Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1855-11-07
TALLEYRAND AND.ARNoLD.


TALLEYRAND AND.ARNOLD.
There5was a day when Talleyrand ar
rived ut Havre, hot foot from Paris It
was in thc darkest hour of the French
Revolution. Pursued by the blood hounds
OF the Reign of Terror, stripped Of every
wreck OF property or power. Talleyrand
secured a passage to America in 4 ship
about to sail. He was going, beggar
and wanderer to Il strange land, TO earn
his bread by his daily labor.
Is there an American staying here 2"
he asked Of the landlord of the hoteE-
" l am bound across the water, and would
like d, letter to some persons of influence
in the new world"
Tho landlord hesitated for moment,
and then said:
There is II gentleman up stairs either
from America or Britain whether an
American or Englishmau | cannot say"
He pointed the way, and Talleyrand-
who in his life was Bishop, Prince, and
Prime Minister, assembled the stairs. a
miserable suppIinnt, he stood before The
strangers door, knocked and entered.
In IL far corner of dimly lighted room,
sat a gentleman Of some Fifty years, with
his arms folded, and his head bowed on
his breast. From window directly OPP
poSte, Hood Of light poured over his
forehead. His eyes-iookcd from beneath
ihe downcasL brows, as he gaz1d in Tai
iryrand's face with peculiar and search
ing expression. His face WAS striking in
it's outiine-thc mouth and chin indicative
Of an iron will. His form vigorous even
with the SHOWS of fifty winters, was clad
iu Il dark but rich and distinguished cos
tune.
TalIcyrnnd advanced, and said if he
was an American, he solicited his kind
and friendly offices.
He poured forth his history il eloquent
French aud broken English.
- l am II wandrrcr-au exile. l am
forced to lily to the new world. without a
friend or home. Eou are an .Amcricon
Give me, then, bcserch You, IL letter 10
yours, so that l may be able TO earn my
bread. | am willing to toll in any man
ncr. The scenes of Paris have filled me
with such horror, that IL life Of labor
would be paradise compared with Il ca
rccr Of luxury in France. You will give
me n letter to one of your friends. y
gentleman like You doubtless has many
friends.
The strange gentleman rose. With ~
look that Tulleyrnnd never forgot, hc re
treated towards the door OF the neat
chumbcr-his head downcast, but his
eyes looking still from beneath his dark
cnod brow. He spoke as he rctrcatcd
backward his voice full of meaning:
- am the only man in the New World
who can raise his hand to God and say-
have not a friend, not one, i'll ali Amcri-
car
Tnlleyrand never forgot the ovcrwhelm-
ing sadness of that look, which accom-
panied these words.
Who are you ?" he cried, as the
strange man retrcated towards the next.
door
Your name 2"
"My name" with smile that had
more mockery than joy III his cOnvulsive
expression, " my name is Benedict Ar
mold -
He was gone. Tallcyrund sank in n
chair, gasping the words,
" Arnold the traitor -
Thus you see he wandered over the
earth, another Cain, with u wanderers S
mark upon his brow. Even in that deso>
late room at that inn Of uavre, his crimes
found him out and he was forced to tell
his name, that name the synonyme Of in
fanny.
The last twenty years Of his life arc
covered with cloud, FROM. whose dark.
ness but few CLEANS of light flash out
upon the page of history.
The manner of his death is not distinct
y known. But we cannot doubt that he
dlod utterly lriendless that his cold brow
was not moistened by one farewell tear,
that remorse pursued him to the grave,
whispering John Andre in his ears and
that the memory Of his course of glory
gnawed like canker at his heart muir
muring Forever" Truo to your country,
what night you have been, 0 Arnold,
the Traitor u