The Great White Army Part 30

"There is only one chance," says Leon; "we are lost if the army does not come in."

I knew it to be true; but even if it were so, what then? Would our comrades learn of our pitiable condition? I could hardly believe it, and my heart sank low. Odd that we had marched so many thousands of leagues and had lived through the terrible days to come to such a judgment as this.

VI

They brought us a supper of mutton and rice and a bottle of gin about the hour of ten o'clock, and then they spread our beds upon the bare stone floor. These were of heavy blankets with a rude mattress beneath them. But they were beds for all that, and under any other circ.u.mstances they would have been a luxury. This night, however, we regarded them with indifference. Our brains were fired and our ears awake. Who would have slept under circ.u.mstances so tragic?

Perchance the impotence of our condition added to its bitterness. If we could have struck a blow in the cause; have buckled on our swords and gone out to deal with the merry old gentleman and his satellites, it would have been different: but to sit in that gloomy room, to hear the city's bells numbering the hours, to count the footsteps of the sentries and to pray for dawn--that was a torture beyond compare.

Not a mouthful of food had Leon eaten that day, nor could I persuade him to touch the mess they offered us. He spoke of Valerie always, delighting to remind me of the day when he had first seen her in Prince Nicholas's palace; or of that night when she had saved us at the tower, and of her courage during the dreadful days--indeed, of a thousand things which a lover had seen but older eyes had missed. To all of which I could but answer indifferently.

"She is clever," I would say. "She will know how to deal with your merry old gentleman." When he asked if we knew how to deal with him, there was nothing more to be said. The grim walls of the prison answered him; the chime of the distant bells was an irony.

So the night sped on. For an hour, I think about twelve o'clock, I flung myself upon the wretched bed and slept fitfully. My head was in a whirl, and vain dreams tormented me. At one time I thought that we had leapt down into the moat and that the icy water choked us. At another I was riding proudly into Elbing at the head of the Velites.

Upon this there came the voice of many crying "Vive l'Empereur!" and "Vive la France!" I heard a great rolling of drums and the welcome blare of trumpets. This roused me thoroughly, and sitting up I saw that Leon was standing at the window and that the dream indeed had come true.

"Good G.o.d!" cried I. "What is it? What do you hear, Leon?"

He answered me, still standing there.

"The French are in the city, mon oncle. Listen to that!"

His voice echoed a triumph which thrilled me. Instantly I was at his side listening to the familiar sounds. Never did the roll of a drum fall so pleasantly upon a man's ear.

"We are saved," said I, though heaven knows the hope of it was still but a dream.

VII

Well, we stood there for a full hour, speculating upon what we should do to get the news to our comrades. Certainly we might have bribed the jailers if any had come to the tower. Not a sound, however, disturbed the serenity of the prison. Our attempt to attract the attention of the sentries by smashing the lantern against the gla.s.s of the windows ended but in ignominious derision. The fellows never noticed us, and another hour must have pa.s.sed before the door of the cell was opened and the young captain entered. I perceived immediately that he had come to tell us the news. His manner was obsequious to the point of ridicule.

"Messieurs," he said, "I am to take you immediately to the prefect's house."

Upon which he uttered a word of command and a dozen men with lanterns appeared upon the narrow staircase.

It was a new turn and we knew not what to make of it. Evidently the merry old gentleman desired still to have us in his power, and the prospect of finding ourselves alone with him was far from rea.s.suring.

So much the young captain perceived and hastened to remove our apprehensions.

"Messieurs," he said, "you have nothing to fear. The prefect has discovered his mistake and is anxious to apologise. You will be wise to take advantage of so favourable an opportunity. As for myself, I have done my duty. You will remember that when you make a report of this affair to his Excellency the marshal."

We promised that we would do so. It was evident, upon reflection, that no mischief could come to us now that the French were in the city, and curiosity alone would have sent us to the prefect's house.

The latter proved to be hardly a stone's throw from the prison walls.

We were driven there in the same sledge which had carried us to Elbing, and, being arrived at the _conciergerie_, were immediately admitted and conducted into a s.p.a.cious hall, blazing with lights and superb in the richness of its decoration. Here, to our astonishment, Valerie herself received us.

I will not dwell upon the manner of her meeting with Leon, nor upon the amazement with which I beheld her in this situation. No magic of wonderland could have wrought such a change in men's condition as we then experienced when they carried us from the gloom of the prison to this princely mansion.

"Where is his Excellency the prefect?" I asked her when we had embraced for the twentieth time.

She told me in a word.

"Many miles from Elbing," says she. "I am mistress here. I have told him he must not be found in the city while the French are here."

"Good G.o.d," cried I, "what a turn about!"

Miraculous indeed it was that so young a girl had won so astonishing a victory. The coming of the French saved her and us. There was not a more frightened man in Prussia than the prefect, who fled directly French bugles blared at the gates. So much Valerie told us while she led us in and showed us the banquet she had prepared for us.

VIII

We lived gallantly at the prefect's expense during the days we spent in Elbing. They were happy days, and yet what regrets attended them! Of all the six hundred thousand who had set out so bravely from Moscow but a few short months ago, there were but twenty-two thousand of us, soldiers of the line and of the Guard--worn, weary, and ragged men--who survived to reach that haven.

Never shall I forget that last review when the marshal himself rode up and down our battered ranks and told us that our troubles were at an end. Henceforth we were to be carried in sledges to the French frontier and our homes. The day of battle was over; the night of our sorry victory had been won.