Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-15


ible way in which / had risen above every
danger? He had ordered me to go through
Sermoise, scissors and Senlis, little dream
ing that they were all three occupied by
the enemy. And yet / had done II. / had
borne his letter in safety through each of
these towns. Hussars, dragons, lancers,
Cossacks and infantry, i had run tho
gauntlet of all of them and had come out
unframed
When had got as far as Damnartin
caught first glimpse of our own outposts.
They We're troop of Dragons In held,
and, of course, 1 could see from the horse
hair crests that they were French. l gal.
loped toward them in order to ask them III
all was safe between there and Paris. and
as rode felt such pride at having won
my way back to my friends again that ]
could not refrain from waving my sword In
the air. At this young officer galloped
out from among the dragons, also bran
dishtng his sword, and 1t warmed my heart
to think that he should come riding with
such ardor and enthusiasm to greet me- ]
made Niolette caracole, and as we came to-
gether 1 brandished my sword more gal
lantly than ever-but you can imagine my
feelings when he suddenly made a cut at
me which would certainly have taken my
head off If had not fallen forward with
my nose in Violette's name. My faithi II
whistled just over my cap like an east
wind. OF course, 1t came from this ac-
cursed uniform, which, I'm my excitement,
had forgotten all about, and this young
dragon had imagined that / was some
Russian champion who was challeng ing thu
french cavalry. My WOru! ne was 1rlSnt-
ened man when he understood how near
he had been to killing the celebrated Briga-
der Gerard
Well, the road was clear and about 8
o'clock in the afternoon / was at St. Denis,
though it took me a long two hours to get
from there to Paris, for the road was
black with commissariat wagons and guns
Of the artillery reserve, which were s,oinA
north TO Marmont and Mortier You can
not conceive the exciteemnt which my ap-
pearance in such costume made in Paris,
and when l came to the Rue de Rivoli 1
should think had a quarter of a mile of
folk riding or running behind me. Word
had got about from the dragons 1.-TWO OF
them had come with mel, and everybody
knew about my adventures and how had
come by my uniform. 1t was a triumph
men shouting and women waving their
handkerchiefs and blowing kisses from the
windows. Although am man singularly
free from conceit, still 1 must confess that
on this occasion could not restrain myself
from showing that this reception yratified
me- The Russian coat had hung very loose
upon me, but now 1 threw out my chest
until it was as tight as a sausage skin.
And my little sweetheart of a mare tossed
her name and paved with her front hoofs,
frisking her tail about, as though she said:
We've done 1t together this time 1t is to
us that commissions should be intrusted."
When / kissed her between the nostrils
when dismounted at the gate of the Tail-
cries there was as much shouting as IL a
bulletin had been read from the grand
army.
1 was hardly in costume to visit a king,
but, after all, If one has soldierly figure,
one can do without all that. / was shown
up straight away to Joseph. whom 1 had
often seen in Spain. He seemed as stout,
as quiet and amiable ever Talley-
rand was in the room with him, or L sup
pose 1 should call him Duke of Benevento,
but l confess that / like old names best.
He read my letter when Joseph Bonaparte
handed it to him, and then he looked at me
with the strangest expression in those fun
nv little twinkling eyes of his.
Were you the only messenger he ask
ed.
There was one other, SIR" said /.
Major Charpentier of the horse grena-
diers."
He has not yet arrived" said the King
IF you had seen the legs of his horse.
sire, you would not wonder at it," 1 re-
marked
There may be other reasons" said Tall
leyrand, and he gave that singular smile
of his.
Well. they paid me compliment or two.
though they might have said good deal
more and yet have said too little. / bowed
myself out, and very glad l was to get
camp. Away 1 went to my old friend,
Chaubert, in the Rue Miromesnil. and there
l got the hussar uniform, which fitted me
very we'll He and Lizette and 1 supped to-
gether in his rooms, and all my dangers
were forgotten. In the morning i found
Violette ready for another twenty-league
stantly to the emperor's headquarters, for
L was, as you may imagine, impatient to
hear his words of praise and to receive
my reward.
/ need not say that 1 rode back by a safe
route, for had seen quite enough of uh-
lans and Cossacks. l passed through
Meaux and Chateau Thierry, and so in the
evening l arrived at Rheims, where Napo-
leon was still lying. The bodies of our fell
lows and of St. Prest's Russians had all
been buried, and 1 could see changes in the
camp also. The soldiers looked better
cared for, some of the cavalry had received
remounts, and everything was in excellent
order. 1t is wonderful what a good gen.
eral can effect in couple of days.
When / came to the headquarters / was
shown straight into the emperors room.
He was drinking coffee at a writing table
with big plan drawn out on paper IL
front of him. Berthier and Mcdonald were
leaning one over each shoulder, and he
was talking so quickly that don't believe
either Of them could catch a half of what
he was saying. But when his eyes fell
upon me he dropped his pen onto the chart
and he sprang up with look in his pale
face which struck me cold.
What the devil are you doing here?" he
shouted. When he was angry he had a
voice like peacock.
Il have the honor to report to you SIRE"
said i. that 1 have delivered your dis
patch safely to the King of SPAIN"
"Whatn' he yelled and his two eyes
uansfixed me like bayonets. oh, those
dreadful eyes, shifting from gray to blue.
like steel in the sunshine. / can see them
now when have had a bad dream
What has become of Charpentier?' he
asked.
HE is captured" said Mcdonald.
"By whom?'
THE Russians"
THE Cossacks?"
mo, a single Cossack.s
He gave himself up"
without resistance"
HE is an intelligent officer. You will see
that the medal of honor is awarded to
him."
When heard these words had to rub
my eyes to make sure that / was awake.
LAS to you," cried the emperor, taking
a step forward as If he would have struck
me. you brain of hare, what do you
think that you were sent upon this mis-
sion for? Do you conceive that / would
send really important message by such a
hand as yours, and through every village
which the enemy holds? How you came
through them passes my comprehension,
but If your fellow messenger had as little
sense as you. my whole plan of campaign
would have been ruined. Can you not see,
coglione. that this message contained false
news and that II was intended to deceive
the enemy whilst 1 put q very different
scheme into execution"
When i heard these cruel words and saw
the angry white face which glared at me,
I had 70 hpl he OH Of hot