they will make for the coast。 What will your position be then； with
Grouchy between you and the Rhine？〃
〃We shall beat them； Gneisenau； the Duke and I will grind them to
powder between us。 Push on； I say！ The whole war will be ended in
one blow。 Bring Pirsch up； and we can throw sixty thousand men into
the scale while Thielmann holds Grouchy beyond Wavre。〃
Gneisenau shrugged his shoulders； but at that instant an orderly
appeared at the door。
〃An aide…de…camp from the Duke of Wellington；〃 said he。
〃Ha； ha！〃 cried the old man； 〃let us hear what he has to say！〃
An English officer； with mud and blood all over his scarlet jacket；
staggered into the room。 A crimson… stained handkerchief was knotted
round his arm； and he held the table to keep himself from falling。
〃My message is to Marshal Blucher；〃 said he；
〃I am Marshal Blucher。 Go on！ go on！〃 cried the impatient old man。
〃The Duke bade me to tell you； sir； that the British Army can hold its
own and that he has no fears for the result。 The French cavalry has been
destroyed； two of their divisions of infantry have ceased to exist； and only
the Guard is in reserve。 If you give us a vigorous support the defeat will
be changed to absolute rout and〃 His knees gave way under him and he
fell in a heap upon the floor。
〃Enough！ enough！〃 cried Blucher。 〃Gneisenau； send an aide…de…
camp to Wellington and tell him to rely upon me to the full。 Come on；
gentlemen； we have our work to do！〃 He bustled eagerly out of the room
with all his staff clanking behind him； while two orderlies carried the
English messenger to the care of the surgeon。
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Gneisenau； the Chief of the Staff； had lingered behind for an instant；
and he laid his hand upon one of the aides… de…camp。 The fellow had
attracted my attention； for I have always a quick eye for a fine man。 He
was tall and slender； the very model of a horseman； indeed； there was
something in his appearance which made it not unlike my own。 His face
was dark and as keen as that of a hawk； with fierce black eyes under thick；
shaggy brows； and a moustache which would have put him in the crack
squadron of my Hussars。 He wore a green coat with white facings； and a
horse…hair helmeta Dragoon； as I conjectured； and as dashing a cavalier
as one would wish to have at the end of one's sword…point。
〃A word with you； Count Stein；〃 said Gneisenau。 〃If the enemy are
routed； but if the Emperor escapes； he will rally another army； and all will
have to be done again。
But if we can get the Emperor； then the war is indeed ended。 It is
worth a great effort and a great risk for such an object as that。〃
The young Dragoon said nothing； but he listened attentively。
〃Suppose the Duke of Wellington's words should prove to be correct；
and the French army should be driven in utter rout from the field； the
Emperor will certainly take the road back through Genappe and Charleroi
as being the shortest to the frontier。 We can imagine that his horses will
be fleet； and that the fugitives will make way for him。 Our cavalry will
follow the rear of the beaten army； but the Emperor will be far away at the
front of the throng。〃
The young Dragoon inclined his head。
〃To you； Count Stein； I commit the Emperor。 If you take him your
name will live in history。 You have the reputation of being the hardest
rider in our army。
Do you choose such comrades as you may selectten or a dozen
should be enough。 You are not to engage in the battle； nor are you to
follow the general pursuit； but you are to ride clear of the crowd； reserving
your energies for a nobler end。 Do you understand me？〃
Again the Dragoon inclined his head。 This silence impressed me。 I
felt that he was indeed a dangerous man。
〃Then I leave the details in your own hands。 Strike at no one except
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the highest。 You cannot mistake the Imperial carriage； nor can you fail to
recognise the figure of the Emperor。 Now I must follow the Marshal。
Adieu！ If ever I see you again I trust that it will be to congratulate
you upon a deed which will ring through Europe。〃
The Dragoon saluted and Gneisenau hurried from the room。 The
young officer stood in deep thought for a few moments。 Then he
followed the Chief of the Staff。
I looked with curiosity from my loophole to see what his next
proceeding would be。 His horse； a fine； strong chestnut with two white
stockings； was fastened to the rail of the inn。 He sprang into the saddle；
and； riding to intercept a column of cavalry which was passing； he spoke
to an officer at the head of the leading regiment。
Presently after some talk I saw two Hussarsit was a Hussar regiment…
…drop out of the ranks and take up their position beside Count Stein。 The
next regiment was also stopped； and two Lancers were added to his escort。
The next furnished him with two Dragoons and the next with two
Cuirassiers。 Then he drew his little group of horsemen aside and he
gathered them round him； explaining to them what they had to do。
Finally the nine soldiers rode off together and disappeared into the Wood
of Paris。
I need not tell you； my friends； what all this portended。
Indeed； he had acted exactly as I should have done in his place。
From each colonel he had demanded the two best horsemen in the
regiment； and so he had assembled a band who might expect to catch
whatever they should follow。 Heaven help the Emperor if； without an
escort； he should find them on his track！
And I； dear friendsimagine the fever； the ferment； the madness of my
mind！ All thought of Grouchy had passed away。 No guns were to be
heard to the east。 He could not be near。 If he should come up he would
not now be in time to alter the event of the day。 The sun was already low
in the sky and there could not be more than two or three hours of daylight。
My mission might be dismissed as useless。 But here was another mission；
more pressing； more immediate； a mission which meant the safety； and
perhaps the life； of the Emperor。 At all costs； through every danger； I
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must get back to his side。
But how was I to do it？ The whole Prussian army was now between
me and the French lines。 They blocked every road； but they could not
block the path of duty when Etienne Gerard sees it lie before him。 I
could not wait longer。 I must be gone。
There was but the one opening to the loft； and so it was only down the
ladder that I could descend。 I looked into the kitchen and I found that the
young surgeon was still there。 In a chair sat the wounded English aide…
de… camp； and on the straw lay two Prussian soldiers in the last stage of
exhaustion。 The others had all recovered and been sent on。 These were
my enemies； and I must pass through them in order to gain my horse。
From the surgeon I had nothing to fear； the Englishman was wounded； and
his sword stood with his cloak in a corner； the two Germans were half
insensible； and their muskets were not beside them。 What could be
simpler？ I opened the trap…door； slipped down the ladder； and appeared
in the midst of them； my sword drawn in my hand。
What a picture of surprise！ The surgeon； of course； knew all； but to
the Englishman and the two Germans it must have seemed that the god of
war in person had descended from the skies。 With my appearance； with
my figure； with my silver and grey uniform； and with that gleaming sword
in my hand； I must indeed have been a sight worth seeing。 The two
Germans lay petrified with staring eyes。 The English officer half rose；
but sat down again from weakness； his mouth open and his hand on the
back of his chair。
〃What the deuce！〃 he kept on repeating； 〃what the deuce！〃
〃Pray do not move；〃 said I； 〃I will hurt no one； but woe to the man
who lays hands upon me to stop me。 You have nothing to fear if you
leave me alone； and nothing to hope if you try to hinder me。 I am
Colonel Etienne Gerard； of the Hussars of Conflans。〃
〃The deuce！〃 said the Englishman。 〃You are the man that killed the
fox。〃 A terrible scowl had darkened his face。 The jealousy of
sportsmen is a base
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