money in your pocket, and there are in the marsh some Scotch
ambuscaders I have placed there. Those people are very
intractable; they understand but very little of the language
which you speak, although it appears to me to be composed of
three languages. They might take from you what I had given
you, and, on your return to your country, you would not fail
to say that General Monk has two hands, the one Scotch, and
the other English; and that he takes back with the Scotch
hand what he has given with the English hand.”
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Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later
“Oh! general, I shall go where you like, be sure of that,”
said the fisherman, with a fear too expressive not to be
exaggerated. “I only wish to remain here, if you will allow
me to remain.”
“I readily believe you,” said Monk, with an imperceptible
smile, “but I cannot, nevertheless, keep you in my tent.”
“I have no such wish, my lord, and desire only that your
lordship should point out where you will have me posted. Do
not trouble yourself about us — with us a night soon passes
away.”
“You shall be conducted to your bark.”
“As your lordship pleases. Only, if your lordship would
allow me to be taken back by a carpenter, I should be
extremely grateful.”
“Why so?”
“Because the gentlemen of your army, in dragging my boat up
the river with a cable pulled by their horses, have battered
it a little upon the rocks of the shore, so that I have at
least two feet of water in my hold, my lord.”
“The greater reason why you should watch your boat, I
think.”
“My lord, I am quite at your orders,” said the fisherman; “I
shall empty my baskets where you wish; then you will pay me,
if you please to do so; and you will send me away, if it
appears right to you. You see I am very easily managed and
pleased, my lord.”
“Come, come, you are a very good sort of a fellow,” said
Monk, whose scrutinizing glance had not been able to find a
single shade in the clear eye of the fisherman. “Holloa,
Digby!” An aide-de-camp appeared. “You will conduct this
good fellow and his companions to the little tents of the
canteens, in front of the marshes, so that they will be near
their bark, and yet will not sleep on board to-night. What
is the matter, Spithead?”
Spithead was the sergeant from whom Monk had borrowed a
piece of tobacco for his supper. Spithead, having entered
the general’s tent without being sent for, had drawn this
question from Monk.
“My lord,” said he, “a French gentleman has just presented
himself at the outposts and wishes to speak to your honor.”
All this was said, be it understood, in English; but
notwithstanding, it produced a slight emotion in the
fisherman, which Monk, occupied with his sergeant, did not
remark.
“Who is the gentleman?” asked Monk.
“My lord,” replied Spithead, “he told it me, but those
devils of French names are so difficult to pronounce for a
Scotch throat, that I could not retain it. I believe,
however, from what the guards say, that it is the same
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Dumas, Alexandre – Ten Years Later
gentleman who presented himself yesterday at the halt, and
whom your honor would not receive.”
“That is true; I was holding a council of officers.”
“Will your honor give any orders respecting this gentleman?”
“Yes, let him be brought here.”
“Must we take any precautions?”
“Such as what?”
“Binding his eyes, for instance.”
“To what purpose? He can only see what I desire should be
seen; that is to say, that I have around me eleven thousand
brave men, who ask no better than to have their throats cut
in honor of the parliament of Scotland and England.”
“And this man, my lord?” said Spithead, pointing to the
fisherman, who, during this conversation, had remained
standing and motionless, like a man who sees but does not
understand.
“Ah, that is true,” said Monk. Then turning towards the
fisherman, — “I shall see you again, my brave fellow,” said