Boys of the Light Brigade: A Story of Spain and the Peninsular War

by Herbert Strang

  *CHAPTER VI*

  *Monsieur Taberne*

  Westphalian Light Horse--Mine Host--Two Menus--Feeding aCommissary--Practice in French--Another Bottle--A Sum inArithmetic--Inferences--A Cold Prospect

  Daylight was just breaking as the riders came to the dreary outskirts ofOlmedo, passing by one or two desolate-looking vineyards, untidybrick-fields, gloomy convents, and neglected kitchen-gardens, the walledtown itself rising before them on an eminence in the midst of a widesandy plain.

  Jack had already learnt from Juan on the way that, nearly a mile fromthe town, a small clump of pine-trees grew, the only trees to be seen onall the barren heath. This, Jack thought, would be a convenient spot atwhich to leave the youth with the mules while he himself went into thetown and reconnoitred. Accordingly, he sent Juan into the wood with theanimals and sufficient food to last them the day, telling him to wraphis cloak well about him to keep off the cold, and on no account toallow himself to be seen from the road. Then he proceeded alone intothe town, the narrow dirty streets of which he found in a great bustle.There appeared to be a horse at the door of every one of the six hundredhouses of which the place consisted, and at the side of every horsethere was a French trooper, who was either brushing his mount, orfastening its saddle-straps, or feeding it, or watching his comradesengaged in one or other of those operations. In short, three squadronsof French dragoons, which had been quartered on the town, were saddlingup in preparation for marching, and the streets resounded with the clankof metal, the pawing of horses' hoofs, and the cries of the soldiers.

  Jack made his way to the first inn, where he found the landlordendeavouring to reconcile his Castilian dignity with the obsequiousnessdemanded by the troopers he was serving. Ordering some chocolate, Jacksat down quietly on a bench, prepared to pick up any scraps ofinformation he could gather from the half-dozen troopers who were loudlyconversing over their drink. But a few moments later a sergeantentered, in a rage at finding the men away from their horses. They leftin a body, and Jack seized the occasion to make a few discreet enquiriesof the aggrieved and perspiring innkeeper. The troopers, he learnt,were the Westphalian light horse, belonging to General Maupetit'sbrigade, which formed the cavalry division of the fourth army corpsunder Marshal Lefebvre, Duke of Dantzig. They had arrived in the townon the previous afternoon, and the landlord, like all the inhabitants,was anxious to see the last of them; for the town had been visited bynumerous smaller parties of horse during the previous week, and theFrench always took what they wanted, and were not very scrupulous aboutpaying for it.

  While Jack was condoling with the landlord, he heard the bugle ring outthe "boot and saddle". A few minutes later the whole force moved outalong the main road to the south, leading to Villacastin and Madrid.Jack stood just within the door, watching them defile past, and he couldnot but admire the excellent condition of the horses and the soldierlysmartness of the men.

  "I wonder where they are bound for?" he said to himself. He knew, froma careful examination he had already made of his map, that if thecavalry kept to the main road it would bring them, within about thirtymiles, in contact with Hope's outposts, with the result that theirgeneral, Lefebvre, would not remain much longer in ignorance of theproximity of the British forces.

  "I must see what they are after," thought Jack. Hastening to theplantation outside the town, where he had left Juan and the mules, hemounted and rode alone after the dragoons, being careful to maintain adiscreet distance between himself and their rear. After riding for somethree miles, he observed that they were leaving the main road andbearing to the left. Taking out his map, he found that they wereevidently making for Segovia by the shortest cut, and the obviousinference was that they were as yet quite unsuspicious of the proximityof the British army, and had no intention of marching towards thePortuguese frontier. Riding another mile, to make sure that thissupposition was correct, Jack then returned to the plantation, scribbleda note to Moore giving this important news, and ordered Juan to set offwith it, going round Medina to Carpio, where he would meet his brother,whom he was to instruct to carry the message to Salamanca.

  Having thus despatched his second messenger, Jack made his way back toOlmedo, with the intention of obtaining a more substantial meal than hehad yet had time for. He sought, this time, the principal inn of theplace, and found that with the departure of the dragoons the inhabitantsof the town, previously invisible, had now formed little knots at thestreet corners, and were condoling with one another on the indignitiesthey had suffered at the hands of the enemy. The landlord was at firsttoo much occupied with the gossips at the door of his posada to attendto a stranger, but Jack at last boldly took him by the arm and declaredthat he must have food of some sort.

  "Food! All very well for a stranger to ask for food," he repliedbitterly, "but these cursed Frenchmen have stripped us bare, and areverily capable of eating our children."

  "Come, landlord," said Jack, "I heard an old cock crowing lustily as Icame up the street. At least you have an egg or two. I don't love theFrench any more than you; and I'll pay, which is more than they do, byall accounts."

  "Well, Senor, perhaps I can find you an egg, but you must wait till Ican send for it and borrow a frying-pan, for a Frenchman knocked a holein mine last night."

  Jack sat down on a bench within the bar-room, and listened to theconversation, or rather the declamation, of the men at the door. Whilehe sat there waiting with scant patience, for he was very hungry, thesound of horses' hoofs was heard approaching, mingled with the clank ofsteel. The knot at the door melted away as by magic, and a few momentslater a small party of horsemen clattered into the courtyard, and loudvoices were heard calling to the inn servants. In a minute or two aportly French officer clanked into the room, now empty save for Jack.He was clad in a uniform of some brilliance, with a heavy shako and anembroidered white cloak, and the stone floor resounded to the tread ofhis heavy spurred riding-boots. Giving a casual glance at Jack, who wasstaying his hunger with a crust of dry bread until the egg shouldappear, the officer strode up to the low counter, smote it heavily withhis riding-whip, and bellowed for the landlord, in execrable Spanish,freely interlarded with French expletives.

  "Ohe, landlord!" he shouted. "Palsambleu! Where has the hog hiddenhimself? Ohe! Come out of your pig-stye, canaille that you are, andbring me some food."

  He continued shouting and belabouring the counter, setting the crockeryrattling on the big dresser behind.

  "Nice manners!" said Jack to himself, closely watching the new-comer."I wonder who he is!"

  At this moment the landlord entered with a fried egg, which he broughtto Jack without giving more than one sullen glance to the boisterousofficer. This neglect wounded the gentleman's dignity; he strode acrossthe room and, lifting his whip, spluttered:

  "Insolent dog! Don't you hear? I order you to bring me food, and,palsambleu! you had better hurry. What do you mean by keeping anofficer of the emperor waiting while you serve a beggarly tradesman?"

  "In a moment, Senor," said the landlord, setting the dish before Jack.

  "Would the noble marquis like my egg?" said Jack meekly in bad French.

  "Egg!" The officer snorted his contempt for such frugal fare. "Lookyou, landlord, I want soup to begin with, and then a mayonnaise--sweetolive-oil, mind you--and a capon well basted to follow, and--"

  "Senor, Senor," interrupted the landlord, "I've not any such things onthe premises. Your dragoons have eaten me up already. I can give youan omelet--"

  "An omelet! Morbleu, landlord! If you don't hurry with something moresubstantial than an omelet I'll slice your fat cheeks into collops."

  A Question of Supply]

  He glared at the Spaniard and laid his hand on his sword; and thelandlord, giving up all attempt to preserve his dignity further,scuttled through the door leading to his kitchen.

  "Hola!" cried the officer, calling him back; "before you go give me astoup of
wine; none of your tarred vinegar of Toro, pardi, but good wineof Valdepenas, something with a tang. Ventrebleu! it's a poor thing ifan officer of the emperor, who has to feed an army, can't get good foodfor himself."

  ("Ah!" thought Jack, "we have a commissary here. He ought to be worthsomething.")

  The trembling landlord set a goat-skin and a cup before the blusterouscommissary, and hurried off to ransack his larder for somethingwherewith to appease his Gargantuan appetite.

  After two or three draughts of wine the big man appeared to be somewhatmollified. He threw more than one glance at Jack, as he strode up anddown the room, objurgating the landlord's sluggishness. To Jack'samusement and surprise, the Spaniard returned in a very few minutes,bearing a steaming tureen of soup.

  "Would the Senor like his meal served in a private room?" he asked."There is only my own sitting-room, with no fire at present, but if hisexcellency pleases a fire shall be lit, and--"

  "Tenez, tenez!" said the officer; "let me fill my stomach, in the publicroom here by the fire. I may want the private room by and by," he addedpompously; "but meanwhile I have no objection to your guest beingpresent."

  He glanced at Jack, who at once said, in his politest tones:

  "I shall be happy to retire if I am in the noble marquis's way.Personal convenience must, of course, give way to the public service,and anyone can see that the noble marquis is a very high functionary."

  The deferential tone and the barefaced flattery conciliated the big man.Puffing himself out he said:

  "Not marquis yet, young man, not yet, though it may come--yes, it maycome in time. Lefebvre is Duke of Dantzig: he rose from the ranks, andthere's no reason in the world why I, Gustave Taberne, shouldn't be amarquis before long. Personal business, you say? Well, my business iswholly personal at present, since it consists in lining my notinconsiderable person, hein! But I don't regard your company as anintrusion, monsieur; far from it; I welcome you heartily."

  Jack bowed his acknowledgments. Meanwhile the officer had begun to gulphis soup with no little noise, gobbling like a turkey-cock, as Jackdescribed him afterwards. As his meal progressed he unbent stillfurther.

  "You are almost the first of your cursed countrymen I've met who canspeak tolerable French," he said. "Where did you learn it, young man?"

  "I picked up a little in Barcelona, your excellency," replied Jack, "butnot till now have I had the opportunity of improving myself byconversation with an officer used to high society."

  "Ah! you know a galant homme when you see him. You have some sense,young man. Yes, I'm commissary-general to the Duke of Dantzig's forces,and, parbleu! in the emperor's service I spare no one, neither myselfnor others. Ohe, landlord, bring the next course."

  The landlord brought in a number of dishes.

  "Senor likes the puchero?" he said.

  "Puchero, you call it? Well, if this is puchero, I do like it. Now,par le sambleu, you wanted to put me off with an omelet! He! he!"

  He lay back in his chair and roared. Jack himself was not a littleamused, for he saw on the table a quarter of veal, a neck of mutton, achicken, the end of a sausage called _chorizo_, slices of bacon and ham,a jug of sauce made of tomatos and saffron and strong spices, a dish ofcabbage soaking in oil, and a platter filled with a vegetable ratherlike haricot beans, called _garbanzo_. All these the landlord mixed inone big vessel so as to make a mayonnaise, which Jack hoped did nottaste as strong as it smelt. The commissary fell to with avidity, buthe was evidently fond of hearing his own voice, and his tongue beingloosened by the unexpected good cheer, and by Jack's respectfuladmiration, he condescended to converse between the mouthfuls.

  "Pity your countrymen are not all as civil and sensible as yourself," hesaid. "If they'd only put a good face on it, and pay willing obedienceto King Joseph--though, to tell the truth, he's only a proxy for theemperor,--they'd live a quieter life and make the duties of thecommissary less of a torture. I tell you, young man--moi qui vousparle--there isn't a more harassed man in the army than thecommissary-general. Hang me if he is not every way as important as thecommander-in-chief!"

  Jack looked at him sympathetically.

  "A general gets all the credit of a victory, but, parbleu! 'tis thecommissary that deserves it. Who won the battle of Austerlitz threeyears ago? Folks say it was the emperor, but between you and me, monami, it was I myself, Gustave Taberne. Soult, Massena, Lannes, theemperor himself--all very well, but could the men fight if they weren'twell fed?--tell me that. And I feed the army. Skill, that is good;courage, that is better; devotion, that is excellent; but a good mealhas won more victories than the cleverest tactics."

  "The world knows nothing of its greatest men," said Jack.

  The commissary gleamed approval, but at this point the conversation wasinterrupted by the entrance of a corporal.

  "Well, Antoine," said the officer, "where is the alcalde?"

  "He cannot be found, mon colonel," replied the man.

  "Cannot be found! Cannot! Who dares use such words to the emperor'scommissary-general? The alcalde must be found, or, parbleu! I'll burnevery house and pig-stye in the place. Let him be here in half anhour--not a moment sooner, for I must finish my dejeuner; not a momentlater, for he will fare ill if he keeps me waiting. Away with you,Antoine."

  The corporal vanished.

  "Ohe, landlord!" shouted the commissary. "Another bottle of wine. No,don't take out the stopper. Set it on the table there in front of me."

  The commissary gloated at the rotund wine-skin, but made no sign ofopening it. Catching an enquiring glance from Jack, he said loftily:

  "I drink no more till my work is done, young man. If I drank more now, Ishould get drunk; and if I got drunk the emperor would call me a pig,and I should deserve it. Duty first, young man, always remember that."

  "It astonishes me," said Jack, "--forgive my ignorance, Colonel,--howyou officers can make the calculations necessary for feeding an immensearmy. In our little villages, for instance, if we keep the festival ofa saint or a guild, when there are only some hundreds of mouths to feed,we either run short or have so much left that bushels of good stuff haveto be thrown to the pigs."

  Jack spoke from recollections of the autumn bean-feast in his littleSurrey village at home. The commissary rose to the bait, and spoke,always with a thirsty eye fixed on the wine-skin.

  "Oh! as to that," he said, "we do everything by system. Nothing iseasier when you have a system. We allow a pound of biscuit a day to eachman, and half a pound of meat, and as much wine as is good for him andcan be got. For myself, as you see, I can drink a gallon withoutstaggering, and hold a fresh bottle always at arm's-length withouttouching it."

  "Matchless strength of will!" exclaimed Jack. "But even so, theresponsibility of obtaining just the right quantity for so manythousands of men would make a weaker man quaver. The biscuit, forinstance--what a huge quantity you must consume!"

  "Huge indeed!" said the commissary. "Why, in Valladolid, where I havecome from, we use nine tons a day." (Jack made a rapid mentalcalculation: one pound of biscuit to each man; nine tons a day. "Sothere are about twenty thousand men in Valladolid!" he concluded.) "Andin the present temper of your confounded countrymen," continued thecommissary, "such a man as I is not to be envied. I have had greatdifficulty in procuring supplies in some places. Like your landlordhere, they offer an egg, and we have to curse them before they bring outthe chicken. But we stand no nonsense, I can tell you. Your alcaldeshave bad memories, but 'tis amazing how refreshing is a yard or two ofhempen rope or the touch of a cold pistol-barrel. We had trouble inValladolid, and 'tis rumoured we are to have trouble in Segovia; but let'em beware, let 'em beware."

  "Ah! I'm afraid our poor people have small chance against the hosts ofyour emperor--the finest soldier the world has seen since Alexander theGreat."

  "You say true, monsieur; you are a sensible fellow--for a Spaniard. TheLittle Corporal is indeed a new Alexander, destined to conquer the wholewo
rld, and, parbleu! those upstart meddling shopkeepers of English intothe bargain. Why, the emperor is at this moment marching south, and mybag here is stuffed with bulletins of his victories."

  He pulled out a handful of papers, and spread them on the table. Atthis moment the corporal re-entered, followed by the trembling alcaldeof the village, whose bemired dress showed that he had been hiding in novery sanitary spot.

  "Ohe, Don Long-chops," said the commissary, "you thought to escape me,did you? Now you and I will have a reckoning."

  As the alcalde was brought round the table until he faced thecommissary, Jack rose.

  "I will bid you good-day, monsieur," he said politely. "I have a longway to go, and be sure that in whatever village I pass through I shallwarn them that so capable an officer is not to be trifled with."

  "That is sound sense, pardi," said the commissary. "You will do well toprepare them for my coming, and, look you, if we meet again, you and Iwill drink as much Valdepenas as our skins will hold--provided my dutyis done. Au revoir!"

  Jack bowed and took his leave. The information he had obtained from theself-sufficient commissary was clearly of the highest importance. Therewere twenty thousand men in Valladolid: they were about to march forSegovia; and the emperor himself was coming southward at the head of anarmy. It was evident that the French were as yet in ignorance of theproximity of Moore's army. They were probably intending a blow atMadrid; and Jack saw in a flash that this might have a direct bearing onthe movements contemplated by Sir John.

  "Why shouldn't we march eastward and cut their communications?" hethought.

  The question was, how was this information to be conveyed tohead-quarters? At the earliest Juan could not be back before dark, evenif he met his brother the instant he arrived at Carpio.

  "There's nothing for it but to go myself," said Jack to himself, "andthat's a pity. I should have liked to get a little more out of mybudding marquis when he is in one of his expansive moods. Well, I've acold ride before me."