Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-05-05


know him to have the courage of
ten devils. Let's see, your name
is"
"Gabriel Lenoir, sire, No. 1918,
first squadron, Deaths Head Cuiras-
siers."
The emperor turned TO DurOc.
"He'll do, will he not ?"
The aide hesitated.
eff your majesty please, it would
not be respectful to the King of
Prussia, unless"
Exactly" said the emperor, in
terrupting. "Here, fill out the COM
mission. What rank should he be?"
Again DurOc hesitated.
"For a first-claSs mission, sire,
the 0ttache should not be less than
captain; but the precedent in the
regiment would be-"
II know it. But it is doubtful
if he ever gets back alive. Make it
out Captain in the Deaths Heads,
DurOc, upernumerary."
The aide compressed his lips
slightly, but made no further re-
mark, and filled out a parchment,
which the emperor signed in his
usual rapid scrawl, and then said
sharply:
"That'll do, Duroc. Remembr
that on your discretion hangs the
destiny of all France. Don't spare
your dttdche, and above all things
remember Prussia must be kept out
of the league till l have settled the
others. Goodbye"
Go hrinl ctn,N1 nn1aua1Ixy InnkIn0
on; for the emperor had not adj
dressed to him single word after
his first greeting, and now General
Duroc came forward, put the roll of
parchment in his hands, and said
politely:
"Come, captain, it is time we
were off. You have to change your
uniform and we both must be at
Berlin inside of three days. Come ~
Then, Gabriel, feeling dazed and
not daring to believe his sudden
stroke of good fortune, passed out
into the ante-rOom, following Du-
roc, and heard the general say to
Ney:
at is settled, marshal. My at
tdche, Captain LenOir, of the Deaths
W. are OI
Then they passed out to the front
of the palace, where there was stand
ing coach with four horses, and
Duroc motiOned our bewildered he
ro into it, sprung after, and said, as
the door slammed:
"TO the Tuileries at once, as hard
as you can go. Office of the Control
Ter of the Finances, Monsieur Ver-
mOuche J"
Then, away dashed the carriage,
Duroc turned and narrowly inspect
ed his companion for the first time.
The result seemed TO please him
for he said: ~
"You look intelligent, and : oure
as strong as horse. YCTn oay " yoI
talk good German. " nou en- euougn q,
to pass for Prussifh h ,iaaaea'.s'S ~ neoeosaS
YES. genSer,gypn man - '''eifh'g, with S,nnhe-
l;n Pti.~ On t.ie last word; "but admit
90 fk 1 hate them too badly to like
such job, even in fun"
Duroc laughed.
$50 much the better You hate
them 2"
81 have cause to, general. They
killed my father like towards, after
he had given up his sword, and my
mother died OF grief on his account.
remember them well before Val
my, though l was only a clild of
seven then. l remember how they
ravaged France, under their accurs-
ed Duke of Brunswick. | hope the
time will come when l shall be even
wit N fhnIn -
Itrl It,IIIN IIslcueu anu smiled, well
pleased at the energy of the yUu"e
mans language. ~,
$50 you hate the Prussians"'
said Duroc, rubbing his hands.
"Very well, then, captain, you'll be
pleased to know that we are on our
way to Berlin, to prepare for Prus.
sia such beating as she never haQ."
"Good, general, good" cried Le-
noir, joyfully. "And what am
to do? Give me my instructions,
and I'll carry them out to the let
ter! !"
"Very WE'LL" said Duroc, "you
shall have them in a few words. L
am going TO Berlin as a special
envoy from his majesty, to offer the
King of Prussia the English prov
ince of Hanover, on the simple con-
ditlon of his neutrality in the war
with Austria. You know we're
going to war with Austria of course.
If YOU had not been on guard there
when the emperor broke out you
might not be here. He takes strange
fancies, and you have the luck OF
being Alsatian. Very well. AS L
said, | 90 to Berlin as the envoy
you as military attache. You can
draw ?''
Eyes, general, / was at school in
the town of StrasbOurg, when Ma
rengo came on, and | went as sub.
stitute. Since that | have learned
fertilization in my leisure times"
Every good. You are the man
we want. | shall be at Berlin; but
YOU will have to do a good deal o
travelling about in the country, as q
simple German citizen, and 1t Is
your business to get, or to make
plans of all the fortresses on the
French frontier; to find the mum
bers and stations of all the troops
and to get up reports of everything
for the cabinet, to be used when W.
are ready"
Then he began TO give the younf
man special instructions on all sort!
of points, to which Gabriel listened
attentivel v; and by the time they
reached Paris, which was not til
late in the evening, he was able t
say: o.ooor
al. and can do it. And now Wha
am | to do for uniform and expens
es, monsieur? | am, AS you mus
know, only a private man with n
fortune"
ssYou'll come with me-" said Du
roc, "and you shall be provided
Money is nothing, when work Is
done"
And so Gabriel thought, as n
was hurried by his chief from piac
,, to place, to find himself, In IN
course of a few hours, provide
with capacious trunks OF clothln
f of all sorts, gorgeous uniforms of ha
q a dozen different kinds, diplomat
\ and military, with a purse OF gol
> in his pocket, and a pOcket-book
bills in his breast, when Duroc tol
: him:
4 snow, captain, it is time we weI
! off. The horses are ready, ana v
i must travel all night. His maJes'
believes in hurryihg every one"
...... CHAPTER V.
NEARING THE BATTLE.