Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1859-11-05
THE HEROIC WIFE.

|
the formula gone through on such occasions
could be called such, and which so quickly sen
its victims from the Conciergerie to the scat
fold. NJ Duportail has many titles to proscrp
ton, among which might be numbered his be
ing steward of the royal FARMS and an upright
honest man. He had been married about thre,
years to a lady he had brought from Martinique
by whom he had two children; mutual affec
tion, and all the happiness that wealth can be
stow, centred in his household when the Reigr
of Terror commenced
Having fortunately received intimation of the
threatened danger, he quilted his dwelling q
few hours previous to the arrival of the reyo.
lutionary emissaries, and secreted himself in
the house of an old domestic in the faubourgs
The same evening his wife Joined him. In ex.
pectation of such an event, she had, few days
previously, collected what money and valuable'
were in her possession, regulated the affair:
most pressing, and prepared everything which
she deemed necessary for sudden departure
"We must instantly leave Paris" said she
"a carriage containing the children waits for
us and if we reach Bordeaux, we can easily
conceal ourselves in my fathers house until an
opportunity offers for embarkipss8or Marti-
nique.'
NJ. Duportail unable to comprehend the OK
trcmc peril of his situation, endeavored to dis
suade her from her resolution and i. was only
when she mplored him for their chidren's sake
to flee, that he at length consented to leave
Paris the next day.
During the evening, the old servant having
gone out to reconnoitre, returned with the
startling intelligence that every conveyance was
strictly searched at the barriers, and that many
persons endeavoring to escape had been ar
rested. The good fortune of his wife in pro-
curing two passports did not tranquilize him
and, awurc of the surveillance which existedin
every town through which they would have to
pass, he determined on pursuing another course,
which would at least save her the misery of
being a witness of his arrest
The next day he met the carriage at the ap-
pointed hour, and after some pcrsuation, pre-
vailed on Madame Duportail to leave Paris ac-
companed only by the children promising that
he would Immediately quit the city on foot, and
disguised Once safely outside the barriers,
he hoped he might be able to procure horses,
and reion her at Bordeaux, or possibly on the
road
As was expected, on reaching the barrier the
coach was stopped, and at either side appeared
sinister countenance, surmounted by the red
cap. at is womann exclaimed one. "Who
are YOU " demanded the other.
Madame Duportail rendered her passport,
and after short scrutiny, the order was given
to proceed. With ightened heart she con-
tinued her route each moment hoping to be
| oyertaken by her husband; but vain were her
expectations. Hour after hour passed in fever
ish anxiety, her only solace being the caresses
of her children. On arriving at Tours, there
| was no intelligence of him the same disap-
pointmcnt awaited her Mt every town through
which she passed. On reaching Bourdeaux,
she Immediately drove to her fathers resi-
dence.
| any husband 2" was all she could utter,
throwing herself into her parents arms
aYour husband Unhappy child, you are
not then aware Of his arrest"
| "Arrested Where ?-when?"
MAt Paris on the 9th of October"
1t was the very day of her departure
Though stunned by the intelligence, she quick
| ly recovered herself tTell me all. He is arr
rested, but is he still living2"
aHc Isl but every day these monsters judge,
condemn, and -"
aI.eave the horses to the earriageP p exclaim-
ed the young wife; or rather get fresh ones; l
shall instantly return to Paris. ] must save
hinl-I shall save him |"
All remonstrance was unheeded, nor would
she even allow her father to run any risk by
accompanying her. The only delay to which
| she consented acquaintance to a member Of
| the convention, who, besides having some in
| Auence himself, happened to be the confidant
Of Danton, the then minister ofjustice Leav-
| ing the children with her father, she retraced
her route, and, nearly exhausted, arrived in
Paris eight days after NJ. Duportail's arrest.
| Without loss of time, she sought the deputy
| for whom the letter was directed: but on in
quiry, was told by an old porteress at the lodge
that he was from home.
~ shall wait for him." said Madame Dupor-
tail
"As you please" replied the old woman; /;
''but where will you stay?"
~ shall remain here,n replied madame, ter
riied by the insolent tone of the speaker.
sIn the rainl You must be an aristocrat,
then, for they are capable of anything. Our
deputies have enough to do, | warrant; for
they are beset from morning till night with
with petitions With malicious glance she
passed into the lodge.
Thus left to herself, the young wife could
not avoid rejecting upon the situation in which
she was placed and though, under other cir
cumstances, she would have shrunk at the idea
of visiting man unknown to her, she was too
much absorbed with the thought of her hus-
bands peril to heed it at that moment. A
glance at her trayel-stained dress, and fear
that her appearance in such plight would have
an unfayorable effect on the mind of her pro-
tector, made her hesitate as to whether she
should remain; but NO time was allowed for
| consideration, for at that moment a gentle
man, dressed in ball costume, carrying some
papers in his hand, descended into the court.
"IIere is the deputy, young lady. find that
| was mistaken in saying he had gone out"
exclaimed the porteress, chuckling as she
emerged from the lodge, yet half afraid that
her f;llsehood might get her into trouble