CHAPTER VIII. NO. 39, AND ITS FREQUENTERS.
When my eyes opened the following morning, it was quite pardonable in meif I believed I was still dreaming. The room, which I had scarcely timeto look at the previous evening, now appeared handsomely, almost richlyfurnished. Books in handsome bindings covered the shelves, prints ingilded frames occupied the walls, and a large mirror filled the spaceabove the chimney. Various little articles of taste, in bronze andmarble, were scattered about, and a silver tea equipage of antiquepattern graced a small table near the fire. A pair of splendidly mountedpistols hung at one side of the chimney glass, and a gorgeously giltsabre occupied the other.
While I took a patient survey of all these, and was deliberatelyexamining myself as to how and when I had first made their acquaintance,a voice from an adjoining room, the door of which lay open, exclaimed,--
"_Sacristi! quel mauvais temps!_" and then broke out into a littleFrench air, to which, after a minute, the singer appeared to move, in akind of dancing measure. "Qui, c'est ca!" exclaimed he, in rapture, ashe whirled round in a pirouette, overturning a dressing-table and itscontents with a tremendous crash upon the floor.
I started up, and without thinking of what I was doing, rushed in.
"Ha! bonjour," said he, gayly, stretching out two fingers of a handalmost concealed beneath a mass of rings. And then suddenly changing toEnglish, which he spoke perfectly, saving with a foreign accent,--"Howdid you sleep? I suppose the _tintamarre_ awoke you."
I hastened to apologize for my intrusion; which he stopped at once byasking if I had passed a comfortable night, and had a great appetite forbreakfast.
Assuring him of both facts, I retreated into the sitting room, where hefollowed me, laughing heartily at his mishap, which he confessed hehad not patience to remedy. "And what 's worse," added he; "I have noservant. But here 's some tea and coffee; let us chat while we eat."
I drew over my chair at his invitation, and found myself--before halfan hour went by--acted on by that strange magnetism which certainindividuals possess, to detail to my new friend the principal eventsof my simple story, down to the very moment in which we sat opposite toeach other. He listened to me with the greatest attention, occasionallyinterposing a question, or asking an explanation of something which hedid not perfectly comprehend; and when I concluded, he paused for someminutes, and then, with a slight laugh, said:--
"You don't know how you disappointed the people here. Your travellingcompanion had given them to understand that you were some other Burke,whose alliance they have been long desiring. In fact, they were certainof it; but," said he, starting up hastily, "it is far better as it is.I suspect, my young friend, the way in which you have been entrapped.Don't fear; we are perfectly safe here. I know all the hackneyeddeclamations about wrongs and slavery that are in vogue; and I know,too, how timidly they shrink from every enterprise by which their causemight be honorably, boldly asserted. I am myself another victim to theassumed patriotism of this party. I came over here two years since totake the command. A command,--but in what an army! An undisciplinedrabble, without arms, without officers, without even clothes; their onlynotion of warfare, a midnight murder, or a reckless and indiscriminateslaughter. The result could not be doubtful,--utter defeat anddiscomfiture. My countrymen, disgusted at the scenes they witnessed, andashamed of such _confrerie_; accepted the amnesty, and returned to France.I--"
Here he hesitated, and blushed slightly; after which he resumed:--
"I yielded to a credulity for which there was neither reason nor excuse:I remained. Promises were made me, oaths were sworn, statements wereproduced to show how complete the organization of the insurgents reallywas, and to what purpose it might be turned. I drew up a plan of acampaign; corresponded with the different leaders; encouraged thewavering; restrained the headstrong; confirmed the hesitating; and, infact, for fourteen months held them together, not only against theiropponents, but their own more dangerous disunion. And the end is,--whatthink you? I only learned it yesterday, on my return from an excursionin the West which nearly cost me my life. I was concealed in a cabin inwoman's clothes--"
"At Malone's, in the Glen?"
"Yes; how did you know that?"
"I was there. I saw you captured and witnessed your escape."
"_Diantre_! How near it was!"
He paused for a second, and I took the opportunity to recount to himthe dreadful issue of the scene, with the burning of the cabin. He grewsickly pale as I related the circumstance; then flushing as quickly, heexclaimed,--
"We must look to this; these people must be taken care of, I 'll speakto Dalton; you know him?"
"No; I know not one here."
"It was he who met you last night; he is a noble fellow. But stay; there's a knock at the door."
He approached the fireplace, and taking down the pistols which hungbeside it, walked slowly towards the door.
"'Tis Darby, sir,--Darby the Blast, coming to speak a word to MisterBurke," said a voice from without.
The door was opened at once, and Darby entered. Making a deep reverenceto the French officer, in whose presence he seemed by no means at hisease. Darby dropped his voice to its most humble cadence, and said,--
"Might I be so bould as to have a word with ye, Master Tom?"
There was something in the way this request was made that seemed toimply a desire for secrecy,--so, at least, the Frenchman understoodit,--and turning hastily rounds he said,--
"Yes, to be sure. I 'll go into my dressing-room; there is nothing toprevent your speaking here."
No sooner was the door closed, than Darby drew a chair close to me, andbending down his head, whispered,--
"Don't trust him,--not from here to that window. They 're going to do itwithout him; Mahony told me so himself. But my name was not drawn, and I'm to be off to Kildare this evening. There 's a meeting of the boys atthe Curragh, and I want you to come with me."
The state of doubt and uncertainty which had harassed my mind forthe last twenty-four hours was no longer tolerable; so I boldly askedM'Keown for an explanation as to the people in whose house I was,--theirobjects and plans, and how far I was myself involved in their designs.
In fewer words than I could convey it. Darby informed me that the housewas the meeting place of the United Irishmen, who still cherished thehope of reviving the scenes of '98; that, conscious the failure beforewas attributable to their having taken the field as an army whenthey should have merely contented themselves with secret and indirectattacks, they had resolved to adopt a different tactique. It was, infact, determined that every political opponent to their party should bemarked,--himself, his family, and his property; that no opportunity wasto be lost of injuring him or his, and, if need be, of taking away hislife; that various measures were to be propounded to Parliament by theirfriends, to the maintenance of which threats were to be freely used tothe Government members; and with respect to the great measure of theday,--the Union,--it was decided that on the night of the division acertain number of people should occupy the gallery above the Ministerialbenches, armed with hand-grenades and other destructive missiles; that,on a signal given, these were to be thrown amongst them, scatteringdeath and ruin on all sides.
"It will be seen, then," said Darby, with a fiendish grin, "how theenemies of Ireland pay for their hatred of her! Maybe they 'll vote awaytheir country after that!"
Whether it was the tone, the look, or the words that suddenly awoke mefrom my dreamy infatuation, I know not; but coming so soon after theFrenchman's detail of the barbarism of the party, a thorough disgustseized me, and the atrocity of this wholesale murder lost nothing of itsblackness from being linked with the cause of liberty.
With ready quickness, Darby saw what my impression was, and hastilyremarked:--
"We 'll be all away out of this, Master Tom, you know, before that. We'll be up in Kildare, where we 'll see the boys exercising and marching;that's what 'ill do your heart good to look at. But before we go, you'll have to take the o
ath, for I'm answerable for you all this time withmy own head; not that I care for that same, but others might mistrustye."
"Halloo!" cried the Frenchman, from within; "I hope you have finishedyour conference there, for you seem to forget there's no fire in thisroom."
"Yes, sir; and I beg a thousand pardons," said Darby, servilely. "AndMaster Tom only wants to bid you goodby before he goes."
"Goes! goes where? Are you so soon tired of me?" said he, in an accentof most winning sweetness.
"He's obliged to be at the Curragh, at the meeting there," said Darby,answering for me.
"What meeting? I never heard of it."
"It 's a review, sir, of the throops, that 's to be by moonlight."
"A review!" said the Frenchman, with a scornful laugh. "And do you callthis midnight assembly of marauding savages a review?"
Darby's face grew dark with rage, and for a second I thought he wouldhave sprung on his assailant; but with a fawning, shrewd smile he lispedout,--
"It's what they call it. Captain; sure the poor boys knows no better."
"Are you going to this review?" said the Frenchman, with an ironicalpronunciation of the word.
"I scarce know where to go, or what to do," said I, in a tone ofdespairing sadness; "any certainty would be preferable to the doubtsthat harass me."
"Stay with me," said the Frenchman, interrupting me and laying his handon my shoulder; "we shall be companions to each other. Your friend hereknows I can teach you many things that may be useful to you hereafter;and perhaps, with all humility I may say, your stay will be asprofitable as at the camp yonder."
"I should not like to desert one who has been so kind to me as Darby;and if he wishes--"
Before I could finish my sentence, the door was opened by a key fromwithout, and Dalton, as he was called, stood amongst us.
"What, Darby!" said he, in a voice of something like emotion; "not goneyet! You know I forbid you coming up here; I suspected what you would beat. Come, lose no more time; we 'll take care of Mr. Burke for you."
Darby hung his head sorrowfully, and left the room without speaking,followed by Dalton, whose voice I heard in a tone of anger as hedescended the stairs.
There was a certain openness, an easy air of careless freedom, in theyoung Frenchman, which made me feel at home in his company almost thevery moment of our acquaintance; and when he asked some questions aboutmyself and my family, I hesitated not to tell him my entire history,with the causes which had first brought me into Darby's society, and ledme to imbibe his doctrines and opinions. He paused when I finished, andafter reflecting for some minutes, he looked me gravely in the face, andsaid,--
"But you are aware of the place you are now in?"
"No," said I; "further than the fact of my having enjoyed a capitalnight's rest and eaten an excellent breakfast, I know nothing about it."
A hearty burst of laughter from my companion followed this very candidacknowledgment on my part.
"Then, may I ask, what are your intentions for the future? Have youany?"
"At least one hundred," said I, smiling; "but every one of them hasabout as many objections against it. I should like much, for instance,to be a soldier,--not in the English service though. I should like tobelong to an army where neither birth nor fortune can make nor mar aman's career. I should like, too, to be engaged in some great war ofliberty, where with each victory we gained the voices of a liberatedpeople would fall in blessings upon us. And then I should like to raisemyself to high command by some great achievement."
"And then," said the Frenchman, interrupting, "to come back to Ireland,and cut off the head of this terrible Monsieur Basset. N'est-ce pas,Tom?"
I could not help joining in his laugh against myself; although in goodtruth I had felt better pleased if he had taken up my enthusiasm in adifferent mood.
"So much for mere dreaming!" said I, with half a sigh, as our laughtersubsided.
"Not so," said he, quickly,--"not so; all you said is far moreattainable than you suspect. I have been in such a service myself. I wonmy 'grade' as officer at the point of my sword, when scarcely your age;and before I was fifteen, received this."
He took down the sword that hung over the chimney as he said thesewords, and drawing it from the scabbard, pointed to the inscription,which in letters of gold adorned the blade,--"Rivoli," "Arcole;" thenturning the reverse, I read,--"Au Lieutenant Charles Gustave de Meudon,Troisieme Cuirassiers."
"This, then, is your name?" said I, repeating it half aloud.
"Yes," replied he, as he drew himself up, and seemed struggling torepress a feeling of pride that sent the blood rushing to his cheek andbrow.
"How I should like to be you!" was the wish that burst from me at thatmoment, and which I could not help uttering in words.
"Helas, non!" said the Frenchman, sorrowfully, and turning away toconceal his agitation; "I have broken with fortune many a day since."
The tone of bitter disappointment in which these words were spoken leftno room for reply, and we were both silent.
Charles--for so I must now call him to my reader, as he compelled me todo so with himself--Charles was the first to speak.
"Not many months ago my thoughts were very like your own; but since thenhow many disappointments! how many reverses!"
He walked hurriedly up and down the room as he said this; then stoppingsuddenly before me, laid his hand on my shoulder, and with a voice ofimpressive earnestness said:--
"Be advised by me: join not with these people; do not embark with themin their enterprise. Their enterprise!" repeated he, scornfully: "theyhave none. The only men of action here are they with whom no man ofhonor, no soldier, could associate; their only daring, some deed ofrapine and murder. No! liberty is not to be achieved by such hands asthese. And the other,--the men of political wisdom, who prate aboutreform and the people's rights, who would gladly see such as meadventure in the cause they do not care themselves to advocate,--theyare all false alike. Give me," cried he, with energy, and stamping hisfoot upon the ground,--"give me a demibrigade of ours, some squadronsof Milhaud's cavalry, and trois bouches a feu to open the way before us.But why do I speak of this? Some midnight burning, some savage murder,some cowardly attack on unarmed and defenceless people,--these are ourcampaigns here. And shall I stain this blade in such a conflict?"
"But you will go back to France?" said I, endeavoring to say somethingthat might rally him from his gloom.
"Never," replied he, firmly, "never! I alone, of all my countrymen,maintained, that to leave the people here at such a crisis was unfairand unmanly. I alone believed in the representations that were madeof extended organization, of high hopes, and ardent expectations. Iaccepted the command of their army. Their army! what a mockery! Whenothers accepted the amnesty, I refused, and lived in concealment, mylife hanging upon the chance of being captured. For fourteen months Ihave wandered from county to county, endeavoring to rally the spiritI had been taught to think only needed restraint to hold back itsimpetuous daring. I have spent money largely, for it was largely placedat my disposal; I have distributed places and promises; I have acceptedevery post where danger offered; and in return, I hoped that the hourwas approaching when we should test the courage of our enemies by suchan outbreak as would astonish Europe. And what think you has all endedin? But my cheek burns at the very thought! An intended attack on theGovernment Members of Parliament,--an act of base assassination,--acowardly murder! And for what, too?--to prevent a political unionwith England I Have they forgotten that our cause was total rupture!independence! open enmity with England! But, c'est fini, I have giventhem my last resolve. Yesterday evening I told the delegates the onlychance that, in my opinion, existed of their successfully assertingtheir own independence. I gave them the letters of French officers, highin command and station, concurring with my own views; and I have pledgedmyself to wait one month longer,--if they deem my plans worthy ofacceptance,--to consider all the details, and arrange the mode ofproceeding. If they refuse, then I l
eave Ireland forever within a week.In America, the cause I glory in is still triumphant; and there,no prestige of failure shall follow me to damp my own efforts, nordiscourage the high hopes of such as trust me. But you, my poorboy,--and how have I forgotten you in all this sad history I--I will notsuffer you to be misled by false representations and flattering offers.It may be the only consolation I shall carry with me from this land ofanarchy and misfortune. But even that is something,--if I rescue oneuntried and uncorrupted heart from the misery of such associates. Youshall be a soldier,--be my companion here while I stay. I 'll arrangeeverything for your comfort; we 'll read and talk together; and I willendeavor to repay the debt I owe to France, by sending back there onebetter than myself to guard her eagles."
The tears ran fast down my cheeks as I heard these words; but not onesyllable could I utter.
"You do not like my plan. Well--"
Before he could conclude, I seized his hand with rapture within both ofmine, and pressed it to my lips.
"It is a bargain, then," said he, gayly. "And now let us lose no moretime; let us remove this breakfast-table, and begin at once."
Another table was soon drawn over to the fire, upon which a mass ofbooks, maps, and plates were heaped by my companion, who seemed to actin the whole affair with all the delight of a schoolboy in some exploitof amusement.
"You are aware, Tom, that this place is a prison to me, and therefore Iam not altogether disinterested in this proposal. You, however, can goout when you please; but until you understand the precautions necessaryto prevent you from being traced here, it is better not to venture intothe city."
"I have no wish whatever to leave this," said I, quickly, while I rangedmy eye with delight over the pile of books before me, and thought of allthe pleasure I was to draw from their perusal.
"You must tell me so three weeks hence, if you wish to flatter me,"replied Charles, as he drew over his chair, and pointed with his hand toanother.
It needed not the pleasing and attractive power of my teacher to make mystudy the most captivating of all amusements. Military science, even inits gravest forms, had an interest for me such as no other pursuitcould equal. In its vast range of collateral subjects, it opened aninexhaustible mine to stimulate industry and encourage research. Thegreat wars of the world were the great episodes in history, whereinmonarchs and princes were nothing, if not generals. With what delight,then, did I hang over the pages of Carnot and Jomini! With what ananxious heart would I read the narrative of a siege, where, againstevery disadvantage of numbers and munitions of war, some few resistedall the attacks of the adverse forces, with no other protection savethat of consummate skill! With what enthusiasm did I hear of Charles theTwelfth, of Wallenstein, of the Prince Eugene! And how often-times didI ask myself in secret, Why had the world none such as these to boast ofnow?--till at last the name of Bonaparte burst from my companion's lips,as, with a torrent of long-restrained devotion, he broke forth into aneloquent and impassioned account of the great general of his age!
That name once heard, I could not bear to think or speak of any other.How I followed him,--from the siege of Toulon, as he knelt down besidethe gun which he pointed with his own hand, to the glorious battlefieldsof Italy,--and heard, from one who listened to his shout of"Suivez-moi" on the bridge of Lodi, the glorious heroism of that day! Itracked him across the pathless deserts of the East,--beneath the shadowof the Pyramids, whose fame seems somehow to have revived in the historyof that great man. And then I listened to the stories--and how numerouswere they!--of his personal daring; the devotion and love men bore him;the magic influence of his presence; the command of his look. The veryshort and broken sentences he addressed to his generals were treasuredup in my mind, and repeated over and over to myself. Charles possesseda miniature of the First Consul, which he assured me was strikinglylike him; and for hours long I could sit and gaze upon that cold,unimpassioned brow, where greatness seemed to sit enthroned. How Ilonged to look upon that broad and massive forehead,--the deep-set,searching eye,--the mouth, where sweetness and severity seemedtempered,--and that finely rounded chin, that gave his head so much thecharacter of antique beauty! His image filled every avenue of my brain;his eye seemed on me in my waking moments, and I thought I heard hisvoice in my dream. Never did lover dwell more rapturously on the memoryof his mistress than did my boyish thoughts on Bonaparte. What would Inot have done to serve him? What would I not have dared to win one word,one look of his, in praise? All other names faded away before his;--thehalo around him paled every other star; the victories! had thoughtof before with admiration I now only regarded as trifling successes,compared with the overwhelming torrent of his conquests. Charles saw myenthusiasm, and ministered to it with eager delight. Every trait in hisbeloved leader that could stimulate admiration or excite affection, hedwelt on with all the fondness of a Frenchman for his idol; till at lastthe world seemed to my eyes but the theatre of his greatness, andmen the mere instruments of that commanding intellect that ruled thedestinies and disposed of the fortunes of nations.
In this way, days and weeks, and even months rolled on, for Charles'sinterest in my studies had induced him to abandon his former intentionof departure; and he now scarcely took any part in the proceedings ofthe delegates, and devoted himself almost exclusively to me. During thedaytime we never left the house; but when night fell we used to walkforth, not into the city, but by some country road, often alongthe canal-side,--our conversation on the only topic wherein we feltinterested. And these rambles still live within my memory with allthe vivid freshness of yesterday; and while my heart saddens over theinfluence they shed upon my after life, I cannot help the train ofpleasure with which even yet I dwell upon their recollection. Howguarded should he be who converses with a boy, forgetting with whatpower each word is fraught by the mere force of years,--how theflattery of equality destroys judgment, and saps all power ofdiscrimination,--and, more than all, how dangerous it is to graft uponthe tender sapling the ripe fruits of experience, not knowing how, insuch, they may grow to very rankness! Few are there who cannot lookback to their childhood for the origin of opinions that have had theirinfluence over all their latter years; and when these have owed theirbirth to those we loved, is it wonderful that we should cling to faultswhich seemed hallowed by friendship?
Meanwhile I was becoming a man, if not in years, at least in spiritand ambition. The pursuits natural to my age were passed over for thestudies of more advanced years. Military history had imparted to me asoldier's valor, and I could take no pleasure in anything save as itbore upon the one engrossing topic of my mind. Charles, too, seemed tofeel all his own ambition revived in mine, and watched with pride theprogress I was making under his guidance.
Tom Burke Of Ours, Volume I Page 9
