Page:Peterson's Magazine 1842, Volume I.pdf/261

28

ANNETTE. RY @AnmrsT moWLZS.

Tr was in the year 1806, on the road from Bretagne, that a post-chaise envctoped in a cloud of dust, was observed to make a sudden halt, and two gentlemen, in the garb of military officers, descended therefrom ; one of them addressed a few words to the postillion who had accompanied them, in which he desired hivn to return to the town from whence he had started, as farther progress was impracticable to a carriage of thia description, and the travellers proposed to accomplish the remainder of the journey on foot, They were proceeding to the Cha- teau de Kerlay, and the officer, previous to commencing the route, with which he was but little acquainted, made the necewsary inquiries of their conductor.

“Yea, worthy Colonel,” replied the man of the thong, in tone: of respectful familisrity, “I will proceed to enlighten thee on the subject, the task is easy—you see yonder village 20 thickly studded with white cottages; well, then, thou must proceed through it, my Colonel, then onward haif a league in advance, and you will encounter a second village, and rising before thee will be seen the Chateau de Kerlay. If, by any chance,” added this loquacious guide, “thou should’st mistake the way, forget not to inquire, and you will find the country people very glad to set thee right, for two grand gentlemen as you are?

“Ah! my friend," replied one of the traveliera, “you are but a sample of your honest class, ever ready to give the fullest information for value received. Well, here my good fellow, here is a noble for thee—begone. The Postillion ten:lered his congé, remounted his sorry horse, exclaiming familiarly,

“Good day, my princes!” and turning the heads of he animals homeward, the neighboring wood echoed with the crack! crack! of his whip, and the rattle of the wheels soon died away in the distance.

Neither of our travellers had the distinguished rank which their Inte guide, in his exalted idea of their nobi« lity, was pleased to bestow; but one, the taller and handsomest one of the two, held the rank of Cotonel, and it may be truly said tho dignity sat well upon him, for his exterior waa at once commanding and noble. This officer we shall name Ludovic, anil his companion Dorlay, who was his janior, Both were charged with 8 commission of importance from the Emperor Napoleon,

« Perhaps you do not entirely comprehend,” said Ieu- dovie to the other, “ my proper reason for dismissing the chaise s0 soon.”

“ Why,” replied his companion, “for the very reason which you assigned, I suppose.”

“No, no, my friend; he might have conducted us hy another more circuitous route if { had plensed, but the

LADY'S

fact is T have an uncontrotlable desire to tramp on foot these places rendered so dear to my memory hy associa- tions of no ordinary kind.”

“Associations,” replied his friend, “connected, I aup- pose, with some of those ugly wounds which you received in the Vendean war.”

“Yes, trlie; a war in which I Jost my beat friends, and two brothers, who would have been by this time an omament to the service, I lost, too, my old fathers voteren that he was—I think I ace his grey locks strays ing in the wind, end hie noble face lighted up with a smile of quencliless patriotism, on the fatat morning that made many a happy wife a widow ere night. And I, too—I should certainly have fallen a sacrifice to the insatiable thirel for blood displayed by our enemies ; had it not been for the intercession of a heautiful young girl —an angel F might say—for, uly, never did I see 60 much virtue and heavenly intrepidity shown before for mortal man.”

“A woman, eh! Now, my friend, am I wrapt body and sout in thy story ; let’s have it—by Jove! a woman —a charming young girl—un angel! proceed, my friend, proceed—all intereat—all altention—oh, how I love to hear of female heroism ?

“Yes! but, unhappily, this lovely young creature was
 * 1) native of Le Vendée.”

“What matters!—prejudice, men, prejudice—talk not of national distinctions when @ lovely young woman is in the ease, Under any government, in any country, a woman should be equally respected; but come, tell us how this angel saved thee~a republican soliier.””

“Well, then, I'll tell thee. You are aware that it was a war of extormination, when both parties were prodigal of their courage and daring. No prisoners were made, no quarter given, it was a fight for death ; and J, with some others, during a skirmish, was desper- ately wounded, and left to the merey or disposition of our eaptors. Mercy they had none; I was faint, misera- ble, apparently dying, and the officer commanding the ‘company into whose hands I had fallen, in @ cool relent- leas tone, ontered me to make my preparations for death in five minutes, at the same time turning round to his soldiers, gave the word for a file of men to advence twelve paces, and to put as many shota es they were able into my head; which order the men proceeded to obey, with a sang froid equal to that of their com- mander. I had but ore care at that moment on my mind, and that was to think of the effect my miserable dcath was likely to have on the already shattered nerves of an aged parent. I uttered the nome of roy mother 5 and offered up a short prayer to heaven for her support, under the severe trial she might be expected to undergo in the loss of an only son. God bless her! she is now in heaven, I trust! (here the eoliier dashed @ large tear from his eye which he found it impossible to suppress.)

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