The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1835-04-08
and answered in German, - do not understand

animation. The young Pole answered in Russian
or German but never let syllable of French escape
him. lie might, however, easily have forgotten
himself, surrounded as he was, by crowd eager
for his blood, and who waited with savage impa-
tience to have him declared guilty. that is French
man, to fall upon him and murder him.
| But their fury raised TO height which the
General himself could not CONTROL by an incident
which seemed TO cut of the the unhappy prisoner
from every hope Of escape.-One of Castanos' aid
dc. camps one of the fanaticalIy patriotic, who were
so numerous in this war, and who from the first had
denounced Leckinsk as French spy, burst into
the room, dragging with him man wearing the
brown jacket, tall hat and red plume of Spanish
peasant. The officer confronted him with the Pole
and said.
"Look at this man, and then say if it is true that
he is German Russian. He is a spy, ] swear
by my soul.
The peasant meanwhile, was eyeing the prisoner
closely. Presently his dark eye lighted up with the
fire of hatred
:" Es Frances, he is u Frcnchman! !" exclaimed
nc, clapping his hands. And he stated that having
been to Madrid few weeks before, he had been
put in rcquisition to carry forage to the French bar
racks and said he " rccollect that this is the man
who took my load of forage, and gave me receipt
was near him an hour, l recollect him.-When
we caught him told my comrades this is the French
officer delivered my forage to-"
This was correct Castanos probably discerned
the true state of the case but he was IA generous
foe. lie proposed to let him pursue his Journey
for Leckinski still insisted that he n Russian
and could not he made to understand a word OF
French But the moment he vcntured hint of the
kind, thousand threatening voices were raised
against HIM, aud he saw that clemcncy impossi-
| bic.
But" said he, "will you then risk quarrel
with Russia, whose neutrality we anxiously
asking for z"
"No," said the officer, ." but let us try this man.
Lccklnski understood ALL for Ne was acquainted
with Spanish lie was removed and thrown into
room worthy to have been one of the dungeons o
the nqulsltion in its best DAYS.
When the Spaniards took him prisoner he had
eaten nothing since the previous evening, and
when his dungcon-door closed on him he had
tasted for eighteen hours no wonder, then, what
with exhaustion, fatigue, anxiety and the agony o
his dreadful situation, that the unhappy prisoner
fell almost scnscIcss his hard couch Might
closed in and left him to realize in its gloom
the full horror of his hopeless situation lie wa.
brave, of course but to die at eighteen its sud
den. But youth and fatigue finally yielded to tn,
approach of sleep, and he was soon buried in pro.
! found sIumber.
lie had slept perhaps two hours when the door
of his dungeon opened slowly and some one entered
with cautious steps, hiding with his hand the light
OF lamp; the visitor bent over the prisoners couch
the hand that shaded the lamp touched him the
shoulder, and a sweet and svery voice, n woman's
voice, asked linn, " Do you want to eatl'
The young Pole, awakened suddenly by the glar,
of tile lamp, by the touch and the words of the ie
male, rose up on his couch and with eyes only half
opened, said in German What do you want 7"
"Give the man something 10 eat ut once,' sal,
Castanos, when he heard the result of the FIRST cx
ncriupnt mud Ict him 90 He is NOT n Erruc Inn n
How could Inc have been far master of himself
the thing is impossible"
| But, though Lcckinski supplied with food
he was detained prisoner. The next morning h,
was taken To n spot where he could sec the muiila
ted corpscs of ten Frenchman who had been cruel
ly massacrcd by the pcasantry of TruxIllo, and h'
was threatened with the same death. But the no
bic youth had promised not to fail, and not word
not an accent not gesture look bctrayc ed hin,
Lcckinski, when taken back to his prison, halle,
it with u sort of Joy for twelve hours he had moth
ing but gibbcts aud death, i'll its most horrd forms
before his eyes, exhibited to him by men with tn
looks and the passions of demons. lie slept how
ever, after the harrassing cXcitements of the day
and soundly too when i'll the midst of his deeI
and dcathlikc slumbers, the door opened gently
some soft voice whispered in his ear.
I arise and come with me. We wish to saw
your life. Your horse is ready"
Ana the pra'c young man hastiIy awakened ID.
the words, " nee rish to sdre your hte, comc"-an
,wercd, still in German--" What do you want :"
Castanos, when he heard of this experiment an,
its result, said that the Russian noble youn!
ridn he saw the true state of the case.
! The next morning early, four men came to tax
him before sort of courtmartal, composed of Off
GERS of Castanos' staff. During the walk they ut
tered the most horrible threats against him bu,
true to his determinations, he pretended not to un
dcrstand them.
When he came before his judges he seemed t
: gather what going on from the arrangements c
the tribunal and not from what he heard said aroun
him, and he asked in German where his intcrpretc
was he was sent for and the examination con,
menccd.