Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-06-15
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"Do?" The commandant suppressed
an imprecation. Push on to the up
per gates!"
"To the gates." cried the Marquis;
then wheeled quickly. "But you
Elise!"
"Never mind mel" she returned,
with steady lips and eyes.
There was no time for further
words; sharp order from the com.
mandant and the troopers spurred for.
ward toward the entrance in the wall
and those whose purpose it was to
oppose them.
What happened thereafter the girl
was but vaguely cognizant Of; reports
OF guns, flashing Of steel surrounded
her; the Gathering Of hoofs mingled
with the loud shouts of men.
1.-THE Bastile OF the North! Down
with it,"
This was their battle-cry; on every
side she heard it, though hardly real
izing the purport Of the words; con-
fused, she liscened to her fathers name
her own-bandied about. She won
dered why those on the wall, the sol
diers within, did not fire and repel all
these people.
Then almost at once came the an
sWer. The troopers comrades were
mixed in the melee without; she and
they, too-so adroitly had the moment
for striking been planned-might be
swept down in the volleys from the
ramparts. A cannon doomed above;,
but its deafening reverberations were
answered only with laughter and jeers
Mon dieu! Did his EXcellency
think to brighten them with sound, as
il they were timid children fleeing
from thunder? Was his EXceilency
aiming at stars?"
And again that cry: "The Bastile Of
the North! We. too. will take our
Bastile. "-dominated the clashing Of
arms and the tumult of strife.
For what seemed an interminable
period, the Governors daughter saw,
through flashes Of light. men strug-
Cling, striking; then launched sudden
ly forward, by An irresistible move
ment Of the horses. found herself with
in the gates. The Marquis who had
early been separated from her in the
strife, was nowhere in sight. Behind
now sounded the fray; a short dis
lance from the wall. and she looked
back; fercer than ever, soldiers and
people contended within the entrance;
beneath the portals. AS SHE strove 70
restrain her horse she heard the voice
Of her father.
"Nfon pere! Mon PEREZ" sho cried
eagerly, divining his face in the light
Of lamps on that side Of the wall. He
answered only with a laconic command
to 60 at once to the palace; and re
garding his features. tragically appeal
ing to her at the moment-so strange
and different they seemed!-she pre-
pared to obey. But ere turning: "fou
think the soldiers can hold the gate?'
she asked.
Yes; yes!" he replied sharply, 81
II annoyed at the question.
But if"
There is no if" said the Cover
nor, and as the girl rode away, his
look. hard, steely. shifting to The sol.
diers, made Quicl; mental note: they
We're holding the gates. Satisfied with
the front his men presented. and, de-
liyering few brief orders 10 tho
commandment whose valoi in rallying
his forces had been commemorate. his
EXcellency walked toward The great
stairway leading up TO the open space
near the church. Arrived at this high
point from which the town urfolded
itself in the starlight and flicker Of
lamps, he sought. as best he might,
10 acquaint himself further with the
situation; to judge the numbers Of the
assailants and the extent of their prep
arations.
The scene that met his eyes was not
SO reassuring as he had expected; that
which until now he had considered but
a spasmodic outbreak Of compare
lively few townspeople. excited by the
news OIL the DUSlllS duQ UeiiL ou any
petty mischief, resolved itself into
more than an orderless, desultory up
rising. To his startled gaze the rock.
like an ant.hill disturbed, seemed
swarmine with life. Even as he peered
down, new relays of men poured up
ward from the dark byways TO the re-
Enforcement of those already gathered
at the portals, and, for the first time,
his confidence, bred of contempt for
the commonalty, became slightly shak-
en-. Fate, which had struck him
sharply in the capture Of his daugh-
ter and the enforced negotiations lead
Ing to the release OF one he would
have dealt with after his own fashion
now gripped him closer. What did
1t portend? Whence came all these
people?
Not all of them from the immediate
na!ghborhood! Voices, among the as.
sailants. had called out in what was
surely the Partisan dialect Of the
rabble; here to propagate the revolu'
ton; extend the circle Of flame! And