Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1854-02-13
Talleyrand and Arnold.

mere was Gay WHen IalIeyrand ar
rived in Havre, hot foot from Paris. L
was the darkest hour of the French Revo
luton. Pursued by the blood-hounds o
the Reign of Terror, stripped of ever,
wreck Of property or power, Talleyranc
secured passage to America, in shiI
about to sail. He was a beggar and
wanderer to strange land, to earn hi
daily bread by daily labor.
"ls there an American staying at yeu
housei" he asked Of the landlord of ths
hotel. II am bound to cross the water
and would like a letter to person Of in.
fluence in the New World"
The landlord hesltated a moment, then
replied
There is gentleman up stairs, either
from America or Britain, but whether
an American or Englishman, I canno
tell :"
He pointed the way and Talleyrand-
who, in his life, was Bishop Prince and
Prime Minister-ascended the stairs
A miserable suppliant, he stood before the
Strangers door, Knocked and entered.
In the far corner Of the dimly lighted
room, sat man of some fifty years. his
arms folded and his head bowed on hi.
breast. From window directly opposite
flood of light poured out over his fore
head. His eyes looked from beneath the
downcast brows, and gazed on Talley.
rand's face with peculiar and searching
expression. His face was striking in out.
line; the mouth aud chin indicative of at
iron will. His form, vigorous, even with
the SHOWS Of fifty, was clad in dark bu,
rich and distinguished costume.
Talleyrand advanced that he
was fugitive-and under the impression
that the gentleman before him was an
American, he solicited his kind and feeling
Offices.
He poured forth his history in eloquent
French and broken English I:
IL am wanderer--an exile. / am lorc-
ed to fly to the New World, ~ithout a
friend or home. You are an American
Give me, then. beseech you a letter oil
yours, so that | may earn my bread.
am willing to toll in any mannsr-the
scenes Of Paris have seized me with hor-
ror, that life Of labor would be = para.
disc TO career Of luxury IN France
You will give me letter to ore OF your
friendss A gentleman like you has doubt
less many friends :"
The strange gentleman rose. With o
look that Talleyrand never forgot. he re-
treated towards the door of the next cham.
Der. his eyes looking still from beneath his
darkened brow. He spoke as he retreat
ed backward-bis voice was full OF mean-
ing:
II am the only nan born in the New
World who can raise his hand to God and
say-I have not friend-not one in all
America
Talleyrand never forgot the ovcrw helm
ing sadness Of that look which accom-.
panied these words.
"Who are you I" he cried, as the strange
man retreated to the next room; "your
name I"
"My name," he replied with srnile
that had mere moekery than joy in its
contusive expressien-"my name is Ben
edfct Arnold ~
He was gone. Talleyrand sank into
chair, gasping the words
Arnold. the traitor y
Thus, you see, he wandered over the
earth, another Cain. with a wanderers
mark upon his brow. Even in that seclu-
ded room at that Inn at Havre, his crimes
found him out and forced him To- tell
his name-that name the synonyme OF i'll
fanny.
The last twenty years Of his fifs afe
covered with cloud, from whose darkness
hut few CLEANS Of light flashed out upon
the page Of history.
The manner Of bis death is not exactly
known. But we cannot doubt that he
died utterly friendless-that remorse pur'
sued him to the grave, whispering John
Andre in his ear, and that the memory
Of his course Of glory gnawed like can
ker at his heart, murmuring, forever
"True to your country, what might 20.
have been, oh (! Arnold. the Traitor!"
A man six feet high, standing in tn
middle of an extensive plain, can see tn
surface of the earth around him to the dis
Aanca ri three miles on every Side-that Is