Wacousta: A Tale of the Pontiac Conspiracy--Volume 1

ble covered with green cloth, over which were distributed pens, ink, and paper for taking minutes of the evidence, and such notes of the proceedings as the several members migh

the right of the president, and without the circle, remained covered, and with his arms folded across his chest. At a signal given by the president to the orderly in waiting, that individ

followed by the rest of the court, who now rose, and extending each his right hand upon the prayer book, repeated, after the president, the form of w

to the president a paper, from which the latter officer read

admitted a stranger into the garrison himself, or suffered him to obtain admission, without giving the alarm, or using

e disappearance of whom from the garrison can only be attributed to a secret understanding existing between the

ed these two short but important charges, "you have heard what has been pre

ngly replied the prisoner, laying his ha

overnor, addressing the president;

reading the accusations above detailed, and perceived, for the first time, that a portion had been

, suffered Captain De Haldimar to unclose the gate of the fortress, and, accompanied by his servant, private Harry Donellan, to pass your post

e turned into a charge that threatens my life? Colonel de Haldimar, is the explanation which I gave you only this very hour, and in private, to be made t

nor, but a significant motion of the h

plead you to this charg

to his aid; "I see plainly that it is useless to strive against my fate. Captain de Haldimar is not here, and I must di

urge, you had better reserve for your defence. Meanwhile, what answer d

having listened to the earnest prayer of my captain, and suffered him, in v

he words of the prisoner, and they glanced at each other in a manner

hich the third charge, no less than the others, entails, and recall your admission. Be advised by me," he pu

n officer so universally beloved by the whole corps. Still," and again his voice acquired its wonted firmness, and his cheek glowed with honest pride, "still, I say, I scorn to retract my words. Of the two first charge

he president, the pleas of the prisoner were recorded, and the e

ress, by which also he must have made good his escape. That it was evident the prisoner had been in correspondence with their enemies; since, on proceeding to examine the gate it had been found

servant, and dwelt emphatically on the fact of their having been forcibly carried off with the connivance of the prisoner, still there was no other

ntial to the safety of the garrison, he had, conjointly with Major Blackwater, visited the cell of the prisoner, to whom he related the fact of the murder of Donellan, in the disguise of his master's uniform, conjuring him, at the same time, if he regarded his own life, and the safety of those who were most dear to him, to give a clue to the solution of this mysterious circumstance, and disclose the nature and extent of his connection with the enemy without; that the prisoner however resolutely denied, as before, the guilt imputed to him, but having had time to concoct a plausib

open, and the confusion manifested by the prisoner. It also substantiated that part of the governor's evidence on

vidence, the examination on the part of the prosecution terminated; when the president called on the prisoner Halloway for his

ho had nothing but her own virtues and her own beauty to recommend her, drew upon me the displeasure of my family, and the little I possessed, independently of the pleasure of my relations, was soon dissipated. My proud soul scorned all thought of supplication to those who had originally spurned my wife from their presence; and yet my heart bled for the privations of her who, alike respectable in family, was, both from sex and the natural delicacy, of her frame, so far less constituted to bear up against the frowns of adversity than myself. Our extremity had now become great,-too great for human endurance; when, through the medium of the public prints, I became acquainted with the glorious action that had been fought in this country by the

theless, ill suited, both by education and habit, to awaken any thing like congeniality of feeling or similarity of pursuit. Still we endeavoured, as much as possible, to lessen the distance that existed between us; and from the first moment of our joining the regiment, determi

most fervent desire has all along been to seize the first favourable opportunity of performing some action that would eventually elevate me to a position in which I might, without blushing for the absence of the ennobling qualities of birth and condition, avow myself his friend, and solicit that distinction from my equal which was partially extended to me by my superior? The opportunity I sought was not long wanting. At the memorable affair with the French general, Levi, at Quebec, in which our regiment bo

e court, "that is the very stranger who was in my apartment last night,-the being with whom the prisoner is evidently in treacherous correspondence, and all this absurd tale is but a

prisoner, whose high spirit, now he had avowed his true ori

he same who attempted the life of Captain de Haldimar. To Captain de Haldimar himself, should Providence have spared his days, I shall leave the melancholy task of bearing witness to all I here advance, when I shall be no more. Nay, Sir," and his look partook at once of mingled scorn and despondency, "well do I know the fate that awaits me; for in these proceedings-in that third charge-I plainly read my death-warrant. But what, save my poor and wretched wife, have I to regret? Colonel de Haldimar," he continued, with a vehemence meant to check the growing we

en to such language from a private soldier? You will do well, Sir, to exercise your prerogative, an

the most profound and absorbing interest to the singular disclosure of him whom they still only kne

do, I have so far forgotten the rules of military discipline as to sink for a moment the soldier in the gentleman; but to be taxed with an unworthy

ain Blessington, perceiving the restlessness with which the govern

h which he stands charged? Captain Blessington, this is trifling with the court, who are assembled to try the p

one can reflect dishonour on my memory, it is for the wisdom of this court to determine whether that evidence is to be credited in opposition to the solemn declaration of him, who, in admitting one charge, equally affecting his life with the others, repudiates as foul those only which would attaint his honour. Gentlemen," h

s of the court, two or three slips of written paper were passed to the President. He gla

a man of the company at his (Captain de Haldimar's) side; and then, with evident rage at having been defeated in his aim, he took a pistol from his belt, and advancing with rapid strides to within a few paces of his intended victim, presented it in the most deliberate manner. At that moment, gentlemen, (and it was but the work of a moment,) a thousand confused and almost inexplicable feelings rose to my heart. The occasion I had long sought was at length w

tion, of which I had long since tutored myself to forget even the use. But what principally afforded me pleasure, was to remark the consolations which she tendered to my poor drooping Ellen, who, already more than half subdued by the melancholy change in our condition in life, frequently spent hours together in silent grief at the side of my couch, and watching every change in my countenance with all the intense anxiety of one who feels the last stay on earth is about to be se

d to my wife and myself, by the family of Colonel de Haldimar; and my captain, knowing me merely as the simple and low born Frank Halloway, although still the preserver of his life, has been unceasing in his exertions to obtain such promotion as he thought my conduct generally, independently of my devotedness to his person, might claim. How these applications were met, gentlemen, I have already stated; but notwithstanding Colonel de Haldimar has never deemed me worthy of the promotion solicited, that circumstance could in no way weaken my regard and attachment for him who had so often demanded it. How then, in the name of heaven, can a charge so improbable, so ext

n de Haldimar's servant, Donellan, then in the act of carrying some things from his master's apartment to the guard-room. I called to him, to say the sentinel at the gate wished to see the captain of the guard immediately. In the course of a few minutes he came up to my post, when I told him what I had heard. At that moment, the voice again repeated his name, when he abruptly left me and turned to the left of the gate, evidently on his way to the rampart. Soon afterwards I heard Captain de Haldimar immediately above me, sharply calling out 'Hist, hist!' as if the person on the outside, despairing of success, was in the act of retreating. A moment or two of silence succeeded, when a low conversation

Captain de Haldimar, however, declared he well knew the governor would not accord that permission, unless he was positively acquainted with the nature and extent of the danger to be apprehended; and of these, he said, he was not himself sufficiently aware. All argument of this nature proving ineffectual, he attempted to enforce his authority

erhaps, who nursed you in illness, and who has ever treated your wife with attention and kindness,-all these depend upon your compliance with my request. 'Hear me,' he pursued, following up the impression which he clearly perceived he had produced in me by this singular and touching language: 'I promise to be back within the hour; there is no danger attending my departure, and here will I be before you are relieved from your post; no

fuse to him, whose life I had saved, and whose character I so much esteemed, a boon so earnestly, nay, so imploringly solicited? I acceded to his prayer, intimating, at the same time, if he returned not before another sentinel should relieve me, the discovery of my breach of duty must be made, and my punishment inevitable. His last words, however, were to assure me he should return at the hour he had named, and when I closed the gate upon him it was under the

d by it, evidently made a deep impression on the court, who had listened with undiverted attention to the close. Some conversation again ensued, in a low

ldimar left the fort accompanied by his servan

bserve, in his regimental clothing also, with this difference, tha

onellan having been found murdered in his master's clothes? Was

n any way account for this mysterious fact. When they qu

sident, after glancing at the second slip of paper. "The draw-bridge was evidently not lowered, and there were

on Halloway, for on his hesitation or promptness in replying seemed to attach much of the credit they were disposed

of the iron hooks that support the pullies immediately above the gate

tly glad that an answer so confirmatory of the truth o

his interrogatory from the contents of another slip of paper, which, at the su

ain de Haldimar's departure, he never once made any direct allusion to the manner of his return; nor did it o

sing the president, "the rope still remains. Mr.

and soon afterwards returned, stating not only that there was n

e, than from the shame he felt at having been detected in a supposed falsehood. He however speedily recovered his self-posse

isoner's statement, and his look seemed to express to the court it should also arrive, and without hesitation, at the same conclusion. Even all authorita

ing his departure, is, you must admit, unsupported by appearances. How happens it the rope is no longer where you say it was pla

ale, the falsehood of which could at once have been detected on an examination such as that which has just been instituted. When Mr. Lawson left this room just now, I fully expected he would have found the rope lying as it had been left. What has become of it, I repeat, I know not; but in the manner I have stated did Captain de Haldimar and Donellan cross the ditch. I have nothing further to add," he concluded once more, drawing up his fine tall person, the nati

, who had been wondering spectators of the scene, to the cell he had so recently occupied. The room was then cleared of the witnesses and strangers, th