HE PUTS HIMSELF UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF HIS ASSOCIATE, AND STUMBLES UPON
THE FRENCH CAMP, WHERE HE FINISHES HIS MILITARY CAREER.
Nothing else of moment was transacted during that campaign; and in the
winter our adventurer, with the young Count, and his friend the Tyrolese,
were disposed in quarters of cantonment, where Ferdinand made himself
amends for the chagrin he had undergone, by the exercise of those talents
in which he excelled. Not that he was satisfied with the sphere of life
in which he acted; though he knew himself consummate in the art of play,
he was not at all ambitious of a gamester's name; nor did he find himself
disposed to hazard those discoveries and explanations to which heroes of
that class are sometimes necessarily exposed. His aim was to dwell among
the tents of civil life, undisturbed by quarrels and the din of war, and
render mankind subservient to his interest, not by stratagems which
irritate, but by that suppleness of insinuation, which could not fail to
soothe the temper of those on whom he meant to prey.
He saw that all his expectations of Count Melvil's future favour were
connected with his choice of a military life; and that his promotion in
the service would, in a great measure, depend upon his personal behaviour
in such emergencies as he did not at all wish to encounter. On the other
hand, he confided so much in his own dexterity and address, that he never
doubted of being able to rear a splendid fortune for himself, provided he
could once obtain a fixed and firm foundation. He had in fancy often
enjoyed a prospect of England, not only as his native country, to which,
like a true citizen, he longed to be united; but also as the land of
promise, flowing with milk and honey, and abounding with subjects on
which he knew his talents would be properly exercised.
These reflections never occurred, without leaving a strong impression
upon the mind of our adventurer, which influenced his deliberations in
such a manner, as at length amounted to a perfect resolution of
withdrawing himself privately from a service that teemed with
disagreeable events, and of transporting himself into the country of his
ancestors, which he considered as the Canaan of all able adventurers.
But, previous to his appearance on that stage, he was desirous of
visiting the metropolis of France, in which he hoped to improve himself
in the knowledge of men and things, and acquire such intelligence as
would qualify him to act a more important part upon the British scene.
After having for some time indulged these prospects in secret, he
determined to accommodate himself with the company and experience of the
Tyrolese, whom, under the specious title of an associate, he knew he
could convert into a very serviceable tool, in forwarding the execution
of his own projects.
Accordingly, the inclination of this confederate was sounded by distant
hints, and being found apt, our hero made him privy to his design of
decamping without beat of drum; though, at the same time, he begged his
advice touching the method of their departure, that he might retire with
as much delicacy as the nature of such a step would permit. Divers
consultations were held upon this subject, before they adhered to the
resolution of making their escape from the army, after it should have
taken the field in the spring; because, in that case, they would have
frequent opportunities of going abroad on foraging parties, and, during
one of these excursions, might retire in such a manner as to persuade
their companions that they had fallen into the enemy's hands.
Agreeable to this determination, the camp was no sooner formed in Alsace
than our associates began to make preparations for their march, and had
already taken all the previous measures for their departure, when an
accident happened, which our hero did not fail to convert to his own
advantage. This was no other than the desertion of Renaldo's valet, who,
in consequence of a gentle chastisement, which he had richly merited,
thought proper to disappear, after having plundered his master's
portmanteau, which he had forced open for the purpose. Ferdinand, who
was the first person that discovered the theft, immediately comprehended
the whole adventure, and, taking it for granted that the delinquent would
never return, resolved to finish what the fugitive had imperfectly
performed.
Being favoured with the unreserved confidence of the young Count, he
instantly had recourse to his bureau, the locks of which he found means
to burst open, and, examining a private drawer, contrived with great art
to conceal Renaldo's jewels and cash, made himself master of the contents
without hesitation; then cutting open his cloak-bag, and strewing the
tent with his linen and clothes, began to raise his voice, and produce
such a clamour as alarmed the whole neighbourhood, and brought a great
many officers into the tent.
He on this, as on all other occasions, performed his cue to a miracle,
expressing confusion and concern so naturally in his gestures and
exclamation, that no man could possibly suspect his sincerity; nay, to
such a degree of finesse did his cunning amount, that when his friend and
patron entered, in consequence of an intimation he soon received of his
loss, our adventurer exhibited undoubted signs of distraction and
delirium, and, springing upon Renaldo with all the frantic fury of a
bedlamite, "Villain," cried he, "restore the effects you have stole from
your master, or you shall be immediately committed to the care of the
prevot." However mortified M. de Melvil might be at his own misfortune,
the condition of his friend seemed to touch him more nearly; he
undervalued his own loss as a trifle that could be easily repaired; said
everything which he thought would tend to soothe and compose the
agitation of Ferdinand; and finally prevailed upon him to retire to rest.
The calamity was wholly attributed to the deserter; and Renaldo, far from
suspecting the true author, took occasion, from his behaviour on this
emergency, to admire him as a mirror of integrity and attachment; in such
an exquisite manner did he plan all his designs, that almost every
instance of his fraud furnished matter of triumph to his reputation.
Having thus profitably exercised his genius, this subtle politician
thought it high time to relinquish his military expectations, and
securing all his valuable acquisitions about his own person, rode out
with his understrapper, in the midst of fifty dragoons, who went in quest
of forage. While the troopers were employed in making up their trusses,
the two adventurers advanced towards the skirt of a wood, on pretence of
reconnoitring, and the Tyrolese, who undertook to be our hero's guide,
directing him to a path which leads towards Strasburg, they suddenly
vanished from the eyes of their companions, who in a few minutes hearing
the report of several pistols, which the confederates purposely fired,
conjectured that they had fallen in with a party of French, by whom they
were made prisoners of war.
The Tyrolese had overrated his own knowledge when he took upon himself
the charge of conducting our hero; for upon their arrival at a certain
place, where two roads crossed each other, he chanced to follow that
which not only frustrated their intention, but even led them directly to
the French camp; so that, in the twilight, they fell in upon one of the
outguards before they were aware of their mistake.
Whatever confusion and perplexity they might undergo, when they heard
themselves questioned by the sentinel on the advanced post, certain it
is, they betrayed no symptoms of fear or disorder; but while Ferdinand
endeavoured to recollect himself, his fellow-traveller, with the
appearance of admirable intrepidity and presence of mind, told the
soldier that he and his companion were two gentlemen of family, who had
quitted the Austrian army, on account of having sustained some ill-usage,
which they had no opportunity of resenting in any other way, and that
they were come to offer their services to the French general, to whose
quarters they desired to be immediately conveyed.
The sentinel, to whom such an instance of desertion was neither rare, nor
indeed uncommon, directed them without scruple to the next post, where
they found a serjeant's party, from which, at their request, they were
transmitted to the officer of the grand guard, and by him next morning
introduced to Count Coigny, who very politely received them as volunteers
in the army of France. Though this translation was not at all to our
hero's liking, he was forced to acquiesce in his fate, glad to find
himself, on these terms, in possession of his effects, of which he would
otherwise have been infallibly rifled.
This campaign, however, was the most disagreeable period of his whole
life; because the manner in which he had entered into the service
subjected him to the particular observation and notice of the French
officers; so that he was obliged to be very alert in his duty, and summon
all his fortitude to maintain the character he had assumed. What
rendered his situation still more unpalatable, was the activity of both
armies in the course of this season, during which, over and above sundry
fatiguing marches and countermarches, he was personally engaged in the
affair of Halleh, which was very obstinate; where, being in the skirts of
the detachment, he was actually wounded in the face by the sword of an
hussar; but this was, luckily for him, the last time he found himself
under the necessity of exerting his military prowess, for a cessation of
arms was proclaimed before he was cured of his wound, and peace concluded
about the end of the campaign.
During his sojourn in the French camp, he assumed the character of a man
of family, who being disgusted at some supercilious treatment he had met
with in the German service, and at the same time ambitious of carrying
arms under the banners of France, took the opportunity of retreating by
stealth from his friends, accompanied only by one with whom he could
intrust his intention. In this capacity he had managed his matters to
such advantage, that many French officers of rank were very well disposed
to contribute their interest in his behalf, had his inclination verged
towards promotion in the army; but he thought proper to conceal his real
design, under the specious pretext of longing to see the metropolis of
France, that centre of pleasure and politeness, in which he proposed to
spend some time for the improvement of his address and understanding.
These were motives too laudable to be opposed by his new patrons, some of
whom furnished him with letters of recommendation to certain noblemen of
the first rank at the court of Versailles, for which place he and his
companion set out from the banks of the Rhine, very well satisfied with
the honourable dismission they had obtained from a life of inconvenience,
danger, and alarm.