Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1853-11-10

WdrHl-nearted gentleman, instantly acCeded II
the proposition; the invitatieGsx were forward
ed, courteously accepted, and everybody an
ticipated convivial and pleasant meeting
And SO it proved till about eight o'clock il
the evening; after the wine had been Ions
time on the table, had been freely discussed
the weather being sultry, the guests hilarious
ly disposed, and the olives excellent. The
Lilies Of France, (this was in the reign o
Charles X.,) the Rose of England, the Gallit
Cock, the British Lion, had all been duly
honored and hiccoughed till about the hour j
have named, when, under the influence of the
vinous fumes they had imbibed, the varnisf
began to peel off the tongues and aspects o
the complimenters, and the conversation tC
take an unpleasant and boisterous turn. Cap.
tains Horton and ID 'Ermonville, who had drank
very sparingly, were evidently anxious to
break up the momently more and more disor-
derly party; but their suggestions were Of nc
avail, and the exertion of authority at such
time. would, no doubt, they considered, ap-
pear harsh. and uncourteous. Two of the
guests, especially seemed bent upon thwart-
ing the efforts; these were Lieutenant King
and Enseigne de Carvette, LIE Page. They
sat opposite each other, and got among the
breakers of politics, and those, too ot the most
dangerous kind-the character of Napoleon,
the justice Of the war against him waged by
England, and so on. Captain D'Ermonville,
who faced Captain Horton, watched the pair
Of disputants very anxiously, and adroitly
seized the opportunity of LIE Pages leaving
the room for a few moments, to leave his own
and take his chair. LIE Page, who was alb
sent hardly minute, finding his seat occu-
pied, took that vacated by D'Ermonville,
which was as | have just stated, opposite TO
Captain Horizons. Both captains had been,
as afterwards appeared, conversing on pretty
nearly the same topics as King and lie Page,
but in quite different tone and spirit. DER
monville was Bourbon Royalist, par crccl-
lence and agreed generally with the English
estimate Of the French emperor. Captain
Horton was, must also mention, somewhat
near-sighted, and the air of the room, more
over, by this time, was thick with cigar
smoke. Captain Horton, who had sunk into
a reverie, for few minutes, did not notice,
for these various reasons, that D'Ermonville
had left his place, much less that it was occu-
pied by another, and leaning sideways over
the table, so as to be heard only by the per-
son addressed, he quietly said-'Yes, yes,
Monsieur; as you say, no sensible man can
deny that Napoleon was most unprincipled
usurper, an unscru-' n...
He got no further. lie Page, believing
himself to be purposely insulted, sprang up
with fierce oath, and dashed the goblet OF
can sucre which D'Ermonvlle had been drink
ing, at the speakers head, thereby inficting
a severe and stunning blow on that gentle
mans forehead. The terrific uproar that en-
sued could hardly be described in words; bot
ties flew across the room, and through the
windows, swords were drawn, while high
above the din thundered the defiant voice Of
Lieutenant King, as he forced his way through
the melee to the almost insensible captain
seized him in his arms, and bore him from the
apartment. This action the lieutenant after
wards admitted, was not purely the result o.
generous feeling. The honor Of the Eng,
lish was, he believed, at stake, and it had in.
stantly occurred to him that Captain Horton
if left to himself, would not vindicate that hon.
or in the only way in which he, Lieutenant
King, held that it could be vindicated.
The exertions of D. 'Ermonville and the gov.
ernor gradually stilIed the tumul. !, and a;
soon as calm was comparatively restored, the
French officers left the house, with the under
standing, as LIE Renard sailed in the morning
that they should wait at retired place agreed
upon, for any communication the English par
ty might have to make. The affair had il
some degree, sobered us all, and it was soor
plain that strange msgivings were creeping
over the minds Of Burbage and others of oul
set, as the time flew by, and no message came
from the captain and lieutenant, nor the gov
ernor, who had gone to join them. At last
voices in loud and angry dispute were hero
approaching, and presently the door flew open
and in burst Lieutenant King, white with ex
citement, and closely followed by his now per
fectly recovered commanding officer.
Do you hear, gentlemenp shouted the
lieutenant, who was really frenzied with rage
this captain of ours refuses to chastise the In
solent Frenchman, or permit either of us tc
do so. He has a CONSCIENTIOUS objection, for
sooth, to duellng Heavens to think tha
the honor of the British name should be in the
keeping Of coward =
Lieutenant King replied Captain Horton
in calm and measured tones, Il order you tc
go on board the Curlew instantly
4 will not return to the ship until this in
suit, which affects us all, has been avenged,
reioined the lieutenant, with unabated wrath
mo, not if dismissal from the service be the
consequence
Captain Horton glanced toward us, but find
ing, probably from our looks, that we, too, il
the excitement of the moment, might refuse t
obey his commands, and thereby incur-for nc
one could deny that he was kind-hearted
considerate man-the ruinous penalties of ;
court-martial for disobedience of orders, mere
ly said, again addressing Lieutenant King
If that be your determination, sir, mus
how - ~