按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
strength and courage like that； how could he be otherwise than good？
It is then about nineteen years ago； not far from this placeon the spot
I showed you before we arrived at the villagethat the general；
dangerously wounded； fell from his horse。 I was following him at the
time； and ran to his assistance。 Five minutes after we were made
prisonersand by whom think you？by a Frenchman。〃
〃A Frenchman？〃
〃Yes； an emigrant marquis； a colonel in the service of Russia；〃 answered
Dagobert； with bitterness。 〃And so； when this marquis advanced towards
us； and said to the general： 'Surrender； sir； to a countryman！''A
Frenchman； who fights against France；' replied the general； 'is no longer
my countryman； he is a traitor； and I'd never surrender to a traitor！'
And； wounded though he was； he dragged himself up to a Russian grenadier；
and delivered him his sabre； saying： 'I surrender to you my brave
fellow！' The marquis became pale with rage at it。〃
The orphans looked at each other with pride； and a rich crimson mantled
their cheeks； as they exclaimed： 〃Oh； our brave father！〃
〃Ah； those children；〃 said Dagobert； as he proudly twirled his moustache。
〃One sees they have soldier's blood in their veins！ Well；〃 he continued；
〃we were now prisoners。 The general's last horse had been killed under
him； and； to perform the journey； he mounted Jovial； who had not been
wounded that day。 We arrived at Warsaw； and there it was that the
general first saw your mother。 She was called the Pearl of Warsaw； that
is saying everything。 Now he； who admired all that is good and
beautiful； fell in love with her almost immediately； and she loved him in
return； but her parents had promised her to anotherand that other was
the same〃
Dagobert was unable to proceed。 Rose uttered a piercing cry； and pointed
in terror to the window。
CHAPTER VII。
THE TRAVELER。
Upon the cry of the young girl； Dagobert rose abruptly。
〃What is the matter； Rose？〃
〃Therethere！〃 she said； pointing to the window。 〃I thought I saw a
hand move the pelisse。〃
She had not concluded these words before Dagobert rushed to the window
and opened it； tearing down the mantle； which had been suspended from the
fastening。
It was still dark night； and the wind was blowing hard。 The soldier
listened； but could hear nothing。
Returning to fetch the lamp from the table； he shaded the flame with his
hand； and strove to throw the light outside。 Still he saw nothing。
Persuaded that a gust of wind had disturbed and shaken the pelisse： and
that Rose had been deceived by her own fears he again shut the window。
〃Be satisfied； children！ The wind is very high； it is that which lifted
the corner of the pelisse。〃
〃Yet methought I saw plainly the fingers which had hold of it；〃 said
Rose； still trembling。
〃I was looking at Dagobert；〃 said Blanche； 〃and I saw nothing。〃
〃There was nothing to see； my children； the thing is clear enough。 The
window is at least eight feet above the ground； none but a giant could
reach it without a ladder。 Now； had any one used a ladder； there would
not have been time to remove it； for； as soon as Rose cried out； I ran to
the window； and； when I held out the light； I could see nothing。〃
〃I must have been deceived；〃 said Rose。
〃You may be sure； sister； it was only the wind；〃 added Blanche。
〃Then I beg pardon for having disturbed you； my good Dagobert。〃
〃Never mind！；〃 replied the soldier musingly； 〃I am only sorry that Spoil…
sport is not come back。 He would have watched the window； and that would
have quite tranquillized you。 But he no doubt scented the stable of his
comrade； Jovial； and will have called in to bid him good…night on the
road。 I have half a mind to go and fetch him。〃
〃Oh； no； Dagobert！ do not leave us alone；〃 cried the maidens； 〃we are too
much afraid。〃
〃Well； the dog is not likely to remain away much longer； and I am sure we
shall soon hear him scratching at the door； so we will continue our
story；〃 said Dagobert； as he again seated himself near the head of the
bed； but this time with his face towards the window。
〃Now the general was prisoner at Warsaw；〃 continued he； 〃and in love with
your mother； whom they wished to marry to another。 In 1814； we learned
the finish of the war； the banishment of the Emperor to the Isle of Elba；
and the return of the Bourbons。 In concert with the Prussians and
Russians； who had brought them back； they had exiled the Emperor。
Learning all this； your mother said to the general： 'The war is finished；
you are free； but your Emperor is in trouble。 You owe everything to him；
go and join him in his misfortunes。 I know not when we shall meet again；
but I shall never marry any one but you； I am yours till death！'Before
he set out the general called me to him； and said： 'Dagobert； remain
here； Mademoiselle Eva may have need of you to fly from her family； if
they should press too hard upon her； our correspondence will have to pass
through your hands； at Paris； I shall see your wife and son； I will
comfort them； and tell them you are my friend。'〃
〃Always the same；〃 said Rose； with emotion； as she looked affectionately
at Dagobert。
〃As faithful to the father and mother as to their children；〃 added
Blanche。
〃To love one was to love them all；〃 replied the soldier。 〃Well； the
general joined the Emperor at Elba； I remained at Warsaw； concealed in
the neighborhood of your mother's house； I received the letters； and
conveyed them to her clandestinely。 In one of those lettersI feel
proud to tell you of it my childrenthe general informed me that the
Emperor himself had remembered me。〃
〃What； did he know you？〃
〃A little； I flatter myself'Oh！ Dagobert！' said he to your father； who
was talking to him about me； 'a horse…grenadier of my old guarda
soldier of Egypt and Italy； battered with woundsan old dare…devil； whom
I decorated with my own hand at WagramI have not forgotten him！'I
vow； children； when your mother read that to me； I cried like a fool。〃
〃The Emperorwhat a fine golden face he has on the silver cross with the
red ribbon that you would sometimes show us when we behaved well。〃
〃That crossgiven by himis my relic。 It is there in my knapsack； with
whatever we have of valueour little purse and papers。 But； to return
to your mother； it was a great consolation to her； when I took her
letters from the general； or talked with her about himfor she suffered
muchoh； so much！ In vain her parents tormented and persecuted her； she
always answered： 'I will never marry any one but General Simon。' A
spirited woman； I can tell youresigned； but wonderfully courageous。
One day she received a letter from the general； he had left the Isle of
Elba with the Emperor； the war had again broken out； a short campaign；
but as fierce as ever； and heightened by soldiers' devotion。 In that
campaign of France； my children； especially at Montmirail； your father
fought like a lion； and his division followed his example it was no
longer valorit was frenzy。 He told me that； in Champagne； the peasants
killed so many of those Prussians； that their fields were manured with
them for years。 Men； women； chi