France -- History -- Wars of the Vendée, 1793-1832 -- Fiction; Marriage -- Fiction
Marcellus, thus appealed to, told Rose after his own fashion that he
knew the captain well: that one day the captain rode out of the camp and
never returned: that at first great anxiety was felt on his behalf, for
the captain was a great favorite, and passed for the smartest soldier in
the division: that after awhile anxiety gave place to some very awkward
suspicions, and these suspicions it was his lot and his comrade’s here
to confirm. About a month later he and the said comrade and two more
were sent, well mounted, to reconnoitre a Spanish village. At the door
of a little inn they caught sight of a French uniform. This so excited
their curiosity that he went forward nearer than prudent, and distinctly
recognized Captain Dujardin seated at a table drinking between two
guerillas; then he rode back and told the others, who then came up and
satisfied themselves it was so: that if any of the party had entertained
a doubt, it was removed in an unpleasant way; he, Marcellus, disgusted
at the sight of a French uniform drinking among Spaniards, took down his
carabine and fired at the group as carefully as a somewhat restive horse
permitted: at this, as if by magic, a score or so of guerillas poured
out from Heaven knows where, musket in hand, and delivered a volley;
the officer in command of the party fell dead, Jean Jacques here got a
broken arm, and his own horse was wounded in two places, and fell from
loss of blood a few furlongs from the French camp, to the neighborhood
of which the vagabonds pursued them, hallooing and shouting and firing
like barbarous banditti as they were.
“However, here I am,” concluded Marcellus, “invalided for awhile, my
lady, but not expended yet: we will soon dash in among them again for
death or glory. Meantime,” concluded he, filling both glasses, “let
us drink to the eyes of beauty (military salute); and to the renown
of France; and double damnation to all her traitors, like that Captain
Dujardin; whose neck may the devil twist.”
Ere they could drink to this energetic toast, a low wail at the door,
like a dying hare’s, arrested the glasses on their road, and the rough
soldiers stood transfixed, and looked at one another in some dismay.
Rose flew to the door with a face full of concern.
Josephine was gone.
Then Rose had the tact and resolution to say a few kind, encouraging
words to the soldiers, and bid Jacintha be hospitable to them. This done
she darted up-stairs after Josephine; she reached the main corridor just
in time to see her creep along it with the air and carriage of a woman
of fifty, and enter her own room.
Rose followed softly with wet eyes, and turned the handle gently. But
the door was locked.
“Josephine! Josephine!”
No answer.
“I want to speak to you. I am frightened. Oh, do not be alone.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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