Squatter sovereign., 1855-04-10
A Scene in a Conscript's Life.

the two friends embraced and kissed each
other; Reaumer retired to spot where the
other soldier was standing; and kneeling
on one knee, leant his face on his hands,
still convulsively and unconsciously grasp
ing the spade, as if for support; the other
twelve men had formed a double line,
about fourteen PAGES to the front of Jean,
who was between Them and the embank-
ment, his white clothed figure. thus set in
relief by the dark ground beyond present.
ing clear aim to their muskets. He knelt
down on his right knee, resting on the
other his left arm: he said in firm voice,
81 am ready" The priest was about to
bind handkerchief about his eyes; but he
said. "No-I pray / may be spared that;
let me see my death; I am not afraid of it. :"
The priest after consulting the sergeant's
looks, withdrew the handkerchief. Colon
retired to the place where Reaumer and the
other soldiers were; and the priest, after
having received from his penitent the as
surance that he died sin charity with all
mankind" and having bestowed on him a
last benediction, and laid on his lips the
kiss of Christian love, also retired on one
side. Colon gave the word of command
-"Prepare," the twelve muskets were
brought forward Present." they were le-
yelled. The sergeant was raising his cane
as the last signal, to spare the victim even
the short pang of hearing the fatal word,
"Fire!' when Rollo, with loud yell, sprang
to his masters side.
He had been startled from his slumber
by the roll of the drum; and, looking up
at what was going on, perceiving Jean left
kneeling all alone, and all so silent, ex-
cept Reaumer's family heard sobs, his in
stinct seemed to tell him his master was in
some danger; his whining was unheard or
unheeded; he felt this too, and ceased it.
but made a desperate effort to break the
rope that held him, which, weakened as it
was by his late gnawing and tugging at it
when in the out house at Charolle, soon
gave way, and, as above mentioned, he
sprang with yell to his masters side.
But jeans thoughts at that moment were
too seriously engaged to heed even Rollo !;
he only raised his right arm, and gently
put the dog aside, his own mild unfinching
gaze still fixed on the soldiers before him.
But the dog was not checked by the move
ment of his master; still whining, and with
his ears beseechingly laid back, he strug-
gled hard to get nearer to him. Colon felt
for jeans situation, and made a sign to
Reaumer (who, wondering at the pause
since the last word of command, had rails
ed his eyes, that he should try to coax the
dog off; he did so by whistling and calling,
but, of course, quite in vain. 1t will be
at once seen that, though this has taken
some time in the telling, all that passed
from the time of Rollo's arrival was little
more than the transaction of moment.
Still it was delay; and the men were
ready to fire; and Colon, not thinking the
incident of sufficient weight to authorize a
suspension of the execution, however tenn
porary, muttered, "Great pity-the poor
fellow will die, too." He turned his face
to his men; and was again about to give
the signal, when he was second time in
terrupted by hearing loud shouts from be-
hind him, accompanied by the discharge
of a park of cannon. He glanced to-
wards the opposite hill at his back, where
on the village stood, and there he saw all
was confusion and bustle-officers gallop-
ing to and fro, and the men forming hur-
riedly into line; he hastily gave the word,
"As you were;" for along line of road to
the northeast of the hill he saw a thick
cloud of dust, from which quickly sprung
out group of horsemen, evidently Off
Gers; the foremost not so tall as most of
them, nor so graceful rider as many of
them, though he sat firmly, too, was recog-
nised by Colon and his men (long before
he was near enough for them to distinguish
a single feature in his face) by his grey
frock coat, and small flat three cornered
hat Colon gave the word of command;
the soldiers shouldered their muskets, and
prepared to salute; and, in another minute,
Napoleon, at the head of his staff, refined
up on the top of the hill. He had left the
march of the grand army some leagues be-
hind, ard ridden on towards Labarre, in
order, with his wonted watchfulness, to
take the detachment by surprise, and see
what they were about. His eagle eye.
whose glance saw everything like another's
gaze, had at once detected the party on the
hill, and he had ridden from the road al
full speed up the slope to discover what the
object Of the meeting was; glance. toe
told him that. !, I'D xrhs1o h, xxx,, -. ....,.