let us beware, lest by a pusillanimity which the general
would consider a crime, of making his absence public, and by
that means demoralize the army. The general gives a striking
proof of his confidence in us; let us show ourselves worthy
of it. Gentlemen, let the most profound silence cover all
this with an impenetrable veil; we will detain this
gentleman, not from mistrust of him with regard to the
crime, but to assure more effectively the secret of the
general’s absence by keeping among ourselves; therefore,
until fresh orders, the gentleman will remain at
headquarters.”
“Gentlemen,” said Athos, “you forget that last night the
general confided to me a deposit over which I am bound to
watch. Give me whatever guard you like, chain me if you
like, but leave me the house I inhabit for my prison. The
general, on his return, would reproach you, I swear on the
honor of a gentleman, for having displeased him in this.”
“So be it, monsieur,” said the lieutenant; “return to your
abode.”
Then they placed over Athos a guard of fifty men, who
surrounded his house, without losing sight of him for a
minute.
The secret remained secure, but hours, days passed away
without the general’s returning, or without anything being
heard of him.
CHAPTER 28
Smuggling
Page 173
Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later
Two days after the events we have just related, and while
General Monk was expected every minute in the camp to which
he did not return, a little Dutch felucca, manned by eleven
men, cast anchor upon the coast of Scheveningen, nearly
within cannon-shot of the port. It was night, the darkness
was great, the tide rose in the darkness; it was a capital
time to land passengers and merchandise.
The road of Scheveningen forms a vast crescent; it is not
very deep and not very safe; therefore, nothing is seen
stationed there but large Flemish hoys, or some of those
Dutch barks which fishermen draw up on the sand on rollers,
as the ancients did, according to Virgil. When the tide is
rising, and advancing on land, it is not prudent to bring
the vessels too close inshore, for, if the wind is fresh,
the prows are buried in the sand; and the sand of that coast
is spongy; it receives easily, but does not yield so well.
It was on this account, no doubt, that a boat was detached
from the bark as soon as the latter had cast anchor, and
came with eight sailors, amidst whom was to be seen an
object of an oblong form, a sort of large pannier or bale.
The shore was deserted; the few fishermen inhabiting the
down were gone to bed. The only sentinel that guarded the
coast (a coast very badly guarded, seeing that a landing
from large ships was impossible), without having been able
to follow the example of the fishermen, who were gone to
bed, imitated them so far, that he slept at the back of his
watch-box as soundly as they slept in their beds. The only
noise to be heard, then, was the whistling of the night
breeze among the bushes and the brambles of the downs. But
the people who were approaching were doubtless mistrustful
people, for this real silence and apparent solitude did not
satisfy them. Their boat, therefore, scarcely as visible as
a dark speck upon the ocean, glided along noiselessly,
avoiding the use of their oars for fear of being heard, and
gained the nearest land.
Scarcely had it touched the ground when a single man jumped
out of the boat, after having given a brief order, in a
manner which denoted the habit of commanding. In consequence
of this order, several muskets immediately glittered in the
feeble light reflected from that mirror of the heavens, the
sea; and the oblong bale of which we spoke, containing no
doubt some contraband object, was transported to land, with
infinite precautions. Immediately after that, the man who
had landed first set off at a rapid pace diagonally towards
the village of Scheveningen, directing his course to the
nearest point of the wood. When there, he sought for that
house already described as the temporary residence — and a