Page:The National Cyclopedia of the Colored Race (1919).djvu/16



HACKERY, the English Novelist, called Dumas "Alexander the Great." Like Alexander Pushkin of Russia, the great French ro mancer is the third descent from a Negro, only in this instance the line begins with the grandmother rather than the grandfather. Dumas' grandfather, who was a marquis, married a Creole of Haiti. The author's father was a dark giant of a man ; one of the heroic generals of the army of Napoleon.

The general married the daughter of an inn keeper. From this union the novelist was born in 1802. The father died while the son was four years old. Having but small means, Alexander soon found himself in Paris seeking his fortune. For a time he attached himself to the Duke of Or leans as clerk. Like Voltaire, Hugo and many other French men of letters, Dumas sought to make his way as a play-wright. In this he succeeded modestly, having presented successfully, Henry III, Tower of Nelse and several other plays. But Du mas' claim to fame, a claim which he holds undis- putably, rests upon his romances, "The three Mus- kateers," "The Count of Monte Cristo," "Twenty Years After," and scores of others. The critics call him, "Capriceius prolix, fertile puissant," as having a "rare mind, rare attention, subtle spirit, quick comprehension."

The following is taken from his writings :

Scarcely had D'Artagnan uttered these words than a ringing and sudden noise was heard resound ing through the felucca, which now became dim in the obscurity of the night.

"That, you may be sure," said the Gascon, "means something."

They then, at the same instant, perceived a large lantern carried on a pole appear on the deck, denning the forms of shadows behind it.

Suddenly a terrible cry, a cry of dispair, was wafted through the space, and as if the shrieks of anguish had driven away the clouds, the veil which hid the moon was cleared away, and the gray sails and dark shrouds of the felucca were plainly visi ble beneath the silvery light.

Shadows ran, as if bewildered, to and fro on the vessel, and mournful cries accompanied these delir ious walkers. In the midst of these screams they saw Mordaunt upon the poop, with a torch in hand.

The agitated figures, apparently wild with terror,

consisted of Groslow, who, at the hour fixed by Mordaunt, had collected his men, and the sailors. Groslow, after having listened at the door of the cabin to hear if the musketeers were still asleep, had gone down into the cellar, convinced by their silence that they were all in a deep slumber. Then Mordaunt had run to the train impetuous as a man who is excited by revenge and full of confi dence as are those whom God blinds he had set fire to the wick of niter.

All this while, Groslow and his men were assem bled on the deck.

"Haul up the cable, and draw the boat to us," said Groslow.

One of the sailors got down the side of the ship, seized the cable, and drew it it came without the least resistance.

"The cable is cut!" he cried, "no boat!"

"How! no boat!" exclaimed Groslow; "it is im possible."

" 'Tis true, however," answered the sailor ; "there's nothing in the wake of the ship, besides here's the end of the cable."

"What's the matter?" cried Mordaunt, who is coming up out of the hatchway, rushed to the stern, waving his torch.

"Only that our enemies have escaped they have cut the cord, and gone off with the boat."

Mordaunt bounded with one step to the cabin, and kicked open the door.

"Empty!" he exclaimed; "the infernal demons!"

"We must pursue them," said Groslow ; "they can't be gone far, and we will sink them, passing over them."

"Yes, but the fire," ejaculated Mordaunt; "I have lighted it."

"Ten thousand devils !" cried Groslow, rushing to the hatchway ; "perhaps there is still time to save us."

Mordaunt answered only by a terrible laugh, threw his torch into the sea, and plunged in after it. The instant Groslow put his foot upon the hatchway steps, the ship opened like the crater of a volcano. A burst of flames rose toward the skies with an explosion like that of a hundred cannon ; the air burned, ignited by flaming embers, then the frightful lightning disappeared, the brands sank, one after another, into the abyss, where they were extinguished, and, save for a slight vibration in the air, after a few minutes had lapsed, one would have thought that nothing had happened.

Only the felucca had disappeared from the surface of the sea. and Groslow and his three sailors were consumed.