"STAR" TALES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7294, 6 January 1902, Page 4

"STAR" TALES.

«, THE BALANCE OF THE SCALES. (By H. B. MARRIOTT WATSON.) [Aix Rights Reserved.] Towards the end of September, in the year 1811, Marmont, the great French Marshal, moved a formidable army for the relief of Ciiidad Rodrigo, which was then blockaded by Wellington. Finding himself outnumbered by four to one, the English General retired upon-Fuente Guinaldo, but in the meantime fought a gallant rearguard action at El Bodin, in which Captain Willonghby Sword, of the sth Regiment of Foot, fell under the heels of th© French and was left for dead. The Fifth, :'. savage with anger at the loss of some ;\; guns, yet cool as on parade; charged the , horse with the bayonet, drove them down the hill, and re-took the guns. But Captain Sword iay in. the open with the dead, both French and English, and the army of Marmont marched over the field, and Tinsuccessfully endeavoured to cut off and cut up the fourteen thousand men who were struggling ; for Fuerite Guinaldo. „iOn the evening of Sept. 25, a fine clear -night, Captain Sword <s'as, up where he had , faflen, and stared about him. In the dis- • ttoce he heard the thunder of. the guns, where the English were fighting off, "•■ the French, but all around him was quiet as a graveyard, which, indeed, was very muchwhat the place was. He had a dull pain 1 in his head, and his thigh was stiff and sore^JjuCo^^™ 36 -he was tone the worse for-'&^scd&pit. indeed, as he sat there, ""with his-^feSni&s returning gradually, . he f'piitnis fingers into his pocket and with- * drawing a Spanish cigarette, lit and smoked with nonchalance. He could make out objects on the field to the distance of one hundred yards, and, as he smoked, he grew aware of a figure busy among the bodies that strewed the slope of the hill. This was beyond doubt a pillager and ravager of the dead, probably a Portuguese from a neighbouring village, who took this, opportunity to Settle old scores with the abominable invader. Captain Sword, still puffing his cijfaret'te, watched him from, behind a bush, ««' he"' 'jfrew near, stooping now and then in bis atrocious work, and examining and rifling as 1 he came. Presently he observed the man with Iris black and bestial face-, pause beside the ungainly carcase of a horse, which was humped high on a little jridge, about a dozen paces from the watcher. There followed a sound, between a cry of fear and supplication, and Sword ■was on his knees, his face peering above the bush.' What he saw by the inert lump of flesn was the body of a man in the uniform of a French cavalryman, struggling to rise, and the ghoul of the battlefield bent to him with a threatening knife. He saw horror featured boldly on the Frenchman's face, and cruelty and avarice gloomed in that of the Portuguese. Captain > Sword left the stump of the cigarette between his teeth, fumbled at his side, and Btaggered*ito his feet. Almost immediately upon that the noise- of a pistol echoed from I the hill and the Portuguese dropped. Sword moved painfully towards him. "Monsieur," said the Frenchman, after he had stared, and at last recovered his wits, and. speaking in a voice which witnessed to extreme pain, " Monsieur, you have saved; my life." . •* " You will do as* much for me some day, " Monsieur," said Sword lightly, and ap- « proached him. He finished his cigarette in ihat instant. " Can I do anything for you?" he asked, and perceived that the Frenchman was jammed under the 1)ody of the animal. ■.-.!, After many attempts, and by severe efforts, he- managed to extricate the limbs and helped the man to his feet. The Frenchman stood like a paralytic. " Ah !" he sighed, "to have "no wound ! To be tied down like that I Curses! But it is humiliating!" " I have no wound," said Sword. "It j ■was a horse's hoof did me— perhaps yours," he added, with a glance at the animal. The Frenchman eyed him. "But how you English came downl" he said, and lifted a quavering hand in amazement. "To charge cavalry with the bayonet — j Mon DieuP "It was awfully foolish," said Willough- %• Sword, "but it was successful." " | " Successful! But yes," exclaimed the Frenchman, arid) waved his fingers '' across the 5 Mil. " Your army is in retreat, and ours in pursuit. But we shall not catch yon. JE know, for I have all the places in my mind. And I have lain here," he 3ried, passionately, " under this abomiaable beast for hours, unable to take part in it, only able to say to myself, ' There my friend, they are making the guns speak towards Guinaldb' or 'Thab must be an artillery duel' or 'They are using the cavalry arm.' Mon Dieu, and I not tfierer > He smiled at Sword even through bis vehemence, as if -he would! gently deprecate an unsympathetic criticism of his sentiments. His smile disarmed the frank and cynical Englishman, who nodded, offered bis companion a cigarette, and made a gesture which was -almost as Gallic- as the other's. "What does it matter?" said he, ' gaily. •'We have saved our skins. We" are both impostors, and should thank Heaven others are doing the fighting." The Frenchman stared at him inquiringly, and for a moment hung 1 in doubt; but then he laughed again, merrily, as if convinced of Sword's insincerity. "Yes, let us congratulate ourselves," he Middy "andi if we had only means to drink our health ■" ' Captain Sword gravely produced' a flash from his pocket. * "You axe wonderful, Monsieur," said the frenchman, lingering to invite the name. " Swotd,*'. '^saidi the owner of 'the name, .."Captain irif his "Majesty's Fifth Regiment of Foot.' M^ ; The Frenlcinm'an bowed deeply? "Monsieur le Capitaine, Jules Des Voeux, his Imperial Majesty's Colonel of Cuirassiers, at your service." Sword bowed, and each 'having drunk, proceeded to survey their situation. This mental scrutiny led to Sword's remark. "Then I am to conclude, Colonel, that your army is between- me and mine?" *' That is so," said! Des Voeux seriously, and as if iie would! ask, "What will you doT" Sword ); ariswered him. "I inave^two 1 alteratives then," he said, emiling, "to make my surrender to you, sir, or to find my way back to Fuente Guinaldo." t "I should be honoured to be your host, Monsieur," said Des Voeux, with a fine gesture. Sword shook his heaid. "If you will allow me I will go back," he said. The Frenchman - looked at him doubtfully. *' And let me remind you, Monsieur, that you ihave no while I have a pistol. Consequently " He was interrupted sharply. "Do you imagine, Monsieur, that I would be guilty of such abominable ingratitude — IV He' caught a look in the other's face, and his expression changed. " Ah, no, if is true," ihe said ■ witih' a broad smile. "I cannot prevent you, alas," and then suddenly stared over SworoVs shoulder. " Monsieur," he said with a quick, voice, " I am now to go to re-join my comrades, a company of whom is approaching in the distamce. It is possible that they may be better armed than I." Captain Sword turned, and in the twilight discerned some figures on horseback. "Colonel Des Voeux," he said, "I aan obliged to you. This has been an odd meeting. I will drink au revoir under happier auspices." " Monsieur Sword, I will drink tiat too," Be said earnestly. . "You have saved my life, and heaven, I would have cut your throat an hour before." "We would have cut each other's," assented Sword laughing, and, somewhat embarrassed by the vivacious gratitude of the

Frenchman, he strode into the gathering darkness. The French army had now advanced across the hills and lay encamped for Fuente Girinaldo, deliberating upon the next step. The plain beyond the hill of El Boden was alive" with the stream of troops that poured into Marmont's camp, until by the following day, no less than 60,000 men, including the Imperial Guard, were facing the position in which Wellington had entrenched his fifteen thousand. But i Marmont was not aware of the paucity of ; the English, and hesitated to attack. Cap- j tain Sword, meanwhile, mad© his way across the hills, with, difficulty avoiding the numerous parties of the enemy that rolled onwards towards ' head-quarters. At midnight he found himself some j miles from El Boden, and, content with j his security so far, slept placidly in an olive orchard. In the morning he awoke hungry, and saw the sun climb up the hills, and paint the landscape with colour. The scene had an air of brooding peace, very much in contrast with the bloody acts of war which were taking place a league or so away. The smoke went up from an embowered cottage in the- "orchard, and, driven by his empti- \ ners and his reckless nature, Sword marched up to the door. His uniform made a friend of the Spaniard who was the proprietor, i He had a hatred of the French, who had for j so long occupied and impoverished his na- ; tive land ; and. he trusted to the English to drive them out, but was full of silly. ques- ; tions as to why this had not been already done. " They tell me Lord Wellington is retreatin"-. Why is that':" he asked, and it was plain that he expected nothing but steady and continuous triumph from the English. Hs friendliness, however, enabled Sword to obtain some information as to- the country, and with these directions he started again, early in the' afternoon, to reach Albergaria, which lay in the English rear. With night, however he floundered and had lost las way The French were apparently on all sides. They had moved part of the camp during the day, and he was' obliged to hide on several occasions. Marmont, it seemed, lay, an impassable barrier, between him and the Fifth Regiment of Foot. " Oh. well,'l said he philosophically to himself, " I will make a bed and sleep upon it, and to-morrow I shall find my way." He had to make a 1 detour to avoid a French encampment, and was now on the outskirts of a wood. As he crept through the thicket of trees, he stumbled over some- ' thing that shifted under his feet, and w-.th an exclamation, stooped and looked into the face of a man. He swiftly drew his sword, but the next moment dropped it back into its sheath, for the moon, striking out of the clouds above him, illuminated a dead face. It was |in; officer, apparently, .and he recognised the ? uniform as that worn by his friend of the previous day, Des Voeux. He pushed •on with care,* hearing now little noises in the distance, and suddenly, on mounting the slope; came to the borders of the wood. Before him stood a house of considerable s:zb and pretensions, a guard of. soldiers was not twenty yards from him, and in and out of the open doors flowed an unceasing stream of people. They came quickly, they reined in their horses fiercely, they disappeared into the interior of 'the '" building abruptly, and subsequently re-appeared only to vanish as cxpeditiously as they had come. . Captain Sword- was not long in guessing at what this signified, and his guess became certainty- when presently, in the full light- of the moon, a man came to an open Twindow and shouted an order with the ve-' hemence of authority. It was Marmont himself that was before him, Marmont, whom the Emperor had entrusted with the task of raising the siege of Ciu'dSaJ-Rodrigo and BadVjos, and of. dr'ving the English interlopes ba.dc- into Portugal and perchanca even to their sea bases. : ; Then it was that Captain Sword was. visited by the temptation of vanity and impudence. A mad idea rushed into his head, and after some very still and deep considerations, ho made his way back into the thicket. The body: of the French Cuirassier lay quiet under the moon, and rough hands mattered nothing to it ; all that had mattered was over that morning. Within ten minutes there stood in the* heart of the wood a Captain of French Cuirassiers, a little the worse for wear, tall, fair and-handsome, and moved by a full and reckless heart. Captain Willoughby Sword had an excellent French accent. To a sentry stationed before the white house on the hill there came presently a tall figure, stalking in the moonlight, which rapidly challenged. " ' . , ! "A friend," cried Sword, and: added, "I 'am from Andalusia. I bear despatches from Marshal Soult to Marshal Marmont. Be good enough to let your General know forthwith." .. In a little a commotion broke out and raged, with the house as centre; and then an .officer of high rank appeared on the verandah and called to Sword to approach. "Who are you, sir?" he demanded civilly. " I am Captain Melfont of the Cuirassiers. I carry a message to Marshal Marmont from Marshal Soult}" said Sword. | !' Where is it?" asked the Frenchman.' Captain Sword made a bow. "Pardon me, General "• . The officer turned on his 'heels and- bade him follow, leading , the way into the house arid 1 into a large bare room, at a table in which sat Marmont, a cup of coffee and a map before him. "If they retreat," he was saying to a general officer who stood! by him, " they will fall back on the Coa, which is, a very strong position. They are now 45,000 strong, andi'T 1 have 60,000. To carry the position I should) want twice that number. .Voila! But of course 'they may not retire." . . He turned about abruptly, and bent his brows on Sword. . _"A despatch bearer from Soult, Marshal," said the officer who !had brought Sword in. ■< " Pardon, General — not a despatch 'bearer," said the Englishman, "but the bearer of an oral message," . . Marmont frowned! " Your name, sir. " ; "Captain Melfont, of *he 10th Cuirassiers," was the prompt answer. " Colonel Lemesne's regiment, serving in General Dordogne's brigade." "How came you to carry a message from Marshal Soult?" asked Marmont suspiciously. ; "I am attached', monsieur, this month past to the staff for special knowledge of the country. : Marshal Soult," he added, " is at Villafranca.". This last was no random shot; ihe had observed s the suspicion creeping on the faces of the *hree Generals, and he had thrown down his pieces of news like- a bomb-shell. Marmont started. ' "Villafranca!" he cried. "Why that means — " and! he looked at the two Generals. Then to Sword, "What is your mes-. sage, Monsieur?" he asked. "I was despatched by Marshal Soult from Cordova- with instructions to push on as fast as~ possible to you, sir, and acquaint you that Marshal Soult will lie tonight at Villafranca, and' requests the honour of your attendance there to meet him." . "What force has he?" demanded Marmont, eagerly. I " Some 30,000 men were to march," said Sword, pat enough. Marmont leaped' to his: feet, his eyes