 CHAPTER XI PART ONE OF THE BRONZ EGLE by Baroness Orksey This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Recording by Dion Giants, Salt Lake City, Utah. THE LOSING HANDS An hour later Maurice de St. Genes was in Brussels, though his head still ached, his mind was clear, and thoughts of crystal, of happiness with her, now at last, within sight, had chased every other thought away. His home had been with the decambres, ever since those old, sad days in England, he had a home to go to now, a home where the kindly friendship of the Comte, as well as the love of crystal, was ready to welcome him. The warmth of anticipated happiness and well-being warmed his heart and gave strength to his body. The horrors of the past few hours seemed all to have melted away behind him on the Brussels road, as did the remembrance of a man, wounded himself and spent risking his life for the sake of a friend. Not that St. Genes meant to be ungrateful, nor did he forget that wounded man lying alone and sick on the fringe of the wood by the roadside. As soon as he had taken his horse round to the barracks in the Rue des Comediennes, and before even he had a wash, or had his uniform cleaned of stains and mud, he rushed to the headquarters of the army service to see how soon a conveyance could be sent out to his friend. And when he was unable to obtain what he wanted there, he rushed from hospital to hospital, fence to two or three doctors whom he knew of to see what could be done. But the hospitals were already over-full and over-busy. Their ambulances were all already on the way, as for the doctors, they were all from home, all at work, where their skill was most needed. An army of doctors, of ambulances and drivers, would not suffice at this hour to bring all the wounded in from the spot where that awful battle was raging. And Maurice saw time slipping by. He had already spent an hour in a fruitless quest. He longed to see crystal and waxed impatient at the delay. A non-at-the-English hospital, a kindly person, who listened sympathetically to his tale, promised him that the ambulance, which was just setting out in the direction of Mont Saint-Jean, would be on the lookout for his wounded friend by the roadside. And Maurice, with a sigh of relief, felt that he had indeed done his duty and done his best. At the English hospital Clifford would be splendidly looked after. Nowhere else could he find such sympathetic treatment. And Maurice, with a light heart, went back to the barracks in the Rue des Comediennes, where he had a wash and had his uniform cleaned. Somewhat refreshed, though still very tired, he hurried round to the Rue du Mauré, where the Comte de Cambrai had his lodgings. The first sight of Brussels had already told him the whole pitiable tale of panic and of desolation, which had filled the city in the wake of the fugitive troops. The streets were encumbered with vehicles of every kind. Cards, birches, barrows, with horses loosely tethered, with the wounded who lay about on litters of straw along the edges of the pavement, in doorways, under archways in the center of open places, with crowds of weeping women and crying children, wandering aimlessly from place to place, trying to find the loved one who might be lying here, hurt or may have dying, and everywhere, men in tattered uniforms with grimy hands and faces and boots knee-deep in stains of mud stood about or sat in the empty carts, talking, gesticulating, giving sundry confused and contradictory accounts of the great battle, describing Napoleon's decisive victory. Wellington's rout, the prolonged absence of Blucher and the Prussians' cause of the terrible disaster. Messour le Comte d'Artois had rushed precipitately from Brussels up to Ghent to warn his majesty, the king of France, that all hope of saving his throne was now at an end, and that the wisest course to pursue was to return to England and resign himself once more to obscurity and exile. Messour le Prince de Comte, too, had gone off to Antwerp in a huge barrauch, having under his care the treasure and jewels of the crown hastily collected three months ago at the Tullaris. In every open space a number of prisoners were being guarded by mixed patrols of Dutch, Belgian, or German soldiers, and their cry of Viva l'Empereur, which they reiterated with unshakable obstinacy, roused the ire of their captors and provoked many a savage blow and many a broken head. But St. Genesis did not pause to look on these sights. He had not the strength to stand up in the myths of these confused masses of terror-driven men and women, and to shout to them that they were fools, that all their panic must be turned to joy, their lamentations to shouts of jubilation. News of victory was bound to spread through the city within the next hour, and he himself longed only to see Crystal, to reassure her as to his own safety, to see the light of happiness kindled in her eyes by the news which he brought. He had not the strength for more. It was old Jean who opened the door at the lodgings in the rue du Marais, where Marais finally rang the bell there. Miss Soerle Marquis, she exclaimed, Oh, but you are ill. Only very tired and weak, Jean, he said, It has been an awful day. Ah, but Miss Soerle comped, we'll be pleased. And Madame Iselle Crystal asked Marais with a smile which had in it all the self-confidence of the accepted lover. Madame Iselle Crystal will be happy too, said Jean. She has been so unhappy, so desperately anxious all day. Can I see her? Madame Iselle is out for the moment. Miss Soerle Marquis and Miss Soerle comped has gone to the circle as legitimate as in the rue des cendres. Perhaps Miss Soerle Marquis knows it is not far. I would like to see Madame Iselle Crystal first. You understand, don't you, Jean? Yes, I do, Miss Soerle Marquis, sighed faithful Jean, who was always inclined to be sentimental. How long will she be, do you think? Oh, another half hour, perhaps more. Madame Iselle has gone to the cathedral. If Miss Soerle Marquis will give himself the trouble to walk so far, he cannot fail to see Madame Iselle when she comes out of church. But already, before Jean had finished speaking, Marquis had turned on his heel and was speeding back down the narrow street. Tired and weak as he was, his one idea was to see Crystal, to hear her voice, to see the love-light in her eyes. He felt that at sight of her all fatigue would be gone, all recollections of the horrors of this day wiped out with the first look of joy and relief with which she would greet him. The service was over and the congregation had filed out of the cathedral. Crystal was one of the last to go. She stood for a long while in the porch, looking down with unseeing eyes on the bustle and excitement which went on in the place down below. Her mind was not here. It was far indeed from the crowd of terror-stricken or gossiping men and women of wounded soldiers, terrified peasantry and anxious townsfolk that encumbered the precincts of the stately edifice. From the remote distance out toward the south came the boom and roar of cannon and musket fire, almost incessant still. There was her heart, there her thoughts, with the brave men who were fighting for their national existence with the British troops and with their sufferings and she stood here, staring straight out before her, dry-eyed and pale and small white hands clasped tightly together. The greater part of today she had sat by the open window in the shabby drawing-room in the rue du Marais, listening to that awful fusillade, wondering with mind well nigh, bursting with horror and with misery which of those cruel shots which she heard in the dim distance would still forever the brave and loyal heart that had made so many silent sacrifices for her and her father vaguely thinking that she was anxious about Marais, vaguely wondering that she cared so much had done his best to try and comfort her. She need not fear much for Marais, he had told her, as reassuringly as he could, the Brunswickers were not likely to suffer much, the brunt of the conflict would fall upon the British, but they would lose very heavily. Wellington had not more than seventy thousand men to put up against the Corsicans troops and only a hundred and fifty cannon against two hundred and eighty. Yes, the British would probably be annihilated by superior forces, but no doubt the other allies and the Brunswickers would come off a great deal better. But Madame Le Duchess, du Array de Agin, offered no such consolation, she contented herself with saying that she was sure in her mind that Marais would come through quite safely and that she prayed to God with all her heart and soul that the gallant British troops would not suffer too heavily. Then with her fine gentle hand she padded crystal's fair curls which were clinging matted and damp against the young girl's burning forehead and she stooped and kissed those aching dry blue eyes and whispered quite under her breath so that crystal could not be sure if she heard correctly may God protect him too. He is a brave and a good man and then crystal had gone out to seek peace and rest in beautiful old Saint-Gadoul so full of memories of other conflicts other prayers other deeds of heroism of long ago. Here in the dim light and the silence and the peace her quivering nerves had become somewhat stilled and when she came out she was able just for the moment neither to see or hear the terror mongers down below and only to think of the heroes out there on the field of battle for whom she had just prayed with such passionate earnestness. Suddenly in the crowd she recognized Maurice he was coming up the cathedral steps looking for her no doubt Jean must have directed him when he drew near to her he saw that a look of happy surprise and of true joy lit up the delicate pathos of her face he ran quickly to her now he would have taken her in his arms here in the face of the crowd but there was something in her manner which instinctively sobered him and he had to be content with the little cold hands which she held out to him and with imprinting a kiss upon her fingertips already in his eyes she had read that the news which he brought was not so bad as rumor had foretold Maurice she cried excitedly with a little catch in her throat you are well and safe thank God and what news the news is good Maurice replied victory is assured by now it has been a hard day but we have won she said nothing for a moment but the tears gathered in her eyes her lips quivered and Maurice knew that she was thanking God then she turned back to him and he could see her face glowing with excitement and our allies she asked and now that little catch in her throat was more marked the British troops we heard that they behaved like heroes and bore the brunt of this awful battle I don't know much about the British troops my sweet he replied lightly but what news I have I will have to impart to your father as well as to you so it will have to keep until I see him but just now Crystal while we are alone I have other things to say to you but it is doubtful that Crystal heard more than just the first words which he had spoken for she broke in quite irrelevantly you don't know about the British troops Maurice oh but you must know don't you know what British regiments were engaged I know that none of our own people were in British regiments Crystal he retorted somewhat dryly whereas the Brunswickers and Nassauers were as much French as German they fought gallantly all day you do not ask so much about them but she stammered while a hot flush spread over her cheeks I thought you said are you not content for the moment Crystal he called out with tender reproach to know that victory has crowned our king and his allies and that I have come back to you safely out of that raging hell at Waterloo are you not glad that I am here he spoke more vehemently now for there was something in Crystal's calm attitude which had begun to chill him had he not been in deadly danger all the day had she not heard that distant cannon's roar which had threatened his life throughout all these hours had he not come back out of the very jaws of death and yet here she stood white as a lily and as unruffled except for that one first exclamation of joy not a single cry from the heart had forced itself through her pale slightly trembling lips yet she was as sweet and girlish and tender as of old and even now at the implied reproach her eyes had quickly filled with tears how can you ask Maurice she protested gently I have thought of you and prayed for you all day it was her quiet serenity that disconcerted him the kindly tone of her voice her calm unembarrassed manner checked his passionate impulse and caused him to bite his underlip with fixation until it bled the shadows of evening were closing in around them from the windows of the houses close by dim yellow lights began to blink like eyes overhead the exquisite towers of Saint Goudoul stood out against the stormy sky like perfect delicate lacework turn to stone whilst the glass of the west window glittered like a sheet of sapphires and emeralds and rubies as it caught the last rays of the sinking sun crystals graceful figure stood out in its white summer draperies clear and crystalline as herself against the somber background of the cathedral porch and Maurice watched her through the dim shadows of gathering twilight he watched her as a fowler watches the bird which he has captured and never wholly tamed somehow he felt that her love for him was not quite what it had been until now that she was no longer the same girlish submissive creature on whose soft cheeks a word or look from him had the power to raise a flush of joy she was different now in a curious intangible way which he could not define and jealousy reared up its threatening head more insistently bitter jealousy which embraced de Marmont Clifford fate and circumstance but Clifford above all the stranger hitherto deemed of no account but who now wounded abandoned dying perhaps seemed a more formidable rival than Maurice a while ago had deemed possible he cursed himself for that touch of sentiment he called it cowardice which the other night after the ball had prompted him to write to crystal but for that voluntary confession he thought she could never have despised him and following up the train of his own thoughts and realizing that these had not been spoken aloud he suddenly called out abruptly is it because of my letter crystal she gave a start and turned even paler than she had been before obviously she had been brought roughly back from the land of dreams your letter Maurice she asked vaguely what do you mean I wrote you a letter the other night he continued speaking quickly and harshly after the ball did you receive it yes and read it of course and is it because of it that your love for me has gone he had not meant to put his horrible suspicions into words the very fact now that he had spoken appeared more tangible even irremediable she did not reply to his taunt and he came a little closer to her and took her hand and when she tried to withdraw it from his grasp he held it tightly and bent down his head so that in the gathering gloom he could read every line of her face because of what I told you in my letter you despised me did you not he asked again she made no reply what could she say that would not hurt him far more than did her silence the next moment he had drawn her back right into the shadow of the cathedral walls into a dark angle where no one could see either her or him he placed his hands upon her shoulders and compelled her to look him straight in the face listen crystal he said slowly and with desperate earnestness once long ago I gave you up to de Marmont to affluence and to considerations of your name and of our cast it all but broke my heart but I did it because your father demanded that sacrifice from you and from me I was ready then to stand aside and to give up all the dreams of my youth but now everything is different for one thing the events of the past hundred days have made every man many years older the hell I went through today has helped to make a more sober more determined man of me now I will not give you up I will not my way is clear I can win you with your father's consent and give him and you all that de Marmont had promised the king trusts me and will give me what I ask I am no longer a wastrel no longer poor and obscure and I will not give you up I swear it by all that I have gone through today I will not if I have to kill with my own hand everyone who stands in my way and crystal smiling quite kindly and a little abstractedly at his impulsive earnestness gently removed his hands from her shoulders and said calmly you are tired Maurice and overwrought shall we go in and wait for father he will be getting anxious about me and without waiting to see if he followed her she turned to walk toward the steps St. Genesis smothered a violent oath but he said nothing more he was satisfied with what he had done he knew that women liked a masterful man and he meant every word which he said he would not give her up not now and not to ye gods he would not think of that he would not think of the lonely roadside nor of the wounded man who had robbed him of crystals love he had done his duty by Clifford what more could he have done at this hour and he meant to do more than that he meant to go back to the English hospital as soon as possible to see that Clifford had every attention every care every comfort that human sympathy can bestow what more could he do he would have done no good by going out with the ambulance himself surely not he would have missed seeing crystal and she would have fretted and been still more anxious his first duty was to crystal and and St. Janus only thought of crystal and of himself and the voice of conscience was compulsorily stilled having lulled his conscience to sleep and satisfied his self-love by a passionate tirade Maurice followed crystal down the steps at the west front of St. Goudoul immediately opposite them at the corner of the narrow rue de Lyna was the old abrogé de Troy Roy from whence the diligence started twice a day in time to catch the tide and the English packet at Ostend Maurice and crystal stood for a moment together on the steps watching the bustle and excitement the comings and goings of the crowd which always attend such departures all day there had been a steady stream of fugitives out of the town taking their belongings with them the diligence was for the well-to-do and the indifferent who hurried away to England to await the advent of more subtle times Victor de Marmont had secured his place inside the coach he had exchanged his borrowed uniform for civilian clothes he had bestowed his belongings in the vehicle and was standing about desultorily waiting for the hour of departure the diligence would not arrive at Ostend until five o'clock in the morning then with the tide the packet would go out getting into London well after midday chance as represented by the tide had seriously handicapped de Marmont's plans but enthusiasm and doggedness of purpose whispered to him that he's still held the winning card the English packet was timed to arrive in London by two o'clock in the afternoon he would still have two hours to his credit before closing time on change and another hour in the street time to find his broker and half an hour to spare that would still leave him an hour wherein to make a fortune for his emperor at one time he was afraid that he would not be able to secure a seat in the diligence so numerous were the travelers who wished to leave Brussels behind them but in this chance and the length of his purse favored him he bought his seat for an exorbitant price but he bought it and at nine o'clock the diligence was timed to start it was now half past eight and just then de Marmont caught sight of Crystal and Saint Genus coming down the cathedral steps he had half an hour to spare and he followed them he wanted to speak to Crystal he had wanted it all day but the difficulty of getting what clothes he required and the trouble and time spent in bargaining for a seat in the diligence had stood in his way Massour Lecompt de Cambrai would never, of course, admit him inside his doors and it would have meant hanging about in the rue du Marais and trusting to a chance meeting with Crystal when she went out and for this he had not the time and the chance meeting had come about in spite of all adverse circumstances and de Marmont followed Crystal through the crowded streets hoping that Saint Genus would take leave of her before she went indoors but even if he did not de Marmont meant to have a few words with Crystal he was going to win a gigantic fortune for the emperor one wherewith that greatest of all adventurers could once again recreate the empire of France he himself rich already would become richer still and also if his coup succeeded one of the most trusted most influential men in the recreated empire he felt that with the offer of his name he could pour out a veritable cornucopia of abundant glory honors wealth at a woman's feet and his ambition had always been bound up in a great measure with Crystal de Cambrai he certainly loved her in his way for her beauty and her charm but above all he looked on her as the very personification of the old and proud regime which had thought fit to scorn the parvenu noblesse of the empire and for a powerful adherent of Napoleon to be possessed of a wife out of that exclusive malou was like a fresh and glorious trophy of war on a conqueror's chariot wheel de Marmont had the supreme faith of an ambitious man in the power of wealth and of court favor he knew that Napoleon was not a man who ever forgot a service efficiently rendered and would repay this one rendered at the supreme hour of disaster with a surfeit of gratitude and of gifts which must perforce dazzle any woman's eyes and conquer her imagination besides his schemes his ambitions the future which awaited him what had an impecunious wastrel like st. jenice to offer to a woman like crystal de Cambrai outside the house in the rue du moray where the comp de Cambrai lodged st. jenice and crystal paused and de marmont who still kept within the shadows waited for a favorable opportunity to make his presence known I'll find Mr. Lacompt and bring him back with me he heard st. jenice saying you are sure I shall find him at the legitamista quite sure crystal replied he did not mean to leave the circle till about nine he is sure to wait for every bit of news that comes in it will be a great moment for me if I am the first to bring in authentic good news you will be quite the first I should say she assented but don't let father stay too long talking bring him back quickly remember I haven't heard all the news yet myself st. jenice went up to the front door and rang the bell then he took leave of crystal de marmont waited his opportunity anon jean opened the door and st. jenice walked quickly back down the street crystal paused a moment by the open door in order to talk to jean and while she did so de marmont slipped quickly passed her into the house and was some way down the corridor before the two women had recovered from their surprise jean as was her want was ready to scream but despite the fast gathering gloom crystal had at once recognized de marmont she turned a cold look upon him an intrusion masoor she asked quietly we'll call it that mademoiselle and you will he replied imperturbably and if you will kindly order your servant to go it shall be a very brief one my father is from home she said de marmont smiled and shrugged his shoulders I know that he said or I would not be here then your intrusion is that of a coward if you knew that I was unprotected are you afraid of me crystal he asked with a sneer I am afraid of no one she replied but since you and I have nothing to say to one another I beg that you will no longer force your company upon me you're pardon but there is something very important which I must say to you I have news of today's doings out there at waterloo which bear upon the whole of your future and upon your happiness I myself leave for England in less than half an hour I was taking my place in the diligence outside the Troy Roy when I saw you coming down the cathedral steps fate has given me an opportunity for which I sought vainly all day you will never regret it crystal if you listen to me now I listen she broke in Cooley I pray you be as brief as you can will you order the servant to go for a moment longer she hesitated common sense told her that it was neither prudent nor expedient to hold converse with this man who was an avowed and bitter enemy of her cause but he had spoken of the doings at waterloo and spoken of them in connection with her own future and her happiness and prudent or not she wanted to hear what he had to say in the vague hope that from a chance word carelessly dropped by Victor de Marmont she would glean if only a scrap some news of that on which St. Genesis would not dwell but on which hung her heart and her very life the fate of the British troops after all he might know something he might say something which would help her to bear this intolerable misery of uncertainty and on the merest chance of that she threw prudence to the winds you may go Jean she said but remain within call leave the front door open she added Missour Lecomte and Missour Le Marquis will be here directly oh you are well protected said Victor de Marmont with a careless shrug of the shoulders as Jean's heavy shuffling footsteps died away down the corridor now Missour de Marmont said Crystal Cooley I listen she was leaning back against the wall her hands behind her her pale face and large blue eyes with their black dilated pupils turned questioningly upon him the walls of the corridor were painted white after the manner of Flemish houses the tiled floor was white too and Crystal herself was dressed all in white so that the whole scene made up of pale soft tints looked weird and ghostly in the twilight and Crystal like an ethereal creature come down from the land of nymphs and of elves and de Marmont too like Saint Janus a while ago felt that never had this beautiful woman she was no longer a girl now looked more exquisite and more desirable and he conscious of the power which fortune and success can give thought that he could woo and win her once again in spite of caste prejudice and of political hatred Saint Janus had felt his position unassailable by virtue of old associations common sympathies and youthful vows de Marmont relied on feminine ambition love of power of wealth and of station and at this moment in Crystal's shining eyes he only read excitement and the unspoken desire for all that he was prepared to offer I have only a few moments to spare Crystal he said slowly and with earnest emphasis so I will be very brief for the moment the emperor has suffered a defeat as he did at Isla or at Leipzig his defeats are always momentary his victories alone are decisive and abiding the whole world knows that it needs no proclaiming from me but in order to retrieve that momentary defeat of today he has deigned to ask my help the gods are good to me they have put it within my power to help my emperor in his need I am going to England tonight in order to carry out his instructions by tomorrow afternoon I shall have finished my work the empire of France will once more rise triumphant and glorious out of the ashes of a brief defeat the emperor once more Phoebus like will drive the chariot of the sun lord and master of Europe greater since his downfall more powerful more majestic than ever before and I who will have been the humble instrument of his reconquered glory will deserve to the full his bounty and his gratitude he paused for lack of breath for indeed he had talked fast and volubly crystal's voice cold and measured broke in on the silence that ensued and in what way does all this concern me Missour de Marmont she asked it concerns your whole future crystal he replied with ever-growing solemnity and conviction you must have known all along that I have never ceased to love you you have always been the only possible woman for me my ideal in fact your father's injustice I am willing to forget your trough was plighted to me and I have done nothing to deserve all the insults which he thought fit to heap upon me I wanted you to know crystal that my love is still yours and that the fortune and glory which I now go forth to when I will place with inexpressible joy at your feet she shrugged her shoulders and an air of supreme indifference spread over her face is that all she asked coldly all what do you mean I don't understand I mean that you persuaded me to listen to you on the pretense that you had news to tell me of the doings at Waterloo news on which my happiness depended you have not told me a single fact that concerns me in the least it concerns you as it concerns me crystal your happiness is bound up with mine you are still my promised wife I go to win glory for my name which will soon be yours you and I crystal hand in hand think of it our love has survived the political turmoil united in love united in glory you and I will be the most brilliant stars that will shine at the imperial court of France she did not try to interrupt his tirade but looked on him with cool wonderment as one gazes on some curious animal that is raving and raging behind iron bars when he had finished she said quietly you are mad I think Missour de Marmont at any rate you had better go now time is getting on and you will lose your place in the diligence he was less to her than the dust under her feet and his protestations had not even the power to rouse her wrath indeed all that worried her at the moment was vexation with herself for having troubled to listen to him at all it had been worse than foolish to suppose that he had any news to impart which did not directly concern himself so now while he utterly taken aback was staring at her open mouth and bewildered she turned away cold and full of disdain gathering her drape breeze round her and started to walk slowly toward the stairs her clinging white skirt made a soft swishing sound as it brushed the tiled floor and she herself with her slender figure graceful neck and crown of golden curls looked as the gloom of evening wrapped her in more like an intangible elf an apparition gliding through space than just a scornful woman who had thought fit to reject the importunate addresses of an unwelcome suitor she left de Marmont standing there in the corridor like some presumptuous beggar burning with rage and humiliation too insignificant even to be feared but he was not the man to accept such a situation calmly his love for crystal had never been anything but a selfish one born of the desire to possess a high-born elegant wife taken out of the very cast which had scorned him and his kind her acquiescence he had always taken for granted her love he meant to win after his wooing of her hand had been successful until then he could wait so certain too was he of his own power to win her in virtue of all that he had to offer that he would not take her scorn for real or her refusal to listen to him as final End of Chapter 11 Part 1 Chapter 11 Part 2 of The Bronze Eagle by Baroness Orksey this Librivox recording is in the public domain recording by Dion Giants Salt Lake City, Utah before she had reached the foot of the stairs he was already by her side and with a masterful hand upon her arm had compelled her by physical strength to turn and to face him once more crystal he said forcing himself to speak quietly even though his voice quivered with excitement and passionate wrath as you say I have only a few moments to spare but they are just long enough for me to tell you that it is you who are mad I dare say that it is difficult to believe in the immensity of a disaster Maurice de St. Genesis no doubt has been filling your ears with tails of the allied armies victories but look at me crystal look at me and tell me if you have ever seen a man more in deadly earnest I tell you that I am on my way to aid the emperor in reforming his empire on a more solid basis than it has ever stood before have you ever known Napoleon to fail in what he set himself to do I tell you that he is not crushed that he is not even defeated within a month the allies will be on their knees begging for peace the era of your bourbon kings is more absolutely dead today than it has ever been and after today there will be nothing for a royalist like your father or like Maurice de St. Genesis but exile and humiliation more dire than before your father's fate rests entirely in your hands I can direct his destiny his life or his death just as I please when you are my wife I will forgive him the insults which he heaped on me at Breastelot but not before as for Maurice de St. Genesis and what of him you abominable cur the shout which came from behind him checked the words on de Marmont's lips he let go his hold of Crystal's arm as he felt two sinewy hands gripping him by the throat the attack was so swift and so unexpected that he was entirely off his guard he lost his footing upon the slippery floor and before he could recover himself he was being forced back and back until his spine was bent nearly double and his head pressed down backward almost to the level of his knees let him go, Maurice you might kill him throw him out of the door it was Messor Lacombe de Cambrai who spoke he and St. Genesis had arrived just in time to save Crystal from a further unpleasant scene she however had not lost her presence of mind she had certainly listened to de Marmont's final tirade because she knew that she was helpless in his hands but she had never been frightened for a moment Jean was within call and she herself had never been temerous at the same time she was thankful enough that her father and St. Genesis were here Maurice was almost blind with rage he would have killed de Marmont but for the comp's timely words which luckily had the effect of sobering him at this critical moment he relaxed his convulsive grip on de Marmont's throat but the latter had already lost his balance he fell heavily his body sliding along the slippery floor while his head struck against the projecting woodwork of the door he uttered a loud cry of pain as he fell then remained lying inert on the ground and in the dim light his face took on an ashen hue in an instant crystal was by his side you have killed him Maurice she cried as woman-like tender and full of compassion now she ran to the stricken man I hope I have said St. Genesis sullenly he deserved the death of a cur father dear said crystal authoritatively will you call to Jean to bring water a sponge towels quickly also some brandy she paid no heed to St. Genesis and she had already forgotten de Marmont's dastardly attitude toward herself she only saw that he was helpless and in pain she knelt by his side pillowed his head on her lap and with soothing gentle fingers felt his shoulders his arms to see where he was hurt he opened his eyes very soon and encountered those tender blue eyes so full of sweet pity now it is only my head I think he said then he tried to move but fell back again with a groan of pain my leg is broken I am afraid he murmured feebly I had best fetch a doctor rejoined Monsieur Lacombe if you can find one father dear said crystal Monsieur de Marmont ought to be moved at once to his home no no protested Victor feebly not home to the Troy Roy the diligence I must go to England tonight the emperor's orders the doctor will decide said crystal gently father dear will you go Jean came back with water and brandy de Marmont drank eagerly of the one and then sipped the other I must go he said more firmly the diligent starts at nine o'clock again he tried to move and a great cry of agony rose to his throat not of physical pain though that was great too but the wild agonizing shriek of mental torment of disappointment and wrath and misery greater than human heart could bear the emperor's orders he cried I must go crystal was silent there was something great and majestic something that compelled admiration and respect in this tragic impotence this failure brought about by uncontrolled passion at the very hour when success perhaps might yet have changed the whole destinies of the world de Marmont lying here helpless to aid his emperor through the furious and jealous attack of arrival was at this moment more worthy of a good woman's regard then he had been in the flush of his success and of his arrogance for his one thought was of the emperor and what he could no longer do for him he tried to move and could not the emperor's orders came at times with pathetic persistence from his lips and crystal womanlike tried to soothe and comfort him in his failure even though his triumph would only have aroused her scorn and time sped on from the towers of the cathedral came booming the hour of nine the shadows in the narrow street were long and dark only a pale thin reflex of the cold light of the moon struck into the open doorway and the white corridor and detached de Marmont's pale face from the surrounding gloom the emperor's orders and because of a woman these could now no longer be obeyed if de Marmont had not seen crystal on the cathedral stops if he had not followed her if he had not allowed his passion and arrogant self-will to blind him to time and to surroundings who knows but the whole map of Europe might yet have been changed a fortune in London was awaiting a gambler who chose to stake everything on a last throw a fortune where with the greatest adventurer the world has ever known might yet have reconstituted an army and reconquered an empire and he who might have won that fortune was lying in the narrow corridor of an humble lodging house with a broken leg helpless and eating out his heart now with vain regret why because of a girl with fair curls and blue eyes just a woman young and desirable another tiny pawn in the hands of the great master of this world's game the rain in the morning at Waterloo Bluker's arrival or grouchies a man's selfish passion for a woman who cared nothing for him who shall dare to say that these tiny trivial incidents changed the destinies of the world think on it oh ye materialists ye worshipers of chance it is indeed the infinitesimal doings of pygmies that bring about the great upheavals of the earth do ye not rather see God's will in that fall of rain God's breath in those dying heroes who fell on Mont Saint Jean do ye not recognize that it was God's finger that pointed the way to Bluker and stretched de Marmont down helpless on the ground the arrival of Missora Lacombe de Cambre accompanied by a doctor and two men carrying an improvised stretcher broke the spell of silence that had fallen on this strange scene of pathetic failure which seemed but and humble counterpart of that great and irretrievable one which was being enacted at this same hour far away on the road to Genève after the booming of the cathedral clock de Marmont had ceased to struggle he accepted defeat probably because he too in spite of himself saw that the day of his idols destiny was over and that the brilliant star which had glittered on the firmament of Europe for a quarter of a century had by the will of God now irretrievably declined he had accepted crystals ministrations for his comfort with a look of gratitude Jean had put a pillow to his head and he now lay outwardly placid and quiescent even perhaps for such is human nature and such the heart of youth as he saw crystal sweet face bent with so much pity toward him a sense of hope of happiness yet to be chased the more melancholy thoughts away crystal was kind he argued to himself she has already forgiven women are so ready to forgive faults and errors that spring from an intensity of love he sought her hand and she gave it just as a sweet sister of mercy and gentleness would do for whom the individual man even the enemy does not exist only the suffering human creature whom her touch can soothe he persuaded himself easily enough that when he pressed her hand she returned the pressure and renewed hope went forth once more soaring upon the wings of fancy then the doctor came Mr. Lacombe had been fortunate in securing him had with impulsive generosity promised him ample payment and then brought him along without delay he praised mademoiselle de cambray for her kindness to the patient asked a few questions as to how the accident had occurred and was satisfied that Ms. Sord de Marmont had slipped on the tiled floor and then struck his head against the door he was not likely to examine the purple bruises on the patient's throat his business began and ended with a broken leg to mend as Ms. Sord de Cambray assured him that Ms. Sord de Marmont was very wealthy the worthy doctor most readily offered his patient the hospitality of his own house until complete recovery he then superintended the lifting of the sick man onto the stretcher and having taken final leave of Ms. Sord de Cambray mademoiselle and all those concerned and given his instructions to the bearers he was the first to leave the house Ms. Sord de Cambray pleasantly conscious of Christian duty toward an enemy nobly fulfilled nodded curtly to de Marmont whom he hated with all his heart and then turned his back on an exceedingly unpleasant scene fervently wishing that it had never occurred in his house and equally fervently thankful that the accident had not more fateful consequences he retired to his smoking room calling to St. Janus and to Crystal to follow him but Crystal did not go at once she stood in the dark corridor quite still watching the stretcher bearers in their careful silent work little gussing on what a filmy thread her whole destiny was hanging at this moment the fates were spinning spinning spinning and she did not know it had the solemn silence which hung so ominously in the twilight not been broken till after the sick man had been born away the whole of Crystal's future would have been shaped differently but as with the rain at Waterloo God had need of a tool for the furtherance of his will and it was Maurice de St. Janus whom he chose Maurice who with his own words set the final seal to his destiny De Marmont's eyes as he was being carried over the threshold dwelt upon the graceful form of Crystal clad all in white all womanliness and gentleness now her sweet face only faintly distinguishable in the gloom St. Janus whose nerves were still jarred with all that he had gone through today and irritated by Crystal's assiduity beside the sick man resented that last look of farewell which De Marmont dared to throw upon the woman whom he loved and ungenerous impulse caused him to try and aim a last moral blow at his enemy come Crystal he said coldly the man has been better looked after than he deserves but for your father's interference I should have rung his neck like the cowardly brute that he was and with the masterful air of a man who has both right and privilege on his side he put his arm round Crystal's waist and tried to draw her away and as he did so he whispered a tender come Crystal in her ear De Marmont who at this moment was taking a last fond look at the girl he loved and was busy the while making plans for a happy future wherein Crystal would play the chief role and would console him for all disappointments by the magnitude of her love De Marmont was brought back from the land of dreams by the tender whisperings of his rival his own helplessness sent a flood of jealous wrath surging up to his brain the wild hatred which he had always felt for St. Janus ever since that awful humiliation which he had suffered at Breastelow now blinded him to everything saved to the fact that here was a rival who was gloating over his helplessness a man who twice already had humiliated him before Crystal de Cambre a man who had every advantage of caste and of community of sympathy a man therefore who must be in his turn irretrievably crushed in the sight of the woman whom he still hoped to win De Marmont had no definite idea as to what he meant to do perhaps just at this moment the pale intangible shadow of reason had lifted up one corner of the veil that hid the truth from before his eyes the absolute and naked fact that Crystal de Cambre was not destined for him she would never marry him never the empire of France was no more the emperor was a fugitive to St. Janus and his caste belonged the future and the turn had come for the adherents of the fallen emperor to sink into obscurity or to go into exile be that as it may it is certain that in this fateful moment de Marmont was only conscious of an all-powerful overwhelming feeling of hatred and the determination that whatever happened to himself he must and would prevent St. Janus from ever approaching Crystal de Cambre with words of love again that he had the power to do this he was fully conscious Crystal he called and at the same time ordered the bearers to halt on the doorstep for a moment Crystal will you give me your hand in farewell the young girl would probably have complied with his wish but St. Janus interposed Crystal he said authoritatively your father has already called you you have done everything that Christian charity demands and once more he tried to draw the young girl away do not touch her man called de Marmont in a loud voice a coward like you has no right to touch the hand of a good woman Missour de Marmont broke in Crystal hotly you presume on your helplessness pay no heed to the ravings of a maniac Crystal interposed St. Janus calmly he has fallen so low now that contemptuous pity is all that he deserves and contempt without pity is all that you deserve Missour Le Marquis de St. Janus cried to Marmont excitedly ask him Madam Iselle Crystal ask him where is the man who today saved his life whom I myself saw today on the roadside wounded and half dead with fatigue on horseback with the inert body of Missour de St. Janus lying across his saddle-bow ask him how he came to lie across that saddle-bow and whether his English friend and mine Bobby Clifford did not as any who passed by could guess drag him out of that hell at Waterloo and bring him into safety whilst risking his own life ask him he continued working himself up into a veritable fever of vengeful hatred as he saw that St. Janus sullen and glowering was doing his best to drag Crystal away to prevent her from listening further to this awful indictment these ravings of a lunatic half distraught with hate ask him where is Clifford now to what lonely spot he has crawled in order to die while Missour Le Marquis de St. Janus came back in gay apparel to court mademoiselle Crystal de Cambrai ah, Missour de St. Janus you tried to heap a probrium upon me you talked glibly of contempt and of pity of a truth to his eye do pity you now for mademoiselle Crystal will surely ask you all those questions and by the Lord I marvel how you will answer them he fell back exhausted in a dead faint no doubt and St. Janus with a wild cry like that of a beast in fury seized the nearest weapon that came to his hand a heavy oak chair which stood against the wall in the corridor and brandished it over his head he would had not Crystal at once interposed have killed de Marmont with one blow even so he tried to avoid Crystal in order to forge for himself a clear passage to free himself from all trammels so that he might indulge his lust to kill take the sick man away quickly cried Crystal to the stretcher bearers and they realizing the danger the awfulness of the tragedy which with that clumsy weapon wielded by a man who was maddened with rage was hovering in the air hurried over the threshold with their burden as fast as they could then out into the street and Crystal seizing hold of the front door shut it to with a loud bang after them then with a cry that was just primitive in its passion savage almost like that of a lioness in the desert who has been robbed of her young she turned upon St. Janus where is he now she called and her voice was quite unrecognizable harsh and hoarse and peremptory Crystal let me assure you protested Maurice that I have already done all that lay in my power where is he now she broke in with the same fierce intensity she stood there before him wild haggard palpitating a passionate creature passionately demanding to know where the loved one was it seemed as if she would have torn the words out of St. Janus's throat so bitter and intense was the look of contempt and of hatred wherewith she looked on him Missour Lacompt very much upset and ruffled by all that he had heard came out of his room just in time to see the stretcher bearers disappearing with their burden through the front door and the door itself closed to with a bang by Crystal truly his sense of decorum and of the fitness of things had received a severe shock and now he had the additional mortification of seeing his beautiful daughter his dainty and aristocratic Crystal in a state bordering on frenzy my darling Crystal he exclaimed as he made his way quickly to her side and put a restraining hand upon her arm but Crystal was now far beyond his control she shook off his hand she paid no heed to him she went closer up to St. Janus and once more repeated her ardent passionate query where is he now at the English hospital I hope said St. Janus with as much cool dignity as he could command have I not assured you Crystal that I've done all I could at the English hospital you hope she retorted in a voice that sounded trenchant and shrill through the overwhelming passion which shook and choked it in her throat but the roadside where you left him to die in a ditch perhaps like a dog that has no home where was that I gave full directions at the English hospital he replied I arranged for an ambulance to go and find him for a bed for him I give me those directions she commanded on the way to Waterloo on the left side of the road close by the six kilometer milestone the angle of the forest of Sonye is just there and there is a meadow which joins the edge of the wood where they were making hay today no driver can fail to find the place Crystal the ambulance but now she was no longer listening to him she had abruptly turned her back on him and made for the door her father interposed what do you want to do Crystal he said peremptorily go to him of course she said quietly for she was quite calm now at any rate outwardly strong and upset purpose but you do not know where he is I'll go to the English hospital first Father dear will you let me pass Crystal said Mr. Lecompt firmly as he stood his ground between his daughter and the door you cannot go rushing through the streets of Brussels alone at this hour of the night through all the soldiery and all the drunken rabble he is dying she retorted and I am going to find him you have taken leave of your senses Crystal said the compterily you seem to have forgotten your own personal dignity Father let me go she demanded for she had tried to measure her physical strength against his and he was holding her wrist now whilst a look of great anger was on his face I tell you Crystal he said that you cannot go I will do all that lies in my power in the matter I promise you and Maurice he added harshly if he has a spark of manhood left in him will do his best to second me but I cannot allow my daughter to go into the streets at this hour of the night but you cannot prevent your sister from doing as she likes here broke in a tart voice from the back of the corridor Crystal child try and bear up while I run to the English hospital first and if necessary to the English doctor afterwards and you Masaur my brother be good enough to allow Jean to open the door for me and Madame Laduchess D'Agen in Bonnet and Shaw helpful and practical made her way quietly to the door preceded by faithful Jean with a cry of infinite relief almost of happiness Crystal at last managed to disengage herself from her father's grasp and ran to the old woman Matante she said imploringly take me with you if I do not go to find him now at once my heart will break Masaur LaCompt shrugged his shoulders and stood aside he knew that in an argument with his sister he would surely be worsted and there was a look in Madame's face which even in this dim twilight he knew how to interpret it meant that Madame would carry out her program just as she had stated it and that she would take Crystal with her with or without the father's consent so realizing this Masaur LaCompt had but one course left open to him and that was to safeguard his own dignity by making the best of this situation of which he's still highly disapproved well my dear Sophie he said I suppose if you insist on having your way you must have it though what the women of our rank are coming to nowadays I cannot imagine at the same time I for my part must insist that Crystal at least puts on a bonnet and shawl and does not career about the streets dressed like a kitchen wench Crystal whispered Madame who was nothing if not practical do as your father wishes it will save a lot of argument and save time as well but even before the words were out of Madame's mouth Crystal was running along the corridor ready to obey at the foot of the stairs St. Genesis intercepted her let me pass she cried wildly not before you have said that you have forgiven me he entreated as he clung to her white draperies with a passionate gesture of appeal an exclamation which was almost one of loathing escaped her lips and with a jerk she freed her skirt from his clutch then she ran quickly up the stairs outside the door of her own room on the first landing she paused for one minute and from out of the gloom her voice came to him like the knell of passing hope if he comes back alive out of the hill to which you condemned him she said I may in the future endure the sight of you again if he dies may God forgive you the opening and shutting of a door told him that she was gone and he was left in company with his shame End of Chapter 11 Part 2 Chapter 12 of The Bronze Eagle by Emma Orksie this LibriVox recording is in the public domain recording by Dion Giants Salt Lake City, Utah the winning hand until far into the night the air reverberated with incessant cannonade from the direction of Janab and from that of Weavera but just before dawn all was still the stream of convoys which bore the wounded along the road to Brussels from Mont Saint-Jean and Hugamont and Lahaise Saint had momentarily ceased its endless course the sky had that perfect serenity of a midsummer's night starlit and azure with the honey-colored moon sinking slowly down towards the west here at the edge of the wood the air had a sweet smell of wet earth and damp moss and freshly cut hay it had all the delicious softness of a loved one's embrace through the roar of distant cannonade Bobby had slept for a time after St. Genesis left him he had watched the long straight road with dull unseeing eyes he had seen the first convoy overfilled with wounded men lying huddled on heaped up straw and had thanked God that he was lying on this exquisitely soft carpet made of thousands of tiny green plants moss, grass, weeds, young tendrils and growing buds and opening leaves that were delicious to the touch he had quite forgotten that he was wounded neither his head nor his leg nor his arm seemed to hurt him now and he was able to think in peace of crystal and of her happiness St. Genesis would have come to her by then she would be happy to see him safe and well and perhaps in the midst of her joy she would think of the friend who so gladly offered up his life for her when the air around was no longer shaken by constant repercussion Bobby fell asleep it was not yet dawn even though far away in the east there was a luminous veil that made the sky look like living silver behind him among the trees there was a moving and a fluttering the birds were no longer asleep they had not begun to sing but they were shaking out their feathers and opening tiny round eyes in farewell to the departing night that gentle fluttering was a sweet lullaby and Bobby slept and dreamed he dreamed that the fluttering became louder and louder and that instead of birds it was a group of angels that shook their wings and stood around him as he slept one of the angels came nearer and laid a hand upon his head and Bobby dreamed that the angel spoke and the words that it said filled Bobby's heart with unearthly happiness my love my love the angel said will you try and live for my sake and Bobby would not open his eyes for fear the angel should go away and though he knew exactly where he was and could feel the soft carpet of leaves and smell the sweet moisture in the air he knew that he must still be dreaming for angels are not of this earth then a strong kind hand touched his wrist and felt the beating of his heart and a rough pleasant voice said in English he is exhausted and very weak but the fever is not high he will soon be all right and to add to the wonderful strangeness of his dream the angel's voice near him murmured thank god thank god why should an angel thank god that he Bobby Clifford was not likely to die he opened his eyes to see what it all meant and he saw bending over him a face that was more exquisitely fair than any that man had ever seen eyes that were more blue than the sky above lips that trembled like rose leaves in the breeze he was still dreaming and there was a haze between him and that perfect vision of loveliness and the kind rough voice somewhere close by said have you got that stretcher ready and two other voices replied yes sir but the lips close above him said nothing and it was Bobby who now murmured my love is it you your love for always the dear lips replied nothing shall part us now yours for always to bring you back to life yours when you will claim me yours for life they lifted him onto a stretcher and then into a carriage and a very kind face which he quickly enough recognized as Madame Laduchess to Agents smiled very encouragingly upon him where upon he could not help but ask a very pertinent question Madame Laduchess is all this really happening why yes my good man madame replied and indeed there was nothing dreamlike in her tart dry voice crystal and I really have dragged Dr. Scott away from the bedside of innumerable others sick and wounded men and also from any hope of well-earned rest tonight we have also really brought him to a spot very accurately described by our worthy friend St. Genus but where unfortunately you had not chosen to remain else we had found you an hour sooner is there anything else you want to know oh yes Madame Laduchess many things murmured Bobby please go on telling me Madame laughed well she said perhaps you would like to know that some kind of instinct or perhaps the hand of God guided one of our party to the place where you had gone to sleep you may also wish to know that though you seem in a bad way for the present you are going to be nursed back to life under Dr. Scott's own most hospitable roof but since crystal has undertaken to do the nursing I imagine that my time for the next six weeks will be taken up in arguing with my dear and pompous brother that he will now have to give his consent to his daughter becoming the wife of a vendor of gloves Bobby contrived to smile do you think that if I promised never to buy or sell gloves again but in future to try and live like a gentleman do you think then that he will consent I think my dear boy said Madame subduing her harsh voice to tones of gentleness that after my brother knows all that I know and all that his daughter desires he will be proud to welcome you as his son the doctor's wide barrage lumbered slowly along the wide straight road in the east the luminous veil that still hid the rising sun had taken on a hue of rosy gold the birds now fully awake saying their morning hymn from the direction of wavera came once more the cannon's roar inside the carriage Dr. Scott sitting at the feet of his patient gave a peremptory order for silence but Bobby immeasurably happy and contented looked up and saw crystal the cambray no longer a girl now but a fair and beautiful woman who had learned to the last letter the fulsome lesson of love she sat close beside him and her arm was round his reclining head and looking at her he saw the love-light in her dear eyes whenever she turned them on him and anon when Madame Laduchus engaged Dr. Scott in a close and heated argument Bobby felt sweet scented lips pressed against his own end of chapter 12 and of the bronze eagle a story of the hundred days by Baroness Emma Orksey