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034 - The Last Efforts · Huguenot- A Tale of the French Protestants

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  Speaker 1: Chapter thirty four of the Huguenot by George Payne Rainsford James.
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  Speaker 1: This LibriVox according is in the public domain Chapter thirty four.
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  Speaker 1: The last efforts to describe the military maneuvers which took
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  Speaker 1: place during the three or four following days would be
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  Speaker 1: neither amusing nor instructive to the reader. Sufficed to say
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  Speaker 1: that the small force on the Count de Morseilles diminished
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  Speaker 1: as he retreated, while the army of the Chevalier de
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  Speaker 1: Vronze was increased by the arrival of two new regiments.
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  Speaker 1: The latter had thus an opportunity of extending his line
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  Speaker 1: and frustrating a vigorous effort made by the Count to
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  Speaker 1: cut his way into Brittany. Every effort that the Protestant
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  Speaker 1: leeder made to bring to his aid those who had
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  Speaker 1: promised very soon to join him only showed him that
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  Speaker 1: the estimation which he had formed to the degree of
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  Speaker 1: vigor and unanimity to be expected from the Huguenots was
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  Speaker 1: but too accurate. Almost all those determined and daring leaders
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  Speaker 1: of the lower orders, who had given energy and activity
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  Speaker 1: to all the movements of the insurgents, had fallen in
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  Speaker 1: the preceding skirmishes, ereval was heard of no more. Paul
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  Speaker 1: Vault had been seen by one of the soldiers to
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  Speaker 1: fall by a shot through the head. Towards the close
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  Speaker 1: of the last affair, and at length, with not more
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  Speaker 1: than five hundred men under his command, Albert of Morseau
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  Speaker 1: found himself shut in between a force of eight thousand
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  Speaker 1: men and the sea. The only consolation that he had
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  Speaker 1: was to hear that Clayments de Marlis was safe, and
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  Speaker 1: the only hope was that some vessels from Rochelle, from
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  Speaker 1: which he had dispatched a shallock in haste, might be
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  Speaker 1: tempted by the large sum he offered to hasten round
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  Speaker 1: and carry off a certain portion of his troops, comprising
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  Speaker 1: the principal leaders, while the rest laid down their arms,
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  Speaker 1: and that he himself surrendered to the fate that awaited him.
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  Speaker 1: Such were his plans and purposes when the last day
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  Speaker 1: of the insurrection dawned upon them world, And we must
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  Speaker 1: pause for an instant to describe the situation of his
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  Speaker 1: little force on that eventful morning. There is upon that
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  Speaker 1: coast a small rocky island, not so high as the
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  Speaker 1: celebrated Mont Saint Michel, which is on the opposite side
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  Speaker 1: of the Peninsula of Brittany, but in almost every other
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  Speaker 1: respect similar to that famous rock. At the time we
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  Speaker 1: speak of, this island was fortified, and the guns of
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  Speaker 1: the castle commanded almost entirely the small bay in which
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  Speaker 1: it was situated. At low water, the island becomes a peninsula,
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  Speaker 1: being joined to the land, like the Mont Saint Michel,
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  Speaker 1: by a narrow neck of land, along the top of
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  Speaker 1: which there ran a paved causeway covered entirely by the sea,
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  Speaker 1: to the depth of five or six feet. At the
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  Speaker 1: time of high water, the commandant of the fort was
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  Speaker 1: a Protestant gentleman who had distinguished himself in some degree
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  Speaker 1: in the service. He had been raised and greatly favored
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  Speaker 1: by the influence of the counts of Marseilles, and owed
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  Speaker 1: his post to them. He had not only promised to
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  Speaker 1: co operate with the young count in the commencement of
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  Speaker 1: the unfortunate revolt, but he had sent him some assistance
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  Speaker 1: and a large quantity of ammunition. And when the count
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  Speaker 1: found that he was cut off from forcing his way
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  Speaker 1: into Brittany on the one hand, or of reaching Sainctonge
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  Speaker 1: on the other, he had shaped his course past Montague
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  Speaker 1: towards the little bay in which this island was situated,
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  Speaker 1: and had succeeded in reaching it, notwithstanding the efforts of
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  Speaker 1: the Royalist courts to prevent him. Opposite to the island
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  Speaker 1: was a small village on the high bank above the
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  Speaker 1: sea shore. It possessed a large church and two or
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  Speaker 1: three walled farm houses, and during one half of the
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  Speaker 1: night after his arrival, the Count toiled with the country people,
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  Speaker 1: who were principally Protestants, to throw up breastworks and plant
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  Speaker 1: palisades so as to fortify the village in as strong
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  Speaker 1: a manner as possible. Four cannon, which were all that
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  Speaker 1: he possessed, were planned to command the principal road leading
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  Speaker 1: to the village, and ere mourning. The whole was brought
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  Speaker 1: to such a condition as to enable the little band
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  Speaker 1: of Protestants to offer a determined and lengthened resistance should
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  Speaker 1: they be driven to do so. Was it, then, it
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  Speaker 1: may be asked, the purpose of the count to offer
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  Speaker 1: that resistance? It certainly was not. But feeling perfectly sure
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  Speaker 1: that the Chevalier Devron was disposed to grant the Protestants
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  Speaker 1: the most lenient terms consistent with his duty, he took
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  Speaker 1: these measures in order to give him the best excuse
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  Speaker 1: for treating with the insurgents and granting them a favorable capitulation.
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  Speaker 1: If he thought, the chevalier can show to the King
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  Speaker 1: that it would have cost him two or three thousand
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  Speaker 1: of his best troops to overcome or slaughter a poor
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  Speaker 1: body of five hundred men. Louis too wise and too
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  Speaker 1: good a soldier himself not to hold him perfectly justified
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  Speaker 1: for granting the mildest terms. When all was completed, the
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  Speaker 1: Count cast himself down to and slept from some time
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  Speaker 1: from utter exhaustion. By the first ray of morning, however,
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  Speaker 1: he was upon the shore, looking towards the sea, and
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  Speaker 1: beheld to his no small joy and satisfaction three vessels
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  Speaker 1: at the distance of about four or five miles, standing
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  Speaker 1: off and on, as if waiting for the tide to
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  Speaker 1: enter the bay. The tide, however, though not quite at
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  Speaker 1: the ebb, had sank so low that there was no
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  Speaker 1: chance of their being able to come in till it
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  Speaker 1: had gone quite down and risen again. And Albert of
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  Speaker 1: Morseau looked with anxiety for the passing of six or
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  Speaker 1: seven hours which must thus elapse. His anxiety now led
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  Speaker 1: him to the other side of the village, and going
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  Speaker 1: to one of the farmhouses situated at the corner of
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  Speaker 1: a small cart road which he had barricaded, he went
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  Speaker 1: up to a window on the first floor and looked
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  Speaker 1: over the wide view that sloped away. Below there appeared
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  Speaker 1: what he had expected to find, the camp of the
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  Speaker 1: Chevalier de Vron, hemming him in on all sides. The
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  Speaker 1: distance between the village and the first tense was about
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  Speaker 1: two miles, so that at any time, without more than
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  Speaker 1: half an hour's notice, the attack upon his little fortress
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  Speaker 1: might commence. He was quite prepared, it is true, and
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  Speaker 1: doubted not to be able to maintain his post for
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  Speaker 1: many hours, knowing that his men would fight with the
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  Speaker 1: energy of despair. But no movement whatsoever in the Royalist
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  Speaker 1: camp indicated any great haste to attack him. There were
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  Speaker 1: no groups of offices busily reconnoitering, there were no regiments
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  Speaker 1: drawn up as if to march to the assault, and
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  Speaker 1: the only objects that were seen were two files of
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  Speaker 1: soldiers marching along to relieve the guard at different points
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  Speaker 1: at the camp. All this was satisfactory to an experienced
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  Speaker 1: eye like that of the Count de Morseu, and well
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  Speaker 1: knowing his opponent, he judged that the chevalier was waiting
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  Speaker 1: for some reply from Paris, ere he gave any answer
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  Speaker 1: the terms which he the Count had suggested. He paused
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  Speaker 1: therefore for nearly twenty minutes, gazing over the scene, when suddenly,
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  Speaker 1: from a point of the camp, where nothing seemed stirring before,
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  Speaker 1: a little group of persons on horseback drew out and
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  Speaker 1: rode swiftly towards the village. The moment after, the Count
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  Speaker 1: perceived that two of those persons were clad in women's garments,
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  Speaker 1: and the rapidity with which they came showed him that
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  Speaker 1: they were fearful of being stopped going down from the window.
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  Speaker 1: In haste, he sprang upon horseback, and with the attendants
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  Speaker 1: who were waiting for him below, rode out upon the
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  Speaker 1: side of the hill in order to assist the fugitives
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  Speaker 1: in case of need. But no sign of pursuit took
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  Speaker 1: place till one half of the distance or more had
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  Speaker 1: been passed by the little party, and the Count, dismounting
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  Speaker 1: about a quarter of a mile from the village, watched
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  Speaker 1: their coming with eager eyes and a beating heart as
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  Speaker 1: he recognized the form of Clement de Marlis. When she
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  Speaker 1: was beyond all risk of being overtaken, A small party
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  Speaker 1: of cavaliers issued forth from another part of the camp
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  Speaker 1: and rode on towards the village, but slowly, and they
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  Speaker 1: were still at more than a miles distance. When Claimant's
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  Speaker 1: was in the arms of her lover, and weeping upon
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  Speaker 1: his bosom, he led her in as fast as possible,
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  Speaker 1: followed by the maid Maria, and no lesser person than Jeramriquet,
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  Speaker 1: who seemed to have found of breaking his word so
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  Speaker 1: strong a temptation that he could not resist it. A
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  Speaker 1: rumor had spread amongst the Protestants in the town that
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  Speaker 1: something of interest was proceeding without and when the count
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  Speaker 1: and claimants turned towards the village, they found that their
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  Speaker 1: meeting had been witnessed by many eyes. But in the
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  Speaker 1: faces of those they passed, Albert of Moseille read courage
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  Speaker 1: brightened and resolution strengthened by that which they had just seen.
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  Speaker 1: And there was not a man within that little encampment
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  Speaker 1: whose heart did not feel elevated and confirmed by witnessing
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  Speaker 1: the bursting forth of those tender and ennobling feelings. Whichever,
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  Speaker 1: when pure and true dignify man's spirit and brighten his mind.
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  Speaker 1: When they were within the barriers, the Count turned for
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  Speaker 1: a moment to look at the other group which had
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  Speaker 1: drawn out from the camp. But it did not seem
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  Speaker 1: that they were in pursuit of Clement's for they shaped
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  Speaker 1: their courts along the road towards the principal entrance of
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  Speaker 1: the village, and when the Count turned he clearly saw
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  Speaker 1: them displaying a flag of truce. He led claments into
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  Speaker 1: the house where he had taken up his headquarters, however,
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  Speaker 1: and saying a few soothing words, left her to see
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  Speaker 1: what was the intelligence which the Chevalier's envoys conveyed. As
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  Speaker 1: he walked down, he met a messenger coming to demount
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  Speaker 1: his presence at the barrier, and on approaching it, he
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  Speaker 1: found waiting in the guard house the old English officer,
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  Speaker 1: Sir Thomas Cecil, with one or two French gentlemen, with
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  Speaker 1: whom he was slightly acquainted. Monsieur de Morseur said the
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  Speaker 1: old englishman, I have been charged by the Major General,
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  Speaker 1: the Chevalier Devron, to communicate to you the only terms
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  Speaker 1: which he is permitted by the King to grant under
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  Speaker 1: the circumstances. In which you respectively stand. He was long
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  Speaker 1: in hopes that those terms would have been more favorable
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  Speaker 1: than they are, and they are very painful to me
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  Speaker 1: to announce. But as you conveyed to him a message
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  Speaker 1: through me, he thought that I ought to undertake to
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  Speaker 1: bear the reply, I thank you, my dear sir, replied
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  Speaker 1: the Count most sincerely for undertaking the task. But as
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  Speaker 1: a preliminary let me tell you before these gentlemen who
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  Speaker 1: have come with you, as well as before Monsieur du
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  Speaker 1: Bard here and my own friends around me, that the
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  Speaker 1: only terms which I will accept are those which I
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  Speaker 1: notified to the Chevalier de Vron through you, namely, permission
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  Speaker 1: for any one hundred of my friends of the Reformed
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  Speaker 1: religion to retire from France unmolested, a free pardon to
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  Speaker 1: all the rest except myself on laying down their arms,
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  Speaker 1: and a promise that they shall be permitted to exercise
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  Speaker 1: their religion in private without annoyance. On these conditions, we
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  Speaker 1: will immediately lay down our arms, and I will surrender
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  Speaker 1: myself at discretion to his Majesty's pleasure. No, no, no, no,
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  Speaker 1: cried several voices amongst the Protestants. We cannot submit to
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  Speaker 1: that we will diet our post with arms in our hands,
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  Speaker 1: rather than that the Count shall be sacrificed. My good friends,
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  Speaker 1: replied the Count. That is a personal matter altogether. I
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  Speaker 1: have made the best terms that I can for you,
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  Speaker 1: and I have done what I judge right for myself,
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  Speaker 1: knowing that the only way of dealing with his majesty
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  Speaker 1: is to throw myself upon his magnanimity. The old Englishman
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  Speaker 1: wiped away a tear from his eye, and I am
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  Speaker 1: sorry to say, sir, He rejoined, that I cannot even
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  Speaker 1: mention such favorable terms as those on condition of your
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  Speaker 1: immediately laying down your arms. The Chevalier Devron in the
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  Speaker 1: name of the King officer following permission for every one
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  Speaker 1: not absolutely a subject to France to leave the country unmolested,
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  Speaker 1: free pardon to all but the actual leader of the
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  Speaker 1: revolt specified in the following list, they must unconditionally surrender
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  Speaker 1: to the King's pleasure and trust to his mercy. The
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  Speaker 1: list apparently contained about fifty names, at the head of
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  Speaker 1: which stood that of the Count de Morseilles. The Count
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  Speaker 1: looked round upon the Protestant gentleman by whom he was surrounded.
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  Speaker 1: On all their countenances, but one or two there was awe,
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  Speaker 1: but not fear, as the only reply needful. The Marquis
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  Speaker 1: du bar laid his fingers upon the hilt of his sword,
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  Speaker 1: and the count, turning to Sir Thomas Cecil, said, you perceive, Sir,
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  Speaker 1: that it is utterly impossible we can accede to this demand.
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  Speaker 1: I know not whether it has been made under any
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  Speaker 1: mistaken impression, but when I offered what I did offer
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  Speaker 1: through you to the Chevalier de Vron, I was just
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  Speaker 1: as certain that we should be reduced to the situation
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  Speaker 1: in which we are at present as I am now
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  Speaker 1: nay expected it to be worse than it is. We
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  Speaker 1: can but die, sir, and I have not the slightest
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  Speaker 1: objection to lead you round the preparations which I have
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  Speaker 1: made for resisting to the last, so that if our
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  Speaker 1: blood must be shed, and the Chevalier is determined to
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  Speaker 1: sacrifice the lives of a large body of our royal
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  Speaker 1: Master's troops, he may be satisfied that he cannot carry
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  Speaker 1: this position without the loss of two or three thousand men.
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  Speaker 1: It is not necessary, Count, it is not necessary, replied
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  Speaker 1: the old officer. The Chevalier has no choice the terms
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  Speaker 1: are dictated by higher authority, and all that he can
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  Speaker 1: do further than signify those terms to you is to
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  Speaker 1: grant you five hours to consider of them. If you
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  Speaker 1: like to accept a truce for that time, you may
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  Speaker 1: take it. The Count was not a little surprised at
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  Speaker 1: this indulgence, but he took care to express none, and
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  Speaker 1: accepting the truce, willingly suffered the old officer to depart.
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  Speaker 1: One or two of the young French officers, whom he
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  Speaker 1: had known in the army, wrung his hand as they
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  Speaker 1: went away, and besought him with kindly feelings to think
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  Speaker 1: well of what he was about. One of them, however,
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  Speaker 1: ere he went, whispered a more important word in his ear.
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  Speaker 1: There are ships out at sea, he said, you and
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  Speaker 1: the other leaders may get off before the five hours
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  Speaker 1: are out. The Count took no notice, but wished him
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  Speaker 1: good bye, and, returning with Monsieur Dubards and the rest
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  Speaker 1: of the officers, he held a brief consultation with them
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  Speaker 1: in the saloon of the little inn. Had we more boats,
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  Speaker 1: he said, the matter would be easily managed. But there
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  Speaker 1: are but two on the shore which will not carry
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  Speaker 1: out above twenty of us. However, my good friends, it
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  Speaker 1: becomes necessary to take some prompt resolution. I have begun
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  Speaker 1: to be somewhat doubtful to day of Leluc, who commands
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  Speaker 1: in the fort. He has sent me no answer to
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  Speaker 1: my note of last night. And though I do not
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  Speaker 1: believe that he would be so great a scoundrel after
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  Speaker 1: all his promises as to a turn against me, yet
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  Speaker 1: I must ascertain decidedly what are his intentions. For he
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  Speaker 1: might sink the boats as they passed under his gun.
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  Speaker 1: If he be still friendly to us and willing really
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  Speaker 1: to aid us, we are safe. For while the soldiery
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  Speaker 1: lay down their arms and surrender their promise of free
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  Speaker 1: pardon you, gentlemen, who all of you I find are
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  Speaker 1: upon this long list of prescription, can march along the
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  Speaker 1: causeway into the fort and embark in the ships that
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  Speaker 1: lie out there. If on the contrary, we find him
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  Speaker 1: a traitor, we must make the boats hold as many
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  Speaker 1: as they will, and take the chance of the scoundrel
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  Speaker 1: firing upon them. I shall only claim to have one
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  Speaker 1: place reserved in one of the boats, two, said Dubar.
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  Speaker 1: Surely too, morsees, did I not see a lady? It
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  Speaker 1: is for her I speak, replied the count Dubars in pity.
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  Speaker 1: Do not urge me in matters where my resolution is taken.
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  Speaker 1: I have pangs and agony at my heart sufficient at
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  Speaker 1: this moment believe me to be spared that of refusing
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  Speaker 1: a friend. Now, then, gentlemen, he added, after a moment's pause,
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  Speaker 1: let five of you accompany me along the causeway, which
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  Speaker 1: must be passable by this time, to speak to Governor
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  Speaker 1: lu Luke. If you will mount your horses, I will
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  Speaker 1: be down with you in an instant, And he went
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  Speaker 1: up to take one hurried embrace of her he loved,
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  Speaker 1: and to explain to her what had happened and what
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  Speaker 1: was proposed, concealing from her as far as he could,
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  Speaker 1: the dangers and difficulties of their situation, but concealing from
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  Speaker 1: her still more carefully his own purpose of surrendering at discretion.
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  Speaker 1: When this was done, he went down, and, finding the
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  Speaker 1: other gentleman ready, sprang upon his horse, without noticing that
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  Speaker 1: a multitude of the inferior Protestants had gathered round and
• 16:39
  Speaker 1: seemed to be watching them with somewhat suspicious eyes. The
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  Speaker 1: sea had not quite left the causeway dry except in
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  Speaker 1: one or two places, and the sands were still quite covered,
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  Speaker 1: but the only result of this was to force the
• 16:52
  Speaker 1: Count and his train to proceed slowly and one by one,
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  Speaker 1: while he himself led the way, the white stone pavement
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  Speaker 1: being clearly discernible through the thin water. In the meantime, however,
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  Speaker 1: the Protestants, who had been gazing at him as he mounted,
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  Speaker 1: gathered into knots together and seemed to be speaking hastily
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  Speaker 1: and discontentedly. Some of the inferior offices joined them, and
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  Speaker 1: a great deal of tumult and talking ensued, which called
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  Speaker 1: out several of the gentlemen of the party to remonstrate.
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  Speaker 1: But remonstrance seemed in vain, and the crowd soon after
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  Speaker 1: trooped away out of the little open space where they
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  Speaker 1: had assembled, in the direction of the Courts de Guard,
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  Speaker 1: where the small battery of cannon was placed. Various broken sentences, however,
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  Speaker 1: were heard from time to time, such as, I would
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  Speaker 1: hardly have believed it to take care of themselves and
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  Speaker 1: leave us to perish. I always said, we should be
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  Speaker 1: made the sacrifice. Better be a Catholic and at peace
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  Speaker 1: than that. Ride after the Count and tell him what
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  Speaker 1: is going on, said one of the gentlemen to another,
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  Speaker 1: While I go to our good minister, Monsieur Vigni, and
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  Speaker 1: tell him to reason with them. You see, they are
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  Speaker 1: mistaking the matter altogether, and thinking that we are going
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  Speaker 1: to abandon them. Make caste, or it will be too late.
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  Speaker 1: The suggestion was instantly followed, but ere the officer could
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  Speaker 1: get his horse and ride down to the sea shore,
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  Speaker 1: the Count and his party were nearly at the fort,
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  Speaker 1: and to them we must now turn. The progress of
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  Speaker 1: the young general of the Huguenots had been slower than
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  Speaker 1: it might have been, not only on account of the
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  Speaker 1: causeway being partially covered with water, but also because the
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  Speaker 1: stone with which it was composed had in some places
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  Speaker 1: been broken up or carried away. He at length reached, however,
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  Speaker 1: the fortified head of the causeway at the foot of
• 18:38
  Speaker 1: the rock, and then demanded admission to speak with the governor.
• 18:42
  Speaker 1: This was refused him, but as such might naturally be
• 18:45
  Speaker 1: the case, his suspicions were but little increased by that event. He, however,
• 18:50
  Speaker 1: directed the officer in command immediately to send up and
• 18:53
  Speaker 1: inform the Governor Luluke of his being there and of
• 18:56
  Speaker 1: his desire to speak with him. After keeping him some time,
• 19:00
  Speaker 1: the officer returned saying that Monsieur Le Luke would come
• 19:04
  Speaker 1: down himself to speak with the Count. And during the
• 19:07
  Speaker 1: period that the Protestant leaders were thus occupied in waiting
• 19:10
  Speaker 1: for the appearance of the governor, the Protestant officer arrived
• 19:13
  Speaker 1: from the village, bringing news that the soldiery which had
• 19:16
  Speaker 1: been left behind were in a state of actual mutiny,
• 19:19
  Speaker 1: having entirely mistaken the object of the Count and his
• 19:22
  Speaker 1: companions and imagined that they were engaged in seeking their
• 19:26
  Speaker 1: own safety. Leaving the soldiers to meet whatever fate might
• 19:29
  Speaker 1: be for them. In the name of Heaven, right back, Dubar,
• 19:33
  Speaker 1: said the Count, and quiet them till I return. It
• 19:36
  Speaker 1: is better for me to stay and speak to this
• 19:38
  Speaker 1: worthy gentleman, who seems to be showing us a cold face.
• 19:41
  Speaker 1: As you know, he owes everything to my house. I
• 19:44
  Speaker 1: will return instantly as soon as he condescends to favor
• 19:47
  Speaker 1: us with his presence. Dubal did not reply, but turned
• 19:52
  Speaker 1: his horse, for they were still kept on the outside
• 19:55
  Speaker 1: even of the causeway head, and rode back as fast
• 19:58
  Speaker 1: as he could go, a companied by one of the
• 20:00
  Speaker 1: other officers. The Count remained growing more and more impatient
• 20:05
  Speaker 1: every moment, and the governor perhaps thinking that he would
• 20:08
  Speaker 1: get tired of waiting and retire without an answer, kept
• 20:11
  Speaker 1: him nearly half an hour before he made his appearance.
• 20:15
  Speaker 1: He then came down with that dull and dogged look
• 20:17
  Speaker 1: which generally accompanies the purpose of disgraceful actions, and the Count,
• 20:22
  Speaker 1: restraining his indignation, called to him to cause the drawbridge
• 20:25
  Speaker 1: to be lowered in order that he might speak to
• 20:27
  Speaker 1: him more privately. No, indeed, replied the Governor with a scoff.
• 20:32
  Speaker 1: With the little force I have in here, I shall
• 20:34
  Speaker 1: not think of causing the drawbridge to be lowered when
• 20:37
  Speaker 1: I know that the village is occupied by a large
• 20:39
  Speaker 1: party of armed traitors. Traitors, exclaimed the Count, but again
• 20:44
  Speaker 1: overcoming his anger, he added in a cooler tone, Monsieur
• 20:47
  Speaker 1: le Luke, up to this moment, I have believed you
• 20:50
  Speaker 1: to be of the Reformed Church. I am so, no longer,
• 20:53
  Speaker 1: muttered the Governor. Well, sir, continued the Count. There are
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: other things which may have influence upon men of honor
• 21:00
  Speaker 1: and good feeling, besides their religion. There is at the village,
• 21:03
  Speaker 1: as you say, a large party of Protestant gentlemen assembled
• 21:07
  Speaker 1: in defense of their liberty and freedom of conscience. They
• 21:10
  Speaker 1: find themselves unable to resist the power of those who
• 21:12
  Speaker 1: would oppress them. Terms are proposed for extending a free
• 21:16
  Speaker 1: pardon to all but some thirty or forty. Those thirty
• 21:20
  Speaker 1: or forty are desirous of obtaining shelter in this fortress
• 21:23
  Speaker 1: for one or two hours at the utmost, till they
• 21:26
  Speaker 1: can embark in no ships which are waiting for the
• 21:29
  Speaker 1: rising of the tide. Now, Monsieur le Luc, my father
• 21:32
  Speaker 1: gave you the first commission that you held under the crown.
• 21:35
  Speaker 1: He obtained for you your first promotion, and I bestowed
• 21:39
  Speaker 1: upon you the post in this fortress which you now hold.
• 21:42
  Speaker 1: Will you, sir, grant us the shelter that we demand
• 21:44
  Speaker 1: at your hand? Very pretty, replied Le Luc. To talk
• 21:49
  Speaker 1: of honor and ask me to betray the trust that
• 21:51
  Speaker 1: the King reposes in me. Still, the Count kept his temper.
• 21:56
  Speaker 1: You refuse, then he demanded, Yes, that I do, answered
• 22:00
  Speaker 1: the governor in a rude tone. And the sooner you
• 22:03
  Speaker 1: take yourself back to the land, the better, for I
• 22:05
  Speaker 1: am in no humor to be trifled with. It was
• 22:08
  Speaker 1: with difficulty that the Count restrained himself, But there was
• 22:12
  Speaker 1: one chance more, and he tried it yet another word,
• 22:16
  Speaker 1: my good friend, he said, there is a matter in
• 22:18
  Speaker 1: which you can favor us without endangering your own safety
• 22:21
  Speaker 1: or getting into discredit with the government. If we attempt
• 22:25
  Speaker 1: to pass to the ships, in what boats we can find,
• 22:28
  Speaker 1: will you pledge me your word that you do not
• 22:30
  Speaker 1: fire into them? If you do not make haste away
• 22:33
  Speaker 1: from the gates of this fortress, replied the Governor, who saw,
• 22:37
  Speaker 1: by the quivering of the Count's lip the contempt that
• 22:40
  Speaker 1: he could not help feeling. I will fire upon you
• 22:43
  Speaker 1: where you are, and will sink the boat of every
• 22:45
  Speaker 1: traitor that comes within shot, Sir, said the Count. You
• 22:50
  Speaker 1: are a dastardly, pitiful, contemptible scoundrel. It is only happy
• 22:55
  Speaker 1: for you that the drawbridge is between us, or I
• 22:58
  Speaker 1: would treat you like an ill conditioned and lashly to
• 23:01
  Speaker 1: within an inch of your life under my horse's feet.
• 23:05
  Speaker 1: You shall hear more, traitor, You shall hear more in
• 23:08
  Speaker 1: a minute, replied the Governor. And mind, I tell you,
• 23:11
  Speaker 1: the faster you go, the better for you. Thus saying,
• 23:15
  Speaker 1: he turned away and mounted the zigzag staircase in the
• 23:17
  Speaker 1: rock with a rapid step. The Count paused and turned
• 23:21
  Speaker 1: his horse, but at that very moment, he saw a
• 23:24
  Speaker 1: party of horsemen at the other end of the causeway,
• 23:27
  Speaker 1: apparently coming towards him with great speed, part of them
• 23:30
  Speaker 1: upon the sands, which by this time had been left dry,
• 23:34
  Speaker 1: part of them following the road in the midst it
• 23:37
  Speaker 1: is Dubar and the rest. He said, in a low
• 23:40
  Speaker 1: voice to one of the gentlemen near him, I have
• 23:42
  Speaker 1: a very great mind to stay here and try to
• 23:45
  Speaker 1: punish that fellow for his insolence. I could swim that
• 23:48
  Speaker 1: little bit of sea in a moment, and the drawbridge
• 23:51
  Speaker 1: once in our possession, the castle would be ours. Count, Count,
• 23:56
  Speaker 1: shouted the officer of the guard from the fortress side
• 23:59
  Speaker 1: of the Drawgriod, for God's sake, make haste and ride back.
• 24:03
  Speaker 1: I hear that governor of ours giving orders for charging
• 24:05
  Speaker 1: the cannon with grape. He will fire upon you as
• 24:08
  Speaker 1: sure as I am alive, for he sent word to
• 24:10
  Speaker 1: the Chevalier Devron last night that he would do so.
• 24:15
  Speaker 1: I thank you, sir, for your courtesy, replied the Count calmly.
• 24:18
  Speaker 1: Under these circumstances, my friends, it is better for us
• 24:22
  Speaker 1: to go back. The other officers put their horses into
• 24:25
  Speaker 1: a quick pace, and they rode on but they had
• 24:28
  Speaker 1: scarcely gone a hundred yards when the cannon of the
• 24:30
  Speaker 1: castle opened a fire of grape upon them. The shot, however,
• 24:34
  Speaker 1: flew over their heads, as they were too near the
• 24:36
  Speaker 1: wards to be easily hit, except from the drawbridge, where
• 24:40
  Speaker 1: the Count could see preparations being made for following up
• 24:43
  Speaker 1: the same course. At the same moment, however, he pulled
• 24:46
  Speaker 1: up his horse, exclaiming, good God, that is not the
• 24:49
  Speaker 1: Marquis du bar it is the Chevalier de Franz. The
• 24:53
  Speaker 1: officers who were with him paused also, and to their
• 24:56
  Speaker 1: surprise and somewhat to their consternation, perceived that shut in.
• 25:00
  Speaker 1: As they were by the sea on two sides and
• 25:02
  Speaker 1: by the fortress on another, the only open ground before
• 25:06
  Speaker 1: them was occupied by the commander in chief of the
• 25:08
  Speaker 1: Royalist forces, with a numerous staff and a small escort
• 25:12
  Speaker 1: of cavalry. We have nothing for it, my friends, said
• 25:16
  Speaker 1: the Count de Morseur, in a low calm tone. But
• 25:19
  Speaker 1: to surrender it is evident our men have capitulated in
• 25:23
  Speaker 1: the village. Let us ride on and meet them. Thus saying,
• 25:27
  Speaker 1: he spurred on his horse, while the Chevalier Devron galloped
• 25:30
  Speaker 1: forward on his side, waving his hat and shaking his
• 25:34
  Speaker 1: clenched fist towards the people on the walls of the fort.
• 25:38
  Speaker 1: They either did not recognize him, however, or did not
• 25:40
  Speaker 1: choose to obey his commands, and before he and the
• 25:43
  Speaker 1: Count de Morceaux met a second discharge of grape shot
• 25:47
  Speaker 1: took place from the cannon of the castle. At the
• 25:50
  Speaker 1: same moment the Count de Morceau beheld the Chevalier Devron
• 25:54
  Speaker 1: suddenly check up his horse, press his hand upon his side,
• 25:57
  Speaker 1: and fall headlong to the ground, while one of the
• 26:00
  Speaker 1: horses of the Count's party was killed upon the spot,
• 26:03
  Speaker 1: and an officer of the chevalier's staff fell wounded, but
• 26:06
  Speaker 1: rose up again. Immediately, the Count galloped eagerly on to
• 26:10
  Speaker 1: the spot where he had seen the Chevalier Devron fall,
• 26:14
  Speaker 1: and a memory of long friendship came painfully back upon
• 26:17
  Speaker 1: his heart. Before he had reached the group of soldiers
• 26:20
  Speaker 1: and officers, however, five or six men had raised the
• 26:23
  Speaker 1: unfortunate commander from the ground and were bearing him rapidly
• 26:27
  Speaker 1: back towards the village. So eagerly were those who remained
• 26:31
  Speaker 1: conversing together, and so fully occupied with their own thoughts,
• 26:35
  Speaker 1: that the Count de morsel might, to all appearance, have
• 26:37
  Speaker 1: passed by them without opposition or inquiry, but he himself
• 26:42
  Speaker 1: drew in his reign, demanding is he much hurt? Alas
• 26:46
  Speaker 1: Monsieur de morse replied the officer, who seemed to be
• 26:49
  Speaker 1: next in command, he is dead, killed on the spot
• 26:52
  Speaker 1: by that infernal shot, and a nobler, gentleman or better
• 26:56
  Speaker 1: soldier never lived. But some of your own people are
• 26:59
  Speaker 1: killed also, are they not one of the horses, only,
• 27:03
  Speaker 1: I believe, replied the Count. Pray, may I ask how
• 27:07
  Speaker 1: all this has happened, poor Louis. Ride on, Ride on, Charlio,
• 27:12
  Speaker 1: said the officer, speaking to one of his own men,
• 27:14
  Speaker 1: before he answered the Count that scoundrel will fire upon
• 27:18
  Speaker 1: us again. Tell him I will hang him over the
• 27:21
  Speaker 1: drawbridge if he fires another shot. Monsieur de Morseilles, I
• 27:25
  Speaker 1: will explain all this as we ride back, for you
• 27:27
  Speaker 1: will have but little time to make your arrangements. Scarcely
• 27:32
  Speaker 1: half an hour ago, as Monsieur de Vron and the
• 27:34
  Speaker 1: rest of us were reconnoitering pretty close to your camp,
• 27:37
  Speaker 1: a party of your men came out and offered to
• 27:39
  Speaker 1: capitulate on certain terms, which the chevalier instantly agreed to,
• 27:44
  Speaker 1: and they gave us possession of the gate and the
• 27:46
  Speaker 1: Corpd de Guarde. Just at that moment, however, came up
• 27:50
  Speaker 1: Monsieur du Bars, who remonstrated somewhat angrily with the Chevalier
• 27:54
  Speaker 1: on signing a capitulation with the men, when he had
• 27:57
  Speaker 1: given the officers a truce of five hours to consider
• 28:00
  Speaker 1: his terms. He represented that in those five hours all
• 28:04
  Speaker 1: the gentlemen named in the prescribed list might have made
• 28:07
  Speaker 1: their escape. On that the Chevalier replied that he intended
• 28:11
  Speaker 1: to take no advantage, that the truce should be held
• 28:15
  Speaker 1: to exist notwithstanding the capitulation, and that every gentleman on
• 28:19
  Speaker 1: that list might act exactly as he pleased without anyone
• 28:22
  Speaker 1: trying to impede him. He could not suffer them, of course,
• 28:26
  Speaker 1: to pass through our camp, but if they could escape
• 28:28
  Speaker 1: by sea they might. He said, however, that he wished
• 28:32
  Speaker 1: to speak with this le Loup, and that he would
• 28:34
  Speaker 1: take the liberty of riding down through the village. Dubard
• 28:38
  Speaker 1: then asked if he intended to bid le Loup fire
• 28:41
  Speaker 1: on the boats or ships. He answered quite the contrary,
• 28:45
  Speaker 1: that his only intention was to supersede him in his
• 28:47
  Speaker 1: command and put an officer in his place who would
• 28:50
  Speaker 1: keep the truce to the latter. You have therefore yet
• 28:54
  Speaker 1: four hours nearly to do what you will, Monsieur de Morselles.
• 28:58
  Speaker 1: For I, of course, taking the Chevalier's command, shall maintain
• 29:01
  Speaker 1: all his arrangements and act in their full spirit. The
• 29:06
  Speaker 1: count had listened sadly and attentively, and when the royalist
• 29:09
  Speaker 1: officer had done speaking, he replied that by his leave
• 29:12
  Speaker 1: he would ride on as fast as possible to the
• 29:14
  Speaker 1: village and consult with his companions. Do so, do so,
• 29:19
  Speaker 1: answered the other, For now I think of it, I
• 29:21
  Speaker 1: had better go on to the fort and put the
• 29:23
  Speaker 1: Chevalier's intentions in execution. For this firing upon you may
• 29:28
  Speaker 1: be considered already a breach of the truce. I shall
• 29:31
  Speaker 1: find you on my return, and at the little auberge
• 29:34
  Speaker 1: you will meet with an English gentleman most anxious to
• 29:37
  Speaker 1: speak with you. Thus saying, he turned again towards the fort,
• 29:41
  Speaker 1: and the Count, with a sad heart, wrote back to
• 29:44
  Speaker 1: the village. End of chapter thirty four.