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them。　They　had　dragged　Debry；　his　wife；　and　his　daughters　from　the
carriage；　they　were　robbing　and　searching　the　lady　and　the　children；
and　cutting　Jean　Debry　with　their　sabres。

He　dropped　to　the　ground；　his　respiration　ceased；　and　a　convulsive
shudder　passed　through　the　bloody　figure；　and　then　it　lay　cold　and
motionless　in　the　road。

〃Dead！　dead！〃　shouted　the　hussars；　triumphantly。　〃The　three　men　are
killed；　now　for　the　spoils！　The　carriages　are　ours；　with　every　thing
in　them！　Come；　let　us　search　the　fourth　carriage。　We　will　kill　no
more；　we　will　only　seize　the　spoils！〃

And　all　were　shouting　and　exulting；　〃Ho　for　the　spoils！　for　the
spoils！　Every　thing　is　ours！〃　And　the　wild　crowd　rushed　forward；　and
Jean　Debry　lay　motionless；　a　bleeding　corpse　by　the　side　of　the
carriage。

Profound　darkness　enveloped　the　scene　of　horror　and　carnage。　The
torch　had　gone　out；　no　human　eye　beheld　the　corpses　with　their
gaping　wounds。　The　ladies　had　been　taken　into　the　carriages　by　their
servants；　the　hussars　were　engaged　in　plundering　the　three　remaining
carriages；　the　inmates　of　which；　however；　forewarned　in　time　by　the
shrieks　and　groans　that　had　reached　them　from　the　scene　of
Roberjot's　assassination；　had　left　and　fled　across　the　marshy
meadows　to　the　wall　of　the　castle　garden。　Climbing　over　it　and
hastening　through　the　garden；　they　reached　the　city　and　spread
everywhere　the　terrible　tidings　of　the　assassination　of　the
ambassadors。




CHAPTER　XXX。

JEAN　DEBRY。


As　soon　as　the　report　of　the　dreadful　occurrence　had　been
circulated；　a　dense　crowd　gathered　in　the　streets　of　Rastadt；　and
for　the　first　time　for　two　years　the　ambassadors　of　all　the　German
powers　were　animated　by　one　and　the　same　idea；　and　acting　in　concord
and　harmony。　They　repaired　in　a　solemn　procession　to　the　Ettlinger
gate；　headed　by　Count　Goertz　and　Baron　Dohm；　the　others　followed　in
pairs；　Count　Lehrbach；　the　Austrian　ambassador；　being　the　only　one
who　had　not　joined　the　procession。　But　the　guard　at　the　gate　refused
to　let　them　pass；　and　when　they　had　finally　succeeded；　after　long
and　tedious　negotiations；　in　being　permitted　to　leave　the　city；　they
were　met　outside　of　the　gate　by　the　Austrian　Captain　Burkhard　and
his　hussars。

Count　Goertz　went　to　meet　him　with　intrepid　courage。　〃Did　you　hear
that　an　infamous　murder　has　been　perpetrated　on　the　French
ambassadors　not　far　from　the　city？〃

〃I　have　heard　of　it；〃　said　the　captain；　shrugging　his　shoulders。

〃And　what　steps　have　you　taken　in　order　to　save　the　unfortunate
victims；　if　possible？〃

〃I　have　sent　an　officer　and　two　hussars　for　the　purpose　of
ascertaining　the　particulars。〃

〃That　is　not　sufficient；　sir！〃　exclaimed　Count　Goertz。　〃You　must　do
more　than　that；　you　must　strain　every　nerve　on　this　occasion；　for
this　is　not　an　ordinary　murder；　but　your　honor；　sir；　is　at　stake；　as
well　as　the　honor　of　your　monarch　and　the　honor　of　the　German
nation！〃

〃The　honor　of　the　German　nation　is　at　stake；〃　shouted　the
ambassadors；　unanimously。　〃Our　honor　has　been　sullied　by　the
assassination！〃

But　the　captain　remained　cold　and　indifferent。　〃It　is　a　deplorable
misunderstanding；〃　he　said。　〃It　is　true；　the　patrols　were　going　the
rounds　at　night；　and　such　things　may　occur　at　this　time。　The　French
ministers　should　not　have　set　out　by　night。　The　crime　has　been
committed；　and　who　is　to　blame　for　it？　It　was　not　done　by　anybody's
order。〃　＇Footnote：　The　literal　reply　of　Captain　Burkhard。Vide
〃Report　of　the　German　Ambassadors　concerning　the　Assassination　of
the　French　Ministers　near　Rastadt。〃＇

〃Who　would　deem　it　possible　that　such　an　outrage　should　have　been
committed　by　order　of　any　commanding　officer？〃　exclaimed　Count
Goertz；　indignantly。

〃Ah；　yes；　an　outrage　indeed！〃　said　Burkhard；　shrugging　his
shoulders。　〃A　few　ambassadors　have　been　killed。　A　few　of　our
generals；　too；　were　killed　during　the　last　few　years。〃＇Footnote：
Ibid。＇

Count　Goertz　turned　to　the　other　ambassadors　with　an　air　of　profound
indignation。　〃You　see；〃　he　said；　〃we　need　not　hope　for　much
assistance　here；　let　us　seek　it　elsewhere。　Let　some　of　us　repair　in
person　to　Colonel　Barbaczy's　headquarters　at　Gernsbach；　while　the
rest　of　us　will　go　to　the　spot　where　the　murders　were　committed。　If
the　captain　here　declines　giving　us　an　escort　for　that　purpose；　we
shall　repair　thither　without　one；　and　if　we　should　lose　our　lives　by
so　doing；　Germany　will　know　how　to　avenge　us！〃

〃I　will　give　you　an　escort；〃　said　Burkhard；　somewhat　abashed　by　the
energetic　bearing　of　the　count。

While　the　ambassadors　were　negotiating　with　the　captain　at　the
Ettlinger　gate；　the　hussars　were　incessantly　engaged　in　plundering
the　six　carriages。　After　finishing　the　first　three　carriages；　they
ordered　the　ladies　and　servants　to　reenter　them　and　to　await　quietly
and　silently　what　further　would　be　done　in　relation　to　them。　No　one
dared　to　offer　any　resistanceno　one　was　strong　enough　to　oppose
them。　Dismay　had　perfectly　paralyzed　and　stupefied　all　of　them。
Madame　Debry　lay　in　her　carriage　with　open；　tearless　eyes；　and
neither　the　lamentations　nor　the　kisses　of　her　daughters　were　able
to　arouse　her　from　her　stupor。　Madame　Roberjot　was　wringing　her
hands；　and　amidst　heart…rending　sobs　she　was　wailing　all　the　time；
〃They　have　hacked　him　to　pieces　before　my　eyes！〃　＇Footnote：　〃I　ls
l'ont　hache　devant　mes　yeux！〃Lodiacus；　vol。　iii。；　p。　195。＇

No　one　paid　any　attention　to　the　corpses　lying　with　their　gaping
wounds　in　the　adjoining　ditch。　Night　alone　covered　them　with　its
black　pall；　night　alone　saw　that　Jean　Debry　all　at　once　commenced
stirring　slightly；　that　he　opened　his　eyes　and　raised　his　head　in
order　to　find　out　what　was　going　on　around　him。　With　the　courage　of
despair　he　had　been　playing　the　role　of　a　motionless　corpse　as　long
as　the　hussars　were　in　his　neighborhood；　and　now　that　he　no　longer
heard　any　noise　in　his　vicinity；　it　was　time　for　him　to　think　of
saving　himself。

He　remained　in　a　sitting　position　in　the　ditch　and　listened。　His
head　was　so　heavy　that　he　had　not　sufficient　strength　to　hold　it
erect；　it　dropped　again　upon　his　breast；　from　a　burning；　painful
wound　the　blood　was　running　over　his　face　into　his　mouth；　and　it　was
the　only　cooling　draught　for　his　parched　lips。　He　wanted　to　raise
his　arm　in　order　to　close　this　wound　and　to　stanch　the　blood；　but
the　arm　fell　down　by　his　side；　heavy　and　lame；　and　he　then　felt　that
it　was　likewise　severely　injured。

And　yet；　bleeding　and　hacked　as　he　was；　he　was　alive；　and　it　was
time　for　him　to　think　of　preserving　his　life。　For　over　yonder；　in
the　carriage；　there　resounded　the　wail　of　his　children；　and　the
lamentations　of　his　servants。　His　wife's　voice；　however；　he　did　not
hear。　Was　she　not　there？　Had　she　also　been　assassinated？

He　dared　not　inquire　for　her　at　this　moment。　He　had　to　save　himself；
and　he　was　determined　to　do　it。

He　arose　slowly；　and　heedless　of　the　pain　it　caused　him。　Every　thing
around　him　remained　silent。　No　one　had　seen　him　rise；　night　with　its
black　pall　protected　him。　It　protected　him　now　as　he　walked　a　few
steps　toward　the　forest；　closely　adjoining　the　highway。　At　length　he
reached　the　forest；　and　the　shades　of　darkness　and　of　the　woods
covered　the　tall；　black　form　that　now　disappeared　in　the　thicket。

But　his　enemies　might　be　lurking　for　him　in　this　thicket。　Every　step
forward　might　involve　him　in　fresh　dangers。　Exhausted　and　in
despair；　Jean　Debry　supported　his　tottering　body　against　a　tree；　the
sturdy　trunk　of　which　he　encircled　with　his　arms。　This　tree　was　now
his　only　protector；　the　only　friend　on　whom　he　could　rely。　To　this
tree　alone　he　determined　to　intrust　his　life。

Heedless　of　his　wounded　arm　and　the　racking　pains　of　his　other
injuries；　Jean　Debry　climbed　the　knotty　trunk；　seizing　a　large
branch；　he　raised　himself　from　bough　to　bough。　A　few　birds；　aroused
from　their　slumbers；　arose　from　the　foliage　and　flitted　away。　Jean
Debry　followed　them　with　his　eyes；　and　whispered；　〃You　will　not
betray　me！〃

On　the　highest　bough；　in　the　densest　foliage；　he　sat　down；　gasping
with　exhaustion；　and　groaning　with　pain。　In　his　utter　prostration
after　the　extraordinary　effort　he　had　just　made；　he　leaned　his　head
against　the　trunk　of　the　tree；　the　dense　branches　of　which　closely
enveloped　him；　and　gave　a　roof　to　his　head　and　a　resting…place　to
his　feet。

〃Here　I　am　safehere　no　one　will　look　for　me！〃　he　muttered；　and　he
fell　asleep；　prostrated　by　his　sufferings　and　loss　of　blood。

Night　with　its　dark　mantle　covered　him　up　and　fanned　his　feverish
brow　with　its　cooling　air：　the　foliage　of　the　tree　laid　itself　soft
and　fresh　around　his　burning　cheeks；　and　delightful　dreams　descended
from　heaven　to　comfort　this　poor；　tormented　human　soul。

After　several　hours　of　invigorating　sleep；　Jean　Debry　was　awakened；
not；　however；　by　the　rude　hands　of　men；　but　heaven　itself　aroused
him　by　the　torrents　of　a　heavy　shower。

Oh；　how　refreshing　were　these　cold　drops　for　his　parched　lips！　How
gently　did　this　soft　and　tepid　water　wash　the　blood　and　dust　from
his　wounds！　How　delightfully　did　it　bathe　his　poor　benumbed　limbs！

He　felt　greatly　invigorated；　and　courageously　determined　to　make
further　efforts　for　the　preservation　of　his　life。　He　slowly　glided
down　from　the　tree　and　stood　once　more　on　the　ground。

The　shower　was　constantly　on　the　increase；　and　the　rain　became　now；
at　daybreak；　Jean　Debry's　protector。　When　men　forsake　their　poor；
tormented　fellow…beings；　Nature　takes　pity　on　them　and　encircles
them　with　her　saving　and　protecting　maternal　arms。

The　rain　protected　Jean　Debry；　it　washed　the　dust　and　blood　from　his
garments；　and　made　him　resemble　the　other　men　who　had　gathered　in　a
large　crowd　on　the　road；　not　far　from　where　he　emerged　from　the
forest。　All　of　them　were　looking　with　pale　faces　and　expressions　of
unbounded　horror　at　some　objects　lying　in　their　midst。　What　was　it
that　rendered　this　crowd；　generally　so　noisy　and　turbulent；　to…day
so　silent　and　grave？

Jean　Debry　penetrated　further　into　their　midst；　and　he　discovered
now　with　a　shudder　what　riveted　the　attention　of　the　vast　gathering
on　the　road。

He　beheld　the　bloody　and　mutilated　corpses　of　his　two　friendsthe
dead