Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1854-02-11
Talleyrand and Arnold.

There was day when Talleyrand ar.
rived in Havre, hot fuot from Paris
1t was the darkest hour Of the French
revolution. Pursued by the bloodhounds
of the Reign Of Terror, stripped ofeveryI
wreck ofpropcrty or power, Talleyrand
secured passage to America in shipI
about to sail. He was beggar and u
wanderer to a strange land to earn his
bread by daily labor.
"Is there an American staying at your
houscF" he asked the landlord ofthe no.
tel. ~ am bound 10 cross the water and
would like letter to a person of inhu-
euce in the New World. |
The landlord hesitated moment,
then replied;
"Thereis gentleman up stairs either
from America or Britain, but weiher an
American or Englishman, cannotteIl."'
Ho pointed the way, and Tallcyrund
who in his lif. was Bishop, Prince aud
Prime Minister-ascended the stairs
A miserable suppl;ant, he stood before
the strangers door, knocked and ento'-
ed.
In the far corner of a dimly lighted
room, sat man of some fifty years, with
his head bowed on his breast. From a
wiudowdirec,ly opposite, Hood Ofligh,
noureJ over his fpreheud. His eyes
looked from beneath tie downcast brow
and gazed on Talleyrand's face with u
peculiar and searching expression. His
face was striking in outline; the mouth
and chin indicative Of aniron will. His
form vigorous even with the snuw oe fif
" winters. was clad in 4 dark but rich
aud distinguished costume.
Talleyrand advance,l-stated that he
was fngi,ive-ssa under the impress
sion that the gentleman before him was
an American, he solicited his kind and
feeling Offices.
He poured forth his history in e!o'
queat French and broken English
81 am a wanderer-an exile. | am
forced to fy to the New World, without
a friend or home. You are an Ameri.
eau! Give inc then, beseech you,
letter of yours, SO that may be able to
earn my bread. am willing to toll in
any manner-the scene of Paris have
filed me with such horror, that life of
labor would be paradise to career of
luxury in France. You will give me q
letter to one of your friends. A gen.
tleman like you has doubtless many
friends"
The strange gentleman rose. With
look that TalIeyrand never forgot, he
retrented towards the door of the next
chamber, his eyes looking still from be-
meath his darkened brow. He spoke as
he rctreated backward-his voice was
full of meaning;
81 um the only man born in tho New
World who can raise his hand to God
and say, have not friend-uot one in
all America.
Talleyrand never forgo. the over
whelmiug sadness Of that look which ac-
companied these words.
WHO arc you?" he cried as the
strange man retreated toward the next
room, "your name!"
"My name!" he replied, with smile
that had more mockery than Joy III its
convulsion expression-"my name is
Benedict Arnold"
He was gone. Talleyrand sank into
chair, grasping the words
"Arnold the ,raitor!r
Thus you see he wandered over tho
earth, another Cain with q wanderers
mark upon his brow. Even in that se-
cluded room at the Inn in Havre, his
crimes found him out, and forced him to
tell his name-lhat name the synonyme
of infamy.
The last twenty years Of his lifa are
covered with cloud, from whose dark.
ness but few CLEANS of light flashed
out upon tho page of history.
The manner ofhis death is not oxact.
ly known. But we cannot doubt that
he died utterly friendless-that remorse
pursued him to his grave, whispering
John Andre! in his car aud that the
memory of his course Of glory gnawed
like canker ut his heart, murmuring
forever: "True to your country what
might you have been, 0 Arnold the
TraiIur!!"
G. W CmrOnan. cf Ngr& Carolina,