by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER X.
MADRID.
The French sentries, who had been watching with surprise the slowapproach of two peasant boys, the one carrying a child, the otherassisting a woman clad in handsome, but torn and disheveled clothes,on seeing the latter fall, called to their comrades, and a sergeantand some soldiers came out from a guard-room close by.
"Hallo!" said the sergeant. "What's all this? Who is this woman? Andwhere do you come from?"
The boys shook their heads.
"Of course," the sergeant said, lifting the lady, "they don'tunderstand French; how should they? She looks a lady, poor thing. Whocan she be, I wonder?"
"General Reynier," Tom said, touching her.
"General Reynier!" exclaimed the sergeant to his comrades. "It must bethe general's wife. I heard she was among those killed or carried offfrom that convoy that came through last night. Jacques, fetch outCaptain Thibault, and you, Noel, run for Dr. Pasques."
The officer on guard came out, and, upon hearing the sergeant'sreport, had Madame Reynier at once carried into a house hard by, andsent a message to the colonel of the regiment. The little girl, stillasleep, was also carried in and laid down, and the regimental doctorand the colonel soon arrived. The former went into the house, thelatter endeavored in vain to question the boys in French. Finding ituseless, he walked up and down impatiently until a message came downfrom the doctor that the lady had recovered from her fainting fit, andwished to see him at once.
Tom and Peter, finding that no one paid any attention to them, sat,quietly down by the guard-house.
In a few minutes the French colonel came down. "Where are those boys?"he exclaimed hastily. There was quite a crowd of soldiers round thehouse, for the news of the return of General Reynier's wife and childhad circulated rapidly and created quite an excitement. "Where arethose boys?" he shouted again.
The sergeant of the guard came forward.
"I had no orders to keep them prisoners, sir," he said in anapologetic tone, for he had not noticed the boys, and thought thathe was going to get into a scrape for not detaining them; but hewas interrupted by one of the soldiers who had heard the question,bringing them forward.
To the astonishment of the soldiers, the colonel rushed forward, and,with a Frenchman's enthusiasm, actually kissed them. "Mes bravesgarcons!" he exclaimed. "Mes braves garcons! Look you, all of you,"he exclaimed to the soldiers, "you see these boys, they are heroes,they have saved, at the risk of their own lives, mark you, GeneralReynier's wife and daughter; they have braved the fury of thataccursed Nunez and his band, and have brought them out from that denof wolves." And then, in excited tones, he described the scene as hehad heard it from Madame Reynier.
At this relation the enthusiasm of the French soldiers broke out ina chorus of cheers and excited exclamations. The men crowded roundthe boys, shook them by the hands, patted them on the back, and in ahundred strange oaths vowed an eternal friendship for them.
After a minute or two, the colonel raised his hand for silence. "Lookyou," he said to the men. "You can imagine that, after what these boyshave done, their life is not safe for a moment. This accursed Nunezwill dog them and have them assassinated if he can. So I leave them toyou; you will take care of them, my children, will you not?"
A chorus of assurances was the reply, and the boys found themselves asit were adopted into the regiment. The soldiers could not do enoughfor them, but, as neither party understood the other's language,the intercourse did not make much progress. They had, however, realdifficulty in refusing the innumerable offers of a glass of wine orbrandy made to them by every group of soldiers as they moved aboutthrough the village.
The boys felt that their position was a false one; and although, inpoint of fact, they had no report to make upon the regiment, stillthe possibility that if discovered they might be thought to have beenacting as spies on men who treated them with so much friendliness wasrepugnant to them. However, their stay was not to be prolonged, forthe regiment had already been stationed for a month at the village,and was to be relieved by another expected hourly from France, and wasthen to go on to Madrid. This they learned from one of the soldierswho could speak a few words of Spanish.
It was upon the third day after their arrival that the expectedregiment came in, and next morning the boys started soon afterdaybreak with their friends. They had not seen Madame Reynier duringtheir stay in the village, for she was laid up with a sharp attack ofillness after the excitement she had gone through. She was still farfrom fit to travel, but she insisted on going on, and a quantity ofstraw was accordingly laid in a cart, pillows and cushions were heapedon this, and an awning was arranged above to keep off the sun. Theregiment had taken on the transport animals which had come in with thebaggage of the troops the night before; hence the mule drivers andother followers were all strangers. The boys were marching beside theregiment, talking with one of the sergeants who had been previouslyfor two years in Spain, and spoke a little Spanish, when the colonel,who had been riding alongside Madame Reynier, told them as he passedon to the head of the regiment, that she wished to speak to them.
The boys fell out, and allowed the troops and the line of baggageanimals and carts to pass them. As the latter came along, Tom observedone of the Spanish drivers glance in their direction, and immediatelyavert his head.
"Peter, that fellow is one of Nunez's band; I will almost swear to hisface. No doubt he has joined the convoy for the purpose of stabbing uson the first opportunity. I expected this. We must get rid of them atonce."
The boys had both been furnished with heavy cavalry pistols by orderof the colonel, to defend themselves against any sudden attack, and,placing his hand on the butt in readiness for instant use, Tom,accompanied by his brother walked up to the Spaniard.
"You and those with you are known," he said. "Unless you all fall outat the next village we come to, I will denounce you, and you haven'tfive minutes to live after I do so. Mind, if one goes on you allsuffer."
The Spaniard uttered a deep execration, and put his hand on his knife,but seeing that the boys were in readiness, and that the Frenchbaggage guard marching alongside would certainly shoot him before hecould escape, he relinquished his design.
"Mind," Tom said, "the first village; it is only a mile ahead, andwe shall probably halt there for five minutes; if one of you goes asingle foot beyond it, you will swing in a row."
So saying, the boys dropped behind again until Madame Reynier's cartcame along. The sides were open, and the lady, who was sitting up,supported by pillows, with her child beside her, saw them, and calledto them to climb up to her. They did so at once, and she then pouredforth her thanks in tones of the deepest gratitude.
"My husband is not at Madrid," she said when she saw by the boys'confusion that they would be really glad if she would say no more;"but when he hears of it he will thank you for saving his wife andchild. Of course," she went on, "I can see that you are not what youseem. Spanish boys would not have acted so. Spanish boys do not speakEnglish. That makes it impossible for me in any way to endeavor torepay my obligation. Had you been even Spanish peasants, the matterwould have been comparatively easy; then my husband could have madeyou rich and comfortable for life; as it is--"
She paused, evidently hoping that they would indicate some way inwhich she could serve them.
"As it is, madam," Tom said, "you can, if you will, be of greatservice to us by procuring for us fresh disguises in Madrid, for Ifear that after what happened with Nunez our lives will not be safefrom his vengeance anywhere in Spain. Already we have discovered thatsome of his band are accompanying this convoy with the intention ofkilling us at the first opportunity."
"Why do you not denounce them instantly?" Madame Reynier said, risingin her excitement and looking round.
"We cannot well do that," Tom said, "at least not if it can beavoided. They know already that we have recognized them, and willleave at the next village; so we are safe at present, but in Madrid weshall be no longer so. We cannot remai
n permanently under the guard ofthe bayonets of the 63d Line; and indeed our position is as you mayguess, a false and unpleasant one, from which we would free ourselvesat the first opportunity. We shall therefore ask you, when you get toMadrid, to provide us with fresh disguises and a pass to travel westas far as the limits of the French lines."
"You can consider that as done," Madame Reynier answered; "I onlyregret that it is so slight a return. And now," she said lightly, tochange the conversation, "I must introduce you to this young lady.Julie," she asked in French, "do you remember those boys?"
"Yes," Julie said; "these are the boys who gave mamma and Julie waterwhen those wicked men would not give us anything to drink when we werethirsty; and it was these boys that mamma said prevented the wickedmen from killing us. They are good boys, nice boys, but they are veryragged and dirty."
Madame Reynier smiled, and translated Julie's answer.
"You know," she went on, hesitatingly, "that I know that--that you areEnglish officers. I heard you say so when you saved us. But how is itthat you can be officers so very young?"
Tom explained that in England the officers entered for the most partdirectly, and not, as in the French army, by promotion from the ranks,and that, consequently, the junior officers were much younger thanthose of equal rank in the French service.
The convoy had now reached the village, and a halt was ordered,and the boys alighting, walked forward to see that their unwelcomeattendants quitted them. As the soldiers fell out from their order ofmarch and sat down under the shade of the houses many of the Spaniardswith the baggage-train followed their example, and the boys saw theman to whom they had spoken go up to four others, and in a short timethese separated themselves from the rest, went carelessly round acorner, and when the order came to continue the march, failed to maketheir appearance. Their absence passed unnoticed save by the boys,for the natives frequently took advantage of the passage of troopsand convoys to travel from one part of the country to another, forthe guerillas were for the most part little better than brigands,and would plunder their own countrymen without scruple whenever theopportunity was favorable.
The march to Madrid was accomplished without adventure, and the boysimproved the occasion by endeavoring to pick up as many French phrasesas they could, as they marched along by the side of the sergeant whohad specially taken them under his charge. He knew a little Spanish,so they managed to keep up a conversation with him in a strange medleyof the two languages, which helped to pass the time away merrily. AtMadrid they took up their quarters in the barracks with the regiment;they had already explained their plan of disguise to Madame Reynier,and she had promised to provide all that was necessary and to obtainthe military pass for them.
They had soon reason to congratulate themselves that their stayin Madrid was under the protection of French bayonets. During theday after their arrival they remained quietly in barracks, as theappearance of two Spanish peasants walking about the street withFrench soldiers would have excited comments. In the evening, however,they agreed with their friend the sergeant, who was going into thetown with three or four of his comrades, that they should accompanythem, not, however, walking actually with them, but following a fewpaces behind, so as to be within reach of their assistance should anyone molest them.
They reached the Piazza del Sol, the great central square of Madrid,without incident, and amused themselves with the sight of the constantstream of people passing to and fro, the ladies in their gracefulblack mantillas, the men in cloaks and Spanish sombreros, or roundfelt hats. Presently the sergeant and his companions left the square,and turning down one of the narrow streets which run into it, amusedthemselves by looking into the shops, with their gay fans, brighthandkerchiefs, and other articles of Spanish manufacture.
Tom and Peter followed their example, keeping some ten paces behindthem. It was now nearly dark, and the streets were but badly lightedexcept by the lamps in the shop windows.
"It may be all fancy, Tom," Peter said, "but I can't help thinkingthat we are followed. There are three follows who have passed ustwice, and I am pretty sure they are particularly noticing us. Keepyour hand on your pistol."
As the boys paused at another shop window, the three men againapproached, this time from ahead.
"Look out, Tom," Peter said sharply.
As the men came up to them, one of them exclaimed,
"Now!"
The boys faced round, pistol in hand, with a cry to their friends,just as the three Spaniards, with drawn knives, were upon them.
The sudden movement disconcerted them, and two sprang back from theleveled tubes of the pistols, with fierce oaths of surprise, thethird, however, rushed in and struck at Tom; the latter instinctivelymoved aside, and the knife inflicted a heavy gash on the shoulder, andalmost at the same moment Peter's bullet crashed through the fellow'sskull.
His comrades, with a cry of rage, rushed in, but before they couldstrike, the sergeant was up and ran one through the body with hissword, whereon the other fled. The whole affair lasted only threeor four seconds. In less than a minute the street was absolutelydeserted, for rows and fights were so common between the soldiers andthe people, that all prudent people got out of the way the moment aknife was drawn.
"Well done, lad," the sergeant said to Peter, "I thought your brotherwas done for. Luckily I had faced your way when the fellow attackedyou, and was on my way to help you before they began, but I feared Ishould be too late. That was a wonderfully pretty snap shot of yours,and you were as cool as old hands. Peste! I don't know what to makeof you boys. Now come along, we had better get away from this carrionbefore any one comes up and asks questions. First, though, let me tieup your shoulder."
This was soon done, and while the sergeant was engaged upon it, hiscomrades, old soldiers, turned over the dead Spaniards, searched theirpockets, and chuckled as they found several gold pieces.
One or two French soldiers alone came near them before they left thespot, attracted by the sound of the pistol. A word from the sergeant,"These scoundrels attacked us, they have got their _coup_," satisfiedthem, and the boys and their friend soon regained the crowded mainstreet, leaving the bodies for the watch to find and bury.
Arrived at the barracks, Tom's arm was examined by the surgeon, andthe cut pronounced a deep flesh wound, but of no consequence; it wassoon strapped up, and with his arm in a sling Tom went down to thesergeant's quarters, where they slept. Here they had to go throughmuch patting on the back, for their friend had described the readinessand coolness with which they stood at bay, and popular as they werebefore they were now more so than ever. For the rest of their stay inMadrid the boys did not stir out of barracks. One at least of Nunez'senvoys they knew to be alive, and he could enlist any number of thelower class against them, so they resolved not to go out until theyshould finally start.
After a fortnight's stay they were sent for to the colonel's quarters,where they found Madame Reynier and her child. "I had a letter from myhusband this morning," she said, "from his camp near Cordova, thankingyou with all his heart for the inestimable service you rendered him,and begging me to tell you that you can count on his gratitude to theextent of his life at any and all times. You need no assurance ofmine. And now about your journey. All is prepared for you to leaveto-morrow morning. You are to come here to the colonel's quarters soonafter daybreak. Here are your two disguises, for the one as a youngbachelor of medicine, for the other as a young novice. Here is yourpass, signed by the minister, authorizing you both to pass on to yourrelations at Ciudad Rodrigo, and to go unmolested thence where youchoose, also recommending you to the care of all French and Spanishauthorities. A regiment marches to-morrow morning for the frontier;the colonel is a cousin of my husband. I have told him that somefriends of yours rendered me much kindness and service on my way down,and that I particularly commend you to his care. He has promised toallow you to follow the regiment, and to see that you get quarters ateach halting-place. He does not know you for anything but what youappear to be.
When you have put on these dresses to-morrow morning,step out by the private door from these quarters, looking carefullywhen you start to see that there is no one in the street. Then goboldly to No. 15, Rue St. Geronimo; go into the courtyard, there youwill see two stout mules with all necessaries, under charge of asoldier, who will have instructions to hand them over to you withoutasking any questions; then go down to the Retiro and wait till the16th come along. The Colonel will be on the look-out for you, and youwill ride up to him and hand him this note. And now farewell, dearboys; never shall I forget you, or cease to pray for you, and may bewhen this terrible war is over we may meet as friends again. Keepthese little tokens of remembrance of your grateful friends." Sosaying, Madame Reynier pressed into the boys' hands two magnificentgold watches and chains, held her child up for each of them to kiss,threw her arms round their necks and kissed them herself, and thendrawing down her veil to conceal the tears which were standing in hereyes, left them hastily.
That night the boys said good-by to their friend the sergeant, andto those soldiers with whom they had most companionship. "You haveguessed, no doubt, sergeant," Tom said, in his mixture of Spanish andFrench, "that we are not exactly what we seem to be, but if we shouldever meet again, under different circumstances, I want you to rememberthat our connection with the regiment has been in a way forced uponus. I should not like you to think, that is that under the pretenceof friendship, we have been treacherously learning things. Do youunderstand?"
"I understand, mes braves," the sergeant said, "Jacques Pinteau is nofool, and he saw from the first that you were not two ragged Spanishpeasant boys by birth. I daresay I can guess what you are, but thereneed be no ill-will for that, and as you only came among us byaccident, as it were, there is no more to be said either way. There isone thing certain, wherever or however we meet, we shall be friends."
So well were Madame Reynier's plans arranged that the boys passed fromMadrid to the frontier without a single hitch or unpleasantness. Tomwas soberly attired as a student at the university, Peter was muffledup to the eyes as a timid young novice, going from school to enter aconvent, of which his aunt was lady superior, at Ciudad Rodrigo. Thecolonel, and, following his example, the officers of the regiment werepolite and civil. The marches were of easy length, the mules stoutand smooth-going, with well-filled traveling sacks. The weather wasdelightful, and the boys enjoyed the fortnight's march exceedingly.Upon the road they learned that Massena had laid siege to CiudadRodrigo, and that the 16th was on its way to join the besieging army.
It was the end of June, 1810, when the 16th joined Massena's forcebefore Ciudad Rodrigo. The siege had continued for some time, theBritish light division, under General Craufurd, lay upon the otherside of the river Agueda, which separated them alike from the town andthe French army. The colonel of the 16th politely expressed to Tom hisregret that he could not, for the present, conduct them to their finaldestination, but that he hoped that the gate would soon be open forthem. Tom thanked him for the civility which he had shown them uponthe road, and said that he would, with his sister, take up his abodefor the present a few miles from the beleaguered fortress. On leavingthe regiment the boys went higher up the Agueda to the little town ofVillar, where there was a bridge. This however, was watched by thetroops of both armies, and there was, at present, no chance ofaffecting a passage.
