Percival Keene
Page 44
CHAPTER FORTY FOUR.
The Cossacks having divided, and gone in pursuit of the French, Ipointed out to Cross a hotel, and requested him to help me there. As wecrossed the square, strewed with the dead and wounded, we passed closeto General Moraud, who was breathing his last.
"See, Cross," said I, "there is retribution. He intended that we shouldfall where he now lies."
The general recognised us, gave a heavy groan, and, turning on his back,fell dead.
As soon as I gained the hotel, I was taken up into a room, and made ascomfortable as I could be until my wound could be dressed.
"We're well out of it this time, sir," said Cross.
"Yes, indeed, Bob; this has indeed been a miraculous preservation, andwe ought to thank Heaven for it."
"Why, Captain Keene, I thought just now you did not care whether youlived or died."
"No more I did at that time, Cross; but when we are so wonderfullypreserved, we cannot think but that we are preserved for better things;and as Providence has interfered, it points out to us that it is ourduty to live."
"Well, I'm glad to hear you say that, sir. There's all the troopscoming back. What queer-looking chaps they are, with their long lancesand long beards!"
"Yes; they are Cossacks--Russian irregular cavalry."
"Irregular enough I don't doubt; but they spitted the French men nicely.They look exactly what I thought the Pope of Rome was like."
"Cross, call the master of the hotel, and tell him to come here." Whenthe man came, I desired him to let the commander of the allied troopsknow that an English captain was wounded, and required surgicalassistance. The master of the hotel went to the burgomaster, who wasone of those who had been ordered to be shot; and the burgomaster, whowas now in company with the Russian commander, made known what Irequired. In about an hour a surgeon came, and my wound was dressed.The burgomaster called soon afterwards, and expressed his obligation tome. "For," said he, "if you had not created the delay--which you did byyour resistance--it would have been all over with us by this time."
"You have to thank a Dutch naval officer of the name of Vangilt,"replied I; "it is he who saved us all; and if he is not hurt, you mustbe kind to him, and bring him to me. I will get him his parole, if heis a prisoner. Will you see to it, burgomaster?"
"I will," replied he, "as soon as we are a little more tranquil; but,what with fright and confusion, none of us know what we are about. Youwere right, sir, in persuading us to defend ourselves. We might easilyhave beaten off the small force of General Moraud; but we thought he hadten thousand men, at least. We will do better another time; but theFrench are now in full retreat everywhere."
That night, after dusk, Captain Vangilt came into my room: he had been aprisoner; but the burgomaster made inquiries, and let him out, which, aschief magistrate, he had the power to do. Vangilt embraced me with muchwarmth, and expressed his regret that he could not persuade that wretch,Moraud, from his murderous intentions.
"It came to the same thing, Vangilt. I owe you my life; for if you hadnot created the delay, we should have been shot."
"That's true," replied he. "How fortunate it was, that, as my squadronof gun-boats were destroyed, I consented to join Moraud with what men Icould collect, to surprise the town. Are you badly wounded?"
"No, not seriously, I believe; I hope to be able to get to Hamburg in afew days."
"There is more than one there who will be delighted to see you."
"Is Mr Vanderwelt alive and well?"
"Oh yes; and Minnie, my pretty cousin, is still unmarried." Vangiltsmiled as he made this reply.
"I must ask for your parole, Vangilt, and then you can go to Hamburgwith us."
"With all my heart," replied he; "for we are tired of war, and as I am aDutchman and not a Frenchman, I care little for the reverses we have metwith; all I hope is, that Holland may become a kingdom again, and not aFrench state, as it is now."
The next day, I was visited by the Russian commandant, who verywillingly granted me the parole of Vangilt. In a week I was well enoughto travel by slow journeys to Hamburg, lying on mattresses in a smallcovered waggon, and escorted by Cross and Vangilt. A few hours beforemy arrival, Vangilt went ahead to give notice of my coming, and on theevening of the second day I found myself in a luxurious chamber, withevery comfort, in the company of Mr Vanderwelt, and with the beamingeyes of Minnie watching over me.
The report of Minnie's beauty was fully warranted. When she first madeher appearance, the effect upon me was quite electrical: her style wasradiant, and almost dazzling--a something you did not expect to find inthe human countenance. Their reception of me was all that I coulddesire; their affection shown towards me, their anxiety about my wound,and joy at once more having me under their roof, proved that I had notbeen forgotten. After a short time, Vangilt left the room, and Iremained on the sofa, one hand in the grasp of Mr Vanderwelt, the otherholding the not unwilling one of Minnie. That evening I made known tothem all that had taken place since I last wrote to them, winding upwith the loss of my frigate, the death of Lord de Versely, and mysubsequent capture and rescue.
"And so it was in attempting to come and see us that you were woundedand nearly murdered?"
"Yes, Minnie; I had long been anxious to see you, and could not helpavailing myself of the first opportunity."
"Thank God you are here at last," said Mr Vanderwelt, "and that thereis now every prospect of a conclusion to the war."
"And you won't go to sea any more--will you, Percival?" said Minnie.
"They won't give me a ship, Minnie, after having lost the one Icommanded; to be unfortunate is to be guilty, in those who have nointerest."
"I'm very glad to hear it; then you'll remain quietly on shore, and youwill come and see us."
As I had been rendered feverish by travelling, and my wound was a littleangry, as soon as it was dressed for the night, they left me to repose;but that I could not--the form of Minnie haunted me; to sleep wasimpossible, and I lay thinking of her till day dawned. The fact was,that I was for the first time in love, and that in no small degree--before morning I was desperately so. Indeed, there was excusesufficient, for Minnie was as winning in her manners as she was lovelyin her person, and I was not at all surprised at hearing from Vangilt ofthe numerous suitors for her hand.