Sir Jasper Carew Part 39

"Suspended--interrupted," added he, in the same voice. "But I will not discuss these matters with you. When you have eaten your breakfast, take that letter to the address in the Rue Lepelletier, see the General, and speak with him. As you go along the streets you will not fail to meet many of those to whom your duty will at some later period place you in opposition. If they by look, by dress, by bearing and manner captivate your imagination and seduce your allegiance to their ranks, tear off your colors then, and join them, boy; the choice is open to you. My charge is then ended; we are not, nor ever can be, aught to each other again."

I saw that he would not be questioned by me, and, forbearing at once, from the risk of offending him, I ate my meal in silence.

"I am ready now, sir," said I, standing up in front of him.

He wheeled me round by the arm to look at me in my new dress. He adjusted my belt, and arranged my sword-knot more becomingly, muttering to himself a few words of approval at my appearance, and then said aloud,--

"Salute all whom you see in this uniform, boy, and bear yourself haughtily as you pa.s.s the 'canaille.' Remember that between you and them must be the struggle at last, and show that you do not blink it."

He patted me good-naturedly on the shoulder as he said this, and, with the word "Go," half-pushed me from the room.

I soon found myself in the open air, and, having inquired my way to the Rue Lepelletier, walked rapidly along, endeavoring, as best I might, to disguise the astonishment I felt at so many new and wonderful objects.

As I emerged from the meaner quarter of the Battignolles, the streets grew finer and more s.p.a.cious, and the dress of the people and their appearance generally improved also. Still, there was none of that splendor of equipage of which I had heard so much. The carriages were few, and neither rich nor well-appointed. The horses were poor-looking, and seemed all over-worked and exhausted. The same tired and worn-out air pervaded the people too. They all looked as though fatigue and excitement had finally conquered them, and that they were no longer capable of endurance. At the bakers' shops that I pa.s.sed, great crowds were a.s.sembled, waiting for the distribution of bread which the Government each morning doled out to the population. I watched these, and saw, to my amazement, that the ration was a small piece of black and coa.r.s.e bread, weighing two ounces, and for this many were content to wait patiently the entire day. In my curiosity to see this, I had approached an old man of a strong, athletic appearance, who, leaning on his staff, made no effort to pierce the crowd, but waited calmly till his name was called aloud, and even then received his pittance as it was pa.s.sed to him from hand to hand. There was something of dignity in the way he subdued every trace of that anxious impatience so perceptible around him, and I drew nigh to speak to him, with a sense of respect.

"Is that meant for a day's subsistence?" asked I.

He stared at me calmly for a few seconds, but made no reply.

"I asked the question," began I, with an attempt to apologize, when he interrupted me thus:--

"Are you one of the Troupe Doree, and ask this? Is it from you, who live in fine houses and eat sumptuously, that comes the inquiry, how men like me exist?"

"I am newly come to Paris; I am only a few hours here."

"See here, comrades," cried the old man, in a loud and ringing voice to the crowd, "mark what the 'Sections' are doing: drafting the peasants from the Provinces, dressing them in their livery, and arming them to slaughter us. Starvation marches too slowly for the wishes of these aristocrats!"

"Down with the 'aristos,' down with the 'Troupe!'" broke in one wild yell from the mult.i.tude, who turned at once towards me with looks of menace.

"Ay," continued the old man, waving his hand to maintain silence, "he dared to taunt me with the pittance we receive, and to scoff at our mendicancy!"

"Down with him! down with him!" cried the crowd; but, interposing his staff like a barrier against the mob, the old fellow said,--

"Spare him, comrades; he is, as you see, only a boy; let him live to be wiser and better. Come, lad, break that sword upon your knee, tear off that green c.o.c.kade, and go back to your village again!"

I stepped back, and, drawing my sword, motioned to those in front to give way.

"I'll cut down the first that opposes me!" cried I, with a wave of the steel round my head; and at the same instant I dashed forward.

The ma.s.s fell back, and left me a free pa.s.sage, while a chorus of the wildest yells and screams burst around and about me. Mad with the excitement of the moment, I shook my sword at them as I went, in defiance, and even laughed my scorn of their cowardice. My triumph was brief; a stunning blow on the back of the head sent me reeling forwards, and at the same instant the ranks of the mob closed in, and, hurling me to the ground, trampled and jumped upon me. Stunned, but not unconscious, I could perceive that a battle was waged over me, in which my own fate was forgotten, for the mult.i.tude pa.s.sed and repa.s.sed my body without inflicting other injury than their foot-treads. Even this was brief, too, and I was speedily raised from the earth, and saw myself in the arms of two young men in uniform like my own. One of them was bleeding from a wound in the temple, but seemed only to think of me and my injuries. We were soon joined by several others of the troop, who, having returned from a pursuit of the mob, now pressed around me with kindest questions and inquiries. My name, whence I came, and how long I had been in Paris, were all asked of me in a breath; while others, more considerate still, sought to ascertain if I had been wounded in the late scuffle. Except in some bruises, and even those not severe, I had suffered nothing; and when my clothes were brushed, and shako readjusted, and a new c.o.c.kade affixed to it, I was as well as ever. From the kind attentions we met with in the shops, and the sympathy which the better-dressed people displayed towards us, I soon gathered that the conflict was indeed one between two cla.s.ses of the population, and that the Troupe were the champions of property.

"Show him the Rue Lepelletier, Guillaume," said an officer to one of the youths; and a boy somewhat older than myself now undertook to be my guide.

I had some difficulty in answering his questions as to the names and the number of my family who were guillotined, and when and where the execution had occurred; but I was spared any excessive strain on my imagination by the palpable indifference my companion exhibited to a theme now monstrously tiresome. He, however, was communicative enough on the subject of the Troupe and their duties, which he told me were daily becoming more onerous. The Government, hara.s.sed by the opposition of the National Guards and the Jeunesse Doree together, had resorted to the terrible expedient of releasing above a thousand prisoners from the galleys; and these, he a.s.sured me, were now on their way to Paris, to be armed and formed into a regiment.

Though he told this with a natural horror, he still spoke of his own party with every confidence. They comprised, he said, the courage, the property, and the loyalty of France. The whole nation looked to them as the last stay and succor, and felt that the hope of the country was in their keeping.

I asked him what was the number now enrolled in the Troupe? and, to my astonishment, he could not tell me. In fact, he owned that many had of late a.s.sumed the uniform as spies, and General Danitan had resolved that each volunteer should present himself to him for acceptance before receiving any charge, or being appointed to any guard.

I had not time for further questioning, when we arrived at the hotel of the general, when my companion, having given me full directions for my guidance, shook my hand cordially, and departed.

As I ascended the stairs I overtook an elderly gentleman in a gray military frock, who was slowly making his way upwards by the aid of the bal.u.s.trade.

"Give me your arm, lad," said he, "for this stair seems to grow steeper every day. Thanks; now I shall get on better. What has torn your coat-sleeve?"

I told him in a few words what had just occurred in the streets, and he listened to me with a degree of interest that somewhat surprised me.

"Come along, my lad. Let General Danitan hear this from your own lips;"

and with an agility that I could not have believed him capable of, he hurried up the stairs, and, crossing a kind of gallery crowded with officers of different grades, he entered a chamber where two persons in military undress were writing.

"Can I see the general, Francois?" said he, abruptly.

The officer thus addressed, coolly replied that he believed not, and went on with his writing as before.

"But I have something important to say to him,--my business is of consequence," said he.

"As it always is," muttered the other, in a tone of sarcasm that fortunately was only overheard by myself.

"You will announce me, then, Francois?" continued he.

"My orders are not to admit any one, Captain."

"They were never meant to include me, sir,--of that I 'm positive," said the old man; "and if you will not announce me, I will enter without it;"

and, half dragging me by the arm, he moved forward, opened the door, and pa.s.sed into an inner room.

General Danitan, a small, dark-eyed, severe-looking man, was standing with his back to the fire, and in the act of dictating to a secretary, as we entered. An expression of angry impatience at our unauthorized appearance was the only return he vouchsafed to our salute; and he continued his dictation, as before.

"Don't interrupt me, sir," said he, hastily, as the old captain made an effort to address him. "Don't interrupt me, sir.--'Which difficulties,'"

continued he, as he took up the thread of his dictation,--"'which difficulties are considerably increased by the obtrusive habit of tendering advice by persons in whose judgment I place no reliance, and whose conduct, when they leave me, is open to the suspicion of being prejudicial to the public service. Amongst such offenders the chief is a retired captain of the 8th regiment of Cha.s.seurs, called Hugues Le Bart--'"

"Why, General, it is of me--me myself--you are speaking!" broke in the captain.

"'An officer,'" continued the other, perfectly heedless of the interruption, "'into whose past services I would strenuously recommend some inquiry; since neither from the information which has reached me with regard to his habits, nor from the characters of his intimates, am I disposed to regard him as well affected to the Government, or in other respects trustworthy.' How do you do, Captain? Who is our young friend here?" continued he, with a smile and a bow towards us.

"In what way am I to understand this, General? Is it meant for a piece of coa.r.s.e pleasantry--"

"For nothing of the kind, sir," interrupted the other, sternly. "That you have been a witness to the words of a confidential communication is entirely attributable to yourself; and I have only to hope you will respect the confidence of which an accident has made you a partic.i.p.ator.

Meanwhile, I desire to be alone."

The manner in which these words were uttered was too decisive for hesitation, and the old man bowed submissively and withdrew. As I was about to follow him, the general called out,--

"Stay: a word with you. Are you the captain's protege, boy?"

I told him that our first meeting only dated a few moments back, and how it had occurred.

"Then you are not of the 'Troupe'? You have never worn the uniform till this morning?" said he, somewhat severely.

I bowed a.s.sent.

He turned hastily about at the moment, and said something to his secretary in a low voice, of which I just could catch the concluding words, which were far from flattering to the corps in whose livery I was dressed.