2. HOW THE BRIGADIER SLEW THE BROTHERS OF AJACCIO
When the Emperor needed an agent he was always very ready to do me thehonour of recalling the name of Etienne Gerard, though it occasionallyescaped him when rewards were to be distributed. Still, I was a colonelat twenty-eight, and the chief of a brigade at thirty-one, so that Ihave no reason to be dissatisfied with my career. Had the wars lastedanother two or three years I might have grasped my baton, and the manwho had his hand upon that was only one stride from a throne. Murat hadchanged his hussar's cap for a crown, and another light cavalry manmight have done as much. However, all those dreams were driven away byWaterloo, and, although I was not able to write my name upon history, itis sufficiently well known by all who served with me in the great warsof the Empire.
What I want to tell you tonight is about the very singular affair whichfirst started me upon my rapid upward course, and which had the effectof establishing a secret bond between the Emperor and myself.
There is just one little word of warning which I must give you before Ibegin. When you hear me speak, you must always bear in mind that you arelistening to one who has seen history from the inside. I am talkingabout what my ears have heard and my eyes have seen, so you must not tryto confute me by quoting the opinions of some student or man of the pen,who has written a book of history or memoirs. There is much which isunknown by such people, and much which never will be known by the world.For my own part, I could tell you some very surprising things were itdiscreet to do so. The facts which I am about to relate to you tonightwere kept secret by me during the Emperor's lifetime, because I gavehim my promise that it should be so, but I do not think that there canbe any harm now in my telling the remarkable part which I played.
You must know, then, that at the time of the Treaty of Tilsit I was asimple lieutenant in the 10th Hussars, without money or interest. It istrue that my appearance and my gallantry were in my favour, and that Ihad already won a reputation as being one of the best swordsmen in thearmy; but amongst the host of brave men who surrounded the Emperor itneeded more than this to insure a rapid career. I was confident,however, that my chance would come, though I never dreamed that it wouldtake so remarkable a form.
When the Emperor returned to Paris, after the declaration of peace inthe year 1807, he spent much of his time with the Empress and the Courtat Fontainebleau. It was the time when he was at the pinnacle of hiscareer. He had in three successive campaigns humbled Austria, crushedPrussia, and made the Russians very glad to get upon the right side ofthe Niemen. The old Bulldog over the Channel was still growling, but hecould not get very far from his kennel. If we could have made aperpetual peace at that moment, France would have taken a higher placethan any nation since the days of the Romans. So I have heard the wisefolk say, though for my part I had other things to think of. All thegirls were glad to see the army back after its long absence, and you maybe sure that I had my share of any favours that were going. You mayjudge how far I was a favourite in those days when I say that even now,in my sixtieth year--but why should I dwell upon that which is alreadysufficiently well known?
Our regiment of hussars was quartered with the horse chasseurs of theguard at Fontainebleau. It is, as you know, but a little place, buriedin the heart of the forest, and it was wonderful at this time to see itcrowded with Grand Dukes and Electors and Princes, who thronged roundNapoleon like puppies round their master, each hoping that some bonemight be thrown to him. There was more German than French to be heard inthe street, for those who had helped us in the late war had come to begfor a reward, and those who had opposed us had come to try and escapetheir punishment.
And all the time our little man, with his pale face and his cold, greyeyes, was riding to the hunt every morning, silent and brooding, all ofthem following in his train, in the hope that some word would escapehim. And then, when the humour seized him, he would throw a hundredsquare miles to that man, or tear as much off the other, round off onekingdom by a river, or cut off another by a chain of mountains. That washow he used to do business, this little artilleryman, whom we had raisedso high with our sabres and our bayonets. He was very civil to usalways, for he knew where his power came from. We knew also, and showedit by the way in which we carried ourselves. We were agreed, youunderstand, that he was the finest leader in the world, but we did notforget that he had the finest men to lead.
Well, one day I was seated in my quarters playing cards with youngMorat, of the horse chasseurs, when the door opened and in walkedLasalle, who was our Colonel. You know what a fine, swaggering fellow hewas, and the sky-blue uniform of the Tenth suited him to a marvel. Myfaith, we youngsters were so taken by him that we all swore and dicedand drank and played the deuce whether we liked it or no, just that wemight resemble our Colonel! We forgot that it was not because he drankor gambled that the Emperor was going to make him the head of the lightcavalry, but because he had the surest eye for the nature of a positionor for the strength of a column, and the best judgment as to wheninfantry could be broken, or whether guns were exposed, of any man inthe army. We were too young to understand all that, however, so wewaxed our moustaches and clicked our spurs and let the ferrules of ourscabbards wear out by trailing them along the pavement in the hope thatwe should all become Lasalles. When he came clanking into my quarters,both Morat and I sprang to our feet.
'My boy,' said he, clapping me on the shoulder, 'the Emperor wants tosee you at four o'clock.'
The room whirled round me at the words, and I had to lean my hands uponthe edge of the card-table.
'What?' I cried. 'The Emperor!'
'Precisely,' said he, smiling at my astonishment.
'But the Emperor does not know of my existence, Colonel,' I protested.'Why should he send for me?'
'Well, that's just what puzzles me,' cried Lasalle, twirling hismoustache. 'If he wanted the help of a good sabre, why should he descendto one of my lieutenants when he might have found all that he needed atthe head of the regiment? However,' he added, clapping me on theshoulder again in his hearty fashion, 'every man has his chance. I havehad mine, otherwise I should not be Colonel of the Tenth. I must notgrudge you yours. Forwards, my boy, and may it be the first step towardschanging your busby for a cocked hat.'
It was but two o'clock, so he left me, promising to come back and toaccompany me to the palace. My faith, what a time I passed, and how manyconjectures did I make as to what it was that the Emperor could want ofme! I paced up and down my little room in a fever of anticipation.Sometimes I thought that perhaps he had heard of the guns which we hadtaken at Austerlitz; but, then, there were so many who had taken guns atAusterlitz, and two years had passed since the battle. Or it might bethat he wished to reward me for my affair with the _aide-de-camp_ of theRussian Emperor. But then again a cold fit would seize me, and I wouldfancy that he had sent for me to reprimand me. There were a few duelswhich he might have taken in ill part, and there were one or two littlejokes in Paris since the peace.
But, no! I considered the words of Lasalle. 'If he had need of a braveman,' said Lasalle.
It was obvious that my Colonel had some idea of what was in the wind. Ifhe had not known that it was to my advantage, he would not have been socruel as to congratulate me. My heart glowed with joy as this convictiongrew upon me, and I sat down to write to my mother and to tell her thatthe Emperor was waiting, at that very moment, to have my opinion upon amatter of importance. It made me smile as I wrote it to think that,wonderful as it appeared to me, it would probably only confirm my motherin her opinion of the Emperor's good sense.
At half-past three I heard a sabre come clanking against every step ofmy wooden stair. It was Lasalle, and with him was a lame gentleman, veryneatly dressed in black with dapper ruffles and cuffs. We did not knowmany civilians, we of the army, but, my word, this was one whom we couldnot afford to ignore! I had only to glance at those twinkling eyes, thecomical, upturned nose, and the straight, precise mouth, to know that Iwas in the presence of the one man in France whom even
the Emperor hadto consider.
'This is Monsieur Etienne Gerard, Monsieur de Talleyrand,' said Lasalle.
I saluted, and the statesman took me in from the top of my panache tothe rowel of my spur, with a glance that played over me like a rapierpoint.
'Have you explained to the lieutenant the circumstances under which heis summoned to the Emperor's presence?' he asked, in his dry, creakingvoice.
They were such a contrast, these two men, that I could not help glancingfrom one to the other of them: the black, sly politician, and the big,sky-blue hussar with one fist on his hip and the other on the hilt ofhis sabre. They both took their seats as I looked, Talleyrand without asound, and Lasalle with a clash and a jingle like a prancing charger.
'It's this way, youngster,' said he, in his brusque fashion; 'I was withthe Emperor in his private cabinet this morning when a note was broughtin to him. He opened it, and as he did so he gave such a start that itfluttered down on to the floor. I handed it up to him again, but he wasstaring at the wall in front of him as if he had seen a ghost. "Fratellidell' Ajaccio," he muttered; and then again, "Fratelli dell' Ajaccio." Idon't pretend to know more Italian than a man can pick up in twocampaigns, and I could make nothing of this. It seemed to me that he hadgone out of his mind; and you would have said so also, Monsieur deTalleyrand, if you had seen the look in his eyes. He read the note, andthen he sat for half an hour or more without moving.'
'And you?' asked Talleyrand.
'Why, I stood there not knowing what I ought to do. Presently he seemedto come back to his senses.
'"I suppose, Lasalle," said he, "that you have some gallant youngofficers in the Tenth?"
'"They are all that, sire," I answered.
'"If you had to pick one who was to be depended upon for action, but whowould not think too much--you understand me, Lasalle--which would youselect?" he asked.
'I saw that he needed an agent who would not penetrate too deeply intohis plans.
'"I have one," said I, "who is all spurs and moustaches, with never athought beyond women and horses."
'"That is the man I want," said Napoleon. "Bring him to my privatecabinet at four o'clock."
'So, youngster, I came straight away to you at once, and mind that youdo credit to the 10th Hussars.'
I was by no means flattered by the reasons which had led to my Colonel'schoice, and I must have shown as much in my face, for he roared withlaughter and Talleyrand gave a dry chuckle also.
'Just one word of advice before you go, Monsieur Gerard,' said he: 'youare now coming into troubled waters, and you might find a worse pilotthan myself. We have none of us any idea as to what this little affairmeans, and, between ourselves, it is very important for us, who have thedestinies of France upon our shoulders, to keep ourselves in touch withall that goes on. You understand me, Monsieur Gerard?'
I had not the least idea what he was driving at, but I bowed and triedto look as if it was clear to me.
'Act very guardedly, then, and say nothing to anybody,' said Talleyrand.'Colonel de Lasalle and I will not show ourselves in public with you,but we will await you here, and we will give you our advice when youhave told us what has passed between the Emperor and yourself. It istime that you started now, for the Emperor never forgivesunpunctuality.'
Off I went on foot to the palace, which was only a hundred paces off. Imade my way to the ante-chamber, where Duroc, with his grand new scarletand gold coat, was fussing about among the crowd of people who werewaiting. I heard him whisper to Monsieur de Caulaincourt that half ofthem were German Dukes who expected to be made Kings, and the other halfGerman Dukes who expected to be made paupers. Duroc, when he heard myname, showed me straight in, and I found myself in the Emperor'spresence.
I had, of course, seen him in camp a hundred times, but I had never beenface to face with him before. I have no doubt that if you had met himwithout knowing in the least who he was, you would simply have said thathe was a sallow little fellow with a good forehead and fairlywell-turned calves. His tight white cashmere breeches and whitestockings showed off his legs to advantage. But even a stranger musthave been struck by the singular look of his eyes, which could hardeninto an expression which would frighten a grenadier. It is said thateven Auguereau, who was a man who had never known what fear was, quailedbefore Napoleon's gaze, at a time, too, when the Emperor was but anunknown soldier. He looked mildly enough at me, however, and motioned meto remain by the door. De Meneval was writing to his dictation, lookingup at him between each sentence with his spaniel eyes.
'That will do. You can go,' said the Emperor, abruptly. Then, when thesecretary had left the room, he strode across with his hands behind hisback, and he looked me up and down without a word. Though he was a smallman himself, he was very fond of having fine-looking fellows about him,and so I think that my appearance gave him pleasure. For my own part, Iraised one hand to the salute and held the other upon the hilt of mysabre, looking straight ahead of me, as a soldier should.
'Well, Monsieur Gerard,' said he, at last, tapping his forefinger uponone of the brandebourgs of gold braid upon the front of my pelisse, 'Iam informed that you are a very deserving young officer. Your Colonelgives me an excellent account of you.'
I wished to make a brilliant reply, but I could think of nothing saveLasalle's phrase that I was all spurs and moustaches, so it ended in mysaying nothing at all. The Emperor watched the struggle which must haveshown itself upon my features, and when, finally, no answer came he didnot appear to be displeased.
'I believe that you are the very man that I want,' said he. 'Brave andclever men surround me upon every side. But a brave man who----' He didnot finish his sentence, and for my own part I could not understand whathe was driving at. I contented myself with assuring him that he couldcount upon me to the death.
'You are, as I understand, a good swordsman?' said he.
'Tolerable, sire,' I answered.
'You were chosen by your regiment to fight the champion of the Hussarsof Chambarant?' said he.
I was not sorry to find that he knew so much of my exploits.
'My comrades, sire, did me that honour,' said I.
'And for the sake of practice you insulted six fencing masters in theweek before your duel?'
'I had the privilege of being out seven times in as many days, sire,'said I.
'And escaped without a scratch?'
'The fencing master of the 23rd Light Infantry touched me on the leftelbow, sire.'
'Let us have no more child's play of the sort, monsieur,' he cried,turning suddenly to that cold rage of his which was so appalling. 'Doyou imagine that I place veteran soldiers in these positions that youmay practise quarte and tierce upon them? How am I to face Europe if mysoldiers turn their points upon each other? Another word of yourduelling, and I break you between these fingers.'
I saw his plump white hands flash before my eyes as he spoke, and hisvoice had turned to the most discordant hissing and growling. My word,my skin pringled all over as I listened to him, and I would gladly havechanged my position for that of the first man in the steepest andnarrowest breach that ever swallowed up a storming party. He turned tothe table, drank off a cup of coffee, and then when he faced me againevery trace of this storm had vanished, and he wore that singular smilewhich came from his lips but never from his eyes.
'I have need of your services, Monsieur Gerard,' said he. 'I may besafer with a good sword at my side, and there are reasons why yoursshould be the one which I select. But first of all I must bind you tosecrecy. Whilst I live what passes between us today must be known tonone but ourselves.'
I thought of Talleyrand and of Lasalle, but I promised.
'In the next place, I do not want your opinions or conjectures, and Iwish you to do exactly what you are told.'
I bowed.
'It is your sword that I need, and not your brains. I will do thethinking. Is that clear to you?'
'Yes, sire.'
'You know the Chancellor's Grove, in the forest?'
I bowed.
'You know also the large double fir-tree where the hounds assembled onTuesday?'
Had he known that I met a girl under it three times a week, he would nothave asked me. I bowed once more without remark.
'Very good. You will meet me there at ten o'clock tonight.'
I had got past being surprised at anything which might happen. If he hadasked me to take his place upon the imperial throne I could only havenodded my busby.
'We shall then proceed into the wood together,' said the Emperor. 'Youwill be armed with a sword, but not with pistols. You must address noremark to me, and I shall say nothing to you. We will advance insilence. You understand?'
'I understand, sire.'
'After a time we shall see a man, or more probably two men, under acertain tree. We shall approach them together. If I signal to you todefend me, you will have your sword ready. If, on the other hand, Ispeak to these men, you will wait and see what happens. If you arecalled upon to draw, you must see that neither of them, in the event ofthere being two, escapes from us. I shall myself assist you.'
'Sire,' I cried, 'I have no doubt that two would not be too many for mysword; but would it not be better that I should bring a comrade thanthat you should be forced to join in such a struggle?'
'Ta, ta, ta,' said he. 'I was a soldier before I was an Emperor. Do youthink, then, that artillerymen have not swords as well as the hussars?But I ordered you not to argue with me. You will do exactly what I tellyou. If swords are once out, neither of these men is to get away alive.'
'They shall not, sire,' said I.
'Very good. I have no more instructions for you. You can go.'
I turned to the door, and then an idea occurring to me I turned.
'I have been thinking, sire--' said I.
He sprang at me with the ferocity of a wild beast. I really thought hewould have struck me.
'Thinking!' he cried. 'You, _you_! Do you imagine I chose you outbecause you could think? Let me hear of your doing such a thing again!You, the one man--but, there! You meet me at the fir-tree at teno'clock.'
My faith, I was right glad to get out of the room. If I have a goodhorse under me, and a sword clanking against my stirrup-iron, I knowwhere I am. And in all that relates to green fodder or dry, barley andoats and rye, and the handling of squadrons upon the march, there is noone who can teach me very much. But when I meet a Chamberlain and aMarshal of the Palace, and have to pick my words with an Emperor, andfind that everybody hints instead of talking straight out, I feel like atroop-horse who has been put in a lady's caleche. It is not my trade,all this mincing and pretending. I have learned the manners of agentleman, but never those of a courtier. I was right glad then to getinto the fresh air again, and I ran away up to my quarters like aschoolboy who has just escaped from the seminary master.
But as I opened the door, the very first thing that my eye rested uponwas a long pair of sky-blue legs with hussar boots, and a short pair ofblack ones with knee breeches and buckles. They both sprang up togetherto greet me.
'Well, what news?' they cried, the two of them.
'None,' I answered.
'The Emperor refused to see you?'
'No, I have seen him.'
'And what did he say?'
'Monsieur de Talleyrand,' I answered, 'I regret to say that it is quiteimpossible for me to tell you anything about it. I have promised theEmperor.'
'Pooh, pooh, my dear young man,' said he, sidling up to me, as a catdoes when it is about to rub itself against you. 'This is all amongfriends, you understand, and goes no farther than these four walls.Besides, the Emperor never meant to include me in this promise.'
'It is but a minute's walk to the palace, Monsieur de Talleyrand,' Ianswered; 'if it would not be troubling you too much to ask you to stepup to it and bring back the Emperor's written statement that he did notmean to include you in this promise, I shall be happy to tell you everyword that passed.'
He showed his teeth at me then like the old fox that he was.
'Monsieur Gerard appears to be a little puffed up,' said he. 'He is tooyoung to see things in their just proportion. As he grows older he mayunderstand that it is not always very discreet for a subaltern ofcavalry to give such very abrupt refusals.'
I did not know what to say to this, but Lasalle came to my aid in hisdownright fashion.
'The lad is quite right,' said he. 'If I had known that there was apromise I should not have questioned him. You know very well, Monsieurde Talleyrand, that if he had answered you, you would have laughed inyour sleeve and thought as much about him as I think of the bottle whenthe burgundy is gone. As for me, I promise you that the Tenth would havehad no room for him, and that we should have lost our best swordsman ifI had heard him give up the Emperor's secret.'
But the statesman became only the more bitter when he saw that I hadthe support of my Colonel.
'I have heard, Colonel de Lasalle,' said he, with an icy dignity, 'thatyour opinion is of great weight upon the subject of light cavalry.Should I have occasion to seek information about that branch of thearmy, I shall be very happy to apply to you. At present, however, thematter concerns diplomacy, and you will permit me to form my own viewsupon that question. As long as the welfare of France and the safety ofthe Emperor's person are largely committed to my care, I will use everymeans in my power to secure them, even if it should be against theEmperor's own temporary wishes. I have the honour, Colonel de Lasalle,to wish you a very good-day!'
He shot a most unamiable glance in my direction, and, turning upon hisheel, he walked with little, quick, noiseless steps out of the room.
I could see from Lasalle's face that he did not at all relish findinghimself at enmity with the powerful Minister. He rapped out an oath ortwo, and then, catching up his sabre and his cap, he clattered away downthe stairs. As I looked out of the window I saw the two of them, the bigblue man and the limping black one, going up the street together.Talleyrand was walking very rigidly, and Lasalle was waving his handsand talking, so I suppose he was trying to make his peace.
The Emperor had told me not to think, and I endeavoured to obey him. Itook up the cards from the table where Morat had left them, and I triedto work out a few combinations at ecarte. But I could not remember whichwere trumps, and I threw them under the table in despair. Then I drew mysabre and practised giving point until I was weary, but it was all of nouse at all. My mind _would_ work, in spite of myself. At ten o'clock Iwas to meet the Emperor in the forest. Of all extraordinary combinationsof events in the whole world, surely this was the last which would haveoccurred to me when I rose from my couch that morning. But theresponsibility--- the dreadful responsibility! It was all upon myshoulders. There was no one to halve it with me. It made me cold allover. Often as I have faced death upon the battle-field, I have neverknown what real fear was until that moment. But then I considered thatafter all I could but do my best like a brave and honourable gentleman,and above all obey the orders which I had received, to the very letter.And, if all went well, this would surely be the foundation of myfortunes. Thus, swaying between my fears and my hopes, I spent the long,long evening until it was time to keep my appointment.
I put on my military overcoat, as I did not know how much of the night Imight have to spend in the woods, and I fastened my sword outside it. Ipulled off my hussar boots also, and wore a pair of shoes and gaiters,that I might be lighter upon my feet. Then I stole out of my quartersand made for the forest, feeling very much easier in my mind, for I amalways at my best when the time of thought has passed and the moment foraction arrived.
I passed the barracks of the Chasseurs of the Guards, and the line ofcafes all filled with uniforms. I caught a glimpse as I went by of theblue and gold of some of my comrades, amid the swarm of dark infantrycoats and the light green of the Guides. There they sat, sipping theirwine and smoking their cigars, little dreaming what their comrade had onhand. One of them, the chief of my squadron, caught sight of me in thelamplight, and came
shouting after me into the street. I hurried on,however, pretending not to hear him, so he, with a curse at my deafness,went back at last to his wine bottle.
It is not very hard to get into the forest at Fontainebleau. Thescattered trees steal their way into the very streets, like thetirailleurs in front of a column. I turned into a path, which led to theedge of the woods, and then I pushed rapidly forward towards the oldfir-tree. It was a place which, as I have hinted, I had my own reasonsfor knowing well, and I could only thank the Fates that it was not oneof the nights upon which Leonie would be waiting for me. The poor childwould have died of terror at sight of the Emperor. He might have beentoo harsh with her--and worse still, he might have been too kind.
There was a half moon shining, and, as I came up to our trysting-place,I saw that I was not the first to arrive. The Emperor was pacing up anddown, his hands behind him and his face sunk somewhat forward upon hisbreast. He wore a grey great-coat with a capote over his head. I hadseen him in such a dress in our winter campaign in Poland, and it wassaid that he used it because the hood was such an excellent disguise. Hewas always fond, whether in the camp or in Paris, of walking round atnight, and overhearing the talk in the cabarets or round the fires. Hisfigure, however, and his way of carrying his head and his hands were sowell known that he was always recognized, and then the talkers would saywhatever they thought would please him best.
My first thought was that he would be angry with me for having kept himwaiting, but as I approached him, we heard the big church clock ofFontainebleau clang out the hour of ten. It was evident, therefore, thatit was he who was too soon, and not I too late. I remembered his orderthat I should make no remark, so contented myself with halting withinfour paces of him, clicking my spurs together, grounding my sabre, andsaluting. He glanced at me, and then without a word he turned and walkedslowly through the forest, I keeping always about the same distancebehind him. Once or twice he seemed to me to look apprehensively toright and to left, as if he feared that someone was observing us. Ilooked also, but although I have the keenest sight, it was quiteimpossible to see anything except the ragged patches of moonshinebetween the great black shadows of the trees. My ears are as quick asmy eyes, and once or twice I thought that I heard a twig crack; but youknow how many sounds there are in a forest at night, and how difficultit is even to say what direction they come from.
We walked for rather more than a mile, and I knew exactly what ourdestination was, long before we got there. In the centre of one of theglades, there is the shattered stump of what must at some time have beena most gigantic tree. It is called the Abbot's Beech, and there are somany ghostly stories about it, that I know many a brave soldier whowould not care about mounting sentinel over it. However, I cared aslittle for such folly as the Emperor did, so we crossed the glade andmade straight for the old broken trunk. As we approached, I saw that twomen were waiting for us beneath it.
When I first caught sight of them they were standing rather behind it,as if they were not anxious to be seen, but as we came nearer theyemerged from its shadow and walked forward to meet us. The Emperorglanced back at me, and slackened his pace a little so that I camewithin arm's length of him. You may think that I had my hilt well to thefront, and that I had a very good look at these two people who wereapproaching us.
The one was tall, remarkably so, and of very spare frame, while theother was rather below the usual height, and had a brisk, determined wayof walking. They each wore black cloaks, which were slung right acrosstheir figures, and hung down upon one side, like the mantles of Murat'sdragoons. They had flat black caps, like those I have since seen inSpain, which threw their faces into darkness, though I could see thegleam of their eyes from beneath them. With the moon behind them andtheir long black shadows walking in front, they were such figures as onemight expect to meet at night near the Abbot's Beech. I can rememberthat they had a stealthy way of moving, and that as they approached, themoonshine formed two white diamonds between their legs and the legs oftheir shadows.
The Emperor had paused, and these two strangers came to a stand alsowithin a few paces of us. I had drawn up close to my companion's elbow,so that the four of us were facing each other without a word spoken. Myeyes were particularly fixed upon the taller one, because he wasslightly the nearer to me, and I became certain as I watched him that hewas in the last state of nervousness. His lean figure was quivering allover, and I heard a quick, thin panting like that of a tired dog.Suddenly one of them gave a short, hissing signal. The tall man bent hisback and his knees like a diver about to spring, but before he couldmove, I had jumped with drawn sabre in front of him. At the same instantthe smaller man bounded past me, and buried a long poniard in theEmperor's heart.
My God! the horror of that moment! It is a marvel that I did not dropdead myself. As in a dream, I saw the grey coat whirl convulsivelyround, and caught a glimpse in the moonlight of three inches of redpoint which jutted out from between the shoulders. Then down he fellwith a dead man's gasp upon the grass, and the assassin, leaving hisweapon buried in his victim, threw up both his hands and shrieked withjoy. But I--I drove my sword through his midriff with such franticforce, that the mere blow of the hilt against the end of his breast-bonesent him six paces before he fell, and left my reeking blade ready forthe other. I sprang round upon him with such a lust for blood upon me asI had never felt, and never have felt, in all my days. As I turned, adagger flashed before my eyes, and I felt the cold wind of it pass myneck and the villain's wrist jar upon my shoulder. I shortened my sword,but he winced away from me, and an instant afterwards was in fullflight, bounding like a deer across the glade in the moonlight.
But he was not to escape me thus. I knew that the murderer's poniardhad done its work. Young as I was, I had seen enough of war to know amortal blow. I paused but for an instant to touch the cold hand.
'Sire! Sire!' I cried, in an agony; and then as no sound came back andnothing moved, save an ever-widening dark circle in the moonlight, Iknew that all was indeed over. I sprang madly to my feet, threw off mygreat-coat, and ran at the top of my speed after the remaining assassin.
Ah, how I blessed the wisdom which had caused me to come in shoes andgaiters! And the happy thought which had thrown off my coat. He couldnot get rid of his mantle, this wretch, or else he was too frightened tothink of it. So it was that I gained upon him from the beginning. Hemust have been out of his wits, for he never tried to bury himself inthe darker parts of the woods, but he flew on from glade to glade, untilhe came to the heath-land which leads up to the great Fontainebleauquarry. There I had him in full sight, and knew that he could not escapeme. He ran well, it is true--ran as a coward runs when his life is thestake. But I ran as Destiny runs when it gets behind a man's heels. Yardby yard I drew in upon him. He was rolling and staggering. I could hearthe rasping and crackling of his breath. The great gulf of the quarrysuddenly yawned in front of his path, and glancing at me over hisshoulder, he gave a shriek of despair. The next instant he had vanishedfrom my sight.
Vanished utterly, you understand. I rushed to the spot, and gazed downinto the black abyss. Had he hurled himself over? I had almost made upmy mind that he had done so, when a gentle sound rising and falling cameout of the darkness beneath me. It was his breathing once more, and itshowed me where he must be. He was hiding in the tool-house.
At the edge of the quarry and beneath the summit there is a smallplatform upon which stands a wooden hut for the use of the labourers.It was into this, then, that he had darted. Perhaps he had thought, thefool, that, in the darkness, I would not venture to follow him. Helittle knew Etienne Gerard. With a spring I was on the platform, withanother I was through the doorway, and then, hearing him in the corner,I hurled myself down upon the top of him.
He fought like a wild cat, but he never had a chance with his shorterweapon. I think that I must have transfixed him with that first madlunge, for, though he struck and struck, his blows had no power in them,and presently his dagger tinkled down upon the floor. When I
was surethat he was dead, I rose up and passed out into the moonlight. I climbedon to the heath again, and wandered across it as nearly out of my mindas a man could be.
With the blood singing in my ears, and my naked sword still clutched inmy hand, I walked aimlessly on until, looking round me, I found that Ihad come as far as the glade of the Abbot's Beech, and saw in thedistance that gnarled stump which must ever be associated with the mostterrible moment of my life. I sat down upon a fallen trunk with my swordacross my knees and my head between my hands, and I tried to think aboutwhat had happened and what would happen in the future.
The Emperor had committed himself to my care. The Emperor was dead.Those were the two thoughts which clanged in my head, until I had noroom for any other ones. He had come with me and he was dead. I had donewhat he had ordered when living. I had revenged him when dead. But whatof all that? The world would look upon me as responsible. They mighteven look upon me as the assassin. What could I prove? What witnesseshad I? Might I not have been the accomplice of these wretches? Yes, yes,I was eternally dishonoured--the lowest, most despicable creature in allFrance. This, then, was the end of my fine military ambitions--of thehopes of my mother. I laughed bitterly at the thought. And what was Ito do now? Was I to go into Fontainebleau, to wake up the palace, and toinform them that the great Emperor had been murdered within a pace ofme? I could not do it--no, I could not do it! There was but one coursefor an honourable gentleman whom Fate had placed in so cruel a position.I would fall upon my dishonoured sword, and so share, since I could notavert, the Emperor's fate. I rose with my nerves strung to this lastpiteous deed, and as I did so, my eyes fell upon something which struckthe breath from my lips. The Emperor was standing before me!
He was not more than ten yards off, with the moon shining straight uponhis cold, pale face. He wore his grey overcoat, but the hood was turnedback, and the front open, so that I could see the green coat of theGuides, and the white breeches. His hands were clasped behind his back,and his chin sunk forward upon his breast, in the way that was usualwith him.
'Well,' said he, in his hardest and most abrupt voice, 'what account doyou give of yourself?'
I believe that, if he had stood in silence for another minute, my brainwould have given way. But those sharp military accents were exactly whatI needed to bring me to myself. Living or dead, here was the Emperorstanding before me and asking me questions. I sprang to the salute.
'You have killed one, I see,' said he, jerking his head towards thebeech.
'Yes, sire.'
'And the other escaped?'
'No, sire, I killed him also.'
'What!' he cried. 'Do I understand that you have killed them both?' Heapproached me as he spoke with a smile which set his teeth gleaming inthe moonlight.
'One body lies there, sire,' I answered. 'The other is in the tool-houseat the quarry.'
'Then the Brothers of Ajaccio are no more,' he cried, and after apause, as if speaking to himself: 'The shadow has passed me for ever.'Then he bent forward and laid his hand upon my shoulder.
'You have done very well, my young friend,' said he. 'You have lived upto your reputation.'
He was flesh and blood, then, this Emperor. I could feel the little,plump palm that rested upon me. And yet I could not get over what I hadseen with my own eyes, and so I stared at him in such bewilderment thathe broke once more into one of his smiles.
'No, no, Monsieur Gerard,' said he, 'I am not a ghost, and you have notseen me killed. You will come here, and all will be clear to you.'
He turned as he spoke, and led the way towards the great beech stump.
The bodies were still lying upon the ground, and two men were standingbeside them. As we approached I saw from the turbans that they wereRoustem and Mustafa, the two Mameluke servants. The Emperor paused whenhe came to the grey figure upon the ground, and turning back the hoodwhich shrouded the features, he showed a face which was very differentfrom his own.
'Here lies a faithful servant who has given up his life for his master,'said he. 'Monsieur de Goudin resembles me in figure and in manner, asyou must admit.'
What a delirium of joy came upon me when these few words made everythingclear to me. He smiled again as he saw the delight which urged me tothrow my arms round him and to embrace him, but he moved a step away, asif he had divined my impulse.
'You are unhurt?' he asked.
'I am unhurt, sire. But in another minute I should in my despair----'
'Tut, tut!' he interrupted. 'You did very well. He should himself havebeen more on his guard. I saw everything which passed.'
'You saw it, sire!'
'You did not hear me follow you through the wood, then? I hardly lostsight of you from the moment that you left your quarters until poor DeGoudin fell. The counterfeit Emperor was in front of you and the realone behind. You will now escort me back to the palace.'
He whispered an order to his Mamelukes, who saluted in silence andremained where they were standing. For my part, I followed the Emperorwith my pelisse bursting with pride. My word, I have always carriedmyself as a hussar should, but Lasalle himself never strutted and swunghis dolman as I did that night. Who should clink his spurs and clatterhis sabre if it were not I--I, Etienne Gerard--the confidant of theEmperor, the chosen swordsman of the light cavalry, the man who slew thewould-be assassins of Napoleon? But he noticed my bearing and turnedupon me like a blight.
'Is that the way you carry yourself on a secret mission?' he hissed,with that cold glare in his eyes. 'Is it thus that you will make yourcomrades believe that nothing remarkable has occurred? Have done withthis nonsense, monsieur, or you will find yourself transferred to thesappers, where you would have harder work and duller plumage.'
That was the way with the Emperor. If ever he thought that anyone mighthave a claim upon him, he took the first opportunity to show him thegulf that lay between. I saluted and was silent, but I must confess toyou that it hurt me after all that had passed between us. He led on tothe palace, where we passed through the side door and up into his owncabinet. There were a couple of grenadiers at the staircase, and theireyes started out from under their fur caps, I promise you, when they sawa young lieutenant of hussars going up to the Emperor's room atmidnight. I stood by the door, as I had done in the afternoon, while heflung himself down in an arm-chair, and remained silent so long that itseemed to me that he had forgotten all about me. I ventured at last upona slight cough to remind him.
'Ah, Monsieur Gerard,' said he, 'you are very curious, no doubt, as tothe meaning of all this?'
'I am quite content, sire, if it is your pleasure not to tell me,' Ianswered.
'Ta, ta, ta,' said he impatiently. 'These are only words. The momentthat you were outside that door you would begin making inquiries aboutwhat it means. In two days your brother officers would know about it, inthree days it would be all over Fontainebleau, and it would be in Parison the fourth. Now, if I tell you enough to appease your curiosity,there is some reasonable hope that you may be able to keep the matter toyourself.'
He did not understand me, this Emperor, and yet I could only bow and besilent.
'A few words will make it clear to you,' said he, speaking very swiftlyand pacing up and down the room. 'They were Corsicans, these two men. Ihad known them in my youth. We had belonged to the samesociety--Brothers of Ajaccio, as we called ourselves. It was founded inthe old Paoli days, you understand, and we had some strict rules of ourown which were not infringed with impunity.'
A very grim look came over his face as he spoke, and it seemed to methat all that was French had gone out of him, and that it was the pureCorsican, the man of strong passions and of strange revenges, who stoodbefore me. His memory had gone back to those early days of his, and forfive minutes, wrapped in thought, he paced up and down the room with hisquick little tiger steps. Then with an impatient wave of his hands hecame back to his palace and to me.
'The rules of such a society,' he continued, 'are all very well for aprivate citizen. In the o
ld days there was no more loyal brother than I.But circumstances change, and it would be neither for my welfare norfor that of France that I should now submit myself to them. They wantedto hold me to it, and so brought their fate upon their own heads. Thesewere the two chiefs of the order, and they had come from Corsica tosummon me to meet them at the spot which they named. I knew what such asummons meant. No man had ever returned from obeying one. On the otherhand, if I did not go, I was sure that disaster would follow. I am abrother myself, you remember, and I know their ways.'
Again there came that hardening of his mouth and cold glitter of hiseyes.
'You perceive my dilemma, Monsieur Gerard,' said he. 'How would you haveacted yourself, under such circumstances?'
'Given the word to the l0th Hussars, sire,' I cried. 'Patrols could haveswept the woods from end to end, and brought these two rascals to yourfeet.'
He smiled, but he shook his head.
'I had very excellent reasons why I did not wish them taken alive,' saidhe. 'You can understand that an assassin's tongue might be as dangerousa weapon as an assassin's dagger. I will not disguise from you that Iwished to avoid scandal at all cost. That was why I ordered you to takeno pistols with you. That also is why my Mamelukes will remove alltraces of the affair, and nothing more will be heard about it. I thoughtof all possible plans, and I am convinced that I selected the best one.Had I sent more than one guard with De Goudin into the woods, then thebrothers would not have appeared. They would not change their plans normiss their chance for the sake of a single man. It was Colonel Lasalle'saccidental presence at the moment when I received the summons which ledto my choosing one of his hussars for the mission. I selected you,Monsieur Gerard, because I wanted a man who could handle a sword, andwho would not pry more deeply into the affair than I desired. I trustthat, in this respect, you will justify my choice as well as you havedone in your bravery and skill.'
'Sire,' I answered, 'you may rely upon it.'
'As long as I live,' said he, 'you never open your lips upon thissubject.'
'I dismiss it entirely from my mind, sire. I will efface it from myrecollection as if it had never been. I will promise you to go out ofyour cabinet at this moment exactly as I was when I entered it at fouro'clock.'
'You cannot do that,' said the Emperor, smiling. 'You were a lieutenantat that time. You will permit me, Captain, to wish you a verygood-night.'
The Exploits of Brigadier Gerard Page 2