The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-07-06

r. ,is o,,tL9y of The Chronicles of the Baatle, .
'. The Embassy" d" The YHle Log, PhfhP 81
Lpfaig' DC.
CHAP. TX.
Mrdams Trompette holds Council Of War
The disclosure which had taken Madame
q,omnette @like a bomb in the middle of her
Iack , as she graphically described the sensa-
fan She experienced on learning Commandant
Iimon's real style and title, operated great
change in the domestic arrangements OF the
martial couple Up to that time, the daily
r0utine of their lodge had been conducted &C
riding to strict military rule. Indeed, the
.yere punctuality Of the gallant Corporaps
wife had long since passed into a proverb In
! The neighborhood. Every morning, on the stroke
! Of seven, she might be seen emerging from the
great gateway Of the house of which she and her
husband were the guardians, carrying the jug
for her daily ration of milk and few min
utes after, the Corporal himselE-in morning
undress-appeared, and took up his station
spainst the gate post, to smoke his early pipe.
II BY any chance, Madame Trompette missed
reforming her usual morning duty, the oc-
currence was Immediately taken note Of, and
various conjectures would be set ahoat as TO
the cause. And this came to pass on the NOR
row following the disclosure in question
Something wrong, | dare say,n said the
dairy woman to the grocer's wife, from over
ibe way, in reply to statement, on the part
Of the latter, that Madame the Corporate had
not been to fetch her milk, and that it was a
qqarter past seven. Something wrong,
ja'me Pipelard She's regular as the clock"
ePI, perhaps" chinaed in the bakers wife,
Who had come to buy a new-laid egg.
And the Corporal hasn't been seen, either, /"
Observed the dairy-woman. "Something ia
wrong, depend upon it, or he wouldn't miss his
pipe
As another quarter of an hour passed with
cut either the Corporal or his wife appearing,
conjecture became more rife, and an excitement
arose, which threatened to manifest itself be-
| fore long in the form of deputation of the
/ gossips of the neighborhood, to the worthy Cor
T0sls lodge, with view to ascertain the
auss of so extraordinary departure from the
established order of things Fortunately, at
this juncture, the Corporal himself pipe in
mouth, came out and proceeded, in his own
proper person, to buy his own milk.
Maine Trompette isn't Ill, is she?" asked
the dairy-woman.
No, nothing the matter with her, Name
That's WELL" responded the other; "only
liz so very strange -
"Yes, it is, isn't it," observed the Corporal,
quite alive to the inquisitiveness of his neigh.
tozs; but she's going out this morning, that's
81, he added
So the neighbors watched the Corporaps wife
20 out, which she did in the course of about
half an hour, and much they wondered, too
where eUer she could be going 80 early"
To their salutations Madame Trompette re-
sponded with her usual courtesy, but without
Stopping to enter into conversation, though she
made sundry purchases of eatables on the way.
She was evidently bent upon some errand Of
Importance; for though she smiled blandly, as
usual, her countenance, it was remarked, indi-
ested that her mind was pre-occupied.
And so in truth it was. She had gone into
battle many time, without experiencing the
sense Of responsibility that seemed to weigh
her down now. She found herself and her
COrpOral-as she loved to call him-converted
INTO political agents, and felt that she had, in
her enthusiasm for Napoleon the uncle, pledged
be- self and the Corporal to promote the politi-
cal projects Of the nephew. After their lodg-
er's departure, the night before, the Corporal
had submitted to his wife certain misgivings
which had arisen in his mind, as to the pru.
d3noe of the course to which they were com.
mittei Madame Trompette, however, adopted
more decisive views, and vigorously defended
the position she had taken up. To every OBJ,
lsctiOn of the Corporal's she opposed a counter.
plea until she reduced him to silence, though
without convincing him that she was right. In
her heart, nevertheless che felt that her hus.
lands reasons deserved consideration, and
taally resolved to seek counsel of trusty
iiend, an old comrade, and act as he should
direct She communicated her determination
10 her husband, as soon as he awoke in the
morning. and forthwith prepared herself for
the visit. Hence her non-appearance at the
gsu2l hour.
Madame Trompette's air and gait were de-
edadly military; she bore herself erect and
Sui, and carried her umbrella like musket
Va reaching the barracks OF cGssrne of the
QMl dOrsay, where there was regiment o.
'lIhneers quartered, she stopped to chat with
The cheer On duty, to whom she seemed to be
well known, and On quitting whom, she salutet
q Ia mlataire. She proceeded thence by way
q the quays, to the Hotel des Invalides, where
'ae Seemed quite at home, and her popularity
absolutely without limit Every one spoke K
her, and she had word for everybody. Al
iength she gained the western wing of tht
building, and, making her way to one of tht
Gde corridors on the first floor, stopped at {
uoor on which was nailed card, bearing il
writing the name Of Lieutenant Brother, Neuv
''@e de Ligne* An invitation to enter having
responded to her knock, she went in.
Wha-wha what LIE Tr-r-r.r-ompette ,
exclaimed the Lieutenant, looking round, anS
s'oppng short in his occupation of watering
some beautiful exotics, which ornamented thu
window
,, Just so, Lieutenant" responded Madame
LOpe to see thee welln
10 any one unacquainted with the manner
0! the French, Lieutenant Brothers reception
Il the CorporaPs wife would have appeared
ever familiar, and no doubt the lady hersel
would have been Get down as wanting some
|hat in the modesty which is the attribute O
her sex. Drawing the sleeve of his left arm
across his mouth, he kissed Madame on bot
cheeks to which she submitted quite uncon
eernedly and as matter of course. He thel
handed her to chair.
The Lieutenunt--who had an impediment il
Ills sFeech-was about sixty, and had lost hi
light arm. He had also been wounded in tn
81: :eis cheek by spent musketshot, which ha
IGnIcted great soar, and somewhat ipjure
ice sight of the eye. He seemed hale an
hearty, however, and expressed himself de
.gnted to see Madame Trompette, in deferenc
" whose presence he put on his blue frock
'0a' and took off his forage cap.
4, Thou ha-ha-hssn't br-r-r-reakfasted, ell
wa ma-a'me T-r-r-r-rompette?" asked tn
-, only a cup of coffee, Lieutenant" respond
u Inc lady; IL came to breakfast with thee.
P-r-r-r-riSti!" exclaimed he.
Don't put myself out of the way, com
sSue'" observed Madame Trompette; "Pl
'OVn set things to rights"
e-e-es," replied the Lieutenant; "buu u
ma nan,a-ayen't a-a-a-ny thing for br-r-r-r- eak
Ihou hast bread?" asked abe.