Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1940-10-17, Page 6PAGE SIX THE S + + ORTH NEWS THURSDAY, '.O'.CT,OBE'R 17, 194e ( { c rte tM• `'' i$l.,4i11",`+g4.4"cu'!.,. ➢X zk,tdF, `1 From he I bade Voban come to me at the little house behind the church that night at ten o'clock. and by then I should have arranged some plan of action. I knew not whether to trust Gabord or not. I was sorry now that 3 had not tried to bring Clark with me. He was fearless, and he knew the town well; but he laeked discre- tion. and that was vital, After two hours of waiting. people began assembling. when out of the desultory tiring from our batteries there came a shell, which burst even at the entrance of the noble building. tore away a portion of the wall. and ktdl ,; ed wounded a number of j -eerie. Than followed a panic tend the 7 ecl.ie ewae'tnegl past Where 0 1:«t :'•f e1diers were clearing the ttt::. 1 saw Alixe led irons the , 1.a.rclt by her father. I longed to Ieap it there among thein and claim ft;t that thought was madness, 1 shonid have been food i'r -n a trice; so 1 kept my place. XXVI. That evening at eight o'clock. Jean Labrouk was buried. A shell had durst not a dozen pares from his own dour. within the eansecreted ground of the cathedral. and in a hole it had made i e was laid, the only mourners his wife and his grandfather. and two soldiers of his company sent by Gen- eral Bougainville to bury him. I watched the ceremony from my loft, which had one small dormer window. It was dark. but burning buildings in the lower town made all light about, the place. I could hear the grandfather mumbling and talking to the body as it was lowered into the ground. While yet the priest Was reading prayers. a dusty horseman eame riding to the grave and dis- mounted. "Jean," he said, looking at the grave, "Jean Labrouk, a man dies well that dies with his gaiters on. oho!- Gabord looked at the soldiers. look- ed at the wife, at the priest, then spread out Ms legs and stuck his hands down into his pockets, while his horse rubbed its nose against his shoulder. He fixed his eyes on the grave and nodded once or twice mus- ingly. "Well." he said at last. as if he had found a perfect virtue, and the one or only thing that might be said, "we11. he never eats his words. that ean'-" A moment afterwards he came into the house with Babette, leaving one of the soldiers holding his horse. Af- ter the old man had gone, I heard him say. "Have you heard about Monsieur Doltaire?" When she had ar-swered yes. he continued: "Master Doltaire can't change it till cock -pheasant Moray come rocketing to 's grave.' 'Has she asked help of you?" said the :wife. "Truly. but I know not what she says, for I read net. but. I know her pecking. Here it is. Put yon must be secret." Looking through a crack in the floor. 1 could plainly see Them. She took the letter front biro and read aloud: "If Gabord the soldier have a gond heart still. as ever he had in the past. he will again help a pour. at'iendlese woman. She needs hire. for at eight o'clock tomorrow nightsite will be taken away tinder the ytcrtection of Doltaire. Will he trot carte eo her ''be- fore that time For e: moment after t.rie reading there was silence tend I _'cr lei see the woman looking at him curiously. "What will you do?" the asked. "My faith. there'; a raft to crack. ,for I have little time. Tbis letter but reached nee two hours ago,. and I know not what to do, but, as I eland scratching my head. here comes. word from General Menicelm that I must ride to Master Devil Doltaire with a: letter. and I' must And him wherever he be, and give it straight. So forth I come; and I must be at my post again by morn, said the Gen- eral." "It is after eight o'clock now, and she will be already started on her way." said the woman tentatively. "ether he answered, "So that is what Master Devil Doltaire want.? 'Gabord' quoth he, 'you shall come with ole at ten o'clock, bringing three stout soldiers with you from the gar- rison. Here's an order on Monsieur Ramesay, the commandant. Choose you the men, and fail me not. or you will swing aloft, dear Gabord." Sweet lovers of hell, but. Masters Devil shall have swinging too one day." He put his thumb to his nose, and spread his lingers out. Presently he seemed to note some- thing in tate woman's eyes, for he spoke - ulntost sharply to bet'. "Jean 1,abrottk was honest man, and kept faith with comrades." "And I keep faith too, comrade," '141, the aliittvel'. "Gabord's 0 brute to doubt you," he rejoined quickly, and ire drew from his pocket a piece of gold and made her tape it, though she much resisted. Meanwhile my mind etas matte up. I saw. 1 thought, through "Master De- vil's plan, and I telt, too. that Gabord would not betray ate. In any case. Gabord and I meld fight it out. If he opposed ate, it was his life or mine, for ton touch was at stake. and all my plans were now changed by his astounding news. At that mom- ent Voban entered the roost without knocking. Here was my true, and so. to prevent explanations, I crept quickly down, opened the door, and came in an them. They wheeled at my footsteps; the woman gave a Little cry. and Gabortl's band went to his pistol. There was a wild sort of look in his face as though he could not trust Itis eyes. I took no notice of the menacing pistol. but went straight to hint and held out my hand. "Gabord;" said I, "you are not my jailer stow." "I'll be your guard to citadel." said he, after a moment's dumb surprise. refusing my outstretched hand. "Neither guard nor jailer any more, Gabord," said I seriously, "We've had enough of that, my friend," The soldier and the jailer had been working in him, and his fingers trifl- ed with the trigger. In all things be was the foeman first. But now some- thing else was working in him. I saw this, and added pointedly, "No more cage, Gabord, not even for reward of twenty thousand livres." He smiled grimly, too grimly, I thought, and turned inquiringly to Babette. In a few words she told hint all. tears dropping from her eyes. "If you take him. you betray me." she said; "and what would Jean say. if he knew?" "Gabord," said I• "I come not as a spy; I come to seek my wife, and she counts you as her friend. 1)o harm to me, and you do harm to her. Serve me. and you serve her. Gabord, you said to her once that I was all honor- able start." He poi up bis pistol. "Aho. you've put your head in the trap. Stir, and click goes the spring. of adventure apart front the great matter at stake. In a few minutes we came to the designated place and halted outside. waiting for Doltaire. Presently a messenger came. and looking sharply at ns all, he ordered two to wait there and Gabord and myself to come with him. He informed us that Doltaire had been et riously wounded, itow badly he could not say. A woman. Madame Cournal, bad struck hhn the breast with a dagger in a jealous rage. Seigneur Duvurney had been sorely wounded when he was testing the lire organs for the i'ftt', 1111(1 one exploded too :soon. This word he also brought. Alixe was safe for a time, at least. _perhaps forever, thank God! ---from the approaches of Monsieur Doltaire. As 1 sped through the streets, 1 could not help hut think how Alixe would now be able to care for her wounded father without fear of Monsieur Dol- taire. lily mind was at ease concern- ing her. 1 cattle soon to the -St. John's date, for 1 had the countersign front Ga- bond, and dressed as I was I had no difficulty in passing. Outside 1 saw a small cavalcade arriving from Reim- port. way. 1 drew back and let it pass me, and then I saw that it was a company of soldiers bearing the Seigneur Duva.rney to the Intendancy. An bone afterwards, having passed the sentries, 1 stood of 0 lonely point of the shote of the Lower Town, turd, seeing no one near, I slid into the water. As I did so I hoard a challenge behind me,'and when 1 made no ans- wer there came a shot, another, and another, for it was thought, 1 doubt not, that I was a deserter, I was wounded' in the shoulder and had to Swint with one arm; but though bonts were pit out from the shote, 1 10nu- aged to evade them and to get within hail of our fleet. Challenged there, I answered with my mime. A boat, allot out from among the ships, and soon 1 was hauled into it by Clark himself; atn<l that night 1 rested safe upon the Terror of France. My hurt proved more serious than I had Looked for and the day alter my. escape I was in a high fever, General Wolfe hineseli, leaving heard of my return, sent to inquire after me, .lie also was 111, and our forces were cic- pressed in consequence; for be had a power to inspire theta not given to any other of our accomplished gener- als. He forbore to question ate about the state of the town and what I had seen; for which I was glad. My adven- ture had been of a private nature, and such I wished it to remain. The Gem et'al desired me to come to pith Its soon as I was able, that 1 might pro- ceed with him above the town to re- connoitre, But for maty a day this was impossible, for my wound gave me much pain and I was confined to My bed. Yet we on the Terror of France served our good General, too; for one dark night, when the wind ivas fair, we piloted the remaining ships of Ad- miral Holmes's division above the town. This move was made on my constant assertion that there was a way by which Quebec might be taken from above; and when General Wolfe made known my representations to his officers, they accepted it as a last resort; for otherwise what hope had they? At Montmo'enei our troops had beenrepulsed; the mud flats of the Beauport shore and the St. (.'shades River were as good as an army against use the Upper Town and Citadel were practically impreg- nable; and for eight miles west of the town to tiee cove and river at (lap Rouge there was one long precipice, broken in but one spot; but just there I was sure, men could come up with "I must have my wife." I contin- ued. "Shall the nest you helped to make go empty?" I worked to hint to snch purpose that all bristling with war at first. he was shortly won over to my scheme. which I disclosed to Itim while the wife matte us a cup of coffee. 'Through all our talk Voban had sat eyeing us with a covert interest, yet showing no excitetttent. He lead been unable to reach Alixe. Her father and broth- er wnnld he going their ways—Juste to General Montcadm and the Seign- eur to the French camp. Thee Alixe did not know that I was in the city. An hoer after this f was marching with two either men and, Gabord, to carry oat. Doltaire`s ordere.. ehressee in the ordinary costume of a French soldier. got from the wife of Jean Lie hrouk. in manner and speech though I was somewhat dull. my fellows thought, I was enough Tike a peasant soldier to deceive them. and my speech -was more fluent than their own. I was playing a desperate game; yet, I liked it, for it had a fine spice stiff climbing, as 1 had clone. Bougain- ville eame to Cap Rouge now with three thousand men, for he thought that this was to he our point of at- tack. ttack. Along the shore from Cap Rouge to Cape Diamond small britt- cries were posted, such as that of Lanvy's at Anse do Fonlon; but they were careless, for no conjectures might seem so wild as that of bring ing an army up where I had climbed. "Tut, tett," said General Murray. when he came to me on the Terror of France, atter having, at my sug- gestion, gone to the south eho'e. op- posite Anse tin Foalon, and scanned the faint line that. marked Lite pat - row cleft on the cliff side --"tut, 'int, man," said he, "'tis the dream of a cal or a. damned mathematician," Once, atter all was store, be said to me that cats and mathematicians were tho only generals. With a belligerentpride Clark showed the way up the river one ev- ening, the batteries of the town giv- ing us plunging shots as we went past, and ors at Point Levis answ- ering gallantly. To me it was a good if at most tuts, s time: good, in that I was having some sort of compensa- tion for my own sufferings in the town; noxious, because no single word came to me of Alixe or her ;e- ther, and all the time we were pouring dearth into the place. Bttt this we threw from deserter's, that Vandreuil was Governor and Bi- got Intendant still; by which it would seem that. on the ntoutetataus night when Doltaire was wounded by Mad- ame Comma), he gave back the goy ernn'ship to Vautlrettil aed reinstated Bigot. Presently, frmu an officer who had been captured as he was setting free a fire -raft to ran • 1O110(1g the boats of our fleet,. I heard: that. I)olt- aire had been confined in the Int m d - ante, front a wound given by a 51.u1115 sentry. Titus the trite story had been kept from the public, From him. too, I learned that nothing was known of the Seigneur Duverney and his (laugh. ter; (blit they had meldeuly disap- peat•ed from the Intendance, its if the earth had swallowed them; and that even Juste Durttt'uey knew nothing of tltMn, and. was in consequence, great- ly distressed At last all of Admiral Holle's div- ision was got above the town, with very little damage and I never saw a lean sal elated, so profoundly elated as Clark over his shale in the busi- ness. He was a daredevil, too; for the day that the last of the division was taken up the river, 1511110/1 my per- mission or the permission of the ltd• mire} or any one else, he took the Terror of France almost up to Beu- gainville's earthworks in the cove at t'ap Rouge and insolently emptied his six swivels into them, and then came out and stood down the river, When I asked what he was doing—for I was 1110' well enough to conte of deck -- he said 11e was going to see bow n (1111(eys could throw nuts; when 1 dressed him, he said he had a will to bear the cats he the eaves; and when 1 became severe, he added that he would bring the Terror of France up past the batteries of the town in broad daylight, swearing that they could no more hit hint than a woman could a bird on a flagstaff. I did hot relish this foolish bravado, and I for- bade it; but presently I consented on condition that he take ole to General Wolfe's camp tit Montmorenci first; for now I felt strong enough to be again on active service. Clark tgok the Terror of France up the river in midday, running peril- ously close to the batteries; and though they pounded at him petul- antly. foolishly angry at his contemp- tuous defiance, he ran the gauntlet safely, and coming to the flagship. the Suthereland, saluted with his six swivels, to the latigltter of the whole fleet and his owtt profane joy. "Mr. Moray," said General Wolfe, when I saw his, racked with pain, studying a chart of the river and town which his chief engineer had just brought trim, "show me here this passage In the hillside." I slid so, tracing the plains of Maitre Abraham, which 1' assured hint would bo good groutd for a pitched battle. He nodded; then rose. and walked up and down for a time, think- ing. Suddenly he stopped, and fixed his eyes upon ale, "Mr, Moray," said he, "it would seem that you. angering La Pompa- dour. brought down this war 1111011 us." He paused, smiling in a ch'y way as if the thought amused him, as if, indeed, he doubted it; but for that I cared not, it was au honor I could easily live without. 1 bowed to his words, and said, "Mine was the last straw, sir." Again he nodded, and replied, "Well, well, yon got us into trouble; you must show us the way out," and he looked againat the passage I ha<i traced upon the chart. "You will 1'e - main with me until we meet our enemy on these heights." He pohlted to the plains of Maitre Abraham. Then he turned away, and began walking up and down again. "It is the last chancel" he said to himself in a tone despairing and yet heroic, "Please God! please God!" ho added, PROFESSIONAL CARDS MEDICAL SEAFORTH CLINIC Dr. E. A. McMaster, M.B., Graduate of University of Toronto. 3, D, Colquhoun, M.D., C.M., Grad. (tate of Dalhousie University, Ha.ifax,. Tho Clinic is fully equipped witle complete and modern x-ray and other up-to-date diagnostic and tbereuptic equipment. Dr. Margaret If, Campbell, M.D., L.A.B.P., Specialist in Diseases in: Infants and Children, will be at the Clinic last Thursday in every month from 3 to 6 p.m. Dr. F. J. R, Forster, Specialist in Diseases of the Ear, ltiye, Nose and Throat, will bo at the Clinic the first Tuesday in every month from 4 to 6 p.m. Free well -baby clinic will be held on the second and last Thursday in every month from 1 to 2 p.m. "Yon will speak nothing of these plans," he said he me at last, half mechanically. "1Ve must make feints of lauding et Cap Rouge—feints of landing everywhere sieve at the one Possible place; confuse both Haug -1 eluents and Montcahrl;'tire out their 01111101 with wtttcllings and want of sleep; and then, on the auspicious night, matte the great trial." 1 had remained respectfully stand- ing at a little distance Front him. Now he stuldenly came to ole, and, press- ing 1ny hand, said quickly, "Von have trouible. Air. Moray. I am sorry for you. But maybe it is for better things to come!" I thanked him stumblingly, and a moment later left him, to serve hint on the morrow, and so on tln•ouglt many days. till, in diver's perils, the camp at Motttmorenci was abandon- ed, the troops were got aboard the ships, and the General took up his quarters on the Sutherland; from which, one notable day, I sallied forth with ]rim to a point at the south shore opposite the Anse do Toulon, where he 51111 the thin crack in the cliff side. From that moment instant and final attack was his purpose. The great night came, starlit and serene. The campfires of two armies spottei the shores of the wide river, and the ships lay like wild fowl in convoys above the town from where the arrow of fate would be sped, Darkness upon the river, and fireflies upon the shore. At Beanpo't, an un- tiring General, who for a hundred days had snatched sleep, booted and spurred, and in the ebb of a losing game, longed for his adored Candia(, grieved for a beloved daughter's death, sent cheerful messages to his aged mother and to his wife, and by the deeper protests of his love Yore - shadowed his own doom. At Cap Rouge, a dying commander, limper - tutted and valiant, reached out a fin ger to trace the last movements in a desperate campaign of life that open- ed in Flanders at sixteen; of which the end began when he took from his bosom the portrait of bis affianced wife, and said to his old schoolfellow, "Give this to her, Jervis, for we shall sleet 110 more." Canadian Corvette Takes To The Water e - Canada's major naval programme involves the construction of about 65 speedy corvettes and some 30 mine- sweepers, at a cost of approximately $52,000,000. One of these sleek corvettes is here shown taking to the water at a recent launching. JOHN A. GORWILL, B.A.,M.D. Physician and Surgeon In Dr. H. H. Ross' office. Phone 5 J DR. F. J. R. FORSTER Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Graduate in Medicine, University of Toronto. Late Assistant New York Ophthalmic and Aural Institute, lvloorefield's Eye, and Golden Square throat hospitals, London, Eng, At Commercial Hotel, Seaforth, third Wednesday in each month from 2 to 4 p.m. Also at Seaforth Clinic first Tuesday in each month. -53 Waterloo St., Stratford. Telephone 267. MARGARET K. CAMPBELL, M.D, London, Ontario Graduate Toronto University Licentiate of American Board of Pedt- atrics, Diseases of Children At Seaforth Clinic, last Thursday af- ternoon, each month. AUCTIONEER GEORGE ELLIOTT, Licensed Auctioneer for the County of Hurott. Arrangements can be made for Sale Date at The Seaforth News. Charges moderate and satisfaction guaranteed F. W. AHRENS, Licensed Auction- eer for Perth and Huron Counties: Sales Solicited. Terms on Application. Farm Stock, chattels and real estate property. R. R. No. 4, Mitchell. Phone 634 r 6. Apply at, this office, HAROLD JACKSQN Licensed In Huron and Perth Coun- ties. Prices reasonable; satisfaction guaranteed, For information, write or phone Harold Jackson, 658r12, Sea - forth central; Brucefleld R.R.1. Watson & Reid REAL ESTATE AND INSURANCE AGENCY (Successors to James Watson) iMAIN ST., SEAFORTH, ONT. All kinds of Insurance risks effect- ed at lowest rates in First -Class Companies. The McKillop Mutual Fire Insurance Co. HEAD OFFICE—SEAFORTH, Ont. OFFICERS President, Wm. Knox, Londesboro; Vice President, W. R. Archibald, Seaforth; Secretary Treasurer, M. A. Reid, Seaforth. AGENTS F. Mcllercher, R,R.1, Dublin; John E. Pepper, R.R.1, Brueefleld; J. F. Pruetet> Brodhagen; Jaynes Watt, Blyth; Wm,. Yeo, Holmesviile. DIREOTORS Alex Broadfoot, Seaforth; William Knox, Londesboro; Chris Leonhardt, Dublin; James Connolly, Goderdch; Thomas Moylan, Seaforth; W. R. Archibald, Seaforth; Alex McEwing, Blyth; Frank McGregor, Clinton; Hugh Alexander, Walton. Parties desirous to effect insurance or transact other business, will be promptly attended to by applications to any of the above named officers addressed to their respeotive post - offices. The newlywed salesman, accomp- anied by Itis wife, entered the din- ing -room of the hotel which he used to frequent, His order included roast chicken, but there was some delay. "Where's my chicken?" he de- manded somewhat irritably. The waiter replied in a husky .un- dertone: "Sorry, but if you mean the little girl with blue eyes and fluffy hair, she doesn't work here now!" Want and For Sole Ads, ill ;week 251c