Percival Keene Part 58

Vangilt pleaded and entreated in vain: at last, in his rage, he called the general "a coward and a madman."

"Captain Vangilt, you will answer that at some other time," replied the general; "at present we will carry our will into execution. Lead them away."

Vangilt then covered his face with his hands, and all the other officers showed signs of great disgust.

"Farewell, Vangilt," said I in French; "I thank you for your interference, although you have not succeeded with the _scoundrel_."

"Take them away!" roared the general.

At that moment the report of musketry was heard in dropping shots.

"Well, if ever I saw such a b.l.o.o.d.y villain," said Cross. "Take that, at all events;" continued Bob, shying his hat right into the general's face. "I only wish it was a 32-pounder, you murdering thief."

The rage of the general may easily be imagined. Once more he gave his orders, drawing his sword in a menacing way at his own soldiers, who now forced us towards the part of the square where the other victims were collected. As soon as we were there, they wanted to blind our eyes, but that both I and Bob positively refused, and a delay was created by our resistance. The musketry was now approaching much nearer; and a few seconds afterwards the general gave the order for the party to advance who were to execute the sentence.

The other prisoners kneeled down; but I and Cross would not; and while we were resisting, the general repeated his order to fire; but the men were confused with the advance of the enemy, and the impossibility to fire while Cross and I not only resisted the soldiers, but held them so fast, that had the party fired they must have shot them as well as us.

A cry "To arms" was given, and the troops all wheeled round in front to repel the enemy. A loud hurrah was followed by an inpouring of some hundred Cossacks, with their long spears who, in a few seconds charged and routed the French, who retreated in the greatest confusion by the different streets which led into the Grand Place.

"Hurrah! we are saved," cried Cross, s.n.a.t.c.hing up a musket that had been dropped by a soldier. I did the same, and pursued the retreating French, till a bullet through my leg put a stop to my progress. I called to Cross, who came to my a.s.sistance, and he helped me back to the Grand Place, which was now clear of troops.

CHAPTER FORTY FOUR.

The Cossacks having divided, and gone in pursuit of the French, I pointed out to Cross a hotel, and requested him to help me there. As we crossed the square, strewed with the dead and wounded, we pa.s.sed close to General Moraud, who was breathing his last.

"See, Cross," said I, "there is retribution. He intended that we should fall where he now lies."

The general recognised us, gave a heavy groan, and, turning on his back, fell dead.

As soon as I gained the hotel, I was taken up into a room, and made as comfortable as I could be until my wound could be dressed.

"We're well out of it this time, sir," said Cross.

"Yes, indeed, Bob; this has indeed been a miraculous preservation, and we ought to thank Heaven for it."

"Why, Captain Keene, I thought just now you did not care whether you lived or died."

"No more I did at that time, Cross; but when we are so wonderfully preserved, we cannot think but that we are preserved for better things; and as Providence has interfered, it points out to us that it is our duty to live."

"Well, I'm glad to hear you say that, sir. There's all the troops coming back. What queer-looking chaps they are, with their long lances and long beards!"

"Yes; they are Cossacks--Russian irregular cavalry."

"Irregular enough I don't doubt; but they spitted the French men nicely.

They look exactly what I thought the Pope of Rome was like."

"Cross, call the master of the hotel, and tell him to come here." When the man came, I desired him to let the commander of the allied troops know that an English captain was wounded, and required surgical a.s.sistance. The master of the hotel went to the burgomaster, who was one of those who had been ordered to be shot; and the burgomaster, who was now in company with the Russian commander, made known what I required. In about an hour a surgeon came, and my wound was dressed.

The burgomaster called soon afterwards, and expressed his obligation to me. "For," said he, "if you had not created the delay--which you did by your resistance--it would have been all over with us by this time."

"You have to thank a Dutch naval officer of the name of Vangilt,"

replied I; "it is he who saved us all; and if he is not hurt, you must be kind to him, and bring him to me. I will get him his parole, if he is a prisoner. Will you see to it, burgomaster?"

"I will," replied he, "as soon as we are a little more tranquil; but, what with fright and confusion, none of us know what we are about. You were right, sir, in persuading us to defend ourselves. We might easily have beaten off the small force of General Moraud; but we thought he had ten thousand men, at least. We will do better another time; but the French are now in full retreat everywhere."

That night, after dusk, Captain Vangilt came into my room: he had been a prisoner; but the burgomaster made inquiries, and let him out, which, as chief magistrate, he had the power to do. Vangilt embraced me with much warmth, and expressed his regret that he could not persuade that wretch, Moraud, from his murderous intentions.

"It came to the same thing, Vangilt. I owe you my life; for if you had not created the delay, we should have been shot."

"That's true," replied he. "How fortunate it was, that, as my squadron of gun-boats were destroyed, I consented to join Moraud with what men I could collect, to surprise the town. Are you badly wounded?"

"No, not seriously, I believe; I hope to be able to get to Hamburg in a few days."

"There is more than one there who will be delighted to see you."

"Is Mr Vanderwelt alive and well?"

"Oh yes; and Minnie, my pretty cousin, is still unmarried." Vangilt smiled as he made this reply.

"I must ask for your parole, Vangilt, and then you can go to Hamburg with us."

"With all my heart," replied he; "for we are tired of war, and as I am a Dutchman and not a Frenchman, I care little for the reverses we have met with; all I hope is, that Holland may become a kingdom again, and not a French state, as it is now."

The next day, I was visited by the Russian commandant, who very willingly granted me the parole of Vangilt. In a week I was well enough to travel by slow journeys to Hamburg, lying on mattresses in a small covered waggon, and escorted by Cross and Vangilt. A few hours before my arrival, Vangilt went ahead to give notice of my coming, and on the evening of the second day I found myself in a luxurious chamber, with every comfort, in the company of Mr Vanderwelt, and with the beaming eyes of Minnie watching over me.

The report of Minnie's beauty was fully warranted. When she first made her appearance, the effect upon me was quite electrical: her style was radiant, and almost dazzling--a something you did not expect to find in the human countenance. Their reception of me was all that I could desire; their affection shown towards me, their anxiety about my wound, and joy at once more having me under their roof, proved that I had not been forgotten. After a short time, Vangilt left the room, and I remained on the sofa, one hand in the grasp of Mr Vanderwelt, the other holding the not unwilling one of Minnie. That evening I made known to them all that had taken place since I last wrote to them, winding up with the loss of my frigate, the death of Lord de Versely, and my subsequent capture and rescue.

"And so it was in attempting to come and see us that you were wounded and nearly murdered?"

"Yes, Minnie; I had long been anxious to see you, and could not help availing myself of the first opportunity."

"Thank G.o.d you are here at last," said Mr Vanderwelt, "and that there is now every prospect of a conclusion to the war."

"And you won't go to sea any more--will you, Percival?" said Minnie.

"They won't give me a ship, Minnie, after having lost the one I commanded; to be unfortunate is to be guilty, in those who have no interest."

"I'm very glad to hear it; then you'll remain quietly on sh.o.r.e, and you will come and see us."

As I had been rendered feverish by travelling, and my wound was a little angry, as soon as it was dressed for the night, they left me to repose; but that I could not--the form of Minnie haunted me; to sleep was impossible, and I lay thinking of her till day dawned. The fact was, that I was for the first time in love, and that in no small degree-- before morning I was desperately so. Indeed, there was excuse sufficient, for Minnie was as winning in her manners as she was lovely in her person, and I was not at all surprised at hearing from Vangilt of the numerous suitors for her hand.

CHAPTER FORTY FIVE.

The next morning I was pale and feverish, which they observed with concern, Minnie was sitting by me, and Mr Vanderwelt had left the room, when she said, "How very pale you are, and your hand is so hot; I wish the doctor would come."

"I could not sleep last night, Minnie--and it was all your fault."