driven to peach on me to +save his own life, and he would be obliged to give all the story about +following me and coming down here. There would be an end of the best +hiding-place in the country, and I should not be able to show my face on +this side of the Channel again." + +"I should say the safest plan would be to cut his throat and chuck him +into the sea, and have done with it." + +"No, I won't have that," the poacher said positively. "Your lugger will +be in to-night, and we will take him across with us to France." + +"That is all very well," one of the men said; "but what is to prevent +his coming back again?" + +"We could prevent it somehow or other. We could get up a tale that he +was an English sailor we had picked up at sea, and hand him over to the +authorities, and tell them his story was, that he had fallen overboard +from an English ship of war. Then they would send him away to some place +in the interior where they keep English prisoners of war, and there he +might lie for years; perhaps never get back again. He does not know a +word of French, as you saw when you spoke to him, so he can't contradict +any story we may tell, and if by chance any questions should be asked, I +can just say what suits us." + +"He might ruin us all if he came back," the smuggler growled. + +"It ain't likely that he will come back," the poacher said. "I have +heard that they die off like flies in those prisons of yours; and, +besides, I will guarantee if he does, he will never split about this +place. He is a gentleman, and I will get him to swear to me, and you may +be sure he will not break his oath." + +"But how about yourself?" + +"Well, as he won't come back for some years, I will take my chance of +that. He has got no evidence against me; it would be his word against +mine. He would tell his story and I should tell mine, and mine would be +the most likely. I should say I met him on the hills with his gun, and, +knowing who I was, and what cause I had got to hate Faulkner, he told me +that he had shot him, and asked me to get him on board a smuggler craft +and across the Channel, and that I had done so: and that is all I should +know about it. No, I am not afraid of anything he might say when he +comes back again." + +Julian had watched the speakers anxiously during this conversation. He +was wholly ignorant of French, but from the tone and manner of the +speakers, he gathered that the poacher was speaking in his favour. He +had expected no mercy; his life was nothing to these French smugglers; +and he was surprised to find the man, whose life he thought he held in +his hand if released, apparently pleading his cause. + +"Look here, young fellow!" the poacher said, turning towards him. "In +the first place, these men are afraid that you may betray the existence +of this place, and their opinion is that the best thing to make us safe +would be to cut your throat and throw you out of the mouth of the cave +into the sea. I told them that you knew of the cave from one of our +friends, and could be trusted to keep the secret; at any rate they +demand, in the first place, that you shall take an oath never to split +about it." + +"I will do that willingly enough," Julian said, with a great feeling of +relief. + +Joe Markham then dictated a terrible oath, which had been always taken +by all those made acquainted with the existence of the cave, and this +Julian repeated after him. The poacher then told the smugglers what +Julian had sworn to. + +"Now, young fellow, I may tell you that we are going to take you over to +France to-night. You may think I shall be asking you to take another +oath, like that, not to say anything against me, but I ain't going to. I +shot the man, and I don't pretend to be sorry for it. He was a hard, bad +chap, and he got what he deserved. I owed him a long score, not only for +myself, but for others, and if I had not shot him, someone else would +have done so sooner or later. I shall do what I can to prevent you +coming back here, though I don't think you will say anything against me +when you do come back. In the first place, like enough I shall take to +the sea again, and may be settled in France before you return. In the +next place, I may be dead; and, most of all, you have got no evidence +against me. If I were here, and you told the story, of course I should +say that it was a lie, and that you had shot the man yourself, and I +had got you out of the way by sending you across to France in a lugger, +so I think you will see that it is best to keep a quiet tongue in your +head; anyhow I am ready to take my chance of it." + +"They will be horribly alarmed when I don't get home to-night," Julian +said. + +"Well, they must be alarmed," the poacher said carelessly. "You have +interfered in this business, which was none of yours, and you have got +to take the consequences; you may think yourself a lucky fellow that you +are not by this time drifting about on the tideway." + +"I feel that," Julian said; "and though I did not understand a word of +what you said, I am sure that it was owing to you that I am not there. I +could not have promised that I would never say a word to anyone about +you, because one can never tell how one may be placed; but, after what +you have done, I think that I can safely promise that I will never go +out of my way to denounce you." + +"I don't want any promise about it," the poacher replied. "I have made +up my mind to leave Weymouth, for, after having been in jail two years, +I shall always have the constables as well as the revenue men keeping +their eye on me, so I had intended all along to take to the lugger +again, and live on board her as I did before, and I only stayed here +until I could settle accounts with Faulkner. I have no doubt that they +will suspect me of this business. There are plenty of men who know that +I had sworn to be even with him, and my disappearance is sure to be put +down to that. Now, in the next place, will you promise not to try to +escape, because if you do, I will get them to take these ropes off you? +I dare say you have been thinking that if you could get free you would +make a run for the mouth of the cave and dive in, for it is about high +water now." + +Julian had, in fact, been thinking so, but as he saw that unless he gave +his promise he would have to remain in the cords that were cutting into +his wrists, he at once took the required oath. Joe told the Frenchmen, +and they then unfastened Julian's cords. + +"We may as well carry up the bales at once," their leader said, "before +it gets dark. It is no use giving anyone at sea a chance of seeing a +light. Tell him to take one and come up with us. I am not going to leave +him here by himself, promise or no promise." + +The poacher translated the order to Julian. Some bales were taken out +from beneath a tarpaulin at the end of the cave, and, each shouldering +one, they proceeded up the passage until they reached the foot of the +ladder. Here they laid the bales down, and then returned to the cave. + +"Is that all?" Julian asked. + +"Yes, those bales are worth a lot of money. There is fifteen hundred +pounds worth of lace in one of them. The others are silks and satins, +and worth another five hundred. To-night, when we hear the signal, I and +three of the Frenchmen will go up. We shall find two men there, and +shall carry the bales to a place a mile and a half away, where they will +be hidden until it is convenient to send them up to London, or wherever +they are going to dispose of them--that is their business; ours is +finished when they hand us over the money for them. They will come at +eight o'clock, and at ten the lugger will be off the coast here and send +a boat ashore for us. So you have got five or six hours yet, and I +should say the best thing you can do is to turn in and sleep till then. +There are plenty of blankets in that corner and a pile of sheep-skins +that you can sleep on." + +Julian nodded, threw two or three of the sheep-skins down in a corner, +rolled another up for a pillow, drew a blanket over him, and for the +first time looked round the cave. It was lighted only by a small hole +used as a look-out; at present a blanket hung before this. There was a +door similar to that by which he had entered from above leading to the +lower cave. How far that lower entrance might be below them Julian had +no means of knowing, but from the view he had obtained of the sea +through a large loop-hole he had passed in his descent, he did not think +that the cavern he was in could be less than seventy or eighty feet +above the water. The sole ventilation, as far as he could see, was the +current of air that found its way in through the door from below, and +passed up through that above, and what could come in through the +loop-hole seawards. Doubtless in warmer weather both the doors stood +open, but were now closed more for warmth than for any other purpose, +although he had noticed that the lower one had been bolted and locked +after he had been first captured. + +As he lay down he wondered how it was all going to end. His position was +at once perilous and uncertain. He had, so far, escaped better than he +could have expected, for from the looks the Frenchmen had given him, he +had no doubt what his fate would have been had not the man he had been +chasing spoken in his favour. His life therefore seemed for the present +safe, but the future was very dark. The poacher had spoken as if he was +not likely to return for some years. They surely could not intend to +keep him on board ship all that time. Could they mean to put him upon +some vessel sailing abroad? What a way Frank and his aunt would be in! +They would learn that he had started for home early in the afternoon, +and it would be absolutely certain that he could not have strayed from +the road nor met with any accident coming along the valley. It would +certainly be awkward his being missed on the same day Faulkner had been +shot, especially as, according to the time he had started for home, he +would have come along the road somewhere about the time the magistrate +was shot. + +It was a horrible thought that suspicion might fall upon him. Those who +knew him would be sure that he could have had nothing whatever to do +with the murder; still, the more he thought of it the more he felt that +suspicions were certain to rise, and that he would find it extremely +difficult to explain matters on his return. The memory of his quarrel +with the magistrate was fresh in everybody's mind, and even his friends +might well consider it singular that his words to Faulkner should so +soon have been carried into effect. It is true that Joe Markham would be +missing too, and that the man's own acquaintances would have no great +difficulty in guessing that he had carried out his threats against +Faulkner, but they would certainly not communicate their opinion to the +constables, and the latter might not think of the man in connection with +the murder, nor notice that he was no longer to be seen about the town. + +Even were he himself free to leave the cave now and return to Weymouth, +he would find himself in a most awkward position. There was, of course, +no shadow of evidence against him save that he was known to have +quarrelled with Faulkner, and must have been very near the spot the +moment he was killed, but how could he explain six or seven hours' +absence? He could but say that he had caught sight of a man in the +plantation and followed him for miles among the hills, and had lost +sight of him at last. He had not a shadow of evidence to produce in +confirmation of his story; in fact there was no direct evidence either +way. There could be no doubt he would have to remain under a cloud of +suspicion. It was bad enough before, but this would be altogether +intolerable, and it was perhaps best, after all, that he was to be taken +away, and his future decided for him. + +He should have gone anyhow, and no doubt he would be able to get some +opportunity of writing to Frank and setting his mind at rest as to his +safety, and telling him something about what had happened, and that he +had been kidnapped and carried over to France. He had acted like a fool, +no doubt, but Frank would understand why he had followed his first +impulse and gone alone after the man who committed the murder, instead +of going to the constables and telling them that some unknown man had +killed the magistrate. One thing seemed certain, he should never be able +to go back to Weymouth again unless the affair was cleared up, and he +did not see how that ever could be. + +At this point Julian's thoughts became confused. The voices of the men +talking at the table seemed to get further and further away, and then he +was conscious of nothing more until he heard a bell tinkle faintly +somewhere overhead. There was a movement in the cave, and he sat up. All +the men went out by the upper door. When they had left he got up and +went to see if the lower door was so fastened that he could not open it. +He had no idea of breaking his word, but did so out of curiosity rather +than from any other feeling. He found that the bolts could be pulled +back, but that the lock was a very strong one, and the jamb was, at the +point where the bolt shot into it, covered with a piece of iron, so that +no instrument could be used for forcing back the bolt. + +"It may be," he thought, "that some other prisoner has been confined +here at some time or other, or possibly this has been done in order that +if the trap-door above should be found, and the revenue men come down +that way, the smugglers in their flight might lock the door behind them +and so have time to get away in a boat or along at the foot of the +cliffs before their pursuers could get down to the lower entrance and +open fire upon them." + +Then he lay down again. He wondered whether the pull of the bell he had +heard could be hidden in the grass like the handle of the trap. It might +only be a very small knob, but he had looked so closely among the +bushes that he wondered it had escaped him. In three or four minutes the +French captain came down again, and walked across to where he was lying: + +"_Pauvre diable!_" he muttered, and then went back to the table, filled +himself a glass of spirits and water, and lit his pipe. A moment later a +thought seemed to strike him, and he came across to Julian again and +touched him. He at once sat up. The Frenchman motioned him to come to +the table, went to a cupboard, brought out a wooden platter with a large +lump of cold beef and a loaf of bread and some cheese, poured him out a +horn of brandy and water, and motioned him to eat. Julian attacked the +food vigorously. He had had some lunch with his friends before starting +for his walk back to Weymouth, but that had been nearly seven hours +before, and his run across the hills in the keen air had given him a +sharp appetite, so he did full justice to the food. + +"This is not a bad fellow after all," he said to himself, as the +smuggler, when he had finished, brought out a box of cigars and placed +it before him. "He would have knocked me on the head without +compunction, in the way of business; but now when he has concluded that +I am not dangerous, he comes out as a good fellow." He nodded pleasantly +to the Frenchman as he lit the cigar, which was an excellent one, and +far better than any Julian had been accustomed to smoke with his +associates in the billiard room. + +The Frenchman's thoughts were not dissimilar to his own. "He is a brave +_garçon_," he said to himself, "and makes the best of things. He is a +fine-looking fellow, too, and will be a big man in another year or two. +It is a misfortune that we have got to take him and shut him up in +prison. Why did he mix himself up in this affair of Markham? That is the +way with boys. Instead of being grateful to the man that had killed his +enemy, he must needs run after him as if he had done him an injury. +Well, it can't be helped now; but, at least, I will make him as +comfortable as I can as long as he is on board the lugger." + +In another half hour Joe Markham returned with the French sailors. +"There is a big stir down in Weymouth," he said to Julian. "I heard from +our friend that the place is like a hive of bees. I tell you, Mr. Wyatt, +that it is a lucky thing for you that you found the trap-door and came +down here. You mayn't like being our prisoner; but it is a lot better +than being in a cell down in Weymouth with a charge of murder hanging +over you, which you would have been if you had gone straight back +again." + +"A charge of murder!" Julian repeated, springing to his feet. "How could +such a charge be brought? It could not have been known so soon that I +was missing. I must go back and face it. If I run away, now I have been +openly accused, everyone will make sure of my guilt." + +"Well, sir, I should say it is a sight better that they should suspect +you, and you safely over in France, than that they should suspect you +with you in their hands; but at any rate, you see you have no choice in +the matter. You could only clear yourself by bringing me into it; though +I doubt, as things have turned out, that that would help you a bit." + +"I warn you that I shall make my escape, and come back again as soon as +I can," Julian said passionately. + +"Well, sir, if you have a fancy for hanging, of course you can do so; +but from what I hear, hanging it would be, as sure as you stand there. +There is a warrant out against you, and the constables are scouring all +the country." + +"But what possible ground can they have to go upon except that smuggling +affair?" + +"Well, if what our friend told me is true, they have very good grounds, +as they think, to go on. He was talking with one of the constables, and +he told him that Faulkner is not dead yet, though he ain't expected to +last till morning. His servants came out to look for him when the horse +came back to the house without him. A man rode into Weymouth for the +doctor, and another went to Colonel Chambers and Mr. Harrington. By the +time they got there Faulkner was conscious, and they took his dying +deposition. He said that he had had a row with you a short distance +before he had got to his gate, and that you said you would be even with +him. As he was riding up through the wood to his house, he suddenly +heard a gun and at the same moment fell from his horse. A minute later +you came out from the wood at the point where the shot had been fired. +You had a gun in your hand. Feeling sure that your intention was to +ascertain if he was done for, and to finish him off if you found that he +was not, he shut his eyes and pretended to be dead. You stooped over +him, and then made off at full speed. Now, sir, that will be awkward +evidence to get over, and you must see that you will be a long way safer +in France than you would in Weymouth." + +Julian sank down, crushed by the blow. He saw that what the poacher said +was true. What would his unsupported assertion go for as against the +dying man's deposition? No doubt Faulkner had stated what he believed to +be the truth, though he might not have given quite a fair account of +what had taken place in the road; still, there would be no +cross-examining him as to what had passed there, and his statement would +stand unchallenged. As things now stood, Julian's own story that he had +pursued a man over the hills, and had lost him, would, wholly +unsupported as it was, be received with absolute incredulity. He had +been at the spot certainly at the time. He had had words with Faulkner; +he had had a gun in his hands; he had come out and leaned over the +wounded man within less than a minute of the shot being fired. The chain +of evidence against him seemed to be complete, and he sat appalled at +the position in which he found himself. + +"Look here, youngster," the poacher said, "it is a bad job, and I don't +say it isn't. I am sorry for you, but I ain't so sorry as to go and give +myself up and get hung in your place; but I'll tell you what I will do. +When I get across to France I will draw up a statement and swear it +before a magistrate, giving an account of the whole affair, and I will +put it in a tin case and always carry it about with me. I will direct it +to Colonel Chambers, and whenever anything happens to me it shall be +sent to him. I am five-and-twenty years older than you are, and the life +I lead ain't likely to give me old age. To make matters safer, I will +have two copies made of my statement--one I will leave in the hands of +one of our friends here. The craft I am in may be wrecked some day, or +sunk by one of the cutters; anyhow, whichever way it comes, he is +certain to hear of my death, and I shall tell him that when he hears of +it he is to send that letter to Chambers." + +"Thank you," Julian said earnestly. "It may not come for a long time, +but it will be something for me to know that some day or other my name +will be cleared of this horrible accusation; but I would rather have +gone and faced it out now." + +"It would be just suicide," the man said. "Weymouth ain't the only place +in the world; and it is better for you to live out of it, and know you +will get cleared some day, than to get hung, with only the consolation +that perhaps twenty years hence they may find out they have made a +mistake." + +"It isn't so much myself I am thinking of as my brother and aunt. My +going away and never sending them a word will be like confessing my +guilt. It will ruin my brother's life, and kill my aunt." + +"Well, I'll tell you what I will do," Markham said. "You shall write a +letter to your brother, and tell him your story, except, of course, +about this cave. You can say you followed me, and that I and some +smugglers sprang on you and captured you, and have carried you across to +France. All the rest you can tell just as it happened. I don't know as +it will do me any harm. Your folks may believe it, but no one else is +likely to do so. I don't mean to go back to Weymouth again, and if I did +that letter would not be evidence that anyone would send me to trial on. +Anyhow, I will risk that." + +"Thank you, with all my heart," Julian said gratefully. "I shall not so +much mind, if Frank and Aunt get my story. I know that they will believe +it if no one else does, and they can move away from Weymouth to some +place where it will not follow them. It won't be so hard for me to bear +then, especially if some day the truth gets to be known. Only please +direct your letters to 'Colonel Chambers, or the Chairman of the +Weymouth magistrates,' because he is at least ten years older than you +are, and might die long before you, and the letter might never be opened +if directed only to him." + +"Right you are, lad. I will see to that." + +Just at this moment one of the sailors came down from the look-out +above, and said that the signal had just been made from the offing, and +that the lugger's boat would be below in a quarter of an hour. All +prepared for departure; the lower door was unbolted, the lights +extinguished, and they went down to the lower entrance. It was reached +by a staircase cut in the chalk, and coming down into a long and narrow +passage, at the further end of which was the opening Julian had seen +from the sea. The party gathered at the entrance. In a few minutes a +boat with muffled oars approached silently; a rope was lowered, a noose +at its upper end being placed over a short iron bar projecting three or +four inches from the chalk a foot or two inside the entrance. + +The French captain went down first. Julian was told to follow. The +sailors and Markham then descended. A sharp jerk shook the rope off the +bar, and the boat then rowed out to the smuggler, which was lying half a +mile from shore. As soon as they were on board the sails were sheeted +home, and the craft began to steal quietly through the water, towing the +boat behind it. The whole operation had been conducted in perfect +silence. The men were accustomed to their work; there was no occasion +for orders, and it was not until they were another mile out that a word +was spoken. + +"All has gone off well," the captain then said. "We got the laces and +silks safely away, and the money has been paid for them. The revenue +cutter started early this morning, and was off Lyme Regis this +afternoon, so we shall have a clear run out. We will keep on the course +we are laying till we are well beyond the race, and then make for the +west. We have sent word for them to be on the look-out for us at the old +place near Dartmouth to-morrow night, and if we are not there then, the +night after; if there is danger, they are to send up a rocket from the +hill inland." + +The wind was but light, and keeping a smart look-out for British +cruisers, and lowering their sails down once or twice when a suspicious +sail was seen in the distance, they approached the rocky shore some two +miles east of the entrance to the bay at ten o'clock on the second +evening after starting. A lantern was raised twice above the bulwark, +kept there for an instant, and then lowered. + +"I expect it is all right," the captain said, "or they would have sent +up a rocket before this. Half-past eight is the time arranged, and I +think we are about off the landing place. Ah, yes, there is the signal!" +he broke off as a light was shown for a moment close down to the water's +edge. "Yes, there it is again! Lower the anchor gently; don't let it +splash." + +A light anchor attached to a hawser was silently let down into the +water. + +"Now, off with the hatches; get up the kegs." + +While some of the men were engaged at this work, others lowered the +second boat, and this, and the one towing behind, were brought round to +the side. Julian saw that all the men were armed with cutlasses, and had +pistols in their belts. Rapidly the kegs were brought up on deck and +lowered into the boat. + +"Ah, here comes Thompson," the captain said, as a very small boat rowed +up silently out of the darkness. "Well, my friend, is all safe?" he +asked in broken English as the boat came alongside. + +"Safe enough, captain. Most of the revenue men have gone round from here +to the other side of the bay, where they got news, as they thought, that +a cargo was going to be run. The man on duty here has been squared, and +will be away at the other end of his beat. The carts are ready, a +quarter of a mile away. I made you out with my glass just before sunset, +and sent round word at once to our friends to be in readiness." + +The boats started as soon as their cargoes were on board, and the work +went on uninterruptedly for the next two hours, by which time the last +keg was on shore, and the boats returned to the lugger. The men were in +high spirits. The cargo had been a valuable one, and the whole had been +got rid of without interruption. The boats were at once hoisted up, the +anchor weighed, and the lugger made her way out to sea. + +"What port do you land at?" Julian asked Markham. + +"We shall go up the Loire to Nantes," he replied; "she hails from there. +To-morrow morning you had best put on that sailor suit I gave you +to-day. Unless the wind freshens a good deal we sha'n't be there for +three or four days, but I fancy, from the look of the sky, that it will +blow up before morning, and, as likely as not, we shall get more than we +want by evening. There is generally a cruiser or two off the mouth of +the river. In a light wind we can show them our heels easily enough, but +if it is blowing at all their weight tells. I am glad to be at sea +again, lad, after being cooped up in that cursed prison for two years. +It seems to make a new man of one. I don't know but that I am sorry I +shot that fellow. I don't say that he didn't deserve it, for he did; but +I don't see it quite so strongly as I did when I was living on bread and +water, and with nothing to do but to think of how I could get even with +him when I got out; besides, I never calculated upon getting anyone else +into a mess, and I am downright sorry that I got you into one, Mr. +Wyatt. However, the job is done, and it is no use crying over spilt +milk." + +Markham's prediction turned out correct. A fresh wind was blowing by the +morning, and two days later the lugger was running along, close under +the coast, fifteen miles south of the mouth of the Loire, having kept +that course in order to avoid any British cruisers that might be off the +mouth of the river. Before morning they had passed St. Nazaire, and were +running up the Loire. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +FOLLOWING A TRAIL + + +Frank had started early for a walk with one of his school friends. +Returning through the town at three in the afternoon, he saw people +talking in groups. They presently met one of their chums. + +"What is going on, Vincent?" + +"Why, have you not heard? Faulkner, the magistrate, has been shot." + +"Shot!" the two boys exclaimed. "Do you mean on purpose or +accidentally?" + +"On purpose. The servants heard a gun fired close by, and a minute later +his horse galloped up to the door. Two men ran along the drive, and, not +a hundred yards from the house, found him lying shot through the body. +Three of the doctors went off at once. Thompson came back ten minutes +ago, for some instruments, I believe. He stopped his gig for a moment to +speak to the Rector, and I hear he told him that it might be as well for +him to go up at once, as there was very little probability of Faulkner's +living through the night." + +"Well, I can't say that I am surprised," Frank said. "He has made +himself so disliked, there are so many men who have a grudge against +him, and he has been threatened so often, that I have heard fellows say +dozens of times he would be shot some day. And yet I suppose no one ever +really thought that it would come true; anyhow it is a very bad affair." + +Leaving the other two talking together, Frank went on home. Mrs. +Troutbeck was greatly shocked at the news. + +"Dear, dear!" she said, "what dreadful doings one does hear of. Who +would have thought that a gentleman, and a magistrate too, could have +been shot in broad daylight within a mile or two of us. I did not know +him myself, but I have always heard that he was very much disliked, and +it is awful to think that he has been taken away like this." + +"Well, Aunt, I don't pretend to be either surprised or shocked. If a man +spends his life in going out of his way to hunt others down, he must not +be surprised if at last one of them turns on him. On the bench he was +hated; it was not only because he was severe, but because of his +bullying way. See how he behaved in that affair with Julian. I can't say +I feel any pity for him at all, he has sent many a man to the gallows, +and now his time has come." + +At five o'clock it was already dusk, the shutters had been closed, and +the lamp lighted. Presently the servant entered. + +"There is someone wants to speak to you, Master Frank." + +Frank went out into the hall. The head of the constabulary and two of +his men were standing there. Much surprised, Frank asked the officer +into the other sitting-room. + +"What is it, Mr. Henderson?" he said. + +"It is a very sad business, a very sad business, Mr. Wyatt. Your brother +is not at home, I hear?" + +"No. Julian went over this morning to have a day's rabbit-shooting with +Dick Merryweather. I expect it won't be long before he is back. There is +nothing the matter with him?" he asked, with a vague feeling of alarm at +the gravity of the officer's face. + +"It is a very painful matter, Mr. Wyatt; but it is useless trying to +hide the truth from you, for you must know it shortly. I hold a warrant +for your brother's arrest on the charge of attempted wilful murder." + +Frank's eyes dilated with surprise and horror. + +"You don't mean--" he gasped, and then his faith in his brother came to +his aid, and he broke off indignantly: "it is monstrous, perfectly +monstrous, Mr. Henderson. I suppose it is Faulkner, and it is because of +that wretched smuggling business that suspicions fall on him, as if +there were not a hundred others who owe the man a much deeper grudge +than my brother did; indeed he had no animosity against him at all, for +Julian got the best of it altogether, and Faulkner has been hissed and +hooted every time he has been in the town since. If there was any +ill-feeling left over that matter, it would be on his part and not on +Julian's. Who signed the warrant? Faulkner himself?" + +"No; it is signed by the Colonel and Mr. Harrington. They took the dying +deposition of Mr. Faulkner. There is no harm in my telling you that, +because it must be generally known when your brother is brought up, but +till then please do not let it go further. He has sworn that he overtook +Mr. Wyatt two or three hundred yards before he got to his own gate. +There was an altercation between them, and he swears that your brother +used threats. He had a double-barrelled gun in his hand, and as Faulkner +was riding up the drive to the house he was fired at from the trees on +his left, and fell from his horse. Almost directly afterwards Mr. Wyatt +ran out from the spot where the gun had been fired. Thinking he would +finish him if he thought he was still alive, Mr. Faulkner closed his +eyes and held his breath. Your brother came up and stood over him, and +having satisfied himself that he was dead, ran off through the trees +again." + +"I believe it is a lie from beginning to end," Frank said passionately. +"Julian has brought him into disgrace here, and the fellow invented this +charge out of revenge. If it had been in the road, and Faulkner had +struck Julian as he did before, and Julian had had his loaded gun in his +hand, I don't say but that in his passion he might have shot him; still, +I don't believe he would, even then. Julian is one of the best-tempered +fellows in the world; still, I would admit that, in the heat of the +moment, he might raise his gun and fire, but to say that he loaded his +gun after Faulkner had gone on--for I am sure it was empty as he came +along, as I have never known him to bring home his gun loaded--and that +he then went and hid behind a tree and shot a man down. Why, I would not +believe it if fifty honest men swore to it, much less on the oath of a +fellow like Faulkner." + +"I can't say anything about that, Mr. Wyatt; I have only my duty to do." + +"Yes, I understand that, Mr. Henderson. Of course he must be arrested, +but I am sure no one will believe the accusation for a minute. Oh!" he +exclaimed, as a fresh idea struck him, "what was Faulkner shot with?" + +"It is a bullet wound." + +"Well, that is quite enough," Frank exclaimed triumphantly. "Julian had +his double-barrelled gun with him, and had been rabbit-shooting; and if +it had been he who fired it would have been with a charge of shot. You +don't suppose he went about with a bullet in his pocket to use in case +he happened to meet Faulkner, and have another row with him. Julian +never fired a bullet in his life, as far as I know. There is not such a +thing as a bullet-mould in the house." + +The officer's look of gravity relaxed. "That is important, certainly," +he said, "very important. I own that after hearing the deposition read +it did seem to me that, as the result of this unfortunate quarrel, your +brother might have been so goaded by something Mr. Faulkner said or did, +that he had hastily loaded his gun, and in his passion run across the +wood and shot him down. But now it is clear, from what you say, that it +is most improbable he would have a bullet about him, and unless it can +be proved that he obtained one from a gunmaker or otherwise, it is a +very strong point in his favour. I suppose your brother has not returned +this afternoon?" + +"No. I asked the servant, when I got home at three, whether he had +returned, though I did not expect him back so soon, and she said that he +had not come in, and I am sure he has not done so since." + +"Then I will not intrude any longer. I shall place one of my men in +front of the house and one behind, and if he comes home his arrest will +be managed quietly, and we will not bring him in here at all. It will +save a painful scene." + +When the officer had left, Frank returned to his aunt. + +"What is it, Frank?" she asked. + +"Well, Aunt, it is a more absurd affair than the other; but, absurd as +it is, it is very painful. There is a warrant out for the arrest of +Julian on the charge of attempting to murder Mr. Faulkner." + +Mrs. Troutbeck gave a cry, and then burst into a fit of hysterical +laughter. After vainly trying to pacify her, Frank went out for the +servant, but as her wild screams of laughter continued he put on his +hat and ran for the family doctor, who lived but a few doors away. He +briefly related the circumstances of the case to him, and then brought +him back to the house. It was a long time before the violence of the +paroxysm passed, leaving Mrs. Troutbeck so weak that she had to be +carried by Frank and the doctor up to her room. + +"Don't you worry yourself, Aunt," Frank said, as they laid her down upon +the bed; "it will all come out right, just as the last did. It will all +be cleared up, no doubt, in a very short time." + +As soon as the maid had undressed Mrs. Troutbeck, and had got her into +bed, the doctor went up and gave her an opiate, and then went down into +the parlour to Frank, who told him the story in full, warning him that +he must say nothing about the deposition of Mr. Faulkner until it had +been read in court. + +"It is a very grave affair, Frank," the old doctor said. "Having known +your brother from his childhood, I am as convinced as you are that, +however much of this deposition be true or false, Julian never fired the +shot; and what you say about the bullet makes it still more conclusive, +if that were needed--which it certainly is not with me. Your brother had +an exceedingly sweet and even temper. Your father has often spoken to me +of it, almost with regret, saying that it would be much better if he had +a little more will of his own and a little spice more of temper. Still, +it is most unfortunate that he hasn't returned. Of course, he may have +met some friend in the town and gone home with him, or he may have +stayed at Mr. Merryweather's." + +"I don't think he can have stopped in the town anyhow," Frank said; "for +the first thing he would have heard when he got back would have been of +the shooting of Faulkner, and he would have been sure to have come home +to talk it over with me. Of course, he may have stopped with the +Merryweathers, but I am afraid he has not. I fancy that part of +Faulkner's story must be true; he could never have accused Julian if he +had not met him near his gate--for Julian in that case could have easily +proved where he was at the time. No, I think they did meet, and very +likely had a row. You know what Faulkner is; and I can understand that +if he met Julian he would most likely say something to him, and there +might then be a quarrel; but I think that his story about Julian coming +out and looking at him is either pure fancy or a lie. No doubt he was +thinking of him as he rode along; and, badly wounded as he was, perhaps +altogether insensible, he may have imagined the rest." + +"That is all quite possible," the doctor agreed; "but in that case +Julian's not coming home is all the more extraordinary. If he met +Faulkner between two and three o'clock, what can he have been doing +since?" + +This was a question Frank could not answer. + +"I can't tell, sir," he said after a long pause; "I really can't +imagine. Still, nothing in the world would make me believe that Julian +did what he is charged with." + +Several times Frank went outside the door, but the constable was still +there. At last, after sitting and looking at the fire for some time he +put on his cap and went to the residence of the chief constable. + +"Excuse me, Mr. Henderson, but I have been thinking it over ever since +you left. Whoever did this murder did not probably return to the road, +but struck off somewhere across the fields. There was snow enough in the +middle of the day to cover the ground; it stopped falling at two +o'clock, and has not snowed since. Might I suggest that in the morning a +search should be made round the edge of the wood. If there are +footprints found it might be of great importance." + +"You are quite right, Mr. Wyatt, and I had already determined to go +myself, with a couple of constables, at daylight." + +"May I go with you, sir?" + +"If you please. But you must remember that the evidence of footprints +which we may find may be unfavourable to your brother." + +"I have not the slightest fear of that," Frank said confidently. + +"Very well, then, Mr. Wyatt. The two constables will be here at +half-past seven, and I shall be ready to start with them at once. Should +you by any chance be late, you will, no doubt, be able to overtake us +before we get there." + +The next morning Frank was at the office half an hour before the +appointed time. Fortunately no snow had fallen in the night. The chief +constable looked grave and anxious when the search began; Frank was +excited rather than anxious. He had no fear whatever as to the result of +the investigation; it would disclose nothing, he felt certain, to +Julian's disadvantage. The continued absence of the latter was +unaccountable to him, but he felt absolutely certain that it would be +explained satisfactorily on his return. + +The moment they got across the hedge into the fields skirting the wood +the chief constable exclaimed: + +"Stay, men; here are footprints by the edge of the trees! Do not come +out until I have carefully examined them. Do you not think," he went on, +turning to Frank, "that it would be much better that you should not go +further with me, for you see I might have to call you as a witness?" + +"Not at all, Mr. Henderson; whatever we find, I shall have no objection +to being a witness, for I am certain that we shall find nothing that +will tend to incriminate my brother. I see what you are thinking +of--that these footprints were Julian's. That is my own idea too. At any +rate, they are the marks of a well-made boot of large size, without +heavy nails." + +The constable nodded. "There are two sets," he said, "one going each +way; and by the distance they are apart, and the fact that the heel is +not as deeply marked as the rest of the print, whoever made them was +running." + +"Certainly," Frank agreed; "he ran up to the hedge and then turned. Why +should he have done that?" + +"Probably because he saw some vehicle or some persons walking along the +road, and did not wish to be seen." + +"Possibly so, Mr. Henderson; but in that case, why did he not keep among +the trees both coming and going, instead of exposing himself, as he must +have done running here; for the hedge is thin, and any one walking +along, much less driving, could have seen him." + +Mr. Henderson looked at Frank with a closer scrutiny than he had before +given him. + +"You are an acute observer, Mr. Wyatt. The point is an important one. A +man wishing to avoid observation would certainly have kept among the +trees. Now, let us follow these footprints along; we may learn something +further." + +Presently they came to the point where Julian had come out from the +wood. + +"You see he was in the wood, Mr. Wyatt," the constable said. + +"I quite see that," Frank said. "If these are the marks of Julian's +boots--and I think they are--we have now found out that he came out of +the wood at this point, ran for some purpose or other, and without an +attempt at concealment, as far as the hedge; then turned and ran back +again, past the point where he had left the wood. Now let us see what he +did afterwards--it may give us a clue to the whole matter." + +Fifty yards further they came on the spot where Julian had turned off on +the poacher's track. + +"There it is, Mr. Henderson!" Frank exclaimed triumphantly. "Another man +came out of the wood here--a man with roughly-made boots with hob-nails. +That man came out first; that is quite evident. The tracks are all in a +line, and Julian's are in many places on the top of the other's. They +were both running fast. But if you look you will see that Julian's +strides are the longest, and, therefore, he was probably running the +fastest." + +"It is as you say, Mr. Wyatt. The lighter footprints obliterate those of +the heavier boots in several places. What can be the meaning of this, +and what can the second man have been doing in the wood?" + +"The whole thing is perfectly plain to me," Frank said excitedly. +"Julian was in the road, he heard the report of the gun close by in the +wood, and perhaps heard a cry; he jumped over the hedge and made for the +spot, and possibly, as Mr. Faulkner said, ran into the drive and stooped +over him; then he started in pursuit of the murderer, of whom he may +possibly have obtained a sight. There was not enough snow under the +trees for him to follow the footprints, he therefore ran to the edge of +the wood, and then to the road, in search of the man's track. Then he +turned and ran back again till he came upon them leaving the wood, and +then set off in pursuit." + +"By Jove! Mr. Wyatt," the officer said, "I do think that your +explanation is the right one. Give me your hand, lad; I had no more +doubt five minutes ago that your brother had, in a fit of passion, shot +Mr. Faulkner than I have that I am standing here now. But I declare I +think now that he acted as you say. How you have struck upon it beats me +altogether." + +"I have been thinking of nothing else all the night, Mr. Henderson. I +put myself in Julian's position, and it seemed to me that, hearing a gun +fired so close at hand, even if he did not hear a cry, Julian knowing +how often the man had been threatened, might at once have run to the +spot, and might have behaved just as Faulkner says he did. All that +seemed to me simple enough; Julian's absence was the only difficulty, +and the only way I could possibly account for it, was that he had +followed the murderer." + +"It was very imprudent," Mr. Henderson said gravely. + +"Very; but it was just the sort of thing Julian would have done." + +"But, however far he went, he ought to be back before this." + +"That is what I am anxious about, Mr. Henderson. Of course he ought to +be back. I am terribly afraid that something has happened to him. This +man, whoever he was, must have been a desperate character, and having +taken one life from revenge, he would not hesitate to take another to +secure his own safety. He had a great advantage over Julian, for, as we +know, his gun carried bullets, while Julian had nothing but small shot. +Which way shall we go next, Mr. Henderson--shall we follow the track or +go into the wood?" + +"We will go into the wood; that will take us a comparatively short time, +and there is no saying how far the other may lead us. But, before we do +so, I will call up my two men, take them over the ground, and show them +the discoveries we have made. It is as well to have as many witnesses as +possible." + +The two constables were called up and taken along the line of track, and +the chief constable pointed out to them that the man with well-made +boots was evidently running after the other. Then they entered the wood. +Carefully searching, they found here and there prints of both the boots. +They went out into the drive, and, starting from the spot where Mr. +Faulkner had been found, made for a large tree some thirty yards to the +left. + +"Just as I thought," Mr. Henderson said. "Someone has been standing +here, and, I should think, for some little time. You can see that the +ground is kicked up a bit, and, though it was too hard to show the marks +of the boots plainly, there are many scratches and grooves, such as +would be made by hob-nails. Now, lads, search about closely; if we can +find the wad it will be a material point." + +After five minutes' search one of the men picked up a piece of +half-burned paper. Frank uttered an exclamation of satisfaction as he +held it up. + +"Julian always used wads. This never came from his gun. Now let us go +back to the tree, Mr. Henderson, and see which way the man went after +firing the shot." + +After careful search they found the heavy footprints at several spots +where the snow lay, and near them also found traces of the lighter +boots. The trees then grew thicker, but following the line indicated by +the footprints, they came to the spot where he had left the wood. + +"You see, Mr. Henderson," Frank said, "Julian lost the footprints just +where we did, and bore a little more to the left, striking the edge of +the wood between where the man had left it and the road. Now, sir, we +have only to find the spot where Julian first left the road, and try to +trace his footsteps from there to the spot where Mr. Faulkner was lying. +We know that the shot was fired from behind that tree--and if my +brother's footsteps miss this spot altogether, I think the case will be +absolutely proved." + +They went back into the road, and found where Julian had crossed the +untrodden snow between it and the hedge, and had pushed his way through +the latter. It was only here and there that footprints could be found; +but, fortunately, some ten yards to the right of the tree there was an +open space, and across this he had evidently run. + +"You have proved your case, Mr. Wyatt," the chief constable said, +shaking Frank cordially by the hand. "I am indeed glad. Whoever the man +was who shot Mr. Faulkner, it was certainly not your brother. Now let us +start at once on the tracks." + +Frank's face became more serious than it had been during the previous +search, as soon as they took up the double track across the fields. +Before, he had felt absolutely confident that whatever they might find +it could only tend to clear Julian from this terrible accusation; now, +upon the contrary, he feared that any discovery they might make would +confirm his suspicions that evil had befallen him. Scarcely a word was +spoken as they passed along the fields. + +"The man with the hob-nailed boots is taking to the hills," the chief +constable remarked. + +"I am afraid so, Mr. Henderson; and as they are bare of snow there will +be no chance of our following him." + +When they came to the point where the snow ended they stopped. + +"There is an end of our search, Mr. Wyatt. We must return to the town. +The magistrates will meet at eleven o'clock, and I and the constables +must be there. But I will send off two men directly we get back, to go +along the cliffs and question all the men who were on duty yesterday +afternoon as to whether they saw two men with guns crossing the hills, +one being probably some distance behind the other. I think, perhaps, you +had better come to the court. I don't say that it will be absolutely +necessary, but I think it would be better that you should do so; and you +see it would be useless for you to be hunting over those hills alone. As +soon as the court is over I will take four men and will myself start to +search for him. There is no saying whether we may not find some sign or +other. I shall be glad if you will go with me; you have shown yourself a +born detective this morning, for had you been trained to it all your +life you could not have followed the scent up more unerringly." + +"I will certainly go with you, Mr. Henderson, and I will be at the +court-house. I would start at once for the hills, but I have had nothing +to eat this morning, and, what is much more important, I want to ease +my aunt's mind. Of course, she was as certain as I was that Julian had +nothing whatever to do with this, but naturally it will be an immense +relief to her to know that the suspicion of so dreadful a crime no +longer rests on him." + +When Frank returned home he found that Mrs. Troutbeck was so prostrated +with the shock that she was still in bed, where the doctor had ordered +her to remain. As soon, however, as she heard that Frank was back, she +sent down for him to come up. Her delight was extreme when he told her +of the discoveries he had made, and that the constables had no doubt the +warrant for Julian's arrest would be withdrawn. She became anxious again +when she found that Frank could give no satisfactory explanation of his +long absence. + +"I would not trouble about it, Aunt," he said, soothingly; "no doubt we +shall hear of him before long. Let us be content that he has come well +out of this terrible accusation, just as he did from the former charge, +and let us hope that the explanation of his absence will be just as +satisfactory when we hear it. Even if I thought that Julian had got into +any trouble, it would be infinitely easier to bear than a knowledge that +he was suspected of murder, for it would have been murder, Aunt. I heard +just now that Faulkner died last night." + +The meeting of magistrates was an informal one, as they agreed, directly +they heard that Julian was not in custody, that they could proceed no +further in the matter. Mr. Henderson, after answering their first +question, followed them into their private room. + +"So you did not lay hands on him last night," Colonel Chambers said. "We +shall have to alter the warrant, for I find that Mr. Faulkner is dead." + +"I think, gentlemen," the chief constable said quietly, "that after you +have heard what I have to tell, you will have to withdraw the warrant +altogether." + +"Eh! what? Do you mean to say, Henderson, that you think the young +fellow did not fire the shot after all? I would give a hundred pounds if +I could think so, but, with Faulkner's deposition before us, I don't see +how there can be any possible doubt in the matter. Besides, I was +present when he gave it, and though it may have been coloured a good +deal by his feeling against young Wyatt, I am convinced that he +believed, at any rate, that he was speaking the truth." + +"I have no doubt he did, sir, and I had no more doubt than you have as +to Mr. Wyatt's guilt; indeed, until his brother pointed out one very +important fact, nothing would have persuaded me that he did not fire the +shot. I don't say that it was at all conclusive, but it sufficed to show +that the matter was by no means so certain as it seemed to be. I found +him at the house when I went there to arrest his brother. Of course, the +young fellow was greatly shocked when I told him the nature of the +charge, and declared it to be absolutely impossible. So certain was he, +that even when I told him the nature of Mr. Faulkner's depositions, he +was more puzzled than alarmed. The first question he asked was whether +Mr. Faulkner had been killed by shot or by a ball. When I said by a ball +his face cleared up altogether. His brother, he said, and as we know, +had been rabbit-shooting at Mr. Merryweather's. He would have had small +shot with him, but young Wyatt said that he did not think his brother +had ever fired a bullet in his life. He knew there was not such a thing +as a bullet in the house. Mr. Wyatt could not possibly have known that +he was likely to meet Mr. Faulkner on his way back from shooting, and +therefore, unless upon the rather improbable theory that he went about +with the intention of shooting Mr. Faulkner whenever he met him, and +that he had bought a bullet in the town and carried it always about with +him for the purpose, it was clear that he could not have fired that +shot." + +"There is something in that, Mr. Henderson. A good deal in it, I am +ready to admit, but nothing that would really counteract the effect of +Faulkner's direct testimony, given when he knew that he was dying." + +"No, sir; still it is a point that I own I had entirely overlooked; +however, that is not now so important. I will now tell you what has +taken place this morning." + +And he then related the story of the discovery of the tracks, that +proved that Julian had not gone near the tree behind which the murderer +had for some time been standing, and how, after running in and finding +Mr. Faulkner's body, he had set out in pursuit of the scoundrel. + +"I have the two constables outside who were with me, Colonel, and if you +like to question them, they will, I am sure, confirm my statement in all +respects." + +"I am glad indeed to hear your story, Mr. Henderson," Colonel Chambers +said warmly. "The lad's father was an old friend of mine, and it was +terrible to think that his son could have committed such a dastardly +crime. What you say seems to me quite conclusive of his innocence, and, +at the same time, is not in any way in contradiction with the +deposition. I give you very great credit for the manner in which you +have unravelled this mystery." + +"The credit, sir, is entirely due to Mr. Wyatt's brother. He had formed +the theory that, as in his opinion his brother was certainly innocent of +the crime, the only possible way in which he could account for his +absence from home that night was that, upon hearing the gun fired so +close at hand, Mr. Wyatt had at once run to the spot, found the body of +Mr. Faulkner, and had then immediately started in pursuit of the +murderer. Setting out with me on the search with this theory strongly +fixed in his mind, young Wyatt seized at once every point that confirmed +it, and pointed out to me that the man with heavy boots had crossed the +fields at a run, and that the other had followed as soon as he came +upon the footprints, after searching for them up and down by the edge of +the wood. Once we had got this clue to follow up, the matter was then +plain enough. The search through the wood showed us the whole +circumstances of the case, as I have related them to you, just as +plainly as if we had witnessed the affair. But if I had not been set +upon the right trail, I say honestly that I doubt whether I should have +unravelled it, especially as the snow is rapidly going, and by this +afternoon the footprints will have disappeared." + +"Well, as a matter of form, we will take down your statement, Mr. +Henderson, and then take those of the constables." + +"Young Mr. Wyatt is outside, if you would like to hear him, sir." + +"Certainly we will," the Colonel said. "He must be a wonderfully shrewd +young fellow, and I think we ought to take his statement, if only to +record the part he played in proving his brother's innocence. But where +is the brother, Mr. Henderson; hasn't he come back yet?" + +"No, sir; and I own that I regard his absence as alarming. You see the +murderer, whoever he is, was armed with a rifle, or at any rate with a +gun that carried bullets, while Mr. Wyatt had only a shot gun. Such a +fellow would certainly not suffer himself to be arrested without a +struggle, and when he found that he was being followed across the hills, +would be likely enough to shoot down his pursuer without letting him get +close enough to use his fowling-piece. I have sent two constables up to +inquire of the coast-guard men along the cliffs whether they observed +any man with a gun crossing the hills yesterday afternoon, and whether +they heard a gun fired. As soon as you have before you the statements of +the constables who were with me this morning, I intend to take them and +two others and start myself for a search over the hills, and I am very +much afraid that we shall come upon Mr. Wyatt's body." + +"I sincerely hope not," Colonel Chambers said; "but I own that I can see +no other way for accounting for his absence. Well, if you will call the +clerk in, he will take down your statement at once. What do you think, +Harrington? It seems to me that when we have got the four statements we +shall be fully justified in withdrawing the warrant against young +Wyatt." + +"I quite think so, Colonel. You see, the facts will all come out at the +coroner's inquest, and, when they do so, I think there will be a good +deal of strong feeling in the place if it is found that young Wyatt has +been killed while bravely trying to capture Faulkner's murderer, while +at the same time our warrant for his apprehension for the murder was +still in force." + +"Yes, there is a good deal in that, Harrington. If Faulkner had not died +I think that it would have been best merely to hold the warrant over in +order that when Wyatt comes back, if he ever does come back, all these +facts might be proved publicly; now that will all be done before the +coroner." + +The statements of Mr. Henderson and the two constables were taken down. +Frank was then called in. + +"I congratulate you most heartily upon the innocence of your brother +having been, to our minds, so conclusively proved, and, as Mr. Henderson +tells us, chiefly owing to your shrewdness in the matter. Before you +begin, you can repeat your opinion about the bullet that you pointed out +to the chief constable last night, in order that the point may be +included in your statement. After that you can tell us the story of your +search in the wood." + +When Frank had finished, Colonel Chambers said: "This is a very awkward +thing about your brother's disappearance. While giving him the fullest +credit for his courage in following a desperate man armed with a rifle, +it was certainly a rash undertaking, and I fear that he may have come to +harm." + +"I don't suppose when he started, that it was so much the idea of +capturing the man, Julian had in his mind, as of seeing who he was. Had +my brother come back with only the statement that some man unknown had +shot Mr. Faulkner, his story might not have been credited. Certainly, in +the teeth of Mr. Faulkner's depositions, it would not have been believed +when there was no evidence to support it. Still, I don't suppose it had +even entered Julian's mind that any suspicion could possibly fall upon +him. I am greatly afraid that he has been killed or badly hurt; if not, +I can see but one possible way of accounting for his absence. Mr. +Faulkner was extremely active in the pursuit of smugglers, and had, we +know, received many threatening letters. If the man was a smuggler, as +seems to me likely, he may have gone to some place where he had comrades +awaiting him, and, Julian pursuing him, may have been seized and made +prisoner. You see, sir, he knew many of them, and, after the affair the +other day, was probably regarded as a friend, and they may hold him in +their keeping only until the man who fired the shot can get safely out +of reach." + +"I hope that this may prove so indeed," the magistrate said. "It is at +any rate possible. And now we will detain you no longer, for Mr. +Henderson told me that you were going to accompany them in their search +among the hills. I see that it is just beginning to snow, which will, I +fear, add to your difficulties." + +For some days an active search was maintained, but no trace was +discovered of Julian Wyatt, or of the man whom he had followed. From +inquiries that had been instituted in the town, the chief constable had +learned that the man Markham, who had a few weeks before returned after +serving out his sentence for poaching in Mr. Faulkner's preserves, had +disappeared from his lodgings on the day of the murder and had not +returned. As he was known to have uttered many threats against the +magistrate, a warrant was issued for his arrest on the day after the +coroner's jury, having heard the whole of the evidence, brought in a +verdict that Mr. Faulkner had been wilfully murdered by a person or +persons unknown. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +A COMMISSION + + +About a week after the coroner's inquest, the servant one evening +brought in a letter that had been left at the door by a man who looked +like a fisherman. Frank gave a shout of joy as he glanced at the +address. + +"It is Julian's handwriting, Aunt," he shouted, and then exclaimed, as +Mrs. Troutbeck, who was on the sofa, gave a low cry and fell back +fainting, "What an ass I am to blurt it out like that!" Then he rang the +bell with a vigour that brought down the rope. "Here, Mary," he +exclaimed, as the servant re-appeared at the door with a scared face, +"Aunt has fainted; do what you can for her. I will run round for the +doctor directly; but I must look at this letter first. It is from Mr. +Julian." + +"Lor', sir, that is good news!" the girl exclaimed, as she hurried +across to her mistress. After the custom of her class, she had hitherto +looked upon the matter in the darkest possible light, and had joined in +the general conviction that Julian had been killed. + +Julian's letter was written on board the smuggler. + +"My dear Frank, I am afraid you must all have been in a horrible fright +about me, and no wonder. I am a most unfortunate fellow, and seem to be +always putting my foot in it, and yet really I don't think I was to +blame about this. In the first place, I may tell you that I am on board +a French smuggler, that we have just entered the Loire, and that in a +few hours shall be at Nantes. The smugglers will bring this letter back +to England, and as they say they shall probably sail again a few days +after they get in, I hope it will not be very long before it comes to +hand. And now as to how I got here." + +Julian then related the story of the quarrel with Mr. Faulkner, of +hearing the gun fired, of running in and finding the body, and of his +pursuit of the murderer. + +"After a long tramp on the hills he took to a place of hiding. I am +bound by oath to afford no clue as to where that place is, and can only +say that upon my following him in, I was pounced upon by some French +smugglers who were there with him, and trussed up like a fowl. Then +there was a discussion what to do with me, in which the man I had been +following joined. Of course I did not understand the language, but I +could see that the smugglers were in favour of cutting my throat for +having discovered their hiding-place, and that the man himself was, +contrary to what I should have expected, arguing in my favour. He had +been a smuggler as well as a poacher, but although he had murdered Mr. +Faulkner, and knew that I had pursued him for that crime, he undoubtedly +saved my life. They first made me take an oath not to reveal their +hiding-place, and then said that they should carry me over to France, +and would take steps so that I should not return to England for some +years. + +"What those steps will be I cannot say, but I feel sure that they will +in some way prevent my coming back for a long time. They can't keep me +themselves, but may hand me over as a prisoner to the French +authorities. Before we sailed the man told me he had learnt that a +warrant was out against me for the murder of Faulkner, and that Faulkner +had declared it was I who shot him. If I could possibly have escaped I +would have come back to stand my trial, though I can see plainly enough +that it might go very hard with me, for there would be only my word, +which would go for nothing against Faulkner's accusation, and the fact +of our quarrel. However, I would have come rather than disappear with +this awful charge against me. The man has given me permission, not only +to write and tell you this story, but even to give you his name, which +is Joseph Markham. He had only been a short time out of prison, where he +had been sent for poaching, and he killed Faulkner simply for revenge. +He told me that he did not mind my getting his name as, in the first +place, he had no idea of returning to Weymouth, and intended making +France his home; and, in the second place, because, although you might +believe my story, no one else would, and even if he showed himself in +Weymouth, this letter, written by a man accused of the murder, would not +be accepted for a moment against him. However, there is no doubt that +the fellow has behaved extremely well to me, and I should be sorry to +get him into trouble over this business with Faulkner, which is no +affair of mine. + +"You can, of course, show this letter to whom you like, but I don't +expect anyone except you and Aunt to believe it. I have hopes of being +cleared some day, for Markham has promised me to write out a full +confession of his shooting Faulkner, and to swear to it before a French +magistrate. He is going to write it in duplicate, and carry one copy +about with him, directed to Colonel Chambers, or the senior magistrate +at Weymouth, and to send the other copy to someone at home, who will +produce it in case of his death in France, or by drowning at sea. I do +not think that, if I get away, I shall return to England until I hear of +his death. I am awfully sorry for you, old fellow, and for Aunt. But +with this frightful accusation hanging over me, I don't think your +position would be better if I were to come back and be hung for murder; +and I see myself that the case is so strong against me that it would +almost certainly come to that if they laid hands on me. I am specially +sorry that this trouble should come upon you now, just as you were going +to try to get a commission, for of course they could hardly give one to +a fellow whose brother is accused of murder, and if they did, your +position in the army would be intolerable. Now, good-bye, dear old +Frank; give my fond love to Aunt, who has always been too good to me. If +I get an opportunity I will write again, but I hardly fancy that I shall +get a chance to do so, as, even if I were free to write I don't see how +letters can be sent from France except through smugglers. God bless you, +old fellow. + + "Your unfortunate brother, + + "JULIAN." + +Happily, by the time he had finished reading the letter, the servant had +succeeded in restoring Mrs. Troutbeck. + +"It is exactly what we thought, Aunt. Julian was seized by smugglers, +and has been taken over to France, and I am afraid it will be some time +before he gets back again, especially as he believes that this charge is +hanging over him. I won't read you the letter now, but to-morrow when +you are strong enough you shall read it yourself. I must take it the +first thing in the morning to Colonel Chambers, who will, I am sure, be +very glad to hear that Julian is safe, for I know that he thinks he was +shot by the man he pursued. He will be interested, too, and so will Mr. +Henderson, at seeing how exactly we were right in the conclusions we +arrived at." + +Mrs. Troutbeck was quite satisfied with the explanation, and was at once +taken up to bed by the servant, while Frank, seeing that it was as yet +but eight o'clock, put on his cap and ran to Mr. Henderson's. The latter +was at home, and received with great pleasure the news that Julian was +alive. He read the letter through attentively. + +"If we had seen the whole thing happen, we could not have been closer +than we were in our conclusion as to how it all came about. Well, the +news that it is Markham who shot Mr. Faulkner does not surprise me, for, +as you know, I have already a warrant out against him on the charge. I +fear that there is little chance that we shall lay hands on him now, for +he will doubtless learn from some of his associates here of the evidence +given at the coroner's inquest, and that your brother has been proved +altogether innocent of the crime. I can understand that, believing, as +he did, the evidence against Mr. Wyatt to be overwhelming, he had no +great objection to his giving his name; for, as the matter then stood, +your brother's story would only have been regarded as the attempt of a +guilty man to fix the blame of his crime on another. As it has turned +out, the letter is a piece of important evidence that might be produced +against Markham, for all the statements in it tally with the facts we +have discovered for ourselves. Still I congratulate you most heartily. I +certainly thought that your brother had been murdered, though our +efforts to find any traces of the crime have failed altogether. I am +afraid, as he says, it will be a long time before he manages to get +away; still, that is a comparatively unimportant matter, and all that I +can hope is that this fellow Markham will come to a speedy end. Of +course you will show this letter to everyone, for now that nobody +believes for a moment that your brother was Mr. Faulkner's murderer, +everyone will be glad to hear that the mystery is cleared up, and that +he is simply in France instead of being, as all supposed, buried in some +hole where his body would never be discovered. + +"All that can possibly be said against him now is that he behaved +rashly in following a desperate man instead of coming back to us for +assistance; but I quite see that, under the circumstance of his +relations with the magistrate, he was doubly anxious to bring the +latter's murderer to justice, and, as we now know, the latter would +certainly have got away unsuspected had your brother not acted as he +did." + +Colonel Chambers was equally pleased when Frank called upon him the next +morning, and begged him, after showing the letter to his friends, to +hand it over to him for safe keeping, as, in the event of Markham ever +being arrested, it would be valuable, if not as evidence, as affording +assistance to the prosecution. + +"Do you think, Colonel Chambers, that they will be able to keep Julian +away for a long time?" + +"If his supposition is a correct one, and they intend to hand him over +to the French authorities as a prisoner of war, it may be a long time +before you hear of him. There are many towns all over France where +English prisoners are confined, and it would be practically impossible +to find out where he is, or to obtain his release if you did find out, +while the two nations are at war. There are very few exchanges made, and +the chances of his being among them would be very small. However, lad, +things might have been a great deal worse. This tremendous war cannot go +on for ever. Your brother is strong and healthy; he seems to be, from +all I hear, just the sort of fellow who would take things easily, and +although the lot of prisoners of war, whether in England or France, +cannot be called a pleasant one, he has a fairer chance than most, of +going through it unharmed. + +"The experience may be of benefit to him. Of course, when this matter +first began, I made close enquiries in several quarters as to his +character and habits. I need not say that I heard nothing whatever +against him; but there was a sort of consensus of opinion that it was a +pity that he had not some pursuit or occupation. As you know, he mixed +himself up to some extent with smugglers, he spent his evenings +frequently in billiard-rooms, and altogether, though there was nothing +absolutely against him, it was clear that he was doing himself no good." + +"He had given up the billiard-table," Frank said. "He promised me that +he would not go there any more, and I am sure he wouldn't." + +"I am glad to hear it, lad; still I think that this experience will do +him good rather than harm. He was a kindly, good-tempered, easy-going +young fellow, a little deficient, perhaps, in strength of will, but very +generally liked, and with the making of a fine man about him; and yet he +was likely, from sheer easiness of temper and disinclination to settle +down to anything, to drift with the stream till he ruined his life. That +is how I read his character from what I have heard of him, and that +being so, I think this complete break in his life may ultimately be of +considerable benefit to him." + +"Perhaps it will, sir. A better brother never lived, but he may have +been too ready to fall in with other people's views. I think that it was +a very great pity that he did not apply for a commission in the army." + +"A great pity," Colonel Chambers agreed. "A young fellow who will start +in pursuit of a desperate man who is armed with a gun, would be the sort +of fellow to lead a forlorn hope. And what are you going to do, Frank?" + +"I am going to try and get a commission, sir, now that Julian is +completely cleared. I shall set about it at once. I am sixteen now. +Colonel Wilson, with whom my father served in Spain, wrote at his death, +and said that if either of us wished for a commission, he would, when +the time came, use his influence to get him one, and that after father's +services he was sure there would be no difficulty about it." + +"None whatever. Colonel Wyatt's sons have almost a right to a +commission. If you will write to Sir Robert Wilson at once, and let me +know when you get his reply, I will write to a friend at the +Horse-guards and get him to back up the request as soon as it is sent +in." + +Three weeks later Frank received an official document, informing him +that he had been gazetted to the 15th Light Dragoons, and was to join +the depot of his regiment at Canterbury immediately. Mrs. Troutbeck had +been consulted by Frank before he wrote to Colonel Sir R. Wilson. As it +had, since Julian decided not to enter the army, been a settled thing +that Frank should apply for a commission, she had offered no objection. + +"It is only right, my dear," she said, with tears in her eyes and a +little break in her voice, "that one of my dear brother's sons should +follow in his footsteps. I know that he always wished you both to join +the army, and as Julian had no fancy for it, I am glad that you should +go. Of course it will be a trial, a great trial to me; but a young man +must go on his own path, and it would be wrong indeed for an old woman +like me to stand in his way." + +"I don't know, Aunt, that it is so. That is my only doubt about applying +for the commission. I can't help thinking that it is my duty to stay +with you until Julian comes back." + +"Not at all, Frank. It would make me much more unhappy seeing you +wasting your life here, than in knowing you were following the course +you had marked for yourself. I shall do very well. Mary is a very good +and attentive girl, and I shall get another in to do most of her work, +so that she can sit with me and be a sort of companion. Then, you know, +there are very few afternoons that one or other of my friends do not +come in for an hour for a gossip or I go in to them. I take a good deal +of blame to myself for all this trouble that has come to Julian. I think +that if, three years ago, I had pressed it upon him that he ought to go +into the army, he would have done so; but certainly anything that I did +say was rather the other way, and since he has gone I see how wrong I +was, and I certainly won't repeat the mistake with you. Even now Julian +may come back long before you go. I don't mean before you go away from +here, but before you go out to join your regiment, wherever that may be. +You are sure to be a few months at the depôt, and you know we have +agreed to write letters to Julian, telling him that the matter is all +cleared up, and that everyone knows he had nothing to do with the +murder, so of course he will try to escape as soon as he gets one of +them." + +"Yes, when he gets one, Aunt. I will give the letters to men who are, I +know, connected with the smugglers, and possibly they may be taken over, +but that is a very different thing from his getting them. We may be sure +that the smugglers who have taken Julian over will not trouble +themselves about detaining him. They would never go to all the bother of +keeping and watching him for years. If they keep him at all it will be +on board their craft, but that would be a constant trouble, and they +would know that sooner or later he would be able to make his escape. If +they have handed him over to the French authorities he may have been +taken to a prison hundreds of miles from Nantes, and the smugglers would +not know where he was and would be unable to send a letter to him. No, +Aunt, I feel confident that Julian will come home, but I am afraid that +it will be a long time first, for as to his escaping from prison, there +is no chance whatever of it. There are numbers of English officers +there; many of them must be able to speak French well, and the naval +officers are able to climb ropes and things of that sort that Julian +could not do. It is very rare indeed that any of them, even with these +advantages, make their escape, and therefore I cannot hope that Julian +will be able to do so." + +"Well, then, my dear, I must wait patiently until he does. I only hope +that I may be spared to see him back again." + +"I am sure I hope so, Aunt. Why should you always call yourself an old +woman? when you know that you are not old in years. Why, you said last +birthday that you were fifty-nine, and it is only because you are such a +hand at staying indoors, and live such a quiet life, that it makes you +think yourself old. I should think this war won't last very much longer. +If it does all the men in Europe will be used up. Of course, as soon as +peace is made Julian will be sent home again." + +The same day that the post brought Frank the news of his commission, it +brought a letter from Colonel Wilson saying that he was at present in +town, and giving him a warm invitation to come up and stay with him for +a week, while he procured his necessary outfit. A fortnight later Frank +arrived in town and drove to Buckingham Street, where Colonel Wilson was +lodging. He received Frank very kindly, and when the lad would have +renewed the thanks he had expressed in the letter he had written on +receiving the news of his having obtained his commission, the Colonel +said: + +"It was a duty as well as a pleasure. Your father saved my life at +Aboukir. I had been unhorsed and was guarding myself as well as I could +against four French cuirassiers, who were slashing away at me, when your +father rode into the middle of them, cut one down and wounded a second, +which gave me time to snatch a pistol from the holster of my fallen +horse and to dispose of a third, when the other rode off. Your father +got a severe sabre wound on the arm and a slash across the face. Of +course, you remember the scar. So you see the least I could do, was to +render his son any service in my power. I managed to get you gazetted to +my old regiment, that is to say, my first regiment, for I have served in +several. I thought, in the first place, my introduction would to some +extent put you at home there. In the second, a cavalry man has the +advantage over one in a marching regiment that he learns to ride well, +and is more eligible for staff appointments. As you know, I myself have +done a great deal of what we call detached service, and it is probable +that I may in the future have similar appointments, and, if so, I may +have an opportunity of taking you with me as an aide. Those sort of +appointments are very useful. They not only take one out of the routine +of garrison life and enable one to see the world, but they bring a young +officer's name prominently forward, and give him chances of +distinguishing himself. Therefore I, as an old cavalry man, should much +prefer taking an assistant from the same branch, and indeed would almost +be expected to do so. From what I hear, I think that, apart from my +friendship for your father, you are the kind of young fellow I should +like with me." + +Frank looked rather surprised. + +"I had a letter," Colonel Wilson went on, "from Colonel Chambers, who +was a captain in the 15th when I joined. He spoke in very high terms of +you, and sent a copy of the proceedings and reports connected with the +murder of that magistrate, and said that it was almost entirely due to +your sharpness that your brother was cleared of the suspicion that had +not unreasonably fallen upon him, and the saddle put upon the right +horse. There is a sort of idea that any dashing young fellow will do for +the cavalry, and no doubt dash is one of the prime requisites for +cavalry officers, but if he is really to distinguish himself and be +something more than a brave swordsman, more especially if he is likely +to have the opportunity of obtaining a staff appointment, he needs other +qualities, for on a reconnaissance a man who has a quick eye, good +powers of observation and thoughtfulness, may send in a report of a most +valuable kind, while that of the average young officer might be +absolutely useless. + +"Having said this much, I would advise you strongly to devote a couple +of hours a day regularly to the study of French and German. You may find +them invaluable, especially if you are engaged on any diplomatic +mission, and much more useful at first than the study of writers on +military tactics and strategy. There will be plenty of time for that +afterwards. At Canterbury you will have no difficulty in finding a +master among the many French _émigrés_, and as there are at present two +or three troops of one of our German Hussar regiments there, and some of +these men belong to families who preferred exile and service in the +ranks to living under French domination, you may find a soldier who will +be glad enough to add to his pay by a little teaching. A draft went out +only a fortnight or so since to your regiment, and you are therefore +likely to be some time at Canterbury before you are ordered out, and as +the time in a garrison town hangs heavily on hand, a little steady work +will help to make it pass not unpleasantly." + +"I will certainly do so, sir. We had a French master at school. It was +not compulsory to learn the language, but I thought it might be useful +if I went into the army, and so took it up. I don't say that I can speak +well at all, but I know enough to help me a good deal." + +"That is right, lad. Ah, here is supper. I am sure you must want it +after being eighteen hours on the outside of a coach in such weather as +this, though I daresay as far as food went you did not do badly." + +"No, sir; there was plenty of time at the stopping-places for meals, and +as I was well wrapped up the cold was nothing." + +Frank, however, could not deny that he felt very stiff after his +journey, and was not sorry to retire to bed as soon as he had eaten his +supper. There were few men in the army who had seen so much and such +varied service as Colonel Sir Robert Wilson. Joining the army in 1793, +he served through the campaigns of Flanders and Holland. In 1797, having +attained the rank of captain, he was detached from his regiment and +served on Major-general St. John's staff during the rebellion in +Ireland. Two years later he rejoined his regiment and proceeded to the +Helder, and was engaged in all the battles that took place during that +campaign. On the Convention being signed he purchased a majority in one +of the regiments of German Hussars in our service. He was then sent on a +mission to Vienna, and having fulfilled this, went down through Italy to +Malta, where he expected to find his regiment, which formed part of +General Abercrombie's command. He joined it before it landed in Egypt, +and served through the campaign there. He then purchased his +lieutenant-colonelcy, and exchanged into the 20th Light Dragoons. He was +with that portion of his regiment which formed part of Sir David Baird's +division, and sailed first to the Brazils and then to the Cape of Good +Hope, which possession it wrested from the Dutch. + +On his return to England he was directed to proceed on the staff of Lord +Hutchinson to Berlin, but on his arrival at Memel was despatched to the +Russian headquarters as British commissioner. He continued with the +Russian army during the next two campaigns, and on the signature of the +treaty of Tilsit returned to England, and made several journeys to St. +Petersburg with confidential despatches, and brought to England the +first news that the Czar had concluded an alliance with Napoleon and was +about to declare war against England. In 1808 Sir Robert Wilson was sent +to Portugal to raise the Portuguese legion, and, acting independently as +a Brigadier-general, rendered very valuable services, until in 1809 the +legion was absorbed in the Portuguese army. He was now waiting for other +employment. + +The colonel went out with Frank after breakfast next morning and +ordered his uniform and equipments. Frank was well supplied with money, +for by the terms of his father's will either of his sons who entered the +army was entitled to draw two hundred pounds a year to pay for outfit, +horse, and as allowance until he came of age, when he would receive his +share of the capital. Mrs. Troutbeck had, when he said good-bye to her, +slipped a pocket-book with bank-notes for a hundred pounds into his +hands. + +"Money is always useful, Frank," she said, when he protested that he was +amply supplied, "and if you should ever find that your allowance is +insufficient write to me. I know that you are not in the least likely to +be extravagant or foolish, but you see what a scrape your brother has +got into, without any fault of your own, and you may also find yourself +in a position where you may want money. If you do, write to me at once." + +After the orders had been given, Sir Robert Wilson took Frank about +London to see some of the sights. At dinner he asked him many questions +as to his studies and amusements, and the way in which his day was +generally spent. After dining at Sir Robert's club they returned to his +lodgings. + +"I am very pleased, Frank," he said as he lighted a cigar, "both with +what I have heard of you and with what I see for myself. Now I will +speak to you more freely than I did before, but mind, what I say is +strictly confidential. Government have obtained secret information which +points surely to the fact that Napoleon is meditating an offensive war +against Russia. He is accumulating troops in Germany and Poland out of +all proportion to the operations he has been carrying on against +Austria. When that war will break out is more than I or anyone can say, +but when it does take place I have Lord Wellesley's promise that I shall +go out there in the same position I held during their last war, that is, +as British commissioner with the Russian army. Now, lad, in that +position I shall be entitled to take a young officer with me as my +assistant, or what, if engaged on other service, would be called +aide-de-camp. One cannot be everywhere at once, and I should often have +to depend upon him for information as to what was taking place at points +where I could not be present. + +"He would, too, act as my secretary. It may possibly be a year before +Napoleon's preparations are completed; but even in a year I should +hardly be justified in choosing so young an officer from my old +regiment, unless he had some special qualifications for the post. Now, +for your father's sake, Frank, and because I like you and feel sure that +you are just the man I require, I should like to take you, but could not +do so unless you had some special knowledge that I could urge as a +reason for applying for you. There is only one such qualification that I +know of, namely, that you should be able to speak the Russian language. +When I spoke to you about learning French and German I did so on general +principles, and not with a view to this, for it did not seem to me that +I could possibly select you to go with me on this service; but I have +since thought it over, and have come to the conclusion that I could do +so, if you did but understand Russian. It is a most difficult language, +and although I can now get on with it fairly after my stay out there, I +thought at first I should never make any headway in it. It would, +therefore, be of no use whatever for you to attempt it unless you are +ready to work very hard at it, and to give up, I should say, at least +four hours a day to study." + +"I should be quite ready to do that, sir," Frank said earnestly, "and I +thank you indeed for your kindness. But who should I get to teach me?" + +"That we must see about. There are, I have no doubt, many Russian Poles +in London who speak the language well, and who have picked up enough +English for your purpose. The Poles are marvellous linguists. We will go +to-morrow to the headquarters of the Bow Street runners. They are the +detectives, you know, and if they cannot at once put their hands upon +such a man as we want, they will be able to ferret out half a dozen in +twenty-four hours. One of these fellows you must engage to go down to +Canterbury and take lodgings there. They are almost always in destitute +circumstances, and would be content with very moderate pay, which would +not draw very heavily on your resources. Thirty shillings a week would +be a fortune to one of them. Even if this war should not come off--but I +have myself no doubt about it--the language might in the future be of +great value to you. I don't suppose there is a single officer in the +English army, with the exception of myself, who knows a word of Russian, +and in the future it might secure you the position of military attaché +to our embassy there. At any rate it will render it easy for me to +secure you an appointment on my mission when it comes off, and in that +case you will be a witness of one of the most stupendous struggles that +has ever taken place. You think you can really stick to it, Frank? You +will have, no doubt, to put up with a good deal of chaff from your +comrades on your studious tastes." + +"I sha'n't mind that, sir. I have often been chaffed at school, because +I used to insist on getting up my work before I would join anything that +was going on, and used to find that if I took it good temperedly, it +soon ceased." + +The next day they went to Bow Street. Sir Robert's card was sufficient +to ensure them attention, and several of the detectives were questioned. +One of them replied, "I think that I know just the man. He occupies an +attic in the house next to mine. He is a young fellow of +four-and-twenty, and I know he has been trying to support himself by +giving lessons in German, but I don't think that he has ever had a +pupil, and I believe he is nearly starving. His landlady told me that he +has parted with all his clothes except those that he stands upright in. +Of late he has been picking up a few pence by carrying luggage for +people who land at the wharves. I have not spoken to him myself, but she +tells me that he is a perfect gentleman, and though sometimes, as she +believes, he has not so much as a crust of bread between his lips all +day, he regularly pays his rent of a Saturday." + +"I should think that he would be just the man for us. Would you see him +when you go home this afternoon, and ask him to come to No. 44 +Buckingham Street, either this evening at nine, or at the same hour +to-morrow morning? I have written my address on this card." + +At nine o'clock that evening the landlady came upstairs and said, rather +doubtfully, that a young man had called to see Sir Robert, and that he +had one of Sir Robert's cards. + +"That is right, Mrs. Richards. I was expecting him." + +The Pole was brought up. He was a pale young man, dressed in a thin suit +of clothes that accorded but ill with the sharp frost outside. He bowed +respectfully, and said in very fair English, "I am told, sir, that you +wish to speak to me." + +"Take a seat, sir. By the way, I do not know your name." + +"Strelinski," the man said. + +"I am told that you are desirous of giving lessons in languages." + +"I am, sir, most desirous." + +"Mr. Wyatt, this gentleman here, is anxious to learn Russian." + +The man looked with some surprise at Frank. "I should be glad to teach +it, sir," he said doubtfully, "but Russian is not like French or +English. It is a very difficult language to learn, and one that would +require a good deal of study. I should not like to take money without +doing something in return, and I fear that this gentleman would be +disappointed at the small progress he would make." + +"Mr. Wyatt has just obtained a commission, and he thinks that as there +are few, if any, officers in the army who speak it fluently, it might be +of great advantage to him. He is, therefore, prepared to work hard at +it. I myself," he went on in Russian, "speak it a little, as you see; I +have already warned him of the difficulty of the language, and he is not +dismayed. He is going down to Canterbury to join the depôt of his +regiment in the course of a few days, and he proposes that you should +accompany him and take a lodging there." + +The young man's face had a look of surprise when he was addressed in the +Russian language, and Frank saw a faint flush come across his face and +tears flow to his eyes as he heard the offer. + +"What terms would you ask? He might require your services for a year." + +"Any terms that would keep me from starving," the man said. + +"May I ask what you were in your own country, Mr. Strelinski?" + +"I was educated for the law," the Pole said. "I took my degree at the +University of Warsaw, but I was suspected of having a leaning towards +the French--as who had not, when Napoleon had promised to deliver us +from our slavery--and had to fly. I had intended at first to enter one +of the Polish regiments in the French service, but I could not get +across the frontier, and had to make north, getting here in an English +ship. The war between you and France prevented my crossing the sea +again, and then I resolved to earn my living here, but--" and he +stopped. + +"You have found it hard work. I can quite understand that, Mr. +Strelinski. It is terribly hard for any foreigner, even with good +introductions, to earn a living here, and to one unprovided with such +recommendations well-nigh impossible. Please to sit here for a moment. +Frank, come into the next room with me." + +"Well, what do you think?" he asked when they were alone. + +"I should think that he will do splendidly, sir, and his being a +gentleman will make it very pleasant for me. But I should not like to +offer him as little as thirty shillings a week." + +"I have no doubt that he would be delighted with it, Frank, but as he +will have to pay his lodgings out of it and furnish his wardrobe, we +might say two pounds, if you can afford it." + +"I can afford it very well, sir. My aunt gave me a hundred pounds when I +came away from home, and that will pay for it for one year. I am sure I +shall like him." + +"He impresses me very favourably too," Sir Robert said, "and perhaps I +may find a post for him here if we go out, though we need not think of +that at present. Well, let us go in to him again. I have no doubt that +the poor fellow is on thorns." + +"I have talked it over with Mr. Wyatt," he went on when they had +returned to the sitting-room; "he will probably require your services +for a year, though possibly he may have to join his regiment sooner than +that. He is willing to pay two pounds a week for your services as his +instructor. Will that suit you?" + +"It is more than sufficient," the Pole said in a broken voice. "For half +of that I could keep myself." + +"Yes, but there will be your lodgings to pay, and other matters; and if +you are willing to accept two pounds, which appears to us a fair rate of +remuneration, we will consider that as settled. It is a cold night, Mr. +Strelinski. You had better take a glass of wine and a biscuit before you +venture out." + +He fetched a decanter of port and a tin of biscuits from the sideboard, +and placed them in front of him; then he made a sign to Frank to leave +the room. In a few minutes he called him back again. Frank found the +Pole standing with his hat in his hand ready to leave. There was a look +of brightness and hope in his face, which was a strong contrast to his +expression on entering. He bowed deeply to Sir Robert, and took the hand +that Frank held out to him. + +"You have saved me," he said, and then, without another word, turned and +left the room. + +"I have insisted upon his taking ten pounds on account of his salary, as +I told him that he must have warm clothes and make a decent figure in +Canterbury. You are to deduct ten shillings a week from his pay till it +is made up. The poor fellow fairly broke down when I offered it to him. +There is no doubt that he is almost starved, and is as weak as a rat. He +is to come to-morrow at twelve o'clock. I have business that will take +me out all day, so you can have a quiet chat with him and break the +ice." + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +A FRENCH PRISON + + +Julian Wyatt had expected that there would be some formalities on his +arrival at Nantes--that he should probably be taken before a court of +some sort,--and he determined to make a protest, and to declare that he +had been forcibly brought over from England. At the same time he felt +that to do so would make little difference in his position. When Holland +was overrun with the French, all English residents were thrown into +prison, and the same thing had happened after the short peace; still he +determined to make the effort, for he thought that as a civilian he +might not be placed in a military prison, and might, therefore, have a +better chance of making his escape. He had, however, no opportunity for +protest or remonstrance. The captain of the lugger and two of his men +went ashore as soon as the craft was moored alongside the quay. + +A quarter of an hour later they returned with a sergeant and two +soldiers. The captain pointed him out to the sergeant. The latter +crossed the plank on to the deck, put his hand on Julian's shoulder, and +motioned to him to follow him ashore. + +"Good-bye, young fellow!" Markham said, as, feeling the uselessness of +protest or resistance, Julian moved towards the plank. "I am very sorry +for you, but there is nothing else to do, and you will be as well there +as anywhere, for you couldn't show your face in Weymouth. I will keep my +promise, never fear; and some day or other everyone shall know that you +had nothing to do with giving that fellow the end he deserved." + +Julian was marched along the quay for some distance, and then through +the streets till they came to a large building. The sergeant rang the +bell at the gate. When it was opened he entered with Julian, leaving the +two soldiers without. A sub-officer of the prison came up, and the +sergeant handed to him a paper, which was an order signed by the mayor +for the governor of the prison to receive an English sailor, name +unknown, age twenty-one, who had been picked up at sea by the master of +the French lugger _Lucille_. The official gave a receipt to the sergeant +for the prisoner, and a warder then led Julian away to a vaulted hall, +where some forty or fifty men were either lying on some straw or were +walking up and down in the endeavour to warm themselves. Julian saw at +once that they were English sailors, although their clothes were for the +most part ragged and torn. + +"Hulloa, mate!" one of them said as the door closed behind him. "Have +you come all alone? For the most part we arrive in batches. Where do you +hail from, and what was your ship?" + +"I hail from Weymouth," Julian replied cheerfully, his habit of making +the best of things at once asserting itself. "I don't know that I can be +said to belong to any ship, but I made the passage across in a French +smuggling lugger, the _Lucille_. I suppose I ought to feel indebted to +them, for they brought me across without asking for any passage-money; +but they have played me a dirty trick here, for they have handed me over +to the authorities, as far as I can understand the matter, as a +man-of-war sailor they have picked up." + +"What were you doing on board?" another sailor asked. "Did you have to +leave England in a hurry?" + +"I left in a hurry because I could not help it. Going across the hills I +came quite accidentally upon one of the smugglers' hiding-places, and +was seized before I had time to say a word. There was a little +discussion among themselves as to what they would do with me, and I +should have had my throat cut if an Englishman among them had not known +that I was friends with most of the fishermen there, and had been +present once or twice when a cargo was run. So they finally made up +their minds to bring me over here, and as they feared I might, if I +returned, peach as to their hiding-place, they trumped up this story +about me, and handed me over to the French to take care of." + +"Well, that story will do just as well as another," one of the sailors +laughed. "As to their taking care of you, beyond looking sharp that you +don't get away, the care they give you ain't worth speaking of. We are +pretty nigh starved, and pretty nigh frozen. Well, there is one thing, +we shall get out of it in two or three days, for we hear that we are all +to be marched off somewhere. A batch generally goes off once a +fortnight." + +"Are you mostly men-of-war's men?" + +"None of us, at least not when we were taken, though I reckon most of us +have had a spell at it one time or other. No; we all belong to two ships +that were captured by a couple of their confounded privateers. The one I +belonged to was bound for Sicily with stores for some of the troops +stationed there; the other lot were on their way to the Tagus. They +caught us off Finisterre within a couple of days of each other. We both +made a fight of it, and if we had been together when they came up, we +might have beaten them off; but we had not any chance single-handed +against two of them, for they both carried much heavier metal than we +did. I don't think we should have resisted if we had not thought that +the noise of the guns might have brought one of our cruisers up. But we +had no such luck, and so here we are." + +"I suppose, lad, you haven't got anything to pay your footing with? They +did not leave us a _sou_ in our pockets, and I don't suppose the +smugglers were much more generous to you." + +"Yes, they were," Julian said. "I have a guinea and some odd silver. I +will keep the odd silver for the present, for it may come in handy later +on; but here is the guinea, and if there are any means of getting +anything with it, order what you like." + +There was a shout of satisfaction, followed by an animated debate as to +how the money should be spent. Julian learnt that there was no +difficulty in obtaining liquor in the prison, as one of the warders had +permission to sell it in quantities not exceeding one glass, for which +the charge was four _sous_, and also that prisoners with money could +send out for food. After much discussion, it was finally settled that +forty-five pints of soup and the same number of rations of rum should be +obtained. The soup was but three _sous_ a pint, which would leave them +enough for a tot of grog all round next day. One of them, who had been +first mate on board--for Julian found that only the masters had separate +treatment as officers--went across to the man who supplied liquor. The +warder soon returned with him, carrying four bottles, a large stone jar +of water, and two or three small tin cups. The mate, who spoke French +pretty fluently, had a sharp argument with him as to the amount in +French money that he should receive as change out of the guinea; and as +he had learnt from one of the last batch that had been sent away, the +proper rate of exchange in the town, he finally got the best of it, and +the work of serving out the liquor then began. + +A few of the sailors tossed off their allowance without water, but most +of them took it half and half, so as to make it go further. Undoubtedly +if the warder would have sold more than one allowance to each man the +whole of the guinea would at once have been laid out, but he was firm on +this point. Soon afterwards the prisoners' dinner was brought in. It +consisted of a slice of black bread to each man and a basin of very thin +broth, and Julian was not surprised at the hungry look that he had +noticed on the men's faces. + +"Pretty poor fare, isn't it, mate?" one of them said as he observed the +air of disfavour with which Julian regarded his rations. "It has been a +matter of deep calculation with these French fellows as to how little +would do just to keep a man alive, and I reckon they have got it to a +nicety. This is what we have three times a day, and I don't know whether +one is most hungry when one turns in at night, or when one turns out in +the morning. However, we shall be better off to-night. We get our supper +at six, and at eight we shall get in that stuff you paid for. It is a +precious deal better than this, I can tell you; for one of our chums +managed to hide two or three shillings when they searched us, and got +some in, and it was good, and no mistake; and they give half a slice of +bread with each pint. It is better bread than this black stuff they give +us in prison. Though an English dog would turn up his nose at it, still +it helps to fill up." + +The second supper was voted a great success, and after it was eaten, the +men, cheered by its warmth, and freed for a time from the annoying +feeling of hunger they generally experienced, became quite merry. +Several songs were sung, but at the conclusion of a grand chorus an +armed warder came in and ordered them to be silent. + +"If the governor hears you making that row," he said, "you will have one +of your meals cut off to-morrow." + +The threat was effectual, and the men lay down in the straw as close as +they could get to each other for warmth, as by this means the thin rug +each had served out to him sufficed to spread over two bodies, and their +covering was thus doubled. Julian had really another guinea besides the +silver in his pocket, but he had thought it better to make no mention of +this, as in case of his ever being able to make his escape, it would be +of vital service to him. The following day there was another council +over the ten francs still remaining. A few would have spent it in +another allowance of rum all round, but finally, by an almost unanimous +vote, it was determined that fifteen clay pipes should be obtained, and +the rest laid out in tobacco. The forty-five were solemnly divided into +three watches. Each member of a watch was to have a pipe, which was to +be filled with tobacco. This he could smoke fast or slow as he chose, +or, if he liked, could use the tobacco for chewing. At the end of half +an hour the pipes were to be handed over to the next watch, and so on in +regular order until evening. + +This plan was carried out, and afforded unbounded satisfaction, and many +loudly regretted that it had not been thought of at first, as the money +spent on grog would have largely extended the time the tobacco would +hold out. So jealous did the men become of their store of tobacco that +the mate was requested to fill all the pipes, as some of the men in +helping themselves rammed their pipes so closely that they held double +the proper allowance of tobacco. This treat at once established Julian +as a popular character, and upon his lamenting, when talking to the +mate, his inability to speak French, the latter offered to teach him as +much as he could. Directly he began three or four of the younger sailors +asked to be allowed to listen, a school was established in one corner of +the room, and for several hours a day work went on, both master and +pupils finding that it greatly shortened the long weary hours of +idleness. + +Three weeks passed without change. Then they were told that next morning +they would be marched away to make room for another batch of prisoners +that had been brought into the fort that afternoon. All were glad of the +change, first, because it was a change, and next, because they all +agreed they could not be worse off anywhere than they were at Nantes. +They were mustered at daybreak, formed up in fours, and with a guard of +twenty soldiers with loaded muskets marched out from the prison gates. +The first day's journey was a long one. Keeping along the north bank of +the Loire, they marched to Angers, which they did not reach until night +was falling. Many of the men, wholly unaccustomed to walking, were +completely worn out before they reached their destination, but as a +whole, with the exception of being somewhat footsore, they arrived in +fair condition. Julian marched by the side of the first mate, and the +lesson in French was a long one, and whiled away the hours on the road. + +"It would not be difficult for us, if we were to pass the word down, to +fall suddenly on our guards and overpower them," the mate said in one of +the pauses of their talk. "A few of us might be shot, but as soon as we +had knocked some of them over and got their arms, we should easily make +an end of the rest. The difficulty would be what to do afterwards." + +"That is a difficulty there is no getting over," Julian said. "With the +exception of yourself, there is not one who speaks French well." + +"I don't speak it well," the mate said. "I know enough to get on with, +but the first person that I addressed would see at once that I was a +foreigner. No; we should all be in the same boat, and a very bad boat it +would be. We should all be hunted down in the course of twenty-four +hours, and I expect would be shot twelve hours afterwards. I think that +instead of sending twenty men with us they might safely have sent only +two, for it would be simply madness to try to escape. If one alone could +manage to slip off there would be some chance for him. There is no doubt +that the Bretons are bitterly opposed to the present state of things, +and have not forgotten how they suffered in their rising early in the +days of the Republic. They would probably conceal a runaway, and might +pass him along through their woods to St. Malo or one of the other +seaports, and thence a passage across might be obtained in a smuggler, +but it would be a hazardous job." + +"Too hazardous for me to care to undertake, even if I got the chance to +slip away," Julian said. + +"You are right, mate; nothing short of a big reward would tempt any of +the smugglers to run the risk of carrying an escaped prisoner out of the +country; and as I have not a penny in my pocket, and nothing to draw on +at home--for there is only my pay due up to the date we were captured +when we were only eight days out--I should not have the slightest chance +of getting away. No; I shall take whatever comes. I expect we are in for +it to the end of the war, though when that will be is more than any man +can tell." + +They were marched into the prison at Angers, where they were provided +with a much more bountiful meal than they had been accustomed to, a good +allowance of straw, and two blankets each. To their great satisfaction +they were not called at daybreak, and on questioning one of the warders +who brought in their breakfast, the first mate learnt that after the +march to Angers it was customary to allow a day's rest to the prisoners +going through. They were ready for the start on the following morning, +and stopped for that night at La Flèche. The next march was a long one +to Vendôme, and at this place they again halted for a day. Stopping for +a night at Beaugency, they marched to Orleans, where was a large prison. +Here they remained for a week. The guards who had accompanied them from +Nantes left them here at Orleans and returned by water. + +From Orleans they struck more to the north, and after ten days' marching +arrived at Verdun, which was, they learned, their final destination. +Here there were fully a thousand English prisoners, for the most part +sailors. The greater portion of them were lodged in wooden huts erected +in a great courtyard surrounded by a high wall. The food was coarse, but +was much more abundant than it had been at Nantes. The newly arrived +party were quartered together in one of the huts. + +Night and day sentries were posted on the wall, along which a wooden +platform, three feet from the top, permitted them to pass freely; on +this sentry-boxes were erected at short intervals. As soon as their +escort had left them, the newcomers were surrounded by sailors eager to +learn the last news from England--how the war was going on, and what +prospect there was of peace. As soon as their curiosity was satisfied, +the crowd speedily dispersed. Julian was struck with the air of listless +indifference that prevailed among the prisoners, but it was not long +before he quite understood it. Cut off from all news, without hope of +escape or exchange, it was difficult for even the most light-hearted to +retain their spirits. + +As sailors, the men were somewhat better able to support the dull +hopelessness of their lives than others would have been. Most of them +were handy in some way or other, and as they were permitted by the +authorities to make anything they could, they passed much of their time +in working at something or other. Some cut out and rigged model ships, +others knitted, some made quilts from patches purchased for a trifle by +the warders for them in the town, some made fancy boxes of straw, others +carved walking-sticks, paper-cutters, and other trifles. + +Each day, two or three of their number had permission to go down into +the town to sell their own and their comrades' manufactures, and to buy +materials. There was a fair sale for most of the articles, for these +were bought not only by the townspeople, but by pedlars, who carried +them through the country. The prices obtained were small, but they +afforded a profit over the money laid out in materials, sufficient to +purchase tobacco and other little luxuries--the introduction of spirits +into the prison being, however, strictly forbidden. Of more importance +than the money they earned, was the relief to the tedium of their life +in the work itself. Julian found a similar relief in studying French. +There were some among the prisoners who spoke the language far better +than did the mate, and after three months' work with the latter, Julian +was advised by him to obtain a better teacher. He found no difficulty in +getting one, who spoke French really well, to talk with him three or +four hours a day on condition of being supplied with tobacco during that +time; and as tobacco was very cheap, and could be always bought from the +soldiers, Julian's store of money was not much diminished by the outlay. + +He himself had now regularly taken to smoking; not at first because he +liked it, but because he saw how much it cheered and comforted his +comrades, who, however, generally used it in the sailor fashion of +chewing. Escape was never talked of. The watch kept was extremely +strict, and as on getting outside of the walls of the courtyard, they +would but find themselves in a town girt in by walls and fortifications, +the risk was altogether too great to be encountered. It had been +attempted many times, but in the great majority of cases the fugitives +had been shot, and their bodies had always been brought back to the +prison in order to impress the others with the uselessness of the +attempt. A very few, indeed, had got away; at least, it was supposed +that they had done so, as their bodies had not been brought back; but it +was generally considered that the chances were enormously against their +being able to make their way over the wide extent of country between +Verdun and the sea, and then to succeed in obtaining a passage to some +neutral port, from which they could make their way to England. Several +times offers of freedom were made to such of the prisoners as +volunteered to enter the French army or navy, but very few availed +themselves of them. + +At the end of ten months, Julian was able to speak French fluently. +Large bodies of troops were continually marching through the town bound +for the east, and the prisoners learned from the guards that the general +belief was that Napoleon intended to invade Russia. + +"I have a good mind to enlist," Julian said one day, to his friend the +mate. "Of course, nothing would persuade me to do so if it were a +question of fighting against the English. But now that I have learnt +French fairly, I begin to find this life horrible, and am longing +intensely to be doing something. There are the reasons that I have +already told you of why, even if I were free, I could not go home. I +might as well be taking part in this campaign as staying in prison. +Besides, I should have infinitely better chances of escape as a soldier +than we have here, and if I find I don't like it, I can at least try to +get off." + +"Well, placed as you are, Wyatt, I don't know that I should not be +inclined to do the same. At any rate, you would be seeing something of +life, instead of living like a caged monkey here. Of course, as you say, +no one would dream of such a thing if one would have to go to Spain to +fight our fellows there. Still, if by any chance, after this Russian +business, your regiment was ordered back to France, and then to Spain, +you would at any rate have a fair chance of escaping on such a journey. +I would not do it myself, because I have a wife at home. One hopes, +slight as the chance seems to be, that some day there will be a general +exchange of prisoners. But as you can't go home, I don't know but that +it would be a good plan for you to do what you propose. At any rate, +your life as a soldier would be a thousand times better than this dog's +existence." + +"I could put up with that for myself, but it is awful seeing many of the +men walking about with their heads down, never speaking for hours, and +the pictures of hopeless melancholy. See how they die off, not from +hunger or fever, for we have enough to eat, but wasting away and dying +from home-sickness, and because they have nothing to live for. Why, of +the forty-five of us who came up together, ten have gone already; and +there are three or four others who won't last long. It is downright +heartbreaking; and now that I have no longer anything to keep my +thoughts employed a good part of the day, I begin to feel it myself. I +catch myself saying, what is the use of it all, it would be better make +a bolt and have done with it. I can quite understand the feelings of +that man who was shot last week. He ran straight out of the gate; he had +no thought of escape; he simply did it to be shot down by the sentries, +instead of cutting his own throat. I don't believe I could stand it +much longer, Jim; and even if I were certain of being killed by a +Russian ball I think I should go." + +"Go then, lad," the man said. "I have always thought that you have borne +up very well; but I know it is even worse for you than it is for us +sailors. We are accustomed to be cooped up for six months at a time on +board a ship, without any news from outside; with nothing to do save to +see that the decks are washed, and the brasses polished, except when +there is a shift of wind or a gale. But to anyone like yourself, I can +understand that it must be terrible; and if you feel getting into that +state, I should say go by all means." + +"I will give you a letter before I enlist, Jim; and I will get you, when +you are exchanged, to go down with it yourself to Weymouth, and tell +them what became of me, and why I went into the French army. Don't let +them think that I turned traitor. I would shoot myself rather than run +the risk of having to fight Englishmen. But when it is a choice between +fighting Russians and going out of my mind, I prefer shouldering a +French musket. I will write the letter to-day. There is no saying when +they may next call for volunteers; for, as you know, those who step +forward are taken away at once, so as to prevent their being persuaded +by the others into drawing back." + +The next day Julian wrote his letter. He recapitulated the arguments he +had used to the mate, and bade Frank and his aunt a final farewell. "I +may, of course, get through the campaign," he said. "The French soldiers +here seem to think that they will sweep the Russians before them, but +that is their way. They talked of sweeping us out of the Peninsula, and +they haven't done it yet; and there is no doubt that the Russians are +good soldiers, and will make a big fight of it. I hope you won't feel +cut up about this, and really I care little whether I leave my bones in +Russia or not. It may be twenty years or even longer before that fellow +Markham's letter arrives to clear me. And until then I cannot return to +England, or at any rate to Weymouth; indeed, wherever I was, I should +live with the knowledge that I might at any moment be recognized and +arrested. Therefore while others here have some hope of a return home, +either by an exchange of prisoners or by the war coming to an end, I +have nothing to look forward to. So you see, old fellow, that it is as +well as it is. + +"I have to earn my own living somehow, and this way will suit me better +than most. Only, of one thing be sure, that if at the end of the Russian +war I return alive, and my regiment is sent where there is a chance of +fighting our people, I shall take an opportunity of deserting. As I have +told you, I can speak French fairly well now, and after a few months in +a French regiment I shall be able to pass as a native, and should have a +good chance of making my way somehow through the country to the +frontier. My idea at present is that I should make for Genoa and ship +there as a sailor on board an Italian vessel, or, better still, if we +happen to be masters of the place, or our fleet near, should either +enlist in one of our regiments, or ship on board one of our men-of-war. +I should, of course, take another name, and merely say that I had been +captured by the French at sea, had been a prisoner at Verdun, and had +managed to get free, and make my way across the country. Probably in any +case I shall do this when the regiment returns from Russia. Two or three +years' absence, and a fair share of the hardships of a soldier's life, +and a disguise, might enable me without detection to travel down to +Weymouth and see Aunt, and learn if there had been any news from +Markham. + +"Whether I shall find you there or not I can't tell. I have but little +hope that you will be able to get a commission. This affair of mine +will be, I fear, an absolute bar to that. But, wherever you may be, I +shall do my best to find you out, after I have seen Aunt. This will be +given you by a good fellow named Jim Thompson. He has been a first mate, +and has been a good friend to me ever since I have been over here. If he +is exchanged, he will bring it to you; if not, he will give it to one of +the men who is exchanged to post it on his arrival in England. I shall +direct it both to you and Aunt, so that if you are away from Weymouth +she will open it. God bless you both." + +Three days later a notice was posted in the prison saying that any of +the prisoners who chose to volunteer for service in Germany were at +liberty to do so. They would not be called upon at any future time for +service against British troops, but would have the liberty to exchange +into regiments destined for other service. Eight men, including Julian, +came forward, when, an hour later, a French officer entered and called +for volunteers. Julian had already announced his intention of doing so +to his comrades in the hut, and to his other acquaintances. + +"You see," he said, "we shall not be called upon for service against the +English, and I would rather fight the Russians than stay in this place +for years." + +Hitherto the men who had volunteered had been hooted by their +fellow-prisoners as they went out, but the promise that they should not +be called upon for service against British troops made a great +difference in the feeling with which the offer was regarded, and had it +not been for the hope that everyone felt that he should ere long be +exchanged, the number who stepped forward would have been greatly +increased. A strong French division had marched into Verdun that +morning, and the new volunteers were all divided among different corps. +Julian, who now stood over six feet, was told off to a Grenadier +regiment. A uniform was at once given to him from those carried with +the baggage of the regiment, and the sergeant of the company in which he +had been placed took him to its barrack-room. + +"Comrades," he said, "here is a new recruit. He is an Englishman who has +the good sense to prefer fighting the Russians to rotting in prison. He +is a brave fellow, and speaks our language well, and I think you will +find him a good comrade. He has handed over twenty francs to pay his +footing in the company. You must not regard him as a traitor to his +country, my friends, for he has received from the colonel a paper +authorizing him to exchange into a regiment destined for other service, +in case, after we have done with the Russians, we should be sent to some +place where we should have to fight against his countrymen." + +In half an hour Julian felt at home with his new comrades. They differed +greatly in age: some among them had grown grizzly in the service, and +had fought in all the wars of the Republic and Empire; others were lads +not older than himself, taken but a month or two before from the plough. +After they had drunk the liquor purchased with his twenty francs, they +patted him on the back and drank to the health of Jules Wyatt, for +Julian had entered under his own surname, and his Christian name was at +once converted to its French equivalent. With his usual knack of making +friends, he was soon on excellent terms with them all, joined in their +choruses, and sang some English songs whose words he had as an exercise +translated into French, and when the men lay down for the night on their +straw pallets it was generally agreed that the new comrade was a fine +fellow and an acquisition to the company. + +The division was to halt for two days at Verdun, and the time was spent, +as far as Julian was concerned, in the hands of a sergeant, who kept him +hard at work all day acquiring the elements of drill. On the third +morning the regiment marched off at daybreak, Julian taking his place +in the ranks, with his knapsack and firelock. After the long confinement +in the prison he found his life thoroughly enjoyable. Sometimes they +stopped in towns, where they were either quartered in barracks or +billeted on the inhabitants; sometimes they slept under canvas or in the +open air, and this Julian preferred, as they built great fires and +gathered round them in merry groups. The conscripts had by this time got +over their home-sickness, and had caught the martial enthusiasm of their +older comrades. All believed that the Grande Armée would be invincible, +and fears were even expressed that the Russians would not venture to +stand against them. Some of the older men, however, assured them that +there was little chance of this. + +"The Russians are hardy fighters, comrades," one of the veterans said. +"_Parbleu!_ I who tell you, have fought against them, and they are not +to be despised. They are slow at manuoevring, but put them in a place +and tell them to hold it, and they will do it to the last. I fought at +Austerlitz against the Austrians, and at Jena against the Prussians, and +in a score of other battles in Germany and Italy, and I tell you that +the Russians are the toughest enemies I have met, save only your +Islanders, Jules. I was at Talavera, and the way your people held that +hill after the cowardly Spaniards had bolted and left them, and at last +rolled us down it, was a thing I don't want to see again. I was wounded +and sent home to be patched up, and that is how I come to be here +marching against Russia instead of being under Soult in Spain. No, +comrades, you take my word for it, big as our army will be, we shall +have some tough fighting to do before we get to Moscow or St. +Petersburg, whichever the Little Corporal intends to dictate terms in." + +"It is as you say, Victor," one of the other veterans said, "and it is +all the better. It would be too bad if we had to march right across +Europe and back without firing a shot, but I, who know the Russians +too, feel sure that that will never be." + +Many a merry martial song was sung at the bivouac fires, many a story of +campaigns and battles told, and no thought of failure entered the minds +of anyone, from the oldest veteran to the youngest drummer-boy. Of an +evening, after halting, Julian generally had half an hour's drill, +until, three weeks after leaving Verdun, he was pronounced fit to take +part in a review under the eyes of the Emperor himself. His readiness to +oblige, even to undertaking sentry duty for a comrade who had grown +footsore on the march, or was suffering from some temporary ailment, his +cheeriness and good temper, had by this time rendered him a general +favourite in the company, and when he was dismissed from drill the +veterans were always ready to give him lessons with the sabre or rapier +in addition to those he received from the _maître d'armes_ of the +regiment. Julian entered into these exercises with great earnestness. +Quarrels between the men were not infrequent, and these were always +settled by the sabre or straight sword, the officers' permission being +necessary before these duels took place. It was seldom that their +consequences were very serious. The _maître d'armes_ was always present, +and put a stop to the fight as soon as blood was drawn. At present +Julian was on the best terms with all his comrades, but he felt that, if +he should become involved in a quarrel, he of all men must be ready to +vindicate his honour and to show that, Englishman as he was, he was not +a whit behind his comrades in his readiness to prove his courage. Thus, +then, he worked with ardour, and ere long became able to hold his own +even with the veterans of the regiment. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +PISTOL PRACTICE + + +"You are a rum fellow, Wyatt," one of the captains of the depôt of his +regiment said to Frank a fortnight after he joined. + +"How am I rum?" + +"Why, about that Russian fellow. I never heard of a young cornet +setting-to to work like a nigger, when there is no occasion in the world +for him to do so." + +"There is no absolute occasion perhaps, but you see Russian may be very +useful some day." + +"Well, yes, and so might any other out-of-the-way language." + +"It is an off-chance, no doubt; still it is better to be doing something +that may turn out useful than to be walking up and down the High Street +or playing billiards. I don't spend much time over it now, for there is +a good deal to do in learning one's work, but when I once get out of the +hands of the drill-sergeant and the riding-master I shall have a lot of +time to myself, and shall be very glad to occupy some of it in getting +up Russian." + +"Of course it is your own business and not mine, Wyatt; but I am afraid +you won't find things very pleasant if you take a line of your own and +don't go with the rest." + +"I have no wish not to go with the rest," Frank protested. "When there +is anything to be done, whether it is hunting or any sort of sport, I +shall certainly take my share in it; but don't you think yourself, +Captain Lister, that it is much better for a fellow to spend part of his +time reasonably than in lounging about, or in playing billiards or +cards?" + +"I don't say that it isn't better, Wyatt, but that is hardly the +question. Many things may be better than others, but if a fellow doesn't +go with the run he gets himself disliked, and has a very hard time of +it." + +"I used to hear a good deal of the same thing when I was at school," +Frank said quietly, "but I don't think I was disliked for sticking to +work sometimes, when other fellows were playing. Surely when one is from +morning till night with other men, it can matter to no one but himself +if he gives two or three hours a day to work." + +"It does not matter to anyone, Wyatt. I am quite willing to grant it, +but for all that, I am afraid, if you stick to it, you will have to put +up with a great deal of chaff, and not always of a good-natured kind." + +"I can put up with any amount of chaff," Frank replied; "I mean chaff in +its proper sense. Anything that goes beyond that, I shall, I hope, be +able to meet as it deserves. Perhaps it would be better if I were to +take half an hour a day off my Russian studies and to spend that time in +the pistol-gallery." + +Captain Lister looked at him earnestly. "I think you will do, +youngster," he said approvingly, "that is the right spirit. There is a +lot of rough fun and larking in a regiment, and the man that goes +through it best, is he who can take a joke good-temperedly as long as it +does not go beyond the bounds of moderation, but who is ready to resent +any wilful insult: but I think you would be very wise to do as you say. +Half an hour in a pistol-gallery every day is likely to be of vastly +more use to you than any amount of Russian. The reputation that a man is +a crack shot with a pistol will do more than anything in the world to +keep him out of quarrels. Here at the depôt at any rate, where the +fellows are for the most part young, it would certainly save you a good +deal of annoyance if it were known that, although not by any means a +quarrelsome fellow, you were determined to put up with nothing beyond +good-humoured jokes. Well, lad, I don't want to interfere with your +hobby, only I advise you not to ride it too hard, at any rate at first. +When the men all know you and get to like you, and see that, apart from +this fancy of yours, you are an all-round good fellow, as I can see you +are, they will let you go your own way. At any rate, as captain of your +troop, I will do all I can to make things pleasant for you, but don't +forget about the pistol practice. At a depôt like this, where there are +half a dozen regiments represented, you will meet with a larger +proportion of disagreeable men than you would in your own ante-room. You +see, if colonels have such men, they are glad enough to rid the regiment +of them by leaving them at the depôt, and any serious trouble is more +likely to come from one of them than from anyone in your own regiment." + +"I will take your advice, certainly," Frank said; "the more so that the +time spent in learning to be a good shot with a pistol will be most +useful in a campaign, even if there is no occasion ever to put it to the +test when at home." + +"There is a gunsmith in St. Margaret's Street. It is a small shop, but +the man, Woodall is his name, has got a long shed that he uses as a +pistol-gallery, a quarter of a mile out beyond the gate. He is an +admirable shot himself as well as an excellent workman, and you can't do +better than go to him. Tell him that you want to become a good shot with +the pistol, and are willing to pay for lessons. If he takes you in hand +it won't be long before he turns you out as a fair shot, whether you +ever get beyond that depends on nerve and eye, and I should think that +you have no lack of either." + +"I hope not," Frank said, with a smile. "At any rate I will see him this +afternoon." + +"Put on your cap at once, and I will go down with you," Captain Lister +said; "and mind, I think if I were you I should say nothing about it at +the depôt until he tells you that he has done with you. Knowing that +the man is a learner might have just the opposite effect of hearing that +he is a crack shot." + +In a quarter of an hour they arrived at the gunsmith's. "Woodall," +Captain Lister said, "my friend, Mr. Wyatt, who has lately joined, has a +fancy for becoming a first-rate pistol shot." + +"He couldn't have a more useful fancy, Captain Lister. My idea is, that +every cavalry-man--trooper as well as officer--should be a dead shot +with a pistol. The sword is all very well, and I don't say it is not a +useful weapon, but a regiment that could shoot--really shoot well--would +be a match for any three French regiments, though they were Boney's +best."' + +"He wants you take him in hand yourself, Woodall, if you can spare the +time to do so; of course, he is ready to pay you for your time and +trouble, and would meet you at any hour you like to name in the +afternoon at your shed." + +"All right, sir. It is a rum thing to me that, while every officer is +ready to take any pains to learn the sword exercise, they seem to think +that pistol-shooting comes by nature, and that, even on horseback, in +the middle of the confusion of a charge, you have only got to point your +pistol and bring down your man. The thing is downright ridiculous! It +will be a pleasure to teach you, Mr. Wyatt. I should say, from your +look, you are likely to turn out a first-rate shot." + +"It won't be for want of trying if I don't," Frank replied. + +"If you will take my advice, sir, you will learn to shoot with both +hands. For a civilian who never wants to use a pistol except in a duel, +the right hand is all that is necessary, but for a cavalry-man, the left +is the useful hand. You see an officer always carries his sword in his +right hand, and if he has got to shift it to his left before he can use +his pistol, he could never use it at all, if hard pressed in a fight. +Another thing is, that the left side is the weak side of a horseman. +His sword is all right in defending him if attacked on the right, but if +he is attacked on the left he is fighting under a big disadvantage. He +has much more difficulty in guarding himself on that side, and he has +nothing like the same reach for striking as he has on the other." + +"That is quite true, now I come to think of it," Frank said; "though I +never gave it a thought before. Yes, I see that the left hand is the +most useful one, and I will practice with that as well as with the +other. Well, what hour will suit you?" + +"It don't make much difference to me, sir; the evenings are getting +longer; you can see well enough until five." + +"Well, then, shall we say half-past four?" + +"Half-past four will suit very well, Mr. Wyatt. It is four o'clock now, +so if you like to take your first lesson to-day I will meet you at the +shed in half an hour. You cannot miss the place, it is on the right side +of the road and stands by itself, and there is my name over the door." + +"Thank you; I will be there," Frank replied. + +"I may as well come with you, Wyatt," Captain Lister said. "I will fire +a few shots myself, for I have had no practice for the last two years, +and I have a fancy to see what I can do with my left hand. I have never +tried with it, and I quite agree with Woodall that it is the left hand +that a cavalry-man should use." + +Frank was a good deal surprised at first to see how much more difficult +it was to hit a mark, even at the distance of twelve paces, than he +imagined that it would be. Woodall would not allow him to take aim. + +"You will never get a chance to do that, Mr. Wyatt, in a fight; you have +got to whip out your pistol, to throw up your arm and fire. It has got +to be done by instinct rather than by aim. It is all very well to aim +when you are on your feet and standing perfectly steady, but on a horse +half-mad with excitement, and perhaps going at a gallop, you could no +more hold your arm steady on a mark than you could fly. Put down the +pistol for a time. Now you know, sir, when you point at a thing with +your first finger extended, however quickly you do it, you will be there +or thereabout, and it is the same thing if you have got a pistol in your +hand. You see that black patch on the wall to the right of the target. +Now turn your back to it. Now, when I give the word, turn on your heels, +and the moment your eye catches that patch throw up your arm with your +forefinger extended and point to it. When you get it up there, hold it +as steady as you can. Now, sir!" + +Frank did as he was ordered. + +"Now, sir, look along your arm. You see you are pointing very nearly at +the centre of the patch. You are just a little high. Now try it with +your left. There, you see, you are not quite so accurate this time--you +are six inches to the left of the patch, and nearly a foot high. +Remember that it's always better to aim a little low than a little high, +for the tendency of the hand in the act of pulling the trigger is to +raise the muzzle. Now, sir, try that half a dozen times, using the hands +alternately. Very good! Now take this empty pistol--no, don't hold it +like that! Not one man in twenty, ay, not one in a hundred, holds a +pistol right, they always want to get the first finger on the trigger. +Now, you want the first finger to point with, the second finger is quite +as good to pull with, in fact better, for going straight, as it does, +with the arm, there is less tendency to throw up the muzzle. Now take it +like this; you see my forefinger lies along in the line of the barrel, +that is the really important point. Get into the way of always grasping +your pistol so that the first finger is in an exact line with the +barrel, then, you see, just as your finger naturally follows your eye +and points at the spot, so your pistol must be in the same line. It is +best to have the middle and third fingers both on the trigger, and the +little finger and thumb alone grasping the butt. + +"You will find that a little difficult at first, but you will soon get +accustomed to it, and your little finger will rapidly gain strength, +and, you see, the hold of your first finger along the barrel helps the +other two to steady it. By having the middle and third fingers both on +the trigger, you give a pressure rather than a pull to it, and they will +soon come to give that pressure at the very moment when the first finger +gets on the mark aimed at. Now try it half a dozen times with the pistol +unloaded, and after pressing the trigger keep your hand and arm in as +nearly the same position, so as to see if it is pointing truly at the +mark. Very good! Now try with the left hand. There, you see, that hand +is not so accustomed to its work, and though you might have hit the +target, I doubt if either of the shots would have struck the inner +circle. Now we will try with the pistol loaded." + +Six shots were fired alternately with the right and left hand. Those of +the former were all within a few inches of the bull's-eye, while none of +the others went wide of the outside. + +"Very good, indeed," the gunsmith said. "I don't hesitate to say that in +a very short time you will become a fair shot, and at the end of three +months, if you practise regularly, a first-class one. Your hand is very +steady, your eye true, and you have plenty of nerve. Now, sir, I should +advise you to keep that unloaded pistol in the drawer of your table, and +whenever you have nothing else to do, spend five minutes in taking quick +aims at marks on the wall, using your hands alternately. Now, Captain +Lister, will you try a few shots?" + +Taking a steady aim, Captain Lister put his bullets almost every time +into the bull's-eye, but, to Frank's surprise, when he came to try +quick firing in the way he had himself done, the captain's shooting was +much less accurate than his own. + +"It is a question of eye," the gunsmith said next day, when Frank was +alone with him. "You see Captain Lister's shooting was fair when he took +a steady aim, but directly he came to fire as he would in action, and +that without the disturbing influences of excitement and of the motion +of his horse, he was nowhere. He did not even once hit the target in +firing with his left hand. He would certainly have missed his man and +would have got cut down a moment later, and even with his right hand his +shooting was very wild." + +Captain Lister himself was evidently disconcerted at finding how useless +his target practice would be to him in the field, and, two or three +times in the next week, went with Frank to practise. He improved with +his right hand, but did not seem to obtain any accuracy in firing with +his left, while Frank, at the end of a month, came to shoot as well with +one hand as with the other. + +Frank worked steadily at Russian, and although he found it extremely +difficult at first, soon began to make progress under his teacher, who +took the greatest pains with him. He soon got over the good-tempered +chaff of the subalterns of his detachment, who, finding that he was at +other times always ready to join in anything going on, and was wholly +unruffled by their jokes, soon gave it up. They agreed among themselves +that he was a queer fellow, and allowed him to go his own way without +interference. At the end of three months he was discharged from drill +and riding school, and had thenceforth a great deal more time on his +hands, and was able to devote three hours of a morning and two of an +afternoon to Russian. + +He was delighted with his master, whom he came to esteem highly, finding +him a most intelligent companion as well as an unwearied teacher. +Strelinski, indeed, would have been glad to have devoted twelve hours a +day instead of five, could Frank have afforded the time. He was a very +different man now to what he was when he had first called at Sir Robert +Wilson's lodgings. He looked well and happy; his cheeks had filled out, +and he carried himself well; he dressed with scrupulous care, and when +Frank had no engagement with his comrades, the Pole accompanied him on +long rides on his spare charger, he having been accustomed to riding +from his childhood. From him Frank learned a great deal of the state of +things in Poland and Russia, and gained a considerable insight into +European politics, besides picking up a more intimate colloquial +knowledge of Russian than he gained at his lessons. Of an evening Frank +not unfrequently went to parties in the town. The gallant deeds of our +troops in Spain had raised the military to great popularity throughout +the country, and the houses of all the principal inhabitants of +Canterbury were hospitably opened to officers of the garrison. + +Many of the young men preferred billiards and cards in the mess-room, +but Frank, who declined to play billiards, and had not acquired +sufficient skill at cards to take a hand at whist, was very glad to +accept these invitations. He specially enjoyed going to the houses of +the clergy in the precincts of the cathedral; most of them were very +musical, and Frank, who had never heard much music at Weymouth, enjoyed +intensely the old English glees, madrigals, and catches performed with a +perfection that at that time would have been hard to meet with except in +cathedral towns. + +After three months the gunmaker no longer accompanied Frank to his +shooting-gallery. + +"It would be robbing you to go on with you any longer, Mr. Wyatt. When a +man can turn round, fire on the instant and hit a penny nine times out +of ten at a distance of twelve paces, there is no one can teach him +anything more. You have the best eye of any gentleman I ever came +across, and in the twenty years that I have been here I have had +hundreds of officers at this gallery, many of them considered crack +shots. But I should go on practising, if I were you, especially with +your left hand. It is not quite so good as the right yet, although very +nearly so. I will come down once a week or so and throw up a ball to you +or spin a penny in the air; there is nothing like getting to hit a +moving object. In the meantime you can go on practising at that plummet +swinging from the string. You can do that as well by yourself as if I +were with you, for when you once set it going it will keep on for five +minutes. It is not so good as throwing up a penny, because it makes a +regular curve; but shooting, as you do, with your back to it, and so not +able to tell where it will be when you turn round, that don't so much +matter." + +"What is the best shooting you ever heard of?" + +"The best shot I ever heard tell of was Major Rathmines. He could hit a +penny thrown up into the air nineteen times out of twenty." + +"Well, I will go on practising until I can do that," Frank said. "If a +thing is worth doing it is worth doing well." + +"And you will do it, Mr. Wyatt; there is nothing you could not do with +practice." + +"There is one thing I wish you would do for me--that figure you have got +painted as a target is ridiculous. I wish you would get some one who has +an idea of painting to do another figure. I want it painted, not +standing square to me, but sideways, as a man stands when he fights a +duel. I want it drawn with the arm up, just in the same position that a +man would stand in firing. I hope I shall never be called upon to fight +a duel. I think it is a detestable practice; but unfortunately it is so +common that no one can calculate on keeping out of it--especially in the +army." + +"Well, sir, you need not be afraid of fighting a duel, for you fire so +mighty quick that you would be certain of getting in the first shot, +and if you got first shot there would be an end of it." + +"Yes, but that would be simple murder--neither more nor less, whatever +people might call it--and I doubt whether, accustomed as I am to fire +instantly the moment I catch sight of a thing, that I could help hitting +a man in the head. Now what I want to become accustomed to is to fire at +the hand. I should never forgive myself if I killed a man. But if ever I +did go out with a notorious duellist who forced the duel upon me, I +should like to stop his shooting for the rest of his life. So I want to +be able to hit his hand to a certainty. Of course the hand is an easy +enough mark, and by getting accustomed to the height and the exact +position it would be in, I should get to hit it without fail." + +"A very good idea, sir. The hand is not much of a mark when holding a +pistol, still it is a good bit bigger than a penny piece, and you would +soon get to hit it just as certainly." + +For the next three months Frank fired fifty shots a day--twenty-five +with each hand--and at the end of that time could hit a penny thrown up +by Woodall, eighteen times out of twenty. + +"That is good enough," he said; "now I shall only practise once a week, +to keep my hand in." + +Frank had not been without an incentive to gain exceptional proficiency +with a pistol. Although he got on very well with his comrades of his own +depôt, there was a captain of a lancer regiment who had not unfrequently +taxed his patience to its farthest limit. The man was a noted duellist, +and was known to be a dead shot. On the strength of this, he was in the +habit of making remarks so offensive, that they would have at once been +taken up, if uttered by anyone else in barracks. For the last two months +he had made a special butt of a young cornet, who had recently joined +the depôt of the Dragoons. He was a pleasant lad, with plenty of spirit +and pluck, but he had a slight impediment in his speech, although when +giving the word of command he never hesitated. It was this defect that +was the object of Captain Marshall's ill-natured remarks. The lad tried +to laugh them off and to ignore the offensiveness of the tone, but he +felt them deeply, and confided to Frank--to whom he had specially +taken--that he could not stand it much longer. + +"I never used a pistol in my life until you advised me the other day to +take some lessons from Woodall, and of course he would put a bullet +through my head; but I can't help that. As it is, everyone must think me +a coward for standing it, and at any rate I can show them that I am not +that." + +"Don't you mind, Wilmington," Frank said one day, "and don't make a fool +of yourself. You put up with it a little longer, and something may occur +to put a stop to it. He may go away on leave, or he may get a hint that +he had better retire from the service. I have heard that it is likely +enough that he will get a hint the next time he has an affair of this +sort. The last two were with civilians, and I believe that is the reason +why so few accept our invitations to mess; but I fancy if he gets into +trouble again with one of ourselves he will have to go." + +"Well, I will try to go on a little longer if you say so, Wyatt, but--" + +"There are no 'buts' in it, Wilmington. You must give me your word of +honour that you will go on as you have done. Don't be afraid of anyone +thinking you a coward. There is no cowardice in refusing to fight a man +who is so much your superior in skill that it would be nothing short of +suicide in standing up against him. I have a private reason for +believing that it won't last long." + +"In that case I will give you my word of honour, Frank." + +A week later there was an unusually large party at mess, the depôts were +very strong, and some forty officers sat down; and it being a guest +night, four or five civilians were present. Dinner went on without +incident until one of the mess waiters asked Wilmington whether he would +take sirloin of beef or goose. He replied, "B-b-b-b-beef." There +happened to be a slight lull in the conversation at the moment, and +Wilmington's effort to get the word out made him raise his voice so that +it was generally heard. + +"Waiter," Captain Marshall said loudly, "bring me some g-g-g-g-goose." + +Wilmington's face flushed and then turned deadly pale. He looked +appealingly at Frank, who was sitting next to him. The latter whispered, +"Remember your word of honour. Get up and leave the room." There was a +dead hush from those present as the young cornet rose and left the room, +and then a low murmur of indignation. Captain Marshall looked round +searchingly, as if to pick out one of those who had thus shown signs of +resentment. But directly the door closed upon Wilmington, Frank rose to +his feet. + +"I wish, Mr. President," he said in a clear, steady voice, "to ask you, +whether a man who, relying upon his skill with the pistol, wantonly +insults another, is not a blackguard and unfit for the society of +gentlemen?" + +Had a thunderbolt fallen in the room those present could not have been +more surprised. Some of Frank's comrades knew that he often went to +Woodall's shooting-gallery to practise with the pistol, but they had no +idea that he had attained any great skill in its use, and their +impression when he spoke was that he must have gone out of his mind thus +publicly to insult Marshall. The latter was at least as much astonished +as anyone else. He started as if struck with a blow, and then, leaning +across the table, he said in a low voice to Frank, who was sitting just +opposite to him: + +"Of course, you are prepared to answer to me for this, Mr. Wyatt?" + +"Certainly," Frank said carelessly; "and at any time you please." + +There was a strange hush in the dining-room until the cloth was removed. +The guests, under one excuse or another, took their departure almost +immediately after the king's health had been drunk; the officers talked +in low tones together, and very soon rose from the table. + +"Will you act for me, Captain Lister?" Frank said, going up to him +quietly. + +"Certainly, lad; but this is a horrible business. If it had been merely +an ordinary quarrel the colonel would have interfered to stop it, but +after what you said before us all, and with strangers present too, I am +afraid it must go on. You must be mad, lad. I have not seen you shoot +since that first evening when we went down, and two or three times +shortly afterwards. Woodall told me that you were getting on well; but +however well you may have got on, you can be no match with a pistol for +a man like Marshall; and you may be sure he won't spare you after so +public an affront." + +"I must take my chance," Frank said quietly. He had himself begged the +gunmaker to say little to anyone about his shooting. "Come across to my +quarters. I suppose he will be sending over there at once." + +They had just taken their seats when there was a hurried knock on the +door, and Wilmington came in, pale and agitated. + +"This cannot go on, Wyatt!" he exclaimed. "You put me on my word of +honour and then take it up yourself. Don't you see that I am hopelessly +disgraced in letting you be Marshall's victim for what he said of me. I +shall go to him and insist upon my right to take the matter up myself." + +"Sit down a minute, Wilmington, and be reasonable. If I get shot you +can, if you like, go out and get shot next day. But I don't mean to get +shot. There is one broad distinction between you and me--you can't +shoot, and I can. Marshall could kill you without the slightest risk to +himself, and I flatter myself that if I chose to do so, I could kill him +with the same certainty. I shall not choose to do so. I don't want the +blood of any man--not even of a ruffian like this--to rest upon my head. +I shall simply prevent him from ever fighting another duel." + +Captain Lister and the young cornet gazed at Frank as if they doubted +his sanity. + +"Do you quite know what you are saying, lad?" the former said kindly, +after a pause. "You don't look as if you had been taking anything before +dinner, and we know that you are always abstemious at mess; still you +are talking strangely." + +"I daresay you think so," Frank replied with a smile. "You fancy the +excitement of this quarrel has a little turned my head. But it has not +done so. In the first place, I have learnt to be so quick in firing that +I am sure to get first shot." + +"Yes, you might do that, lad," Captain Lister said sadly; "but it would +be the very worst thing you could do. With a hurried shot like that it +would be ten to one you missed him, and then he would quietly shoot you +down." + +"Not only shall I not miss him," Frank replied, "but I will lay you any +wager you like that I will carry off his trigger-finger, and probably +the second and third. Feel my hand. You see I am perfectly cool--as cool +as I shall be to-morrow--and I do not think there is anything wild about +my eye. It is simply as I say: I am a first-rate shot--probably as much +better than Marshall as he is better than Wilmington. Ah, here is his +man! Please arrange it for to-morrow morning, if possible. The sooner it +is over the better." + +Captain Lister nodded and went out. He returned in a quarter of an hour. + +"It is to come off to-morrow," he said, "at six o'clock. It is to be in +the field outside the wall, on the other side of the town. I have told +my man to have the dogcart ready at half-past five. It did not take us +long to arrange matters. His second is Rankin, of his regiment; and I +don't think he liked the job at all. He began by saying: + +"'I am afraid, Captain Lister, that there is no chance of our arranging +this unhappy business. Nothing short of a public apology, and the +acknowledgment that Mr. Wyatt was in liquor when he uttered the words +will satisfy my principal, and I had great difficulty in bringing him +even to assent to that.' + +"I said that you had not the most remote idea of making any apology +whatever. Therefore, we had only to arrange the preliminaries of a +meeting. + +"This was soon done. I could see that the young fellow was very much cut +up over the affair, and that he had undertaken to act for Marshall +because he was afraid to refuse. It did not take us five minutes +altogether. I looked in at the doctor's after we separated, to ask him +to go with us. + +"'It is none of my aid you are likely to want, Captain Lister,' he said, +'and I protest against the whole affair; it is nothing short of +cold-blooded murder. Still, of course, I will go.' + +"And now, lad, let us hear something more about your shooting." + +"It is just as I told you, Captain Lister. I suppose I have an unusually +good eye and steady hand, and have a sort of natural aptitude for +shooting. Woodall said that he considered me as good a shot as any man +in the country, if not better. I am afraid we mustn't fire a pistol +here, or I think I could convince you." + +"No, we mustn't fire in barracks at this time of the evening, Wyatt. But +if you are as good as that, the prospects are better than I thought they +were. What can you do, lad?" + +"I can hit a penny spun up into the air eighteen times out of twenty +with my right hand, and sixteen or seventeen with my left." + +"Is that so? Well, that ought to be good enough for anything," Lister +said. "It sounds almost miraculous. Now, let us have a look at your +pistols, lad." + +"They are all right," Frank said. "I was using them this afternoon, and +cleaned them when I came back." + +"And you really mean to aim at his hand?" + +Frank nodded. + +"Well, of course, if you go a little high or a little low you will still +have him; but if you go an inch or two wide you may miss him altogether. +I would much rather, lad, that you aimed at the body. The fellow has +never shown mercy to anyone, and there is no reason why you should show +mercy to him." + +"Don't be afraid of my missing him." And Frank spoke so confidently that +his hearers felt satisfied he must at least have some good foundation +for his faith in his skill. + +"Well, I think you had better turn in now, Wyatt. Will you come across +and have a cup of coffee with me before you start?" + +"Thank you. Will you mind sending your servant across to call me at a +quarter to five? I am not at all good at waking myself." + +"All right, lad; I don't think I am likely to get much sleep." + +"Don't say much to the others when you go out," Frank said. "You can +tell them that, from what I say, it won't be such a one-sided affair as +they seem to think." + +"All right. I will tell them as much as that, for they are in such a +state of mind about it that it would be kind to give them a little +consolation." + +"By the way, Captain Lister, do I go out in uniform or in mufti?" + +"In mufti, lad. Put on a gray or dark-coloured suit. Gray is the best; +but, above all, don't take a coat with conspicuous buttons or anything +to catch the eye, that would be a fatal mistake. Good night, lad; I +shall turn in in better spirits than I expected to do." + +Wilmington did not speak, but grasped Frank's hand warmly. + +"Don't come out to-morrow," Frank said. + +"I couldn't," the lad replied in a broken voice, "but I shall see you +before you start." + +"The major will come on with the doctor," Captain Lister said, as, after +taking their coffee next morning, they went out to the trap standing at +the door. Frank looked round the barrack yard, but no one was about. "I +sent them all away before you came, Wyatt. The lads all looked so +woebegone that I put it to them whether they considered that the sight +of their faces was likely to improve your nerve. As to young Wilmington, +he was like a ghost. I had almost to threaten to put him under arrest +before I could persuade him to go without seeing you. No one will be +there but the major. He told me that he considered it his duty to +represent the regiment, but he quite approved of all the others staying +away. He said the fewer there were present at an infamous business like +this the better. By the way, I made a condition with Rankin that you +were to be placed back to back, and neither was to move until the signal +was given; and I insisted that this should be by pistol shot, as +otherwise you could not both see the signal equally well. I said that +this was fairer than for you to stand face to face, and would increase +the chances of the affair not being a fatal one." + +"Thank you, Lister. I was wondering whether you had made that condition, +for if we stood ready to fire he might draw his trigger before I did, +and things might go quite differently to what I had decided on. A bad +marksman might hold his fire, but Marshall would rely so implicitly on +his skill that he would be sure to try and get first shot; for if I +fired first and missed, he would know that the feeling against him if he +shot me down afterwards would be very strong." + +"Now jump up, lad; I will take the reins. All right." + +The soldier servant standing at the head of the horse released the hold +of the reins, swung himself up behind as the horse started and they +drove out through the barracks gates, followed by the eyes of all +Frank's comrades who, as soon as they heard the sound of the wheels, ran +to their windows or doors to take, as they believed, their last look at +him. They had, indeed, obtained slight consolation from the words with +which Captain Lister had sent them off to their quarters--"Keep up your +spirits, lads. There is many a slip between the cup and the lip, and I +have strong hopes that the affair is not going to turn out as bad as you +fancy." + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +A DUEL + + +Captain Lister was very much more nervous than his principal as they +drove on to the ground. In spite of Frank's confidence he could not +bring himself to believe that the young fellow could be a match for a +practised duellist, although he had, after he had left Frank's room the +evening before, gone into the town and knocked up the gunmaker, who had +sometime before gone to bed. When, however, Captain Lister confided to +him the nature of his errand, he fully confirmed what Frank had said. + +"Of course, I have not seen him stand up before a man with a pistol in +his hand," he said, "but as far as shooting goes I would back him +against any man in England; and I don't think, Captain Lister, that you +need be afraid of him in the matter of nerve. Pistol shooting depends +upon two things--nerve and eye; and he could never be the shot he is if +he had not an extraordinary amount of both qualities. I will wager that +he will be as cool as a cucumber. How are they to stand?" + +"Back to back, and to turn at the signal of a pistol shot." + +"Then he is all right, Captain. You need not worry about him. He is as +quick as lightning, and he will get first shot, never fear, and more +than that, I wouldn't mind betting that he carries off one of the +fellow's fingers." + +"Why, how do you know that?" Captain Lister asked in surprise. "He can't +have been here since I left him." + +"No, sir, he has not been here; but he told me that if he ever got into +a duel he would aim at his opponent's hand, and he has been practising +specially for that. He had a target made on purpose, but that did not +please him, and we rigged out an arm holding a pistol and fixed it to +the target just in the position it would be if the painted figure were +firing at him. We had to have a rough sort of hand made of iron, for it +would have cost a fortune if had been made of anything else. Sometimes +he would have it painted white, sometimes gray, sometimes black, either +of which it might be, if a man wore gloves, but it did not make any +difference to him; and I have seen him hit it twenty times following, +over and over again." + +All this had been very reassuring to Captain Lister, and if it had not +been for Marshall's reputation he would have gone to the place of +meeting feeling confident that all would go well, but the fact that it +was Frank's first duel, while Marshall had been in some eight or ten +affairs, prevented his feeling otherwise than nervous as to the result. +They were first upon the ground; the major and doctor arriving two +minutes later. + +"You may as well tell the major, Captain Lister, that he need not be +alarmed. He is looking terribly anxious, and so is the doctor." + +Captain Lister nodded, and went up to them as they dismounted from the +gig. "I fancy that it is going to be all right, doctor," he said, "Wyatt +tells me so himself, and what he says is confirmed by Woodall, the +gunsmith. It seems the lad is an extraordinarily good shot. I told you +last night that he had been practising a good deal, but I did not like +to raise your hopes too high until I had seen Woodall. I will bet you a +guinea that Wyatt comes out of it all right." + +"I could not bet on it, Lister, though I would pay the guinea with +greater pleasure than I ever felt at winning one; but I hear that +Marshall is a very quick shot." + +"So is Wyatt, major, and as the young 'un has been practising regularly, +I fancy he will be as quick or quicker than the other." + +"Well, I hope to heaven that it may turn out so. Nothing would please me +more than that Wyatt should put a ball into the fellow's head. Men like +him are a curse to the army." + +"I don't think he will put a ball in his head, major, but I shall not be +surprised if he carries off one of his fingers. He has conscientious +scruples about killing the man, and he is going to aim at his hand." + +The Major shook his head. "I am afraid that settles it, Lister. It may +do for a good shot to try experiments of that sort with a bad one, but +not against a man like Marshall. It would be far better for him to aim +at the body. That is a good big mark, and if he is as good a shot as you +say, and is quick enough to pull his trigger first, it would make +matters safe, but as to aiming at his hand it would be sheer madness. +You tell him what I think of it. Ah! here comes the others." + +As soon as Captain Marshall and his second alighted, the latter came +forward and spoke to Captain Lister. They talked for a minute together +and then proceeded to choose the ground. This was quickly done, as there +were no trees, and it being a cloudy morning neither party would have +any advantage from the light. The two cases of pistols were then +examined. They were of the same calibre and about the same weight, and +Marshall's second at once agreed to Captain Lister's proposal that each +should fire with his own pistol, so that neither should be placed at the +disadvantage of using a weapon that he was unaccustomed to. Captain +Lister proposed that they should toss which of the two seconds should +fire the signal, but Rankin said, "I would rather not do it, Captain +Lister. I need hardly tell you that I would give anything not to be here +in my present capacity, and I would very much rather that a third party +should fire it--either your major or the surgeon." + +Lister went across to the major, who at once consented to give the +signal. The pistols were then loaded, the ground measured, and the +principals placed in position. The major took two pistols--one loaded +with ball, the other with powder only, and then placed himself some ten +paces on one side of the line of fire. + +"Now," he said, "gentlemen, I shall say 'Are you ready?' and on +receiving no answer shall fire; but mind I am determined that if either +of you makes a move to turn, or raises his arm by as much as an inch +from his side before he hears the shot I will shoot him down at once. Do +you both understand that?" + +Both answered "Yes." + +He waited a moment, and then said "Are you ready?" Then a second later +he fired. Both the antagonists turned swiftly on their heels, their arms +going up as they did so. Then the two shots rang out. They seemed almost +simultaneous; but Captain Lister, whose eyes were fixed on Marshall, saw +that his hand jerked in the act of firing, and that his ball must have +flown high. At the same moment his pistol fell to the ground, and he +staggered back a pace. Then, with an exclamation of fury, he caught his +right hand in his left, and stood rocking himself in pain. His second +and the surgeon ran up to him. + +"Are you hit, Marshall?" the former said. + +"Of course I am hit," he said savagely. "You don't suppose I should have +dropped the pistol if I hadn't been. I believe that young villain has +carried off one of my fingers." + +"I must protest against this language, Marshall," Lieutenant Rankin said +indignantly. "I am bound to bear testimony that your opponent has acted +extremely well, and that his conduct has been that of an honourable +gentleman." + +At this moment Captain Marshall turned deadly pale and would have fallen +had not Rankin and the doctor caught him, and lowered him gradually to +the ground. + +"He will do no more shooting," the surgeon said grimly, "the ball has +carried off his trigger finger. Cut his coat-sleeve off, Rankin. Don't +you see he is bleeding a great deal? Lister, please bring me those +bandages at once." + +Captain Lister,--who had, as soon as he saw Marshall's pistol fall, run +up to Frank and grasped his hand warmly, saying, "Thank heaven, my dear +lad, that it has turned out as you said it would. I congratulate you +with all my heart,"--at once ran to fetch the bandages, and they all +gathered round the wounded man, Frank turning very white as he saw him +lying insensible. + +"What is it, doctor? I aimed at his hand. I hope it has not done any +serious damage, except there." The latter was too busy to answer. "Bring +the tourniquet," he said to Rankin, and as he ran off he looked up at +the major. + +"The ball evidently struck the first finger on the knuckle, and went in +between the first and middle finger and then ran up the wrist and along +the arm, and has gone out, as you see above the elbow, cutting an +artery as it went, and smashing the bone just above the elbow. The first +thing is to stop the bleeding." + +[Illustration: "CAPTAIN MARSHALL'S PISTOL FELL TO THE GROUND, AND HE +STAGGERED BACK A PACE."] + +He took the tourniquet from Rankin, and applied it two or three inches +above the elbow, and continued to screw until the rush of blood ceased. +Then he bandaged the arm and hand and fastened it across Marshall's +chest. "That is all I can do now," he said. "I think there is no doubt I +shall have to amputate above the elbow; but we will take him back first. +I wish we had a stretcher." + +"We have a stretcher," the major said. "I told off four men with one +half an hour before we started. I thought we should want it to bring +Wyatt back." He put a whistle to his lips and blew loudly. A minute +later four troopers ran out from behind a cottage a hundred yards away. +They had, no doubt, been furtively observing the combat, for there was +an expression of gladness and triumph on their faces as they arrived. + +"Lay Captain Marshall on the stretcher," the surgeon said. "Lift him +carefully and carry him to his quarters. I will drive on at once and get +things ready. I suppose, Mr. Rankin, you will go with him. You had +better cover him up with a rug. Have either of you any brandy? I forgot +to bring any with me." + +"I have a flask," the major replied. "I will get it for you at once." + +"We may as well be off, Wyatt," Captain Lister said to Frank; "it is of +no use your waiting here any longer. We can do no good." + +"I am sorry he is hurt so," Frank said, as they drove off. + +"Then you will be the only man that is," Captain Lister replied. "You +have rid the army of a pest; that is to say, you have rendered him +harmless. Possibly he may not retire. There are plenty of men in the +service who have lost an arm; however, I should think he will go. The +disgrace will be worse to him than the wound." + +"Still, I am heartily sorry that I hurt him so much," Frank repeated. "I +meant to take off one or two of his fingers, and spoil his shooting for +the rest of his life; but I never thought of the ball going up his arm +as it did." + +"Well, if you had not hit him where you did, you would be lying on that +stretcher now. It was a close thing between the two shots, not more than +a fifth of a second, I should say, and if you had only hit him in the +body, I have no doubt that he would have fired before he fell; and if +ever a man meant to kill another, he did. I could see it in his eye, as +he stood there waiting for the signal. Well, Wyatt, you can stop in the +army until you get to be a general, but one thing is morally certain, +that after this affair no one will venture to insult you, and your first +duel is likely to be your last." + +"I sincerely trust so," Frank said gravely. "I think I can say that +assuredly I shall never be the first to insult anyone else, and that if +ever I fight again, it will, as in this case, not be in my own quarrel." + +As they drove along the straight road towards the barracks, they saw a +number of men clustered outside the gate. + +"They are on the look-out," Captain Lister said. "They will have heard +from the mess waiters the news of the quarrel last night, and I don't +suppose there was a soul in barracks that did not know what our errand +was when we drove out this morning. I expect if you had been killed they +would have had to move either the Lancers' depôt or ours away from +Canterbury, for the men of the two regiments would have been sure to +have fought whenever they met each other." + +As soon as they were near enough to the gates for their figures to be +made out, there was a sudden movement among the men. Several took off +their caps and waved them, while others threw them into the air. + +"This is not exactly discipline, Wyatt," Captain Lister said, with a +smile; "but it shows conclusively enough that you are a favourite with +the men." + +There were roars of cheering as they went in through the gates, in spite +of Captain Lister holding up his hand and shaking his head. As they +drove across the barrack square to Frank's quarters the subalterns came +rushing out. "Glad indeed to see you back again, Wyatt," the first who +run up exclaimed; "so it was arranged without fighting after all?" + +"Not at all, Macalister," Captain Lister replied, as he reined in the +horse at Frank's door. "Wyatt did exactly what he told me he was going +to do--carried off Marshall's trigger-finger. But the bullet did what he +had not intended it should--ran up the arm and smashed it above the +elbow, and the doctor says that he thinks the arm will have to come +off." + +A shout of satisfaction rose from the group, and Wilmington grasped +Frank's hand as he leapt down. + +"Thank God that you are safe, Wyatt," he exclaimed. "I should never have +forgiven myself if anything had happened to you. Of course, what you +said last night cheered me a good deal, but I could hardly help thinking +afterwards that you had made the best of it for that purpose." + +"No, I did not, Wilmington. I felt absolutely confident that I should +hit him on the hand. Now, I want some breakfast; I ordered it to be +ready before I started." + +"Well, you are a cool hand, Wyatt," Lister said. "If we ever get into a +hand-to-hand affair with the French, I hope you will take me under your +protection." + +"We will see about it," Frank laughed. "Well, come up now. I ordered the +breakfast for two, and I see Smith is bringing the dishes across from +the kitchen." + +"Oh, I say, Wyatt, you must let the rest of us up too. We can't wait to +hear all about it until you have done." + +"Come up, by all means. There is really nothing to tell you." + +However, as the breakfast was being eaten, Captain Lister answered all +questions. + +"So he did not take it well," one of the subalterns said. "That is just +what you would expect from a fellow like that." + +"I don't think we should be too hard on him in that respect. It is very +trying to any man's temper when he makes absolutely sure of doing a +thing and is beaten by a novice. It was surprise, no doubt, as well as +pain--and I fancy the pain was pretty sharp--that caused him to lose his +temper. I expect that if he had been fighting with an old hand whom he +thought dangerous, he would have borne the wound in a very different +way. Now, look here, lads, there is one thing that you must bear in +mind. Don't treat this affair as if it were a sort of triumph for the +corps. I have no doubt that all the fellows in the Lancers will be every +bit as much pleased as we are, at the way things have turned out; but we +must not assume that. I should say you had much better not make any +allusion to the affair, unless others speak to you about it. Of course, +it will make a great deal of talk; there is no getting over that. But +don't let it be a subject to be discussed in the mess-room. Duels +between officers of different regiments have, before now, led to a lot +of bad feeling, and I have known one such duel lead to half a dozen +others. The Lancers are in no way to blame for Marshall's conduct; but, +if they found any disposition among us to crow over it, it might give +rise to ill-feeling, which would be bad enough if it were merely two +regiments in garrison together, but would be a terrible nuisance in a +depôt where there is a common mess. Therefore, when the matter is talked +over, as it is sure to be, it is best to let the talking be done by +others, and to keep your own mouths closed. Wyatt is the last fellow in +the world to wish to pose as a conquering hero." + +"Thank you, Lister," Frank said. "I am sure I never wish to hear the +thing mentioned again. I have taken a lot of pains to become a good +shot, and it seems that I have a natural aptitude that way. There is +nothing more to feel boastful about than if nature had made me a giant, +and I had thereby been able to thrash a man of ordinary strength. I am +very glad that I have put it out of Marshall's power to bully other men, +and, as he had several times done, to force them into duels, when his +skill gave him such an advantage that it was nothing short of murder. I +think that I shall go across to the major, and ask him to give me a +fortnight's leave. I have not been away since I joined, and I had a +letter yesterday saying that my aunt was not very well; so I should like +to run down to Weymouth to see her." + +"It would be a very good plan, Wyatt, and I am sure the major will give +you leave at once." + +When he had finished his breakfast, Frank went across to the major's +quarters. + +"I have not had time to congratulate you yet, Wyatt," the major said +warmly, as he entered. "You have rendered a service to the army in +general, and to our regiment in particular; for it would have been a +nasty thing if it had got about that one of us had been grossly insulted +without taking the matter up. If you had not interfered, the commandant +told me that he should have reported the matter at headquarters. Had +Wilmington taken it up, he would have refused to let the matter go on, +until he had received an answer from the Horse-guards; and he would have +done the same in your case, if you had not used such strong language. +Your words practically forced Marshall into challenging you. Still, +although we, who were present, should all have approved of Wilmington's +not being allowed to throw away his life by going out with Marshall, one +can't deny that it would have caused unpleasantness. Those who only +heard that one of our fellows had put up with a gross insult without +taking any steps, and had, so to speak, sheltered himself under the +authority of the commandant, would have considered it an ugly business, +and we should have found it very unpleasant when we joined the army in +Spain. Therefore, we all feel very much indebted to you for having +championed the honour of the regiment. You are a marvellous shot, lad, +and you will have one satisfaction, which is, that when this affair is +talked about, and it is known that you said beforehand that you intended +to take off Marshall's trigger-finger, and that you did it, there is no +chance of your ever being forced into a quarrel as long as you remain in +the army." + +"Thank you, Major. I have just come across to ask you if you will allow +me a fortnight's leave of absence. I really want to pay a visit to my +aunt at Weymouth, and I think it will be a very good plan for me to get +away from here until this affair has blown over a little." + +"A very good plan indeed, my lad. Certainly, you can have your leave. I +will draw it out this moment, and take it over to the commandant, who +will, I am sure, countersign it at once. Which way do you think of +going?" + +"I think I will go by the coach, that comes along here at twelve +o'clock, to Dover; that is, if I see in the paper that there is any hoy +sailing for the west this evening or to-morrow. The wind is in the east, +and, with luck, I should get down there sooner than by going up to town +and taking the coach." + +"Here is the list of sailings," the major said, taking up a broad-sheet +from a side table. "Yes, the hoy _Keepsake_ will sail, weather +permitting, from Dover this evening for Plymouth, touching at +Southampton and Weymouth. That would just suit you. You had better not +have more than a fortnight, for I think it likely we may get orders for +the two troops to sail before long. Be sure and leave your address at +the orderly-room." + +From the major's Frank went straight to Strelinski's lodging, and told +him that he would have a fortnight's holiday. + +"I do not want it," the Pole said; "but I am glad that you should have +one, for you have been working very hard lately, and it is now nearly +nine months since you came down here." + +"I will get you to write an account of my progress, Strelinski. I told +Sir Robert Wilson that he should have one every three months, and the +third is nearly due now. He was very pleased at your last report." + +"This will be even better, for you have been able to give a good deal +more time to it, since you have not had so many drills. Besides, +progress is not so manifest at first, until one is able to converse a +little; after that it goes on rapidly." + +Strelinski at once sat down and wrote the report. + +Frank read it with some interest, for Strelinski was not in the habit of +saying what he thought of his progress. + +"I think you have made this too strong," he said, as he laid it down. + +"Not at all," the Pole replied. "We are able to talk freely now, and it +is very seldom that you are at a loss for a word. I can say +conscientiously that you are now able to converse rapidly and well in +it. I could not say that your writing leaves nothing to be desired. +Having acquired it so much by ear and conversation, you are not perfect +in your grammar or construction when you write it; but that is of little +consequence. Sir Robert Wilson will naturally write in his own language, +and is not likely to have despatches to send in Russian. You are quite +fit to act as an interpreter to deliver messages, and to carry on any +ordinary conversation. There is a report that there has been a duel this +morning, and that an officer was carried through the town on a +stretcher." + +"Yes. The wound is not a very serious one, but he will probably lose his +forearm." + +"And it was you who hit him," the Pole said quietly. + +"How do you know that, Strelinski?" + +"I guessed it. You have told me how you were practising, and how well +you were getting on. I guessed you had some special purpose for taking +so much pains, and you did not come in yesterday evening as usual. Then, +too, you tell me he was hit in the arm, and you mentioned the other day +that you were practising at that, and showed me the iron hand you had +had made to hold a pistol." + +"Well, yes, it was I. The fellow insulted a young comrade in my +regiment, knowing well that he could not shoot; so I took it up, and +there was an end of it." + +"I am glad I knew nothing about it until it was all over. I should have +been very unhappy if I had known that you were going to risk your life." + +"I do not think there was any risk in it. As I told you, I have +practised shooting very quickly, and felt sure that I should get first +shot, and knew that there was no chance of my missing. The man was a +dangerous fellow, and has fought many duels, but he will not now fight +any more; and he will, I should think, leave the service. Well, I must +not stay any longer, for I go by the twelve o'clock coach, and have to +write a letter to Sir Robert Wilson before I start." + +Frank caught the coach without difficulty, and on arriving at Dover went +down and took his berth on board the hoy. + +"We shall start at eight sharp," the skipper said. + +"I will be on board in good time. I think you are likely to have a quick +passage." + +"Yes, if the wind holds we shall be at Southampton tomorrow evening. I +shall get out the cargo by torchlight, for with this wind I don't want +to lose an hour. I don't know how much there will be to take in, but I +reckon anyhow that we shall be off by nine o'clock in the morning, and +if we have luck shall be at Weymouth before dark." + +Frank went on shore to the hotel and dined, and spent the time until the +hour fixed for sailing in going over the fortifications. The voyage was +a quick and pleasant one, and although the accommodation was rough it +was vastly superior to that which he had been accustomed to when going +out in the fishing boats. The skipper's calculations as to time were +verified, and they entered the river at Weymouth forty-eight hours after +leaving Dover. Mrs. Troutbeck was delighted to see Frank. He had indeed +written a fortnight before, saying he hoped to be able before long to +get a few days' leave and should come down to see her, and she was +therefore not greatly surprised at his arrival. + +"You have grown a good deal, my dear boy," she said after they had +chatted together for some time, "but you are not changed so much as I +expected." + +"Well, Aunt, I don't see how I can change much till the hair begins to +grow on my face. Putting on uniform doesn't in itself make one a man; +but of course I feel older, and I think I have grown a bit. But there is +no chance of my ever shooting up like Julian. Of course, you have heard +nothing from him, Aunt, or you would have written to me at once!" + +"Nothing, Frank. That fisherman, Bill, came in the other day, and said +he had only heard what we knew before, that he had been sent to gaol, +and that he had been marched away with a batch of prisoners somewhere +inland. The smugglers could not learn what prison they had gone to. They +said that the people of Nantes did not know that, as the guards who went +with them from there only received orders to take them a short distance, +and they were then handed over to other soldiers, who went so much +further with them, and as their escort might be changed a dozen times +not even the officials at Nantes had an idea where they were taken to at +last." + +"No news of Markham, Aunt?" + +"Only that he is one of the regular crew of that French lugger now." + +Frank looked up all his old friends and spent a pleasant week. His visit +did his aunt a great deal of good, and the servant told him that she was +quite a different woman since he had come home again. + +"She missed you wonderful, Master Frank, and though she used to go about +as usual, she did not seem to take an interest in things as she did +before. I expect, now that she has seen you again, and has perked up a +bit, she will fall into her old ways more regular. Now she has heard +from you all about what you are doing, and your friends, and such like, +and she knows that you are well and not changed, she will feel more +comfortable, and won't be always worriting herself. Mr. Henderson often +comes in and talks about you, and that always seems to do her good. And +Colonel Chambers, he looks in sometimes, and she tells me that they both +think a great deal of you, and of course that pleases her; and she looks +forward wonderful to your letters coming regular once a week. I don't +think you need trouble yourself about her, Master Frank. She has not +really much the matter with her; only you know it was always her way to +worrit about things, and you can't expect her to be otherwise, and I do +think your coming here will do her a lot of good." + +Two mornings later one of the coast-guard came in. "Captain Downes will +be glad, sir, if you will go on board; there is something particular +that he wants to speak to you about." + +Frank at once put on his hat. + +"We had a sharp fight with the smugglers last night, your honour," the +sailor said as they started. "We had been cruising about for two days to +the west, and yesterday morning we made out to sea and held east, and at +ten o'clock came into Swanage Bay. We came upon the lugger that has +fooled us so many times, and for once we caught her napping. They were +at work unloading a cargo when we came up, and she did not make us out +until we were within a couple of cables'-length of her, then she slipped +and ran; I expect she would have shown us her heels as usual, but we +gave her a broadside, and that big spar of hers came down with a run, +and we were alongside in no time. They made a tough fight of it, but +pretty nigh half her crew were ashore with the kegs. Howsomever we were +not long in beating them below, though two or three of our chaps were +pretty badly hurt, and three of theirs killed before the scrimmage was +over. We did not trouble about the chaps ashore. I expect they were +accounted for all right, for we heard some pistol shots there, but we +came back here at once with the lugger, and got in two hours ago." + +"Are the prisoners all French?" Frank asked eagerly. + +"Ay, sir, just as French as can be. I was one of the party as took them +ashore and lodged them in jail; and there was no doubt about their all +being French. They had all got rings in their ears; besides, you could +tell from the cut of their jib that they were Frenchies." + +In ten minutes Frank stepped on to the deck of the _Boxer_. Captain +Downes met him there. "I congratulate you, Mr. Wyatt," he said warmly. +"I suppose you have been hearing that we had a sharp tussle with the +smugglers, and at last captured that confounded lugger that has given us +so much trouble for the past two years. Though I am mightily pleased at +that, I am more pleased still that among those on board was that fellow +Markham. He fought like a tiger. I reckon he knew that his neck was in a +noose, for he would, of course, have heard from his friends here that +the matter of Faulkner's murder had been cleared up, and there was a +warrant out against him. Well, he got a pistol shot in his chest, and +after it was all over we found that he was pretty near gone. As soon as +a lantern was put to his face two or three of the men knew him at once, +and I went up to him. He was pretty well past speaking, but as I stooped +over him he said, 'You have got me this time, Captain Downes, and no +mistake. Well, it don't make much matter; I was getting sick of the +life. You look in the pocket of my jacket when I am gone, and you will +find a letter there. I swore to young Wyatt that I would clear him of +that charge of shooting Faulkner. I shot him myself, and I have put it +all down there.' + +"He died a quarter of an hour later, and here is the letter. I am going +to take it over to Colonel Chambers, but I thought you would like to go +with me. Of course, your brother was really cleared of all suspicion, +but it is just as well to have got it under the real man's own hand." + +"I am delighted, Captain Downes. When I was told, as I came along, of +the lugger being captured, I hoped that you might possibly have +something like this to tell me, for I had heard, since I came here, that +he was still on board her, and as it was not likely he would risk going +ashore, I thought perhaps you had got him prisoner. But this is better +altogether, for if he had been put on trial for Faulkner's murder, he +would, no doubt, have accused Julian, and though I think the evidence +was strong enough to fix the guilt on the man, there might have been +some who would have believed what he said. Now it will be altogether +cleared up. Though when Julian will be found and brought home is more +than anyone can say." + +"Well, we need not trouble about that, lad, just at present. He is +cleared, which is the principal thing, and sooner or later he is sure to +find his way back again." + +Frank landed with Captain Downes. Taking a trap they drove to the +magistrate's, where fortunately they found Mr. Henderson, who had gone +up to arrange for the examination of the prisoners. Both were greatly +pleased when, on the letter being opened, it was found to contain a full +confession of the murder, attested by a French magistrate, and +corroborating in every respect the facts contained in Julian's letter, +and as proved by the evidence given at the coroner's inquest. "I will +give this letter to the Weymouth paper to insert," Colonel Chambers +said, "and will send copies to the London papers, with a few lines +recalling the facts of the murder and the proofs that had accumulated of +Markham's share in it, and which show beyond all doubt the _bona-fides_ +of the confession." + +"Thank you very much, Colonel," Frank said. "I only wish I knew where to +send a copy to Julian." + +"I am sure I wish that you could do so," the colonel said. "Poor fellow! +he has paid dearly indeed for his well-meant though rash attempt to +seize Faulkner's murderer. I shall have finished my business in two or +three minutes, and shall be glad if you will stop to have a chat with +me." + +As soon as the magistrate had concluded his talk with Mr. Henderson, and +the latter had gone off to carry out the arrangements, Colonel Chambers +turned to the captain and said, "Have you seen any of the London papers, +Downes?" + +"No, Colonel. I have had enough to think of this morning since we moored +up. Is there anything of importance in them?" + +"Nothing perhaps extraordinarily important, but something certainly +interesting at the present moment. Here is the _Morning Herald_. This is +the item: 'Our correspondent at Canterbury states that much excitement +has been lately caused in military circles there by an affair of +honour--'" "Oh, that is too bad!" Frank broke in hotly--"'between an +officer of the Lancers, Captain M--l, and a cornet of the 15th Light +Dragoons, Mr. W--t. It is said that Captain M--l has been engaged in +several similar encounters, and is famous for his skill with the pistol. +The affair began, we understand, at a mess-dinner of the cavalry depôt a +few days since, at which several well-known gentlemen of the town were +present. Captain M--l used insulting language to a recently-joined +young officer of the Dragoons. Mr. W--t took the matter up hotly, and +rising, denounced Captain M--l in such strong language that a duel +became inevitable. In view of the youth and supposed inexperience of Mr. +W--t, the affair was regarded with extreme disapprobation by the +officers of Captain M--l's regiment, as well as by those of the +Dragoons. It seems, however, that Mr. W--t had for some time been +practising with the pistol under the tuition of our respected townsman, +Mr. Woodall the gunsmith, and before the parties met he confided to the +officer who acted as his second that he intended to aim at his +opponent's trigger-finger and so to incapacitate him from further +adventures of the kind. Extraordinary as it may appear, this intention +was carried out. Captain M--l not only lost his finger, but the bullet +passed up his arm and broke it above the elbow. We understand that the +limb has been successfully amputated by the surgeons of the two corps. +This singular feat on the part of the young officer, when opposed to so +skilled a duellist as Captain M--l, has created a profound sensation +throughout the garrison.' + +"Well, Master W--t, what have you to say to that?" + +"I don't know that I have anything to say to it, Colonel," Frank +replied, "except that it is a great nuisance that such a thing should be +talked about. I suppose I have a good eye and a steady hand. I have +practised steadily every day since I joined, and have got to shoot +pretty straight. The man was a notorious bully, and if the young fellow +he had insulted had gone out with him, it would have been nothing short +of murder; and yet if he had not gone out with him I believe he would +have shot himself, rather than suffer the disgrace of putting up with an +insult. So as I felt pretty certain that I could disable Marshall +without having to do him any serious injury, I took it up and hit him in +the hand as I intended to." + +"Well, Downes," Colonel Chambers said, "it seems to me that these two +brothers are born to get into adventures and to get well out of them. +However, Frank, although you have acted very creditably, and must +certainly be a wonderful shot with a pistol, don't do this sort of thing +too often." + +"I am not going to, sir. I hope that I shall never fight a duel again, +and I didn't practise for that, but to be able to use my pistols on +service." + +Three days later Frank said good-bye to his aunt and friends, and +returned to Canterbury, travelling this time by coach, as no craft +happened to be sailing for Dover. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +SMOLENSK + + +Julian's regiment arrived at Konigsberg early in March, and found that +it was to form part of Ney's division. The whole country round had been +turned into an enormous camp, and every town was the centre round which +a great array of tents was clustered. The troops were of many +nationalities--French, Poles, Bavarians, Saxons, Prussians, Austrians, +and even Spanish. Never since the hordes of Attila swept over Europe had +so vast an army been gathered. The total force collected for the +invasion of Russia amounted to 651,358 men, of whom some 520,000 were +infantry, 100,000 cavalry, and the remainder artillery and engineers. +They had with them 1372 guns. + +April passed without any movement. The troops became impatient, and even +the veterans, whose confidence in Napoleon was implicit, shook their +heads. + +"We ought to be across the frontier before this," an old sergeant of +Julian's company said to him, as they smoked a pipe together over two +mugs of German beer. + +"It isn't that I think there will be much fighting, for what can Russia +do against such an army as this? They say Alexander has been busy since +the peace of Tilsit, but at that time he could scarce place 50,000 men +in the field. No one fears the Russians; but it is a big country, and +they say that in winter the cold is horrible. We shall have long +distances to march, and you know how much time is always wasted over +making a treaty of peace. If we are to be back again before winter we +ought to be off now. Of course, the Emperor may mean to hold St. +Petersburg and Moscow until next spring, and I daresay we could make +ourselves comfortable enough in either place; but when you come to +winter six hundred and fifty thousand men, and a couple of hundred +thousand horses, it is a tremendous job; and I should think the Emperor +would send all this riff-raff of Spaniards, Germans, and Poles back, and +keep only the French as a garrison through the winter. Still, I would +much rather that we should all be back here before the first snow falls. +I don't like these long campaigns. Men are ready to fight, and to fight +again, twenty times if need be, but then they like to be done with it. +In a long campaign, with marches, and halts, and delays, discipline gets +slack, men begin to grumble; besides, clothes wear out, and however big +stores you take with you, they are sure to run short in time. I wish we +were off." + +But it was not until the 16th of May that Napoleon arrived at Dresden, +where he was met by the Emperor and Empress of Austria, the Kings of +Prussia and Saxony, and a host of archdukes and princes, and a fortnight +was spent in brilliant fêtes. Napoleon himself was by no means blind to +the magnitude of the enterprise on which he had embarked, and +entertained no hopes that the army would recross the frontier before the +winter. He had, indeed, before leaving Paris, predicted that three +campaigns would be necessary before lasting terms of peace could be +secured. Thus an early commencement of the campaign was of +comparatively slight importance; but, indeed, the preparations for the +struggle were all on so great a scale that they could not, with all the +energy displayed in pushing them forward, be completed before the end of +June. + +Thus, then, while Napoleon delayed in Paris and feasted at Dresden, the +roads of Germany were occupied by great hosts of men and enormous trains +of baggage waggons of all descriptions, moving steadily towards the +Russian frontier. On the 12th of June Napoleon arrived at Konigsberg. +Ney's division had marched forward a fortnight before, and the Emperor +on his route from Konigsberg to the frontier reviewed that division with +those of Davoust and Oudinot, and also two great cavalry divisions. + +To oppose the threatening storm Alexander had gathered three armies. The +first, stationed in and round Wilna under General Barclay de Tolly, +comprised 129,050 men; the second, posted at Wolkowich, and commanded by +Prince Bagration, numbered 48,000; the third had its headquarters at +Lutsk, and was commanded by Count Tormanssow; while the reserve, which +was widely scattered, contained 34,000 men. Thus the total force +gathered to oppose the advance of Napoleon's army of 650,000 was but +211,050. It had, too, the disadvantage of being scattered, for it was +impossible to foresee by which of the several roads open to him, +Napoleon would advance, or whether he intended to make for St. +Petersburg or Moscow. + +During the next few days the divisions intended to form the advance +moved down towards the Niemen, which marked the frontier, and on the +24th of June three bridges were thrown across the river near Kovno, and +the passage began. The French cavalry drove off the Cossacks who were +watching the passage, and the same evening the Emperor established his +headquarters at Kovno, and the corps of Davoust, Oudinot, and Ney +crossed the bridges, and with the cavalry under Murat, composing +altogether a force of 350,000 men, marched forward at a rapid pace on +the 26th for Wilna, seventy-five miles distant. It was not until a few +days before Napoleon crossed the frontier that the Russians obtained any +definite information as to the force with which he was advancing, and +their commander-in-chief at once saw that it would be hopeless to +attempt to oppose so large a body. A great mistake had been committed in +occupying a position so near the frontier, but when the necessity for +retreat became evident, no time was lost in carrying it into effect, and +orders were despatched to the commanders of the various armies to fall +back with all speed. Thus, although the French accomplished the +wonderful feat of marching seventy-eight miles in two days, which was +done in the hope of falling upon the Russians before they had time to +concentrate, they found the town already evacuated, and the whole of the +immense magazines collected there destroyed. + +Almost simultaneously with the passage of the Niemen by the three corps +under the French marshals, those of Prince Eugene and the other generals +also crossed, but further south, and also advanced at full speed in +hopes of interposing between the three Russian armies, and of preventing +their concentration. For the next week the French pressed hard upon the +rear of the retreating Russians, but failed to bring on a battle, while +they themselves suffered from an incessant downpour of rain which made +the roads well-nigh impassable. The commissariat train broke down, and a +hundred pieces of cannon and 5000 ammunition waggons had to be +abandoned. The rain, and a bitterly cold wind that accompanied it, +brought on an epidemic among the horses, which were forced to depend +solely upon the green rye growing in the fields. Several thousands died; +the troops themselves suffered so much from thirst and hunger that no +less than 30,000 stragglers fell out from the ranks and spread +themselves over the country, burning, ravaging, plundering, and +committing terrible depredations. Such dismay was caused by their +treatment that the villages were all abandoned, and the whole population +retired before the advance of the French, driving their flocks and herds +before them, and thus adding greatly to the difficulties of the +invaders. + +[Illustration: MAP SHOWING THE ROUTE OF NAPOLEON'S MARCH TO MOSCOW.] + +The greater portion of these straggling marauders belonged not to the +French corps, but to the allies, who possessed none of the discipline of +the French soldiery, and whose conduct throughout the campaign was +largely responsible for the intense animosity excited by the invaders, +and for the suffering that afterwards befell them. + +As the pursuit continued even Napoleon's best soldiers were surprised at +their failure to overtake the Russians. However long their marches, +however well planned the operations, the Russians always out-marched and +out-manoeuvred them. It seemed to them almost that they were pursuing a +phantom army, a will-o'-the-wisp, that eluded all their efforts to grasp +it, and a fierce fight between the rear-guard of Barclay de Tolly's army +and the advance-guard of Murat's cavalry, in which the latter suffered +severely, was the only fight of importance, until the invaders, after +marching more than half-way to Moscow, arrived at Witebsk. + +Nevertheless they had suffered severely. The savage ferocity with which, +in spite of repeated proclamations and orders, the invading army treated +the people, had exasperated the peasantry almost to madness, and taking +up arms, they cut down every straggler, annihilated small parties, +attacked baggage trains, and repeated in Russia the terrible retaliation +dealt by the Spanish guerillas upon their invaders. + +On the right of the French advance there had been heavier fighting. +There General Schwarzenberg with his 30,000 Austrians had advanced +against the third Russian army, under Tormanssow. A brigade of the +division under Regnier, which was by Napoleon's order marching to join +Schwarzenberg, entered Kobrin, where it was surrounded by Tormanssow, +and after a brave resistance of nine hours, in which it lost 2000 killed +and wounded, the remainder, 2300 in number, were forced to surrender. +Tormanssow then took up a strong position with his 18,000 men, and +awaited the attack of the united forces of Schwarzenberg and Regnier, +38,000 strong. + +The battle lasted all day, the loss on either side being between four +and five thousand. Tormanssow held his position, but retired under cover +of night. On the 3rd of August the armies of Barclay and Bagration at +last succeeded in effecting a junction at Smolensk, and towards that +town the French corps moved from various quarters, until 250,000 men +were assembled near it, and on the 15th of August, Murat and Ney arrived +within nine miles of the place. + +Smolensk, a town of considerable size, on the Dnieper, distant 280 miles +from Moscow, was surrounded by a brick wall thirty feet high and +eighteen feet thick at the base, with loopholed battlements. This wall +formed a semicircle of about three miles and a half, the ends resting on +the river. It was strengthened by thirty towers, and at its forts was a +deep dry ditch. The town was largely built of wood. There were no heavy +guns upon the walls, and the city, which was completely commanded by +surrounding hills, was in no way defensible, but Barclay de Tolly felt +himself obliged to fight. + +The greatest indignation prevailed in Russia at the retreat of the +armies without attempting one determined stand, the abandonment of so +large a tract of country to the French, and the suffering and ruin +thereby wrought among the population of one of the richest and most +thickly-peopled districts of Russia. Barclay's own plan had been to draw +the enemy farther and farther into the country, knowing that with every +mile of advance their difficulties would increase and their armies +become weakened by fatigue, sickness, and the assaults of the peasantry. +But the continued retreats were telling upon the spirit of his own +troops also. To them the war was a holy one. They had marched to the +frontier burning to meet the invader, and that, from the moment of his +crossing the Niemen, they should have to retreat, hunted and harassed +like beaten men, goaded them to fury. The officers were no less +indignant than the men, and Barclay found that it was absolutely +necessary to make a stand. + +The French were as eager as the Russians to fight, and when it became +known that the enemy seemed determined to make a stand at Smolensk they +were filled with exultation. Ney's corps was the first to appear before +the town, and took up its position on rising ground a short distance +from the suburbs lying outside the wall and next to the river. Davoust's +corps was to his right, Poniatowski's division came next, while Murat +with his cavalry division completed the semicircle. + +"The Russians must be mad," was the comment of the veterans of Julian's +regiment. "The place is of no strength; the artillery will breach the +walls in no time. They have but one bridge by which to retreat across +the river, and we shall soon knock that to pieces with our guns on the +right, and shall catch all who are in the town in a trap." + +The obstinate resistance, however, that had been given by the Russians +to the attacks on their rear-guard had impressed the invaders with a +respect for their foes, that was in strong contrast to the feeling +entertained when they crossed the frontier, save only among the soldiers +who had met the Russians before, and who knew with what dogged valour +they always fought, especially when on the defensive. + +"It is going to be tough work, Jules, I can tell you," one of them said +to Julian, whose English birth was now almost forgotten, and who, by +the good temper he always manifested, however long the marches and +however great the fatigues, had become a general favourite. "I guess we +are only going to fight because the Russians are tired of retreating, +just as we are tired of pursuing them. They can gain nothing by fighting +here. We outnumber them tremendously. The great bulk of their army lies +on the heights on the other side of the river, and there is nothing to +prevent their retreating to some strong position, where they might give +battle with advantage. On the other hand, there is no reason why we +should fight here. We have come down thirty or forty miles out of the +direct road to Moscow, and if, instead of doing so, we had crossed the +river, and had gone straight on, the Russians must have evacuated the +town and pushed on with all speed in order to get between us and Moscow. +But this marching about without getting a battle discourages men more +even than defeat, and I hope that it will do something to restore +discipline among the Germans and Austrians, ay, and among our own troops +too. I have been through a number of campaigns, and I have never seen +such disorder, such plunder, such want of discipline as has been shown +since we entered Russia. I tell you, Jules, even a defeat would do us +good. Look at the Russians; they never leave a straggler behind them, +never a dismounted gun, while the roads behind us are choked up with our +abandoned guns and waggons, and the whole country is covered with our +marauders. I should be glad if one of the brigades was ordered to break +up into companies and to march back, spreading out across the whole +country we have traversed, and shooting every man they met between this +and the frontier, whether he was French, German, Austrian, or Pole." + +"It has been terrible," Julian agreed, "but at least we have the +satisfaction of knowing that Ney's corps d'armée has furnished a smaller +share of stragglers than most of the others." + +"That is true enough, but bad is the best, lad. Some of our battalions +are nearly all young soldiers, and I can't say much for their conduct, +while the seven battalions of Spaniards, Wurtemburgers, and men from the +Duchy of Baden have behaved shamefully, and I don't think that the four +squadrons of Polish cavalry have been any better. We have all been bad; +there is no denying it; and never should we have conquered Germany, +crushed Prussia, and forced Austria to submit, had our armies behaved in +the way they have done of late. Napoleon would soon have put a stop to +it then. He would have had one or two of the worst regiments drawn up, +and would have decimated them as a lesson to the rest. Now his orders +seem to go for nothing. He has far too much on his mind to attend to +such things, and the generals have been thinking so much of pressing on +after the enemy that they have done nothing to see the orders carried +into effect. It was the same sort of thing that drove the Spaniards into +taking to the mountains, and causing us infinite trouble and great loss +of life. Fortunately, here we are so strong that we need fear no +reverse, but if a disaster occurred I tell you, Jules, we should have +good cause to curse the marauders who have converted these lazy peasants +into desperate foes." + +"I should think we ought not to lose many men in taking that town, +sergeant. There seem to be no guns on the walls. We have the suburbs to +cover our advance, and attacking them on all sides, as we shall do, we +ought to force our way in without much trouble." + +"It would seem so, lad; yes, it would seem so. But you know in Spain it +once cost us five days' fighting after we got inside a town. I allow it +was not like this. The streets were narrow, the houses were of stone, +and each house a fortress, while, as you can see from here, the streets +are wide and at right angles to each other, and the houses of brick, +and, I fancy, many of them of wood. Still, knowing what the Russians +are, I would wager we shall not capture Smolensk with a loss of less +than ten thousand men, that is if they really defend it until the last." + +The following day, the 16th of August, a cannonade was kept up against +the walls by the French artillery, the Russians replying but seldom. The +next morning it was discovered that Prince Bagration had marched with +his army from the hills on the other side of the river to take post on +the main Moscow road so as to prevent the position being turned by the +advance of a portion of the French army by that route. During the night +Barclay had thrown two pontoon bridges across the river in addition to +the permanent bridge. At daybreak a dropping fire broke out, for both +Davoust and Ney had sent bodies of troops into the suburbs, which they +had entered without opposition, and these now opened an irritating fire +on the Russians upon the wall. At eight o'clock the firing suddenly +swelled into a roar. Doctorow, the Russian general in command of the +troops in the town, made a sortie, and cleared the suburbs at the point +of the bayonet. Napoleon, believing that the Russian army was coming out +to attack him, drew up Ney and Davoust's troops in order of battle, with +70,000 infantry in the first line, supported by Murat's 30,000 cavalry. + +Partial attacks were continued against the suburbs, but the Russians +obstinately maintained themselves there. Finding that they showed no +signs of advancing to attack him, Napoleon at two o'clock gave orders +for a general assault, and the whole of the French troops advanced +against the suburbs. The attack of Ney's corps was directed against the +Krasnoi suburb, which faced them, and against an advanced work known as +the citadel. For two hours a terrible struggle went on. The Russians +defended all the suburbs with desperate tenacity, every house and garden +was the scene of a fierce encounter, men fought with bayonet and clubbed +muskets, the cannon thundered on the heights, and Poniatowski +established sixty guns on a hill on the French right, but a short +distance from the river, and with these opened fire upon the bridges. It +seemed that these must soon be destroyed, and the retreat of the Russian +troops in Smolensk entirely cut off. In a short time, however, the +Russians on the other side of the river planted a number of guns on a +rise of equal height to that occupied by Poniatowski's artillery, and as +their guns took his battery in flank, he was ere long forced to withdraw +it from the hill. + +[Illustration: PLAN OF THE BATTLE OF SMOLENSK.] + +It was only after two hours' fighting that the Russians withdrew from +the suburbs into the town itself, and as the bridges across the river +had not suffered greatly from the fire of the great French battery, +Barclay sent Prince Eugene of Wurtemberg across to reinforce the +garrison. As soon as the Russians retired into the town a hundred and +fifty guns opened fire on the wall to effect a breach, and at five a +desperate assault was made upon one of the gates, which was for a moment +captured, but Prince Eugene charged forward with his division and +recaptured it at the point of the bayonet. The French shell and grape +swept the streets and set fire to the town in a score of places, and +several of the wooden roofs of the towers upon the wall were also in +flames. After a pause for a couple of hours the French again made a +serious and desperate assault, but the Russians sternly held their +ground, and at seven o'clock made a sortie from behind the citadel, and +drove the French out of the Krasnoi suburb. At nine the cannonade +ceased. The French fell back to the position from which they had moved +in the morning, and the Russians reoccupied the covered ways in front of +the wall to prevent a sudden attack during the night. + +"What did I tell you, Jules?" the old sergeant said mournfully, when the +shattered remains of the regiment fell out and proceeded to cook their +food. "I said that the capture of that town would cost us 10,000 men. It +has cost Ney's corps alone half that number, and we have not taken it; +and yet we fought well. Had every man been as old a soldier as myself +they could not have done their duty better. _Peste!_ these Russians are +obstinate brigands." + +"It was desperate work," Julian said, "more terrible than anything I +could have imagined. How anyone escaped alive is more than I can say. +Every wall, every house seemed to be fringed with fire. I heard no word +of command during the day; all there was to do was to load and +fire--sometimes to rush forward when the rest did so, sometimes to fall +back when the Russians poured down upon us. Shall we begin again +to-morrow?" + +"I suppose so," the sergeant replied. "We certainly sha'n't march away +until we have taken it. Perhaps the enemy may evacuate it. The whole +town is a sea of flames; there is nothing to fight for, and next time we +shall no doubt breach the walls thoroughly before we try. You see, we +undervalued the Russians, and we sha'n't make that mistake again. Well, +lad, we have both got out of it without serious damage, for that bullet +you got through your arm will soon heal up again, but there is one +thing, if you remain in the army for the next twenty years you are not +likely to see harder fighting." + +That night, indeed, Smolensk was evacuated by the Russians, contrary to +the wishes of both officers and men, Prince Eugene and General Doctorow +declaring that they could hold on for ten days longer. This might +doubtless have been done, but Barclay was afraid that Napoleon might +sweep round and cross the river somewhere to his left, and that in that +case he must fall back, and the town would have to be evacuated in the +day time when the enemy could sweep the bridges with their fire. By +three o'clock in the morning the whole force in the city had crossed, +and the bridges were burnt behind them. The flames acquainted the French +with the fact that the city had been evacuated, and at daybreak they +entered the town, and soon afterwards their skirmishers opened fire on +the Russians on the other side of the river. At eight o'clock a Spanish +brigade crossed the river waist deep, and entered the suburb known as +St. Petersburg, on the right bank; but they were at once attacked; many +were killed or taken prisoners, and the rest driven across the river +again. + +General Barclay then withdrew his army to the heights, wishing to tempt +the enemy to cross, intending to give them battle before all had made +the passage; but Napoleon kept his troops in hand, except that his +artillery maintained a fire to the right against the Russians. At eight +o'clock in the evening some skirmishers crossed the river, and fires +shortly broke out in St. Petersburg, and in an hour several hundred +houses, extending for a mile along the river, were in a blaze, while +those in Smolensk were still burning fiercely. At night the Russians +again fell back. The direct road lay parallel with the river, but as it +was commanded by the enemy's guns General Barclay directed the force, +divided into two columns, to march by cross roads. These led over two +steep hills, and, owing to the harness breaking, these roads soon became +blocked, and the march was discontinued till daylight enabled the +drivers to get the five hundred guns and the ammunition trains up the +hills. + +The French, finding that the Russian army was going off, crossed the +river in force and furiously attacked their rear-guard, and tried to +penetrate between it and the main body of the army, but Prince Eugene's +division was sent back to assist General Korf, who commanded there. In +the meantime two columns of the French moved along the main road to +Moscow with the evident intention of heading the Russian army at +Loubino, the point where the cross road by which they were travelling +came into it. This they might have accomplished owing to the much +shorter distance they had to travel and the delays caused by the +difficulty of getting the guns over the hills, but a small Russian +corps under Touchkoff had been sent forward to cover that point. Ney had +crossed the river early by two bridges he had thrown over it, and +Touchkoff, as he saw this force pressing along the main road, took up a +position where he covered Loubino, and for some hours repulsed all the +efforts of the French to pass. + +At three o'clock the pressure upon Touchkoff became so severe that +several regiments from Barclay's column, which was passing safely along +while he kept the road open for them, were sent to his assistance, and +the fight continued. Napoleon believed that the whole Russian force had +taken post at Loubino, and sent forward reinforcements to Ney. The woods +were so thick that it was some time before these reached him, the guns +of one of the columns being obliged to go a mile and a half through a +wood before they could turn, so dense was the growth of the trees. Ney +now pressed forward with such vigour that Touchkoff was driven from his +position in advance, upon the village itself, where he was again +reinforced by four infantry battalions, two regiments of cavalry, and +heavy guns. Murat with his cavalry endeavoured to turn the Russian left, +but the two Russian cavalry regiments, supported by their artillery, +maintained their ground. Soon after five o'clock the French had received +such large reinforcements that the Russians were forced to give way, and +were in full retreat when Barclay himself arrived upon the scene, and +rallied them. The battle was renewed, and the last effort of the French +was repulsed by a charge with the bayonet by the Russian grenadiers. + +In the charge, however, General Touchkoff, by whose valour the Russian +army had been saved, was carried too far in advance of his men, and was +taken prisoner. It was not until midnight that the rear of Barclay's +column emerged from the cross road, in which it had been involved for +twenty-four hours. In this fight the French and Russians lost about +6000 men each. Had Junot joined Ney in the attack on Touchkoff's force +the greater part of the Russian army must have been destroyed or made +prisoners. + +The Russian army now pursued its march towards Moscow unmolested save by +some attacks by Murat's cavalry. Ney's corps d'armée had borne the brunt +of the fighting at Loubino, and had been diminished in strength by +another 4000 men. In this battle, however, Julian's regiment, having +suffered so heavily in the attack at Smolensk, was one of those held in +reserve. Napoleon was greatly disappointed at the escape of the Russian +army from his grasp. Only 30,000 Russians had been engaged both in the +action in their rear and in that at Loubino, while the whole of the +French army round Smolensk, with the exception of the corps of Junot, +had in vain endeavoured to break through the defence and to fall upon +the main body of the army so helplessly struggling along the road. + +In the attack on Smolensk 12,000 of Napoleon's best soldiers had fallen. +Loubino cost him 6000 more, and although these numbers were but small in +proportion to the total strength of his army, they were exclusively +those of French soldiers belonging to the divisions in which he placed +his main trust. It was now a question with him whether he should +establish himself for the winter in the country he occupied, accumulate +stores, make Smolensk a great depôt that would serve as a base for his +advance in the spring, or move on at once against Moscow. On this point +he held a council with his marshals. The opinion of these was generally +favourable to the former course. The desperate fighting of the three +previous days had opened their eyes to the fact that even so great a +force as that led by Napoleon could not afford to despise the Russians. +The country that was at present occupied was rich. There were so many +towns that the army could go into comfortable quarters for the winter, +and their communications with the frontier were open and safe. It was +unquestionably the safer and more prudent course. + +With these conclusions Napoleon agreed in theory. It had originally been +his intention to winter in the provinces that he had now overrun, and to +march against St. Petersburg or Moscow in the spring. He had, however, +other matters besides those of military expediency to consider. In the +first place, the Poles were exasperated at his refusal to re-establish +at once their ancient kingdom, a refusal necessitated by the fact that +he could not do so without taking from Austria and Prussia, his allies, +the Polish districts that had fallen to their share. Then, too, the +Poles felt the terrible pressure of supporting the army still in Poland, +and of contributing to the vast expenses of the war, and were the +campaign to continue long their attitude might change to one of open +hostility. In the next place, the conclusion of peace, brought about by +the efforts of England, between both Sweden and Turkey with Russia, +would enable the latter to bring up the whole of the forces that had +been engaged in the south with the Turks, and in the north watching the +Swedish frontier, and would give time for the new levies to be converted +into good soldiers and placed in the field. + +Then, too, matters were going on badly in Spain. He could place but +little dependence upon Austria, Prussia, or Germany. Were he absent +another year from France he might find these countries leagued against +him. Therefore, although recognizing the justice of the arguments of his +marshals, he decided upon pushing on to Moscow, and establishing himself +there for the winter. He did not even yet recognize the stubbornness and +constancy of the Russian character, and believed that the spectacle of +their ancient capital in his hands would induce them at once to treat +for peace. The decision was welcome to the army. The general wish of the +soldiers was to get the matter over, and to be off home again. The +obstinacy with which the Russians fought, the rapidity with which they +marched, the intense animosity that had been excited among the peasants +by the cruel treatment to which they had been exposed, the recklessness +with which they threw away their lives so that they could but take +vengeance for their sufferings, the ferocity with which every straggler +or small detachment that fell into their hands was massacred--all these +things combined to excite a feeling of gloom and anxiety among the +soldiers. + +There were no merry songs round the bivouac fires now; even the thought +of the plunder of Moscow failed to raise their spirits. The loss of so +many tried comrades was greatly felt in Ney's division. It had at first +numbered over 40,000, and the losses in battle and from sickness had +already reduced it by more than a fourth. Even the veterans lost their +usual impassive attitude of contentment with the existing state of +things. + +"What I don't like," growled one of the old sergeants, "is that there is +not a soul in the villages, not a solitary man in the fields. It is not +natural. One gets the same sort of feeling one has when a thunderstorm +is just going to burst overhead. When it has begun you don't mind it, +but while you are waiting for the first flash, the first clap of +thunder, you get a sort of creepy feeling. That is just what the sight +of all this deserted country makes me feel. I have campaigned all over +Europe, but I never saw anything like this." + +A growl of assent passed round the circle, and there was a general +repetition of the words, "It is not natural, comrade. Even in Spain," +one said, "where they hate us like poison, the people don't leave their +villages like this. The young men may go, but the old men and the women +and children remain, and the priest is sure to stop. Here there is not +so much as a fowl to be seen in the streets. The whole population is +gone--man, woman, and child." + +"It makes one feel," another said gloomily, "as if we were accursed, +infected with the plague, or something of that sort." + +"Well, don't let us talk about it," another said with an effort at +cheerfulness. "There is Jules, he is the merriest fellow in our company. +Come here, Jules. We are all grumbling. What do you think of things?" + +"I don't think much about them one way or the other," Julian said as he +came up. "We have not a great deal further to go to Moscow, and the +sooner we get there the better. Then we shall have the satisfaction of +seeing some people." + +"Yes, Jules, that is what is vexing us, that everyone runs away at our +approach." + +"And no fools either," Julian replied, "considering the villainous way +in which they have been harried. Even peasants have some feeling, and +when they are treated like wild beasts they will turn. It seems to me +that instead of ill-treating them we ought, with such a march as this +before us, to have done everything in our power to show them that, +although we were going to fight any armies that opposed us, we had no +ill-feeling against the people at large. If they had found us ready to +pay for everything we wanted, and to treat them as well as if they had +been our own country people, there would have been no running away from +us. Then, as we advanced we could have purchased an abundant supply of +food everywhere. We should have had no fear as to our communications, +and might have wandered a hundred yards outside our sentries without the +risk of having our throats cut. However, it is of no use going over +these arguments again. The thing has been done and cannot be undone, and +we have but to accept the consequences, and make the best of them. A man +who burns a wood mustn't complain a month afterwards because he has no +fuel. However, I hope that in another day or two we shall be moving on. +As long as we are going there is no time to feel it dull; it is the +halt, after being so long in motion, that gives us time to talk, and +puts fancies into our heads. We did not expect a pleasure excursion when +we started." + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +WITH THE RUSSIAN ARMY + + +When Frank arrived at Canterbury he found things in confusion, and +received the news that two troops had orders to march the next morning +for Portsmouth, where they were to embark for Spain. + +"Why, the major said he would write!" he exclaimed. "His letter must +have missed me somehow. I shall have enough to do to get ready +to-night." + +"You are not going, Wyatt," Wilmington, who was his informant, said. +"The order expressly stated that Cornet Wyatt was not to accompany his +troop, as his services were required in another direction, and that +another officer was to take his place, and I am going with your troop. +Lister has been grumbling desperately. What on earth can they want you +for? However, there is a batch of letters for you in the ante-room, and +I daresay you will learn something about it from them." + +Frank ran in. There were two letters. One was an official document; the +direction of the other was in Sir Robert Wilson's handwriting. He opened +this first. + +"My dear Wyatt, your letter inclosing Strelinski's certificate came in +the nick of time. I had already made an application that you should be +attached to me for service, on the ground that you belonged to my old +regiment, and knew something of Russian; but your age and short service +were against you, and I doubt whether I should have succeeded, as the +post is considered an important one. However, when I went and showed +them the Pole's report as to your knowledge of Russian, and pointed out +that this was a far more important matter in the present case than any +question of age or service, the commander-in-chief at once agreed, and +you will no doubt receive an intimation that you are appointed my +aide-de-camp. I have been made a brigadier-general. It is not as yet +settled when we shall start. I have only just received my official +appointment, and there is no saying when I may get my final +instructions; for it is to a certain extent a political affair, and this +sort of thing always drags on for a long time before it comes to a head. +It is lucky that your matter is arranged now, for I hear at the +Horse-guards that your troop is ordered out to Spain. No doubt, just at +the moment, you will be sorry that you are not going with it, but I can +assure you that this business will be vastly more useful to you in your +profession, than anything you would be likely to meet with as a cavalry +subaltern in Spain." + +For a moment, indeed, Frank did regret that he was not going to +accompany his troop. He was so sure, however, that Sir Robert Wilson was +acting for the best that he put aside this feeling. The official letter +was a simple notification that he was appointed aide-de-camp to General +Sir Robert Wilson, but that he was to remain at the depôt and continue +his ordinary duties until a further intimation reached him. The +excitement of departure had, Frank was glad to find, quite thrown that +caused by his duel into the background. All the officers who were to go +were busy with their preparations, and Frank was occupied until a late +hour that night in assisting them in packing not only the baggage that +was to be taken, but the heavy cases that were to be stored away until +their return. Many were the regrets expressed by the officers who were +going out that Frank was not to accompany them, and much curiosity +expressed as to the reason for which he was kept behind. He felt that, +although Sir Robert Wilson had not specially enjoined silence, it would +be undesirable that any information as to the probability of his +proceeding to Russia should be given. He therefore said: + +"I only know that Sir Robert Wilson, who was a great friend of my +father's, and who obtained my commission for me, is going to have a +command somewhere, and has asked for me as one of his aides-de-camp on +the ground of his friendship for my father, and his former connection +with our regiment." + +"Well, then, very likely we shall see you out there before long, Wyatt," +Captain Lister said. "Of course, it is a compliment to the regiment, but +I daresay you feel it as a nuisance at present." + +"I should like to be going with you all, Lister; but I suppose this is +best for me in the long run." + +"Of course it is. It is always a good thing for a fellow to serve on the +staff. You have ten times as good a chance of getting mentioned in the +despatches, as have the men who do all the fighting. Still, I have no +doubt you will deserve any credit you may get, which is more than is the +case nine times out of ten." + +"How is Marshall getting on?" + +"He is going on all right. He has sent in his papers, and I suppose he +will be gazetted out by the time he is able to travel. I can assure you +that there was quite as much satisfaction in the Lancers at the turn the +affair took as there was with us." + +"Does the major go with you, Lister?" + +"No; he remains in command of the depôt for the present. Of course, he +will go out if a vacancy occurs above him; but in any case he will go +with the next draft, and the next two troops will be wound up to service +pitch in another couple of months, so I expect by the spring he will be +out there. I should not have minded if we too had waited until then, +for of course the army have gone into its winter quarters, and there +will be nothing doing for the next three or four months; and I take it +we should be a good deal more comfortable here, than posted in some +wretched little Spanish town till operations commence again. No doubt +you will be out there long before the first shot is fired." + +Another three months passed, and on the 28th of March, 1812, Frank +received an official order to join Sir Robert Wilson at once, and a +letter from the general, informing him that they were to sail on the 8th +of April. The letter was written in haste, and gave no intimation +whatever as to their destination. During this three months Frank had +worked almost incessantly at Russian. He had informed the major in +confidence that he believed Sir Robert Wilson was going as British +Commissioner to the Russian army when the war broke out with France. + +"Ah! that accounts for your working so hard at Russian, Wyatt," the +major said in reply. "I suppose you had received a hint from Sir +Robert." + +"Yes, Major. He told me that as he had been commissioner with the +Russians in their last war, it was probable that, if the rumours that +Napoleon intended to invade Russia proved correct, he might be appointed +again, and said that if I could get up enough of the language to speak +it pretty fluently, he would apply for me." + +"Well, you deserve it, Wyatt; for there is no doubt that you have worked +hard indeed; and it will be a capital thing for you. Is there anything I +can do?" + +"Yes, sir. I thought, perhaps, that when you knew what I am going to do, +you would relieve me of some of the ordinary drills, as I should like to +spend as much time as possible before I go, in getting up Russian." + +"Certainty," the major said. "After the official information that you +were not to proceed with the draft, as you would be required for special +service, I have a right to consider you as a supernumerary here, and +will relieve you of all ordinary drills and parades. You must, of +course, take your turn as officer of the day, and if there are any +special parades ordered, or any field days with the Lancers, you will +attend, but otherwise you will be free of all duty. The two next troops +to go have their full complement of officers, so that really you are not +wanted." + +As soon as Frank received Sir Robert Wilson's letter he went to +Strelinski. + +"It has come," he said. "I have to go up to town tomorrow, as I embark +on the 8th. I am awfully sorry that our lessons have come to an end. +However, they have lasted over the year that we talked of at first." + +"I am sorry too, Mr. Wyatt; though really I feel that in no case need +you have continued your studies any longer. The last three months has +made a great difference, for you have been talking Russian some eight or +ten hours a day, and are now sufficiently acquainted with the language +for any purpose whatever, except perhaps writing a book in it. If I had +not known that you might leave at any time, I should myself have told +you that I considered there was no advantage to be gained by your going +on with me any longer. I shall, of course, go up to London with you +to-morrow." + +"I am sorry for your sake, as well as my own, that our lessons are over, +Strelinski." + +"It cannot be helped," the Pole replied. "It has been a God-send to me. +When I first met you, I was well-nigh hopeless. Now I shall begin the +battle again with fresh courage. I have saved enough money to keep me, +with care, for many months, and doubtless your recommendation that you +have learned Russian from me, will make matters more easy for me than +they were before." + +On arriving in town Frank went at once to Sir Robert Wilson's lodging. +He found the general in, and after the first greetings, learned from him +that they were to accompany the newly-appointed ambassador to +Constantinople. "Our object there," Sir Robert said, "is to arrange, if +possible, a peace between Russia and Turkey. There is no doubt whatever +that Napoleon intends war. It is not declared yet, but it is absolutely +certain, and it is of vital importance that Russia should have her hands +free in other directions. As soon as this is arranged,--and I have no +doubt that it will be managed, for it is so necessary to Russia that she +will grant any terms, in reason, that Turkey can ask,--I am to journey +north and join the headquarters of the Russian army." + +This was delightful news to Frank. European travel in those days was +rare, and to have the opportunity of visiting Constantinople, as well as +being present at the tremendous encounter about to take place, was an +unexpected pleasure indeed. + +"There is one thing I want to speak to you about, Sir Robert," he said +presently. "It is about Strelinski. I have been thinking that perhaps, +as war is about to break out between Russia and France, you might be +kind enough to get a post for him as interpreter at the War Office or +Foreign Office." + +"I have already thought of that," the general said. "You wrote so highly +of him in your letters, that I felt I could thoroughly recommend him, +and I spoke about it only the day before yesterday to the Marquis of +Wellesley, and he said at once that they should be glad to have such a +man, as it would enable me to send over official documents and other +Russian statements without the trouble and loss of time in translating +them, and as the man is from Russian Poland, he could give information +concerning the country and the roads and other matters that would help +them to understand what is going on, especially as, until my arrival +there, they will have to depend upon Russian documents sent over by our +ambassador at St. Petersburg. Tell him to be here at eleven o'clock +to-morrow morning, and be here yourself in uniform. I have an +appointment with Lord Wellesley at half-past." + +Frank had put up at the hotel where the coach stopped, and had invited +Strelinski to stay there with him until he started; and on his return he +delighted the Pole by telling him that there was some chance of Sir +Robert Wilson obtaining for him an appointment as interpreter. The next +day Frank and Strelinski accompanied Sir Robert Wilson to the War +Office. They remained in the ante-chamber while the general went in to +Lord Wellesley's apartments. In half an hour an officer came out and +called Frank in. + +"Sir Robert Wilson has spoken very warmly in your favour, Mr. Wyatt," +Lord Wellesley said, holding out his hand, as Sir Robert introduced him, +"and his report is confirmed by your commanding officer, Major Tritton, +who gives an excellent account of you. But you must not deprive His +Majesty's army of the services of any more of its officers, Mr. Wyatt. +Of course I received full details of that affair, and I am bound to say +that it seems you behaved admirably, and you must be a wonderful shot. +You don't look like a fire-eater either. It is a bad practice, Mr. +Wyatt, a very bad practice. Well, well," he broke off, seeing a slight +smile on Sir Robert's lips, "I suppose I have no right to say anything +about it, having been an offender myself. However, from what I have +learned, if ever a duel was justified, yours was. Well, sir, I hope that +your future career will correspond with the reports that I have received +of your past conduct. You are very fortunate in having been chosen for +so important a service as that upon which you are now embarking, and I +need hardly say that it will be of great value to you in your +profession." + +Frank expressed his thanks, and then retired. Strelinski was then called +in, and in a few minutes returned radiant. + +"What do I not owe to you," he said, "to you and General Wilson? I have +been appointed interpreter on a salary of two hundred a year. Think of +it! my fortune is made." + +"I congratulate you indeed," Frank replied warmly. "I did not like to +raise your hopes too high, but I felt sure, by what Sir Robert said, +that it was as good as settled. I am almost as pleased as you are, for I +should have been awfully sorry to go away, without knowing that you were +comfortably settled here." + +"What are you going to do, Wyatt, till you start?" General Wilson asked, +as they left the War Office. + +"It depends whether I can be useful here; if so, I am of course ready to +do anything, but if you will not in any way want me, I shall start this +evening by the coach for Weymouth, and join you at Portsmouth. I will +send my baggage off at once by waggon." + +"Do so by all means, Wyatt. Direct it 'Care of General Wilson, His +Majesty's ship _Argo_.' You had better be there on the afternoon of the +7th, and go on board at once. We shall be down that evening, and shall +sleep at the _George_, and go on board the first thing in the morning." + +Frank found his aunt in good health. He stayed there three days, and +then posted to Portsmouth, getting there early on the morning of the +7th. The _Argo_ was lying at Spithead. Taking a wherry he went out to +her at once. He found that all was in readiness, and that a small cabin +had been assigned to him next to that of Sir Robert Wilson. His trunk +was already there, and leaving his small portmanteau in his cabin, he +went ashore and took up his quarters at the _George_. The ambassador, +his secretary, and General Wilson arrived together in a post-chaise in +the evening, and at eight o'clock next morning they all went on board. + +The voyage was long and tedious, but Frank was very glad of a stay for +two or three days at Gibraltar, and as long at Malta. + +The _Argo_ arrived at Constantinople at the end of June, and they found +that the treaty of peace between Turkey and Russia had been already +arranged. A month was spent in vexatious delays, which were the more +irritating as it was known that Napoleon had arrived at the frontier, +and was on the point of crossing the Niemen, if he had not already done +so. At last the British ambassador succeeded in overcoming the inertness +of the Porte; on the 14th of July the treaty was finally ratified, and +on the 27th Sir Robert Wilson was sent by our ambassador to Shumla to +arrange details with the Grand Vizier. Thence he went to the Congress at +Bucharest, which was the headquarters of the Russian Admiral, +Tchichagow, who commanded their army of the Danube. + +After having finally arranged these matters, he started north with +Frank, furnished with an order to postmasters on the road to supply them +instantly with relays of horses. Travelling night and day without a +stop, they arrived at Smolensk on the day before the French attacked the +place. Sir Robert had expected to find the Emperor here, but learnt that +he was still at St. Petersburg. Being personally acquainted with all the +Russian generals he was received with the greatest courtesy, and at once +placed himself at the disposal of the commander-in-chief, while Frank +was introduced to the members of the staff. + +Sir Robert Wilson found that a very grave state of things was +prevailing. The generals were in open dissension with Barclay for having +suffered the enemy to overrun so many provinces, and for not making any +dispositions to defend the line of the Dnieper. + +Next morning the Englishmen were awakened by a roar of musketry. They +had been furnished with horses, and, dressing hastily, mounted, and +joined the commander-in-chief's staff, which was taking up its position +on the hill, whence a general view could be obtained of what was passing +on the other side of the river. An aide-de-camp was on the point of +starting as they rode up to ascertain the exact position of things in +the town, and Sir Robert ordered Frank to accompany him. Frank had been +introduced to the aide-de-camp on the previous day, and as they dashed +down towards the bridge, he said: + +"The fighting seems very heavy." + +"It will be heavier before they take Smolensk," the Russian said. "There +are 20,000 men in the town, and reinforcements can be sent across as +required. At present the fighting is in the suburbs, but they won't +drive us out of them as quickly as they expect." + +After crossing the bridge they made their way to the headquarters of +General Doctorow, and were at once shown in. The Russian saluted: "The +commander-in-chief sends his compliments to you, general, and wishes to +know how things are going on, and whether you need reinforcements. He +desires that you should send messengers every ten minutes acquainting +him with the progress of affairs." + +"All goes well at present. The troops are everywhere doing their duty. +As yet we need no reinforcements. They are making but little way in any +of the suburbs, but of course their attack is not yet fully developed." + +"Allow me to introduce to your Excellency this British officer, Mr. +Wyatt, aide-de-camp to General Wilson, who arrived in our camp yesterday +afternoon as British commissioner." + +"You have come at an opportune moment, sir, to see fighting. If you had +come sooner you would have seen nothing but running away. If you would +like to make a tour of the walls to see what is going on, an officer +shall accompany you." + +Frank accepted the invitation with thanks. He had nothing at present to +report more than the aide-de-camp would take back, and he knew that Sir +Robert would be glad of further particulars. He therefore asked him to +tell Sir Robert why he had stayed, and at once proceeded to the walls, +accompanied by an officer of Doctorow's staff. From there, little could +be seen of the fighting. The musketry fire, indeed, had almost ceased, +and the French could be seen retiring up the hill, where dense masses of +troops were drawn up. Returning to the general's quarters he mounted and +rode back to the commander-in-chief's staff. + +"The affair has scarcely begun yet," he said to Sir Robert, "but the +whole of the French army is drawn up in line of battle, and, I should +say, is about to assault the town in full force." + +For some hours there was a lull, but about mid-day heavy masses of +troops were seen descending from the French positions, and as they +approached the suburbs a roar of musketry broke out. Twice in the course +of the next two hours Frank was sent down into the town. He reported +that, although resisting with the greatest obstinacy, the Russians were +being driven out of the suburbs. Just as he returned the second time, +Sir Robert Wilson, who was examining the enemy's position with a +telescope, observed that ten batteries of artillery were making their +way up the steep hill on the other side of the river. He at once +reported this to the general, adding: "They will very speedily knock the +bridges into pieces and isolate the garrison altogether. But I think, +sir," he added, "if you place some batteries on the hill on this side, +you will take them in flank. The two hills are both about the same +height, and they will be completely exposed to your fire." + +"Very well," General Barclay replied, "I will order eight batteries up +there at once, and you will oblige me if you will accompany them and +indicate the best position for them to take up. Colonel Stellitz, you +will at once carry the order to the artillery, and request the officer +in command of the batteries to post them as General Wilson may advise." + +Sir Robert and the colonel, followed by Frank, at once rode off. Just as +they reached the artillery, the French battery opened fire. Exclamations +of rage burst from the soldiers as the shot splashed into the water +round the bridges and the shell burst over them. The general in command +of the artillery, on receiving the order, directed eight batteries to +follow General Wilson. At a gallop they dashed up the hill, and in ten +minutes had unlimbered and opened fire upon the French. The effect was +visible at once. Much confusion was observed among the artillery-men, +and in a short time several of the guns were dismounted, and four or +five powder waggons blown up. Then a loud cheer burst from the Russian +artillery-men as they saw the French bring up the horses from behind the +shelter of the crest, limber-up and drive off with the guns. But from +other points of vantage 150 guns were now pouring their fire into the +town, and, as the flames broke out from several quarters, exclamations +of grief and fury were heard from the Russian soldiers. + +Smolensk was, like Moscow, considered a sacred city, and the soldiers +were affected rather by the impiety of the act than by the actual +destruction that was being wrought. As General Wilson and Frank rode +back to the spot where General Barclay was stationed, a mass of Russian +infantry moved down the hill towards the bridges, and at once began to +cross. + +"Whose division is that?" Sir Robert asked an officer as they joined the +staff. + +"It is Prince Eugene's," he replied. "They are pressing us hard now, +having driven Doctorow's men out of the covered way, and are massing for +an assault on one of the gates." + +The fire continued unabated until seven o'clock. Then a messenger came +across with the news that the French were drawing off, and that the +covered way was being reoccupied. General Wilson was warmly thanked by +the Russian commander-in-chief for having silenced the batteries that +had threatened the bridges. That evening, when he issued the order for +the evacuation of Smolensk, the disaffection with Barclay de Tolly broke +out with renewed force, and during the night a body of generals came to +Sir Robert Wilson's tent. He was at the time occupied in dictating a +despatch to Frank, whom he requested to retire directly he saw the rank +of his visitors. As soon as they were alone they said that it had been +resolved to send to the Emperor not only the request of the army for a +new chief, but a declaration in their own name and that of the troops +"that if any order came from St. Petersburg, to suspend hostilities and +greet the invaders as friends"--for it had all along been believed that +the retrograde movements were the result of the advice of the minister, +Count Romanzow--"such an order would be regarded as one that did not +express his Imperial Majesty's real sentiments and wishes, but had been +extracted from his Majesty under false representations or external +control, and that the army would continue to maintain its pledge and to +pursue the contest till the invader was driven beyond the frontier." + +"We are here, General Wilson," one of the generals said, "to beg you to +undertake the delivery of this message to the Emperor. It would mean +death to any Russian officer who undertook the commission, but, knowing +your attachment to the Emperor, and his equally well-known feelings +towards yourself, no person is so well qualified to lay the expression +of our sentiments before him. Your motives in doing so cannot be +suspected; coming from you, the Emperor's self-respect would not suffer +in the same way as it would do, were the message conveyed to him by one +of his own subjects." + +One after another the generals urged the request. + +Sir Robert listened to their arguments, and then said: "This is +altogether too grave a matter for me to decide upon hastily. I know +thoroughly well that there is no thought of disloyalty in the mind of +any of you towards the will of the Emperor, but the act is one of the +gravest insubordination, and it is indeed a threat that you will disobey +his Majesty's commands in the event of his ordering a suspension of +hostilities. As to the conduct of the commander-in-chief, I am not +competent to express any opinion whatever, but as a soldier I can +understand that this long-continued retreat and the abandonment of so +many provinces to the enemy, without striking a single blow in their +defence, is trying in the extreme, both to yourselves and your brave +soldiers. I shall not leave the army until I see it fairly on the march +again, but before I start I will give you my reply." + +The generals thanked Sir Robert warmly, and then withdrew. + +"I shall write no more to-night, Wyatt," the general said when Frank +entered the tent. "I have other grave matters to think about. You had +best lie down at once, and get a few hours' sleep. To-morrow is likely +to be an eventful day, for the operation of withdrawing the army from +this position and getting on to the main road again will be full of +peril, and may indeed end in a terrible disaster." + +As soon as the Russian army had repulsed the attacks of the French and +resumed its march towards Moscow, Sir Robert Wilson left it and +proceeded to St. Petersburg, where he had promised the Russian generals +to inform the Czar of the opinion and disposition of the army, their +dissatisfaction with the general, and their determination to continue +the combat and to refuse to recognize any negotiations or armistice that +might be made with the enemy. + +"I shall leave you here, Wyatt," the General said, on the morning after +the desperate defence of Loubino had saved the army. "There is little +chance of the French pressing the Russians any further. I think it +probable that they may go into winter quarters where they now are; but +in any case they cannot hope to outmarch us, and, if they follow, the +battle will be in the position the Russians may choose. Even were there +more fighting imminent, I should still start to-day for St. Petersburg; +I only came round by Smolensk, as you know, because I thought that the +Emperor would be found there. My first duty is to see him, and to report +to him the arrangements that have been made on the Danube with the Grand +Vizier and his people, by which the whole of the Russian army there will +be able to join in the defence against the French. As soon as I have +done so and explained to his Majesty the position here, I shall rejoin; +and I hope the Czar will also be coming down here, for his presence +would be most useful--not in the military way, for no men in the world +could fight better than the Russians are doing,--but the army fears, +above all things, that peace will be made before it has an opportunity +of wiping out, what it considers its disgrace, in allowing the French to +overrun so many rich provinces without striking a blow. + +"In point of fact, the defence of Smolensk, and the way in which some +20,000 men yesterday withstood for hours the assault of three or four +times their number, would be sufficient to prove to the world their +fighting qualities. In my own mind, I consider that Barclay has acted +wisely in declining to hazard the whole fortune of the war upon a single +battle against an enemy which, from the first, has outnumbered him +nearly threefold, but he should never have taken up his position on the +frontier if he did not mean to defend it. Any other army than this would +have become a disorganized rabble long ago. There is nothing so trying +to troops as to march for weeks hotly chased by an enemy. Three times in +the Peninsula we have seen what a British army becomes under far less +trying circumstances. If the Russians did but know it, this retreat of +theirs, and the admirable manner in which they have maintained their +discipline, is as creditable as winning a great victory would be; still +one can understand that the sight of this flying population, the +deserted fields, this surrender of provinces to an enemy, is mortifying +in the highest degree to their pride. + +"Nevertheless, Barclay's policy, though I think it has been carried a +great deal too far--for with troops who will fight as ours did yesterday +he might have fought a dozen battles like that of Loubino, and would +have compelled the French to advance slowly instead of in hot +pursuit--has been justified to a great extent. From all I hear, the +invading army has already suffered very great losses from fever and +hardship, the effect of the weather, and from the number of stragglers +who have been cut off and killed by the peasantry. Their transport has +especially suffered, vast numbers of their horses having died; and in a +campaign like this, transport is everything. In the various fights that +have taken place since they entered Russia, they have probably suffered +a heavier loss than the Russians, as the latter have always fought on +the defensive; and the French loss has fallen on Napoleon's best troops, +while the Russian army is all equally good. + +"Lastly, although the Russians are discontented at their continued +retreat, their _morale_ does not seem to have suffered in any way, and +it is probable that the long marches, the inability to bring on a +general engagement, the distance from home, and the uncertainty about +the future has told heavily upon that of the French, who are vastly more +susceptible to matters of this kind than are the Russians. You will +remain with the headquarter staff, and I wish you, while I am away, to +obtain accurate details of the movements of the various columns, and to +write a full report every evening of the march and of all matters of +interest. I do not want you to forward these to me, but to keep them +for future reference. I hope to rejoin before any further fighting takes +place." + +Sir Robert reached St. Petersburg on the 24th of August, but it was not +until ten days later that he saw the Emperor, who had gone with Lord +Cathcart, the British Ambassador, to meet the King of Sweden, and to +conclude the negotiations that secured his co-operation. The information +that General Wilson had brought of the admirable behaviour of the army +did much to allay the alarm that prevailed in St. Petersburg; and, after +dining with the Emperor on the evening of the arrival of the latter at +his capital, he had a long private interview with him. The Emperor had +already been made acquainted with the dissatisfaction in the army, and +Marshal Kutusow had been sent to replace General Barclay, and he asked +Sir Robert whether he thought the new commander would be able to restore +subordination and confidence in the army. Sir Robert replied that he had +met the marshal, and had informed him of the exact state of things +there: that the latter had conjured him to acquaint the Emperor with the +fullest details, and in accordance with that request, and in order to +prevent his Majesty having the pain of hearing it from the lips of one +of his own subjects--who perhaps would be less able to convince him of +the intense feeling of loyalty to himself that still prevailed--he had +consented to be the mouthpiece of the generals of the army. He then +reported to him the interviews that he had had with the general +officers, suppressing the names of those present, and the message they +had desired him to deliver. + +The Emperor was greatly moved. However, the manner in which the general +fulfilled the mission with which he was charged, and his assurances that +the act of seeming insubordination and defiance of the imperial +authority was in no way directed against him, but against his advisers, +whom they believed to be acting in the interests of Napoleon, had their +effect, and the Emperor promised to give the matter every +consideration, and to answer him definitely on the following day. At +the next meeting he gave Sir Robert his authority to assure the army of +his determination to continue the war against Napoleon while a Frenchman +remained in arms on Russian soil, and that, if the worst came to the +worst, he would remove his family far into the interior, and make any +sacrifice rather than break that engagement. At the same time, while he +could not submit to dictation in the matter of his ministers, he could +assure them that these should in no way influence him to break this +promise. + +During Sir Robert's stay in St. Petersburg the Emperor took every +occasion to show him marked favour, as if anxious to assure those whose +views Sir Robert had represented, that he was in no way displeased with +them for the attitude they had assumed; and upon his leaving to rejoin +the army the Emperor directed him to repeat in the most formal manner +his declaration that he would not enter into or permit any negotiations +with Napoleon; and added that he would sooner let his beard grow to his +waist, and eat potatoes in Siberia. + +Frank had been active during the battle of Loubino. Sir Robert Wilson +had taken up his post with Touchkoff during the action which was so +desperately fought to cover the retreat of the main army, and Frank had +acted as aide-de-camp, and, having carried orders to various parts of +the field, had excellent opportunities of seeing the whole of the +battle; and the Russian general in making his report of the engagement +had mentioned his name among those who had rendered distinguished +services. His horse had been shot under him, his cap had been carried +away by a bullet, and he had received a slight flesh wound in his leg. +Although this was of small consequence, it had caused the insertion of +his name among those of the officers wounded in the battle. He was to +see no more fighting for a time; for, although the army of Wittgenstein +fought two or three severe actions with the divisions of St. Cyr and +Oudinot, the main army fell back without again fighting until it took up +the position that Marshal Kutusow had selected for giving battle. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +BORODINO + + +Barbarously as the French army behaved on its advance to Smolensk, +things were even worse as they left the ruined town behind them and +resumed their journey towards Moscow. It seemed that the hatred with +which they were regarded by the Russian peasantry was now even more than +reciprocated. The destruction they committed was wanton and wholesale; +the villages, and even the towns, were burnt down, and the whole country +made desolate. It was nothing to them that by so doing they added +enormously to the difficulties of their own commissariat; nothing that +they were destroying the places where they might otherwise have found +shelter on their return. They seemed to destroy simply for the sake of +destruction, and to be animated by a burning feeling of hatred for the +country they had invaded. + +Since the days of the thirty years' war in Germany, never had war been +carried on in Europe so mercilessly and so destructively. As he saw the +ruined homes or passed the bodies of peasants wantonly shot down, Julian +Wyatt regretted bitterly that he had not been content to remain a +prisoner at Verdun. Battles he had expected; but this destruction of +property, this warring upon peaceful inhabitants, filled him with +horror; his high spirits left him, and he no longer laughed and jested +on the march, but kept on the way in the same gloomy silence that +reigned among the greater part of his companions. When half way to +Moscow a fresh cause of uneasiness manifested itself. The Russians no +longer left their towns and villages for the French to plunder and burn, +but, as they retreated, themselves applied fire to all the houses, with +a thoroughness and method which showed that this was not the work of +stragglers or camp-followers, but that it was the result of a settled +plan. At last news came that the Russians had resolved to fight a +pitched battle at Borodino, and the spirits of the army at once rose. + +Napoleon halted them for two days, in order that they might rest and +receive provisions from the baggage trains following. On the 4th of +September they marched forward as before, in three columns, preceded by +Murat's cavalry, which brushed aside the hordes of Cossack horse. +Half-way to Gratz, a Russian division stoutly held for some time a +height up which the road wound, but after some sharp fighting was forced +to retreat. + +The Russian position at Borodino was a strong one. The right was covered +by the rivulet of Kolocza, which was everywhere fordable, but ran +through a deep ravine. Borodino, a village on the banks of this rivulet, +formed their centre, and their left was posted upon steeply rising +ground, almost at right angles with their right. Borodino itself--which +lay on the northern side of the Kolocza--was not intended to be held in +force. The rivulet fell into the river Moskwa half a mile beyond +Borodino. Field-works had been thrown up at several points, and near the +centre were two strong redoubts commanding Borodino and the high-road. +Other strong works had been erected at important points. + +[Illustration: PLAN OF THE BATTLE OF BORODINO.] + +Considerably in advance of the general line of the position a strong +work had been erected; this it was necessary to take before the main +position could be attacked, and at two in the afternoon of the 5th, +Napoleon directed an assault to be made upon this redoubt. It was +obstinately held by the Russians. They were several times driven out, +but, as often, reinforcements came up, and it was captured by them; +and finally, after holding it until nightfall, they fell back to their +main position, the loss having been heavy on both sides. The next day +was spent by Napoleon in reconnoitring the Russian position and deciding +the plan of attack. Finally he determined to make a strong demonstration +against the village of Borodino, and, under cover of this, to launch his +whole army upon the Russian left wing. On the morning of the 7th, +Napoleon posted himself on an eminence near the village of Chewardino. +Near the spot, earthworks were thrown up during the night for the +protection of three batteries, each of twenty-four guns. Davoust and Ney +were to make a direct attack on the enemy's left. Poniatowski was to +endeavour to march through the woods and gain the rear of the Russian +position. The rest of the force were to keep the Russian centre and +right in check. The Imperial Guard formed the reserve. + +On the Russian side Bagration's army formed the left, Beningsen's the +centre, and Barclay's the right. The French force numbered about +150,000, the Russian from 80,000 to 90,000. The French had a thousand +guns, the Russians 640. At six in the morning of the 7th of September +the French batteries opened fire along the whole line, and the Russians +at once replied. The roar of artillery was incessant, and ere long the +rattle of musketry swelled the din, as Davoust launched the division of +Desaix, and Ney that of Campans, against three small redoubts in front +of the Russian position. Impetuous as was the assault, the Russians +received it with unflinching courage; two of the Russian generals were +wounded, but the assault was repulsed. Ney moved up another division, +and after severe fighting the redoubts were carried. They were held, +however, but a short time, for Woronzow led forward his grenadiers in +solid squares, and, supporting the advance by a charge of cavalry, +recaptured them, and drove the French back across the ravine in front of +them. + +There was now a short pause in the attack, but the roar of artillery and +musketry continued unbroken. Poniatowski now emerged from the wood, and +fell upon the Russian left rear, capturing the village of Outitska. +Touchkoff, a brother of the general who had been captured at Loubino, +who commanded here, fell back to a height that dominated the village and +the ground beyond it, and maintained himself until mid-day. On the +French left, where the Viceroy Beauharnois commanded, the advance was +stubbornly opposed, and the French artillery was several times silenced +by the guns on the eminence. At last, however, the Russians were driven +across the rivulet, and the French occupied Borodino. Leaving a division +of infantry to protect his rear, the Viceroy crossed the stream and +advanced against a great battery in front of the village of Gorki. +Davoust and Ney remained motionless until nine o'clock, as Napoleon +would not forward the reinforcements they had asked for until he learned +that Poniatowski had come into action, and that the Viceroy had crossed +the stream and was moving to the attack of the Russian centre. Now, +reinforced by the division of Friant, they moved forward. + +For an hour the Russians held their advanced works, and then were forced +to fall back; and the French, following up their advantage, crossed a +ravine and occupied the village of Semianotsky, which had been partially +destroyed on the previous day by the Russians, so that if captured it +would afford no cover to the French. It was but for a short time that +the latter held it. Coming up at the head of his grenadiers, Touchkoff +drove them out, recrossed the ravine, and recaptured the advance works +they had before so obstinately contested. In turn the French retook the +three redoubts; but, again, a Russian division coming up wrested the +position from them, and replanted their flag there. Napoleon, seeing +that no impression could be made on the Russian left, now sent orders +to the Viceroy to carry the great redoubt before Gorki. In spite of the +difficulties presented by the broken ground, the three French divisions +pressed forward with the greatest gallantry, and, heedless of the storm +of grape poured upon them, stormed the redoubt. But its late defenders, +reinforced by some battalions from Doctorow's corps, dashed forward to +recover the position, and fell with such fury upon the French that the +regiment that had entered the redoubt was all but annihilated, and the +position regained, while at the same moment two regiments of Russian +cavalry fell upon reinforcements pressing forward to aid the defenders, +and threw them into disorder. + +The Viceroy now opened fire on the redoubt with all his artillery, +inflicting such loss upon the defenders that it was soon necessary to +relieve them with a fresh division. Ney, finding it impossible to carry +and hold the three redoubts in front of him, directed Junot to endeavour +to force his way between the main Russian left and Touchkoff's division; +but he was met by Prince Eugene's Russian corps, which brought his +advance to a standstill. Junot's presence there, however, acted as a +support to Poniatowski, who, covered by the fire of forty pieces of +cannon, advanced against Touchkoff's division. For a time he gained +ground, but the Russian general, bringing up all his troops, assumed the +offensive, and, driving Poniatowski back, recovered the lost ground. The +brave Russian leader, however, was mortally wounded in the fight. It was +now twelve o'clock, and so far the French had gained no advantage. +Napoleon felt the necessity for a decisive effort, and concentrating his +whole force, and posting 400 guns to cover the advance, sent it forward +against the Russian left. + +The Russians, perceiving the magnitude of the movement, despatched large +reinforcements to the defenders, and at the same time, to effect a +diversion, sent the greater portion of their cavalry round to menace +the French rear at Borodino. Three hundred Russian guns opposed the four +hundred of the French, and amidst the tremendous roar of the guns, the +great mass of French infantry hurled themselves upon the Russians. For a +time no impression could be made, so sternly and fiercely did the +Russians fight, but Bagration, their commander, with several other +generals, were badly wounded and forced to retire. Konownitsyn assumed +the command, but the loss of the general, in whom they placed implicit +confidence, told upon the spirits of his troops, and Konownitsyn was +forced to abandon the three redoubts, and to take up a new position +behind Semianotsky, where he re-established his batteries and checked +the progress of the enemy. + +A portion of the French cavalry now made a desperate attempt to break +through the Russian left, but two regiments of the Imperial Guard, +throwing themselves into squares, maintained their position until five +regiments of Russian cuirassiers came up and forced their assailants +back. At this critical moment the great mass of Russian cavalry that had +been sent round to attack the Viceroy fell upon his rear, drove his +cavalry into the village with great loss, and pressed the infantry so +hard that the Viceroy himself had to take refuge in one of his squares. +Having thus succeeded in distracting the enemy's attention, arresting +his tide of battle, and giving time to the Russians to reform and plant +their batteries afresh, the Russian cavalry withdrew. The Viceroy +recrossed the stream again, and prepared to make another attack upon the +great bastion he had before captured, and the whole line again advanced. +While the Viceroy attacked the great redoubt in front, Murat sent a +division of his cavalry round to fall upon its rear, and, although swept +by artillery and infantry fire, the brave horsemen carried out their +object, although almost annihilated by the fire of the defenders of the +redoubt. + +The French infantry took advantage of the attention of the defenders +being diverted by this attack, and with a rush stormed the work; the +four Russian regiments who held it fought to the last, refusing all +offers of quarter, and maintaining a hand-to-hand conflict until +annihilated. The Russian artillery, in the works round Gorki, swept the +redoubt with their fire, and under its cover the infantry made repeated +but vain attacks to recapture it, for their desperate bravery was +unavailing against the tremendous artillery fire concentrated upon them, +while the French on their part were unable to take advantage of the +position they had gained. Napoleon, indeed, would have launched his +troops against the works round Gorki, but his generals represented to +him that the losses had already been so enormous, that it was doubtful +whether he could possibly succeed, and if he did so, it could only be +with such further loss as would cripple the army altogether. + +At three o'clock Napoleon, whose whole army, with the exception of the +Imperial Guard, had been engaged, felt that nothing further could be +done that day, and ordered the battle to cease. He had gained the three +redoubts on the Russians' left and the great redoubt captured by the +Viceroy, but these were really only advanced works, and the main +position of the Russians still remained entirely intact. At night the +French retired from the positions they had won, to those they had +occupied before the battle begun, retaining possession only of the +village of Borodino. The loss of the combatants during the two days' +fighting had been nearly equal, no less than 40,000 men having been +killed on each side, a number exceeding that of any other battle in +modern times. Napoleon expected that the Russians would again give +battle next morning, but Kutusow, contrary to the opinion of most of his +generals, decided on falling back. Beningsen, one of his best officers, +strongly urged him to take up a position at Kalouga, some seventy miles +to the south of Moscow. The position was a very strong one. Napoleon +could not advance against Moscow, which was in a position to offer a +long and determined resistance, until he had driven off the Russian +army. At Kalouga they could at any moment advance on to his line of +communication, cut off all his supplies, and isolate him from France. + +The advice was excellent, but Kutusow, who was even more unfitted than +Barclay for the post of commander-in-chief, refused to adopt this +course, and fell back towards Moscow, followed by the French. The +sufferings of the latter had already become severe--the nights were +getting very cold, the scarcity of food was considerable, the greater +part of the army was already subsisting on horse-flesh, the warm +clothing, which was becoming more and more necessary, was far in the +rear, their shoes were worn out, and it was only the thought that they +would have a long period of rest and comfort in Moscow, that animated +them to press forward along the fifty miles of road between Borodino and +that city. + +Julian had passed through the terrible battle unscathed. It seemed to +him, when fighting had ceased for the day, that it was almost miraculous +a single man should have survived that storm of fire. While the fight +had actually been going on, the excitement and the ardour of battle had +rendered him almost insensible to the danger. With the soldiers as with +their generals the capture of the three small redoubts became, as the +day went on, a matter on which every thought was bent, every energy +concentrated; it was no longer a battle between French and Russians, but +a struggle in which each man felt that his personal honour was +concerned. Each time that, with loud cheering, they stormed the +blood-stained works, they felt the pride of victory; each time that, +foot by foot, they were again forced backwards, there was rage in every +heart and a fierce determination to return and conquer. + +In such a struggle as this, when men's passions are once involved, +death loses its terror; thickly as comrades may fall around, those who +are still erect heed not the gaps, but with eyes fixed on the enemy in +front of him, with lips set tightly together, with head bent somewhat +down as men who struggle through a storm of rain, each man presses on +until a shot strikes him, or he reaches the goal he aims at. At such a +time the fire slackens, for each man strives to decide the struggle, +with bayonet or clubbed musket. Four times did Julian's regiment climb +the side of the ravine in front of the redoubts, four times were they +hurled back again with ever-decreasing numbers, and when at last they +found themselves, as the fire slackened, masters of the position, the +men looked at each other as if waking from some terrible dream, filled +with surprise that they were still alive and breathing, and faint and +trembling, now that the exertion was over and the tremendous strain +relaxed. When they had time to look round, they saw that but one-fourth +of those who had, some hours before, advanced to the attack of the +redoubt of Chewardino remained. The ground around the little earthworks +was piled thickly with dead Frenchmen and Russians, and ploughed up by +the iron storm that had for eight hours swept across it. Dismounted +guns, ammunition boxes, muskets, and accoutrements were scattered +everywhere. Even the veterans of a hundred battles had never witnessed +such a scene, had never gone through so prolonged and terrible a +struggle. Men were differently affected, some shook a comrade's hand +with silent pressure, some stood gazing sternly and fixedly at the lines +where the enemy still stood unconquered, and tears fell down many a +bronzed and battle-worn face; some sobbed like children, exhausted by +their emotions rather than their labours. + +The loss of the officers had been prodigious. Eight generals were killed +and thirty wounded, and nearly two thousand officers. The colonel and +majors of Julian's regiment had fallen, and a captain, who was but sixth +on the list when the battle began, now commanded. Between three o'clock +and dusk the men were engaged in binding up each other's wounds, eating +what food they carried in their haversacks, and searching for more in +those of the fallen. Few words were spoken, and even when the order came +to evacuate the position and retire to the ground they had left that +morning, there was not a murmur; for the time no one seemed to care what +happened, or what became of him. Once on the ground where they were to +bivouac, fresh life was infused into their veins. The chill evening air +braced up their nerves; great fires were lighted with brushwood, broken +cartridge-boxes, and the fragments of gun-carriages and waggons; and +water was brought up from the stream. Horse-flesh was soon being +roasted, and as hunger and thirst were appeased, the buzz of +conversation rose round the fires, and the minds as well as the tongues +of men seemed to thaw from their torpor. + +"Well, comrade, so you too have gone through it without a scratch," +Julian's friend, the sergeant, said to him. "Well, you will never see +such a fight again if you grow gray in the service. Where are those who +scoffed at the Russians now? They can fight, these men. It was a battle +of giants. No one could have done more than we did, and yet they did as +much; but to-morrow we shall win." + +"What! do you think we shall fight again to-morrow?" + +"That is for the Russians to say, not for us. If they stand we must +fight them again. It is a matter of life and death for us to get to +Moscow. We shall win to-morrow, for Napoleon will have to bring up the +Imperial Guard, 20,000 of his best troops, and the Russians put their +last man into the line of battle to-day, and, never fear, we shall win. +But I own I have had enough of it. Never before have I hoped that the +enemy in front of us would go off without a battle, but I do so now. We +want rest and quiet. When spring comes we will fight them again as +often as they like, but until then I for one do not wish to hear a gun +fired." + +"I am sure I do not, sergeant," Julian agreed; "and I only hope that we +shall get peace and quiet when we reach Moscow." + +"Oh, the Russians will be sure to send in to ask for terms of peace as +soon as we get there," the sergeant said confidently. + +"I hope so, but I have great doubts, sergeant. When people are ready to +burn their homes rather than that we should occupy them, to desert all +that they have and to wander away they know not where, when they will +fight as they fought to-day, I have great doubts whether they will talk +of surrender. They can bring up fresh troops long before we can. They +will have no lack of provisions. Their country is so vast that they know +that at most we can hold but a small portion of it. It seems to me that +it is not of surrender they will be thinking, but of bringing up fresh +troops from every part of their empire, of drilling and organizing and +preparing for the next campaign. I cannot help thinking of what would +happen to us if they burnt Moscow, as they have burned half a dozen +towns already." + +"No people ever made such a sacrifice. What, burn the city they consider +sacred!--the old capital every Russian thinks of with pride! It never +can be, but if they should do so, all I can say is, God help us all. Few +of us would ever go back to France." + +"So it seems to me, sergeant. I have been thinking of it lately, and +after the way in which the Russians came on, careless of life, under the +fire of our cannon to-day, I can believe them to be capable of +anything." + +The next morning it was found that the Russian lines were deserted. So +the French army set forward again on its march, and on the morning of +the 14th arrived within sight of Moscow. Kutusow had at one time seemed +disposed to fight another battle in front of the city, and had given a +solemn promise to its governor that he should have three days' notice of +any change in his determination, and so allow time for him to carry out +his intention to evacuate the town, when the municipal authorities were, +methodically and officially, to proceed to destroy the whole city by +fire. This promise Kutusow broke without giving any notice whatever. On +the 13th, at a council of war, he overruled the objections of his +generals, and determined to retreat, his arguments being that the ground +was unsuited for defensive operations; that the defeat of the one +disciplined army would endanger the final success of the war; and that +it was for Russia, not for any one city, they were fighting. + +The argument was not without reason; but, if he had resolved not to +fight again, he should have accepted the advice to take up a position on +Napoleon's flank. Had he done this, the French could have made no +advance, and Moscow would have been saved from destruction. + +As the army began its passage through the capital the exodus of the +inhabitants commenced. Already the wealthier classes had removed their +effects, and the merchants the greater part of their goods. Now the +whole population poured out into the streets, and thousands of carts and +vehicles of all descriptions, packed closely with household furniture, +goods, and effects of all kinds, moved towards the gates. Out of 200,000 +inhabitants 180,000 left the city, with 65,000 vehicles of every kind. +In addition to these were enormous quantities of fugitives from every +town and village west of Smolensk, who had hitherto accompanied the +army, moving through the fields and lanes, so as to leave the roads +unencumbered for the passage of the guns and trains. + +Every Russian peasant possesses a roughly-made cart on two or four +wheels, and as their belongings were very scanty, these, as a rule, +sufficed to hold all their property. The greater portion of the +fugitives had passed out of the city at two o'clock in the afternoon, +and shortly afterwards Murat with his cavalry passed across the river by +a ford and entered the town. A few desperate men left behind opened +fire, but were speedily overpowered and killed, but a number of +citizens, mad with fury, rushed so furiously upon Murat and his staff, +that he was obliged to open fire upon them with a couple of light guns. + +At three o'clock Napoleon arrived with his guards, expecting to be met +on his arrival by the authorities of the city with assurances of their +submission and prayers for clemency for the population. He was astounded +with the silence that reigned everywhere, and at hearing that Moscow had +been evacuated by the population. Full of gloomy anticipations he +proceeded to the house Murat had selected for him. Strict orders were +issued against pillage, and the army bivouacked outside the city. The +troops, however, were not to be restrained, and as soon as it was dark +stole away and entered the town in large numbers and began the work of +pillage. Scarcely had they entered when in various quarters fires broke +out suddenly. The bazaar, with its ten thousand shops, the crown +magazines of forage, wines, brandy, military stores, and gunpowder were +speedily wrapped in flames. There were no means of combating the fire, +for every bucket in the town had been removed by the orders of the +governor. + +Many a tale of strange experience in all parts of Europe was told around +the camp-fires of the grenadiers of the Rhone that evening. Several of +the younger men had been among those who had gone into Moscow in search +of plunder. They had returned laden with goods of all sorts, and but few +without a keg of spirits. The colonel had foreseen this, and had called +the sergeants together. + +"My braves," he said, "I am not going to punish anyone for breaking +orders to-night. If I had been carrying a musket myself I have no doubt +that I should have been one of those to have gone into the town. After +such a march as we have had here, it is only natural that men should +think that they are entitled to some fun; but there must be no +drunkenness. I myself shall be at the quarter-guard, and six of you will +be there with me. Every bottle of spirits brought in is to be +confiscated. You will take it in your charge, and serve out a good +ration to every man in the regiment, so that those who have done their +duty and remained in camp shall fare as well as those who have broken +out. I have no doubt there will be sufficient brought in for all. What +remains over, you can serve out as a ration to-morrow. It is good to be +merry, but it is not good to be drunk. The grenadiers have done their +share of fighting and deserve their share of plunder, but do not let +pleasure go beyond the line of duty. Give a good ration to each man, +enough to enjoy the evening, and to celebrate our capture of Moscow, but +not enough to make them noisy. It is like enough that the general will +be round to-night to see how things are going on, and I should wish him +to see us enjoying ourselves reasonably. Anything else that is brought +in, with the exception of spirits, can be kept by the men, unless of +course there is a general order issued that all plunder is to be given +up." + +As fully half the regiment were away, and as every man brought back one +or more bottles or kegs of spirits, the amount collected at the +quarter-guard was very considerable. Those of the men who, on coming +back, showed any signs of intoxication were not allowed a share, but +half a litre of spirits was served out to every other man in the +regiment; and although a few of those who had brought it in grumbled, +the colonel's decision gave general satisfaction, and there were merry +groups round the bivouac fires. + +"I have marched into a good many capitals," the old sergeant said. "I +was with the first company that entered Madrid. I could never make out +the Spaniards. At one time they are ready to wave their hats and shout +"Viva!" till they are hoarse. At another, cutting your throat is too +good for you. One town will open its gates and treat you as their +dearest friends, the next will fight like fiends and not give in till +you have carried the last house at the point of the bayonet. I was fond +of a glass in those days; I am fond of it now, but I have gained wit +enough to know when it is good to drink. I had a sharp lesson, and I +took it to heart." + +"Tell us about it, comrade," Julian said. + +"Well it was after Talavera. We had fought a hard battle there with the +English, and found them rough customers. The Spaniards bolted like +sheep. As soldiers, they are the most contemptible curs in the world. +They fought well enough in the mountains under their own leaders, but as +soldiers, why, our regiment would thrash an army of 15,000 of them. The +English were on the top of the hill--at least at the beginning there +were a few of them up there, and we thought that it would be an easy job +to drive them off, but more came up, and do what we would, we could not +manage it; so it ended with something like a drawn battle. We claimed +the victory, because they fell back the next morning, and they claimed +it because they had repulsed all our attacks. However, we reaped the +benefit; they really fell back, because those rascally Spaniards they +were fighting for, starved them; and, besides that, we had two other +divisions marching to interpose between them and Portugal, and that old +fox Wellington saw that unless he went off as fast as he could, he would +be caught in a trap. + +"They got a good start of us, but we followed, and three nights after +Talavera two companies of us were quartered for the night in the village +right out on the flank of the line we were following. Well, I got hold +of a skin of as good wine as ever I drank. Two or three of us stole out +to enjoy it quietly and comfortably, and so thoroughly did we do it, +that I suppose I somehow mistook my way back to my quarters, wandered +aside, and then lay down to sleep. I must have slept soundly, for I +heard neither bugle nor drum. When I awoke the sun was high, and there +was a group of ugly-looking Spaniards standing near me. I tried to jump +up on to my feet, but found that my arms and legs were both tied. +However, I managed to sit up and looked round. Not a sign of our uniform +was there to be seen; but a cloud of dust rising from the plain, maybe +ten miles away, showed where the army had gone. + +"Well, I gave it up at once. A single French soldier had never found +mercy at the hands of the Spaniards, and I only wondered that they had +not cut my throat at once, instead of taking the trouble to fasten me +up. I knew enough of their language to get along with, and, putting as +bold a face as I could on it, I asked them what they had tied me up for. +They laughed in an unpleasant sort of way, and then went away. 'Let me +have a drink of water,' I said, for my throat was nearly as dry as a +furnace. They paid no attention, and till sunset left me there in the +full heat of the sun. By the time they came back again I was half mad +with thirst. I supposed then, as I have supposed ever since, that they +did not cut my throat at once, because they were afraid that some other +detachment might come along, and that if they found my body or a pool of +blood, they would, as like as not, burn the village over their heads. +Anyhow at sunset four men came, cut the ropes from my feet, and told me +to follow them. I said that I would follow willingly enough if they +would give me a drink of water first, but that if they didn't they might +shoot me if they liked, but not a step would I walk. + +"They tried kicking and punching me with their guns, but finding that I +was obstinate, one of them called to a woman down by the village to +bring some water. I drank pretty near a bucketful, and then said I was +ready to go on. We went up the hill and then on some ten miles to a +village standing in the heart of a wild country. Here I was tied to a +post. Two of them went away and returned in a few minutes with a man +they called El Chico. I felt before that I had not much chance, but I +knew now that I had none at all, for the name was well enough known to +us as that of one of the most savage of the guerilla leaders. He abused +me for ten minutes, and told me that I should be burnt alive next +morning, in revenge for some misconduct or other of a scouting party of +ours. I pointed out that as I was not one of that scouting party it was +unfair that I should be punished for their misdeeds; but, of course, it +was of no use arguing with a ruffian like that, so he went away, leaving +me to my reflections. + +"I stood all night with my back to that post. Two fellows with muskets +kept guard over me, but even if they hadn't done so I could not have got +away, for I was so tightly bound that my limbs were numbed, and the +cords felt as if they were red hot. In the morning a number of women +brought up faggots. El Chico himself superintended their arrangement, +taking care that they were placed in a large enough circle round me that +the flames would not touch me; so that, in fact, I should be slowly +roasted instead of burned. I looked about in the vague hope one always +has that something might occur to save me, and my heart gave a jump when +I saw a large body of men coming rapidly down a slope on the other side +of the village. They were not our men, I was sure, but I could not see +who they were; anyhow there might be someone among them who would +interpose to save me from this villain. + +"Everyone round me was too interested in what was going on to notice +anything else; and you may be sure that I did not look that way again, +for I knew well enough that if the guerilla had noticed them he would +shoot me at once rather than run any risk of being baulked of his +vengeance. So it was not until they began to enter the village that +anyone noticed the new arrivals. A mounted officer, followed by four +troopers, dashed down ahead and rode up to us, scattering the crowd +right and left. I saw at once by his uniform that he was an English +officer, and knew that I was saved. I fancy I must have been weak, for I +had had nothing to eat the day before, and had been tied up all night. +For a time I think I really fainted. When I recovered some soldiers had +cut my bonds, and one was pouring some spirits down my throat. The +English officer was giving it hot to El Chico. + +"'You dog!' he said, 'it is you, and the fellows like you, who bring +discredit on your country. You run like sheep when you see a French +force under arms. You behave like inhuman monsters when, by chance, a +single man falls into your power. I have half a mind to put you against +that wall there and have you shot; or, what would meet your deserts +better, hang you to yonder tree. Don't finger that pistol, you +scoundrel, or I will blow your brains out. Be off with you, and thank +your stars I did not arrive ten minutes later; for if I had come too +late to save this poor fellow's life, I swear to you that I would have +hung you like a dog. Who is the head man of the village?'" + +A man stepped forward. + +"'What do you mean, sir,' said the officer sternly, 'by permitting this +villain to use your village for his atrocities? As far as I can see you +are all as bad as he is, and I have a good mind to burn the whole place +over your ears. As it is, I fine the village 800 gallons of wine, and +4000 pounds of flour, and 10 bullocks. See that it is all forthcoming in +a quarter of an hour, or I shall set my men to help themselves. Not a +word! Do as you are ordered!' + +"Then he dismounted, and was coming to me, when his eye fell on El +Chico. 'Sergeant,' he said to a non-commissioned officer,' take four +men and march that fellow well outside the village, and then stand and +watch him; and see that he goes on, and if he doesn't, shoot him.' Then +he came over to me. 'It is well that I arrived in time, my lad,' he said +in French.' How did you get into this scrape?' + +"'It was wine did it, sir. I drank too much at our bivouac in a village +down the plain, and did not hear the bugles in the morning, and got left +behind. When I awoke they had tied me up, and they kept me lying in the +sun all day, not giving me as much as a drop of water. At sunset they +marched me up here and tied me to that post, and El Chico told me that I +should be roasted in the morning; and so it certainly would have been if +you had not come up.' + +"I learned that he was a Colonel Trant. He commanded a force of +Portuguese, and was a daring partizan leader, and gave us a great deal +of trouble. I was never more pleased than I was at seeing the disgust of +those villagers as they paid the fine imposed on them, and I should +imagine that when El Chico paid his next visit there, his reception +would not be a cordial one. The brigade had been marching all night, and +halted for six hours, and the bullocks, flour, and wine furnished them +with a good meal all round. It was an hour or two before I was able to +stand, but after a while the circulation got right, and I was able to +accompany them when they marched. They did not know until I told them +that our force had passed on ahead of them in pursuit of Wellington. I +made no secret of that, for they would have heard it from the first +peasant they met. When we started, the colonel asked me what I meant to +do. + +"'I don't want to keep you prisoner, my man,' he said. 'In the first +place, I don't wish to be troubled with looking after you; and in the +second, you cannot be considered as a prisoner of war, for you were +unarmed and helpless when we found you. Now, we are going to march all +night. I am not going to tell where we are going; but I think it likely +that we shall pass within sight of your camp-fires, and in that case I +will leave you to make your way down to them, and will hand you back +your musket and pouch, which you may want if you happen to fall in with +a stray peasant or two.' + +"I had noticed that they had taken along my musket and pouch, which had +been brought up by the fellows that guarded me. They were strapped on to +a mule's pack, of which they had about a couple of dozen with them, but +I little thought the gun was going to be given me again. + +"'Monsieur le Colonel,' I said, 'I thank you from my heart. I should +have felt disgraced for ever if I were to go into the camp unarmed. Now, +I shall be able to go in with my head erect, and take my punishment for +having got drunk, and failing to fall in at the assembly, like a man. On +the honour of a French soldier, I swear that I shall for ever regard the +English as the most generous of foes.' + +"It was noon when we started, and at nine o'clock at night, as we were +keeping along high up on the hills, I saw our bivouac fires. A minute or +two later, the colonel rode up. + +"'There are your fires, lad,' he said. 'I don't fancy there is any +village between us and the spot where your people are encamped. However, +as there is a moon, you will be able to avoid one if you come upon it; +and seeing you are armed, any peasants you may meet will scarcely +venture to attack you within musket-shot of your own lines. Here is a +note I have written to the colonel of your regiment telling him of the +plight I found you in, and expressing a hope that what you have gone +through may be considered a sufficient punishment for your indulgence in +too much wine. Good-night.' + +"Well, I got down safely enough. Of course, when I got to our line of +pickets, I was challenged, and sent in a prisoner. In the morning I was +taken before the colonel. He rated me soundly. I can tell you. When he +had finished, I saluted and handed him the note. He read it through, and +handed it to the major. + +"'A letter from the enemy,' he said. 'It is from Trant, who must be a +good fellow as well as a brave soldier, as we know to our cost. Tell me +more about this, Rignold.' + +"I told him. + +"'I agree with the Englishman,' he said. 'You have had a lesson that +will last you all your life. I wish I had means of sending an answer +back to this English colonel, thanking him for his generous treatment. +If he ever falls into our hands, I will take care that this action of +his shall be brought to the general's notice. You can go.' + +"Well, you see, that lesson has lasted all my life; and I am certainly +not likely to forget it here, where the peasants are every bit as savage +as the Spaniards. But as for the English, though I have fought with them +half a dozen times since, and have been beaten by them too, I have +always had a liking for them. That was one reason why I took to you, +youngster, from the first." + +"They fight well, do they?" one of the other sergeants asked. "I never +was in Spain, but I thought from the bulletins that we generally beat +them." + +"Bulletins!" growled Rignold, "who can believe bulletins? We have got so +accustomed to writing bulletins of victory that when we do get thrashed +we can't write in any other strain. Why, I tell you that we who have +fought and conquered in Italy and Austria, in Prussia and on the Rhine, +have learned to acknowledge among ourselves, that even our best troops +were none too good when it came to fighting the English. I fought a +dozen battles against them, and in not one of them could I honestly say +that we got the best of it. Talavera was the nearest thing. But we were +fairly thrashed at Busaco and Salamanca. Albuera we claimed as a drawn +fight, but such a drawn fight I never wish to share in again. The day +had been going well. The Spaniards of course bolted, horse and foot. But +at last matters cleared up, and we advanced against them in heavy +columns. Soult called up all the reserves. We had captured six of their +guns. Our columns had crowned the hill they held, and we cheered loudly, +believing that the battle was won, when an English brigade in line fell +upon us. Our guns swept them with grape, and that so terribly that for a +time they fell into confusion. But to our astonishment they rallied, and +came down on us. We were four to one, but we were in columns, and strove +in vain to form into line to meet them. Volley after volley swept away +the head of our formation. Soult exposed himself recklessly. Officers +and men ran forward, and we kept up a fire that seemed as if it must +destroy them, and yet on they came, cheering incessantly. Never did I +see such a thing. Never did any other man there see such a thing. They +came down upon us with the bayonet. We strove, we fought like madmen; +but it was in vain, and we were hurled down that hill in utter +confusion. + +"We heard afterwards that of the 6000 British soldiers who began the +day, but 1800 stood unwounded at the end. They had with them 24,000 +Spaniards, but, of course, we never counted them as anything, and they +did their allies more harm than good by throwing them into confusion in +their flight. We had 19,000 infantry, all veteran troops, mind you, and +yet we could not storm that hill, and drive those 6000 Englishmen off +it. We lost over 8000 men, and that in a battle that lasted only four +hours. Our regiment suffered so that it was reduced to a third of its +number. We fought them again at Salamanca, and got thrashed there; soon +after that we were sent back to France to fill up our ranks again, and I +for one was glad indeed when we were sent to the Rhine and not back to +Spain; for I tell you I never want to meet the English again in battle. +Borodino was bad enough, and for stubborn, hard fighting, the Russians +have proved themselves as tough customers as one can want to meet; but +the English have more dash and quickness. They manoeuvre much more +rapidly than do the Russians, and when they charge, you have either got +to destroy them or to go." + +"You are right there, comrade," another said. "I was with my regiment, +the 5th, at Badajoz. It was a strong place. Phillipson, who was in +command, was a thoroughly good officer. He had strengthened the defences +in every way, and the garrison was 5000 strong. We reckoned we could +hold out for three months anyhow. 15,000 men sat down before us on the +17th of March, and began to open trenches against a strong outlying +fort. We made several sorties, and did all we could to hinder them, but +on the 25th they stormed the fort. It was defended desperately, but in +an hour it was all over. Still, that was only an outlying work. Soult +was known to be advancing to our relief; but he waited to gather as +large a force as possible, believing, reasonably enough, that we could +hold out a month, while we still calculated on holding out for three. +The English worked like demons, and on the 6th of April they had made +two breaches. We had prepared everything for them. We had planted mines +all over the breaches. We had scores of powder barrels, and hundreds of +shells ready to roll down. We had guns placed to sweep them on both +flanks and along the top. We had a stockade of massive beams in which +were fixed sword blades, while in front of this the breach was covered +with loose planks studded with sharp iron points. + +"Every man behind the stockade had half a dozen spare muskets. A legion +of devils could not have taken the place. They did not take it, but +never did mortal men try harder. Even when they felt that it was +absolutely impossible, they stood there amid that storm of shot and +shell, exploding powder barrels, and bursting mines. Two thousand men +were killed in that breach, and yet they still stood there. Our own +triumph was but a short one, for another British division had carried +the castle. While we were exulting in victory, the town was lost. Thus, +you see, they had in twenty days captured the fortress that we and +everyone else made sure we could defend for at least three months. +Fortunately we were exchanged a short time afterwards, and so I escaped +being sent to an English prison. I agree with you, Rignold. I am ready +to do my share of fighting, but I would rather do it against any one, +even against these Russians, than against the English; and I think you +will find that every man who has served in Spain would say the same." + +"After all, comrades," another veteran said, "it seems to me that it +does not make much difference who you have got to fight against, for you +see the generals make things about even. If one of our generals finds +that there are say 50,000 Spaniards marching against him, while his +force is only 10,000, he gives battle. Well, he won't give battle to +50,000 Austrians unless he has got something like 35,000. I should say +that after Borodino he would like to have 40,000, at least, against +50,000 Russians. No doubt the English calculate the same way, and, in +Spain, we must admit that we always found them ready to fight when, as +far as numbers went, we outmatched them. So I take it that the +difference between the fighting powers of armies is not felt so much as +you would think by each soldier, because allowance for that is made by +the generals on both sides, and the soldiers find themselves always +handicapped just in proportion to their fighting powers. So you see +there is a big element of luck in it. The question of ground comes in, +and climate, and so on. Now, taking Spain, though 10,000 against 50,000 +would be fair enough odds in a fight in the open, if a hundred of us +were attacked by 500 Spaniards among the mountains, it would go very +hard with us. And, again, though 1000 Frenchmen might repulse 3000 of +those Mamelukes if they attacked us in the cool of the morning or in the +evening, yet if we were caught in the middle of the day, with the sun +blazing down, and parched with thirst, we might succumb. Then, of +course, the question of generals counts for a great deal. So you see +that even supposing both sides agree, as it were, as to the fighting +powers of their troops, the element of luck counts for a lot, and before +you begin to fight you can never feel sure that you are going to win." + +"Well, but we do win almost everywhere, Brison." + +"Yes, yes; because we have Napoleon and Ney and Soult and the rest of +them. We have had to fight hard many and many a time, and if the battle +had been fought between the same armies with a change of generals, +things would have gone quite differently to what they did." + +"You were with Napoleon in Egypt, were you not?" Julian asked. + +"Yes, I was there; and, bad as this desolate country is, I would anyhow +rather campaign here than in Egypt. The sun seems to scorch into your +very brain, and you are suffocated by dust. Drink as much as you will, +you are always tormented by thirst. It is a level plain, for the most +part treeless, and with nothing to break the view but the mud villages, +which are the same colour as the soil. Bah! we loathed them. And yet I +ought not to say anything against the villages, for, if it had not been +for one of them, I should not be here now. I will tell you the tale. Two +hundred of us had been despatched to seize some of the leading sheiks, +who were said to be holding a meeting in some place fifteen miles away +from where we were encamped. We had a squadron of horse and a hundred of +our men. We afterwards found that the whole story was a lie, invented to +get us into a trap. We were guided by a villainous-looking rogue on a +camel, and beyond the fact that we were marching south-east, we had no +idea where we were going. Half the cavalry kept ahead. We had marched +four hours, when, on coming on to the crest of one of the sand-hills, we +saw about half a mile away a little clump of mud huts. Near the foot of +some high hills to the right were some tents. + +"'There it is,' the guide said, pointing to the tents. And the cavalry +set off at a gallop, followed by the guide, who soon fell far into their +rear. Just as the cavalry reached the tents, we saw two great masses of +horsemen appear from behind the sand-hills on either flank, and with +loud yells ride down upon them. With a shout of fury we were about to +break into a run, but the major who was in command said, 'It is useless, +comrades. There is but one hope. Make for that village. We can hold +that; and there, if any of our comrades escape, they will find shelter. +Double, march.' Off we went, but it was against the grain. We could hear +the cracking of pistols, the shouts of our brave fellows, the yells of +the Arabs, and our hearts were there; but we felt that the major was +right. There must have been fully a couple of thousand of the Arabs, and +we should have but thrown away our lives. It was a terrible run. The +heat was stifling; the dust rose in clouds under our feet. We could +scarce breathe, but we knew that we were running for life. As we neared +the village, we heard yells behind us. + +"'A hundred yards further, lads,' the major shouted. We did it, and when +we reached the first house we halted. Three hundred yards away were a +dozen of our troopers, followed by a mob of Arabs. The Major faced +twenty men about, and ordered the rest of us to divide ourselves among +the huts. There were but nine of these. The villagers, who had seen us +coming, had bolted, and we had just got into the houses when we heard +the rear-guard open fire. There was a young lieutenant with the +troopers, and, as they rode in, he ordered them to dismount, and to lead +their horses into the huts. A moment later the rear-guard ran in. We +felt for a moment like rats caught in a trap, for, in the hut I was in, +there were but two rooms. One had no light but what came in at the door; +the other had an opening of about nine inches square, and that not +looking into the street. In a moment, however, we saw that there was a +ladder leading up to the flat roof, and we swarmed up. These houses are +all built with flat roofs made of clay like the walls. Some of them have +a parapet about a foot high; some of them none at all. In better-class +villages some of the parapets are a good deal higher; so that the women +can sit there unobserved from the other roofs. + +"The hut we were in had a low parapet, and we threw ourselves down +behind it. The street was full of horsemen, yelling and discharging +their guns at the doors; but when, almost at the same moment, a rattling +fire broke out from every roof, the scene in the street changed as if by +magic. Men fell from their horses in all directions. The horses plunged +and struggled, and so terrible was the _mêlée_ that, had the houses +stood touching each other, I doubt whether a man of those who entered +would have got out alive. As it was, they rode out through the openings, +leaving some sixty or seventy of their number dead in the street. We had +breathing time now. The whole of the Arab horsemen presently surrounded +us, but the lesson had been so severe that they hesitated to make +another charge into the village. The major's orders, that we were not to +throw away a shot, unless they charged down in force, were passed from +roof to roof round the village. We were ordered to barricade the doors +with anything we could find, and if there was nothing else, we were, +with our bayonets, to bring down part of the partition walls and pile +the earth against the door. Each hut was to report what supply of water +there was in it. This was to be in charge of the non-commissioned +officer, or the oldest soldier if there was not one, and he was to see +that it was not touched at night. It was to be divided equally among all +the huts. + +"'You will understand, men,' he shouted from his roof, 'that our lives +depend more upon the water than upon your arms. We could defend this +place against that horde for a year; but if water fails altogether, +there will be nothing to do but to sally out and sell our lives as +dearly as we can.' Fortunately, we had still water with us, for it was +not known whether we should find any on the march, and we had been +ordered to leave our kits behind, and to carry, in addition to the +water-bottles, a skin holding about a gallon. In our hut we found eight +porous jars, each of which would hold about a couple of gallons. Six of +them were full. The empty ones we filled up from our skins, for these +jars keep the water wonderfully cool. In none of the other huts had they +found so good a supply as ours, but all had more or less water; and, on +totalling them up, it was found that there was an average of four jars +in each hut, without, of course, counting that which we had brought. As +there were a hundred and ten of us, this gave a total supply of a +hundred and eighty-two gallons; rather better than a gallon and a half a +man. + +"The major ordered that the allowance was to be a pint night and morning +for the first four days. If help did not come at the end of that time, +it was to be reduced by half. We could see where the water came from. +There was a well-worn path from the village to a hollow about three +hundred yards away, and we could see that there was a great hole, and it +was down this that the women went to fill their water-jars. It was a +consolation to us that it was so close, for, if the worst came to the +worst, half of us could go down at night and refill the jars. No doubt +they would have to fight their way, but, as the rest could cover them by +their fire, we felt that we should be able to manage it. For the next +four days we held the place. We slept during the day. The Arabs did not +come near us then; but as soon as it got dusk they began to crawl up, +and flashes of fire would break out all round us. + +"Unfortunately, there was no moon, and as they came up pretty nearly +naked, their bodies were so much the colour of the sand that they could +not be made out twenty yards away. They were plucky enough, for they +would come right in among the houses and fire through the doors, and +sometimes a number of them would make a rush against one; but nothing +short of bursting the doors into splinters would have given them an +entry, so firmly did the piles of earth hold them in their places. In +the middle of the fifth day a cloud of dust was seen across the plain +from the direction in which we came. No one had a doubt that it was a +party sent to our relief, and every man sprang to his feet and swarmed +up on to the roof, as soon as the man on watch above told us the news; +directly afterwards the major shouted, 'Each man can have a ration of +water.' + +"In a few minutes we saw the Arabs mount and ride off, and it was not +long before five hundred of our cavalry rode into the village. We had +only lost five men; all had been shot through the head as they were +firing over the parapet. We had each night buried those who fell, and in +five minutes after the arrival of the cavalry, were ready to start on +our march back. If it had not been for that village, and for the +quickness with which the major saw what was the only thing to be done, +not a single man would ever have got back to camp to tell what had +happened. They were brave fellows, those Arabs; and, if well drilled by +our officers, would have been grand troops on such an expedition as +this, and would have taught the Cossacks a good many things at their own +game. + +"The Egyptian infantry were contemptible, but the Arabs are grand +horsemen. I don't say that in a charge, however well drilled, they +could stand against one of our cuirassier regiments. Men and horses +would be rolled over; but for skirmishing, vidette duty, and foraging, +no European cavalry would be in it with them. They are tireless, both +horses and men, and will go for days on a little water and a handful of +dates; and if the horses can get nothing else, they will eat the dates +just as contentedly as their masters." + +Several times as these stories had been told, the group had risen to +their feet to watch the fires that were burning in various parts of the +town, and just as the sergeant brought his story to a close, the +assembly sounded. + +"I have been expecting that for some time," Brison said. "As our +division is nearest to the city, I thought they would be sure to turn us +out before long, to put out those fires. They must be the work of some +of our rascally camp-followers, or of some of the ruffians of the town, +who have been breaking into deserted houses and plundering them. Well, +the liquor is finished, and there is always interest in fighting a +fire." + +Five minutes later, the Grenadiers of the Rhone and six other regiments +of their division marched into Moscow to extinguish the flames. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +WITH THE REAR-GUARD + + +Napoleon had as yet no idea that the fires were other than accidental, +and the next morning removed his headquarters to the Imperial Palace, +the Kremlin, from which he fondly hoped to dictate terms of peace to +Russia. But it was not long before the truth became evident. Every hour +fresh fires broke out, and, spreading rapidly, by nightfall the whole +city was in flames. On the following day the Kremlin itself became so +uninhabitable from the heat, that the Emperor was forced to withdraw +from it, and could not return till the 20th, when heavy rain +extinguished the flames, which had already consumed nine-tenths of the +city. Of 48,000 houses only 700 escaped; of 1600 churches 800 were +destroyed and 700 damaged; of 24,000 wounded French and Russians in the +hospitals more than 20,000 perished in the flames. In the meantime +Kutusow had tardily adopted the advice he had before rejected, had moved +round with his army and taken up his position on the Oka river, near +Kulouga, where he menaced the French line of communication. Already the +Cossack cavalry were hovering round Moscow, intercepting convoys and +cutting up small detachments, while the horses of the French cavalry +were so worn out by fatigue and famine that in several affairs with the +Russian cavalry the latter gained decisive advantages. + +"You are right again, comrade," the old sergeant said to Julian, who had +been promoted to the rank of sergeant after the battle of Borodino, as +they stood together on the night of the 15th gazing at the terrible +spectacle of the city enveloped in flames. "_Peste!_ these Russians are +terrible fellows. Who could have thought of such a thing? It is a bad +look-out for us." + +"A terrible look-out, there is no denying it," Julian agreed. "It is +impossible for the army to stay here without food, without forage, +without shelter, with our communications threatened, and the Russian +army on our flank. I see nothing for it but to retreat, and the sooner +we are out of it the better. Were I the Emperor I would issue orders for +the march to begin at daylight. In another month winter will be on us, +and none can say what disasters may befall the army." + +Had the order been given that day the French army might have made its +way back to the frontier, with heavy loss doubtless, but without +disaster. But Napoleon could not bring himself to believe that the +Russians would refuse to enter into negotiations. He tried through +various sources to send proposals to Alexander, and even opened secret +negotiations with Kutusow, and had arranged for a private meeting with +him, when the matter was stopped by Sir Robert Wilson, who had received +specific instructions from the Emperor Alexander to interpose in his +name to prevent any negotiations whatever being carried on. Thus week +after week of precious time passed, and then a portion of the army moved +against the Russians. Several engagements took place, the advantage +generally resting with the Russians, especially in an engagement with +Murat, who suffered a decisive repulse. + +Julian had, as soon as the fire in Moscow burnt itself out, employed +himself in endeavouring to buy some warm garments. Money was plentiful, +for there had been no means of spending it since they entered Russia, +and he was fortunate in being able to buy some very warm tinder-garments +that had been looted by the plunderers on the night of their first +arrival before Moscow. He also purchased a peasant's sheep-skin caftan +with a hood, and sewed this into his military cloak so as to form a +lining, the hood being for the time turned inside. From another +sheep-skin he manufactured a couple of bags to be used as mittens, +without fingers or thumbs. Many of his comrades laughed at him as he did +his work, but as the days grew colder most of them endeavoured to follow +his example, and the skins of sheep brought in occasionally by the +cavalry were eagerly bought up. Encouraged by his success, Julian next +manufactured a pair of sheep-skin leggings, with the wool inside. They +were sewn up at the bottom, so that they could be worn over his boots. +The shape left much to be desired, but by cutting up a blanket he made +two long bands, each three inches wide and some twenty feet long. These +he intended to wrap tightly round the leggings when in use. + +The leggings, gloves, and bands were stowed away in his knapsack, almost +everything else being discarded to make room for them; for he felt sure +that there would be no inspection of kits until the frontier had been +crossed. + +Still, Napoleon could not bring himself to issue a general order for a +retreat, but corps after corps was moved along the western road. +Mortier's division remained last in Moscow, and marched on the 23rd of +October, after having, by Napoleon's orders, blown up the Kremlin, the +Church of St. Nicholas, and the adjoining buildings. The safest line of +retreat would have been through Witebsk, but Napoleon took the more +southern road, and the army believed that it was intended to fight +another great battle with the Russians. + +The weather at first was fine. On the 24th the vanguard, under the +Viceroy, came in contact with Doctorow's division, and a fierce fight +took place near Malo Jaroslavets. The French were checked, and Kutusow, +coming up with the main army, it was apparent to all, that the French +vanguard could be overwhelmed and Napoleon's retreat brought to a +standstill. But, just as the generals were all expecting the order to +attack, Kutusow, whose previous conduct in entering into secret +negotiations with Napoleon had excited strong suspicions of his good +faith, announced that he had changed his mind, and ordered the Russian +army to draw off, thus for a time saving the French from complete +disaster. + +The battle, however, had been a sanguinary one, no less than ten +thousand being killed on each side. After the retirement of the Russians +the retreat was continued. Davoust commanded the advance; Ney's division +was to cover the rear. The French army at first moved very slowly, for +it was not until the 29th that Napoleon reached Borodino. He himself had +long been in ill-health; bodily pain had sapped his energy. He had for a +long time been unable to sit on a horse, and had travelled in a close +carriage. Consequently he seemed to have lost for a time all his energy +and quickness of decision, and after five weeks thrown away at Moscow, +another was wasted in slow movements when haste was of the greatest +importance. The French suffered, too, from the disadvantage that, while +their every movement was discovered and reported by the ubiquitous +Cossacks, they themselves were in absolute ignorance of the strength and +movements of the enemy. + +On the 6th of November a bitter frost set in, and the soldiers awoke +chilled to the bone, and with gloomy anticipations of what would happen +when the full rigour of a Russian winter was upon them. In some respects +the frost was an advantage, for it hardened the roads, that were before +often almost impassable from the amount of heavy traffic that had passed +over them. But, upon the other hand, floating masses of ice speedily +covered the rivers, rendering the work of fording them painful and +difficult in the extreme. A Russian division had, on the 3rd, pressed +hotly on the retreating column just as they reached the Wiazma river. A +sanguinary conflict took place, the corps of the Viceroy passed through +the town on its banks, and crossed the river in fair order, but that of +Davoust broke and crossed in great confusion, covered by Ney's division, +which retreated steadily, facing about from time to time, and repulsing +the infantry attacks, but suffering heavily from the artillery. Ney set +the town on fire to cover his retreat, crossed the bridges, and there +stemmed the further advance of the Russians. + +The French loss in the engagement was 6000 killed and wounded, and 2000 +prisoners. The Viceroy was directed to march on Witebsk, but he was +overtaken by the enemy when endeavouring to throw a bridge over the +half-frozen little river called the Vop. The bridge, hastily made, gave +way. The banks were extremely steep. The Grenadiers waded through the +river, though the water, full of floating ice, came up to their breasts; +but the artillery following were unable to climb the bank, and the guns +were soon frozen fast in the river, and they and the whole of the +baggage had to be left behind. A similar misfortune befell another of +the Viceroy's divisions, which had remained behind to cover the retreat, +and of the 14,000 soldiers who commenced the march but 6000 remained +with their colours, and but 12 of the 92 guns that had accompanied them. + +The condition of the French army rapidly deteriorated. The cold had +already become intense, and the soldiers being weak with hunger were the +less able to support it. The horses died in great numbers, and their +flesh was the principal food upon which the troops had to rely. No one +dared straggle to forage, for the Cossacks were ever hovering round, and +the peasants, emerging from their hiding-places in the forests, +murdered, for the most part with atrocious tortures, everyone who fell +out of the ranks from wounds, exhaustion, or frost-bite. + +Julian had, since their retreat began, again recovered his spirits. He +was now not fighting to conquer a country against which he had no +animosity, but for his own life and that of the thousands of sick and +wounded. + +"I am glad that we are in the rear-guard," he said to a number of +non-commissioned officers who were one evening, when they were fortunate +enough to be camped in a wood, gathered round a huge fire. + +"Why so, Jules? It seems to me that we have the hardest work, and, +besides, there is not a day that we have not to fight." + +"That is the thing that does us good," Julian replied. "The columns +ahead have nothing to do but to think of the cold, and hunger, and +misery. They straggle along; they no longer march. With us it is +otherwise. We are still soldiers; we keep our order. We are proud to +know that the safety of the army depends on us; and, if we do get +knocked over with a bullet, surely that is a better fate than dropping +from exhaustion, and falling into the hands of the peasants." + +"You are right, Jules," several of them exclaimed. "It is better a +thousand times." + +"We have a bad prospect before us," Julian went on. "There is no denying +that; but it will make all the difference how we face it. Above all +things we have got to keep up our spirits. I have heard that the +captains of the whalers in the northern seas do everything in their +power to interest and amuse their crews. They sing, they dance, they +tell stories of adventures, and the great thing is to keep from brooding +over the present. I am but a young sergeant, and most of you here have +gone through many a campaign, and it is not for me to give advice, but I +should say that above all things we ought to try to keep up the spirits +of our men. If we could but start the marching songs we used to sing as +we tramped through Germany, it would set men's feet going in time, would +make them forget the cold and hunger, and they would march along erect, +instead of with their eyes fixed on the ground, and stumbling as if they +could not drag their feet along. We should tell them why we sing, or +they might think it was a mockery. Tell them that the Grenadiers of the +Rhone mean to show that, come what may, they intend to be soldiers to +the last, and to face death, whether from the Russians or from the +winter, heads erect and courage high. Let us show them that, as we have +ever done our duty, so we shall do it to the end, and that it will be a +matter of pride that throughout the division it should be said, when +they hear our songs, 'There go the Grenadiers of the Rhone, brave +fellows and good comrades; see how they bear themselves.'" + +"Bravo, bravo, Jules! bravo, Englishman!" the whole of the party +shouted. "So it shall be, we swear it. The Grenadiers of the Rhone shall +set an example." + +Suddenly the voices hushed, and Julian was about to look round to see +the cause of their silence, when a hand was laid on his shoulder, and, +turning, he saw Ney standing beside him, with three or four of his +staff. They had come up unobserved, and had stopped a few paces away +just as Julian began to speak. + +"Bravo, comrade!" the marshal said; "spoken in the true spirit of a +soldier. Were there a dozen men like you in every regiment I should have +no fear for the future. Did they call you Englishman?" + +"Yes, General. I was a prisoner at Verdun, though neither an English +soldier or sailor, and when a call came for volunteers, and I was +promised that I should not be called upon to fight against my own +countrymen, I thought it better to carry a French musket than to rot in +a French prison." + +"And you have carried it well," the marshal said. "Had you not done so +you would not have won your stripes among the men of the Grenadiers of +the Rhone, where every man has again and again shown that he is a hero. +Carry out your brave comrade's idea, lads. We all want comforting, and +my own heart will beat quicker to-morrow as I ride along and hear your +marching song, and I shall say to myself, 'God bless the brave +Grenadiers of the Rhone;' I trust that others will follow your example. +What is your name, sergeant?" + +"Julian Wyatt, General." + +"Put it down in my note-book," Ney said to one of his staff. +"Good-night, comrades, you have done me good. By the way, a hundred +yards to your left I marked a dead horse as I came along; it may help +your suppers." Then, amid a cheer from the soldiers, Ney moved on with +his staff. + +It was not many minutes before portions of the horse were cooking over +the fire. + +"I feel another man already," one of the younger sergeants laughed, as +they ate their meal. "Jules is right; good spirits are everything." + +"Bear that in mind to-morrow, Antoine," another said. "It is easy enough +to be cheerful when one is warm and has got some meat, even though it +be only horse-flesh and mightily tough at that, between your teeth; but +it is harder to be so after sixteen hours of marching and fighting." + +"Well, we will try anyhow, Jacques." + +Another quarter of an hour and the circle broke up, the non-commissioned +officers going off to the companies to which they belonged. + +Wood being plentiful, great fires were kept blazing all night, and round +each was told what Julian had said, the commendation Ney had given the +regiment, and his warm approval of the plan. As soon as the order was +given to march in the morning, and Julian started one of their old +marching songs, it was taken up from end to end of the column, to the +astonishment of the officers and of the men of other regiments within +hearing. The effect upon the men themselves was electrical. The dogged +look of determination with which they had before plodded along was +supplanted by an air of gaiety. They marched along in time to the music +with a step that was almost elastic. Not since they had crossed the +Niemen had the song been heard; occasionally a singer was silent for a +minute or two, and passed his hand across his eyes as he thought of the +many voices of comrades, now hushed for ever, that had then joined in +the chorus. Half-an-hour later Ney, followed by his staff, rode along +past the column. As he reached the head he spoke to the colonel, and the +order was at once given for the regiment to form up in hollow square. +When they had done so the colonel shouted, "Attention!" Ney took off his +plumed hat and said, in a voice loud enough to be heard by all: + +"Grenadiers of the Rhone, I salute you. All honour to the regiment that +has set an example to the army of cheerfulness under hardships. You will +be placed in the order of the day with the thanks of your marshal for +the spirit you have shown. Maintain it, my friends; it will warm you +more thoroughly than food or fire, and will carry you triumphantly +through whatever fate may have in store for us." + +A deep cheer burst from the regiment as the gallant soldier bowed to his +horse's mane and then rode on with his staff, while the regiment, again +breaking into a song, continued its march. Late in the afternoon they +were again engaged. The long columns ahead were delayed by crossing a +narrow bridge over a river, and for two hours the rear-guard had to +stand firm against constant attacks by the Russians. At one time a heavy +column of Russian infantry moved down upon them, but Ney, riding up to +the grenadiers, said: + +"I give you the post of honour, comrades. Drive back that column." + +The colonel gave the order to charge, and the regiment rushed forward +with such ardour to the attack, that the Russians were compelled to fall +back with heavy loss, and shortly afterwards news came that the bridge +was clear, and the rear-guard followed the rest of the army. Forty of +the grenadiers had fallen, among them their colonel and two other +officers. The next morning, before the regiment marched, the major as +usual read out to it the order of the day. The marshal expressed his +approbation of the spirit which the Grenadiers of the Rhone had +manifested. + +"This fine regiment," he said, "has ever merited eulogium for the manner +in which it has sustained the honour of its flag in every engagement in +which it has taken part. The marshal considers, however, that even +higher praise is due to it for its bearing in the present stress of +circumstances. Good spirits, and the resolution to look at things in a +cheerful light, is the best method of encountering them, and it cheered +the hearts of all near them to hear them singing their marching songs. +The marshal in passing them was struck with the renewal of their martial +appearance, as they marched, head erect, in time to their songs, and he +hopes that their example will be followed by the other regiments of the +corps, and is sure that not only will it be to the advantage of the +discipline and efficiency of the troops, but it will greatly conduce to +their own well-being, and the manner in which they will be able to +support cold, hunger, and fatigue." + +The marshal had brought the conduct and fine bearing of the Grenadiers +of the Rhone under the attention of the Emperor. In spite of the fact +that the soldiers of Ney's corps had to endure a larger amount of +hardship than that of the rest of the army, from the necessity of +constant vigilance, and from the long hours they were upon the road, +their health suffered less than that of other troops. In the first +place, they had an absolute faith in their commander; in the next, they +were in the post of honour, and on them the safety of the whole army +depended. Thus the constant skirmishing, and, occasionally, hard +fighting that went on, braced them up, and saved them from the moody +depression that weighed upon the rest of the army. They had, too, some +material advantage from the broken-down waggons and vehicles of all +sorts that fell behind. Every day they obtained a certain amount of +stores, while from the bodies of those who had dropped from exhaustion, +sickness, or cold they obtained a supply of extra clothing. + +The morning after the reading of Ney's order of the day commending the +regiment, an order from Napoleon himself was read at the head of the +regiment, Ney taking his place by the side of the newly promoted +colonel. The Emperor said that he had received the report of Marshal Ney +of the conduct and bearing of the Grenadiers of the Rhone, together with +a copy of his order of the day, and that this was fully endorsed by the +Emperor, who felt that the spirit they were showing was even more +creditable to them than the valour that they had so often exhibited in +battle, and that he desired personally to thank them. The marshal had +also brought before his notice the conduct of Sergeant Wyatt of that +regiment, who had, he was informed, been the moving spirit in the +change that he so much commended, and, as a mark of his approbation, he +had requested the marshal himself, as his representative, to affix to +his breast the ribbon of the cross of the Legion of Honour. + +The colonel called upon Sergeant Wyatt to come forward. Julian did so, +saluted, and stood to attention, while the marshal dismounted and pinned +to his breast the insignia of the order, while the regiment saluted, +and, as Julian returned to his place in the ranks, burst into a hearty +cheer. As soon as the marshal had ridden off, and the regiment fell out, +the officers gathered round Julian and congratulated him upon the honour +he had received, and, at the same time, thanked him heartily for the +credit that the regiment had gained, through his means, while the +enthusiasm of the soldiers knew no bounds. A word of praise from the +Emperor was the distinction that French soldiers and French regiments +most coveted, and to have been named, not only by their marshal in his +orders, but by the Emperor in a general order to the army, was an honour +that filled every heart with pride. + +Julian had been a favourite before, but henceforth his popularity was +unbounded. Many of the other regiments followed the example of the +grenadiers, and, in spite of the ever-increasing cold and the constantly +augmenting hardships, Ney's corps retained their discipline and +efficiency. Their appearance, indeed, was no longer soldierly. Their +garments were in rags. Many wore three or four coats. Their legs were +encased in hay-bands, strips of blanket, or sheep-skins. Julian now took +out for the first time from his knapsack the leggings that he had +manufactured, and, with the strips of blanket that he wound round them, +they differed in appearance in no degree from the leggings of some of +his comrades, except that they enveloped the feet also. On the day +following the reading of Napoleon's order, the grenadiers came upon an +overturned caleche. It had been ransacked by a regiment that had +preceded them. The driver and a woman lay dead beside it, and they would +have passed on without paying any attention to it, had it not been for a +faint cry that met the ears of Julian, as his company passed close by +it. He dropped back a few paces to an officer, and asked leave to fall +out for a minute. Going to the carriage he found lying there among the +cushions a little girl some five or six years old. Her cloak had been +stripped off her, and she was blue with cold. Julian hesitated. + +"I will try anyhow," he muttered to himself. He first ripped open one of +the cushions, pulled out the woollen stuffing, and wrapped it round the +child's arms and legs, binding it there with strips of the velvet +covering the cushions. Then he took off his cloak, and raised her on to +his back, having first cut off one of the reins. With this he strapped +her securely in that position, put on his warm cloak again, and then, +hurrying forward, soon overtook the rear of his regiment. + +"Bravo, Jules!" many of his comrades said, as he passed along the +column; while others asked, "Why do you encumber yourself with that +child? It is enough now for every man to look to himself, and you cannot +carry her far." + +"I will do what I can," he replied. "She is not so heavy as my knapsack +when it is full, and it is empty now; I am only keeping it because it is +useful as a pillow. I can't say how far I can carry her, but as long as +I can go she shall. We have taken lives enough, heaven knows. It is as +well to save one if one gets the opportunity." + +In half an hour Julian felt a movement on the part of his little burden, +whose hands he had been chafing with his own unoccupied one. Presently +something was said in Russian. He did not reply, and then there was a +little struggle, and the voice said in French: "Nurse, where am I? Where +are you taking me? Where is the carriage?" + +"Do not fret, little one," Julian replied in the same language. "I am a +friend, and will take care of you. Your carriage broke down, and so I am +carrying you until we can get you another. Are you warm?" + +"Yes," the child said. "I am quite warm, but I want my nurse." + +"Nurse can't come to you now, my dear; but I will try to be a good nurse +to you." + +"I want to see what you are like." + +"You shall see presently," he said. "It would be very cold if you were +to put your head outside. The best thing that you can do is to try to +get to sleep." + +The warmth doubtless did more than Julian's exhortation, for the child +said no more, and Julian felt certain after a short time that she had +gone off to sleep. He was now in his place with his company again, and +joined in the song that they were singing, softly at first, but, as he +felt no movement, louder and louder until, as usual, his voice rose high +above the chorus. Nevertheless, his thoughts were with the child. What +was he to do with her? how was she to be fed? He could only hope for the +best. So far Providence had assuredly made him the means of preserving +her life, and to Providence he must leave the rest. It might be all for +the best. The weight was little to him, and there was a sense of warmth +and comfort in the little body that lay so close to his back. What +troubled him most was the thought of what he should do with her when he +was engaged with the Russians. He decided that she must stay then in one +of the carts that carried the spare ammunition of the regiment, and +accompanied it everywhere. "At any rate, if I should fall," he said, +"and she be left behind, she has only to speak in Russian when the enemy +come up, and no doubt they will take care of her. Her father must be a +man of some importance. The carriage was a very handsome one. If she can +make them understand who she is, there is no doubt they will restore +her to her parents." + +There was but little fighting that day, and when the regiment fell out, +fortunately halting again in a wood, Julian waited until the fires were +lighted, and then unloosened the straps and shifted the child round in +front of him. She opened her eyes as he did so. + +"Well, little one, here we are at our journey's end," he said +cheerfully. "You have had a nice sleep, and you look as warm as a +toast." + +She was indeed changed. A rosy flush had taken the place of the +bluish-gray tint on her cheeks; her eyes were bright, and she looked +round at the strange scene with a face devoid of all fear. + +"Are you my new nurse?" she asked. + +"Yes, dear." + +"You look nice," she said calmly, "but I should like Claire, too." + +"She can't come at present, little one, so you must put up with me." + +"Are you one of those wicked Frenchmen?" she asked. + +"I am an Englishman. Some of them are Frenchmen, but all Frenchmen are +not wicked. You will see that all my friends here will be very kind to +you, and will do everything they can to make you comfortable, till we +can send you to your friends again." + +The child was silent for some time. + +"There was a great noise," she said gravely, "and guns fired, and the +coachman fell off the box, and then nurse called out and opened the door +and jumped out, and then the horses plunged and the carriage fell over, +and I don't know any more." + +"There was an accident," Julian said. "Don't think about that now. I +will tell you about it some day." + +"I am hungry," the child said imperiously. "Get me something to eat." + +"We are going to cook our suppers directly, dear. Now let us go and sit +by that fire. I am afraid you won't find the supper very nice, but it is +the best we have got. What is your name?" + +"I am the Countess Stephanie Woronski," the little maid said; "and what +is your name?" + +"My name is Julian Wyatt." + +"It is a funny name," the child said; "but I think I like it." + +Julian carried her to the fire, and seated her with her feet before it. + +"Where is my cloak," she asked, as on setting her down she perceived the +deficiency; "and what are those ugly things?" and she looked at the +swathing round her arms and legs. + +"Some bad men took your cloak," he said; "none of these men here did it; +and you were very cold when I found you, so I put some of the stuffing +from the cushions round you to keep you warm, and you must wear them +till I can get you another cloak. Comrades," he went on, to the soldiers +who had gathered round to look at the little figure, "this is the +Countess Stephanie Woronski, and I have told her that you will all be +very kind to her and make her as comfortable as you can as long as she +is with us." + +There was a general hum of assent, and when the child went gravely among +them, shaking hands with each, many an eye was moistened, as the men's +thoughts went back to their own homes, and to little sisters or nieces +whom they had played with there. Soon afterwards the colonel came by, +and Julian, stepping forward, saluted him and said: + +"I have picked up a little girl to-day, Colonel." + +"So I have been told, Sergeant. I think it was a mistake, but that is +your business. Everyone is getting weaker, and you are not likely to be +able to carry her for long. However, of course, you can take her if you +like, and as long as there are horses to drag the ammunition carts you +can put her in them when you choose." + +"It is only when we are fighting that I should want to stow her away. +She does not weigh more than a knapsack, Colonel." + +"Well; just as you like, Sergeant. If you wanted to take along ten +children I could not say no to you. She is a pretty little thing," he +added, as he went nearer to her. + +"Yes, Colonel. She says that she is a countess." + +"Poor little countess!" the colonel said tenderly. "She will want +something warmer than she has got on now." + +"We will manage that, Colonel. She will be warm enough as long as she is +on the march with me; but as, even before that fire, she has not enough +on her, we will contrive something. In the first broken-down +baggage-waggon that we come across, we are pretty sure to find something +that we can fit her out in." + +As yet the pressure of hunger had not come severely upon the grenadiers. +In the fights with the Russians some of the horses of their own cavalry +and artillery, and those of the enemy, were daily killed, besides the +animals which dropped from fatigue were at once shot and cut up. +Moreover, a small ration of flour was still served out, and the supper +that night, if rough, was ample. Julian sat facing the fire with his +cloak open and the child nestling up close to him. As soon as supper was +over half a dozen of the soldiers started off. + +"We will bring back a fit-out, Jules, never fear. It will be strange if +there is not something to be picked up in the snow between us and the +next corps." + +In half an hour they came in again, one of them carrying a bundle. By +this time the child was fast asleep, and, taking off his cloak and +wrapping it round her, Julian went across to them on the other side of +the fire. + +"What have you got?" + +"A good find, Jules. It was a young officer. He was evidently coming +back with an order, but his horse fell dead under him. The lad had lost +an arm, at Borodino I expect, and was only just strong enough to sit his +horse. We think that the fall on the hard snow stunned him, and the +frost soon finished the work. He had been well fitted out, and some of +his things will do for the little one. He had a fur-lined jacket which +will wrap her up grandly from head to foot. Here are a pair of thick +flannel drawers. If we cut them off at the knee you can tuck all her +little clothes inside it, and they will button up under her arms and +come down over her feet. She will look queer, but it will keep her warm. +This pair of stockings will pull up her arms to her shoulders, and here +is another pair that was in his valise. They are knitted, and one will +pull down over her ears. You see they are blue, and if you cut the foot +off and tie up the hole it will look like a fisherman's cap, and the +other will go over her head and tie up under her chin." + +"Splendid, comrade! That is a first-rate fit-out. I am obliged to you +indeed." + +"You need not talk of a little thing like that, Sergeant. There is not a +man in the regiment who would not do a good deal more than that for you: +besides we have all taken to the child. She will be quite the pet of the +regiment. Moreover, the lad's valise was well filled. We have tossed up +for choice, and each of us has got something. Henri got the cloak, and a +good one it is. I had the next choice, and I took his blanket, which is +a double one. Jacques had the horse rug, Ferron had another pair of +drawers and his gloves, and Pierre, who has got a small foot, took his +boots. So we have all done well." + +As Julian lay down with his hood over his head and the child held +closely in his arms under his cloak, he felt strangely warm and +comfortable, and breathed a prayer that he might be spared to carry the +little waif he had rescued, in safety across the frontier. + +"I will keep her with me," he said, "until she gets a bit bigger. By +that time the war may be all over, and I will send her to my aunt, if I +dare not go home myself. She will take care of her, and if she should +have gone, I know Frank will do the best he can for the child, and may +be able, through the Russian embassy, to send her back to her friends." + +The cold was so intense in the morning that the child offered no +objection to her novel habiliments. Some inches had to be cut from the +bottom of the jacket to keep it off the ground, and the strip served as +a band to keep it close round her waist. + +"It is too big," she said a little fretfully. + +"It is large, Stephanie," Julian said, "but then, you see, there is the +advantage that when you like you can slip your arms altogether out of +the sleeves, and keep them as warm as a toast inside. Now you get on my +back and we will fasten you more comfortably than I could do yesterday." + +This, with the assistance of a couple of soldiers, was done. Then, +putting on his cloak again, Julian fell in with his comrades, and, as +usual, striking up a merry song, in which the rest at once joined, +continued his march. + +Day passed after day. The Russians pressed hotly on the rear, and many +times Ney's corps had to face about and repel their attacks. Sometimes +when the fighting was likely to be serious Julian handed his charge over +to the care of the driver of one of the ammunition carts, but as a rule +he carried her with him, for she objected strongly to leaving him. On +the march she often chose to be carried on his shoulder--a strange +little figure, with the high fur collar of the jacket standing up +level with the top of her head, and a yellow curl or two making its way +through the opening in front. She soon picked up the songs that were +most often sung, and her shrill little voice joined in. She was now a +prime favourite with all the men. + +[Illustration: "ON THE MARCH LITTLE STEPHANIE OFTEN CHOSE TO BE CARRIED +ON JULIAN'S SHOULDER."] + +Food became scarcer every day. The cavalry were now almost wholly +dismounted, the horses still available being taken for the guns. Among +the divisions in front the disorganization was great indeed. It was a +mob rather than an army, and only when attacked did they form up, and +with sullen fury drive off the foe. At other times they tramped along +silently, ragged, and often shoeless, their feet wrapped in rough +bandages. Whenever one fell from weakness, he lay there unnoticed, save +that sometimes a comrade would, in answer to his entreaties to kill him +rather than to leave him to the mercy of the peasants, put his musket to +his head and finish him at once. No one straggled, except to search a +deserted cottage on the line, for all who fell into the hands of the +peasants--who followed the army like wolves after a wounded stag--were +either put to death by atrocious tortures, or stripped and left to +perish by cold. All the sufferings inflicted by the army in its advance +upon the peasantry were now repaid an hundredfold, and the atrocities +perpetrated upon all who fell into their hands were so terrible that Sir +Robert Wilson wrote to the Czar, imploring him for the honour of the +country to put a stop to them. Alexander at once issued a proclamation +offering the reward of a gold piece for every French prisoner brought +in, and so saved the lives of many hundreds of these unfortunates. In +the French army itself all feelings of humanity were also obliterated. +The men fought furiously among themselves for any scrap of food, and a +dead horse was often the centre of a desperate struggle. Those who fell +were at once stripped of their garments, and death came all the sooner +to put an end to their sufferings. The authority of the officers was +altogether unheeded. + +Day by day the numbers dwindled away. The safety of the French army thus +far was chiefly due to the vacillation, if not the absolute treachery, +of Kutusow. Moving on by roads well supplied with provisions, and +perfectly acquainted with the movements of the enemy, he was able to +outmarch them, and several times had it absolutely in his power to +completely overwhelm the broken remains of Napoleon's army. But, in +spite of the entreaties of the generals and the indignation of the army, +he obstinately refused to give the order. The French army no longer +travelled by a single road; sometimes the corps were separated from each +other by great masses of Russian troops. Numerous detached battles were +fought; but in each of these the French troops, although suffering +heavily, displayed their old courage, and either by hard fighting cut +their way through obstacles, or managed by long and circuitous marches +to evade them. + +Napoleon's plans, which, if carried out, would have saved the army, were +brought to nought by the incapacity of the generals charged with the +duty. The vast depôts and stores that had been formed at various points +fell successively into the hands of the various Russian armies now +operating against the French. Bridges of vital importance on the line of +retreat were captured and destroyed, and repeated defeats inflicted upon +the armies that should have joined Napoleon as he fell back. Everywhere +fatal blunders were made by the French commanders, and it seemed as if +Heaven had determined to overthrow every combination formed by +Napoleon's sagacity, in order that the destruction of his army should be +complete. The army of Macdonald, that should have joined him, was itself +warmly pressed by the forces of Wittgenstein and the garrison of Riga, +which had been greatly reinforced. Schwarzenberg, with the Austrian +army, fell back without striking a blow; for the Austrians, in view of +the misfortunes that had befallen Napoleon, were preparing to cast off +their alliance with him; and to aid in his discomfiture, Wittgenstein +was ordered by Alexander to withdraw at once from his operations against +Macdonald and to march upon Borizov on the Berezina, the point towards +which Napoleon was making; while Admiral Tchichagow, with the army of +the Danube, that had been engaged in watching the Austrians, was to +march in the same direction, and also interpose to cut off the French +retreat. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +NEY'S RETREAT + + +Ney's corps, as usual, had remained at Smolensk as the rear-guard of the +army. The rest and abundance of food did much to restore their _morale_. +Ney had utilized the time they remained there to see that the arms were +examined, and new ones served out from the magazines in place of those +found to be defective. A certain amount of clothing was also served out +to the troops, and discipline restored. The numerous stragglers +belonging to the divisions that had gone on were incorporated with his +regiments, and all prepared for the toilsome and dangerous march before +them. They believed that at Krasnoi they should come up with the main +body of the army. But Krasnoi had already fallen, and the enemy were +mustering thickly along the road. + +"We have a rough time before us, Jules," one of the veterans said. "I +should not say as much to any of the youngsters, but your spirits seem +proof against troubles. You see, in the first place, we know really +nothing of what is going on. For the last four days we have heard the +sound of cannon in the air. It is a long way off, and one feels it +rather than hears it; but there has certainly been heavy and almost +constant fighting. Well, that shows that there are Russians ahead of +us. Never was I in a country before where we could get no news. It is +all guess-work. There may be 50,000 Russians already between us and +Davoust's division, and there may be only a handful of Cossacks. It is a +toss-up. Nothing seems to go as one would expect in this country. We are +at a big disadvantage; for the skill of our generals is thrown away when +they are working altogether in the dark. + +"Do you know, this reminds me a good deal of our pursuit of your army to +Corunna; only there I was one of the hunters, while here we are the +hunted. When we entered the towns they had quitted we heard that they +were altogether disorganized--a mere rabble of fugitives. But whenever +we came up to them they turned round and fought like their own +bull-dogs; and never did they make a stronger stand than they did when +we came up at last and caught them at Corunna. There was the army we had +been told was a disorganized mass standing in as good order, and with as +firm a front, as if they had but just landed from their ships. And it +was not in appearance only. They had 16,000 men; we had 20,000. They had +only six or eight cannon, having embarked the remainder on board their +ships; we had over fifty guns; and with Soult in command of us, there +was not a man but regarded the affair as being as good as over, and +considered that the whole of them would fall into our hands. Well, it +wasn't so. We were on higher ground than they were, and soon silenced +their little guns; and the village of Elvira, in front of their +position, was carried without difficulty. + +"Suddenly their reserve marched round, fell on our flank, and threatened +our great battery that was in position there. They drove us out of +Elvira, and for a time held us in check altogether. The fight round +there became very hot; but they pushed forward and continued to attack +us so desperately that they partly rolled our left up, and if it had not +been that night set in--the fight had not begun until two +o'clock--things would have gone very badly with us, for we were falling +back in a great deal of confusion. There was a river behind us with but +a single bridge by which we could retreat, and I can tell you we were +glad indeed when the English ceased to press us and the firing stopped. +All night their picket-fires burned, and we were expecting to renew the +battle in the morning, when we found that their position was deserted, +and that they were embarking on board their ships. That shows that +although troops may be greatly disorganized in a retreat they do not +fight any the worse when you come up to them. + +"The English had practically no guns, they had no cavalry, they were +inferior in numbers, and yet they beat us off. Their back was against a +wall. You see, they knew that if they didn't do it there was nothing but +a French prison before them. It is the same thing with us, lad; we don't +want to fight--we want to get away if we can. But if we have got to +fight we shall do it better than ever, for defeat would mean death; and +if a soldier has got to die, he would a thousand times rather die by a +musket-ball or a bayonet-thrust than by cold and hunger. There is one +thing in our favour, the country we have to cross now is for the most +part forest; so we shall have wood for our bivouacs, and if we have to +leave the road it will cover our movements and give us a chance of +making our way round the enemy. You will find that child a heavy burden, +Jules. I do not blame you for bringing her along with you, but when +things come to such a pass as this a man needs every ounce of his +strength." + +"I am aware of that," Jules said, looking at Stephanie as she stood +laughing and talking with some of the soldiers at a fire close by; "but +I believe that I shall save her. I cannot help thinking she would never +have given that little cry which met my ears as I passed by the broken +carriage, if it had not been meant that she should be saved. To all +appearance she was well-nigh insensible, and she would have suffered no +more pain. It would have been a cruel instead of a kind action to save +her, when she was already well-nigh dead. I firmly believe that, whoever +falls during the struggle that may be before us, that child will get +through safely and be restored to her parents. I don't say that I think +that I myself shall go through it, but my death does not necessarily +mean hers. If she falls into the hands of the peasants, and tells them +who she is, they may take care of her for the sake of getting a reward, +and she may in time be restored to her friends. At any rate, as long as +I have strength to carry her I shall assuredly do so; when I cannot, I +shall wrap her in my cloak and shall lie down to die, bidding her sit +wrapped up in it till she sees some Russians approaching. She will then +speak to them in their own language and tell them who she is, and that +they will get a great reward from her parents if they take care of her +and send her to them." + +"You are a good fellow, comrade--a man with a heart. I trust that, +whoever gets out of this alive, you may be one of them. To most of us it +matters little one way or the other. We have had our share of good luck, +and cannot expect that the bullets will always avoid us. Now let us turn +in, for we march at daybreak. At any rate, we may think ourselves lucky +to have had five days' rest here, with no more trouble than was needed +to keep the Russians from occupying that place across the river." + +Julian called Stephanie to him, lay down by the side of his comrade near +the fire, and was soon fast asleep. They were under arms before daylight +broke, and in a few minutes were on the way. They had marched but half a +mile when a series of tremendous explosions were heard--the magazines +left behind at Smolensk had been blown up, together with such buildings +as the fire had before spared. 112 guns had been left behind, there +being only sufficient horses remaining to draw twelve. The fighting +force was reduced to 7000 combatants, but there were almost as many +stragglers, more or less armed, with them. The march led by the side of +the Dnieper, and they bivouacked that night at Korodnia. The next day +they arrived at a point within four miles of Krasnoi, where, on a hill, +fronted by a deep ravine, 12,000 Russians, with forty guns, had taken up +their position. + +A thick mist covered the lower ground, and the advance of the French was +not perceived by the enemy until they were within a short distance of +its crest. Then the forty guns poured a storm of grape into the leading +regiment. The survivors, cheering loudly, rushed forward at the +batteries, and had almost reached them, when a heavy mass of Russian +infantry flung themselves upon them with the bayonet, and after a short +but desperate struggle hurled them down the hill again. The Russian +cavalry charged them on the slope, and swept through their shattered +ranks. Ney, ignorant that Napoleon had already left Krasnoi, and that +the whole Russian army barred his way, made another effort to force a +passage. He planted his twelve guns on a height above the ravines, and +sent forward several companies of sappers and miners to endeavour to +carry the battery again. Gallantly they made their way up the hill +through a storm of fire. But the Russians again fell upon them in great +force, and few indeed were enabled to make the descent of the hill and +rejoin their comrades. + +Darkness had set in now, and Ney, finding it impossible to make his way +further, and feeling sure that had the Emperor been still at Krasnoi he +would have sent a force to his assistance, fell back into the forest. +His position was a desperate one; the scanty supply of provisions with +which they had started was exhausted, and they were in an unknown +country, surrounded by foes, without a guide, without carriage for the +wounded, without an idea of the direction in which to march. The Russian +general sent in two flags of truce, offering him terms of capitulation +which would save the life of himself and of his brave soldiers. Ney, +however, was not yet conquered. He detained the messengers with the +flags of truce, lest they might take news to their general of the +position of his force, and then, with all capable of the exertion, +continued his march. They passed in silence within half a mile of the +Cossack fires, and reaching a village on the Dnieper, attempted the +passage; but the ice broke under the first gun, and it was necessary to +abandon the whole of the artillery and every vehicle. + +Before the entire body had passed, the Cossacks, attracted by the sound +made by the troops marching across the ice, arrived and captured several +hundred prisoners, for the most part stragglers. In a village further on +they found temporary rest, surprising a few Cossacks and capturing their +horses, which afforded a ration to the troops; but on the next morning a +great swarm of Cossacks appeared on the plain and opened a heavy +artillery fire. Unable to advance in that direction the column turned +towards a wood on its left, but as it was about to enter the refuge, a +battery concealed there poured a volley of grape into them. The column +hesitated, but Ney dashed to the front, and they rushed forward and +drove the battery from the wood. All day they continued their march +through the forest, until, coming upon a village, they obtained a few +hours' rest and shelter and some food. + +It had been a terribly heavy day, for the snow here was not, as on the +road, trampled down, and the marching was very heavy. Julian had carried +the child the greater part of the day. The grenadiers had not been +actively engaged, as they formed the rear-guard, and several times his +friend the sergeant relieved him of Stephanie's weight. + +"This is better luck than I looked for, comrade," he said as they cooked +the food they had found in the village, filled their pipes, and sat down +by a blazing fire. "_Peste!_ I was frightened as we crossed the river +last night. We knew the ice was not strong, and if it had given way as +we crossed, not a man upon it would have reached the other side. +However, it turned out for the best, and here we are again, and I +believe that we shall somehow get through after all. Ney always has good +luck. There is never any hesitation about him. He sees what has to be +done and does it. That is the sort of man for a leader. I would rather +serve under a man who does what he thinks best at once, even if it turns +out wrong, than one who hesitates and wants time to consider. Ney has +been called 'the child of victory,' and I believe in his star. Anyone +else would have surrendered after that fight yesterday, and yet you see +how he has got out of the scrape so far. I believe that Ney will cross +the frontier safe, even if he carries with him only a corporal's guard." + +Julian was too exhausted to talk, and every moment of rest was precious. +Therefore, after smoking for a short time, he lay down to sleep. At +daybreak the next morning the march through the forest continued. When +from time to time they approached its edge, the Cossacks could be seen +hovering thickly on the plain; but they dared not venture into the wood, +which was so close that their horses would be worse than useless to +them. At three o'clock, when within twenty miles of Orsza, two Polish +officers volunteered to push ahead to that town on some peasant's horses +that had been brought from the village where they had slept to acquaint +the commander of any French force that might be there with their +situation, and to pray for assistance. After a halt of an hour the +column pushed on again. When they had marched another twelve miles the +forest ceased. Night had long since fallen, and a thick fog hung over +the ground. This served to hide their movements, but rendered it +difficult in the extreme for them to maintain the right direction. + +Their way led over a steep hill, which was climbed with great +difficulty by the exhausted troops; but on reaching the summit they saw +to their horror a long line of bivouac fires illuminating the plain in +front of them. Even the most sanguine felt despair for a moment. Ney +himself stood for a few minutes speechless, then he turned to his men. + +"There is but one thing to do, comrades," he said. "It is death to stay +here. Better a thousand times meet it as soldiers. Let us advance in +absolute silence, and then rush upon our enemies and strive to burst our +way through. They cannot know that we are so near, and, aided by the +surprise, we may force a passage. If we fail, we will, before we die, +sell our lives so dearly that our enemies will long bear us in +remembrance." + +In silence the column marched down the hill. No sound proclaimed that +the enemy had taken the alarm. When within charging distance, the line +levelled its bayonets and rushed forward to the fires. To their +stupefaction and relief, they found no foe to oppose them. The fires had +been lighted by order of the Cossack general to make them believe that +an army lay between them and Orsza, and so cause them to arrest their +march. Half an hour was given to the men to warm themselves by the +fires, then the march was resumed. Three miles further the sound of a +large body of men was heard, then came a challenge in French, "_Qui +vive!_" A hoarse shout of delight burst from the weary force, and a +minute later they were shaking hands with their comrades of Davoust's +division. The Polish messengers had, in spite of the numerous Cossacks +on the plains, succeeded in reaching Orsza safely. The most poignant +anxiety reigned there as to the safety of Ney's command; and Davoust, on +hearing the welcome news, instantly called his men under arms and +advanced to meet them. + +The delight on both sides was extreme, and Ney's soldiers were supplied +with food that Davoust had ordered his men to put in their haversacks. A +halt of three or four hours was ordered, for the column had been +marching for eighteen hours, and could go no further. At daybreak they +completed the remaining eight miles into Orsza. Napoleon himself was +there. Here they rested for five days. Food was abundant, and arms were +distributed to those who needed them. Ammunition was served out, and +Napoleon employed himself with great energy in reorganizing his forces +and in distributing the stragglers,--who were almost as numerous as +those with the standards,--among them. Ney's corps was now too small for +separate service, and henceforth was united to that of Davoust. The halt +did wonders for the men. They were billeted among the houses of the +town, and warmth and abundant food revived their strength. They looked +forward with some confidence to reaching the spot where great magazines +had been prepared, and where they would take up their quarters until the +campaign recommenced in the spring. + +Napoleon's plans, however, were all frustrated by the inconceivable +blunders and follies of the generals, to whom were entrusted the task of +carrying them out. Everywhere, in turn, they suffered themselves to be +deceived and caught napping. The important positions entrusted to them +were wrested from their hands. Minsk, where there were supplies for the +whole army for months, had been captured, and now Borizow, where the +passage of the Berezina was to be made, was captured almost without +resistance. Well might Napoleon when he heard the news exclaim in +despair: + +"Will there never be an end to this blundering?" + +Great as the cold had been before, it increased day by day in severity. +Happily for the French, Kutusow, with the main Russian army, was far in +their rear, and they might well hope, when joined by Victor, who was to +meet them near the Berezina with his division, to be able to defeat the +two Russian armies that barred their way, either force being inferior to +their own. + +Stephanie had borne the march wonderfully well. Since leaving Smolensk, +she had had no walking to do. The cold was so great that she was glad to +remain during the day snuggled up beneath Julian's cloak. The marching +songs had ceased. Hunted as they were, silence was imperative, and +indeed the distances traversed and the hardships endured were so great +that even Julian felt that he had no longer strength to raise his voice. +Few words indeed were spoken on the march, for the bitter cold seemed to +render talking almost impossible. + +Being in ignorance of the forces concentrating to cut him off, Napoleon +ordered Oudinot's corps to march forward to secure the passage at +Borizow, and Victor that at Studenski, but Tchichagow arrived at Borizow +before Oudinot, and began to cross the bridge there. Oudinot, however, +fell upon him fiercely before his whole army had passed over, and the +Russians drew back across the bridge, destroying it behind them. +Napoleon on his arrival found the Russian army of the Danube drawn up on +the opposite bank ready to dispute his passage. He at once sent bodies +of troops up and down the river to deceive the Russian admiral as to the +point at which he intended to force a passage. Victor had already come +in contact with Wittgenstein and had fought a drawn battle with him, and +now moved to join Napoleon at the spot decided upon for the passage of +the Berezina, near Studenski. + +On the evening of the 25th of November Napoleon arrived there with +Oudinot's corps. The engineers immediately commenced the construction of +two bridges, and the cavalry and light infantry crossed the river to +reconnoitre the enemy, and some batteries were established to cover the +work. Materials were very scarce, and it was not until noon on the +following day that the bridges were reported practicable. Oudinot's +corps crossed at once, but the rest of the troops passed over in great +confusion, which was increased by the frequent breaking down of the +bridges. Victor took up a position to cover the rear, but one of his +divisions was cut off by Wittgenstein, and eight thousand men forced to +surrender. The main body of the French army, completely panic-stricken +by the thunder of guns in their rear, crowded down in a confused mass. +The passage was frequently arrested by fresh breakages in the bridges; +hundreds were pushed off into the river by the pressure from behind; +others attempted to swim across, but few of these succeeded in gaining +the opposite bank, the rest being overpowered by the cold or overwhelmed +by the floating masses of ice. Thousands perished by drowning. By the +28th the greater part of the French army had crossed, Victor's corps +covering the passage and repulsing the efforts of Wittgenstein up to +that time; then being unable to hold the Russians at bay any longer he +marched down to the bridge, forcing a way through the helpless crowd +that still blocked the approaches. + +Altogether the loss of the French amounted to 28,000 men, of whom 16,000 +were taken prisoners. + +On the same day Tchichagow attacked in front with his army, but, +animated by Napoleon's presence, and by despair, the French fought so +fiercely that he was repulsed with much loss, and the way lay open to +Wilna. The intensity of the cold increased daily, and the sufferings of +the army were proportionately great. On the 5th of December Napoleon +handed over the wreck of the army, now reduced to 45,000 men, to Murat; +while the Viceroy was to have the chief command of the infantry. + +By the time they reached the Berezina, Davoust's corps had been +diminished to a few thousand men, and on Victor taking the post of +rear-guard, they were relieved from that arduous task, and were among +the first who crossed the fatal bridge. From there to Wilna there was +comparatively little fighting. Kutusow's army was still far behind, and +although Wittgenstein and the Admiral hung on their rear, the French +army still inspired sufficient respect to deter them from attacking it +in force. + +As the army approached the Berezina, scarce a hundred men of the +Grenadiers of the Rhone still hung together, and these were so feeble +that they staggered rather than marched along. Rations had ceased to be +issued, and the troops depended solely upon the flesh of the horses of +the waggons conveying the military chests, treasure, and artillery, and +from what they could gather in the deserted villages. So desperate were +they now that even the fear of falling into the hands of the peasants +was insufficient to deter them from turning off, whenever a village +appeared in sight, in the hope of finding food, or, if that failed, at +least a few hours' shelter. Not one of them was in such good condition +as Julian, who had been sustained not only by his naturally high +spirits, but by the prattle of the child, and by the added warmth of her +sleeping close to him at night. + +She now, for the most part, trotted beside him, and it was only when +very tired that the child would allow him to take her up. She herself +had never been short of food, for however small the portion obtained, +enough for her was always set aside before it was touched. One day +Julian had, with some of his comrades, entered a village. The others had +insisted on lying down for a sleep, after devouring a little food they +were fortunate enough to find in one of the houses. Julian's efforts to +induce them to continue the march were in vain. They lighted a huge fire +on a hearth with wood obtained by breaking up some of the doors, and +declared that they would be warm for once, whatever came of it. The +column was already some distance off, and night was closing in. Julian +therefore started alone. He was carrying the child now, and for an hour +he kept on his way. Still there were no signs of a road, and he at last +became convinced that he must have gone in the wrong direction. He +walked for half an hour longer, and then coming upon a small hut, he at +once determined to pass the night there. + +Laying the sleeping child down, he covered her over with his cloak. Then +he broke up some woodwork, cut a portion of it into small pieces, mixed +the contents of a cartridge with a little snow and placed it among them, +and then drew the charge from his musket, put a little powder into it, +and discharged it into the heap. In a few minutes a bright fire was +blazing, and taking the child in his arms, he lay down before it, and +was soon asleep. He was awakened some time afterwards by a strange +noise. He sprang up at once, threw some fresh wood on the embers, and, +grasping his musket, stood listening. In a minute the noise was renewed; +something was scratching at the door, and a moment later he heard a +pattering of feet overhead. Then came a low whimper and a snarl, and the +truth at once rushed upon him. He was surrounded by wolves. + +For a long time the march of the army had been accompanied by these +creatures. Driven from the forest by cold and hunger, and scenting blood +from afar, they had hung upon the skirts of the army, feasting on the +bones of the horses and the bodies of the dead. Julian examined the +door. It was a strong one, and there was no fear of their making an +entry there. The roof, too, seemed solid; and the window, which was +without glass, had a heavy wooden shutter. Hoping that by morning the +wolves, finding that they could not enter, would make off, Julian lay +down by the fire again, and slept for some hours. When he woke daylight +was streaming in through a crack in the shutter. On looking through this +and through the chinks of the door, he saw to his dismay that the wolves +were still there. Some were sitting watching the house; others were +prowling about. It was clear that they had no intention whatever of +leaving. The child had been roused by his movements. + +"Stephanie wants breakfast," she said decidedly, as he broke up some +more wood and rekindled the fire. + +"I am afraid, dear, you will have to wait," he said. "I have not got any +to give you." + +"Let us go and get some," she said, standing up. + +"I would, Stephanie; but there are some wolves outside, and we can't go +until they move." + +"Wolves are bad beasts. Stephanie was out riding in the sleigh with +papa, when they came out from a wood and ran after us, and they would +have killed us if the horses had not been very fast. Papa shot some of +them, but the others did not seem to mind, and were close behind when we +got home, where the men came out with forks and axes, and then they ran +away. Stephanie will wait for her breakfast." + +Julian thought for some time, and, then going to the window, opened the +shutters and began to fire at the wolves. Several were killed. They were +at once torn to pieces by their companions, who then withdrew to a safe +distance, and sat down to watch. Julian had not even hoped that it would +be otherwise. Had he waited, it was possible that they would at last +leave the hut and go off in the track of the army; but even in that +case, he would not, he felt, be able to overtake it alone, for, weak as +he was, he felt unequal to any great exertion, and he and his charge +might be devoured by these or other wolves, long before he came up with +the column, or they might be killed by Cossacks or by peasants. The last +were the most merciless enemies, for death at their hands would be +slower and more painful than at the hands of the wolves, but at least +the child might be saved, and it was in hopes of attracting attention +that he opened fire. He continued therefore to discharge his gun at +intervals, and to his great satisfaction saw in the afternoon a number +of peasants approaching. The wolves at once made off. + +"Stephanie," he said, "there are some of your people coming. They will +soon be here, and you must tell them who you are, and ask them to send +you to your father, and tell them that he will give them lots of money +for bringing you back to him." + +"Yes," the child said, "and he will thank you very, very much for having +been so good to me." + +"I am afraid, Stephanie, that I shall not go back with you. The people +kill the French whenever they take them." + +"But you are not French; you are English," she said, indignantly. +"Besides, the French are not all bad; they were very good to me." + +"I am afraid, dear, that it will make very little difference to them my +being an Englishman. They will see that I am in French uniform, and will +regard me as an enemy just as if I were French." + +"I will not let them hurt you," she said sturdily. "They are serfs, and +when I tell them who I am they will obey me, for if they don't I will +tell them that my father will have them all flogged to death." + +"Don't do that, dear. You are a long way from your father's house, and +they may not know his name; so do not talk about flogging, but only +about the money they will get if they take you back. They are poor men, +they have had a great deal to suffer, and have been made very savage; so +it is best for you to speak kindly and softly to them. Now, dear, let us +turn down that collar, so that they can see your face, and take your +things off your head, and then go out and speak to them. They are close +here." + +The child did as he told her, and as he opened the door she stepped out. +The peasants, who were only some twenty yards away, stopped in surprise +at the appearance of the strange little figure before them. Her golden +hair fell over her shoulders, and the long loose jacket concealed the +rest of her person. She spoke to them in Russian, in a high, clear +voice: + +"I am the Countess Stephanie Woronski. I am glad to see you. I was +travelling to go to my father, when there was an accident, and my nurse +and the coachman were both killed; and I should have died too, but a +good man--an Englishman--took me up, and he has carried me many days, +and has fed me and kept me warm and been my nurse. He must go with me +back to my father; and my father will give you lots of money for taking +us both to him, and you must remember that he is an Englishman and not a +Frenchman, although somehow he has been obliged to go with their army; +and he is very, very good." + +All this time Julian was standing behind her, musket in hand, determined +to sell his life dearly. The peasants stood irresolute; they conferred +together; then one of them advanced, and took off his fur cap and bowed +to the child. + +"Little mistress," he said, "we are but peasants, and do not know the +name of your honoured father; but assuredly we will take you to our +village, and our priest will find out where he lives, and will take you +home to him; but this man with you is a Frenchman, and an enemy." + +The child stamped her foot angrily. "Pig of a man!" she exclaimed +passionately, "Do I, then, lie? I tell you he is English. I have a +French coat on, just as he has. Will you say next that I am a French +girl? I tell you that my friend must come with me, and that when I come +to my father he will give you much money. He is a friend of the Czar, +and if I tell him that you have hurt my friend, he and the Czar will +both be angry." + +A murmur broke from the group of peasants. The anger of the Czar was, of +all things, the most terrible. Doubtless this imperious, little countess +was a great lady, and their habitual habit of subservience to the nobles +at once asserted itself, and, while they had hesitated before, the +threat of the Czar's anger completed their subjugation. + +[Illustration: "I AM THE COUNTESS STEPHANIE WORONSKI. I AM GLAD TO SEE +YOU."] + +"It shall be as the little mistress wills it," the peasant said humbly. +"No harm shall be done to your friend. We cannot promise that the troops +will not take him away from us, but if they do not he shall go with you +when we find where your father lives. If he has saved your life, he must +be, as you say, a good man, and we will take care of him." + +"They will take care of you," the child said in French, turning to +Julian. "I told them that my father would reward them, and that the Czar +would be very angry with them if they hurt you; and so they have +promised to take you with me to him." + +Julian at once placed his gun against the wall, and, taking her hand, +walked forward to the peasants. + +"Tell them," he said, "that the English are the friends of Russia, and +that there are some English officers now with their army, for I have +several times seen scarlet uniforms among the Russian staff." + +The child repeated this to the peasants. One of them went into the hut, +and looked round; and then securing Julian's musket, rejoined the +others, who at once started across the snow, one of the party carrying +Stephanie. On her telling them that she was hungry, some black bread was +produced. She gave the first piece handed her to Julian, and then sat +contentedly munching another. The peasants had now come to the +conclusion that the capture would bring good fortune to them, and one of +them took from the pocket of his sheep-skin caftan a bottle, which he +handed to Julian. The latter took a drink that caused him to cough +violently, to the amusement of the peasants, for it was _vodka_, and the +strong spirit took his breath away after his long abstinence from +anything but water. It did him good, however, and seemed to send a glow +through every limb, enabling him to keep pace with the peasants. Their +course lay north, and after four hours' walking they arrived at a +good-sized village at the edge of a forest. + +Their arrival created much excitement. There was a hubbub of talk, and +then they were taken into the largest house in the village. Stephanie, +who had been asleep for some time, woke up; and Julian threw aside his +cloak, for the close heat of the interior was almost overpowering. A +very old man, the father of the families that occupied the house,--for +in Russia married sons all share the houses of their parents,--made a +deep bow to Stephanie, and placed a low seat for her before the stove. +Julian helped her off with her jacket and her other encumbrances, and +her appearance in a pretty dress evidently increased the respect in +which she was held by the peasants. In a short time bowls of hot broth +were placed before them, and, weak as was the liquor, both enjoyed it +immensely after their monotonous diet of horse-flesh. Then Stephanie was +given a corner on the cushion placed on a wide shelf running round the +apartment. The place next to her was assigned to Julian, who, after +swallowing another glass of vodka, was in a few minutes sound asleep, +with a sweet consciousness of rest and security to which he had long +been a stranger. + +In the morning there was a gathering composed of the papa or priest of +the village and the principal men. When it was concluded, Stephanie was +informed that none of them knew the place of residence of her father, +but that a messenger had been sent off to the nearest town with a letter +from the priest to the bishop there, asking him to inform them of it. +She was asked how many days had passed since she had fallen in with the +French, and how long she had been travelling before she did so. Julian +was able to say exactly where he had fallen in with her--about thirty +miles from Smolensk. Stephanie herself was vague as to the time she had +travelled before the accident to the carriage, "days and days" being the +only account that she could give of the matter. The priest then spoke to +her for some time in Russian. + +"They want you," she said to Julian, "to take off your uniform and to +put on clothes like theirs. They say that though they wish to take you +with me to my father, they might on the way fall in with other people or +with soldiers, who would not know how good you are, and might take you +away from them and kill you, so that it would be safer for you to travel +in Russian dress. You won't mind that, will you?" + +"Not at all, Stephanie; I think that it is a very good plan indeed." + +A quarter of an hour later Julian was equipped in the attire of a +well-to-do peasant, with caftan lined with sheep-skin, a round fur cap, +a thick pair of trousers of a dark rough cloth, bandages of the same +material round the leg from the knee to the ankle, and high loose boots +of untanned leather with the hair inside. The transformation greatly +pleased the peasants, whose hatred of the French uniform had hitherto +caused them to stand aloof from him, and they now patted him on the +shoulder, shook his hand, and drank glasses of _vodka_, evidently to his +health, with great heartiness. Julian could, as yet, scarcely believe +that all this was not a dream. From the day that he had crossed the +Niemen he had been filled with gloomy forebodings of disaster, and +sickened by the barbarities of the soldiers upon the people, while, +during the retreat, he had been exposed to constant hardship, engaged in +innumerable fights and skirmishes, and impressed with the firm belief +that not a Frenchman would ever cross the frontier save as a prisoner. +After this the sense of warmth, the abundance of food, and the absence +of any necessity for exertion seemed almost overpowering, and for the +next three or four days he passed no small proportion of his time in +sleep. + +Stephanie was quite in her element. She was treated like a little queen +by the villagers, who considered her presence among them a high honour +as well as a source of future reward. They were never weary of +listening to the details of her stay among the French, and accorded to +Julian a good deal of deference both for the kindness he had shown the +little countess and for the service that he had thereby rendered to +themselves. It was ten days before an answer was received as to the +count's estates. They lay, it said, far to the south, but the bishop was +of opinion that the little countess had better be sent to St. +Petersburg, as the count had a palace there, and would be certain to be +at the capital at the present juncture of affairs. He offered that, if +they would bring her to him, he would see that she was sent on thither +by a post-carriage, but that in view of the extreme cold it would be +better that she should not be forwarded until the spring. + +A village council was held on the receipt of this letter, and the +proposal that she should be sent by the bishop was unanimously +negatived. It seemed to the villagers that in such a case the glory of +restoring Stephanie to her parents, and the reward that would naturally +accrue from it, would not fall to them; but, at the same time, no +alternative method occurred to them. Finally, after much consultation, +Stephanie was asked to interpret the bishop's letter to Julian, and when +she had done so she was told to add: "They think, Julian, that if they +send us to the bishop papa will not know that it was they who found me +and took care of me." + +Julian understood the difficulty. He first inquired how much the village +could raise to pay for the expenses of a post-carriage to St. +Petersburg. He said that it would, of course, be only a loan, and would +be repaid by the count. This led to a considerable amount of discussion, +but the difficulty was much diminished when Julian said that he could +himself supply five napoleons towards the fund. It had been decided that +three times that amount would be required to pay all expenses of travel, +and the priest agreeing to contribute an equal amount to Julian's, the +remaining sum was speedily made up. It was then arranged that the +priest would himself go to Borizow and obtain the _podorojna_ or order +for the supply of post-horses at the various stations. He would have to +name those who would accompany him. The head man of the village was +unanimously elected to go with him, and after some talk it was settled +that Julian should be put down as Ivan Meriloff, as a foreign name would +excite suspicion and cause much trouble, and possibly he might be +detained as a prisoner, in which case the peasants saw that there would +be considerable difficulty in inducing the little countess to go with +them. The priest was absent three days, and then returned with the +necessary document authorizing him to start from Borizow in four days' +time. Julian was sorry when the time came for his departure. After four +months of incessant hardship and fatigue, the feeling of rest and +comfort was delightful. He had been more weakened than he was aware of +by want of food, and, as his strength came back to him, he felt like one +recovering from a long illness, ready to enjoy the good things of life +fully, to bask in the heat of the stove, and to eat his meals with a +sense of real enjoyment. + +Rumours had come in every day of the terrible sufferings of the French +as they were hotly pressed by the triumphant Russians, and of the +general belief that but few would survive to cross the Niemen. Still, +while the French were thus suffering the Russians were in but little +better plight, following, as they did, through a country that had been +swept bare of everything that could be burned by the retreating French. +Their sufferings from cold were terrible, 90,000 perished, and out of +10,000 recruits, who afterwards marched for Wilna, as a reinforcement, +only 1500 reached that city, and the greater portion of these had at +once to be taken to the hospital mutilated from frost-bite. Thus, then, +the number of Russians that perished was at least as great as that of +their harassed foes, and this in their own climate, and without the +necessity for the constant vigilance, that had assisted to break down +the retreating army. + +Julian was instructed in the Russian words to reply if asked by any of +the postmasters whether he was the Ivan Meriloff mentioned in the +passport, and, on the day after the return of the priest, they started +in a sledge filled with hay and covered with sheep-skins. + +Julian with Stephanie were nestled up in the hay at one end of the +sledge, the two Russians at the other. On reaching Borizow they stopped +at the post-house, and on producing the _podorojna_ were told that the +carriage and horses would be ready in half an hour. They had brought a +considerable amount of provisions with them, and now laid in a stock of +such articles as could not be procured in the villages. When the +post-carriage came round, a large proportion of the hay in the sledge +was transferred to it, together with the sheep-skins. There was no +luggage, and four horses were deemed sufficient. The wheels had, of +course, been taken off the vehicle, and it was placed on runners. The +driver climbed up to his seat, cracked his whip furiously, and the +horses started at a gallop. The motion was swift and pleasant, indeed +travelling in Russia is much more agreeable in winter than in summer, +for the roads, which in summer are often detestable, are in winter as +smooth as glass, over which the sledge glides with a scarce perceptible +movement, and the journeys are performed much more rapidly than in +summer. + +The distance between the post-houses varied considerably, being +sometimes only nine miles apart, sometimes as many as twenty, but they +were generally performed at a gallop, the priest, at Julian's +suggestion, always giving somewhat more than the usual drink-money to +the driver, and in five days from the time of their leaving Borizow they +arrived at St. Petersburg, halting only for a few hours each night at +post-houses. They had no difficulty in ascertaining where the Woronski +palace was situated, and, taking a _droski_, drove there at once. +Stephanie clapped her hands as she saw it. + +"You ought to have put on your cloak, Julian, and to have packed me up +under it as you used to carry me, and to take me in like that." + +"I am afraid that grand-looking personage at the door would not have let +me in. As it is, he is looking at us with the greatest contempt." + +"That is Peter," the child said. "Peter, Peter, what are you standing +staring for? Why don't you come and help me down as usual?" + +The porter, a huge man with a great beard, and wearing a fur cap and a +long fur-trimmed pelisse, almost staggered back as the child spoke. He +had, as Julian said, been regarding the _droski_ and its load with an +air of supreme contempt, and had been about to demand angrily why it +ventured to drive up into the courtyard of the palace. He stood +immovable until Stephanie threw back her sheep-skin hood, then, with a +loud cry, he sprang down the steps, dashed his fur cap to the ground, +threw himself on his knees, and taking the child's hand in his, pressed +it to his forehead. The tears streamed down his cheeks, as he sobbed +out, "My little mistress, my little mistress! and you have come back +again to be the light of our hearts--oh, what a joyful day is this!" + +"Thank you, Peter. Now, please lift me down. I am quite well. Are papa +and mamma well?" + +"The gracious countess is not well, little mistress, but when she knows +that you are back, she will soon regain her health. His excellency, your +father, is not ill, but he is sorely troubled. He has been away for a +fortnight searching for news of you, and returned but last week. I don't +know what his news was, but it was bad, for the countess has been worse +since he returned." + +"This gentleman has told me, Peter, that I must not run in to see them +without their being told first that I am safe, and that you had better +fetch Papa Serge. This is the English gentleman, Peter, who saved my +life when I was almost dead with cold, and carried me for days and days +under his cloak, and kept me warm close to him when we lay down in the +snow at night." + +Again the Russian fell on his knees, and seizing Julian's hand, put it +to his forehead. Then he jumped up, "Why am I keeping you out in the +cold?" he said. "Come in, little mistress, and I will send to fetch the +papa." + +"Cover up your head, Stephanie," Julian said as, holding his hand +tightly, they entered the hall together. "If others were to see you the +news would run through the house like wildfire, and it would come to +your mother's ears before it had been broken to her. Tell Peter to take +us into a quiet room, and not to inform the man he sends to the priest +that you are here." + +Followed by the village priest and the peasant they entered a room +fitted as a library. + +"It is here papa writes his letters," Stephanie said, throwing back her +hood again and taking off her cloak; "isn't it nice and warm?" + +Coming in from the temperature of some forty degrees below freezing, it +was to Julian most uncomfortably warm. It was some four or five minutes +before the door opened, and Papa Serge, the family chaplain, entered +with a somewhat bewildered face, for he had been almost forcibly dragged +down by Peter, who had refused to give any explanation for the urgency +of his demand that he should accompany him instantly to the count's +study. When his eyes fell on Stephanie, who had started up as he +entered, he gave a cry of joy. A moment later she sprang into his arms. + +"Dear, dear, Papa Serge!" she said, as she kissed his withered cheeks +warmly. "Oh I do love to be home again, though I have been very happy, +and everyone has been very kind to me. Now, you mustn't stay here, +because I want to see papa and mamma; and this gentleman says--he is my +great friend, you know, and I call him Nurse Julian--that you must go +and tell them first that I have come, and that you must tell them very +gently, so that it won't upset poor mamma." + +"Tell him, Stephanie, that he had better say at first only that someone +has just come with the news that you are quite safe, and that you will +be here soon, and then after a little while, he had better call your +father out and tell him the truth. By the way, ask if they are together +now." + +The child put the question. + +"No, the countess is in bed and the count is walking up and down the +great drawing-room. He does it for hours at a time." + +"In that case, Stephanie, tell Serge to speak first to your father, and +to bring him down here to you. He will break it to your mother better +than anyone else would do." + +The priest was too deeply moved to speak, but upon Stephanie translating +what Julian had said, put her down and left the room. As soon as he had +done so the priest who had travelled with them, and who, with his +companion, had been standing in an attitude of respect while Stephanie +was speaking, said to her: + +"Little countess, we will go out into the hall and wait there. It were +better that his excellency, your father, should meet you here alone." + +"He would not mind," Stephanie said, "but if you think that you had +better go, please do." + +The two peasants left the room somewhat hastily. They had been +absolutely awed at the splendour of the house, which vastly surpassed +anything they had ever imagined, and were glad to make an excuse to +leave the room and so avoid seeing the count until his daughter had +explained the reason of their presence there. Julian guessed their +reason for leaving and was about to follow them when Stephanie took him +by the hand. + +"No," she said, "you are not to go, Julian. It is you who saved my life, +and it is you who must give me back to papa." A few minutes elapsed, +then the door was suddenly thrown open and the count ran in. + +"My Stephanie! my little Stephanie!" he cried, as he caught her up. "Oh, +my little girl! we never thought to see you again--it seems a miracle +from heaven. Do not cry, darling," he said presently, as she lay sobbing +with her head on his shoulder. "It is all over now, and you will come to +think of it in time as a bad dream." + +"Not a _very_ bad one, papa. It has been funny and strange, but not bad. +Oh, and I meant this gentleman--he is an English gentleman, papa--to +have put me into your arms, only somehow I forgot all about it when you +came in. I call him Nurse Julian, papa, because he has been my nurse. He +has carried me for days and days on his back under his warm cloak, and I +have slept curled up in his arms; and sometimes there were battles. Oh, +such a noise they made! When it was a big battle he stowed me away in a +waggon, but sometimes when it was a small one, and he had not time to +take me to the waggon, he carried me on his back, and I used to jump at +first when he fired his gun, but I soon got accustomed to it, and he +always got me plenty of food, though it was not very nice. But he didn't +often get enough, and he became very thin and pale, and then I used +sometimes to run along by his side for a bit, and I only let him carry +me when I was very tired, and at last we were in a little hut by +ourselves, and some peasants came. They looked very wicked at first, but +I told them who I was, and that you would give them money if they +brought me back to you, and so we went to their village and stayed +there, and it was warm and nice, and there was plenty of food, and dear +Julian got strong again, and then they brought us here in a +post-carriage, and two of them came with me. They are out in the hall +now." + +The count set his little daughter down, and coming up to Julian threw +his arms round his neck and kissed him in Russian fashion. "My +benefactor!" he exclaimed, "I don't understand all that Stephanie has +told me, but it is enough that you saved her life, and that you nursed +her with the tenderness of a mother, and have restored her to us as one +from the grave. Never can I fully express my thanks or prove my +gratitude to you, but now you will, I trust, excuse me. I am burning to +carry the news of our dear one's return to her mother, whose condition +is giving us grave anxiety. She is far too weak to stand any sudden +shock, and I will merely tell her now that news has come that a little +girl whose description corresponds with that of Stephanie has been found +and is on her way here, and may arrive very shortly. More than that I +shall not venture upon to-day, unless, indeed, I find that the +excitement and suspense is likely to be even more injurious to her than +the state of dull despair in which she now lies. If I see that it is so +I must go on, little by little, till she guesses the truth. Now, +Stephanie, you had better come up to your own room. Of course, your +friend will come with you," he added with a smile as Stephanie took +Julian's hand. "But you had better wait three or four minutes so that I +may give strict orders to the household that everything is to be kept +perfectly quiet, and that not a sound is to be heard in the house. There +will be time enough for rejoicings afterwards." + +The count, who was a handsome man some thirty years old, now left the +room. He paused in the hall for a minute, shook the priest and his +companion warmly by the hand, and assured them that they should be +handsomely rewarded for the kindness they had shown to his daughter, +and then after speaking to Peter he ran lightly upstairs to his wife's +room. Stephanie waited for about five minutes and then said: + +"I should think that papa has had time to give the orders. Now, Julian, +shall we go?" + +"Yes, dear, I think we might do so." + +On going out into the hall a singular spectacle presented itself. The +grand staircase was lined on each side with kneeling men and women. +There was a sound of suppressed sobbing, and a low murmur was heard as +Stephanie appeared. + +"Go first, Stephanie dear," Julian said in a low voice; "they want to +kiss your hands." + +Stephanie showed no shyness, for, stopping on each step, she held out +her hands to the kneeling figures, who murmured prayers and blessings. +As they kissed them, she said softly to each, "Thank you very much, but +I must not talk now. This gentleman is my friend. It is he who saved my +life, and nursed me, and carried me. You must all love him for my sake," +whereupon, as Julian followed her, he met with a reception similar to +that given to their young mistress. He was glad when at last they +reached the top of the stairs and Stephanie led the way into her own +room, which was a sort of glorified nursery. Here two or three maids +were laying a table, and as the door closed behind him they crowded +round her and by turns kissed and hugged her. Then an old woman, who had +sat apart until the girls had had their turn, came forward. She placed +her hands solemnly on the child's head: + +"May the great Father bless you, my child. I have seen many glad days +since I entered the service of your house sixty years ago. I was present +at your grandfather's wedding, and your father's, but never was there so +bright and happy a day as this, which but half an hour ago was so dark +and sad. It was but three days ago that the whole household went into +mourning for you, for the news your father brought home seemed to show +that all hope was at an end. In five minutes all this has changed. You +see the maids have got on their festive dresses, and I will warrant me +they never changed their things so rapidly before. Now we have but to +get your beloved mother strong again, which, please God, will not be +long, and then this will be the happiest house in all Russia." + +"This is my nurse, my new nurse, Elizabeth. His name is Julian, and he +is an English gentleman, as you will see better when he gets some nice +clothes on. He has carried me days and days across the snow, and kept me +warm by night and day, and done everything for me. He doesn't speak +Russian, but he can speak French, and so, of course, we got on very +nicely; and I have been in battles, Elizabeth, think of that! and I was +not afraid a bit, and I was quite happy all the time, only, of course, I +am very, very glad to get home again." + +The meal was now laid, and Julian and the child sat down to it with a +vigorous appetite. Their food while in the village had been coarse +though plentiful, and Julian especially appreciated the delicate flavour +and perfect cooking of the many dishes of whose names and contents he +was absolutely ignorant. An hour after they had finished, the count came +in. + +"Your mother has borne it better than I expected, Stephanie," he said. +"I have been able to break the news to her sooner than I expected. Come +with me; be very quiet and do not talk much. She will be well content to +have you lying quietly in her arms." So saying, he lifted her and +carried her off, saying to Julian, "I will return and have the pleasure +of a talk with you after I have left Stephanie with her mother." + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +IN COMFORTABLE QUARTERS + + +It was an hour before the Count returned to the nursery. "Ah, my +friend," he said, "what happiness have you brought to us. Already my +wife is a new creature. I had begun to think that I should lose her too, +for the doctors told me frankly that they feared she would fall into a +decline. Now her joy is so great that it was with difficulty that I +could tear myself away from contemplating her happiness, but the doctor +came in and recommended that she should try and sleep for a time, or if +she could not sleep that she should at least lie absolutely quiet, so +Stephanie has nestled down by her side, and I was able to come to you." +He now led the way to a luxuriously furnished smoking-room. + +"This is my snuggery," he said. "The library below is where I go into +matters with my stewards, receive persons who come on business, and so +on. This is where I read and receive my friends. Now, will you help +yourself to those cigars, and let us talk. At present I know nothing. +Stephanie was left down at our estate, near Kieff, under the charge of +her French nurse, who has been with her since she was born. She was +rather governess than nurse of late. She was a French _émigré_, and of +good French family, and we had implicit confidence in her. I wrote to +her when the invasion first began, saying that as at present we could +not tell whether St. Petersburg or Moscow would be Napoleon's object of +attack, but as all the centre of Russia would be involved in the war, I +wished that Stephanie should remain quietly with her. I said that, +should any French army approach Kieff, she was to take Stephanie at once +to my estate near Odessa. + +"After the invasion began I sent off several letters to the same +effect, two by my own couriers, but owing to our army falling back so +rapidly, I imagine that none of the letters ever reached the nurse. Of +course, the whole postal communication of the country has been thrown +into confusion. At last, two months ago, a messenger from Kieff brought +me a letter from her making no allusion to those I had sent her, but +saying that as she heard that the French army was at Moscow she felt +sure I should wish her to bring Stephanie to us, and that, after a +consultation with my steward, she would in three days start direct after +sending off her letter. We were, of course, thunderstruck. She +apparently had the idea that the whole of the French were at Moscow, and +that it would, therefore, be perfectly safe to cross the roads between +them and the frontier. The poor woman said that should they by any +chance come across any body of her countrymen, she was sure that they +would not interfere with a woman and child. Her anxiety seemed to relate +solely to the weather and food, but she assured me that she would bring +an abundance of wraps of all sorts, and a supply of provisions in the +_fourgon_ sufficient for the journey. + +"Half an hour after I received the letter I sent off two couriers. They +were, of course, to go round east of Moscow and then to Kieff. They were +to drive at the top of their speed the whole way, and I obtained a +special order for them to be instantly furnished with post-horses +everywhere. In the meantime there was nothing to do but to wait. My +orders were that immediately they arrived they were to send off a fresh +messenger by the way they had come, saying whether Stephanie had +started, and they were bearers of letters of instruction to the steward +that six mounted men were instantly to follow the road the carriage had +taken, making inquiries at every post-house, and to endeavour to trace +them, and if the clue was anywhere lost to bring word to me. I waited +ten days, then I got news that Stephanie had left five weeks before my +messengers arrived there. The nurse's letter had been a very long time +in coming to me, and they had started, as she said, three days after it +was written, therefore if they had got safely through the country +occupied by the French they should have arrived here at least three +weeks before. + +"According to the dates there was little doubt that they must have +crossed the main road from Moscow to the frontier at the very time when +the French army on its retreat would be moving along. All that we had +heard and knew of the terrible distress, both of their army and of our +own, showed that at that time the intense suffering of the French and +the savage reprisals of our peasantry had reduced them to a state when +nothing was respected, and that a pair of valuable horses and a heap of +costly furs, to say nothing of the food carried, would be prizes almost +beyond value. Deprived of these, a nurse and child would, in a few +hours, die of the cold. That some such fate must have befallen them +seemed almost certain, for otherwise they must have joined us. + +"I could tell pretty well the road that they would follow, and started +along it. Half way between here and Smolensk I met the six men. What +they said confirmed my worst fears. They had learnt where the carriage +had last halted for the night. The party had not travelled post, but had +kept their own horses and had travelled only by day. Had they lingered +only one day anywhere on the way they would have crossed the Moscow road +on the day after the rear-guard of the French had passed. + +"But news travelled slowly, and no doubt, at the post-house where they +slept, no word that the French army was passing along had been received. +Beyond that, the men had been able to gather no news whatever of the +carriage. The country was a desert, tenanted only by dead; and the men's +descriptions of what they saw were so horrible that my blood was +frozen. However, I kept on my journey, taking them with me. We went to +the post-house where the carriage had last stopped, and then took up the +search. There were half a dozen roads by which they might have +proceeded; however, we took the most easterly one, and then, when it +crossed the main road, followed the latter. It was choked with deserted +waggons and guns. Dead bodies lay everywhere; many partly devoured by +wolves; all stripped of their clothing. After making our way through +this terrible scene for a few miles, we saw, fifty yards from the road, +the remains of a sleigh. Its bright yellow colour caught our eyes, and +when we got to it there was no room for doubt. The body of the sleigh +was gone--had been burnt for firewood; but the colour was that of my own +carriage, and two of the men who belonged to the stables at Kieff said +that they could swear to it, owing to a new iron that had been put on to +one of the runners the day before it had started. But there were other +signs. Portions of the harness lay about, and on one of these enough of +the silver-work remained to show that it was ours. + +"Then we searched farther. Turning over a mound of newly-fallen snow, we +found the bodies of the coachman and the nurse. We searched for hours, +but could not find that of the child; but as to her fate we had no +doubt. She might have run away into the forest, or she might have been +devoured by wolves. That she was dead was certain. I left four of the +men there. They were to establish themselves in the nearest village, and +to continue the search day by day, and to remain there, if necessary, +till the spring came and the snow disappeared. I returned here ten days +ago with the news that all hope was at an end, and that Stephanie was +lost to us for ever. Now, sir, will you tell me how it was that you +saved her? You were doubtless with the French army, though how you came +to be there is almost as great a puzzle as how Stephanie was saved." + +"I will tell you that afterwards, Count," Julian replied. + +Then he related how, on marching past the overturned carriage, he heard +what would doubtless have been Stephanie's last cry, and had found her +lying half-frozen among the cushions. He stated the means he had taken +to restore warmth to her, and how he had strapped her to his back under +his warmly-lined cloak. + +Then he gave, as well as he could remember, the details of each day's +experience: how Stephanie had become a general pet of the soldiers; how +they had manufactured a warm cloak and hood for her; how she had ridden +on shoulders, and had joined in the marching songs of the regiment, and +had really kept well and in good spirits on the march; how, as he got +too weak to carry her, she had trotted by his side; and how his +comrades, in spite of their exhaustion, had been willing to relieve him +of her weight. Then he told how, at last, they had separated from the +regiment when but a few hours' march from the Berezina; and how +Stephanie in turn had saved his life from the peasants. + +"So you see, Count," he concluded, "the kindness that I had shown your +child has already been repaid to me many fold. Not only did she save my +life from the peasants, but I have no doubt that her pretty talk, and +the occupation she offered to my thoughts, and her warmth as she nestled +close to me at night, were the means of my retaining my strength to a +far greater degree than was the case with most of my comrades, and +enabled me to survive when so many dropped dead from cold and +exhaustion." + +"That may be so, my friend," the count said. "God has doubtless rewarded +you for your good action, but that in nowise lessens our obligations +towards you. Now, will you tell me somewhat of your own history?" + +"It is a long story, Count." + +"All the better, my friend. I trust that my wife is asleep by this +time, and the child with her, and nothing can be of greater interest to +me than to hear it." + +Julian therefore related his story in full, and produced the paper given +him on his enlistment, guaranteeing that he should not be called upon to +fight against his countrymen. + +"Since we entered Russia, Count," he said, "and I have seen the savage +manner in which the peasantry were treated, not so much by the French +troops as by the allies, I bitterly regretted that I had enlisted; but, +at the time, no notion of this had ever entered my mind. I have told you +that the life at Verdun was intolerable. We died in hundreds, for a sort +of dull despair seemed to settle on everyone; and, although for a long +time I had borne up against it, I had come to the point when death would +have been welcome. A return to my own country seemed closed to me, owing +to the circumstances I have related to you; and I entered the French +service, just as, in the wars a couple of hundred years ago, Englishmen +and Scotchmen were to be found fighting as soldiers of fortune in the +armies of well-nigh every power of Europe." + +"I cannot blame you, Mr. Wyatt. Yours is a singular and most unfortunate +story, and it seems to me that, had I been in your place, I should have +acted precisely the same, and should have been glad to take service +under any flag rather than have remained to rot in a prison. Certainly +you had a thousand times better excuse than had the Austrians and +Prussians, who, after having been our allies, entered upon this savage +war of invasion without a shadow of excuse, save that it was the will of +Napoleon. However, I think that it will be as well, in order to save any +necessity for explanation, that I should introduce you to my friends as +an English gentleman who has come to me with the warmest +recommendations, and whom I am most anxious to serve in any way. This is +not a time when men concern themselves in any way with the private +affairs of others. There is not a family in Russia, high or low, who +has not lost one or more members in this terrible struggle. Publicly, +and as a nation, we rejoice at our deliverance, and at the destruction +of our enemies. Privately, we mourn our losses. + +"They have been terrible. As yet we scarcely know how great; but I +imagine that they will be found to have been no less than that of the +enemy. We hear that, in the pursuit, and without having taken any part +in the actual fighting after Krasnoi, Kutusow's army alone has lost +nearly 100,000 men from cold and fatigue; while, of the central army of +Napoleon, but four hundred infantry and six hundred cavalry repassed the +Niemen with their arms and standards. The other Russian divisions +suffered as severely as those with Kutusow. The Emperor has himself gone +to Wilna to endeavour to alleviate the sufferings of the sick and +wounded, with which the city is crammed. Wide as will be the mourning in +France, it will be no less so in Russia. Now, the first thing to do is +to provide you with suitable garments. This I will put in hand +immediately; but, until they can be procured, you must content yourself +with some of mine, though, as you are some four inches taller than I am +and far wider, they will suit you but poorly. However, I have an ample +store of dressing-gowns and wraps, and you must remain indoors a +prisoner until you are properly fitted out. By the way, I had an +interview with the two honest men who came with you before I returned to +you, and have arranged their business fully to their satisfaction. The +Papa will be able to build himself a new church, and the villagers to +repair all the losses they have suffered in the campaign. + +"They were," he said, with a smile, "anxious to see you, as they said +that they had an account to settle with you, as you had furnished +one-third of the money required for the trip. However, I told them that +they could set their minds at rest on that score, for that I would +settle with you privately. I only mention it that you should not think +they had gone off without any remembrance of your share in the +business." + +An hour later, a tailor with his assistant came to measure Julian. Three +days later, the Count suggested that he should go for a drive with him +in his sledge, and, wrapped up in furs, Julian took his place beside him +in a splendidly-appointed open vehicle. Stephanie sat between them. The +sledge was drawn by three horses--the centre one in shafts, while those +on either side ran free. A purple net covered the three animals almost +touching the ground, and so preventing the particles of snow being +thrown up by their hoofs into the sledge. The driver, in fur cap and +pelisse, and with an immense beard, sat on a seat in front. A number of +bells were attached to the harness of the horses, and to a bow-shaped +piece of wood that arched over the head of the central horse. + +"This is an improvement on the post-waggons, Stephanie," Julian said. + +The child nodded brightly. "You said it would all seem like a dream, +Julian," she remarked presently, as they dashed swiftly down the broad +street of the Nevsky, crowded with vehicles of all kinds, from the +splendidly-appointed sledges, like their own, to the lumbering vehicles +of the peasants piled up with firewood. "It almost seems like a dream +already, and yet you know I was very comfortable with you." + +"It will be something for you to look back upon all your life," her +father said. "There will be many who will have strange and sad memories +of the war, but not one who will have a stranger experience than you +have to talk about. Happily, there was, as far as you are concerned, but +little sadness in it." + +Julian was delighted with the brightness and gaiety of St. Petersburg, +with its broad streets, its stately palaces, its fine cathedrals, and +its busy population. The universal use of furs prevented the symbols of +mourning being apparent, and, as they drove along in the luxurious +equipage, even he, like the child, could scarce believe that the +desperate fight at Smolensk, the even longer and more obstinate contest +at Borodino, and the terrible scenes on the retreat, were realities. On +his return to the palace, Julian understood the object of the Count in +having taken him for a drive, for he found the _armoires_ and wardrobes +of his room crammed with garments of all descriptions. + +Here was underclothing of every kind, sufficient for a life-time; +morning suits, riding suits, dress suits, visiting suits, in bewildering +variety. In one wardrobe were three superb overcoats, lined with the +most costly furs, half a dozen fur caps of various patterns, four huge +fur rugs, high boots lined with fur, a dozen pairs of fur gloves for +walking and driving; and arranged along the wall were ten pairs of boots +of different kinds, fur-lined slippers, and dress boots. He examined +them all with something like consternation. + +"What nonsense!" he exclaimed. "What am I to do with all these things? +It is magnificent; but it is too much altogether. Why, these furs alone +are worth hundreds of pounds! No doubt the count is extremely rich. I +have already heard him speak of three or four estates in different parts +of Russia, and this palace is fit for a prince. Of course, he can afford +it well enough, but to me all this is quite overpowering. I should like +to see Aunt's face if I were to turn up at Weymouth with all this kit." + +There was a letter lying on the table. He opened it. It was, as he had +expected, from the count. + +"My dear Mr. Wyatt, you will, I am sure, accept the little outfit that I +have provided, in the same spirit in which I have obtained it, and will +oblige me by making no allusion to it whatever, or to the contents of +the enclosed pocket-book, which will provide you with ready-money while +you are staying here. They are but poor tokens of the life-long +obligations you have conferred upon the countess and myself." + +The pocket-book contained a roll of Russian notes to the value of a +thousand pounds. Julian felt that there was indeed nothing to do but, as +the letter said, to accept the presents in the spirit in which they were +made. Everything showed that thoughtful kindness had been exercised. On +the dressing-table stood a superb travelling-case of Russian leather, +fitted with all necessaries of the toilet in ivory, mounted with silver, +and with his initials engraved upon the back of the various brushes. +Hitherto he had made no attempt to remove the soft brown beard that had +grown untouched from the day when the army had turned its back upon +Moscow. He now set to and shaved himself, and then dressed for dinner. +In glancing at one of the long cheval glasses in the room, he could not +but feel a distinct satisfaction at his appearance. Except in shop +windows in Germany, he had not, since he left home, had the opportunity +of seeing more of himself than could be gathered from the tiny glass +that formed part of his kit. + +He now saw himself as he was, a tall figure of six feet two in height, +with a broad pair of shoulders. The scenes of the last six months had +given an expression of power and decision to his face that it had lacked +before. The stern, set look of battle had left its mark upon it, and +though a distinctly pleasant and kindly one, it was undoubtedly that of +a soldier who had seen hard service and had looked death many times in +the face. All question as to what he should say to the count was set at +rest on his entry into the drawing-room, for the count took him by the +hand, and, leading him across the room, presented him to the countess, +who had for the first time made her appearance. She rose as they came +across, and with trembling hands and eyes full of tears, came up to him. + +"Ah, Mr. Wyatt," she said, "what can I say to the saviour of my child? +I have had difficulty in restraining my patience so long; but it was +only to-day that the doctor gave me permission to leave my room." + +She held out both her hands to him. He bowed deeply over them and raised +them to his lips. "My happiness is no less than your own, countess," he +said, "that God has permitted me to be the means of bringing your child +back again. It was no great thing to do on my part; and, as I have told +the count, the little act of kindness was vastly more than repaid, for +your daughter assuredly saved my life from the peasants, as I saved hers +from the cold. Your little daughter is quite a heroine," he said more +lightly. "I can assure you that even when the bullets were flying about +thickly she evinced no signs of fear, and the way in which she stood +before me facing those enraged peasants was splendid." + +"It shows her perfect faith in you, Mr. Wyatt. A child who has absolute +confidence in the person in whose charge she is, is almost without fear. +Her idea of danger is derived almost entirely from the conduct of those +around her. If they show fear, she is terrified; while if their manner +convinces her that they have no fear, she does not understand that +danger can exist. She is evidently deeply attached to you, as indeed she +has reason to be, and when I get tired with talking to her, and say to +her, 'Now you must go, dear,' she trots off as contentedly to you as if +you were indeed what she calls you, her nurse, much more so than she +used to do to Claire. The poor woman was a most careful nurse and an +excellent instructress, although she did start so madly, as it would +seem, on this journey. But the child never really took to her, as she +had not the faculty of winning affection. She was thoroughly +trustworthy, and would, I believe, have given her life for the child, +but she was certainly rather precise in manner, and was perhaps a little +too peremptory in giving her orders. That was, I admit, a fault on the +right side, for Stephanie is so accustomed to adulation on the part of +the servants, that she rather needs a firm hand over her. However, the +child has scarcely mentioned Claire's name since her return, while yours +is incessantly on her lips." + +"She has not been in any way spoilt by adulation, Countess, and has been +as amenable to my slightest wish as the humblest peasant child could be; +but she certainly has a pretty little air of dignity. It was funny to +see how she queened it among the French soldiers, who always called her +Mademoiselle la Comtesse, and always put aside the best piece of their +scanty ration of meat for her." + +"Yes, she has been telling me how good they were to her. What a war this +has been, Mr. Wyatt." + +So they chatted until dinner was announced; then the countess lay down +on the sofa, and Stephanie came in and sat on a low stool beside her, +while her father and Julian went to the dining-room. After the meal was +over the count proposed that Julian should accompany him on a visit to +the Nobles' Club. The sledge was already waiting at the door, and in a +few minutes they arrived, not, as Julian had expected, at a stately +building, but at a garden. + +"This is our skating place," the count said as they entered. "We have +guest-nights here once a week during the winter. As a rule, those +present are simply the invited guests of members; but to-night the +tickets are sold at twenty roubles each, and the proceeds go to the +funds for the benefit of the wounded. It will furnish a handsome sum, +for everyone is here, and there are few indeed who have paid as little +as the twenty roubles. Some sent cheques for as much as five hundred +roubles for their tickets, and a hundred may be taken as the average. +This is the first time that we have had a military band, for music is +naturally considered out of place when everyone is in mourning and such +vast numbers of our soldiers are still suffering horribly; but as this +is for their benefit it is considered as an exception. You will not see +much skating; the ice will be far too crowded." + +It was indeed a brilliant scene. The gardens were lighted with myriads +of lamps. The sheet of ice was of a very irregular shape and broken by +several islets, upon which grew trees. From their branches hung numbers +of lanterns, while the bank round the ice was studded with lamps. The +crowds walking about by the edge of the lake were all wrapped up in +furs. A large proportion of those on skates wore uniforms, while the +ladies were in short, tightly-fitting jackets, trimmed with fur, and +with coquettish little fur caps. The crowd was far too great for any +attempt at figure-skating, but they moved swiftly round and round the +lake in a sort of procession, each lady accompanied by a cavalier, who +held her hand, and all skating with a grace and freedom that was to +Julian surprising indeed. The scene, with its bright colours and rapid +movement, was almost bewildering, and Julian was glad to turn away and +go up to the pavilion, where hot coffee and liquors were handed to all +comers. + +The count spoke to many acquaintances, introducing Julian to each of +them as his great friend, Monsieur Wyatt, an Englishman. After waiting +an hour in the gardens they drove to the club itself. There were here a +large number of gentlemen, all of whom had been for a few minutes at the +garden. Here more introductions took place, and the count put down +Julian's name as an honorary member. "You will have a long day's work +to-morrow, Monsieur Wyatt." + +"How is that, Count?" + +"It will be your duty to call upon every gentleman to whom I have +introduced you; that is to say, to leave a card at the door, and every +one of them will leave a card at my house for you. I will make out a +list for you in the morning of the names and addresses. You will find a +sledge at the door at three o'clock; it will be at your disposal while +you remain with me. It is a small and light one, like this, with a pair +of horses. It is seldom that three horses are used unless ladies are of +the party. There is much for you to see, and it will be more pleasant +for you to be your own master and go about as you please." + +The following morning, after breakfast, the count said, as they lit +their cigars, "Have you formed any plans yet, Mr. Wyatt? Of course I do +not mean for the present. It is understood that this is your home as +long as you will be good enough to make it so, and the longer you stay +the greater pleasure it will give us; but I mean for the future. Are you +thinking of returning to England?" + +"I am intending to write at once to my brother. Whether he is at home or +not, of course I cannot say. He was going into the army, but I greatly +fear that the unfortunate affair in which I was engaged will have +rendered that impossible. At any rate, I shall also write to my aunt; if +alive she is sure to be there. In the first place, I shall tell them +what has become of me. There has been no possibility of my sending a +letter from the time I left home, with the exception of one written +while crossing the Channel, and which the smugglers promised to deliver +on their return. They must think that I am dead by this time, and my +letter will, at any rate, relieve their anxiety. In the next place, I am +most anxious to know if anything has been heard further from the +smuggler. He gave me his solemn promise that in the event of his death a +letter acknowledging that he was the murderer should be sent to the +magistrates of Weymouth. I have no reason in the world for supposing +that he is dead, for he was not above middle age, and if, as is but too +probable, no such letter had been received, I cannot return home. I +might, however, return to London, and thence take ship to some foreign +country--either to the United States or to South America, or perhaps to +our own colony of Canada, and make my way there or enlist in the +English army." + +"Or you might stay here?" + +"I might stay here, count, but as I am ignorant of Russian, and have no +trade or profession, I do not well see what I could possibly do." + +"You would not be long in picking up Russian," the count said, "and if +you could make up your mind to settle down here until you learn that +your innocence of this foul charge has been completely proved, there +would be no necessity for any trade or profession. Why, Monsieur, you do +not suppose that the countess and I are without heart, or would allow +you, the preserver of our child, to struggle for an existence here or +anywhere else! We have more money than we know what to do with. We have +six estates in different parts of Russia. We have some ten thousand +serfs. However, we can settle nothing until you receive an answer to +your letter; after that we will talk matters over seriously. At any +rate, do not trouble about your future. This is the reason that I have +spoken to you to-day. Your future is our care, and you can leave it +safely in our hands." + +"You are too good altogether, Count," Julian said; but the Russian +checked him with a peremptory gesture of his hand. + +"Let us have no talk like that, Mr. Wyatt. You will only pain me deeply, +and make me think less well of you than I do now. Stephanie is to us +infinitely more than all our possessions, and did we assign to you all +else that we have in the world we should feel that the balance of +obligation was still against us. Now let us talk of other matters. In +the first place, about sending your letter. Of course, at present the +Baltic is frozen, and the ports beyond are all in the hands of the +French. Sweden, however, is in alliance with us, and our despatches for +England go up through Finland, then across the ice to Sweden, and by +land to Gothenburg, and thence by sea to England. It is a round-about +journey, but it is performed rapidly; and as there are English packets +always ready to sail from Gothenburg, your letters should, under +favourable circumstances, be in England in a fortnight. + +"I should incline to advise you to write them in duplicate, for the +packet might be captured by a French privateer on its way, and it would +be safer therefore to despatch copies of your letters ten days after +those you first send off. In five weeks, if all goes well, you may +expect an answer. In the meantime, I hope you will find enough to amuse +you here, although the opera is closed, and there will be nothing like +gaieties this season; still, there will be dinner parties and the club; +and when you feel that you want a change I have an estate some five +hours' sledge drive from here. It consists largely of forest, but there +is plenty of game, elk and bears. If you are fond of shooting I can +promise you good sport." + +"Thanks, indeed, Count. I am quite sure that I shall not be tired of St. +Petersburg in five or six weeks' time, and as for shooting, I do not +feel at present as if I should ever care to fire a gun again, certainly +not to take life, unless to satisfy hunger. I have seen so many horses +and dogs die, and have felt so much pity for them that I do not think +that I shall ever bring myself to take the life of a dumb beast again. I +am afraid I became somewhat callous to human life. I have seen thousands +of men die, and came somehow to regard it as their fate; and certainly, +during the retreat it came in most cases as a happy release from +suffering. But I could never, to the end, see a horse that had fallen +never to rise again, or a starving dog lying by its master's body, +without having intense pity for the poor creatures, who had, through no +fault or will of their own, come to this grievous end. No doubt you, as +a sportsman, Count, may consider this as overstrained feeling. I am +quite willing to admit that it may be so. I can only say that at present +I would not fire at an elk or a bear on any condition whatever." + +"I can understand your feelings. I myself have had the cry of a horse +pulled down by wolves, in my ears for days, and I can well imagine how +the sight of so much suffering day after day among thousands of animals +would in time affect one." + +The next three weeks passed most pleasantly for Julian. Every day there +were calls to make, excursions to various points to be undertaken, and +dinner parties nearly every evening, either at the count's, at the +houses of his friends, or at the club. He found French almost +universally spoken among the upper class, and was everywhere cordially +welcomed as a friend of the count's. The latter was sometimes questioned +by his intimate acquaintances as to his English friend, and to them he +replied, "Monsieur Wyatt is the son of a colonel in the English army. He +has rendered me a very great service, the nature of which I am not at +liberty to disclose. Suffice that the obligation is a great one, and +that I regard him as one of my dearest friends. Some day, possibly, my +lips may be unsealed, but you must at present be content to take him on +my sponsorship." + +The countess had gained strength rapidly, and there were no grounds for +any further uneasiness as to her health; she was now able to take daily +drives with Stephanie. + +"The child has become quite a military enthusiast," she said to Julian +one day. "Nothing pleases her so much as to look on at the troops +drilling." + +St. Petersburg was indeed crowded with soldiers. New armies were rising +in all parts of Russia, and great preparations were being made to +recommence the campaign in the spring, this time upon foreign ground. No +sacrifices were too great to demand from the people. Nobles and +merchants vied with each other in the amount of their contributions, +and as it was certain that Austria, and probably Prussia would join the +alliance, hopes were entertained that the power that had dominated +Europe for so many years would be finally crushed. Already serious +disasters had fallen upon France in Spain. It was probable that ere long +the whole of the Peninsula would be wrested from her, and that she would +be threatened with an invasion in the south, as well as in the east. In +spite, therefore, of the terrible losses and calamities she had +suffered, Russia looked forward with ardent hope and expectations to the +future. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +AN UNEXPECTED MEETING + + +Frank Wyatts's work throughout the campaign had been arduous in the +extreme. It is true that it was done on horseback instead of on foot, +that he had not hunger to contend against, and that for the most part +his nights were passed in a shelter of some kind. But from daybreak +until sunset, and frequently till midnight, he was incessantly occupied, +from the moment when Napoleon turned his back on Moscow, until the last +remnant of his army crossed the frontier. Until after the battle at +Malo-Jaroslavets on the 24th of October, when the French army owed its +safety solely to Kutusow's refusal to hurl all his forces against it, he +had remained at headquarters, where he was assisted in his work by the +Earl of Tyrconnel, who was now also acting as aide-de-camp to Sir Robert +Wilson. He was a delightful companion and a most gallant young officer, +and a fast friendship became established between him and Frank, during +the time the Russian army was remaining inactive, while Napoleon was +wasting the precious time at Moscow, unable to bring himself to +acknowledge the absolute failure of his plans caused by the refusal of +the Russians to treat with him, after his occupation of their ancient +capital. But after Kutusow had allowed the French to slip past they saw +but little of each other, for one or other of them was always with the +troops pressing hard on the French rear, it being their duty to keep Sir +Robert, who was necessarily obliged to stay at headquarters, thoroughly +informed of all that was going on in front, and of the movements both of +the French and Russian divisions. + +Sir Robert himself was so utterly disgusted with the obstinacy and, it +almost seemed, deliberate treachery of Kutusow that, for the most part, +he accompanied General Benningsen, who was a prompt and dashing soldier, +and who, with the whole of the Russian generals, was as furious with the +apathy and delays of the worn-out old man who was in command, as they +had been with those of Barclay. The English general still acted as the +Emperor's special representative, and kept him fully acquainted with all +that was going on. Alexander was as much dissatisfied as were his +generals and soldiers with Kutusow's refusal to put an end to the +terrible struggle, by an action which must have ended in the destruction +or capture of Napoleon and his army. He felt, however, that he could not +at present remove him from his command. Kutusow was a member of the old +nobility, who were straining every nerve for the national cause, were +stripping their estates of their serfs, and emptying their coffers into +the military chests, and who would have greatly resented his removal. + +The people at large, too, overjoyed at the retreat of Napoleon and the +success of their arms, and ignorant of all the real circumstances of the +case, regarded Kutusow with enthusiastic admiration; and Alexander felt +that, great as might be his faults, the injury that would be inflicted +by his supercession would be greater than the benefits derived from it. +An ample supply of horses had been placed at the disposal of the English +general and his aides-de-camp, and Frank, having three always at his +orders, was able to ride them by turns, and therefore got through an +immense amount of work. The scenes that everywhere met his eyes were far +more trying than the fatigues he had to undergo. The hideous barbarities +that were perpetrated by the peasants upon the French who fell into +their hands, filled him with burning indignation, and at times placed +his life in serious danger when he endeavoured to interfere on their +behalf. He always started on his rides in the morning with his +saddle-bag stored with provisions, and a small keg of spirits fastened +behind him, and these were divided during the day among the unfortunate +men, Russians and French alike, who, wounded or exhausted, had sunk by +the way. + +[Illustration: THE LAST OF A VETERAN OF NAPOLEON'S GRANDE ARMÉE.] + +Innumerable were the appeals made to him daily to end their sufferings +with a pistol-ball; and, although he could not bring himself to give +them the relief they craved, on several occasions, when he saw that the +case was altogether beyond hope, and that but a few hours of mortal +agony remained, he yielded to their entreaties, handed them one of his +pistols, and walked a few paces away, until the sharp report told him +that their sufferings were over. + +The horrors of the hospitals at Wilna and other places affected him even +more than the scenes of carnage that he had witnessed at Borodino. At +Wilna the Earl of Tyrconnel was seized with a fever and died, and Frank +lay for some time ill, and would probably have succumbed had not Sir +Robert obtained a lodging for him at the house of a landed resident, +three or four miles from the infected city. He was, in a sense, thankful +for the illness, because it spared him the sight of the last agony of +the broken remains of Napoleon's army. Quiet and rest soon did their +work. The breakdown was the result more of over-fatigue, and of the +horrors of which he was so continually a witness, than of actual fever. +Frank, therefore, rapidly recovered, and declared after a fortnight that +he could again sit on his horse. + +The general, however, would not hear of this. + +"I shall be leaving for St. Petersburg myself in a few days," he said, +"and we will travel together by post. You will be sorry to hear that +to-day Kutusow has been decorated with the great order of St. George. +The Emperor himself begged me not to be present. He called me into his +cabinet and confessed to me that it would be too humiliating to him were +I to be there. He acknowledged that he felt by decorating this man with +the great Order he was committing a trespass upon the institution; but +he had no choice. It was a cruel necessity to which he had to submit, +although he well knew that the marshal had done few things he ought to +have done, with nothing against the enemy that he could avoid, and that +all his successes had been forced upon him." + +Sir Robert himself had urgent need of change and rest. The +responsibility upon his shoulders had been tremendous. The Emperor had +relied upon him entirely for information as to the true state of things +in the army, and the Russian generals regarding him as specially the +Emperor's representative, had poured their complaints into his ears. + +Had they but received the slightest encouragement from him they would +have led their divisions against the French in spite of the orders of +the marshal, and it was with the greatest difficulty that he persuaded +them to restrain their exasperated troops, and to submit to carry out +the disastrous policy, which entailed as much loss and suffering upon +the Russian soldiers as upon the French. + +It was the end of January when Sir Robert Wilson and Frank reached St. +Petersburg, and, putting up in apartments assigned to them in the +palace, rested for a few days. + +One bright morning Frank strolled down to the Nobles' Club, of which he +and the general had been made honorary members. It was his first visit +to St. Petersburg. His fur coat was partly open and showed his British +uniform. He was looking about with interest at the scene in the Nevsky +Prospect when he noticed a gentleman in a handsomely appointed sledge +looking fixedly at him. As the uniform attracted general attention he +thought little of this, but after going a short distance the sledge +turned and passed him at a slow rate of speed. The gentleman again gazed +fixedly at him, then stopped the coachman, and leaped from the sledge to +the pavement. + +"Frank!" he exclaimed, "is it you, or am I dreaming?" + +Frank stepped back a pace in astonishment. It was the voice rather than +the face that he recognized. + +"Julian!" burst from his lips, "my brother, can it be really you?" + +Julian held out both his hands, and they stood for a moment in silence, +gazing into each other's face. Julian was the first to break the +silence. + +"Jump in here, Frank," he said, leading the way to the sledge. "They +must all think that we have gone mad, and we shall have a crowd round us +in a minute." + +Still completely bewildered, Frank followed his brother. + +"Drive out into the country," Julian said to the coachman as he took his +seat. "This is little short of a miracle, old fellow," he said, as they +drove off. "I thought you were living quietly at Weymouth; you thought I +was rotting in a French prison, and here we run against each other in +the heart of Russia." + +"I can hardly believe even yet that it is you, Julian, you have altered +so tremendously. Thank God, old man, that I have found you." + +"Thank God, my dear Frank, that, as I see, that stupid business of mine +has not prevented your entering the army, as I was afraid it would do; +though how you come to be here is more than I can guess." + +"I am General Wilson's aide-de-camp, and have been with him all through +the war; and you, Julian, what on earth are you doing here? But first of +all, I suppose you have not heard that you have been cleared completely +of that charge of murder." + +Julian's face paled at the sudden news, and he sat for a minute or two +in silence. + +"Quite cleared, Frank?" he asked in a low tone; "cleared so that no +doubt remains, and that I can go home without fear of having it thrown +into my face?" + +"Completely and entirely," Frank replied. "You were cleared before you +had been gone a day. The coroner's jury brought in an open verdict, but +a warrant was issued against that poacher Markham; and your letter +first, and his confession a year later, completely bore out the evidence +at the inquest, and established his guilt beyond question." + +"To think that I should never have known it," Julian said. "If I had +dreamt of it I would have attempted to break out from Verdun, and make +my way home. I don't know that I should have succeeded, but at any rate +I should have tried. But tell me all about it, Frank; my story will keep +just at present." + +"You seem to have fallen on your legs, anyhow," Frank remarked. "May I +ask if this is your Imperial Highness's sledge. I have learned something +of the value of furs since I came out here, and that coat of yours is +certainly worth a hundred pounds, and this sable rug as much more." + +"It is not my sledge, nor is it my rug, though I have two or three of +them quite as handsome. The coat is my own, the sledge belongs to my +intimate friend Count Woronski, with whom I am at present staying." + +"You really must tell me your story first," Frank said, laughing. "Now +that you know you are cleared, you can very well wait to hear all the +details, and I refuse to say a word until you have told me what all this +means." + +"Well, Frank," Julian said seriously, "mine is not altogether a pleasant +story to tell now; but I acted for the best, and under the belief that +there was no chance of my being able to return for years to England. The +story is too long for me to give you the details now, but I will give +you the broad facts. I was sent prisoner to Verdun. I was there about +ten months. There was fever in the place, and we died off like sheep. +There seemed no possibility of escape, and if I could have got away I +could not, as I thought, make for England. I was getting hopeless and +desperate, and I don't think I could have held out much longer. Then +there was an offer made to us that any of us who liked could obtain +freedom by enlisting in the French army. It was expressly stated that it +was going east, and that at the end of the campaign we should,--if our +corps was ordered to a place where it was likely to come in contact with +the English,--be allowed to exchange into a regiment with another +destination. + +"Well, it seemed to me that it mattered very little what became of me. +Even should I be exchanged and sent to England I could not have stayed +there, but must have gone abroad to make my living as best I could, and +I thought I might as well go as a soldier to Russia as anywhere else; so +I accepted the offer, little knowing what would come of it. I regretted +it heartily when I saw the misery that was inflicted by the misconduct, +partly of the French, but much more of the Poles and Germans, on the +unfortunate inhabitants. However, there I was, and I did my duty to the +best of my power. When I tell you that I was in Ney's division, you may +imagine that I had my share of it all." + +"Extraordinary!" Frank said, "to think that you and I should both have +been through this campaign, and on opposite sides. Why, we must have +been within musket shot of each other a score of times." + +"I have no doubt I saw you," Julian said; "for I often made out a bit +of scarlet among the dark masses of the Russians, and thought that there +must be some English officers with them. The first time I noticed them +was on the heights opposite to Smolensk. Two officers in scarlet were +with the batteries they planted there and drove our own off the hill on +our side of the river." + +"Those were the general and myself, Julian. We had only joined two days +before. But still, I am as much in the dark as ever. What you have said +explains how you come to be in Russia, but it does not at all explain +how you came to be here like this." + +"It was on the day after we got past the Russians. It was a strong place +with a hard name--Jaro something or other. The next day, as we were +marching along, we came across an overturned carriage. A coachman and a +woman were lying dead. On nearing it, I heard a little cry, and I +stepped out from the side of my company--I was a sergeant and was +marching on the flank--and I found among the cushions a little girl, +about six years old, who was already almost frozen to death. I fastened +her on to my back under my cloak, and carried her along with me. She +came round, and was a dear little creature. Well, I carried her all +through the retreat. Sometimes, when there was an alarm, I had time to +stow her away in one of the waggons; when there was not, she went on my +back into the middle of the fighting, and you know that was pretty rough +occasionally. However, we both of us seemed to possess a charm against +balls. We got on all right until the day before we were to arrive at the +Berezina. Then I went out foraging with some companions; they got into a +hut, lit a fire, and would not leave, so I started alone with her. + +"I lost my way, and was found by a lot of peasants, who would have made +very short work of me, but the child stepped forward like a little queen +and told them that she was the Countess of Woronski, and that her +father was a friend of the Czar's, and that if they sent us to him they +would get a great reward. Thinking that it was good enough, they took us +to their village and dressed me up in peasant's clothes, and kept us +there a fortnight. Then the head man and the village Papa came with us +here by post. The child's father and mother had given her up as dead, +and their gratitude to me is boundless. It has been deemed unadvisable +to say anything about my ever being with the French, and I am simply +introduced by the count as an English gentleman whom he regards as his +very dear friend. I sent letters home to you and Aunt a fortnight since, +and if I had heard that the charge of murder was still hanging over me I +should probably have remained here for good. The count has already +hinted that there is an estate at my disposal. He is as rich as Croesus, +and he and the countess would be terribly hurt if I were to refuse to +accept their tokens of gratitude. They have no other child but +Stephanie, and she is, of course, the apple of their eye." + +"Well, you have had luck, Julian. I did think that if you once got out +of prison you would be likely to fall upon your feet, because you always +had the knack of making yourself at home anywhere; but I had no idea of +anything like this. Well, I don't think you are to blame for having +entered the French service rather than remaining a prisoner, especially +as you were, as far as you knew, cut off from returning home. Still, I +agree with you that it is as well not to talk about it at present. It is +marvellous to think that you were with Ney through all that fighting. +The doings of the rear-guard were, I can assure you, the subject of the +warmest admiration on the part of the Russians. Sir Robert Wilson +considers that the retreat from Smolensk was one of the most +extraordinary military exploits ever performed. And so you were made a +sergeant after Borodino? Well, Julian, to win your stripes among such a +body as Ney led is no slight honour." + +"I received another, Frank; not so much for valour as for taking things +easy." He took from his pocket the cross of the Legion of Honour. "This, +Frank, is an honour Napoleon sent to me, and Ney pinned on my breast. I +would rather that it had been Wellington who sent it, and say Picton who +pinned it on; but it is a big honour none the less, and at any rate it +was not won in fighting against my own countrymen. This document it is +wrapped up in, is the official guarantee that I received on enlisting, +that I should under no circumstances whatever be called upon to serve +against the English." + +"You have a right to be proud of the cross, Julian. I should be proud of +it myself, British officer as I am. But how do you say that you got it +for taking things easy?" + +"It was not exactly for taking things easy, but for keeping up the men's +spirits. Discipline was getting terribly relaxed, and they were losing +their military bearing altogether. A lot of us non-commissioned officers +were talking round a fire, and I suggested that we should start marching +songs again as we used to do on our way through Germany. It would cheer +the men up, get them to march in military order and time, and shorten +the road. Ney and some of his staff happened to be within hearing, and +he praised the idea much more than it deserved. However, the men took it +up, and the effect was excellent. Other regiments followed our example, +and there can be no doubt that, for a time, it did have a good effect. +Ney reported the business to Napoleon, who issued an order praising the +Grenadiers of the Rhone for the example they had set the army, bestowing +the Legion of Honour on me, and ordering that henceforth marching songs +should be sung throughout the army. However, singing was dropped at +Smolensk. After leaving there we were reduced to such a handful that we +had not the heart to sing, but it did its work, for I believe that the +improvement effected by the singing in the _morale_ of Ney's troops had +at least something to do with our being able to keep together, and to +lessen the fatigues of those terrible marches. + +"Now tell me more about yourself. How was it that you had the wonderful +luck to be chosen to accompany Sir Robert Wilson as his aide-de-camp?" + +"It was to his suggestion when I first joined, Julian, and to nearly a +year's steady work on my part. He got me gazetted into his old regiment, +the 15th Light Dragoons, and at the same time told me that if, as was +already anticipated, Russia broke off her alliance with Napoleon, he was +likely to be offered his former position of British commissioner at the +Russian headquarters. He said that if by the time that came off I had +got up Russian, he would apply for me to go with him, so I got hold of a +Russian Pole in London, a political exile, a gentleman and an awfully +good fellow. I took him with me down to Canterbury, where our depôt was, +and worked five or six hours a day with him steadily, so that when, at +the outbreak of war, Sir Robert got his appointment he was able to apply +for me upon the ground, that I had a thoroughly good colloquial +knowledge of Russian." + +"You always were a beggar to work, Frank," his brother said admiringly. +"I worked for a bit myself pretty hard at Verdun, and got up French well +enough to pass with, but then you see there was no other mortal thing to +do, and I knew that it would be useful to me if ever I saw a chance of +escape. Of course, at that time I had no idea of enlisting: but it must +have been a different thing altogether for a young officer to give up +every amusement, as you must have done, and to slave away at a crack-jaw +language like Russian." + +"It required a little self-denial I have no doubt, Julian, but the work +itself soon became pleasant. You may remember in the old days you used +to say that I could say 'No,' while you could not." + +"That is true enough, Frank. I was a great ass in those days, but I +think that now I have learnt something." + +"I should think you have, Julian," Frank said, looking closely at his +brother. "The expression of your face has very much changed, and you +certainly look as if you could say 'No' very decidedly now." + +By this time they had, after a long drive, re-entered the city. + +"You must come home with me first, Frank. I must introduce you to the +count and countess, and to Stephanie. Then to-morrow morning you must +come round early. I have heard nothing yet as to how the truth about +that murder came out so rapidly. It seemed to me that the evidence was +conclusive against me, and that even the letter that I wrote telling you +about it, was so improbable that no one but you and Aunt would credit, +in the slightest." + +"It did look ugly at first, Julian. When I heard Faulkner's deposition I +could see no way out of it whatever. I could not suppose that a dying +man would lie, and, absolutely sure of your innocence as I was, could +make neither head nor tail of the matter. Is this the mansion? You +certainly have fallen on good quarters." + +Leaving their fur coats in the hall they went upstairs. They found the +countess seated in an arm-chair. The count was reading the last gazette +from the army to her, and Stephanie was playing with a doll. The count +and his wife looked surprised as Julian entered with a young English +officer. + +"I have the honour, countess," Julian said, "to present to you my +brother, who is aide-de-camp to the English General, Sir Robert Wilson, +whom he accompanied throughout the campaign. Count, you will, I am sure, +rejoice with me, in this unexpected meeting." + +"We are glad, indeed, to make the acquaintance of the brother of our +dear friend," the countess said, holding out her hand to Frank. + +[Illustration: JULIAN INTRODUCES STEPHANIE TO HIS BROTHER FRANK.] + +"I regret, countess, that I am not able to reply to you in French," +Frank said in Russian. "I had thought that Russian would be absolutely +necessary here, but I find that almost everyone speaks French. Had I +known that, I could have saved myself a good deal of labour, for to us +your language is very difficult to acquire." + +"You speak it extremely well, Mr. Wyatt," the count said. "I can +scarcely imagine how you have acquired such familiarity with it in your +own country." + +"I learned it from a Russian Pole, a political exile, with whom I worked +for about six hours a day for nearly twelve months, in order that I +might qualify myself to accompany Sir Robert Wilson." + +"This is my little friend Stephanie, Frank," Julian said, lifting the +child up on his shoulder, her favourite place. + +"And this is my Nurse Julian," the child said with a laugh. "Isn't he a +big nurse?" + +"He is big," Frank agreed, looking up at him. "I feel quite small beside +him. He was always a great deal taller than I was, and he has grown a +good bit since I saw him last. But he looks rather big for a nurse." + +"He is not too big at all," Stephanie said earnestly. "He could never +have carried me so far if he had not been very big and strong. Could he, +papa?" + +"No, Stephanie; though I think goodness of heart had as much to do with +it as strength of body. Your brother has, of course, told you, Mr. +Wyatt, how deep an obligation he has laid us under." + +"He said that he had had the good fortune to find your little girl, and +that he took her along with him in the retreat; but he seemed to +consider that the service she did him when they fell among the Russian +peasants quite settled matters between them. Doubtless, they mutually +saved each other's lives." + +"Mr. Wyatt," the count said gravely, "the one act was momentary and +without risk. The other was done at the cost of labour and sacrifice +daily and hourly for nearly a month. You have been through the campaign, +and know how frightful were the sufferings, how overwhelming the +exhaustion of the soldiers. You can judge, then, how terrible was the +addition to a soldier's labours to have to carry a child like that for +so long, when his own strength was hourly weakening, and when every +additional pound of weight told heavily upon him. The tears come into +the eyes of the countess and myself every time we think of it. It was an +act of self-devotion beyond words; altogether beyond the understanding +of those who know not how terrible were the sufferings endured on the +march." + +"They were indeed terrible, Count," Frank said gravely. "It was agony +for me to witness them, and I cannot but share your wonder how my +brother supported the extra weight, even of your little daughter, and +came through it safely, while tens of thousands of men not so burdened +fell and died along the road." + +Julian did not understand what was being said, but he guessed by their +faces what they were speaking of. + +"I suppose you are saying that it was hard work carrying the child," he +broke in in English; "but I can tell you that I believe it aided me to +get through. It gave me something to think of besides the snow, the +distance, and the Russians. She was always cheerful and bright, and her +merry talk lightened the way, but in addition to that the warmth of her +body against my back by day and curled up in my arms at night, greatly +helped to keep life in me. I think that it was largely due to her that I +got through safely where many men as strong as myself died." + +The count looked inquiringly at Frank, who translated what Julian had +said. He smiled, "Your brother is determined to try to make out that +the obligation is all on his side, but it will not do. There is the +simple fact that we have our little daughter again, safe and sound. If +it had not been for him she would have been lost to us for ever." + +Julian went down to the door with Frank. "Of course you will tell the +general all about it, Frank. I suppose he knows something of the +circumstances under which I went away, as he was a friend of our +father's, and got you your commission, and takes such an interest in +you. I daresay he will be shocked to hear that I have been carrying a +French musket, but I am not ashamed of it myself, and consider that +under the circumstances I was perfectly justified in doing so. Come +round in the morning the first thing after breakfast. I have yet to +learn all about how you found out that Markham committed that murder, +and then you can tell me, too, what the general says." + +On going upstairs Julian told his hosts that he had been completely +cleared of the charge that had hung over him and darkened his life, and +that there was nothing to prevent him from returning to England. They +expressed much gratification at the news, but at the same time said that +for themselves they could not but regret that this would prevent their +having the pleasure they had looked forward to of having him settled +near them. + +"This, however, we must talk about again," the count said. "At any rate, +I hope that you will from time to time come over to stay for a while +with us and Stephanie." + +"That I will assuredly do, Count," Julian said warmly. "I do not quite +know at present what I shall do. As I have told you, I shall, in +addition to my share of my father's money, inherit some from my aunt, +and shall be able, if I choose, to buy a small estate and settle down. I +am too old to go into our army now, but, besides, I think that ere long +this European struggle will be over, and in that case there will be +nothing for a soldier to do. Still in any case I shall be able +occasionally to make a voyage here; and I can assure you that it will be +one of my greatest pleasures to do so." + +Sir Robert Wilson was greatly surprised when he heard from Frank of his +meeting with his brother, and of the adventures through which he had +passed. + +"I do not blame him in any way," he said. "Had he been a king's soldier +or sailor the matter would have been altogether different. To have +entered a foreign army then would have been a breach of his oaths. But +as a private individual he was free to take service abroad, as tens of +thousands of English, Scotch, and Irish have done before him. It would, +of course, have been much better had he entered the army of a power +friendly to England, but the document that he received on enlisting goes +far to absolve him from any responsibility in the matter. At any rate, +he was not a deserter, and seeing that he could not go back to England +even if he escaped, that he was practically friendless in the world, and +that, had he not acted as he did he might have died at Verdun, I do not +think that even a severe moralist would be able to find any fault with +his decision. So he was one of Ney's heroes! Well, Frank, when this war +is over, and the bitterness between the two nations has passed away, he +will have good cause to feel proud of having been one of that +unconquerable band. No troops have ever gained greater glory by victory +than they have by retreat; besides to have won his stripes in such +company, and to have received the Legion of Honour from Ney, is as high +an honour as any soldier could wish for. At the same time, I think that +he and his friends have done wisely in keeping silence as to the part he +played--it might have led to all sorts of trouble. Had it been known, he +might have been claimed as a prisoner of war; and even if this had not +been done, he might have been embroiled in quarrels with hot-headed +young Russians; and it is scarcely probable, Frank, that he is such a +dead shot with the pistol as you are." + +The next morning Julian heard from Frank full details of the manner in +which the truth had been arrived at of the circumstances of Mr. +Faulkner's murder. + +"By Jove! Frank," he exclaimed, when his brother brought the story to a +conclusion; "you ought to have been a Bow Street runner. I can't think +how it all occurred to you. Thinking it over, as I have done hundreds of +times, it never once occurred to me that the footprints in the snow +might prove that I had set off in pursuit of Markham, and that they +would have shown that he was standing behind that tree whence the shot +was fired, while I went straight from the road to the place where +Faulkner was lying. What a head you have, old fellow!" + +"It was simple enough, Julian. I was certain that you had not committed +the murder, and it was therefore clear that someone else must have done +so. Then came the question, first, how Faulkner had come to charge you +as he had done, and, second, how and why you had disappeared. The only +conceivable explanation that I could find was that you must have run +into the wood, caught sight of the murderer, and followed him up. +Directly we found your footprints on the snow overlapping his it made +that a certainty. We had only then to go into the wood and pick up the +whole story bit by bit. For a time I certainly thought that you had been +killed by the friends of the man that you had followed, and you may +imagine what a relief it was to us when your letter came. + +"And now, old fellow, I suppose you will be going home? Sir Robert has +told me that he will be willing to give me leave at once, and that he +considers I ought to have a thorough rest, to get the seeds of that +horrible hospital fever out of my blood. Therefore, I am ready to start +with you whenever you are ready to go. He does not know yet whether he +will continue as commissioner here when the campaign recommences in the +spring; but there is little doubt that he will do so, and in that case I +shall rejoin as soon as the weather breaks sufficiently for operations +to commence. I got my lieutenantcy three months ago owing to the +vacancies made in the regiment during the campaign in Spain; and Sir +Robert has been good enough to speak so strongly of my services here +that I have every chance of getting another step before I return." + +"I see no reason why I should not start at the end of the week, Frank. +Of course, I am extremely comfortable here; but now that I know I can go +back all right I am longing to be home again. Indeed I should soon get +tired of having nothing to do but to drive about and eat dinners here; +and besides, I cannot but feel that I am in a false position, and am +very anxious to get out of it." + +Frank nodded. "I quite understand that, old fellow, and I agree with you +thoroughly. A question might be asked any day that you could not reply +to without saying how you came to be here; and for the sake of the count +as well as yourself, that should be avoided if possible." + +The count was loud in his expressions of regret when he heard that +Julian was about to leave with his brother at once; but when Julian +urged that he was constantly in fear that some chance question might be +asked, and that the falseness of his position weighed heavily upon him, +the count could not but admit the justice of the view he took. +Preparations were immediately begun for departure. They were to travel +by sledge through Finland, passing through Vibourg to Abo, and there to +cross the Gulf of Bothnia to the Swedish coast, a few miles north of +Stockholm, and to travel across the country to Gothenburg. The count +placed one of his travelling carriages on runners at their disposal as +far as Abo, and insisted on sending one of his own servants with them to +attend to their wants on the road. + +Stephanie was inconsolable at the approaching departure of her friend, +and even the promise that he would return and pay them another visit +before very long, scarcely pacified her. In three days all was ready. +The luggage, packed in a light waggon, had been sent off in charge of +one of the count's servants forty-eight hours before; and the travelling +carriage had but to take three or four great hampers stored with +provisions and wines. The count and countess had had on the previous day +a long talk with Frank, who at their request called at an hour when +Julian would be out paying a long round of farewell visits. The +conversation was a serious one, and had ended by the count saying: + +"You see, Mr. Wyatt, nothing will alter the determination of the +countess and myself in this matter; and if you had not consented to +accept our commission and to carry out our wishes, we should have had no +course open but to communicate with our embassy in London, and to +request them to appoint someone to act as our agent in the matter. This +would not have been so satisfactory, for the agent would of course have +been ignorant of your brother's tastes and wishes; whereas you will be +able to learn from him exactly the position that would be most +agreeable. All we ask is that you will not go below the minimum we have +named, and the more you exceed it the better we shall be pleased. You +know well how we feel in the matter, and that anything that can be done +in this way will still fall very far short of the measure of gratitude +we feel towards your brother." + +"I will carry out the commission that you have given me to the best of +my abilities, Count; and will endeavour to act as if my brother was an +entire stranger." + +"Thank you greatly, Mr. Wyatt. I agree with you that if you dismiss +altogether from your mind the fact that your brother is interested in +the matter, and that you regard yourself as simply carrying out a +business transaction as our agent, it will simplify matters greatly. I +don't wish you to have the trouble of the actual details. I shall write +myself to our ambassador, who is a personal friend of mine, and request +him, as soon as he hears from you, to instruct an English lawyer to +carry out all the business part of the arrangement." + +The journey across Finland was a very pleasant one. Both were in high +spirits. The cloud that had hung over Julian had been dispelled, and +Frank's constant anxiety about him had been laid to rest. They had gone +safely through the most wonderful campaign of modern times, and were now +on their way home. Julian's supply of money was untouched save for the +purchase of a variety of presents for his aunt. They travelled only by +day. The carriage was constructed with all conveniences for sleeping in, +and when, on their arrival at the end of their day's journey, they +returned from a stroll down the town to an excellent dinner prepared by +their servant, they had but to turn in for a comfortable night's rest in +the vehicle. At Abo they found their baggage awaiting them. + +"By Jove! Julian," Frank said laughing, as he looked at the great pile +of trunks in the post-house, "one would think that you were carrying the +whole contents of a household. Those modest tin cases comprise my share +of that pile." + +"It is tremendous!" Julian said almost ruefully. "I feel quite ashamed +to turn up with such an amount of baggage. The first thing we must do, +as soon as we get back, is to effect a division. I am afraid that my +outside clothes will be of no use to you--they would require entire +remaking; but all the other things will fit you as well as me. I do +believe that there are enough to last me my life-time; and it will be +downright charity to relieve me of some of them. You may imagine my +stupefaction when I came back one day to the count's and found my room +literally filled with clothes." + +"I will help you a bit," Frank laughed. "The campaign has pretty well +destroyed all my kit, and I shan't be too proud to fill up from your +abundance." + +They found that the servant who had preceded them with the baggage had +already made all the arrangements for their crossing the gulf. The +extreme cold had everywhere so completely frozen the sea that there was +no difficulty in crossing, which, they learned, was not often the case. +Three sledges had been engaged for their transport. The distance was +about 120 miles; but it was broken by the islands of the Aland +Archipelago, and upon one or other of these they could take refuge in +the event of any sudden change of weather. They were to start at +midnight, and would reach Bomarsund, on the main island of Aland, on the +following evening, wait there for twenty-four hours to rest the animals, +and would reach the mainland the next day. + +The frost continued unbroken, and they crossed the gulf without +difficulty, travelled rapidly across Sweden, and reached England without +adventure of any kind. They waited for a day in London. Frank carried +despatches from Sir Robert Wilson, and was occupied at the War Office +all day, having a very long interview with the minister, to whom he gave +a much more detailed account of the campaign than had been given in the +general's reports. The minister expressed much satisfaction at the +information he afforded, and said at the conclusion of the interview: + +"Sir Robert has spoken several times as to your services, and I am happy +to inform you that your name will appear in the next gazette as promoted +to the rank of captain. I consider that the manner in which you devoted +yourself to the acquisition of the Russian language was most highly +meritorious, and I wish that many young officers would similarly acquire +foreign or oriental languages. I trust that you will thoroughly recover +your health, so as to be able to rejoin Sir Robert Wilson by the time +that the troops take the field again. The campaign is likely to be a +most important, and--we have great grounds for hoping--a final one." + +Before leaving the building Frank found out where Strelinski was at +work. He was engaged in translating a mass of Russian documents. He rose +from his seat with an exclamation of delight when he saw Frank, who, +after a short chat, asked him to come that evening to his hotel. He +there learned that the Pole was getting on very well. His knowledge of +German as well as of Russian had been very valuable to him; his salary +had already been raised, and he was now at the head of a small +department, having two of his countrymen and three Germans under him, +and his future in the office was quite assured. + +"The work is somewhat hard," he said, "for when a ship comes in from +Germany or Russia we are often at work all night, sometimes +eight-and-forty hours at a stretch, but we are all paid overtime. The +work is pleasant and interesting, and your officials are good enough to +say that we get through a wonderful amount in the time, and the minister +has twice expressed his approbation to me. Ah, Mr. Wyatt, how much do I +owe to you and the good general?" + +"I owe fully as much to you as you owe to me, Strelinski," Frank said. +"Putting aside the interest there has been in witnessing such mighty +events, it has been a splendid thing for me in my profession. I shall be +gazetted captain this week, while I am pretty sure of a brevet majority +at the end of the next campaign, and of further employment in the same +line afterwards." + +Julian was not present at the interview. He had never been in London +before, and after spending the day in strolling through the streets and +visiting the principal sights, had gone to a theatre, leaving Frank to +talk with the Pole. The latter had not left when Julian returned. He and +Frank had found such an abundance of subjects to talk about that they +were scarcely aware how the time had passed. The latter proposed that +they should go to one of the fashionable taverns to supper. Julian would +have excused himself, but Frank insisted on his accompanying him. As +they were sitting there, two gentlemen passed by their table. One of +them stared hard at Frank, and then with an angry exclamation turned +away. Then Strelinski said: + +"That is your old antagonist, unless I am mistaken, Mr. Wyatt. You +pointed him out to me once when I was in barracks with you, and I +thought I remembered his face; that empty sleeve assures me that it is +him." + +Frank nodded. + +"What is that?" Julian asked. + +"Oh, it is nothing," his brother said hastily. + +"No, no, Mr. Wyatt, it was a grand thing. Has not your brother told you +of it, Mr. Julian?" + +"No, he has told me nothing about an antagonist." + +"You do not know, then, that Mr. Frank may claim to be the finest pistol +shot in the British army." + +Julian looked at his brother in astonishment. "I did not know that you +had ever fired a pistol in your life, Frank." + +"I practised pretty hard while I was at Canterbury," Frank answered. "I +suppose that I had a good eye for it, and certainly came to be what you +would call a good shot, though I dare say there are others just as good. +I got involved in a quarrel with the man who has just passed me, who was +a captain in the Lancers, and a notorious bully and duellist. We went +out. I hit him in the hand, and he lost his arm above the elbow, and +there was the end of it." + +"Perhaps you will be kind enough to tell me a little more about it, Mr. +Strelinski," Julian said, turning to the Pole, and in spite of a growl +from Frank that there was nothing to tell, the Pole related the whole +circumstances of the quarrel, the feeling that had been excited by it, +Frank's expressed determination not to inflict serious injury upon the +man but to carry away his trigger-finger only, and so put an end to his +duels in the future, and the manner in which his intention was carried +out. + +"Well, I congratulate you, Frank, very heartily," Julian said, when +Strelinski had finished. "Why on earth did you not tell me about this +before?" + +"Really, Julian, there was nothing to tell about. It was a disagreeable +incident altogether, and I considered then, as I have considered since, +that it was hardly fair of me to go out with him when I was so certain +of my shooting, and it was a hundred to one in my favour. I should never +have done it if he had not forced the quarrel upon young Wilmington; for +the young fellow must either have gone out, which would have been +throwing away his life, or left the service." + +"Unfair, my dear Frank! why the man himself had always relied upon his +superior skill, and you were able to beat him at his own game. Well, I +wish I could shoot as well. However, as I am not going to do any more +soldiering, I don't know that it would be of much use to me; still I +should like to be able to do it." + +The next morning they started by coach for Weymouth, leaving Julian's +heavier luggage to follow by carrier waggon. Mrs. Troutbeck's joy, when +her two nephews arrived together, for a time completely overpowered her, +and smelling salts and other restoratives had to be brought into play +before she recovered. The event created quite an excitement in Weymouth. +The appearance of Frank's name so frequently in Sir Robert Wilson's +despatches had been a source of pride to the whole town, and especially +to his old school-fellows, while the clearing up of the mystery that had +so long hung over Julian's fate was no less interesting. The sympathy +with him was so great and general that no one was surprised or shocked +that, under the circumstances, he had been driven to enlist in the +French army, and had taken part in the Russian campaign. Indeed, the +fact that he had been one of Ney's celebrated division, whose bravery +had excited general admiration, was considered a feather in his cap, +especially when it became known that he had been awarded the Cross of +the Legion of Honour by Napoleon himself. Had not the brothers received +the proposal most unfavourably, a public dinner would have been got up +to celebrate their return. + +"Well, Julian, you will have to settle what you mean to do with +yourself," Frank said one day. "You can never settle down here without +any occupation whatever, after what you have gone through." + +"No, I quite feel that, Frank. I have had enough of soldiering; that one +campaign is enough for a life time. I really can hardly make up my mind +what to do. Aunt was speaking to me yesterday afternoon when you were +out. The dear old soul said that it was nonsense for me to wait for her +death, wasting my life here, and that she was anxious to hand me over at +once half her money. She said that that would be £10,000, and with the +£8,000--my share of father's money--I could then buy an estate." + +"It would be the best thing you could do, Julian, but, of course, there +is no hurry about it. What part of the country would you prefer to +settle in?" + +"I don't know, Frank, I have never thought much about it. I don't think +I should choose anywhere near Weymouth, and I would rather go to a +flatter country, and a better wooded one. If I bought land, I should +like to have land that I could cultivate myself, so as to give me an +interest in it, and I should like, after a time, to be on the bench, +which would give one a good deal of occupation. I suppose I shall marry +some day, and so would prefer to be within reach of a town. I should +think, from what you say, the country round Canterbury must be pretty. +There is a garrison there, Dover is within reach, and it is a good deal +more handy for getting up to town than it is from here. However, as you +say, there is plenty of time for me to think about that." + +Mrs. Troutbeck was, as Julian had predicted, astounded upon the arrival +of his baggage. "I never saw such a thing!" she exclaimed, as trunk +after trunk was carried into the house. "That Russian count of yours, +Julian, must be a little cracked, I should think. Why, my dear boy, if +you were to get stout what in the world would you do with all these +things?" + +"That is a contingency I have never thought of, Aunt. You quite frighten +me. I must go in for a course of severe exercise to prevent the chance +of such a thing occurring." + +"You might take to shooting," Mrs. Troutbeck said doubtfully; "and I am +sure that at present there is not a gentleman round who would not be +glad to give you a day's shooting." + +"I have done enough shooting, Aunt," Julian said gravely. "It was the +means of my getting into a bad scrape here. In Russia it was often part +of my duty to shoot dying horses, to say nothing of shooting men, and I +have no desire ever to take a gun in my hands again. I have looked up my +old friend Bill, and shall take to sailing again, but I will promise you +that I will keep clear of smugglers." + +Two days later Frank announced his intention of going up to London for a +few days, as he thought he had better offer to be of any assistance he +could at the War Office. He was away for nearly three weeks, and on his +return mentioned that he had run down to Canterbury, and had seen some +of his old friends at the depôt. A fortnight later he received a bulky +letter from town, and in the course of the day asked his aunt if she +felt equal to taking a journey with him. + +"A journey, my dear!" she repeated in surprise. "Where do you want to go +to?" + +"Well, Aunt, I want to go to London in the first place; we will travel +by post-chaise, so that everything will be comfortable; afterwards we +may go somewhere else. I can't tell you anything about it now; it is a +little secret. But I do very much want you and Julian to go with me." + +"Then, of course we will, my dear," the old lady said. "I should very +much like to visit London again, and see the theatres and shows. What do +you say, Julian?" + +"Of course I will go, Aunt, though I can't think what Frank has got in +his head. Still, I am very tired of Weymouth, and it will be a change. I +was saying to Dick Halliburne yesterday that unless I could hit on +something to do, I should have to ask them if they would let me go to +school again." + +Six days later they drove up in a post-chaise to a fine mansion some +three miles from Canterbury. Julian's astonishment at Frank's mysterious +proceedings had been growing ever since they left Weymouth. + +"Who on earth are we going to see here?" he asked, as they approached +the mansion. + +"Restrain your impatience for a few minutes longer, Julian, then you +shall know all about it. This mansion, I may tell you, belongs to a +friend of mine. It is the centre of an estate of some 2,000 acres, and +its rent-roll is about £3,000 a year." + +"Very nice indeed!" Julian said. "Well, I won't ask any more questions +till we get there." + +A gentleman appeared at the door as the carriage drove up. He shook +hands warmly with Frank, who introduced him to his companions as Mr. +James Linton, solicitor to the Russian embassy. The gentleman led the +way to a very handsome drawing-room, then he looked inquiringly at +Frank, who nodded. From a mahogany box on the table Mr. Linton produced +a large packet of papers. + +"Mr. Wyatt," he said to Julian, "it is my pleasant duty to present you +with these documents. They are the title-deeds of this mansion and the +surrounding property. In purchasing them I have followed out the +instructions of Count Woronski, and have had the benefit of the +assistance of your brother in selecting an estate that would, he +thought, from its situation, be agreeable to you." + +Julian looked at the speaker as if unable to take in the sense of his +words. + +"I beg your pardon," he said hesitatingly. "I don't think I quite +understand you." + +"It is as I said, Mr. Wyatt. Count Woronski wrote to me expressing his +desire to present you with an estate here as some slight token, as he +expressed it, of the enormous obligation under which you have placed him +and the countess, his wife. I may say that his instructions to me would +have authorized the purchase of a much larger estate than this, but he +begged me to be guided by the advice of your brother, Captain Wyatt, in +the matter, and the latter obliged me by taking the responsibility of +choosing an estate off my hands, and has selected this. My part in the +business has therefore been confined to carrying out the legal part in +the matter and completing the purchase." + +"My dear Frank," Julian said, "this is monstrous." + +"I have only carried out the wishes of the count, Julian. He and the +countess had a long conversation with me, and it was with some +reluctance that I accepted the mission to select an estate for you, and +only because he said that if I refused, he should have to request the +Russian ambassador to ask one of his secretaries to do so, and that it +would be very much more satisfactory to him that the place chosen should +be, in point of situation and other respects, just what you would +yourself like." + +"I am overpowered, Mr. Linton. It has all come upon me so much by +surprise that I do not know what I ought to say or do." + +"There can be no doubt what you ought to do," the solicitor replied. +"Count Woronski is a very wealthy nobleman. You have rendered to him and +his wife one of the greatest services one man can render to another. The +count mentioned in his letter that had you remained in Russia it was his +intention to transfer one of his estates to you, and the smallest of +them is of much greater value than this. As to your refusing the gift, +it is, if I may say so, impossible. Nothing could exceed the delicacy +with which the count has arranged the business, and he would naturally +feel deeply hurt were you to hesitate to accept this token of his +gratitude. I am sure you must see that yourself." + +"I do indeed see it," Julian said, "and I feel that it would be not only +ungrateful but wrong for me to refuse this noble gift. But you will +admit that it is natural that I should for a time be overwhelmed by it. +I am not so ungracious as to refuse so magnificent a present, although I +feel that it is altogether disproportionate, not to the service I was +fortunate enough to render, but to my action in rendering it. Well, Mr. +Linton, I can only thank you for the part you have taken in the matter. +Of course, I shall write at once to the count and countess expressing my +feelings as to this magnificent gift, and will send the letter to the +embassy to be forwarded at the first possible opportunity. And now what +is the next thing to be done, for I feel almost incapable of forming any +plans at present?" + +"I would suggest, Mr. Wyatt, that in the first place you should drive +round your estate. There are horses and carriages in the stable. The +estate had only been advertised a day or two before your brother came up +to town, and the purchase included the furniture, horses and carriages, +and the live stock on the home farm. I engaged the coachman, grooms, and +gardeners to remain until, at least, you should decide whether to take +them into your service. I should suggest also that, after driving round +the place, you should return to Canterbury for the night. Beyond an old +man and his wife, who are in charge of the house, I have not made any +arrangements, thinking it better to leave that to you and Mrs. +Troutbeck." + +"You will have to move here, you know, Aunt," Frank said. "I gave +orders, before we came away from Weymouth, to Mary to lock up the house, +and to come up to town by the coach two days later, and then to come on +to Canterbury. I have no doubt that we shall find her at the _Fountain_ +when we get there. I daresay you will be able to hear of some good +servants at the Hotel." + +"You have taken away my breath altogether, Frank," Mrs. Troutbeck said. +"However, I am too bewildered to think for myself, and for the present +must do whatever you tell me." + +Before Frank started three weeks later to rejoin Sir Robert Wilson he +had the satisfaction of seeing Julian comfortably established in his new +position, and settling down to the life. He himself went through the +tremendous campaign that brought about the conclusion of the war and the +downfall of Napoleon, and was present at the great battles of Lutzen, +Bautzen, Reichenbach, Dresden, Culm, and Leipsic. At the termination of +the war he received the rank of brevet major, and the appointment of +military attaché to the British embassy in Russia. He remained there for +some years, and then retired from the army with the rank of colonel. + +Mrs. Troutbeck had by this time passed away, having first had the +pleasure of seeing a mistress installed at Julian's. The latter was now +a justice of the peace, and one of the most popular landowners in the +county. Mrs. Troutbeck, at Julian's earnest request, left the whole of +her property to Frank, nor could the latter persuade his brother to take +any share of it. Frank had no inclination for a country life, and +settled down near London, where, after a time, he too married. + +He then went in for politics, and was returned for a Kentish +constituency. Although he took no very prominent part in party politics +he became one of the recognized authorities in the house on all matters +connected with the affairs of Eastern Europe, and took a lively interest +in the movements set on foot for the benefit of the British soldier. +Julian kept his promise to the count, and for many years went over +occasionally to stay with him. His wife accompanied him until the cares +of a rising family detained her at home. To the end of their lives +neither Frank nor he ever regretted that they had taken part in the +memorable campaign in Russia. + +THE END. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Through Russian Snows, by G. 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