The Companions of Jehu

it seemed that with the hopes of d

y that in battle, and more especially during the last campaign against the Arabs, Roland had been too frequently

confided to Sir John. Disappointment over his own lost chance o

s, the sight of which might have excited something like remorse in Roland's breast. Then h

addresses, took the one destined for his mother, unsealed it and read it over. As he read, great tears rolled down his cheeks. Sir John gazed wonderingly

t the least attention to Sir J

erhaps it is better so. Mothers were

r, and General Bonaparte, mechanically burning the fragments w

y letters be

ied she. "You have on

wait

ng a pen

is as I told you; I

t that this seems l

dea

Pal

LA

re, Paris, and handed it to the chambermaid, bidding her lose no time in posti

"One of those services which bind men for all eternity. I am

the hand that R

I should never have dared ask this h

trembled on his lashes. Then looking at Roland, he said: "It is unfortunate that you a

going, my lord,

ng to get over being bored. I

u were goin

oing eve

said the young officer, smiling. "

lingly, if it

ible; it depend

t is

going to take me to my mothe

to your mother and not th

me dead, take me living. You wi

O

ullest towns in France; but as your compatriots are pre-eminent for origina

med the Englishman; "but it seems to m

ave no longer king nor queen. We didn't cut off that poor creature's head whom

ke to go," s

now. She was pretty, and she ought to be beautiful. Then there is my brother Edouard, a delightful youngster of twelve, who will let o

from Paris," sai

t so far from here as Cairo. I'll present you, and, introduced by me, you may rest

always quo

at you like come

em very much,

produce one in his own style which will n

hesitating, "I may accept your o

You will delight us

I ac

t's see, when w

nfortunate plate at Barjols' head. However, as I should never have

start this

e postilion to send other horses, a

box again. Both ate enough to enable them to travel all night, and as nine o'clock was striking from the Church of the Cordeliers they settled themselves in the carriage and quitted Avignon, where their passage left a fresh trail of blood, Ro

to give our readers some indispensable inf

the son of M. Charles de Montrevel, colonel of a regiment long garrisoned at Martinique, where he had married a creole named Clotilde de la Clémencière. Three children wer

for young Louis de Montrevel (we shall see later how the name o

enne to the Ecole Militaire. Louis was the youngest pupil. Though he was only thirteen, he had already made himself remarked for tha

e, and unconquerable. He recognized in the child some of his own qualities, and this similarity of sentiments led him to pardon t

rbed in the solution of a mathematical problem. He knew the importance the future artillery offi

deeper into his mathematical calculations, whence he emerged victorious ten minutes later. Then he turned to his young com

his teeth clinched, his arm

g Bonaparte, "what

governor's nep

ghing, "and you have come

d shook

e come to you because

t Val

es

you, child; he is four

to fight him as children

oo

prise you?" as

te; "what do you w

h sw

s have swords, and the

ll do witho

will you f

ss with which the young mathem

onaparte, "a compass m

r," replied Louis;

ose he ki

that than be

s; he loved courage, instinctively,

ill tell Valence that you wish to

to-mo

ve the night

lence will think me a coward." Then shaking his head,

going?" Bonap

one else to b

o longer y

ou think I a

said the youn

wil

m go

on

on

ed my friend." And he fell upon his neck weeping. They were

tall lad of seventeen, having already, like certain precocious natures, a beard and mustache

in vogue)-that he had warned him twice to desist, but that Louis had repeated the prank th

mrade's queue was only teasing him, whereas a blow was an insult. Obst

sed; he could not fight with a child without being ridiculous. If he fought and wounded him, it wou

ses. The Grands decided that one of their number could not fight a child; but since this child persisted in considering himself a young man, Va

sent for. He was introduced into the conclave a

toward the Petits, assured Louis that he deeply deplored the occurrence; that he had treated him according to his age and not ac

s shook

does not fight is a coward. The first time I see my father I shall ask him if he who strikes t

ncluded, were unanimously agreed that the child must be satisfied with what Valence had said, for it represented their common opinion.

tation-room, and while Valence was making a demonstration on the blackboard, he approached him unper

ave your apologies to boot; as for me, I sha

events leading up to the blow his nephew had received, sent for the delinquent and after a terrible lecture informed him that he was no longer a member of the school, and must be ready to retur

He was much inclined to send the insolent boy to the dungeon for a week,

ave him until he had put him in the coach for Macon; Madame de Mo

is keeper, asked an explanation of the s

ied the child; "but you are not. Why do you both

his little trunk. He learned then that the child had been expelled. The step was seri

teristics of his organization, he resolved to ask an audience of the g

urce Valence. His request was immediately complied with. Ushered into the governor's presence,

you are telling me, si

w himself. I will ab

on, and was on his way to tell his uncle what had happened. H

u will. You are old enough to leave school." Then ringing,

ght Valence left to join his regiment. He went to bid Louis farewell, embracing him half willing

ver we meet with swords by our sides-" A

of Italy, at the Bridge of Arcola, which was defended by two regiments of Croats and two pieces of cannon, seeing his ranks disseminated by grapeshot and musket balls, feeling that victory was slipping through his fingers, alarmed by the hesitation of his br

ed. He wished to cross first. Had it

him back, saying: "Citizen, you are only a lieutenant

er; and he followed Bonapar

two thousand prisoners he had taken, together with the captured cannons and flags, Bonapar

find that young lieutenant of grenadiers with whom I h

red Berthier, "Va

een him to-day. Wounded? Whe

ed into a quarrel yesterday, and rece

not approve of duels; a soldier's blood belongs not t

illed, g

ot, in t

led

m his pocket and passed it over his

hen; but I want to s

hers, fearing to hear ag

eutenant was ushered into his tent, whi

lieutenant," s

ee steps and came with

hed to cross the bridge bef

gayly answered the young lieutenant

ake you

yes; may

as the

be promoted c

ave wo

you, ge

llen full on his face for an instant; that instant sufficed to make the general notice the face as he had the voice. Neither

bly, g

only I cannot r

ours should not be

are

lence,

gave a c

wide his arms. This time the young lieutenan

in your new rank, that they may accustom themselves to your captain's ep

d the young man,

lding him close after kissing him twice, "And s

aide-de-camp, "you were there when I prom

who changed his name of Louis, then in ill-repute, to that of Roland. And the young man cons

onaparte had baptized him Roland-made the campaign of Italy with his g

planning. He left his mother, his sister Amélie, and his young brother Edouard at Bourg, General de Montrevel's native town. They resided some three-quarters of a mile out of the city, at Noires-Fontaines, a charming house, called a chateau, which, together with the farm and several hundred acres of land surrounding it, yielded an income of six

ulon. But the fear of arriving too late prevented Roland from profiting by this permission to its full extent. He left his mother, promising her-a

subsequent development of Roland's character. The 19th of May, 1798, Bonaparte and his entire staff set sail for the Orient; the 15th of June the Knights of Malta gave up the keys of thei

Turkish sabres or the Bedouin bullets. During the forty days of the voyage he had never left the interpreter Ventura; so that with his admirable facility he had learned, if not to speak Arabic fluently, at least to make

led by a lance, was made known. At eight, just as the revolt was supposedly quelled, an aide-de-camp of the dead

his pallet of suffering with the greatest difficulty only. Bonaparte, in his preoccupation forgetting the

wsky

ive me the commission. Don't you

Bonaparte;

rder had been given to Sulkowsky, and Sulkowsky was determined to

nd arrived, he saw five or six dead men, and an officer being led away by the Arabs, who, while massacring the soldiers mercilessly, will sometim

to head-quarters, announced the deaths of Sul

ioned the Guide. The man had seen an Arab cut off Sulkowsky's head and fasten it to his saddle-bow. As for Roland, his horse had been killed. He had

as told that they were an independent tribe whose village was situated some thirty miles off. Bonaparte left them a month, that they might become convinced of their impunity; then, the month elapsed, he order

dren who could be captured were brought to Cairo, and also wi

Bonaparte. "I ordered you to behead

understood him to offer to exchange a prisoner for his life. I thought there would be time enough to cut off his head, and so

Victory, and that this officer, who spoke a little Arabic, claimed to be one of General Bonaparte's aides-de-camp. He had sent him to his brother who was a physician

o gain time, but it might also be

he letter with his own seal, and an Arab from Cairo was despatched to negotiate the exchange. If

g Roland. Bonaparte had hoped for bu

h joy. He opened his arms to Roland, as on the day when he had found him, an

nal details about his capture by the Bedouins and the treatment he had received at the hands of the doctor. As for Sulkowsky, he had been killed and beheaded before his eyes,

as he, that he eventually obtained the general's permission and returned in safety. He took part in each of the nineteen assaults made upon the fortress; at each assault he was seen entering the breach. He was one of the ten men who forced their way into the Accursèd Tower; nine remained, but he returned without a scratch. During the retreat, Bonaparte commanded his cavalry to lend their horses to the wounded and sick. All endeavored to avoid the contagion

nced his intention. Another had been overjoyed; but he remained sombre and melancholy, sayi

il the English fleet was sighted near Corsica. Then only did he regain his wonted animation. Bonaparte told Admiral Gantheaume that he would fight to the death, an

des-de-camp and his suite by way of Gap and Draguignan, while he took the road to Aix strictly incognito, accompanied only by Roland, to judge for himself of the state of the Midi. Hoping that the joy of seeing h

ry happy to see me." Whereas formerly his words would have been: "Thank

provoked that terrible duel. We heard the reason he gave Sir John for this indifference to death. Was it true or false? Si

etending to sleep as they were drawn by two horses