The Galley Slave's Ring

xecution of the thi

borhood of the barricade, that now reached almost as high as the first story windows of the li

companies of the Municipal Guards turned in from a side street and marched resolutely upon th

chene and their friends took their p

d a last load out of his pouch, seized his musket and knelt down in front of a species of loophole that was contrived between seve

et of your nose!" cried out the ragpicker, pullin

ceeding in slipping from the old man's grip. "This is gratis-I wish to tr

Flameche stuck out his tongue to the Municipal

nts who surrounded him

brothers. Let us make one last att

are-armed blacksmith as he flipped the stock of his gun with

with one hand resting upon his gun, and waving a handkerchief with the othe

ased beating, rolled the order

g their breath, pale, but calm and resolute. They did not remove their eyes from Lebrenn as he was addressing the soldiers with his son-who had closely followed his father up the barricade in

been running fast, as the redness o

hey were surprised to see her among them. As she sought to push he

ung woman; it is too

orge stupefied at th

ouse yesterday, and failed to find you at home. I wrote to you that I would call

med for her safety. "You will be

come to render y

who had in vain been parleying with the captain of

l, war it shall be! Wait for th

d ammunition, all manner of household furniture and kitchen utensils-tables, chairs, pots and pitchers; in short, everything that could go through the window was hurled down by the good old invalid of toil, as Lebrenn had justly styled him. It was an almost comic sight. The old man seemed to be moving out by the window. When his supply of projectil

insurgents with several rounds of shot, the Municipalists rushed intrepidl

ving discharged his gun, was wielding it as a club to drive the assailants back. His son and George, close behind him, seconded his efforts vigorously. From time to

d come from Madam Lebr

echoed Velleda. "

ind which the two heroic women were posted. The two true Gallic women, as Lebrenn call

de, and from his elevated position towered over the merchant, raised his gun, and was on the point of transfixing the linendraper with his bayonet. George perceived the imminent danger of Velleda's father; he threw himself in front of the threatened thrust; the bayonet ran through his arm and h

ged to draw near to George during the struggle. The very instant, however, after she had saved him, a reboundi

some safe place to lay her down when he noticed Madam Lebrenn and her daughter at the door of the shop. They had just desc

ther Bribri to transport Pradeline into the rear room, where Madam

me, rolling down to his feet, a frail body clad in tatte

n, trying to pick up the boy. "Are you w

in a fast ebbing voice. "It is a pity-I shall n

e exp

n upon the scrubby be

father Bribri soliloquized with a sigh. "

eral oration pronounce

urried down to the street, and ran to the barricade. From his window, his ammunition, moveables and fixtures, being exhausted, he had had leisure to follo

rricade that the Municipalists, after sustaining heavy losses, we

a shot was heard in the near vicinity, and, almost immed

followed by a number of horsemen, sabers in hand, like their commander, driving bef

surgents, he was endeavoring to cut himself a passage to the boulevard,

eved that the small number of troopers was the vanguard of a regiment which meant to take them in

rge of musketry. Several of the dragoons fell; the colonel himself was wounded. But obedient to h

own this rabble

him to the very base of the barricade, but the animal

all of no avail; he was about to succumb to superior numbers when, at the risk of his own life, Monsieur Lebrenn, assisted by his son and George, although the latter was wo

ndition to resist us; let us disarm them; let there be n

who had just been driven to the spot before the merciless and he

repeated sev

or with his gun, while George came to his support.

ace-down there, at the corner of the street," bellowed a man with bloodshot eye

outed several threate

ed man! You can not mean to mur

an increasing number o

ou will have the heart to dishonor t

tance to the ferocity of the angry men, left free the

d motionless. Lebrenn'

, sword in hand, emitting a savage cry. Already his feet were on the t

it murder! Oh, no, broth

s eyes, George Duche

angry man who cried for vengeance, that he lowered his head, flung away his sword, and, dropping up

r! My poor

e King, together with the royal family, had fled; that everywhere the troops fraternized with the people;

as had been done in the linendraper's. As much attention was bestowed upon the soldiers as upon those who shortly before were engaged in a deadly struggl

ernel, having been taken prisoner, they were distributed among the neighboring houses, whence they s

everal surgeons of the quarter. Gildas was engaged in distributing wine mixed with water to the patients, whose throats were parched with thirst. Among the latter, and lying

eg during the encounter with the dragoons. The sergeant, on his part, had received a w

red the sergeant. "And what a

lding in one hand a bottle of wine and water, and in the other a

d man here wants something to dri

ility of his companion on the ma

I may not decline, because

es in his basket. He stooped down and handed it to the soldier. T

t sit up. My loin

of my legs is disabled, but my loins and arms are

supported him until he had emptied his glass. Af

trouble, my good old man

service,

me, ol

s it, s

you that this thi

, ser

e trying to shoot holes through each othe

sergeant! Shots a

people have no ill-

the bullet in your loin-just as, without having the slightest ill feeling for me, you would have planted your bayonet in m

the trut

u particularly stuck upon

btain my furlough, so that I could go to the country and plant my cab

ll guarantee work, and will furn

with a large family upon his hands, to whom to be out of work is like death. Ah! And was it for that

who shot that bullet into my leg-but

ng orders is what sets us agoing. We are ordered to fire-and we fire, without at first taking any particular

lieve

otter in the collar; the smell of gunpowder intoxicates you; a

e rest comes nat

come to close quarters, to a bayonet charge, and you can see the white of each others' eyes, then the compli

ood-what harm can they do me? Besides, am I not one of the common people, like themselves? Have I not relatives and friends among the commo

s much for the Republic as yourself, if

g so stupid as for people to shoot holes into one anothe

pocket his old snuff-box of white wood,

have some,

refused, old man; it will

Bribri laughing, "have you perhaps a

six soldie

a cold in

riendly tap on the shoulder and laughing heartily at the opportune refrain. He took

! This

ed father Bribri, taking a pinch himself, "this is my

lace my wife makes

ant? The devil take it! Your poor wif

n, you must come to my house and take a bowl of soup with us. Ho!

ing that I do not keep house, you and your wife must return the visi

d, old

t of the rear room, the door of which had been kept closed. The linendraper looked pale; there

in a minute,

e rear room closed behind them. There a sad spectacl

eorge Duchene, with his arm in a sling, was on his knees beside her, urging

endeavored to smile. She gathered all the strengt

-perhaps it was because he never became my lover. I am sure I loved him more than he loved me. He was better than I-it was out of kindness that he offered to marry me. Unfortunately, a girl friend crossed my way and led me astray. She had been a working girl, like myself-and misery had driven her to sell herself! I saw her rich, well dressed-well fed-she urged me to do as she had done-my head turned-I forgot George-but not for long-but for nothing in the world would I have dared to

lid cheeks of the dying girl. She dropped her eyes, an

ckless of consequences-I feared for your daughter and for George-I tried-yesterday-to notify him-he was not at home; I wrote

ands to the wound on her bosom, heaved a sigh of profound grief, and stammered a few un

ering his eyes with his hands he added: "This mortal wo

l almost inaudibly, as her eyes roved a

began

f death was

o your senses," ple

liriously from the wretched gir

ed Lebrenn. "Poor gi

, her mind wandering,

ice she improvised to

h'approac

hing my l

y fate,

eve-t

. Her arms twitched; her head droo

ommunicated with a back staircase leading t

nel upstairs wishes

chamber, where the colonel had been

nds, but was severely bruised. In order to facilitate t

nding in the middle of the

en us yesterday morning. My only wish is to be able some day to return your generosity. That, I suppose, will be difficult, monsieur, seeing my party is vanquished, and you are the vanquishers. I was blind with regar

The popular effervescence has not yet cooled down. I shall supply you with a coat and hat, and, in the company of

n that! To disguise myself

uples! Have you not the consciousness of hav

having been

ecked himself, and offering h

l take your advice. I shall assume the disguise without feeling that I am committing an act of

was in bourgeois dress, thanks to th

on top of his uniform, that had been torn in several p

which I would have preferred to leave with you as a souvenir from

. "I shall join the casque to several other souve

nt of Plouernel in amazement. "From

"this was not the first time that, in the course of the centu

ked the Count with increasing wonder

pted the conversation of Mon

e?" demanded

fath

in, my

everal friends are downstairs. They come

I wish you to escort our guest home. Take the back stairs in order to avoid going

eady crossed the barricade twice.

," said the merchant to the Count of Plo

know what the future has in store for us; mayhap we may meet again in opposite camp

ount of Plouernel foll

mber, contemplated the colonel's casque

strange fataliti

nto that mysterious chamber which so

that there was no longer any doubt but that the Repu