Percival Keene Part 57

The lieutenant of the cutter came down into the cabin, and I was compelled to hide my emotion. I complained of headache and weakness, and, collecting the letters, I again lay down in the standing bed-place, and, drawing the curtains, I was left to my own reflections. But there was a sad tumult in my mind. I could not keep my ideas upon one subject for a moment. I was feverish and excited, and at last my head was so painful that I could think no more. Fortunately exhaustion threw me again into a sound sleep, and I did not wake till the next morning.

When I did, I had to recollect where I was and what had happened. I knew that there was something dreadful which had occurred; again it flashed into my memory. Lord de Versely was dead. I groaned, and fell back on the pillow.

"Are you very ill, Captain Keene!" said a voice close to me. I opened the curtains, and perceived that it was Cross, who was standing by my bedside.

"I am indeed, Cross, very ill; I have very bad news. Lord de Versely is dead."

"That is bad news, sir," replied Cross--"very bad news, worse than losing the frigate. But, Captain Keene, we must have our ups and downs in this world. You have had a long run of good fortune, and you must not be surprised at a change. It is hard to lose your frigate and your father at the same time--but you have not lost your life, which is a great mercy to be thankful for."

I turned away, for my heart was full of bitterness. Cross, perceiving my mood, left me, and I remained in a state of some indifference, never rising from the bed-place during the remainder of the time that I was on board.

On the second day we arrived at Heligoland, and I was requested by the governor to take up my quarters with him, until an opportunity occurred for my return to England. My spirits were, however, so much weighed down that I could not rally. I brooded over my misfortunes, and I thought that the time was now come when I was to meet a reverse of the prosperity which I had so long enjoyed.

The sudden death of Lord de Versely, at the age of fifty-six, left me without a patron, and had destroyed all my hopes centred in him. The object of my ambition was, I considered, for ever lost to me. There was now no chance of my being acknowledged as a member of his family. Then the loss of so fine a frigate, and such a n.o.ble ship's company. That I should be honourably acquitted by a court-martial I had not a doubt; but I had no chance of future employment; for, now that Lord de Versely was dead, I had no one to support my claims. My prospects, therefore, in the service were all gone, as well as the visions I had indulged in. I dwelt with some pleasure upon the idea that Lord de Versely had left me his personal property--it proved his regard; but I wanted his family name, and I preferred that to thousands per annum. The second day after our arrival Cross called, and was admitted. He found me in bad spirits, and tried all he could to rouse me. At last he said, "As for the loss of the frigate, Captain Keene, no human endeavour could have saved her, and no one could have done his duty better than you did, as the court-martial will prove; but sir, I think it would be proper just now to show that your zeal for the service is as strong as ever."

"And how am I to do that, Cross?"

"Why, sir, you know as well as we all do how the Frenchmen are going to the wall; that they have been thrashed out of Russia, and that they are retreating everywhere. They say that they have left Hamburg, and I understand that the gun-brigs here are going on an expedition from this island, either to-morrow or next day, to storm the batteries of Cuxhaven, and so create a diversion, as they call it--and very good diversion it is--licking those French rascals. Now, Captain Keene, if I may take the liberty of saying so, would it not be as well to take as many of your men as are able to go and join the storming party? Much better than sitting here all day, melancholy, and doing nothing."

"It's the first I've heard of it, Cross; are you sure you are correct?"

"How should you hear it, sir, shut up here, and seeing n.o.body? It's true enough, sir; they were telling off the men as I came up, and I think they start at daylight to-morrow."

"Well, Cross, I will think of it, and let you know my decision if you call here in half an hour."

Cross left me, and I was still undecided, when the governor called to pay me a visit. After the first exchange of civilities, I asked him if the report was true that there was an expedition about to proceed to Cuxhaven. His reply was that the Russians had entered Hamburg, which the French had evacuated on the 11th, and that the French garrisons at Cuxhaven were reported to be in a very distressed state, and, in consequence, the Blazer, and another gun-brig, were about to proceed to attack the forts.

Hamburg! thought I; why, Minnie Vanderwelt is at Hamburg with her father. I will go and try if I cannot get to Hamburg. The remembrance of Minnie gave a spur to my energies, and created a new stimulus. I then told the governor that I had a few men doing nothing; that I would join them to the expedition, and serve as a volunteer. The governor thanked me for my zeal, and I left him to go down and communicate my intentions to the commanding officer of the gun-brig, who expressed himself most happy at my a.s.sistance and co-operation.

CHAPTER FORTY THREE.

As neither my men nor I had any luggage to hamper us--for we had just the clothes we stood in--we were not long getting ready. We started next morning; and on entering the river, found that the French had destroyed their flotilla, and soon afterwards we were invited by the people to come on sh.o.r.e and take possession of the batteries which the French had evacuated. I remained with Cross and my men on sh.o.r.e at Cuxhaven, while the brigs went up the river, in pursuit of a privateer.

After a day or two, tired of inactivity, and anxious to arrive at Hamburg, I proposed to Cross that he should accompany me, which he cheerfully acceded to. I had drawn a bill at Heligoland, so that we were in no want of money, and we set off on our expedition. We had not, however, proceeded far before we were informed that the road to Hamburg was so full of French troops, scattered about, that it would be impossible to gain the city without we made a _detour_. As we knew that our throats would be cut by these disorganised parties, we followed the advice given to us, walking from village to village, until we had put Hamburg between us and the river. But when there, we found that we could not approach the imperial city, but were obliged to direct our steps more inland. At last, we heard that the inhabitants of the town of Lunenburg had risen, and driven out the French garrison, and I resolved to proceed there, as it was more advisable than being continually in danger of being picked up by the French stragglers, who were committing every enormity that could be imagined.

We arrived safe; stated who we were to the authorities, and were well received; but we had not been there more than two days, when the rejoicings and braggings of the town's-people, on account of the late victory over the French garrison, were turned to consternation by the intelligence that General Moraud was advancing with a considerable force to re-take the town. The panic was so great, that all idea of defence was in vain; and at the very time that I was entreating them to make a stand, the French troops poured in, and two cuira.s.siers galloped up, and seized upon Cross and me. A few minutes afterwards, General Moraud came up, and inquired, in a rough tone, who we were. I replied in French, that we were English officers.

"Take them away," said he, "and secure them well; I'll make an example here that shan't be forgotten."

We were taken to the guard-room, where we remained shut up for the night. The next morning one of the cuira.s.siers looked into our cell. I asked him whether we could not have something to eat.

"Cela ne vaut pas la peine. Mon ami, vous n'aurez pas le temps pour la digestion; dans une demie-heure vous serez fusilles."

"May I ask the English of that, Captain Keene?" replied Cross.

"Yes, it is very pleasant. He says that it's not worth while eating anything, as we shall be shot in half an hour."

"Well, I suppose they'll shoot us first, and try us afterwards," replied Cross. "Won't they give us a reason?"

"I suspect not, Cross. I am sorry that I have got you into this sc.r.a.pe; as for myself, I care little about it."

"I am sorry for poor Jane, sir," replied Cross; "but we all owe Heaven a death; and, after all, it's not worth making a fuss about."

Our conversation was here interrupted by a party of French soldiers, who opened the door and ordered us to follow them. We had not far to go, for we were led out to the Grand Place, before the prison, where we found the French troops drawn up, and General Moraud, with his officers round him, standing in the centre. At twenty yards' distance, and surrounded by the troops, which did not amount to more than three hundred, were thirty of the princ.i.p.al inhabitants of the town, pinioned, and handkerchiefs tied over their eyes, preparatory to their being shot; this being the terrible example that the governor had threatened.

"Look, Cross," said I, "what a handful of men these Frenchmen have retaken the town with. Why, if we had resisted, we might have laughed at them."

"They won't laugh any more, I expect," replied Bob.

"_Allons_," said the corporal to me.

"Where?" replied I.

"To your friends, there," replied he, pointing to the town's-people, who were about to be shot.

"I wish to speak to the general," replied I, resisting.

"No, no: you must go."

"I will speak to the general," replied I, pushing the corporal on one side, and walking to where the general was standing.

"Well," said the general, fiercely.

"I wish to know, sir," replied I, "by what law you are guided in shooting us. We are English officers, here on duty to a.s.sist against the French, and at the most can only be prisoners of war. Upon what grounds do you order us to be shot?"

"As spies," replied the general.

"I am no spy, sir; I am a post-captain in the English navy, who joined with the seamen saved from the wreck of my frigate in the attack upon Cuxhaven, and there is my boatswain, who came up with me to go to Hamburg. At all events, I am fully justified in siding against the French: and to shoot us will be a murder, which will not fail to be revenged."

"You may pa.s.s yourself off as the captain of a frigate, but your dress disproves it, and I have better information. You are two spies, and smugglers, and therefore you will be shot."

"I tell you before all your officers that I am Captain Keene, of the Circe frigate, belonging to His Britannic Majesty, and no spy; if you choose to shoot me now, I leave my death to be revenged by my country."

At this moment an officer in naval uniform stepped forward and looked me in the face.

"General Moraud," said he, "what that officer says is true: he is Captain Keene, and I was prisoner on board of his vessel; and I also know the other man as well."

"Captain Vangilt, I do not request your interference," replied the general.

"But general, as an officer in the marine of the emperor, it is my duty to state to you, that you are deceived, and that this officer is the person that he states himself to be. Messieurs," continued Captain Vangilt, addressing those about the general, "I a.s.sure you it is true, and I am under the greatest obligation to this officer for his kindness and humanity when I was his prisoner."

"I recognise you now, Mr Vangilt," replied I; "and I thank you for your evidence."

"You see, general, he knows me by name: I must demand the life of this British officer."

The other officers then spoke to the general, who heard all they had to say, and then, with a sardonic grin, replied,--"Gentlemen, he may be an officer, but still he is a spy." At that moment an orderly came up on horseback, and, dismounting, gave a note to the general.

"_Sacre bleu_!" cried he; "then we'll have our revenge first at all events. Soldiers, take these two men, and put them in the centre, with the others."