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He rubb'd, and wrote again; and rubb'd and wrote;
And bit his nails; and pull'd his uncomb'd hair;
Stared full ten minutes on his prostrate coat;

Then cast his pencil down in wild despair;
And might have done, God knows what foolish thing,
But just that moment hearing the bell ring.-

He traced the footsteps one by one up stairs;
And when they pass'd the second landing place,
And still he heard them mount, his look declares
It was almost an isolated case;

And yet, in fact, he scarcely seem'd to know it,
So much the man was merged into the poet.

A knock !—no answer, yet distinctly heard;
But still the jingle of the wanted rhyme
Absorb'd his mind;-a second, and—a third.
"Come in, come in!" he cries in hurried time,
As tho' he merely wish'd to rid the noise,
That all his airy wandering destroys.

To all the outward world was Rush so callous,
He gaz'd upon the being, who forthwith enter'd ;
And tho' he seem'd a herald from the gallows,
It made no odds to him; he even ventur'd
To take his slate and "catch at an idea,"
Far, very far indeed, from who was near?

"Is your name Rush, Sir?"-After a long pause, Again" your pardon, Sir, is your name Rush?" No answer still-" I wish you'd say, because

"I've other bus'ness, Sir, and vants to brush." All silent!" Then I must acquaint you that "I've got for you a sort of-latitat!"

"A what?"-in sudden extacy-" a what?"
"A latitat, Sir!" "Pray my friend be seated;
"That's just the thing I wanted."—Gripe could not
Unriddle it at all.-Rush then repeated-
"Thus deep-eyed thought upon his dark brow sat,
Like the sad presage of—a latitat !"

His joy and gratitude in accents break,

That far outrun his means contracted bound; "So much obliged"-"his thanks"-" what would he take?” Cried Gripe, significantly eyeing round,

"Why, as for that, Sir, in my present view, "I'd rather not take any thing-but you!"

THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES

OF AN

ITALIAN GENTLEMAN ;

CONTAINING HIS TRAVELS IN ITALY, GREECE, FRANCE, &c.

No. IV.

FINDING that we had money, the provost-martial soon laid aside his ferocious looks, and assuming a familiar tone, said: "You may be assured of it, comrade, I shall send off a young man directly, who will be back in three hours. Meantime, if you want any thing, tell me." We instantly gave him money to procure us a breakfast, wherewith to dispel the thoughts inspired by our condition. We asked him what people said of us. "Eat your breakfast heartily," replied he, "and never mind what people say." I then said to the provost-martial, laughing, "Do you think we don't know what they say? I am sure every body talks of us as if in two or three days we were to be shot; and do you think, for that reason, we will not eat our breakfast? You are mistaken." The sergeant, admiring our courage, went to do our errand. In a short time the door opened, and he returned laden with wine, brandy, ham, and bread, and told us he had sent a man with orders to the officer on guard to deliver our knapsacks. We invited the provost to join us, but he refused, saying, that our offence was so great, that he was even forbidden to speak with us until we had been examined, and that he had taken upon himself, without permission, to procure us refreshment, which he hoped we would not mention to any one living. I perceived that the provost said this that he might make a greater profit by his services. We began to eat very eagerly, but after a few mouthfuls we lost all appetite. My companion was more cast down than any of us; he could not rally his spirits and get above his adverse fortune; his thoughts continually reverted to Brest, and he said to me: "These are the consequences of your delicacy." I encouraged him, by representing that the Governor was a just man, and would not, I believed, see us fall innocent victims to the vengeance of General Bonté.

At eleven in the forenoon, the provost-martial brought us our knapsacks, and we very cheerfully changed our clothes; after which we told him we were ready to go and be examined. He came at the hour appointed, and led us forth; there was a guard of twelve soldiers, with a corporal and a sergeant; we were placed in the midst, and marched to the house of General Roland. I, being a corporal, was first put on my examination. After the usual questions concerning my name, my country, &c., I was asked why I had chosen to desert, and whither I wished to go? I answered, that being weary of this way of life, and thinking it unjust that foreigners should be detained, I had determined to desert, for the purpose of going to the Continent and repairing to Paris, where I intended to enter into the service of the Emperor Napoleon, whom I had already served for the space of eight years. They enquired why we had directed our course towards the English cruisers, and not towards APRIL, 1826. 21

the Continent. I replied, that we were unused to the sea, and had trusted to fortune. After many other questions, which it seems needless to repeat, they made me sign my examination; I then came away, and my companion was called in. I could not imagine why they detained him so long. I had been dismissed in fifteen minutes, and an hour had already elapsed since they began with him; I was fearful that a panic had seized him, and that without being conscious of it, he had revealed all our projects. At length I saw him come out, and one of the Parisians took his turn to be examined. I asked him why he had been kept such a time; and he said, they had questioned him respecting his residence in England, and whether he had been in the English service. He told me, that in his answers he had adhered strictly to the truth, showing by his papers that he had remained but a short time in London. I was very glad to find that he had conducted himself so well. The Parisian shortly afterwards came out, and was succeeded by his brother, who was not long detained.

All four of us having now been examined, we were taken before the General, who, as I have said, was advanced in years. He was of low stature, and rather fat; he had no great capacity; nor can I conjecture for what reason, or through what merits, he had been raised to the rank of General; but I think, that during the Revolution of 1792, he attained that distinction without having deserved it. This we had already gathered from report; and we now inferred as much from the discourse he held with us, which had neither beginning nor end all that we clearly understood was, that in three days it would be all over with us, as a commission would be appointed for our trial; that it grieved him to announce our destiny, which, however, was inevitable. I then said to him: "General, if the Commission be impartial, and be disposed to do us justice, we shall not suffer death." "And do you think," replied he, " that your death would be at all agreeable to me?—No, I only wish to give an example to the troops on the island, that they may henceforward faithfully serve the Emperor Napoleon." Seeing that all observations we could make to him were only so much waste of breath, we held our peace. The General continued to talk for half an hour on the same topic, and at length told us to choose a defender in whom we could confide, and endure our lot with patience, being conscious that we deserved it.

We went out, and were taken back to prison. We asked for pens, ink, and paper, and a light to write by; which were punctually provided for us by the provost-martial, in consideration of a sum of money. I instantly wrote a letter to our commandant, desiring him to procure a defender worthy of our confidence, and send him to us that we might give him his instructions; in conclusion, I begged to recommend our case to his protection, feeling assured that he would interest himself on behalf of four innocent victims. Towards evening came a lieutenant of the 67th regiment, to say that he was ready to undertake our defence. We found, in the course of conversation, that he was a man of talent; and when we had talked for some time, he said: "Well, my friends, in regard to the affair, though I am convinced of your innocence, yet in the eyes of our superiors, and of justice, you appear guilty: I shall, however, use

my utmost efforts; the commandant has already told me the whole; but it will be better for my complete information that you should relate it to me in detail." I accordingly recounted to him all the particulars, my companion being unable to say a word. Having possessed himself of the whole case, he said to us: "My friends, be of good cheer; in case you are condemned, we will employ all available means with the Governor to procure you an appeal, therefore, do not despair." I said to him: "I am fully resigned to the worst; a bottle of brandy to each man, with which we are already furnished, will relieve us from all fear." Our defender went his way, and we were left to our reflections.

4

Although I affected high spirits, I was unable to digest the food I took. Four days passed away without any thing being communicated to us. At length we were informed, that on the following day at eleven, the Commission would assemble; we asked, why four days had been suffered to elapse, and were told, that they had been occupied in preparing the process. Before we went to our trial, we breakfasted with some little appetite; I exhorted my companions to be firm and bold, since if we were condemned we should have nothing to fear, as the Governor would never sign the sentence of death. Though I exerted myself to inspire the rest with courage, yet I inwardly trembled. We were taken before the Commission, through an assemblage, I might almost say, of all the inhabitants of Belleisle, some attracted by curiosity, others by compassion, for I heard those behind me exclaiming: "What a pity these four youths should die without having committed any crime!"

The Commission was composed of a colonel, a chef-de-bataillon, a captain, a lieutenant, and a sub-lieutenant. The captain advocate had a physiognomy which I did not at all like. The President put the usual interrogatories concerning name, country, &c. to all of us; then the sentry who had been on guard was called to give evidence. He was asked by the President why he had not been at the place appointed for him, exercising his proper duty of watching the coast. He excused himself by saying that he had walked only ten paces from his post, being prohibited from going to a greater distance, and that the station required two persons on duty, one for the fort and another for the coast, which was rather remote. The President gave the soldier a look expressing satisfaction with his answer, and discharged him. He then called upon our defender to enter upon his function; and I cannot but admit that he exerted all his efforts to demonstrate in what way we had been compelled to act as we had done; he spoke with such energy and fire, that at the close of his address, the auditory uttered expressions of applause, and clapped their hands. The President enquired of us if we had any thing to adduce in our own defence. I rose from my seat, and said: "I think that if each of us were to begin and defend himself, it would be impossible to adduce more or less than what has been said by our defender. I have only to observe, that, although in the eye of the law, and of this Commission, we may seem guilty, yet, on tracing the guilt to its right source, it would be found to change its character in the eyes of the whole world." Then the captain-advocate made his harangue, demanding that the Commission should award the penalty of death. The President enquired

if any of us had any thing more to add; we all said, "No." We were then taken into an adjoining room, and the Commission, ordering all strangers to withdraw, began to deliberate on our sentence. Our defender joined us, and exhorted us not to be alarmed; if we found ourselves condemned to death we had our right of appeal; and he well knew that the Governor was in our favour. In the course of a short time we were recalled, and the President read us a paper, importing that the Commission had found us guilty, and condemned us to suffer death. My companion and the two Parisians changed colour. I was almost certain that the Governor would lend us his assistance. The whole auditory pitied us, and vented imprecations on the Commission. I again rose, and said: "Mr. President, we demand that the appeal be allowed us." The President replied: "That depends on the Governor to grant it or not, as he shall think fit." We were once more led back to our prison.

My companion could not speak a word, and could scarcely walk. We had hardly been returned half an hour when we were visited by the chaplain of the garrison. We shuddered at seeing him. I said to him: "Sir, what are your commands? Here is no one disposed for confession; we do not like so ill an omen." The chaplain replied: "My friends, I am come for your good; I understand that you, Sir, are an Italian; I have been a long time in Italy, where I received many attentions; therefore, I can do no less than requite them by endeavouring to be of service to you. Though I have no longer the influence that I possessed in the time of Louis XVIII., yet the Governor has testified some friendship for me; hence I hope that on speaking to him in your favour, he will not refuse to accept your appeal. I therefore thought proper to come hither first, to reassure you and tranquillize your minds." Perceiving the chaplain to be endowed with good feelings, I thanked him for his attention to me and my companions, assuring him of our eternal gratitude. When he was gone, I said to my fellow-prisoners: "I never thought that a priest could be capable of a good action; yet among a great number there may possibly be some fruit, in spite of an unpropitious season." Next day the chaplain returned, in company with our defender, and joyfully assured us that the Governor had granted the appeal; "And I think," he added, “that he himself will be disposed to commute your sentence to imprisonment. When I went to the Governor," he continued, "I found the commandant interceding for you, and I did not fail to do my duty. The Governor said to us: Do you think I would have had them all four put to death? Had there been only the two Parisians they should certainly have suffered; for they are guilty, because they enlisted. But as for the Italian and his companion, who, I am well assured, never had any intention of enlisting, I should never have allowed them to be executed; but as they are all four together, and as (between ourselves) the two Parisians enlisted under the assurance of going to America, while, on the contrary, they now remain soldiers in France, without a hope of effecting their voyage, I cannot think them wholly in the wrong. Go directly, and assure them concerning their fate; and tell them they have to do with a just man.' In coming to your prison," added the chaplain, "I met with your defender, who had been sent by the commandant, and we

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