The French army lay before a fortified1 place near the Rhine, whichwe will call Philipsburg.
This army knew Bonaparte by report only; it was commanded bygenerals of the old school.
Philipsburg was defended on three sides by the nature of the ground;but on the side that faced the French line of march there was only azigzag wall, pierced, and a low tower or two at each of the salientangles.
There were evidences of a tardy2 attempt to improve the defences. Inparticular there was a large round bastion, about three times theheight of the wall; but the masonry3 was new, and the very embrasureswere not yet cut.
Young blood was for assaulting these equivocal fortifications at theend of the day's march that brought the French advanced guard insight of the place; but the old generals would not hear of it; thesoldiers' lives must not be flung away assaulting a place that couldbe reduced in twenty-one days with mathematical certainty. For atthis epoch4 a siege was looked on as a process with a certain result,the only problem was in how many days would the place be taken; andeven this they used to settle to a day or two on paper byarithmetic; so many feet of wall, and so many guns on the one side;so many guns, so many men, and such and such a soil to cut thetrenches in on the other: result, two figures varying from fourteento forty. These two figures represented the duration of the siege.
For all that, siege arithmetic, right in general, has often beenterribly disturbed by one little incident, that occurs from time totime; viz., Genius INside. And, indeed, this is one of the sins ofgenius; it goes and puts out calculations that have stood the bruntof years. Archimedes and Todleben were, no doubt, clever men intheir way and good citizens, yet one characteristic of delicatemen's minds they lacked--veneration; they showed a sad disrespectfor the wisdom of the ancients, deranged7 the calculations which somuch learning and patient thought had hallowed, disturbed the mindsof white-haired veterans, took sieges out of the grasp of science,and plunged8 them back into the field of wild conjecture9.
Our generals then sat down at fourteen hundred yards' distance, andplanned the trenches5 artistically10, and directed them to be cut atartful angles, and so creep nearer and nearer the devoted11 town.
Then the Prussians, whose hearts had been in their shoes at firstsight of the French shakos, plucked up, and turned not the garrisononly but the population of the town into engineers and masons.
Their fortifications grew almost as fast as the French trenches.
The first day of the siege, a young but distinguished12 brigadier inthe French army rode to the quarters of General Raimbaut, whocommanded his division, and was his personal friend, andrespectfully but firmly entreated13 the general to represent to thecommander-in-chief the propriety14 of assaulting that new bastionbefore it should become dangerous. "My brigade shall carry it infifteen minutes, general," said he.
"What! cross all that open under fire? One-half your brigade wouldnever reach the bastion.""But the other half would take it.""That is not so certain."General Raimbaut refused to forward the young colonel's proposal toheadquarters. "I will not subject you to TWO refusals in onematter," said he, kindly15.
The young colonel lingered. He said, respectfully, "One question,general, when that bastion cuts its teeth will it be any easier totake than now?""Certainly; it will always be easier to take it from the sap than tocross the open under fire to it, and take it. Come, colonel, toyour trenches; and if your friend should cut its teeth, you shallhave a battery in your attack that will set its teeth on edge. Ha!
ha!"The young colonel did not echo his chief's humor; he salutedgravely, and returned to the trenches.
The next morning three fresh tiers of embrasures grinned one aboveanother at the besiegers. The besieged18 had been up all night, andnot idle. In half these apertures19 black muzzles21 showed themselves.
The bastion had cut its front teeth.
Thirteenth day of the siege.
The trenches were within four hundred yards of the enemy's guns, andit was hot work in them. The enemy had three tiers of guns in theround bastion, and on the top they had got a long 48-pounder, whichthey worked with a swivel joint22, or the like, and threw a greatroaring shot into any part of the French lines.
As to the commander-in-chief and his generals, they were dottedabout a long way in the rear, and no shot came as far as them; butin the trenches the men began now to fall fast, especially on theleft attack, which faced the round bastion. Our young colonel hadgot his heavy battery, and every now and then he would divert thegeneral efforts of the bastion, and compel it to concentrate itsattention on him, by pounding away at it till it was all in soreplaces. But he meant it worse mischief23 than that. Still, asheretofore, regarding it as the key to Philipsburg, he had got alarge force of engineers at work driving a mine towards it, and tothis he trusted more than to breaching24 it; for the bigger holes hemade in it by day were all stopped at night by the townspeople.
This colonel was not a favorite in the division to which his brigadebelonged. He was a good soldier, but a dull companion. He was alsoaccused of hauteur25 and of an unsoldierly reserve with his brotherofficers.
Some loose-tongued ones even called him a milk-sop, because he wasconstantly seen conversing26 with the priest--he who had nothing tosay to an honest soldier.
Others said, "No, hang it, he is not a milk-sop: he is a triedsoldier: he is a sulky beggar all the same." Those under hisimmediate command were divided in opinion about him. There wassomething about him they could not understand. Why was his sallowface so stern, so sad? and why with all that was his voice sogentle? somehow the few words that did fall from his mouth wereprized. One old soldier used to say, "I would rather have a wordfrom our brigadier than from the commander-in-chief." Othersthought he must at some part of his career have pillaged27 a church,taken the altar-piece, and sold it to a picture-dealer in Paris, orwhipped the earrings28 out of the Madonna's ears, or admitted thefemale enemy to quarter upon ungenerous conditions: this, or somesuch crime to which we poor soldiers are liable: and now wascommitting the mistake of remording himself about it. "Alwaysalongside the chaplain, you see!"This cold and silent man had won the heart of the most talkativesergeant in the French army. Sergeant29 La Croix protested with manyoaths that all the best generals of the day had commanded him inturn, and that his present colonel was the first that had succeededin inspiring him with unlimited30 confidence. "He knows every pointof war--this one," said La Croix, "I heard him beg and pray forleave to storm this thundering bastion before it was armed: but no,the old muffs would be wiser than our colonel. So now here we arekept at bay by a place that Julius Caesar and Cannibal wouldn't havemade two bites at apiece; no more would I if I was the old boy outthere behind the hill." In such terms do sergeants31 denotecommanders-in-chief--at a distance. A voluble sergeant has moreinfluence with the men than the minister of war is perhaps aware: onthe whole, the 24th brigade would have followed its gloomy colonelto grim death and a foot farther. One thing gave these men a touchof superstitious32 reverence33 for their commander. He seemed to themfree from physical weakness. He never SAT DOWN to dinner, andseemed never to sleep. At no hour of the day or night were thesentries safe from his visits.
Very annoying. But, after awhile, it led to keen watchfulness35: themore so that the sad and gloomy colonel showed by his manner heappreciated it. Indeed, one night he even opened his marble jaws,and told Sergeant La Croix that a watchful34 sentry36 was an importantsoldier, not to his brigade only, but to the whole army. Judgewhether the maxim37 and the implied encomium38 did not circulate nextmorning, with additions.
Sixteenth day of the siege. The round bastion opened fire at eighto'clock, not on the opposing battery, but on the right of the Frenchattack. Its advanced position enabled a portion of its guns to rakethese trenches slant-wise: and depressing its guns it made the roundshot strike the ground first and ricochet over.
On this our colonel opened on them with all his guns: one of thesehe served himself. Among his other warlike accomplishments39, he wasa wonderful shot with a cannon40. He showed them capital practicethis morning: drove two embrasures into one, and knocked about a tonof masonry off the parapet. Then taking advantage of this, heserved two of his guns with grape, and swept the enemy off the topof the bastion, and kept it clear. He made it so hot they could notwork the upper guns. Then they turned the other two tiers all uponhim, and at it both sides went ding, dong, till the guns were toohot to be worked. So then Sergeant La Croix popped his head up fromthe battery, and showed the enemy a great white plate. This wasmeant to convey to them an invitation to dine with the French army:
the other side of the table of course.
To the credit of Prussian intelligence be it recorded, that thispantomimic hint was at once taken and both sides went to dinner.
The fighting colonel, however, remained in the battery, and kept adetachment of his gunners employed cooling the guns and repairingthe touch-holes. He ordered his two cutlets and his glass of waterinto the battery.
Meantime, the enemy fired a single gun at long intervals41, as much asto say, "We had the last word."Let trenches be cut ever so artfully, there will be a little spaceexposed here and there at the angles. These spaces the men areordered to avoid, or whip quickly across them into cover.
Now the enemy had just got the range of one of these places withtheir solitary42 gun, and had already dropped a couple of shot righton to it. A camp follower43 with a tray, two cutlets, and a glass ofwater, came to this open space just as a puff44 of white smoke burstfrom the bastion. Instead of instantly seeking shelter till theshot had struck, he, in his inexperience, thought the shot must havestruck, and all danger be over. He stayed there mooning instead ofpelting under cover: the shot (eighteen-pound) struck him right onthe breast, knocked him into spilikins, and sent the mutton cutletsflying.
The human fragments lay quiet, ten yards off. But a soldier thatwas eating his dinner kicked it over, and jumped up at the side of"Death's Alley46" (as it was christened next minute), and danced andyelled with pain.
"Haw! haw! haw!" roared a soldier from the other side of the alley.
"What is that?" cried Sergeant La Croix. "What do you laugh at,Private Cadel?" said he sternly, for, though he was too far in thetrench to see, he had heard that horrible sound a soldier knows fromevery other, the "thud" of a round shot striking man or horse.
"Sergeant," said Cadel, respectfully, "I laugh to see Private Dard,that got the wind of the shot, dance and sing, when the man that gotthe shot itself does not say a word.""The wind of the shot, you rascal47!" roared Private Dard: "lookhere!" and he showed the blood running down his face.
The shot had actually driven a splinter of bone out of the sutlerinto Dard's temple.
"I am the unluckiest fellow in the army," remonstrated48 Dard: and hestamped in a circle.
"Seems to me you are only the second unluckiest this time," said ayoung soldier with his mouth full; and, with a certain dry humor, hepointed vaguely50 over his shoulder with the fork towards the corpse52.
The trenches laughed and assented53.
This want of sympathy and justice irritated Dard. "You cursedfools!" cried he. "He is gone where we must all go--without anytrouble. But look at me. I am always getting barked. Dogs ofPrussians! they pick me out among a thousand. I shall have aheadache all the afternoon, you see else."Some of our heads would never have ached again: but Dard had a goodthick skull55.
Dard pulled out his spilikin savagely56.
"I'll wrap it up in paper for Jacintha," said he. "Then that willlearn her what a poor soldier has to go through."Even this consolation57 was denied Private Dard.
Corporal Coriolanus Gand, a bit of an infidel from Lyons, whosometimes amused himself with the Breton's superstition58, told himwith a grave face, that the splinter belonged not to him, but to thesutler, and, though so small, was doubtless a necessary part of hisframe.
"If you keep that, it will be a bone of contention59 between you two,"said he; "especially at midnight. HE WILL BE ALWAYS COMING BACK TOYOU FOR IT.""There, take it away!" said the Breton hastily, "and bury it withthe poor fellow."Sergeant La Croix presented himself before the colonel with a ruefulface and saluted16 him and said, "Colonel, I beg a thousand pardons;your dinner has been spilt--a shot from the bastion.""No matter," said the colonel. "Give me a piece of bread instead."La Croix went for it himself, and on his return found Cadel sittingon one side of Death's Alley, and Dard with his head bound up on theother. They had got a bottle which each put up in turn wherever hefancied the next round shot would strike, and they were bettingtheir afternoon rations60 which would get the Prussians to hit thebottle first.
La Croix pulled both their ears playfully.
"Time is up for playing marbles," said he. "Be off, and play atduty," and he bundled them into the battery.
It was an hour past midnight: a cloudy night. The moon was up, butseen only by fitful gleams. A calm, peaceful silence reigned61.
Dard was sentinel in the battery.
An officer going his rounds found the said sentinel flat instead ofvertical. He stirred him with his scabbard, and up jumped Dard.
"It's all right, sergeant. O Lord! it's the colonel. I wasn'tasleep, colonel.""I have not accused you. But you will explain what you were doing.""Colonel," said Dard, all in a flutter, "I was taking a squint62 atthem, because I saw something. The beggars are building a wall,now.""Where?""Between us and the bastion.""Show me.""I can't, colonel; the moon has gone in; but I did see it.""How long was it?""About a hundred yards.""How high?""Colonel, it was ten feet high if it was an inch.""Have you good sight?""La! colonel, wasn't I a bit of a poacher before I took to thebayonet?""Good! Now reflect. If you persist in this statement, I turn outthe brigade on your information.""I'll stand the fire of a corporal's guard at break of day if I makea mistake now," said Dard.
The colonel glided64 away, called his captain and first lieutenants65,and said two words in each ear, that made them spring off theirbacks.
Dard, marching to an fro, musket67 on shoulder, found himself suddenlysurrounded by grim, silent, but deadly eager soldiers, that camepouring like bees into the open space behind the battery. Theofficers came round the colonel.
"Attend to two things," said he to the captains. "Don't fire tillthey are within ten yards: and don't follow them unless I lead you."The men were then told off by companies, some to the battery, someto the trenches, some were kept on each side Death's Alley, readyfor a rush.
They were not all of them in position, when those behind the parapetsaw, as it were, something deepen the gloom of night, some fourscoreyards to the front: it was like a line of black ink suddenly drawnupon a sheet covered with Indian ink.
It seems quite stationary68. The novices69 wondered what it was. Theveterans muttered--"Three deep."Though it looked stationary, it got blacker and blacker. Thesoldiers of the 24th brigade griped their muskets70 hard, and settheir teeth, and the sergeants had much ado to keep them quiet.
All of a sudden, a loud yell on the right of the brigade, two orthree single shots from the trenches in that direction, followed bya volley, the cries of wounded men, and the fierce hurrahs of anattacking party.
Our colonel knew too well those sounds: the next parallel had beensurprised, and the Prussian bayonet was now silently at work.
Disguise was now impossible. At the first shot, a guttural voice infront of Dujardin's men was heard to give a word of command. Therewas a sharp rattle71 and in a moment the thick black line was tippedwith glittering steel.
A roar and a rush, and the Prussian line three deep came furiouslylike a huge steel-pointed wave, at the French lines. A tremendouswave of fire rushed out to meet that wave of steel: a crash of twohundred muskets, and all was still. Then you could see through theblack steel-tipped line in a hundred frightful72 gaps, and the groundsparkled with bayonets and the air rang with the cries of thewounded.
A tremendous cheer from the brigade, and the colonel charged at thehead of his column, out by Death's Alley.
The broken wall was melting away into the night. The colonelwheeled his men to the right: one company, led by the impetuousyoung Captain Jullien, followed the flying enemy.
The other attack had been only too successful. They shot thesentries, and bayoneted many of the soldiers in their tents: othersescaped by running to the rear, and some into the next parallel.
Several, half dressed, snatched up their muskets, killed onePrussian, and fell riddled73 like sieves74.
A gallant75 officer got a company together into the place of arms andformed in line.
Half the Prussian force went at them, the rest swept the trenches:
the French company delivered a deadly volley, and the next momentclash the two forces crossed bayonets, and a silent deadly stabbingmatch was played: the final result of which was inevitable76. ThePrussians were five to one. The gallant officer and the poorfellows who did their duty so stoutly77, had no thought left but todie hard, when suddenly a roaring cheer seemed to come from the rearrank of the enemy. "France! France!" Half the 24th brigade cameleaping and swarming78 over the trenches in the Prussian rear. ThePrussians wavered. "France!" cried the little party that were beingoverpowered, and charged in their turn with such fury that in twoseconds the two French corps51 went through the enemy's centre likepaper, and their very bayonets clashed together in more than onePrussian body.
Broken thus in two fragments the Prussian corps ceased to exist as amilitary force. The men fled each his own way back to the fort, andmany flung away their muskets, for French soldiers were swarming infrom all quarters. At this moment, bang! bang! bang! from thebastion.
"They are firing on my brigade," said our colonel. "Who has led hiscompany there against my orders? Captain Neville, into the battery,and fire twenty rounds at the bastion! Aim at the flashes fromtheir middle tier.""Yes, colonel."The battery opened with all its guns on the bastion. The rightattack followed suit. The town answered, and a furious cannonaderoared and blazed all down both lines till daybreak. Hell seemedbroken loose.
Captain Jullien had followed the flying foe80: but could not come upwith them: and, as the enemy had prepared for every contingency81, thefatal bastion, after first throwing a rocket or two to discovertheir position, poured showers of grape into them, killed many, andwould have killed more but that Captain Neville and his gunnershappened by mere82 accident to dismount one gun and to kill a coupleof gunners at the others. This gave the remains83 of the company timeto disperse84 and run back. When the men were mustered85, CaptainJullien and twenty-five of his company did not answer to theirnames. At daybreak they were visible from the trenches lying all bythemselves within eighty yards of the bastion.
A flag of truce86 came from the fort: the dead were removed on bothsides and buried. Some Prussian officers strolled into the Frenchlines. Civilities and cigars exchanged: "Bon jour," "Gooten daeg:"then at it again, ding dong all down the line blazing and roaring.
At twelve o'clock the besieged had got a man on horseback, on top ofa hill, with colored flags in his hand, making signals.
"What are you up to now?" inquired Dard.
"You will see," said La Croix, affecting mystery; he knew no morethan the other.
Presently off went Long Tom on the top of the bastion, and the shotcame roaring over the heads of the speakers.
The flags were changed, and off went Long Tom again at an elevation87.
Ten seconds had scarcely elapsed when a tremendous explosion tookplace on the French right. Long Tom was throwing red-hot shot; onehad fallen on a powder wagon88, and blown it to pieces, and killed twopoor fellows and a horse, and turned an artillery89 man at somedistance into a seeming nigger, but did him no great harm; only tookhim three days to get the powder out of his clothes with pipe clay,and off his face with raw potato-peel.
When the tumbril exploded, the Prussians could be heard to cheer,and they turned to and fired every iron spout90 they owned. Long Tomworked all day.
They got into a corner where the guns of the battery could not hitthem or him, and there was his long muzzle20 looking towards the sky,and sending half a hundredweight of iron up into the clouds, andplunging down a mile off into the French lines.
And, at every shot, the man on horseback made signals to let thegunners know where the shot fell.
At last, about four in the afternoon, they threw a forty-eight-poundshot slap into the commander-in-chief's tent, a mile and a halfbehind trenches.
Down comes a glittering aide-de-camp as hard as he can gallop91.
"Colonel Dujardin, what are you about, sir? YOUR BASTION has throwna round shot into the commander-in-chief's tent."The colonel did not appear so staggered as the aide-de-campexpected.
"Ah, indeed!" said he quietly. "I observed they were tryingdistances.""Must not happen again, colonel. You must drive them from the gun.""How?""Why, where is the difficulty?""If you will do me the honor to step into the battery, I will showyou," said the colonel.
"If you please," said the aide-de-camp stiffly.
Colonel Dujardin took him to the parapet, and began, in a calm,painstaking way, to show him how and why none of his guns could bebrought to bear upon Long Tom.
In the middle of the explanation a melodious92 sound was heard in theair above them, like a swarm79 of Brobdingnag bees.
"What is that?" inquired the aide-de-camp.
"What? I see nothing.""That humming noise.""Oh, that? Prussian bullets. Ah, by-the-by, it is a compliment toyour uniform, monsieur; they take you for some one of importance.
Well, as I was observing"--"Your explanation is sufficient, colonel; let us get out of this.
Ha, ha! you are a cool hand, colonel, I must say. But your batteryis a warm place enough: I shall report it so at headquarters."The grim colonel relaxed.
"Captain," said he politely, "you shall not have ridden to my postin vain. Will you lend me your horse for ten minutes?""Certainly; and I will inspect your trenches meantime.""Do so; oblige me by avoiding that angle; it is exposed, and theenemy have got the range to an inch."Colonel Dujardin slipped into his quarters; off with his half-dressjacket and his dirty boots, and presently out he came full fig,glittering brighter than the other, with one French and two foreignorders shining on his breast, mounted the aide-de-camp's horse, andaway full pelt45.
Admitted, after some delay, into the generalissimo's tent, Dujardinfound the old gentleman surrounded by his staff and wroth: nor wasthe danger to which he had been exposed his sole cause of ire.
The shot had burst through his canvas, struck a table on which was alarge inkstand, and had squirted the whole contents over thedespatches he was writing for Paris.
Now this old gentleman prided himself upon the neatness of hisdespatches: a blot93 on his paper darkened his soul.
Colonel Dujardin expressed his profound regret. The commander,however, continued to remonstrate49. "I have a great deal of writingto do," said he, "as you must be aware; and, when I am writing, Iexpect to be quiet."Colonel Dujardin assented respectfully to the justice of this. Hethen explained at full length why he could not bring a gun in thebattery to silence "Long Tom," and quietly asked to be permitted torun a gun out of the trenches, and take a shot at the offender94.
"It is a point-blank distance, and I have a new gun, with which aman ought to be able to hit his own ball at three hundred yards."The commander hesitated.
"I cannot have the men exposed.""I engage not to lose a man--except him who fires the gun. HE musttake his chance.""Well, colonel, it must be done by volunteers. The men must not beORDERED out on such a service as that."Colonel Dujardin bowed, and retired95.
"Volunteers to go out of the trenches!" cried Sergeant La Croix, ina stentorian96 voice, standing97 erect98 as a poker99, and swelling100 withimportance.
There were fifty offers in less than as many seconds.
"Only twelve allowed to go," said the sergeant; "and I am one,"added he, adroitly101 inserting himself.
A gun was taken down, placed on a carriage, and posted near Death'sAlley, but out of the line of fire.
The colonel himself superintended the loading of this gun; and tothe surprise of the men had the shot weighed first, and then weighedout the powder himself.
He then waited quietly a long time till the bastion pitched one ofits periodical shots into Death's Alley, but no sooner had the shotstruck, and sent the sand flying past the two lanes of curiousnoses, than Colonel Dujardin jumped upon the gun and waved hiscocked hat. At this preconcerted signal, his battery opened fire onthe bastion, and the battery to his right opened on the wall thatfronted them; and the colonel gave the word to run the gun out ofthe trenches. They ran it out into the cloud of smoke their ownguns were belching102 forth103, unseen by the enemy; but they had nosooner twisted it into the line of Long Tom, than the smoke wasgone, and there they were, a fair mark.
"Back into the trenches, all but one!" roared Dujardin.
And in they ran like rabbits.
"Quick! the elevation."Colonel Dujardin and La Croix raised the muzzle to the mark--hoo,hoo, hoo! ping, ping, ping! came the bullets about their ears.
"Away with you!" cried the colonel, taking the linstock from him.
Then Colonel Dujardin, fifteen yards from the trenches, in fullblazing uniform, showed two armies what one intrepid104 soldier can do.
He kneeled down and adjusted his gun, just as he would have done ina practising ground. He had a pot shot to take, and a pot shot hewould take. He ignored three hundred muskets that were levelled athim. He looked along his gun, adjusted it, and re-adjusted it to ahair's breadth. The enemy's bullets pattered upon it: still headjusted it delicately. His men were groaning105 and tearing theirhair inside at his danger.
At last it was levelled to his mind, and then his movements were asquick as they had hitherto been slow. In a moment he stood erect inthe half-fencing attitude of a gunner, and his linstock at thetouch-hole: a huge tongue of flame, a volume of smoke, a roar, andthe iron thunderbolt was on its way, and the colonel walkedhaughtily but rapidly back to the trenches; for in all this nobravado. He was there to make a shot; not to throw a chance of lifeaway watching the effect.
Ten thousand eyes did that for him.
Both French and Prussians risked their own lives craning out to seewhat a colonel in full uniform was doing under fire from a wholeline of forts, and what would be his fate; but when he fired the guntheir curiosity left the man and followed the iron thunderbolt.
For two seconds all was uncertain; the ball was travelling.
Tom gave a rear like a wild horse, his protruding106 muzzle went upsky-high, then was seen no more, and a ring of old iron and aclatter of fragments was heard on the top of the bastion. Long Tomwas dismounted. Oh! the roar of laughter and triumph from one endto another of the trenches; and the clapping of forty thousand handsthat went on for full five minutes; then the Prussians, eitherthrough a burst of generous praise for an act so chivalrous107 and sobrilliant, or because they would not be crowed over, clapped theirtea thousand hands as loudly, and thus thundering, heart-thrillingsalvo of applause answered salvo on both sides that terrible arena108.
That evening came a courteous109 and flattering message from thecommander-in-chief to Colonel Dujardin; and several officers visitedhis quarters to look at him; they went back disappointed. The crywas, "What a miserable110, melancholy111 dog! I expected to see a fine,dashing fellow."The trenches neared the town. Colonel Dujardin's mine was faradvanced; the end of the chamber112 was within a few yards of thebastion. Of late, the colonel had often visited this mine inperson. He seemed a little uneasy about something in that quarter;but no one knew what: he was a silent man. The third evening, afterhe dismounted Long Tom, he received private notice that an order wascoming down from the commander-in-chief to assault the bastion. Heshrugged his shoulders, but said nothing. That same night thecolonel and one of his lieutenants stole out of the trenches, and bythe help of a pitch-dark, windy night, got under the bastionunperceived, and crept round it, and made their observations, andgot safe back. About noon down came General Raimbaut.
"Well, colonel, you are to have your way at last. Your bastion isto be stormed this afternoon previous to the general assault. Why,how is this? you don't seem enchanted113?""I am not.""Why, it was you who pressed for the assault.""At the right time, general, not the wrong. In five days Iundertake to blow that bastion into the air. To assault it nowwould be to waste our men."General Raimbaut thought this excess of caution a great piece ofperversity in Achilles. They were alone, and he said a littlepeevishly,--"Is not this to blow hot and cold on the same thing?""No, general," was the calm reply. "Not on the same thing. I blewhot upon timorous114 counsels; I blow cold on rash ones. General, lastnight Lieutenant66 Fleming and I were under that bastion; and allround it.""Ah! my prudent115 colonel, I thought we should not talk long withoutyour coming out in your true light. If ever a man secretly enjoyedrisking his life, it is you.""No, general," said Dujardin looking gloomily down; "I enjoy neitherthat nor anything else. Live or die, it is all one to me; but tothe lives of my soldiers I am not indifferent, and never will bewhile I live. My apparent rashness of last night was pureprudence."Raimbaut's eye twinkled with suppressed irony116. "No doubt!" said he;"no doubt!"The impassive colonel would not notice the other's irony; he wentcalmly on:--"I suspected something; I went to confute, or confirm thatsuspicion. I confirmed it."Rat! tat! tat! tat! tat! tat! tat! was heard a drum. Relievingguard in the mine.
Colonel Dujardin interrupted himself.
"That comes apropos," said he. "I expect one proof more from thatquarter. Sergeant, send me the sentinel they are relieving."Sergeant La Croix soon came back, as pompous117 as a hen with onechick, predominating with a grand military air over a droll118 figurethat chattered119 with cold, and held its musket in hands clothed ingreat mittens120. Dard.
La Croix marched him up as if he had been a file; halted him like afile, sang out to him as to a file, stentorian and unintelligible,after the manner of sergeants.
"Private No. 4."DARD. P-p-p-present!
LA CROIX. Advance to the word of command, and speak to the colonel.
The shivering figure became an upright statue directly, and carriedone of his mittens to his forehead. Then, suddenly recognizing therank of the gray-haired officer, he was morally shaken, but remainedphysically erect, and stammered,--"Colonel!--general!--colonel!""Don't be frightened, my lad. But look at the general and answerme.""Yes! general! colonel!" and he levelled his eye dead at thegeneral, as he would a bayonet at a foe, being so commanded.
"Now answer in as few syllables121 as you can.""Yes! general--colonel.""You have been on guard in the mine.""Yes, general.""What did you see there?""Nothing; it was night down there.""What did you feel?""Cold! I--was--in--water--hugh!""Did you hear nothing, then?""Yes.""What?""Bum122! bum! bum!""Are you sure you did not hear particles of earth fall at the end ofthe trench6?""I think it did, and this (touching his musket) sounded of its ownaccord.""Good! you have answered well; go.""Sergeant, I did not miss a word," cried Dard, exulting123. He thoughthe had passed a sort of military college examination. The sergeantwas awe124-struck and disgusted at his familiarity, speaking to himbefore the great: he pushed Private Dard hastily out of thepresence, and bundled him into the trenches.
"Are you countermined, then?" asked General Raimbaut.
"I think not, general; but the whole bastion is. And we found ithad been opened in the rear, and lately half a dozen broad roads cutthrough the masonry.""To let in re-enforcements?""Or to let the men run out in ease of an assault. I have seen fromthe first an able hand behind that part of the defences. If weassault the bastion, they will pick off as many of us as they canwith their muskets then they will run for it, and fire a train, andblow it and us into the air.""Colonel, this is serious. Are you prepared to lay this statementbefore the commander-in-chief?""I am, and I do so through you, the general of my division. I evenbeg you to say, as from me, that the assault will be mere suicide--bloody125 and useless."General Raimbaut went off to headquarters in some haste, a thoroughconvert to Colonel Dujardin's opinion. Meantime the colonel wentslowly to his tent. At the mouth of it a corporal, who was also hisbody-servant, met him, saluted, and asked respectfully if there wereany orders.
"A few minutes' repose126, Francois, that is all. Do not let me bedisturbed for an hour.""Attention!" cried Francois. "Colonel wants to sleep."The tent was sentinelled, and Dujardin was alone with the past.
Then had the fools, that took (as fools will do) deep sorrow forsullenness, seen the fiery127 soldier droop128, and his wan54 face fall intohaggard lines, and his martial129 figure shrink, and heard his stoutheart sigh! He took a letter from his bosom130: it was almost worn topieces. He had read it a thousand times, yet he read it again. Apart of the sweet sad words ran thus:--"We must bow. We can never be happy together on earth; let us makeHeaven our friend. This is still left us,--not to blush for ourlove; to do our duty, and to die.""How tender, but how firm," thought Camille. "I might agitate,taunt, grieve her I love, but I could not shake her. No! God andthe saints to my aid! they saved me from a crime I now shudder131 at.
And they have given me the good chaplain: he prays with me, he weepsfor me. His prayers still my beating heart. Yes, poor sufferingangel! I read your will in these tender, but bitter, words: youprefer duty to love. And one day you will forget me; not yetawhile, but it will be so. It wounds me when I think of it, but Imust bow. Your will is sacred. I must rise to your level, not dragyou to mine."Then the soldier that had stood between two armies in a hail ofbullets, and fired a master-shot, took a little book of offices inone hand,--the chaplain had given it him,--and fixed132 his eyes uponthe pious133 words, and clung like a child to the pious words, andkissed his lost wife's letter, and tried hard to be like her heloved: patient, very patient, till the end should come.
"Qui vive?" cried the sentinel outside to a strange officer.
"France," was his reply. He then asked the sentinel, "Where is thecolonel commanding the brigade?"The sentinel lowered his voice, "Asleep, my officer," said he; forthe new-comer carried two epaulets.
"Wake him," said the officer in a tone of a man used to command on alarge scale.
Dujardin heard, and did not choose a stranger should think he wasasleep in broad day. He came hastily out of the tent, therefore,with Josephine's letter in his hand, and, in the very act ofconveying it to his bosom, found himself face to face with--herhusband.
Did you ever see two duellists cross rapiers?
How unlike a theatrical135 duel134! How smooth and quiet the brightblades are! they glide63 into contact. They are polished andslippery, yet they hold each other. So these two men's eyes met,and fastened: neither spoke136: each searched the other's face keenly.
Raynal's countenance137, prepared as he was for this meeting, was likea stern statue's. The other's face flushed, and his heart raged andsickened at sight of the man, that, once his comrade and benefactor,was now possessor of the woman he loved. But the figures of bothstood alike haughty138, erect, and immovable, face to face.
Colonel Raynal saluted Colonel Dujardin ceremoniously. ColonelDujardin returned the salute17 in the same style.
"You thought I was in Egypt," said Raynal with grim significancethat caught Dujardin's attention, though he did not know quite howto interpret it.
He answered mechanically, "Yes, I did.""I am sent here by General Bonaparte to take a command," explainedRaynal.
"You are welcome. What command?""Yours.""Mine?" cried Dujardin, his forehead flushing with mortification139 andanger. "What, is it not enough that you take my"-- He stoppedthen.
"Come, colonel," said the other calmly, "do not be unjust to an oldcomrade. I take your demi-brigade; but you are promoted toRaimbaut's brigade. The exchange is to be made to-morrow.""Was it then to announce to me my promotion140 you came to myquarters?" and Camille looked with a strange mixture of feelings athis old comrade.
"That was the first thing, being duty, you know.""What? have you anything else to say to me, then?""I have.""Is it important? for my own duties will soon demand me.""It is so important that, command or no command, I should have comefurther than the Rhine to say it to you."Let a man be as bold as a lion, a certain awe still waits upon doubtand mystery; and some of this vague awe crept over Camille Dujardinat Raynal's mysterious speech, and his grave, quiet, significantmanner.
Had he discovered something, and what? For Josephine's sake, morethan his own, Camille was on his guard directly.
Raynal looked at him in silence a moment.
"What?" said he with a slight sneer141, "has it never occurred to youthat I MUST have a serious word to say to you? First, let me putyou a question: did they treat you well at my house? at the chateaude Beaurepaire?""Yes," faltered142 Camille.
"You met, I trust, all the kindness and care due to a woundedsoldier and an officer of merit. It would annoy me greatly if Ithought you were not treated like a brother in my house."Colonel Dujardin writhed143 inwardly at this view of matters. He couldnot reply in few words. This made him hesitate.
His inquisitor waited, but, receiving no reply, went on, "Well,colonel, have you shown the sense of gratitude144 we had a right tolook for in return? In a word, when you left Beaurepaire, had yourconscience nothing to reproach you with?"Dujardin still hesitated. He scarcely knew what to think or what tosay. But he thought to himself, "Who has told him? does he knowall?""Colonel Dujardin, I am the husband of Josephine, the son of Madamede Beaurepaire, and the brother of Rose. You know very well whatbrings me here. Your answer?""Colonel Raynal, between men of honor, placed as you and I are, fewwords should pass, for words are idle. You will never prove to methat I have wronged you: I shall never convince you that I have not.
Let us therefore close this painful interview in the way it is sureto close. I am at your service, at any hour and place you please.""And pray is that all the answer you can think of?" asked Raynalsomewhat scornfully.
"Why, what other answer can I give you?""A more sensible, a more honest, and a less boyish one. Who doubtsthat you can fight, you silly fellow? haven't I seen you? I wantyou to show me a much higher sort of courage: the courage to repaira wrong, not the paltry145 valor146 to defend one.""I really do not understand you, sir. How can I undo147 what is done?""Why, of course you cannot. And therefore I stand here ready toforgive all that is past; not without a struggle, which you don'tseem to appreciate."Camille was now utterly148 mystified. Raynal continued, "But of courseit is upon condition that you consent to heal the wound you havemade. If you refuse--hum! but you will not refuse.""But what is it you require of me?" inquired Camille impatiently.
"Only a little common honesty. This is the case: you have seduced149 ayoung lady.""Sir!" cried Camille angrily.
"What is the matter? The word is not so bad as the crime, I takeit. You have seduced her, and under circumstances-- But we won'tspeak of them, because I am resolved to keep cool. Well, sir, asyou said just now, it's no use crying over spilled milk; you can'tunseduce the little fool; so you must marry her.""M--m--marry her?" and Dujardin flushed all over, and his heartbeat, and he stared in Raynal's face.
"Why, what is the matter again? If she has played the fool, it waswith you, and no other man: it is not as if she was depraved. Come,my lad, show a little generosity150! Take the consequences of your ownact--or your share of it--don't throw it all on the poor feeblewoman. If she has loved you too much, you are the man of all othersthat should forgive her. Come, what do you say?"This was too much for Camille; that Raynal should come and demand ofhim to marry his own wife, for so he understood the proposal. Hestared at Raynal in silence ever so long, and even when he spoke itwas only to mutter, "Are you out of your senses, or am I?"At this it cost Raynal a considerable effort to restrain his wrath151.
However, he showed himself worthy152 of the office he had undertaken.
He contained himself, and submitted to argue the matter. "Why,colonel," said he, "is it such a misfortune to marry poor Rose? Sheis young, she is lovely, she has many good qualities, and she wouldhave walked straight to the end of her days but for you."Now here was another surprise for Dujardin, another mystification.
"Rose de Beaurepaire?" said he, putting his hand to his head, as ifto see whether his reason was still there.
"Yes, Rose de Beaurepaire--Rose Dujardin that ought to be, and thatis to be, if you please.""One word, monsieur: is it of Rose we have been talking all thistime?"Raynal nearly lost his temper at this question, and the cold,contemptuous tone with which it was put; but he gulped153 down his ire.
"It is," said he.
"One question more. Did she tell you I had--I had"--"Why, as to that, she was in no condition to deny she had fallen,poor girl; the evidence was too strong. She did not reveal herseducer's name; but I had not far to go for that.""One question more," said Dujardin, with a face of anguish154. "Is itJos--is it Madame Raynal's wish I should marry her sister?""Why, of course," said Raynal, in all sincerity155, assuming thatnaturally enough as a matter of course; "if you have any respect forHER feelings, look on me as her envoy156 in this matter."At this Camille turned sick with disgust; then rage and bitternessswelled his heart. A furious impulse seized him to expose Josephineon the spot. He overcame that, however, and merely said, "Shewishes me to marry her sister, does she? very well then, I decline."Raynal was shocked. "Oh," said he, sorrowfully, "I cannot believethis of you; such heartlessness as this is not written in your face;it is contradicted by your past actions.""I refuse," said Dujardin, hastily; and to tell the truth, not sorryto inflict157 some pain on the honest soldier who had unintentionallydriven the iron so deep into his own soul.
"And I," said Raynal, losing his temper, "insist, in the name of mydear Josephine"--"Perdition!" snarled158 Dujardin, losing his self-command in turn.
"And of the whole family.""And I tell you I will never marry her. Upon my honor, never.""Your honor! you have none. The only question is would you rathermarry her--or die.""Die, to be sure.""Then die you shall.""Ah!" said Dujardin; "did I not tell you we were wasting time?
"Let us waste no more then. WHEN and WHERE?""At the rear of the commander-in-chief's tent; when you like.""This afternoon, then--at five.""At five.""Seconds?""What for?""You are right. They are only in the way of men who carry sabres;and besides the less gossip the better. Good-by, till five," andthe two saluted one another with grim ceremony; and Raynal turned onhis heel.
Camille stood transfixed; a fierce, guilty joy throbbed159 in hisheart. His rival had quarrelled with him, had insulted him, hadchallenged him. It was not his fault. The sun shone bright nowupon his cold despair. An hour ago life offered nothing. A fewhours more, and then joy beyond expression, or an end of all. Deathor Josephine! Then he remembered that this very Josephine wished tomarry him to Rose. Then he remembered Raynal had saved his life.
Cold chills crossed his breaking heart. Of all that could happen tohim death alone seemed a blessing160 without alloy161.
He stood there so torn with conflicting passions, that he notedneither the passing hours nor the flying bullets.
He was only awakened162 from his miserable trance by the even tread ofsoldiers marching towards him; he looked up and there were severalofficers coming along the edge of the trench, escorted by acorporal's guard.
He took a step or two to meet them. After the usual salutes163, one ofthe three colonels delivered a large paper, with a large seal, toDujardin. He read it out to his captains and lieutenants, who hadassembled at sight of the cocked hats and full uniforms.
"Attack by the army to-morrow upon all the lines. Attack of thebastion St. Andre this evening. The 22d, the 24th, and 12thbrigades will furnish the contingents164; the operation will beconducted by one of the colonels of the second division, to beappointed by General Raimbaut.""Aha!" sounded a voice like a trombone at the reader's elbow. "I amjust in the nick of time. When, colonel, when?""At five this evening, Colonel Raynal.""There," said Raynal, in a half-whisper, to Dujardin; "could theychoose no hour but that?""Do not be uneasy," replied Dujardin, under his breath. Heexplained aloud--"the assault will not take place, gentlemen; thebastion is mined.""What of that? half of them are mined. We will take our engineersin with us," said Raynal.
"Such an assault will be a useless massacre," resumed Dujardin. "Ireconnoitred the bastion last night, and saw their preparations forblowing us to the devil; and General Raimbaut, at my request, iseven now presenting my remarks to the commander-in-chief, andenforcing them. There will be no assault. In a day or two we shallblow the bastion, mines, and all into the air."At this moment Raynal caught sight of a gray-haired officer comingat some distance. "There IS General Raimbaut," said he. "I will goand pay my respects to him." General Raimbaut shook his handwarmly, and welcomed him to the army. They were old and warmfriends. "And you are come at the right time," said he. "It willsoon be as hot here as in Egypt."Raynal laughed and said all the better.
General Raimbaut now joined the group of officers, and entered atonce in the business which had brought him. Addressing himself toColonel Dujardin, first he informs that officer he had presented hisobservations to the commander-in-chief, who had given them theattention they merited.
Colonel Dujardin bowed.
"But," continued General Raimbaut, "they are overruled by imperiouscircumstances, some of which he did not reveal; they remain in hisown breast. However, on the eve of a general attack, which hecannot postpone165, that bastion must be disarmed166, otherwise it wouldbe too fatal to all the storming parties. It is a painfulnecessity." He added, "Tell Colonel Dujardin I count greatly on thecourage and discipline of his brigade, and on his own wisemeasures."Colonel Dujardin bowed. Then he whispered in the other's ear, "Bothwill alike be wasted."The other colonels waved their hats in triumph at the commander-in-chief's decision, and Raynal's face showed he looked on Dujardin asa sort of spoil-sport happily defeated.
"Well, then, gentlemen," said General Raimbaut, "we begin bysettling the contingents to be furnished by your several brigades.
Say, an equal number from each. The sum total shall be settled byColonel Dujardin, who has so long and ably baffled the bastion atthis post."Colonel Dujardin bowed stiffly and not very graciously. In hisheart he despised these old fogies, compounds of timidity andrashness.
"So, how many men in all, colonel?" asked General Raimbaut.
"The fewer the better," replied the other solemnly, "since"--andthen discipline tied his tongue.
"I understand you," said the old man. "Shall we say eight hundredmen?""I should prefer three hundred. They have made a back door to thebastion, and the means of flight at hand will put flight into theirheads. They will pick off some of our men as we go at them. Whenthe rest jump in they will jump out, and"-- He paused.
"Why, he knows all about it before it comes," said one of thecolonels naively167.
"I do. I see the whole operation and its result before me, as I seethis hand. Three hundred men will do.""But, general," objected Raynal, "you are not beginning at thebeginning. The first thing in these cases is to choose the officerto command the storming party.""Yes, Raynal, unquestionably; but you must be aware that is apainful and embarrassing part of my duty, especially after ColonelDujardin's remarks.""Ah, bah!" cried Raynal. "He is prejudiced. He has been digging athundering long mine here, and now you are going to make his childuseless. We none of us like that. But when he gets the colors inhis hand, and the storming column at his back, his misgivings168 willall go to the wind, and the enemy after them, unless he has beencommitting some crime, and is very much changed from what I knew himfour years ago.""Colonel Raynal," said one of the other colonels, politely butfirmly, "pray do not assume that Colonel Dujardin is to lead thecolumn; there are three other claimants. General Raimbaut is toselect from us four.""Yes, gentlemen, and in a service of this kind I would feel gratefulto you all if you would relieve me of that painful duty.""Gentlemen," said Dujardin, with an imperceptible sneer, "thegeneral means to say this: the operation is so glorious that hecould hardly without partiality assign the command to either of usfour claimants. Well, then, let us cast lots."The proposal was received by acclamation.
"The general will mark a black cross on one lot, and he who draws itwins the command."The young colonels prepared their lots with almost boyish eagerness.
These fiery spirits were sick to death of lying and skulking169 in thetrenches. They flung their lots into the hat. After them, whoshould approach the hat, lot in hand, but Raynal. Dujardininstantly interfered170, and held his arm as he was in the act ofdropping in his lot.
"What is the matter?" said Raynal, sharply.
"This is our affair, Colonel Raynal. You have no command in thisarmy.""I beg your pardon, sir, I have yours.""Not till to-morrow.""Why, you would not take such a pettifogging advantage of an oldcomrade as that.""Tell him the day ends at twelve o'clock," said one of the colonelsinterested by this strange strife171.
"Ah!" cried Raynal, triumphantly172; "but no," said he, altering histone, "let us leave that sort of argument to lawyers. I have come agood many miles to fight with you, general; and now you must decideto pay me this little compliment on my arrival, or put a bitteraffront on me--choose!"While the old general hesitated, Camille replied, "Since you takethat tone there can be but one answer. You are too great a creditto the French army for even an apparent slight to be put on youhere. The rule, I think, is, that one of the privates shall holdthe hat.--Hallo! Private Dard, come here--there--hold this hat.""Yes, colonel.--Lord, here is my young mistress's husband!""Silence!"And they began to draw, and, in the act of drawing, a change ofmanner was first visible in these gay and ardent174 spirits.
"It is not I," said one, throwing away his lot.
"Nor I.""It is I," said Raynal; then with sudden gravity, "I am the luckyone."And now that the honor and the danger no longer floated vaguely overfour heads, but had fixed on one, a sudden silence and solemnitytook the place of eager voices.
It was first broken by Private Dard saying, with foolish triumph,"And I held the hat for you, colonel.""Ah, Raynal!" said General Raimbaut, sorrowfully, "it was not worthwhile to come from Egypt for this."Raynal made no reply to this. He drew out his watch, and saidcalmly, he had no time to lose; he must inspect the detachments hewas to command. "Besides," said he, "I have some domesticarrangements to make. Hitherto on these occasions I was a bachelor,now I am married." General Raimbaut could not help sighing. Raynalread this aright, and turned to him, "A droll marriage, my oldfriend; I'll tell you all about it if ever I have the time. Itbegan with a purchase, general, and ends with--with a bequest175, whichI might as well write now, and so have nothing to think of but dutyafterwards. Where can I write?""Colonel Dujardin will lend you his tent, I am sure.""Certainly.""And, messieurs," said Raynal, "if I waste time you need not. Youcan pick me my men from your brigades. Give me a strong spice ofold hands."The colonels withdrew on this, and General Raimbaut walked sadly andthoughtfully towards the battery. Dujardin and Raynal were leftalone.
"This postpones176 our affair, sir.""Yes, Raynal.""Have you writing materials in your tent?""Yes; on the table.""You are quite sure the bastion is mined, comrade?"This unexpected word and Raynal's gentle appeal touched Dujardindeeply. It was in a broken voice he replied that he wasunfortunately too sure of it.
Raynal received this reply as a sentence of death, and withoutanother word walked slowly into Dujardin's tent.
Dujardin's generosity was up in arms; he followed Raynal, and saideagerly, "Raynal, for Heaven's sake resign this command!""Allow me to write to my wife, colonel," was the cold reply.
Camille winced177 at this affront173, and drew back a moment; but hisnobler part prevailed. He seized Raynal by the wrist. "You shallnot affront me, you cannot affront me. You go to certain death Itell you, if you attack that bastion.""Don't be a fool, colonel," said Raynal: "somebody must lead themen.""Yes; but not you. Who has so good a right to lead them as I, theircolonel?""And be killed in my place, eh?""I know the ground better than you," said Camille. "Besides, whocares for me? I have no friends, no family. But you are married--and so many will mourn if you"--Raynal interrupted him sternly. "You forget, sir, that Rose deBeaurepaire is my sister, when you tell me you have no tie to life."He added, with wonderful dignity and sobriety, "Allow me to write tomy wife, sir; and, while I write, reflect that you can embitter178 anold comrade's last moments by persisting in your refusal to restorehis sister the honor you have robbed her of."And leaving the other staggered and confused by this sudden blow, heretired into Dujardin's tent, and finding writing materials on alittle table that was there, sat down to pen a line to Josephine.
Camille knew to whom he was writing, and a jealous pang179 passedthrough him.
What he wrote ran thus,--"A bastion is to be attacked at five. I command. Colonel Dujardinproposed we should draw lots, and I lost. The service is honorable,but the result may, I fear, give you some pain. My dear wife, it isour fate. I was not to have time to make you know, and perhaps loveme. God bless you."In writing these simple words, Raynal's hard face worked, and hismustache quivered, and once he had to clear his eye with his hand toform the letters. He, the man of iron.
He who stood there, leaning on his scabbard and watching the writer,saw this, and it stirred all that was great and good in that grandthough passionate180 heart of his.
"Poor Raynal!" thought he, "you were never like that before on goinginto action. He is loath181 to die. Ay, and it is a coward's trick tolet him die. I shall have her, but shall I have her esteem182? Whatwill the army say? What will my conscience say? Oh! I feel alreadyit will gnaw183 my heart to death; the ghost of that brave fellow--oncemy dear friend, my rival now, by no fault of his--will rise betweenher and me, and reproach me with my bloody inheritance. The heartnever deceives; I feel it now whispering in my ear: 'Skulkingcaptain, white-livered soldier, that stand behind a parapet while abetter184 man does your work! you assassinate185 the husband, but therival conquers you.' There, he puts his hand to his eyes. Whatshall I do?""Colonel," said a low voice, and at the same time a hand was laid onhis shoulder.
It was General Raimbaut. The general looked pale and distressed186.
"Come apart, colonel, for Heaven's sake! One word, while he iswriting. Ah! that was an unlucky idea of yours.""Of mine, general?""'Twas you proposed to cast lots.""Good God! so it was.""I thought of course it was to be managed so that Raynal should notbe the one. Between ourselves, what honorable excuse can we make?""None, general.""The whole division will be disgraced, and forgive me if I say aportion of the discredit187 will fall on you.""Help me to avert188 that shame then," cried Camille, eagerly.
"Ah! that I will: but how?""Take your pencil and write--'I authorize189 Colonel Dujardin to savethe honor of the colonels of the second division.'"The general hesitated. He had never seen an order so worded. Butat last he took out his pencil and wrote the required order, afterhis own fashion; i.e., in milk and water:--On account of the singular ability and courage with which ColonelDujardin has conducted the operations against the Bastion St. Andre,a discretionary power is given him at the moment of assault to carryinto effect such measures, as, without interfering190 with thecommander-in-chief's order, may sustain his own credit, and that ofthe other colonels of the second division.
RAIMBAUT, General of Division.
Camille put the paper into his bosom.
"Now, general, you may leave all to me. I swear to you, Raynalshall not die--shall not lead this assault.""Your hand, colonel. You are an honor to the French armies. Howwill you do it?""Leave it to me, general, it shall be done.""I feel it will, my noble fellow: but, alas191! I fear not withoutrisking some valuable life or other, most likely your own. Tellme!""General, I decline.""You refuse me, sir?""Yes; this order gives me a discretionary power. I will hand backthe order at your command; but modify it I will not. Come, sir, youveteran generals have been unjust to me, and listened to me toolittle all through this siege, but at last you have honored me.
This order is the greatest honor that was ever done me since I worea sword.".
"My poor colonel!""Let me wear it intact, and carry it to my grave.""Say no more! One word--Is there anything on earth I can do foryou, my brave soldier?""Yes, general. Be so kind as to retire to your quarters; there arereasons why you ought not to be near this post in half an hour.""I go. Is there NOTHING else?""Well, general, ask the good priest Ambrose, to pray for all thosewho shall die doing their duty to their country this afternoon."They parted. General Raimbaut looked back more than once at thefirm, intrepid figure that stood there unflinching, on the edge ofthe grave. But HE never took his eye off Raynal. The next minutethe sad letter was finished, and Raynal walked out of the tent, andconfronted the man he had challenged to single combat.
I have mentioned elsewhere that Colonel Dujardin had eyes strangelycompounded of battle
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fortified
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tardy
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masonry
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epoch
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trenches
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trench
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deranged
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plunged
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conjecture
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artistically
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devoted
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distinguished
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entreated
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propriety
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| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
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15
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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16
saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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17
salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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18
besieged
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| 包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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19
apertures
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| n.孔( aperture的名词复数 )；隙缝；（照相机的）光圈；孔径 | |
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20
muzzle
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| n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默 | |
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21
muzzles
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| 枪口( muzzle的名词复数 )； （防止动物咬人的）口套； （四足动物的）鼻口部； （狗）等凸出的鼻子和口 | |
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22
joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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23
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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24
breaching
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| 攻破( breach的过去式 )； 破坏，违反 | |
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25
hauteur
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| n.傲慢 | |
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26
conversing
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
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27
pillaged
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| v.抢劫，掠夺( pillage的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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28
earrings
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| n.耳环( earring的名词复数 )；耳坠子 | |
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29
sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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30
unlimited
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| adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的 | |
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31
sergeants
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| 警官( sergeant的名词复数 )； （美国警察）警佐； （英国警察）巡佐； 陆军（或空军）中士 | |
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32
superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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33
reverence
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| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
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34
watchful
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| adj.注意的，警惕的 | |
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35
watchfulness
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| 警惕，留心； 警觉（性） | |
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36
sentry
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| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
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37
maxim
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| n.格言，箴言 | |
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38
encomium
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| n.赞颂；颂词 | |
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39
accomplishments
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| n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就 | |
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40
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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41
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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42
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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43
follower
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| n.跟随者；随员；门徒；信徒 | |
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44
puff
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| n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气 | |
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45
pelt
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| v.投掷，剥皮，抨击，开火 | |
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46
alley
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| n.小巷，胡同；小径，小路 | |
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47
rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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48
remonstrated
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| v.抗议( remonstrate的过去式和过去分词 )；告诫 | |
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49
remonstrate
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| v.抗议，规劝 | |
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50
vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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51
corps
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| n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组 | |
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52
corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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53
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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54
wan
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| (wide area network)广域网 | |
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55
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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56
savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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57
consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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58
superstition
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| n.迷信，迷信行为 | |
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59
contention
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| n.争论，争辩，论战；论点，主张 | |
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60
rations
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| 定量( ration的名词复数 )； 配给量； 正常量； 合理的量 | |
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61
reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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62
squint
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| v. 使变斜视眼, 斜视, 眯眼看, 偏移, 窥视; n. 斜视, 斜孔小窗; adj. 斜视的, 斜的 | |
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63
glide
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| n./v.溜，滑行；(时间)消逝 | |
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64
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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65
lieutenants
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| n.陆军中尉( lieutenant的名词复数 )；副职官员；空军；仅低于…官阶的官员 | |
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66
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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67
musket
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| n.滑膛枪 | |
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68
stationary
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| adj.固定的，静止不动的 | |
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69
novices
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| n.新手( novice的名词复数 )；初学修士（或修女）；（修会等的）初学生；尚未赢过大赛的赛马 | |
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70
muskets
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| n.火枪，（尤指）滑膛枪( musket的名词复数 ) | |
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71
rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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72
frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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73
riddled
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| adj.布满的；充斥的；泛滥的v.解谜，出谜题(riddle的过去分词形式) | |
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74
sieves
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| 筛，漏勺( sieve的名词复数 ) | |
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75
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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76
inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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77
stoutly
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| adv.牢固地，粗壮的 | |
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78
swarming
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| 密集( swarm的现在分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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79
swarm
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| n.(昆虫)等一大群；vi.成群飞舞；蜂拥而入 | |
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80
foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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81
contingency
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| n.意外事件，可能性 | |
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82
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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83
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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84
disperse
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| vi.使分散；使消失；vt.分散；驱散 | |
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85
mustered
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| v.集合，召集，集结（尤指部队）( muster的过去式和过去分词 )；（自他人处）搜集某事物；聚集；激发 | |
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86
truce
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| n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束 | |
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87
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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88
wagon
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| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
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89
artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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90
spout
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| v.喷出，涌出；滔滔不绝地讲；n.喷管；水柱 | |
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91
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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92
melodious
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| adj.旋律美妙的，调子优美的，音乐性的 | |
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93
blot
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| vt.弄脏（用吸墨纸）吸干；n.污点，污渍 | |
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94
offender
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| n.冒犯者，违反者，犯罪者 | |
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95
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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96
stentorian
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| adj.大声的，响亮的 | |
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97
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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98
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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99
poker
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| n.扑克；vt.烙制 | |
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100
swelling
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| n.肿胀 | |
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101
adroitly
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| adv.熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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102
belching
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| n. 喷出，打嗝 动词belch的现在分词形式 | |
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103
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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104
intrepid
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| adj.无畏的，刚毅的 | |
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105
groaning
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| adj. 呜咽的, 呻吟的 动词groan的现在分词形式 | |
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106
protruding
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| v.（使某物）伸出，（使某物）突出( protrude的现在分词 )；凸 | |
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107
chivalrous
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| adj.武士精神的；对女人彬彬有礼的 | |
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108
arena
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| n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台 | |
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109
courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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110
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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111
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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112
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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113
enchanted
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| adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 | |
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114
timorous
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| adj.胆怯的，胆小的 | |
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115
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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116
irony
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| n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄 | |
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117
pompous
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| adj.傲慢的，自大的；夸大的；豪华的 | |
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118
droll
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| adj.古怪的，好笑的 | |
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119
chattered
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| （人）喋喋不休( chatter的过去式 )； 唠叨； （牙齿）打战； （机器）震颤 | |
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120
mittens
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| 不分指手套 | |
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121
syllables
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| n.音节( syllable的名词复数 ) | |
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122
bum
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| n.臀部；流浪汉，乞丐；vt.乞求，乞讨 | |
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123
exulting
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| vi. 欢欣鼓舞，狂喜 | |
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124
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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125
bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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126
repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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127
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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128
droop
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| v.低垂，下垂；凋萎，萎靡 | |
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129
martial
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| adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的 | |
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130
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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131
shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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132
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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133
pious
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| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
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134
duel
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| n./v.决斗；(双方的)斗争 | |
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135
theatrical
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| adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的 | |
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136
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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137
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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138
haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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139
mortification
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| n.耻辱，屈辱 | |
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140
promotion
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| n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传 | |
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141
sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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142
faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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143
writhed
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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144
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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145
paltry
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| adj.无价值的，微不足道的 | |
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146
valor
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| n.勇气，英勇 | |
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147
undo
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| vt.解开，松开；取消，撤销 | |
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148
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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149
seduced
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| 诱奸( seduce的过去式和过去分词 )； 勾引； 诱使堕落； 使入迷 | |
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150
generosity
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| n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为 | |
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151
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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152
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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153
gulped
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| v.狼吞虎咽地吃，吞咽( gulp的过去式和过去分词 )；大口地吸（气）；哽住 | |
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154
anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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155
sincerity
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| n.真诚，诚意；真实 | |
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156
envoy
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| n.使节，使者，代表，公使 | |
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157
inflict
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| vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担 | |
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158
snarled
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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159
throbbed
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| 抽痛( throb的过去式和过去分词 )； （心脏、脉搏等）跳动 | |
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160
blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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alloy
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| n.合金，(金属的)成色 | |
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162
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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163
salutes
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| n.致敬，欢迎，敬礼( salute的名词复数 )v.欢迎，致敬( salute的第三人称单数 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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164
contingents
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| （志趣相投、尤指来自同一地方的）一组与会者( contingent的名词复数 )； 代表团； （军队的）分遣队； 小分队 | |
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165
postpone
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| v.延期，推迟 | |
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166
disarmed
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| v.裁军( disarm的过去式和过去分词 )；使息怒 | |
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167
naively
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| adv. 天真地 | |
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168
misgivings
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| n.疑虑，担忧，害怕；疑虑，担心，恐惧( misgiving的名词复数 )；疑惧 | |
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169
skulking
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| v.潜伏，偷偷摸摸地走动，鬼鬼祟祟地活动( skulk的现在分词 ) | |
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170
interfered
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| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
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171
strife
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| n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争 | |
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172
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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173
affront
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| n./v.侮辱，触怒 | |
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174
ardent
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的 | |
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175
bequest
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| n.遗赠；遗产，遗物 | |
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176
postpones
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| v.延期，推迟( postpone的第三人称单数 ) | |
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177
winced
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| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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178
embitter
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| v.使苦；激怒 | |
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179
pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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180
passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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181
loath
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| adj.不愿意的；勉强的 | |
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182
esteem
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| n.尊敬，尊重；vt.尊重，敬重；把…看作 | |
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183
gnaw
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| v.不断地啃、咬；使苦恼，折磨 | |
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184
abetter
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| n.教唆者，怂恿者 | |
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185
assassinate
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| vt.暗杀，行刺，中伤 | |
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186
distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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187
discredit
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| vt.使不可置信；n.丧失信义；不信，怀疑 | |
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188
avert
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| v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等) | |
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189
authorize
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| v.授权，委任；批准，认可 | |
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190
interfering
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| adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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191
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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