Love and liberty : $b A thrilling narrative of the French Revolution of 1792Dumas, Alexandre
History
Love and liberty : $b A thrilling narrative of the French Revolution of 1792
Dumas, Alexandre
France -- History -- Revolution, 1789-1799 -- Fiction
As if they wished that the dead should participate in the joy of the
living, garlands of green boughs, intermingled with flowers, were
suspended from the gates of the cemetery, which stretched from the
church to the side of the Rue de l’Horloge. In the middle of the
Place was erected a scaffolding, filled with amateur musicians, who
wished to promote a dance after dinner. On the front of this temple
of Terpsichore was written “Vive le Roi! Vive la nation!” Underneath
this, in large letters, was inscribed the word “Fraternité!”
It was, in fact a brotherly rejoicing. Those who there met for the
first time were members of one great family, which had existed for
centuries, only it ignored the tie which bound one to the other.
But common danger had caused to meet the two ends of the thread, and
in their union they found force.
After passing the houses leading to the Place Latry, we arrived at
the open space in front of the Rue de l’Horloge, and entered into the
midst of the crowd.
There seemed to be collected all the inhabitants of the High Town.
In each street the tables were arranged on the right and left side of
the houses; a space in the middle being left for the promenaders. The
Rue des Réligieuses, which runs down from the foot of the hill, made
a most perfect and picturesque view.
We got mixed up with a lot of other persons, when all of a sudden a
crowd of horsemen—young gentlemen, apparently—appeared on the crest
of the hill, and, putting their horses at full gallop, dashed into
the Rue des Réligieuses. There was a general cry of “Each one for
himself!” and we turned to fly; but as we had been in front before,
we now naturally found ourselves in the rear.
Thinking but of Sophie, I wished to put her under one of the tables,
to be out of the way of danger; but curious to relate, she did not
seem to know the peril she was in, and would not stir till it was too
late; and I had just time to clasp her in my arms, and throw myself
in front of her.
I had scarcely accomplished this, than, on turning round, I
discovered myself face to face with a horseman, whose steed was
perfectly unmanageable, and turned round and round, threatening us
with his hoofs as he did so.
I had but one hope, and that was to preserve Sophie. I caught hold of
the horse’s bridle, the cavalier raised his whip, the horse gave a
plunge, and, whether through accident or intention, the blow, instead
of falling on the horse, struck me on the shoulder.
The shame of being struck, more than the pain of the blow, caused the
blood to rise to my head. I seized the horseman by his waist, lifted
him from the saddle, the horse bolting away at the moment, upsetting
a woman and two or three children in its wild career, and fell
with him on the pavement; but, being the more vigorous, I was the
uppermost, and soon had him at my mercy, with my knee on his breast.
It was only when his hat fell from his head, that I recognised who my
adversary was.
“M. de Malmy!” cried I.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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