rection were they to cross the Rubicon | black eyes, full of fire, his firm and sonoThey could not revolt in the abstract; and rous mode of speaking, and, above all, his every individual mode suggested to them wound, from which he still limped a little, seemed fraught with impossibilities of its had long made him a highly interesting own. The notion of assembling in the personage for those amongst us who had middle of a plain, and declaring war against heard speak of his exploits.' He received the government, was soon rejected by the the deputation rather coldly at first; but as wildest. There were enough soldiers in soon as he was convinced of their real chathe neighbourhood to have eaten them all racter and intentions, he accepted their up bodily; and even when the bulk of these offer, gave them his full confidence, and had been drafted off to attend the emperor offered to communicate on their behalf to Waterloo, it was deemed prudent to with the superior council of which he was steal a march upon their enemies. It was a member. proposed to begin by a night attack on a neighbouring fort, garrisoned only by a few veterans, where they expected to find arms and ammunition enough to supply both their own body and the auxiliaries who were sure to be attracted by their success. A leader, however, was indispensable, and they fixed on their friend, the Gascon officer, as the finest person for the post. The same lad who had excited his sympathy was commissioned to make the offer; and unbounded, as may be imagined, was the officer's astonishment. They returned overjoyed, and the news of their reception diffused a general feeling of hilarity; but three mortal weeks passed away in the agony of hope deferred, and no summons to action arrived from the château. The chevalier was as impatient as his troop, but he felt the folly of acting until the general movement had been combined. The hour arrived at last, precipitated by the indiscretion of the authorities. It was ascertained that forty or fifty of the more active students had been proscribed, and were to be shipped off as conscripts to the colonies. This made further delay impossible; and the Wednesday fol He remained at first utterly confounded, not with horror, which would have been more accord-lowing the receipt of the intelligence was ing to rule, but rather with admiration and pity; pity for our youth, and admiration at our audacity. Without affecting to be hurt at our doubts of his fidelity, he replied, with equal mildness and frankness, that he was bound to the 'cause which we wished to combat by recollections he would never disown, and vows no temptation should induce him to violate. "You have done wrong," he added, in faltering accents, "to make me this confidence: you ought to know that, in not denouacing you, I not only betray my duty but expose myself to be ignominiously shot at the head of my regiment. Never mind; you have nothing to fear from me, except upon the field of battle, where I shall have to execute the orders of my commander." So ended their hopes in that quarterand no wonder they were puzzled on whom to fix them next, considering the qualities they demanded in a general: We required that he should be at the same time enthusiastic and experienced; that he should have the heart warm and the head cool; and above all that he should have a soul sufficiently elevated to tell by our accent alone that we were not traitors.' They found one, notwithstanding, in the Chevalier de Margadel, the occupier of a neighbouring château, who had served with honour in the wars of La Vendée, and had commenced his military career in much the same manner in which they were anxious to commence theirs :-'His martial air, his almost gigantic stature, his large fixed for their departure. It is an affecting part of the story, that, the grand point once decided, the first place of resort was the confessional. They thus prepared to meet death; and after receiving plenary absolution at the hands of their spiritual fathers, who necessarily became acquainted with the plot, they held a meeting in the loft of an obscure house, for the purpose of taking an oath of fidelity. They here, one and all, swore never to make terms with the usurpation, and to die rather than abandon their comrades. Some traits of boyish fun or malice contrast curiously with these grave solemnities. Many students in rhetoric converted their allotted tasks in composition into bitter philippics against their professor, and actually placed them in his hands, at the risk of compromising the success of the undertaking at the last moment. At length the college clock struck four, the signal for each to make the best of his way to the place of rendezvous beyond the walls. In the course of the next three hours all of them managed to steal out unobserved. It was no business of the elderly ladies with whom they boarded to reveal their suspicions, and the alarm was not given until the next morning, when great was the surprise of the professors and almost ungovernable the rage of the garrison. It had been arranged that they should suddenly upon a valley where the main body of Chouans was encamped. Here the young auxiliaries are received with the warmest sympathy, and though occasional misgivings are almost involuntarily express act in concert with the principal body of Breton Royalists, now organized under General de Sol de Grisolles; and to effect a diversion in his favour, a party of the youngest and worst-armed of the students were directed to leave the rest, and showed on the score of their tender years, these themselves in a different quarter, where they might be mistaken for an independent force. This manoeuvre was entrusted to an aspirant for the priesthood, named Quellec, who was suffering from a dangerous malady, requiring the greatest care. A la garde de Dieu!' was his exclamation as he tore a blister off his breast before his pitying and admiring comrades. only serve to make them pant the more eagerly for an opportunity of verifying the maxim expressed in their favourite couplet from Corneille. They did not wait long. The very day after the junction they learnt that a strong column had left Auray in search of them, crying Mort aux Chouans,' and promising to return shortly each with one of the scélérats at the point of his bayonet. An attempt at surprise was disconcerted by the vigilance of the Chouans, but an action was inevitable, and their dispositions were made accordingly. In the front, heading two or three hundred peasants, marched Gamber, a Chouan The main party assembled at M. de Margadel's château, where a beautiful little girl of fifteen, his daughter, put them in their own eyes on a level with the preux chevaliers of the best age of chivalry, by adorning them with cockades made with her own fair hands. During the perform-chief of reputation and experience. Promotance of this ceremony, the sun was shining as he shone at Austerlitz, and they began their march in the highest possible spirits, which were not diminished by finding smiling faces, a good supper, and good beds at the château where they halted for the night. But the morning had hardly broke when they were obliged to prepare in good earnest for the hardships and dangers of the field. Their supper had been interrupted by the arrival of an express to say that a hostile detachment was approaching, and the two youngest of the band were immediately posted on the look-out about a musket-shot from the château : One of them, Emile Rado, had hardly attained ed to the rank of brigade-general during the required age, and had not figured in the ceremony of the oath; but he was bound to us by a tie equally sacred to him, the family recollections which had marked out for him beforehand the line he had to take: his maternal grandmother had perished by the guillotine, as guilty of having given birth to two emigrant sons, and her daughter imprisoned with her was on the point of undergoing the same fate. She had related to her son all the details of this lamentable history; and now the turn of this son was come. His comrade,' [the author] 'nearly of the same age, had nearly the same wrongs: the republican The battle began by a close and unexsteel had struck down the head of his grand-pected fire upon the part of the line in father, threatened that of his father, and grazed which the students were posted. The Blues the neck of his mother. And all these unatonedfor crimes came back upon us on seeing the were concealed by the nature of the ground, members of the revolutionary tribunals who had and suffered their opponents to approach ordered them re-appear upon the political stage.' within pistol-shot before they fired. The student who commanded the advanced They watched all night in vain, but with- guard, though he had received a severe in an hour after they had been relieved, the wound and saw his friends falling round enemy was upon them in overwhelming him, continued to give his orders, leaning force, and the utmost they could do was on his carbine, with a coolness which into make their escape into the woods. Afspired his little party with fresh confidence, tor some hours of wandering they came and they gallantly returned the fire. Gam threatened all who talked to him of con ber and the other leaders hastened to take in him, and hardly regards as his equal the part in the combat, which raged with great credulous countryman who goes to demand of fury for about twenty minutes. The young-God, by an intercession deemed all-powerful, the er Cadoudal (the son of George) was seen strength necessary to endure wretchedness and fighting at the head of his division with no pardon injuries. There were many of these rea other weapon than a club, and as none of help feeling a malicious pleasure at seeing the soners amongst our captives, and we could not the royalists had above ten or a dozen car- amazement into which they were thrown by our tridges at the utmost, they were all obliged to them incomprehensible generosity.' to come to close quarters without delay. Determined not to throw away a shot, they rushed up to the This spirit of piety, which had made the teeth of their enemies, very and seldom fired till their muskets were on wards neglected by the Chouan leaders. Vendeans so long invincible, was afterthe point of crossing. This desperate mode The peasants were more than once shocked of fighting confounded the Blues, who at length gave way; but the conquerors were by being compelled to march on a day set too much crippled to follow up the victory, apart for the services of religion, and M. and most of those who attempted a pursuit Rio complains that their only attendant were checked by the wish to possess them- chaplain was a kind of Friar Tuck, who selves of the muskets and cartridge-boxes of fession before a battle with the handle of the slain. As for old Gamber, his strength his umbrella or his fist, and, with a bottle of failed after a quarter of an hour's chase, and he was found seated on a rising ground, with feet naked, breast bare, and face inundated with perspiration and tears of rage, groaning over the impotence to which his infirmities had reduced him, and hardly caAfter a short time spent in collecting pable of being consoled by the victory. Redon. The students requested to be alarms, it was resolved to attack the town of The General of the Blues was taken, and ex-lowed to form the advance-guard, but the pected to be put to death immediately. On his tremblingly asking Cadoudal what they ground that the young blood destined to perilous honour was refused to them, on the intended to do with him- There is only recruit the priesthood should be spared. one thing for us to do,' was the reply to They were notwithstanding the first to ensend you home; but tell me frankly, if you ter the place amidst a shower of balls from had been the conquerors, would you have treated us in the same manner?' 'It was the houses, upon which the main body of my intention,' rejoined the other, casting horrors of the ensuing night are thus down his eyes-- but I dare not say it would have been in my power. His portrayed by M. Rio: wounds were dressed with the greatest care by the Chevalier de Margadel, who only so far indulged his triumph as to repeat these brandy in one pocket to balance the bre- the defenders retreated to the tower. The 'During the whole of this long night the intervals of silence were short and rare. Although we were under cover from their shots, they kept firing in all directions wherever the light and the Des dieux que nous servons connais la différ-noise led them to suppose there were Chouans. verses from Alzire : ence: Sometimes they appeared to agree to fire to Les tiens t'ont commandé le meurtre et la ven-gether, and then the tower and town-hall were geance; Et le mien, quand ton bras vient de m'assassiner, M'ordonne de te plaindre et de te pardonner.' a momentarily lighted up like furnaces in the midst of darkness, and we roused ourselves with a bound at the sound of these terrible explosions, which we took for the prelude of a sally, and we cried "To arms!" and this cry, repeated by our Their next step was to repair to the neigh- patrols, reaching to a distance in the obscurity, bouring chapel of Saint Anne to offer up came to interrupt the repast of some, the prayer thanksgiving for their victory, and to obtain or the sleep of others; in the uncertainty wheth a renewed absolution from their sins. The without, whether the matter in hand was to reer the danger approached from within or from manner in which this proceeding was pulse the garrison, or make head against a reinviewed by their prisoners calls forth the forcement from Nantes or Rennes, our people following just reflection from M. Rio : ran at all risks towards the spot where there was most noise-made their way as they best might More than one bourgeois philosophe (a char-across dark and cumbered streets, provoking the acter occasionally not less comic than the bour-cries and threats of those who were bearing the geois gentilhomme) believes he adds something litters of the wounded-then, when the alarm to his small stature by loudly expressing the was over, the sleepers and eaters resumed their contempt all these acts of popular piety inspire occupation with so much the more ease from its VOL. LXX. 7 being generally the bare pavement which served ing them, was scandalised by this breach of both for bed and table.' The corps of Gamber slept in their ranks in the main street, sitting back to back with their muskets between their legs. When morning dawned it was found necessary to evacuate the town, the students, with Gamber, gallantly bringing up the rear. They ascertained afterwards that the garrison of the tower could not have held out many hours longer for want of water. Instead of harassing the Chouans in their retreat, their first step was to throw themselves all black and panting into the river. This check had the usual effect of sowing discontent and dissension amongst the unsuccessful party, who loudly accused their General of incapacity-not without reason, for his former sufferings in the cause had fairly worn him out, and he was both bodily and mentally effete. All their hopes were now fixed on the speedy arrival of a discipline: Is this then what you understand by war, and are we come here to grow tender and have attacks of nerves ? What then will come of it when the grapeshot is sweeping us away by the dozen ? Come, face about.' And, pride getting the better of fear and pity, the waverers returned to their ranks, braced instead of shaken by this catastrophe. They were condemned, in the first into watch the result of a battle by which stance, to undergo the severest of trialstheir own fate would be decided, without taking part in it. The enemy made a Cadoudal; and it was not until they were second attempt on the position occupied by again repulsed in this quarter that they assailed that entrusted to the students. Mak ing light of such opponents, they rushed head of the column was half over, they at once upon the bridge; but before the found reason to repent of their rashness. Follow me, my children,' exclaimed Marvessel laden with arms and ammunition that had been promised, and they were foremost dead. His young lieutenant was gadel, and, springing forward, he shot the drawing towards the coast to cover the dis-in the act of taking aim at the second, when embarkation, when their courage was put he received a bullet through the heart, and to the proof under circumstances which fell back into the arms of his brother, who might have shaken the stoutest veterans. Separated from the enemy by a river, instant. This time, however, the nerves was mortally wounded almost at the same they were dispersed through a village and of the band were steeled, and they fought asleep, when a sudden attempt was made under the impulse of a kind of phrenzied to get at them across a bridge. Cadoudal was instantly on the spot with five or six intoxication-rushing, half blinded with smoke and choked with powder, up to the of his best men, and succeeded in checking the advance till the rest of the troops, and not firing till their own very muzzle of their adversaries' muskets, including the students, had got under arms, by the body of an enemy. were stopped but their situation was still precarious in When the fire slackened and the smoke cleared away, the extreme. Gamber was at some disbridge; fortunately for the students, who, the Blues were seen retiring from the by the end of the skirmish, had not above immediate renewal of the attack, they were two cartridges apiece left. Expecting an giving up all for lost, when the white caps of a troop of women appeared in the discame to take care of the wounded-but it tance. It was thought at first that they were loaded with; they brought cartridges was neither lint nor food that their aprons made upon the instant; for the manufacture of which, in default of lead, they had melted their tin cooking utensils.' tance with his battalion, and, though Cadoudal might succeed in making good the defence of the bridge first attempted, there was another at a short distance by which the position might be turned. This post was assigned to the students, and they had not been two minutes upon the ground when the cannon-balls began to fall amongst them. By way of keeping up their spirits, a lad named Le Thiée, the bard of the party, struck up a song of defiance Si jamais le fer d'une lance Me frappe au milieu des combats, There ended his song-a ball shattered his grape The situation of affairs was still most critical. Two cannon were brought to bear upon the students with effect, and under cover of a sustained discharge of shot the enemy's skirmishers were gradually closing in upon them, when the videttes were seen galloping up to the imperial General with all the marks of confusion; and directly afterwards the firing ceased, the wounded were hastily got together, and of Francheville, who on their first joining the Blues appeared in full retreat. The inquired whether the central committee mystery was soon solved by the appear- had provided nurses enough for such numance of old Gamber at the head of 500 bers of children. Still they were destined picked men, who, without a moment's hesi- to undergo one deep mortification. A cargo tation, pushed on to intercept and engage of arms arrived, amongst which were a a force which quadrupled his own. His quantity of light carbines of elegant manuskill was fortunately on a par with his au- facture, looking as if made on purpose for dacity; so able were his dispositions, and them. To these they instantly laid claim; so fiery his onslaught, that in less than five but in vain did they recapitulate their serviminutes the Blues gave way on all sides. ces; in vain did they strip off their jackets The students were unable to second him to exhibit their shoulders, bruised and lacefor want of ammunition, and the chevalier rated by the large clumsy muskets they had very properly refused to expose them to been loaded with; the tempting carbines be charged in their disabled state by a re- were awarded to a newly-formed company serve of cavalry which kept hovering about of decayed gentlemen who had just emergthe ground. They consequently only ar- ed from their hiding-places. But we are rived in time to thank Gamber for his timely anticipating. This disappointment did not succour, and save the wounded from being befall them until they had fought the most plundered. fatal of their fights, the murderous conflict around and in the town of Aury. 'A spectacle entirely new for both conquerThe Chouans were again posted with a ors and conquered then presented itself. Children, whose hearts were choking with suppressriver in their front; but this time there ed tears, protecting veteran soldiers who had were six bridges instead of two, and by a just been killing their comrades! A grenadier strange oversight no one thought of dewith long moustachios, who appeared to suffer stroying them. General Bigarre, the impehorribly since he had been pulled about with a rial commander, came in sight in the afterview to plunder, was doubled up in a puddle of noon; but as his troops were fatigued by a his own blood, his eyes closed, his hands convulsed, and his mouth open, not to cry Mercy! long march, he quartered them for the night but to blaspheme and curse. He believed that in the cloisters of a neighbouring chapel, his executioners were still there, ready to tor- where he shrewdly calculated, the Chouans ture him by new acts of violence. What was would deem it sacrilegious to annoy him by his surprise, on opening his eyes, to see his de- their shot. Gamber himself had no scrufender, whose mild and feminine physiognomy ples of the sort, and proposed to scale the hardly announced fifteen years, putting back the walls, but his opinion was overruled, and curious and ill-disposed with his carbine, and from that moment the old chief gave up tracing around his protégé a magic circle that none of them dared to cross! At this sight the for lost. One of the patrols found him in old soldier burst into tears, and, stammering tears, and inquired if any misfortune had out some words which were no longer curses, befallen him.-'Not yet,' was the reply, he searched his pocket and his pouch as if look-but I weep beforehand for that which caning for a watch or purse to offer to his protector. not fail to befall us to-morrow.' "These brigands"-he exclaimed with a tone of regret rather than reproach-" have left me nothing except this gourd" he added, all radiant with joy when he found it was not empty -"after five hours' fighting you must be both hot and thirsty come, my child, drink to my health: it will do you good, and me too.” Even civil war is softened by such episodes. It is melancholy to be obliged to add, that in the very next engagement this gallant boy was numbered with the dead. One of the youngest, named Leray, being struck by a bullet in the side, began to cry. He had already given proofs of the highest courage, and this indulgence of an instinct congenial to his age,' adds M. Rio, 'by no means diminished our admiration.' Their defence of the bridge made the students the heroes and favourites of the army, and they heard no more sarcastic allusions to their size-such as fell from the sailors all At sunrise Bigarre issued from his quarters, resolved to force his way into Auray before night. The main body of the Chouans were posted directly in his path, but their cannon, on which they mainly relied, had not come up, and one division, that of Secillon, was seized with a panic and fled, whilst their leader tore his hair with rage. 'In his despair he mingled curses with threats, and told Rohu to fire upon them, which he would certainly have done himself if he had had a loaded musket in his hands. With his best men, determined to atone for the defection of their comrades by their bravery, he hastened to place himself alongside of Cadoudal, who fulfilled that day, much more in reality than De Sol, the duties of commander-in-chief, and was himself furious at the delay of the guns, on which he founded his last hope of victory. He had just interrupted, with very little ceremony, the fine compliments of the Marquis de la Boissière, |