Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1848-10-14
TALLEYnAND AND ARNOLD.
There was day when Tallevrand .,

There was day when Talleyrand arriv
. cd in Havre, hot foot from Paris. 1t wa
IN the darkest hour of the French Revolu
ton. Pursued by the boodhounds of tn,
heisn OF Terror, stripped of every wrecI
OF property or power, Talleyrand secured
passage to America in ship about to sail
lie was going beggar and wanderer to
strange land, to eatii his bread by daily la
Dor. ~ 5af ,
sis there an American staying at youl
house % he asked the landlord Of the hote
"l am bound to cross the water, and would
like letter to some person of influence in
the New World"
The landlord hesitated a moment then
replied:
"There is gentleman up stairs, either
from America or Britain, but whether an
American or Englshman, cannot tell"
He pointed the way, and Talleyrand--
who in his life was Bishop, Prince, and
Prime Minister assembled the stairs. A mi
SCRABBLE supplicant, he stood before the stran,
gers door, knocked and entered.
In the far corner of a dimly lighted room
sat gentleman of some fifty years, his
arms folded, and his head bowed on his
breast. From window directly opposite,
a flood of light poured over his forehead.
His eyes looking from beneath the down.
cast brows gazed on Talleyrand's face with
a peculiar and search eXpression.-His face
was striking in its outline; the mouth and
vigorous, even with the shows of fifty win
ters was clad in q dark, but rich and dis
tinguished costume.
Taleyrand advanced---siatedt that he was
a fugitive--and under the impression that
the gentleman before him was an American
he poured forth his history in eloquent
French and broken English
81 am wanderer-an exile. I am for
ced to fly to the New World, without a
friend or home. You are an American !,
Give me then, l beseech you a letter of
yours, so that I may he able to earn my
bread. / am willing to toll in any manner
the scenes of Paris have filled me with
such horror, that life of labor would be
paradise to career of luxury in France.
You will give me letter to one of yonr
friends. A gentleman like you have doubt
less l''auy iIleNuS.
The strange gentleman rose. With
looA that TasyFeendd ddnor Of ibo navt cham
her, his head still downcast, his eyes looking
still from beneath his darkened brow. He
spoke as he retreated backward: his voice
was full Of meaning ......
81 am the only man born in the New
World who can raise his hand to God and
say have not friend-not one in all
America"
Taleyrand never forgot the overwheln-
ing sadness ofthat look which accompanied
these words. -
"VVho are YOU" heccried as the strange
man retreated towards the next room.
"Your name %
"My name"-with smile that had more
of mockery than Joy in Its convulsive ex-
pression-sny name is Benedict Arnold"
He was gone. Talleyrand sank in chair
gasping the words
'sArnold, the traitor"
Thus you see he wandered over the earth
another Cain, with wanderers mark upon
his brow. Even in that secluded room at
that Inn Of Havre, his crimes found him out
and forced him to tell his name-that name
the synonyme of infamy.
The last twenty years of his life are CO.
vered with cloud, from whose darkness
but few CLEANS of light flash out upon the
page of history. er
The manner of his death is not exactly
known. But we cannot doubt that he died
utterly friendless-that his cold brow was
not moistened by one farewell tear-that
remorse pursued him to the grave, whis-
pering John Andre in his ears, and that
the memory of his course Of glory gnawed
like canker at his heart, murmuring for
ever. .'9f4J se-
'''rrue to your country, what might you
not have been. o Arnold the Traitor"