The Cossacks having divided, and gone in pursuit of the French, I
pointed out to Cross a hotel, and requested him to help me there. As we
crossed the square, strewed with the dead and wounded, we passed close
to General Moraud, who was breathing his last.
"See, Cross," said I, "there is retribution. He intended that we should
fall where he now lies."
The general recognised us, gave a heavy groan, and, turning on his back,
fell dead.
As soon as I gained the hotel, I was taken up into a room, and made as
comfortable as I could be until my wound could be dressed.
"We're well out of it this time, sir," said Cross.
"Yes, indeed, Bob; this has indeed been a miraculous preservation, and
we ought to thank Heaven for it."
"Why, Captain Keene, I thought just now you did not care whether you
lived or died."
"No more I did at that time, Cross; but when we are so wonderfully
preserved, we cannot think but that we are preserved for better things;
and as Providence has interfered, it points out to us that it is our
duty to live."
"Well, I'm glad to hear you say that, sir. There's all the troops
coming back. What queer-looking chaps they are, with their long lances
and long beards!"
"Yes; they are Cossacks--Russian irregular cavalry."
"Irregular enough I don't doubt; but they spitted the French men nicely.
They look exactly what I thought the Pope of Rome was like."
"Cross, call the master of the hotel, and tell him to come here." When
the man came, I desired him to let the commander of the allied troops
know that an English captain was wounded, and required surgical
assistance. The master of the hotel went to the burgomaster, who was
one of those who had been ordered to be shot; and the burgomaster, who
was now in company with the Russian commander, made known what I
required. In about an hour a surgeon came, and my wound was dressed.
The burgomaster called soon afterwards, and expressed his obligation to
me. "For," said he, "if you had not created the delay--which you did by
your resistance--it would have been all over with us by this time."
"You have to thank a Dutch naval officer of the name of Vangilt,"
replied I; "it is he who saved us all; and if he is not hurt, you must
be kind to him, and bring him to me. I will get him his parole, if he
is a prisoner. Will you see to it, burgomaster?"
"I will," replied he, "as soon as we are a little more tranquil; but,
what with fright and confusion, none of us know what we are about. You
were right, sir, in persuading us to defend ourselves. We might easily
have beaten off the small force of General Moraud; but we thought he had
ten thousand men, at least. We will do better another time; but the
French are now in full retreat everywhere."
That night, after dusk, Captain Vangilt came into my room: he had been a
prisoner; but the burgomaster made inquiries, and let him out, which, as
chief magistrate, he had the power to do. Vangilt embraced me with much
warmth, and expressed his regret that he could not persuade that wretch,
Moraud, from his murderous intentions.
"It came to the same thing, Vangilt. I owe you my life; for if you had
not created the delay, we should have been shot."
"That's true," replied he. "How fortunate it was, that, as my squadron
of gun-boats were destroyed, I consented to join Moraud with what men I
could collect, to surprise the town. Are you badly wounded?"
"No, not seriously, I believe; I hope to be able to get to Hamburg in a
few days."
"There is more than one there who will be delighted to see you."
"Is Mr Vanderwelt alive and well?"
"Oh yes; and Minnie, my pretty cousin, is still unmarried." Vangilt
smiled as he made this reply.
"I must ask for your parole, Vangilt, and then you can go to Hamburg
with us."
"With all my heart," replied he; "for we are tired of war, and as I am a
Dutchman and not a Frenchman, I care little for the reverses we have met
with; all I hope is, that Holland may become a kingdom again, and not a
French state, as it is now."
The next day, I was visited by the Russian commandant, who very
willingly granted me the parole of Vangilt. In a week I was well enough
to travel by slow journeys to Hamburg, lying on mattresses in a small
covered waggon, and escorted by Cross and Vangilt. A few hours before
my arrival, Vangilt went ahead to give notice of my coming, and on the
evening of the second day I found myself in a luxurious chamber, with
every comfort, in the company of Mr Vanderwelt, and with the beaming
eyes of Minnie watching over me.
The report of Minnie's beauty was fully warranted. When she first made
her appearance, the effect upon me was quite electrical: her style was
radiant, and almost dazzling--a something you did not expect to find in
the human countenance. Their reception of me was all that I could
desire; their affection shown towards me, their anxiety about my wound,
and joy at once more having me under their roof, proved that I had not
been forgotten. After a short time, Vangilt left the room, and I
remained on the sofa, one hand in the grasp of Mr Vanderwelt, the other
holding the not unwilling one of Minnie. That evening I made known to
them all that had taken place since I last wrote to them, winding up
with the loss of my frigate, the death of Lord de Versely, and my
subsequent capture and rescue.
"And so it was in attempting to come and see us that you were wounded
and nearly murdered?"
"Yes, Minnie; I had long been anxious to see you, and could not help
availing myself of the first opportunity."
"Thank God you are here at last," said Mr Vanderwelt, "and that there
is now every prospect of a conclusion to the war."
"And you won't go to sea any more--will you, Percival?" said Minnie.
"They won't give me a ship, Minnie, after having lost the one I
commanded; to be unfortunate is to be guilty, in those who have no
interest."
"I'm very glad to hear it; then you'll remain quietly on shore, and you
will come and see us."
As I had been rendered feverish by travelling, and my wound was a little
angry, as soon as it was dressed for the night, they left me to repose;
but that I could not--the form of Minnie haunted me; to sleep was
impossible, and I lay thinking of her till day dawned. The fact was,
that I was for the first time in love, and that in no small degree--
before morning I was desperately so. Indeed, there was excuse
sufficient, for Minnie was as winning in her manners as she was lovely
in her person, and I was not at all surprised at hearing from Vangilt of
the numerous suitors for her hand.