Page:Statement of the attempted rescue of General Lafayette from Olmutz.djvu/30

 an officer whom he’ had before observed at many of his examinations—a venerable, fine looking old soldier, who now spoke to him in French, saying, you speak young man as if you were not guilty of a very grave offense against the law, and yet you have voluntarily confessed such in violating the decrees of the Emperor, and injuring his subjects.

Mr. Huger answered, that every man would think himself right in attempting to set aside a cruel and unjust decree, such as that which deprived General Lafayette of his liberty; but he was not aware, that by an act of his, he had injured any of the Emperor's subjects. You have done so, however, to some, and also to myself, answered this benevolent and distinguished looking officer, Count D’Arco, who explained farther: I anam [sic] the commandant of this fortress; I am a Venetian by birth, and have for years been in the employ of the Emperor of Austria; I have won my way to positions of trust and honor, have held high places in the confidence of those above me, and been considered an officer of merit. This long established reputation you have injured; your act of rescuing a prisoner from a military post under my command, has certainly tarnished, if not destroyed my reputation. On Mr. Huger’s