The Sword of Honor; or, The Foundation of the French Republic
Page 51
CHAPTER XXXI.
ONRUSH OF THE REVOLUTION.
The army was to move at break of day. Before dawn John Lebrenn andCastillon dug Victoria's grave on the heights of Geisberg. Thither shewas carried on a funeral litter borne by Captain Martin, Castillon,Duchemin and Oliver. John Lebrenn, leaning because of his wounded kneeupon the arm of the young volunteer Duresnel, followed his sister's bierin deep grief. It was snowing, and Victoria's last resting place soondisappeared beneath the white blanket that fell upon the heights as thearmy marched from its bivouac to advance upon Weissenburg, which mightstill be defended by the Austrian army. But the Austrians left theirtrenches during the night; they evacuated Weissenburg; the hordes of themonarchs fled before the legions of the Republic.
Oliver was made under-lieutenant in the Third Hussars. Captain Martinwas elected commander of the battalion of Paris Volunteers, succeedingthe former commander, who was killed in the siege of Geisberg. Thestandard captured from the Gerolstein Cuirassiers was carried to GeneralHoche by John Lebrenn, who received from the hands of the young general,in honor and memory of the glorious defense, a sword taken from theenemy on that day.
On the 10th Nivose, General Donadieu, denounced before the revolutionarytribunal, and convicted of treason, was condemned to death, a penaltywhich he paid on the scaffold.
Hoche's victory, of the Lines of Weissenburg, decided the success of thewhole campaign. On the 12th Nivose the Convention, upon motion ofBarrere, rendered this decree:
The National Convention decrees:
The Armies of the Rhine and of the Moselle, and the citizens and garrison of Landau, have deserved well of the fatherland.
John Lebrenn, accordingly, being a soldier of the Army of the Rhine andMoselle, engraved these words on the blade of the sword presented to himby Hoche--JOHN LEBRENN HAS DESERVED WELL OF THE FATHERLAND.
The war continued. As soon as his wound had closed, Lebrenn wished torejoin the Army of the Rhine and the Moselle. But the cut, hardlyhealed, opened again, and grew worse under the fatigues of a newcampaign. He was invalided to the hospital at Strasburg late in themonth of Germinal of the year II (March, 1794).
During her husband's absence Charlotte Lebrenn continued to live withher mother in the house on Anjou Street. Master Gervais consented toresume the direction of the smithy he had sold to Lebrenn, until thelatter's return from the army. Charlotte, as previously, kept the booksof the house. On this task she was engaged on the 23rd Prairial, year II(June 11, 1794). The young woman, now nearing her confinement, was stilldressed in mourning for Victoria, her sister-in-law. Madam Desmaraiswas employed about some dressmaking.
Having finished her accounts, Charlotte closed her books, took out aportfolio of white paper, and prepared to write.
"I must seem very curious, my dear daughter," said Madam Desmarais, "butI am piqued about these sheets of paper which you fill with manuscriptevery night, and which will soon make a book."
"It is a surprise I am preparing for John upon his return, good mother."
"May he be able, for his sake and for ours, to enjoy the surprise soon!His last letter gave us at least the hope of seeing him any moment. Hewrote in the same tenor to Monsieur Billaud-Varenne, who came to see usday before yesterday expecting to find your husband here."
"John awaited only the permission of his surgeon to set out on his way,for the results of his wound made great precautions imperative. Ah,mother! How proud I am to be his wife! With what joy and honor I willembrace him!"
"Alas, that pride costs dear. My fear is that our poor John will becrippled all his life. Ah, war, war," sighed Madam Desmarais, her eyesmoistening with tears. "Poor Victoria--what a terrible end was hers!"
"Valiant sister! She lived a martyr, and died a heroine. Never was I somoved as when reading the letter John wrote us from Weissenburg the dayafter Victoria expired in his arms prophecying the Universal Republic,the Federation of the Nations." Then smiling faintly and indicating toher mother the papers scattered over the table Charlotte added: "Andthat brings us back to the surprise I am getting ready for our dearJohn. Read the title of this page."
Madam Desmarais took the sheet which her daughter held out to her, andread upon it, traced in large characters, "TO MY CHILD!"
"So!" began Madam Desmarais, much moved, "these pages you have been atwork on so many days--"
"Are addressed, in thought, to my child. The babe will see the lightduring a terrible period. If it is a boy, I can not hold before him abetter example than that of his own father; if it is a girl--" andCharlotte's voice changed slightly, "I shall offer her as a model thatcourageous woman whom chance gave me to know, to love, and to admire fora short while before her martyrdom."
"Lucile!" cried Madam Desmarais, shuddering at the recollection. "Theunfortunate wife of Camille Desmoulins! Poor Lucile! So beautiful, somodest, so good--and a young mother, too! Nothing could soften themonsters who sat upon the revolutionary tribunal; they sent thatinnocent young woman of twenty to the scaffold!"
"Alas, the eve of her death, she sent to Madam Duplessis, her mother,this letter of two lines:
"Good mother; a tear escapes my eye; it is for you. I go to sleep in the calmness of innocence.
"LUCILE.[16]
"Touching farewell!" continued Charlotte. "I also, shall know how todie."
"You frighten me!" exclaimed Madam Desmarais, trembling. "But no; youare a mother, and women in your condition escape the scaffold."
"The child protects the mother. So I address this writing to my child,to whom, perchance, I may owe my life. Camille Desmoulins, Danton, thoseillustrious men, those lofty patriots, were all sacrificed yesterday. Myhusband has equalled them in civic virtue, he may be judged andguillotined to-morrow. Sad outlook!"
"Ah, blood, always blood!" murmured Madam Desmarais, her heart sinkingwithin her. "Good God, have pity on us."
"Good mother, let me read you a few lines from the memoirs I havewritten for my child on the events of our times:
"'You are born, dear child, in times without their like in the world.And when your reason is sufficiently grown, you will read these pageswritten by me under the eyes of a loving mother, while your father wasgone to fight for the independence of our country, and for the safety ofthe Revolution and the Republic.
"'Perhaps some day you will hear curses and calumnies leveled at thisheroic epoch in which you were born. Perhaps for a day, but for a dayonly, you will see walk again the phantoms of the Church of Rome and ofroyalty.
"'Christ, the proletarian of Nazareth said, _The chains of the slaveswill be broken; all men shall be united in one fraternal equality; thepoor, the widows and the orphans shall be succored_.
"'And now the time has arrived.
"'Those who called themselves the ministers of God continued, foreighteen centuries, to possess slaves, serfs and vassals. In one daythe Revolution has realized the prophecy of Christ, misconstrued by thepriests.'"
"True, true, my daughter," assented Madam Desmarais, "the Republic didin one day what the Church had for centuries refused to do. It was theplace of the Church at least to set the example in freeing the slaves,the serfs and the vassals who belonged to it before the Revolution. Mayit be accursed for its failure to do so."
"You recognize, then, dear mother, that in these troublous times thegood still outdistances the bad;" and Charlotte resumed her reading:
"'Church and royalty purposely kept the people in profound ignorance, inorder to render them more docile to exploitation. On the other hand,behold what the Republic decreed, on the 8th Nivose, year II (December28, 1793):
"'The National Convention decrees:
"'Instruction is unrestricted and shall be gratuitous and compulsory. The Convention charges its Committee on Instruction to draw up for it elementary text books for the education of the citizens. The first of these books shall have in them the Declaration of the Rights of Man, the Constitution, the Table of Virtuous or Heroic Deeds, a
nd the Principles of Eternal Morality.
"'This it followed up by two other decrees, the first under date of the28th Nivose, year II (January 17, 1794):
"'The National Convention decrees:
"'A competition shall be opened for works treating of;
"'Instruction on preserving the health of children, from the moment of conception till their birth, and on their physical and moral training until their entrance into the national schools.
"'The National Convention decrees:
"'There shall be established in each district within the territory of the Republic a national public library'!"
"These are, as you say, my daughter, great and useful things."
Charlotte continued reading:
"'The National Convention, upon a report of the Committee of PublicSafety, adopted also this resolution:
"'The National Convention decrees:
"'There shall be opened in each department a register entitled the Book of National Benefits.
"'The first division therein shall be for old and infirm farmers;
"'The second, for old or infirm mechanics;
"'The third shall be set apart for mothers and widows as well as unmarried mothers, who have children in the country districts.
"'These decrees prove that the Republic, in its commiseration for theunfortunate, consecrates to them a sort of religious care; not only doesit relieve the miseries of the people, but it honors their misfortune.It is not a degrading alms which it throws them, it is the debt of thecountry which it seeks to pay off to the aged who have used up theirlives in toil upon the land or in trades. This debt the Republic alsopays off to the poor widows who can not undertake the care of theiryoung family. The aged, the child, and the woman, are the constantobjects of the solicitude of the Republic.'"
Just then Gertrude the serving maid ran quickly into the room. Hercountenance was at once joyous and pained. Charlotte sprang from herseat, and cried,
"My husband has come!"
"Madam--that is to say--but pray, madam, in your condition do notagitate yourself too greatly--" replied Gertrude. "Monsieur John is,indeed, come, if you please--but--"
Charlotte and her mother were both about to rush to meet their returningsoldier when he appeared on the threshold, supported on Castillon's arm.The two men were dressed in the uniform of the volunteers of theRepublic. John embraced his wife and her mother rapturously, and wipedfrom his eyes the happy tears which his wife's approaching motherhoodcaused him. Then seeing that Castillon stood aside, with tears in hiseyes also, John said:
"A hug for Castillon, too. In this campaign he has been to me not acomrade, but a brother."
"I knew it by your letters," replied Charlotte, as she warmly embracedthe foreman.
"You will sup with us, Citizen Castillon--you would not leave us tocelebrate my husband's return alone?"
"You are very kind, Citizeness Lebrenn. I accept your offergratefully--my day will then be complete," answered the foreman. "Ishall just run out and say good-day to my comrades in the shop. But donot forget--friend John must be kept from walking, if he is not toremain a cripple." And Castillon stepped out of the room.
"My child," said Madam Desmarais, "your husband must get off his uniformand lie down. Besides, his wound no doubt needs dressing. Let us attendto it."
Several hours later John and his wife were sitting together, stilldrinking in the delicious raptures which follow long separations. Daywas nearly done.
"When I left you," John was saying, "you were the dearest and best ofwives. I return to find you the noblest of mothers. Words fail me toexpress how moved I am by the sentiment which dictated to you thataddress to our child which you have just read me. I, too, am affrighted,not for the future but for the present, for the present generation. Themost upright spirits seem now to be stricken with a sort of mad vertigo;and still the republican arms are everywhere victorious, everywhere theoppressed peoples stretch out their hands to us. The Terror has become afatal necessity. The Convention, having restored the public credit andassured the livelihood of the people, continues daily to issue decreesas generous and lofty in sentiment and as practical in operation asthose you have embodied in your pages to our child. The national wealthstill opens to the country enormous financial resources. The people,calm and steady, has cast the slough, so to speak, of its effervescenceand political inexperience. It now shows itself full of respect for thelaw, and for the Convention, in which it sees the incarnation of its ownsovereignty. And yet, it is at this supreme moment that the bestpatriots are decimating, mowing one another down, with blind fury.Anacharsis Clootz, Herault of Sechelles, Camille Desmoulins, Danton, andmany others, the best and most illustrious citizens, are sent to thescaffold."
"Eh! no doubt; and if there is anything surprising, it is your ownastonishment, my dear Lebrenn!" suddenly put in a voice.
Charlotte and her husband turned quickly around, to see Billaud-Varennestanding in the open doorway. For some moments he had been a party toLebrenn's confidences; an indiscretion almost involuntary on Billaud'spart, for the young couple, absorbed in their conversation, had notnoticed his entrance. Now stepping forward, he said to Charlotte:
"Be so good as to excuse me, madam, for having listened. Your door wasopen, and that circumstance should mitigate my 'spying'." Then with afriendly gesture preventing John's rising from the reclining chair wherehe half sat, half lay, Billaud-Varenne added, as he affectionatelypressed the hand of Charlotte's husband: "Do not move, my dear invalid.You have won the right to remain on your stretcher. Your worthy wifemust have written to you what interest I took in all that concerned yousince your departure for the army."
"My wife has often given me intimation of your affectionate remembrance,my dear Billaud; and further, I know it is through your interventionthat Citizen Hubert, my mother-in-law's brother, has been mercifullyforgotten in the prison of Carmes, where he has long been held as asuspect. Thanks to you, his life is no longer in danger."
"Enough, too much, on that subject," declared Billaud-Varenne, halfsmiling, half serious. "Do not awaken in me remorse for a slip. CitizenHubert has ever been, and ever will be, one of the bitterest enemies ofthe Republic. For that reason, he should never have been spared. Ishould have ordered his head to fall."