-
Articles/Ads
Article A PAGE FROM THE HISTORY OF NAPOLEON.* ← Page 6 of 13 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Page From The History Of Napoleon.*
replied , ' but I possess sufficient influence to again obtain these honourable terms , to save the lives of your men , and procure passports for yourselves ancl your children . ' "' Sh * , ' ansxvered the count gravely , ' the king has not authorised me to capitulate !' " This ansAver Avas sublime . ' Ask these men , ' continued he , ' if they will surrender . I Avill consent upon one single condition . '
"' AVhatis it ?' "' It is , that they send me to the scaffold at once . ' " One cry responded , ' Long live the King !' " The count then showed me his fom' sons . " ' TAVO , ' said he , ' are already members of the association of Gentlemen-at-arms . I carried the tAvo others in my arms to
the foot of the scaffold of my king , ancl there baptised them in the blood of that holy martyr . How then can you expect such persons as ourselves to surrender ? ' " The next clay the fortress Avithstood a terrible assault ; ten soldiers died at their post with a smile on their lips . The folloxving morning , the eldest son of the count Avas killed ancl
ten men with him . They carried the unfortunate young man to the chamber of his mother . The mother knelt , ancl repeated in a soft voice the prayers for the dead , to xvhich her children responded ; then she returned to her occupation of making cartridges . " I xvas at liberty during this time ; I xvent hither ancl thither
in the castle ; I saxv the brave men fall one by one . I folloxved step by step the count and his second son , xxdio fought at all hazards . The third day some cannon arrived for the besiegers . "The count uttered a sigh . 'We can hold out two days less , ' said he .
"I again pressed him to capitulate . 'Sir , ' said he , 'if ever you have the good fortune to see the Icing , tell him , the count of Kervegan died for him , as his ancestors died for his . ' And , as a flash of enthusiasm emitted from my eyes , he simply added , ' It is a tradition in our family ; that is all . ' " The artillery arrived in the evening ; they only xvaited for
the day to bring it into use . " During the night the count desired to speak xvith me . I descended ; he was alone , xvith his xvife and sons . ' Sir , ' said he , 'I have some barrels of gunpoxvder in that isolated toxvcr xi'hich you see on the edge of the moat ; my intention ancl that of the garrison is , to bloxv it up to-morroxv . ' " I recoiled shuddering . " ' You understand , sir , ' continued the count , ' that I do not ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Page From The History Of Napoleon.*
replied , ' but I possess sufficient influence to again obtain these honourable terms , to save the lives of your men , and procure passports for yourselves ancl your children . ' "' Sh * , ' ansxvered the count gravely , ' the king has not authorised me to capitulate !' " This ansAver Avas sublime . ' Ask these men , ' continued he , ' if they will surrender . I Avill consent upon one single condition . '
"' AVhatis it ?' "' It is , that they send me to the scaffold at once . ' " One cry responded , ' Long live the King !' " The count then showed me his fom' sons . " ' TAVO , ' said he , ' are already members of the association of Gentlemen-at-arms . I carried the tAvo others in my arms to
the foot of the scaffold of my king , ancl there baptised them in the blood of that holy martyr . How then can you expect such persons as ourselves to surrender ? ' " The next clay the fortress Avithstood a terrible assault ; ten soldiers died at their post with a smile on their lips . The folloxving morning , the eldest son of the count Avas killed ancl
ten men with him . They carried the unfortunate young man to the chamber of his mother . The mother knelt , ancl repeated in a soft voice the prayers for the dead , to xvhich her children responded ; then she returned to her occupation of making cartridges . " I xvas at liberty during this time ; I xvent hither ancl thither
in the castle ; I saxv the brave men fall one by one . I folloxved step by step the count and his second son , xxdio fought at all hazards . The third day some cannon arrived for the besiegers . "The count uttered a sigh . 'We can hold out two days less , ' said he .
"I again pressed him to capitulate . 'Sir , ' said he , 'if ever you have the good fortune to see the Icing , tell him , the count of Kervegan died for him , as his ancestors died for his . ' And , as a flash of enthusiasm emitted from my eyes , he simply added , ' It is a tradition in our family ; that is all . ' " The artillery arrived in the evening ; they only xvaited for
the day to bring it into use . " During the night the count desired to speak xvith me . I descended ; he was alone , xvith his xvife and sons . ' Sir , ' said he , 'I have some barrels of gunpoxvder in that isolated toxvcr xi'hich you see on the edge of the moat ; my intention ancl that of the garrison is , to bloxv it up to-morroxv . ' " I recoiled shuddering . " ' You understand , sir , ' continued the count , ' that I do not ,