Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine — Volume 55, No. 340, February, 1844. Various
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The repast was a silent one; I did not dine comfortably myself, for I had a sort of feeling that the catastrophe was approaching, and that made me uneasy.
"'You will excuse me for leaving you,' said the captain, when dinner was over; 'but I must go and take measures for our safety. I would advise you not to undress, M. Louet, for we may have to make a sudden move, and it is well to be ready.'
"The lieutenant conducted me to my apartment, and wished me good-night with great politeness. As he left the room, however, I heard that he double-locked the door. I had nothing better to do than to throw myself on my bed, which I did; but for some hours I found it impossible to sleep, on account of the anxieties and unpleasant thoughts that tormented me. At last I fell into a troubled slumber.
"I do not know how long it had lasted, when I was awakened by being roughly shaken.
"'Subito! subito!' cried a voice.
"'What is the matter?' said I, sitting up on the bed.
"'Non capisco, seguir me!' cried the bandit.
"'And where am I to seguir you?' said I, understanding that he told me to follow him.
"'Avanti! Avanti!'
"'May I take my bass?' I asked.
"The man made sign in the affirmative, so I put my beloved instrument on my back, and told him I was ready to follow him. He led me through several corridors and down a staircase; then, opening a door, we found ourselves in the park. Day was beginning to dawn. After many turnings and windings, we entered a copse or thicket, in the depths of which was the opening of a sort of grotto, where one of the robbers was standing sentry. They pushed me into this grotto. It was very dark, and I was groping about with extended arms, when somebody grasped my hand. I was on the point of crying out; but the hand that held mine was too soft to be that of a brigand.
"'M. Louet!' said a whispering voice, which I at once recognized.
"'What is the meaning of all this, Mademoiselle?' asked I, in the same tone.
"'The meaning is, that they are surrounded by a regiment, and Ernest is at the head of it.'
"'But why are we put into this grotto?'
"'Because it is the most retired place in the whole park, and consequently the one least likely to be discovered. Besides there is a door in it, which communicates probably with some subterraneous passage leading into the open country.'
"Just then we heard a musket shot.
"'Bravo!' cried Zephyrine; 'it is beginning.'
"There was a running fire, then a whole volley.
"'Mademoiselle,' said I, 'it appears to me to be increasing very much.'
"'So much the better,' answered she.
"She was as brave as a lioness, that young girl. For my part I acknowledge I felt very uncomfortable. But it appears I was doomed to witness engagements both by land and sea.
"'The firing is coming nearer,' said Zephyrine.
"'I am afraid so, Mademoiselle,' answered I.
"'On the contrary, you ought to be delighted. It is a sign that the robbers are flying.'
"'I had rather they fled in another direction.'
"There was a loud clamour, and cries as if they were cutting one another's throats, which, in fact, they were. The shouts and cries were mingled with the noise of musketry, the sound of the trumpets, and roll of the drum. There was a strong smell of powder. The fight was evidently going on within a hundred yards of the grotto.
"Suddenly there was a deep sigh, then the noise of a fall, and one of the sentries at the mouth of the cave came rolling to our feet. A random shot had struck him, and as he just fell in, a ray of light which entered the grotto, we were able to see him writhing in the agonies of death. Mademoiselle Zephyrine seized my hands, and I felt that she trembled violently.
"'Oh, M. Louet.' said she, 'it is very horrible to see a man die!'
"At that moment we heard a voice exclaiming—'Stop, cowardly villain! Wait for me!'
"'Ernest!' exclaimed Zephyrine. 'It is the voice of Ernest!'
"As she spoke the captain rushed in, covered with blood.
"'Zephyrine!' cried he, 'Zephyrine, where are you?'
"The sudden change from the light of day to the darkness of the cave, prevented him from seeing us. Zephyrine made me a sign to keep silence. After remaining for a moment as if dazzled, his eyes got accustomed to the darkness. He bounded towards us with the spring of a tiger.
"'Zephyrine, why don't you answer when I call? Come!'
"He seized her arm, and began dragging her towards the door at the back of the grotto.
"'Where are you taking me?' cried the poor girl.
"'Come with me—come along!'
"'Never!' cried she, struggling.
"'What! You won't go with me?'
"'No; why should I? I detest you. You carried me off by force. I won't follow you. Ernest, Ernest, here!'
"'Ernest!' muttered the captain. 'Ha! 'Tis you, then, who betrayed us?'
"'M. Louet!' cried Zephyrine, 'if you are a man, help me!'
"I saw the blade of a poniard glitter. I had no weapon, but I seized my bass by the handle, and, raising it in the air, let it fall with such violence on the captain's skull, that the back of the instrument was smashed in and the bandit's head disappeared in the interior of the bass. Either the violence of the blow, or the novelty of finding his head in a bass, so astonished the captain that he let go his hold of Zephyrine, at the same time uttering a roar like that of a mad bull.
"'Zephyrine! Zephyrine!' cried a voice outside.
"'Ernest!' answered the young girl, darting out of the grotto.
"I followed her, terrified at my own exploit. She was already clasped in the arms of her lover.
"'In there,' cried the young officer to a party of soldiers who just then came up. 'He is in there. Bring him out, dead or alive.'
"They rushed in, but the broken bass was all they found. The captain had escaped by the other door.
"On our way to the house we saw ten or twelve dead bodies. One was lying on the steps leading to the door.
"'Take away this carrion,' said Ernest.
"Two soldiers turned the body over. It was the last of the Beaumanoirs.
"We remained but a few minutes at the house, and then Zephyrine and myself got into a carriage and set off, escorted by M. Ernest and a dozen men. I did not forget to carry off my hundred crowns, my fowling-piece, and game-bag. As to my poor bass, the captain's head had completely spoiled it.
"After an hour's drive, we came in sight of a large city with an enormous dome the middle of it. It was Rome.
"'And did you see the Pope, M. Louet?'
"'At that time he was at Fontainbleau, but I saw him afterwards, and his successor too; for M. Ernest got me an appointment as bass-player at the Teatro de la Valle, and I remained there till the year 1830. When I at last returned to Marseilles, they did not know me again, and for some time refused to give me back my place in the orchestra, under pretence that I was not myself.'
"'And Mademoiselle Zephyrine?'
"'I heard that she married M. Ernest, whose other name I never knew, and that he became a general, and she a very great lady."
"'And Captain Tonino? Did you hear nothing more of him?'
"'Three years afterwards he came to the theatre in disguise; was recognised, arrested, and hung.'
"'And