The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-07-11
PRIZE NOVELTIES, No. ~.

Il am not a ghost, and you have not
seen me killed. You will come here and
all will be clear to YOU"
He turned as he spoke, and led the way
toward the great beech stump.
The bodies were still lying upon the
ground, and two men were standing be-
side them. As we approached, ] saw
from the turbans that they were Roustem
and Mustafa, the two Mameluke body
servants. The Emperor paused when he
came TO the gray figure upon the ground,
and turning back the hood which
shrouded the features, he showed a face
which was very different from his own.
"Here lies a faithful servant, who has
given up his life for his master, said he.
"Monsieur de Gondin resembles me in
figure, and in manner, as you must ad-
nit. ~
when these few words made everything
clear to me. He smiled again as he saw
the delight which urged me almost TO
throw my arms round him and TO en-
brace him, but he moved step away, as
he had OWNED my impulse
"You are unhurt?' he asked.
81 am unhurt, sire. But In another
minute should in my despair''---
"Tut, tutl" he interrupted. "You did
very well. He should himself have been
more on his guard. l saw everything
which passed"
"You saw 1t, sirei'
"You did not hear me follow you
through the wood then2 / hardly lost
sight OF you from the moment that you
left your quarters until poor de Gondin
fell The counterfeit Emperor was in
front of you, and the real one behind.
You will now escort me back to the
palace"
He whispered an order TO his Name
lules, who saluted in silence and re-
mi w fRe ~
my part, followed the Emperor with my
pelisse bursting with pride. My word, /
have always carried myself as a hussar
should, but Lasalle himself never strutted
and swung his dolman as i did that
nighti Who should clink his spurs and
clatter his sabre II il were not II,
Etienne Gerard-the confidant of the EN-
peror, the chosen swordsman of the light
cavalry, the man who slew the would-be
assassins of Napoleon. But he noticed my
bearing, and turned upon me like q
blight.
sis that the way to carry yourself on
secret mission" he Kissed, with that cold
glare in his eyes; "is il thus that you
will make your comrades believe that
nothing remarkable has occurred. Have
done with this nonsense monsieur
you will find yourself transferred to the
sappers, where you would have harder
work and duller plumage.
That was with the way the Emperor.
II ever he thought that any one might
have a claim upon him, he took the first
opportunity to show him the gulf that
lay between. l saluted and was silent,
but i must confess to you that IL hurt me
after all that had passed between us. He
led on TO the palace, where we passed
through the side door and up into his
own cabinet. There were a couple of
grenadiers at the staircase, and their eyes
gtarfad from ttndar THAR ft,r n
promise you, when they saw a young
Lieutenant of hussars going up to the
Emperor's room at midnight. j stood by
the door, as had done in the afternoon,
while he flung himself down in an arm
chair, and remained silent 80 long that il
seemed 10 me that he had forgotten all
about me. i ventured at last upon a
slight cough to remind him.
"Ah, Monsieur Gerard" Z" said he. "You
are very curious, no doubt, as to the
OF all this. F"
81 am quite content, sire II 1t is your
pleasure not to tell me-" answered.
"Ta, ia, ta," said he, impatiently.
"These are only words. The moment that
you were outside that door you would
begin making inquiries about what it all
means, In two days your brother officers
would know about IL, in three days il
would be all over Fontainebleau, and II
would be in Paris on the fourth. Now,
If / tell you enough to appease your curl
osity, there is some reasonable hope that
you may be able to keep the matter to
Yourself"
He did not understand me, this En-
peror, and yet could only bow and be
silent.
"a few words will make il clear to
you," said be, speaking very swiftly and
pacing up and down the room. "They
were Corsicans, these two men. / had