按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
finished； and each began to look out with some anxiety for the
preconcerted signal； the rocket from Sir Hussey Vivian's quarters；
which was to announce the recommencement of hostilities。 It came
just as the moon rose in her silver splendor； and ere the rocket…
stick fell quivering to the earth at the feet of General Picton
and Sir Lowry Cole； who were at their posts at the head of the
storming…parties； nine hundred and ninety nine guns in position
opened their fire from our batteries； which were answered by a
tremendous canonnade from the fort。
〃Who's going to dance？〃 said the Doctor： 〃the ball's begun。 Ha！
there goes poor Jack Delamere's head off！ The ball chose a soft
one； anyhow。 Come here； Tim； till I mend your leg。 Your wife has
need only knit half as many stockings next year； Doolan my boy。
Faix！ there goes a big one had wellnigh stopped my talking： bedad！
it has snuffed the feather off my cocked hat！〃
In this way； with eighty…four…pounders roaring over us like hail；
the undaunted little Doctor pursued his jokes and his duty。 That
he had a feeling heart； all who served with him knew； and none more
so than Philip Fogarty； the humble writer of this tale of war。
Our embrasure was luckily bomb…proof； and the detachment of the
Onety…oneth under my orders suffered comparatively little。 〃Be
cool； boys；〃 I said； 〃it will be hot enough work for you ere long。〃
The honest fellows answered with an Irish cheer。 I saw that it
affected our prisoner。
〃Countryman；〃 said I； 〃I know you； but an Irishman was never a
traitor。〃
〃Taisez…vous！〃 said he； putting his finger to his lip。 〃C'est la
fortune de la guerre： if ever you come to Paris； ask for the
Marquis d' O'Mahony； and I may render you the hospitality which
your tyrannous laws prevent me from exercising in the ancestral
halls of my own race。〃
I shook him warmly by the hand as a tear bedimmed his eye。 It was；
then； the celebrated colonel of the Irish Brigade； created a
Marquis by Napoleon on the field of Austerlitz！
〃Marquis；〃 said I； 〃the country which disowns you is proud of you；
butha！ here； if I mistake not； comes our signal to advance。〃 And
in fact； Captain Vandeleur； riding up through the shower of shot；
asked for the commander of the detachment； and bade me hold myself
in readiness to move as soon as the flank companies of the Ninety…
ninth； and Sixty…sixth； and the Grenadier Brigade of the German
Legion began to advance up the echelon。 The devoted band soon
arrived； Jack Bowser heading the Ninety…ninth （when was he away and
a storming…party to the fore？）； and the gallant Potztausend； with
his Hanoverian veterans。
The second rocket flew up。
〃Forward； Onety…oneth！〃 cried I； in a voice of thunder。 〃Killaloo
boys； follow your captain！〃 and with a shrill hurray； that sounded
above the tremendous fire from the fort； we sprung upon the steep；
Bowser with the brave Ninety…ninth； and the bold Potztausend；
keeping well up with us。 We passed the demilune； we passed the
culverin； bayoneting the artillerymen at their guns； we advanced
across the two tremendous demilunes which flank the counterscarp；
and prepared for the final spring upon the citadel。 Soult I could
see quite pale on the wall； and the scoundrel Cambaceres； who had
been so nearly my prisoner that day； trembled as he cheered his
men。 〃On； boys； on！〃 I hoarsely exclaimed。 〃Hurroo！〃 said the
fighting Onety…oneth。
But there was a movement among the enemy。 An officer； glittering
with orders； and another in a gray coat and a cocked hat； came to
the wall； and I recognized the Emperor Napoleon and the famous
Joachim Murat。
〃We are hardly pressed； methinks；〃 Napoleon said sternly。 〃I must
exercise my old trade as an artilleryman；〃 and Murat loaded； and
the Emperor pointed the only hundred…and…twenty…four…pounder that
had not been silenced by our fire。
〃Hurray； Killaloo boys！〃 shouted I。 The next moment a sensation of
numbness and death seized me； and I lay like a corpse upon the
rampart。
II。
〃Hush！〃 said a voice； which I recognized to be that of the Marquis
d' O'Mahony。 〃Heaven be praised； reason has returned to you。 For
six weeks those are the only sane words I have heard from you。〃
〃Faix； and 'tis thrue for you； Colonel dear；〃 cried another voice；
with which I was even more familiar； 'twas that of my honest and
gallant Lanty Clancy； who was blubbering at my bedside overjoyed at
his master's recovery。
〃O musha； Masther Phil agrah！ but this will be the great day
intirely； when I send off the news； which I would； barrin' I can't
write； to the lady your mother and your sisters at Castle Fogarty；
and 'tis his Riv'rence Father Luke will jump for joy thin； when he
reads the letther！ Six weeks ravin' and roarin' as bould as a
lion； and as mad as Mick Malony's pig； that mistuck Mick's wig for
a cabbage； and died of atin' it！〃
〃And have I then lost my senses？〃 I exclaimed feebly。
〃Sure； didn't ye call me your beautiful Donna Anna only yesterday；
and catch hould of me whiskers as if they were the Signora's jet…
black ringlets？〃 Lanty cried。
At this moment； and blushing deeply； the most beautiful young
creature I ever set my eyes upon； rose from a chair at the foot of
the bed； and sailed out of the room。
〃Confusion； you blundering rogue；〃 I cried； 〃who is that lovely
lady whom you frightened away by your impertinence？ Donna Anna？
Where am I？〃
〃You are in good hands； Philip；〃 said the Colonel； 〃you are at my
house in the Place Vendome； at Paris； of which I am the military
Governor。 You and Lanty were knocked down by the wind of the
cannon…ball at Burgos。 Do not be ashamed： 'twas the Emperor
pointed the gun；〃 and the Colonel took off his hat as he mentioned
the name darling to France。 〃When our troops returned from the
sally in which your gallant storming party was driven back； you
were found on the glacis； and I had you brought into the City。
Your reason had left you； however； when you returned to life； but；
unwilling to desert the son of my old friend； Philip Fogarty； who
saved my life in '98； I brought you in my carriage to Paris。〃
〃And many's the time you tried to jump out of the windy； Masther
Phil；〃 said Clancy。
〃Brought you to Paris；〃 resumed the Colonel； smiling； 〃where； by
the soins of my friends Broussais； Esquirol； and Baron Larrey； you
have been restored to health； thank heaven！〃
〃And that lovely angel who quitted the apartment？〃 I cried。
〃That lovely angel is the Lady Blanche Sarsfield； my ward； a
descendant of the gallant Lucan； and who may be； when she chooses；
Madame la Marechale de Cambaceres； Duchess of Illyria。〃
〃Why did you deliver the ruffian when he was in my grasp？〃 I cried。
〃Why did Lanty deliver you when in mine？〃 the Colonel replied。
〃C'est la fortune de la guerre； mon garcon； but calm yourself； and
take this potion which Blanche has prepared for you。〃
I drank the tisane eagerly when I heard whose fair hands had
compounded it； and its effects were speedily beneficial to me； for
I sank into a cool and refreshing slumber。
From that day I began to mend rapidly； with all the elasticity of
youth's happy time。 Blanchethe enchanting Blancheministered
henceforth to me； for I would take no medicine but from her lily
hand。 And what were the effects？ 'Faith； ere a month was past；
the patient was over head and ears in love with the doctor； and as
for Baron Larrey； and Broussais； and Esquirol； they were sent to
the right…about。 In a short time I was in a situation to do
justice to the gigot aux navets； the boeuf aux cornichons； and the
other delicious entremets of the Marquis's board； with an appetite
that astonished some of the Frenchmen who frequented it。
〃Wait till he's quite well； Miss；〃 said Lanty； who waited always
behind me。 〃'Faith！ when he's in health； I'd back him to ate a
cow； barrin' the horns and teel。〃 I sent a decanter at the rogue's
head； by way of answer to his impertinence。
Although the disgusting Cambaceres did his best to have my parole
withdrawn from me； and to cause me to be sent to the English depot
of prisoners at Verdun； the Marquis's interest with the Emperor
prevailed； and I was allowed to remain at Paris； the happiest of
prisoners； at the Colonel's hotel at the Place Vendome。 I here had
the opportunity （an opportunity not lost； I flatter myself； on a
young fellow with the accomplishments of Philip Fogarty； Esq。） of
mixing with the elite of French society； and meeting with many of
the great； the beautiful； and the brave。 Talleyrand was a frequent
guest of the Marquis's。 His bon…mots used to keep the table in a
roar。 Ney frequently took his chop with us； Murat； when in town；
constantly dropt in for a cup of tea and friendly round game。
Alas！ who would have thought those two gallant heads would be so
soon laid low？ My wif