South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-01-07
CONTINUED from Tuesday,
CHAPTER XXXNIII.
The Might BEFORE


out in the dark, in the harbor Of
Boulogne. the ship Edinburgh Castle
lay rocking in the wind. Prince Louis
Bonaparte. who had chartered her.
and the handful Of his followers who
had sailed with him on her from
England had disembarked quietly at
twilight, and in small companies had
succeeded in entering the town and
the quarters of the officers who were,
n France. the nucleus and the hope
OF their attempt. In the rooms OF
Lieut.. AladeniZe, the host OF the
prince, a short council had been held
TO go oyer once more the plans which
had been discussed and settled by let
ter for weeks already. The work was
carefully arranged: there was almost
nothing 10 be changed, and the little
company OF men who were trying so
large a fate. scattered. with grave
faces. with quiet good nights TO the
prince who might tomorrow night be
their emperor. 10 the prince for whose
sake they might tomorrow night be
any or all ruined men or dead men.
Charles Thelin, his v1et for many
years, unpacked his highness' belong
1ngs buSily in Lieut. AladeniZe's bed
room the prince heard-subcOnsci
ousiy attentive TO small things-as the
servant moved about yet he stood
lost in his thoughts, as the last officer
left him. one hand lay on a table
Uttered with papers of the expedition;
the gray dull eyes were fixed yet on
the door that had shut out his friends.
There was no hint of wavering in the
poised mind; there was no shadow of
doubt OF his destiny. yet the man was
very human. and tonight great lOneli-
ness seized him. These good fellows
who were risking their lives and their
fortunes for him were devoted to him
without doubt, yet what did IL amount
to? That they hoped for advancement
through him, it would be absurd to
resent; one and all they believed that
he would be emperor; they knew
that he would be grateful: their for
tunes were made if tomorrow should
succeed. They had much fTiendliness
for him-he realized that under his
fathers tacitUrn manner he had his
mothers gift OF winning hearts and
that his followers loved HMM a
way. But what did it amount to
love of followers for a prince? He
lOnged tonight for something more
personal, and suddenly, with a pang,
he knew what he wanted-like the
hOmesick lad who had cried himself
to sleep at the Tuilleries twenty
years before, he wanted his mother.
The tie between Hortense and this
youngest anu uedIGSL SOn aHdu Uctll
close, and this was the first great
event of his eventful life in which her
clear mind and daring spirit had not
played its part. Before his attempt on
StTasburg, now three years ago, he
had prepared two letters, one in case
of success. one of failure, to be sent
off post haste TO the queen. i'll at Ar
enenberg; tonight there was no one to
write TO, no one TO whom his success
or failure meant more than TO himself
All that warmth and eager hopeful
ness which had outlasted danger and
exile and illness and age. had gone
from earth, and the body of Hortense
lay in the little church of Revil, near
MalTnaisOn. The emperor-tO-be drop
PED into a chair, his head fell and his
outstretched arms rustled amid the
plans OF Notifications, and the writing
under his cheek was wet. The weak
ness was only for a moment, and
quietly, as he did everything. the
prince pulled himself together. He
sat erect and listened. Thelin was
brushing clothes with energy in the
bedroom. and through another door
there came light sound OF paper
! turned, of a gay song sung softly.
And a glow suddenly warmed the
princes heart; here was some one
! who had known his mother, who had
been, indeed for a few days her son;
here was some one who cared for
him. he believed it. with q half-COn-
I Stunning flame of devotion. Since the
mans arrival from Virginia six weeks
( before. TO have him near himself had
been a pleasure To Louis BOnaparte
he seemed to bring back the freshness
of his early days. OF the young conf
dence when his star shOne for him,
distant. perhaps. but undimmed by the
black clouds which drove now across
/ il. He was a bit superstitious about
I Francois as we'll, with an idea, which
/ he spoke TO no one, that a pivotal
/ interest of his career rested in the
modest figure.
"Have care of that young man,
my prince" had said Gen. MonthOlon,
the old soldier. DO not trust him
| too far"
The princes faint smile cleaned