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030 - The Battle and the Retreat · Huguenot- A Tale of the French Protestants

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  Speaker 1: Chapter thirty of the Huguenot by George paying Winsford James.
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  Speaker 1: This libovoxy according is in the public domain Chapter thirty,
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  Speaker 1: the Battle and the Retreat. We must now return to
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  Speaker 1: the small shepherd's cottage in the Lawnde, and, passing over
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  Speaker 1: the intervening day, which had been occupied in the burial
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  Speaker 1: of the good pastor, we must take up the story
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  Speaker 1: of claiments de Marlis on the morning of which we
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  Speaker 1: have just been speaking. At an early hour on that day,
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  Speaker 1: Armand de Arval came into the cottage where the people
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  Speaker 1: were setting before her the simple meal of eywe milk
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  Speaker 1: and black bread, which was all that they could afford
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  Speaker 1: to give, and standing by her side with somewhat of
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  Speaker 1: a wild air, he asked her if she were ready
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  Speaker 1: to go. She had seen him several times on the
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  Speaker 1: preceding day, and his behavior had always been so respectful,
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  Speaker 1: his grief for the death of Claude de l'a stanzo sincere,
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  Speaker 1: and the emotions which he displayed at the burial of
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  Speaker 1: the body in the sand so deep and unaffected, that
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  Speaker 1: Clement had conceived nose like confidence in a man whom
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  Speaker 1: she might have shrunk from with terror, had she known
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  Speaker 1: that in him she beheld the same plunderer who, under
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  Speaker 1: the name of Brown Carole, had held her for some
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  Speaker 1: time a prisoner in the forest near Auron. To go where, sir,
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  Speaker 1: she demanded, with some degree of agitation. I knew not
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  Speaker 1: that I was about to go anywhere. Oh yes, replied
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  Speaker 1: the man, in the same wild way. We should have
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  Speaker 1: gone yesterday, and I shall be broke for insubordination. You
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  Speaker 1: do not know how stern he is when he thinks fit,
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  Speaker 1: and how no prayers or entreaties can move him. Whom
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  Speaker 1: do you speak of, sir, demanded Clement. I do not
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  Speaker 1: know whom you mean. Why the General, to be sure,
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  Speaker 1: replied the man, the commander in chief, your husband, the
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  Speaker 1: Count de Morseur. The blood rushed up into the cheek
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  Speaker 1: of clements de Marlie. You are mistaken, she said. He
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  Speaker 1: is not my husband. Then he soon will be, replied
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  Speaker 1: the man with a laugh. Though the grave is a
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  Speaker 1: cold bridle bed. I know that, lady. I know that
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  Speaker 1: full well, For when I held her to my heart
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  Speaker 1: on the day of our nuptials, the cheek that used
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  Speaker 1: to feel so warm when I kissed it was as
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  Speaker 1: cold as stone. And when you come to kiss his
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  Speaker 1: cheek or brow too. After they have shot him, you
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  Speaker 1: will find it like ice, cold cold, with a coldness
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  Speaker 1: that creeps to your very soul. And all the heat
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  Speaker 1: that used to be in your heart goes into your brain,
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  Speaker 1: and there you feel it burning like a coal. Clements shuddered,
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  Speaker 1: both at the evident insanity of the person who was
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  Speaker 1: talking to her and at the images which his words
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  Speaker 1: called up before her eyes. He was about to go on,
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  Speaker 1: but a tall, dark, powerful man came in from the
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  Speaker 1: cottage door, where he had been previously standing, and laid
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  Speaker 1: hold of r VAL's arm, saying, come, Carole, Come, you
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  Speaker 1: are only frightening the lady, and indeed you ought to
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  Speaker 1: be upon the march. What will my lords say? The
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  Speaker 1: fit is upon him now, madam, he continued, addressing Clement's
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  Speaker 1: But it will soon go away again. They drove him
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  Speaker 1: mad by shooting a poor girl he was in love
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  Speaker 1: with at the preaching on the mall, which you may remember.
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  Speaker 1: I'm not sure, but I think you were there too.
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  Speaker 1: If I could get him to play a little upon
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  Speaker 1: the musette at the door, the fit would soon leave him.
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  Speaker 1: He used to be so fond of it, and play
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  Speaker 1: it so well, poor fellow, he is terribly mad. See
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  Speaker 1: how he is looking at us without speaking? Come, Carole, Come,
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  Speaker 1: here is thette at the door. And he led him
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  Speaker 1: away by the arm, Aye, said the old shepherd, as
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  Speaker 1: they went out. One is not much less mad than
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  Speaker 1: the other. There they ought both to have gone, to
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  Speaker 1: have joined the count last night, but the burying of
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  Speaker 1: poor Monsieur de l'ston seemed to set them both off.
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  Speaker 1: And now there are all the men drawn out and
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  Speaker 1: ready to march, and they will sit and play the
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  Speaker 1: musette there lord knows how long. But what did they
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  Speaker 1: mean by asking if I were ready? Said Claymore, do
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  Speaker 1: they intend to take me with them? Why? Yes, madam,
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  Speaker 1: replied the old man. I suppose so. The litter was
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  Speaker 1: ready for you last night. And as the army is
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  Speaker 1: going to retreat, I hear it would not be safe
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  Speaker 1: for you to stay here, as the Catholics are coming
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  Speaker 1: up in great force under the Chevalier de Vron. Clamore
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  Speaker 1: started and turned round, while the color again rushed violently
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  Speaker 1: into her cheeks, And then she covered her eyes with
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  Speaker 1: her hands, as if to think more rapidly. By shutting
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  Speaker 1: out to all external objects, she was roused, however, almost
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  Speaker 1: immediately by the sound of the musette, and saying I
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  Speaker 1: will go, and I am quite ready to go, she
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  Speaker 1: advanced to the door of the cottage. It was a
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  Speaker 1: strange and extraordinary sight that presented itself. Lval and Paul
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  Speaker 1: Volt were sitting together on the stone bench at the
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  Speaker 1: cottage door, the one playing beautifully upon the instrument of
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  Speaker 1: his native province, and the other listening apparently well satisfied,
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  Speaker 1: while several groups of men of every complexion and expression
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  Speaker 1: were standing round, gazing upon the two and attending to
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  Speaker 1: the music. The air that Lval or Carowell was playing
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  Speaker 1: was one of the ordinary sound tunes in use amongst
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  Speaker 1: the Protestants, and he gave it vast expression, so that
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  Speaker 1: pleasure in the music and religious enthusiasm seemed entirely to
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  Speaker 1: withdraw the attention of the men from the Madame is
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  Speaker 1: of the act. At that moment, poor Verlat, however, was
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  Speaker 1: mad in that kind, if mad at all, which is
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  Speaker 1: anxious and cunning in concealing itself, And the moment he
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  Speaker 1: saw Clement, he started up with somewhat of a shame
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  Speaker 1: in his looks, saying, he is better now, Madam, he
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  Speaker 1: is better now come, Erval, he continued, touching his arm.
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  Speaker 1: Let us go. A Val, however, continued till he had
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  Speaker 1: played the tune once over again, and then laying down
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  Speaker 1: the musette. He looked in Valat's face for a moment
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  Speaker 1: without speaking, but at length he replied, very well, Paul,
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  Speaker 1: let us go. I am better now, madam, I beg
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  Speaker 1: your pardon. I am afraid we have hurried you. Even
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  Speaker 1: as he spoke, a messenger came up at full speed
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  Speaker 1: his horse, in a lather of foam and eagerness and
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  Speaker 1: excitement in his countenance. In the name of Heaven, Carole,
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  Speaker 1: what are you about, he cried, Here is the count
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  Speaker 1: and Monsieur Dubars engaged with the whole force of the
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  Speaker 1: enemy within two miles of you. In Heaven's name, put
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  Speaker 1: your men in a array and march as fast as possible,
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  Speaker 1: or you will be cut off. And they defeated. The
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  Speaker 1: look of intelligence and clear sense came back into Alval's
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  Speaker 1: countenance in a moment. Good God, I have been very foolish,
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  Speaker 1: he said, putting his hand to his head. Quick, my
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  Speaker 1: men each to his post. Sound the conch there but
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  Speaker 1: the lady, he continued, turning to the man who had
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  Speaker 1: ridden up. What can we do with the lady? Oh,
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  Speaker 1: she must be taken with you by all means, replied
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  Speaker 1: the man. We can send her on from the cross
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  Speaker 1: road into the front. They will sweep all this country,
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  Speaker 1: depend upon it, and they are not men to spare
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  Speaker 1: a lady. Clement's turned somewhat pale as the man spoke,
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  Speaker 1: and though in fact her fate was utterly in the
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  Speaker 1: hands of those who surrounded her, she turned an inquiring
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  Speaker 1: look upon Maria, who stood near, as if asking what
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  Speaker 1: she should do. Oh, go, lady, go, cried the attendant,
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  Speaker 1: in a language which the men did not understand, but
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  Speaker 1: which Clement seemed to speak fluently, And after a few
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  Speaker 1: more words, she retired into the cottage to wait for
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  Speaker 1: the litter, while the band of brown caroule, some on
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  Speaker 1: horseback and some on foot, began to file off towards
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  Speaker 1: the scene of action. In a few minutes after, the
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  Speaker 1: litter appeared, but by this time two mules had been
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  Speaker 1: procured for it, and with a man who knew the
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  Speaker 1: country well for the driver, Clamon's and Maria set off
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  Speaker 1: with the last troop of the Huguenots, which was brought
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  Speaker 1: up by erval himself. He was now all intelligence and activity,
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  Speaker 1: and no one to see him could have conceived that
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  Speaker 1: it was the same man whose mind, but a few
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  Speaker 1: minutes before, seemed totally lost. He urged on their march
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  Speaker 1: as fast as possible, pressing the party on foot which
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  Speaker 1: was attached to his mounted bown, and in a few
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  Speaker 1: minutes after a sharp fire of musketry met the ear
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  Speaker 1: of Clament's as she was born forward. This continued for
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  Speaker 1: a little time as they passed round the edge of
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  Speaker 1: a low wood which flanked the hills on one side
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  Speaker 1: and seemed the connecting link between the lawnd and the
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  Speaker 1: cultivated country. About five minutes after, however, louder and more
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  Speaker 1: rending sounds were heard, and it was evident that cannon
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  Speaker 1: were now employed on both sides. The voices of several
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  Speaker 1: people shouting too were heard, and a horse without a
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  Speaker 1: rider came rushing by and startled the mules that bore
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  Speaker 1: the litter. Clement de Marlis could but raise her prayers
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  Speaker 1: to God for his blessing on the right cause. It
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  Speaker 1: was not fear that she felt, for fear is personal.
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  Speaker 1: It was all. It was the impressive consciousness of being
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  Speaker 1: in the midst of mighty scenes which sometimes, in her
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  Speaker 1: moments of wild enthusiasm, she had wished to see, but
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  Speaker 1: which she now felt to be no matter for sport curiosity.
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  Speaker 1: Another instant, she was out upon the side of the
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  Speaker 1: hill beyond the wood, and the whole scene laid open
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  Speaker 1: before her. That scene was very awful, notwithstanding the confusion
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  Speaker 1: which prevented her from comprehending clearly what was going on.
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  Speaker 1: A large body of troops was evidently marching up the
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  Speaker 1: valley to the attack of the heights. A windmill surrounded
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  Speaker 1: by some low stone walls, not one hundred yards to
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  Speaker 1: the left of the spot where she was placed, appeared
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  Speaker 1: at the moment she first saw it, one blaze of
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  Speaker 1: fire from the discharge of musketry and cannon, which seemed
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  Speaker 1: to be directed, as far as she could judge, against
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  Speaker 1: the flank of a body of cavalry coming up a
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  Speaker 1: road in the valley on the slope of the hill. However,
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  Speaker 1: to the right, a considerable body of infantry was making
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  Speaker 1: its way up to the attack of the farther angle
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  Speaker 1: of the wood, round which she herself had just passed,
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  Speaker 1: And from amongst the trees and brushwood, nearly stripped of
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  Speaker 1: their leaves as they were, she could see poured forth
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  Speaker 1: almost an incessant torrent of smoke and flame upon the
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  Speaker 1: assailing party, seeming almost at every other step to make
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  Speaker 1: them waver as if ready to turn back. The object, however,
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  Speaker 1: which engaged her principal attention, was a small body of horsemen,
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  Speaker 1: apparently rallying and reposing for a moment under shelter of
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  Speaker 1: the fire from the hill. Why she knew not, for
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  Speaker 1: the features of none of those composing that party were
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  Speaker 1: at all discernible, but her heart beat anxiously, as if
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  Speaker 1: she felt that there was some beloved being there. The
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  Speaker 1: next instant, that small body of men was again put
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  Speaker 1: in motion, and galloping down like lightning, might be seen,
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  Speaker 1: though half hidden by the clouds of dust, to hurl
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  Speaker 1: itself violently against the head of the advancing column, like
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  Speaker 1: an avalanche against some mighty rock. Almost at the same moment, however,
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  Speaker 1: an officer rode furiously up to Erval and gave him
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  Speaker 1: some directions in a quick and eager voice. Eval merely
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  Speaker 1: nodded his head, then turned to the driver of the
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  Speaker 1: mules and told him to make as much haste as
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  Speaker 1: he could towards more time along the high road. Remain
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  Speaker 1: with the head of the column, he said, And above
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  Speaker 1: all things, keep your beasts to the work, for you
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  Speaker 1: must neither embarrass the march, nor let the lady be
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  Speaker 1: left behind. The man obeyed at once, but before he
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  Speaker 1: had left the brow of the hill, Claiments saw the
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  Speaker 1: band of carouele begin to descend towards the small body
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  Speaker 1: of cavaliers we have mentioned, while a company of musketeers,
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  Speaker 1: at a very few yards distance from her began to
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  Speaker 1: file off, as if for reteat all. The confusion of
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  Speaker 1: such a scene succeeded the jostling, the rushing, the quarrels,
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  Speaker 1: the reproaches, the invectives which take place upon the retreat
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  Speaker 1: of an irregular force. But several bodies of better disciplined men,
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  Speaker 1: taking their way along the road close to Claiment's preserved
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  Speaker 1: some order and gave her some protection. And as they
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  Speaker 1: passed rapidly onward, the sounds of strife and contention, the
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  Speaker 1: shouts and vociferations of the various commanders, the rattle of
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  Speaker 1: the small arms, and the roar of the artillery, gradually diminished,
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  Speaker 1: and while Claymen's hoped in her heart that the battle
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  Speaker 1: was over. She looked round for some one coming up
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  Speaker 1: from the rear to inquire for the fate of him,
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  Speaker 1: for whom her heart had beat principally during that morning.
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  Speaker 1: For about half an hour, however, nobody came. The retreat
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  Speaker 1: assumed the appearance of an orderly march, and all was
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  Speaker 1: going on tranquility when a horseman came up at a
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  Speaker 1: quick pace and pulled in his charger beside the litter.
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  Speaker 1: Cleamoent looked towards him. It was not the face that
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  Speaker 1: she expected to see, but on the contrary, that of
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  Speaker 1: a tall, thin, hale old man, perfectly a stranger to her.
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  Speaker 1: He pulled off his hat with military courtesy and bowed low.
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  Speaker 1: I beg your pardon, madam, he said, But I have
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  Speaker 1: just been informed of your name, quality and situation, and
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  Speaker 1: also with the circumstances of your being brought from Douar
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  Speaker 1: hither I come to say, he added, lowering his voice
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  Speaker 1: and bending down, that I am just going to visit
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  Speaker 1: an old friend, the Duke de Rouffrey, who I understand
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  Speaker 1: is your guardian. Now I do not know whether you
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  Speaker 1: are here of your own good will, or whether there
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  Speaker 1: be any degree of force in the matter. Should you, however,
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  Speaker 1: be disposed to send any message to the Duke, I
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  Speaker 1: am ready to take it. I give you many thanks, sir,
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  Speaker 1: replied Clement. But of course I can sent no long
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  Speaker 1: message now, nor detailed explanation of my situation. Assure him
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  Speaker 1: only and the Duchess, who has been a mother to
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  Speaker 1: me of my deep love and gratitude and respect. But
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  Speaker 1: shall I tell them, said the old man, that you
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  Speaker 1: are here with your consent or without your consent? You
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  Speaker 1: may tell them, replied Clament, that I was brought here
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  Speaker 1: indeed without my consent. Though being here I must now
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  Speaker 1: remain voluntarily. My fate is decided. Do you mean to say, madam?
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  Speaker 1: Demanded the old gentleman, bluffly, that I am to tell
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  Speaker 1: them you are married. That is the only way, in
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  Speaker 1: general that a woman's fate can be decided, which I
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  Speaker 1: know of, No, sir, replied Claymon's coloring. There is in
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  Speaker 1: this country a different decision of one's fate. I am
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  Speaker 1: a Protestant. It must no longer and can no longer
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  Speaker 1: be concealed. A bright and noble smile came upon the
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  Speaker 1: old man's countenance. I beg your pardon Madam, he said,
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  Speaker 1: I have spoken somewhat rudely, perhaps, but I will deliver
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  Speaker 1: your message, and at some future time may ask your
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  Speaker 1: pardon if you will permit me for having called the
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  Speaker 1: color into a lady's cheek, a thing that I am
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  Speaker 1: not fond of doing, though it be beautiful to see.
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  Speaker 1: Thus saying and bowing low, he was about to turn
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  Speaker 1: his horse and canter back again, when an eager look
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  Speaker 1: that lighted up Clayment's features made him pause even before
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  Speaker 1: she spoke, and ride on a little further beside her.
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  Speaker 1: You came from the rear, sir, I think, she said,
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  Speaker 1: in a low, unfaltering voice. May I ask how is
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  Speaker 1: gone the day? Is the Count de Morseu safe? The
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  Speaker 1: old man smiled again sweetly upon her. Madam, he said,
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  Speaker 1: did not sad experience often show us that it would not?
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  Speaker 1: So I should think from the fate of the Count
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  Speaker 1: de Morseu this day that a gallant and all daring
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  Speaker 1: heart is a buler which neither steel nor leat can penetrate.
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  Speaker 1: I myself have sat and watched him, while in six
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  Speaker 1: successive charges he attacked and drove back an immensely superior
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  Speaker 1: force of the enemy's cavalry, charging and retreating every time
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  Speaker 1: under the most tremendous and well sustained fire of the
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  Speaker 1: light infantry on their flanks that I ever saw. Scarcely
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  Speaker 1: a man of his whole troop has escaped without wounds,
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  Speaker 1: and but too many are killed. The Count himself, however,
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  Speaker 1: is perfectly unhurt. I saw him five minutes ago, bringing
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  Speaker 1: up the rear, and as by that time the enemy
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  Speaker 1: was showing no disposition to pursue vigorously, he may be
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  Speaker 1: considered as safe, having effected his retreat from a very
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  Speaker 1: difficult situation in the most masterly manner. Is there any
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  Speaker 1: one else, Madame, of whom I can give you information,
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  Speaker 1: I fear not, replied the lady. There is indeed one
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  Speaker 1: that I would fain ask for. But as you have
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  Speaker 1: been with the Count de Morseilles, probably you do not
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  Speaker 1: know him. I mean the Chevalier de fron what both
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  Speaker 1: the commanders, exclaimed the old gentleman, with a smile which
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  Speaker 1: again called the color into Clayment's cheek. I beg your pardon, Madam.
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  Speaker 1: I have a better right to tell tales than to
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  Speaker 1: make comments. In this instance, I cannot give you such
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  Speaker 1: accurate information as I did in the other for I
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  Speaker 1: do not know the person of the Chevalier de Fran,
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  Speaker 1: But as far as this little prospective glass could show me,
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  Speaker 1: the gentleman who has been commanding the royal forces, and
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  Speaker 1: whom I was informed was the Chevalier de Fran is
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  Speaker 1: still commanding them, and apparently unhurt. I discovered him by
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  Speaker 1: his filamotte scarf and swed not after losing sight of
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  Speaker 1: him for a time, but he was still upon horseback,
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  Speaker 1: commanding in the midst of his staff, and has the
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  Speaker 1: credit of having won the day, though the immense superiority
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  Speaker 1: of his forces rendered any other result out of the question,
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  Speaker 1: even if he had not acted as well and skillfully
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  Speaker 1: as he has done. I will now once more beg
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  Speaker 1: pardon for intruding upon you, and trust that fair fortune
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  Speaker 1: and prosperity may attend you. Thus saying, he turned and
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  Speaker 1: cantered away, and on looking round to her maid Clayman's
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  Speaker 1: perceived that Maria had drawn the hood of her gray
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  Speaker 1: cloak over her head. End of Chapter thirty