The native American., 1838-07-07
From BiackWood for April.
HYMEN; OR THE GUILLOTINE.


escape from it became the business of life, as to
die by ii became little less than the law Of nature.
In the period Of this confusion, one evening, as
citizen jacques Tissot, Fedcre in one Of the
novels of Paris, was buckling on lis cartouch
box, and getting his musket ready for the nights
guard, he heard tap at the door of his attic in
the Marais. He opened the door, and saw fl
CURE wrapped in large cloak, and with mans
hat standing outside.
i want your assistance for moment said the
stranger.
Then you cannot have it, was the answer Of
Jacques, for in five minutes more must be on
guard at the Hotel de Vile
4 know that said the stranger, 'and | can
tell you further, that you will be sent with party
in covered wagon, at twelve tonight, on the
st. Denis road to bring back prisoner
well, what Of that. said Jacques, If it is my
duty, | must do it, that's ALL
of courses, said the stranger, 'but as the night
is cold, handful OF franks will do no harm either
to you or your comrades; have brought them to
you.' So saying, the stranger took out purse
and shook it dazzlingly before the eye of Eeiere.
Jacques was about to be indignant, but in the act
he discovered that the purse vibrated in the fin
gers Of small and very pretty hand. Jacques's
sagacity was awakened, whilst his fidelity was
relaxed; and the results Of the negotiation was,
that the fair ambassadress, the Fenan,e-le- Cham
bre of the Contesse de-, should have the
advantage Of his services in obtaining ingress to
the house where Madame Ella Confess was con-
fined by order Of Robespierre.
TO pass further explanation, all turned out as
had been expected. Jacques was drafted off with
parry to bring the lady to the concergere, from
which her next trip would inevitably have been
to the scaiold.
The night tempestnous, and dark as
pitch. The half dozen rahble warriors who had
formed the guard, were found carous,ng in the
kitchen of the mansion, and very much disin-
clined to be relieved. The new reinforcement
were equally dsinclined to return while the pros
pect OF such excellentfare, and a prodgcous woodI
fire, was before them. There was even diff
Guilty in finding any one of the party disposed to
keep guard at the gate, until Jacques volunteered
and gained great applause for his heroism in de-
serting the cotellcs and uin de BoWgogne which
was at once SO new and SO tempting to the appe-
tite Of the sovereign people. He had not been|
long on guard, when in a new rush Of ran he
heard the voice Of the fc,nme-dc-chambre behind
him; was informed of what lie had to do, and be-
gan to do it, by gently depositng his musket on
the ground, holding fast the line of rope ladder,
which was thrown out of an upper window, and
receiving a descending form in his arms. The
form was the countess disguised in the dress OF
one Of her women, and taking advantage Of the
moment to effect her escape from the grasp of
Robespierre. Unluckily, the vehicle in which
she was 10 have been conveyed across the from
tier had waited so long under the shelter of some
neighboring trees, that its driver growing weary
Of the time, and sufficiently peted by the temp
est, had sipt in the kitchen, and being Hospitality
received by his brother sanseHleftes, he was by
this time dead drunk. The horses, like their
master, tired Of waiting, had also marched of,
and when the fmme-de-chambre, who had been
sent to reconnoitre, returned with this disastrous
intelligence, all seemed lost. In the meantime al
fash of light from the kitchen window had
shown Jacques that his present protege was a
handsome brunette. His heart had been little
touched by the bright eyes Of the etenme-de-cham-
bre but the noble air touched at once his taste and
his vanity and he fell in love at the moment,
according to the manner of Frenchmen. But
what was to be done! In five minutes more
the corporal who commanded the guard would
march the whole party to Paris, and the fate Of
the handsome Contessc would be decided for life.
The thought struck him that as the cart which
brought him there remained, it would be much
better employed in conveying the lady and him
self across the frontier, then party of ragamuf-
fins, who were perfectly well accustomed to
walk back to their novels. The idea was excel
lent, Out TIC uliHCulty vi SGHcTally
lies in the execution. The Contesse, the femme
de-chanabre, and Jacques, got in the covered cart.
A burst Of whirlwind and roar Of thunder seem
ed to favor the project, and Jacques took up the
reins with all the consciousness of hero; but he
was bad charioteer, and after two or three rear
ings and plungings Of the horse, the brute dashed
in NO Of the windows with his head, and brought
out ]. whole party. Jacques was caught with
his companions. AT other times this would have
heen matter Of drumhead court martial, and
Jacques would have died in front of. a dozen of
the best shots Of the corps. But he livedin days
when the life Of sdnsculoHe was not to be ta-
ken for triaes, and the corporal only commanded
him and his companions to be brought into the
house, and there interrogaed as to the purpose of
fheir escapade. The femme-de-chasabre was
nearly dead with fright but she was pretty, and
the corporars heart was melted. The Co',tcsse
was all but dead, and between faintng and fright
could by no means rival her attendant; the dis
guse, too, was of the humblest kind, and the
party Of connoisseurs voted that the 'old woman
was no very striking evidence Of the taste Of their