THE STORYTELLER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 21 September 1907, Page 4

THE STORYTELLER.

"THE MERCY OF LA FOKCiJ." I. It would have passed unnoticed amongst other forgotten incidents of personal heroism during that terrible neriod, had not the brief record lieen respited from the collection of dusty, mildewed papers, bought for a song at a sale of the effects of an old' gentlewoman, the sole descendant of the two who tasted the mercy of La Force, and it is now given for the first time, to the Hght of another age. It happened during the height of the September massacres of 1793, when Paris, drank with the slaughter of her numerous victims, laved her hands in the crimson blood, and with red-soaked ankles, danced in savage glee to the accompaniment of her own mad mirth, and the cries of her unhappy prisoners. The prisons were rapidly emptied but to fill again: the Conciergerie and the Abbsye every day received fresh batches of suspects of all ranks and both •exes, who must be sacrificed to the increasing appetite of Madame Guillotine. A prominent figure among.st those awaiting their trial was a y.mna soldier, a cadet of the great hvi.se r,f Hochmartel, a handsome fella..-, whose •ale fault consisted in being an aristocrat, and who was believed to be an active abettor of escaping emigres. His torn came shortly, and with several >f his companions in misfortune, lie passed into the room where the temporary court of justice was being held. A dirty, villainous-looking, fellow, in a greasy shirt and frayed grey coat, wound round with a broad red sash, Presided at the desk, while two coarse, Brutal men, lounged near. Half-dragged, half-pushed, the young soldier found himself before the desk, to take his part in the farce called a trial.

A few questions were carelessly and insolently pat. "Your name, ritiien?" "Philippe de la Faillere de U Hoch»aitel" "Married?" "No." "An! Not married! How la lielle Madsune Guillotine will welcome so nofil.- » spouse to her amis," with an appreciative wink to his satellites. The citizen's profession J" , "One of the most gracious Majesty's faithful soldiers," was the bold reply! "Aha! A Royalist, plotter, and friend * of emigres, mem?" "Ko7 r "Guilty of conspiring against the One y r Bud Indivisible V "I am not guilty." The cituen Hochmartel can doubtr" less prove Ms innocence," sneered the '■ president. is "I have given my word," said the '" young man, haughtily. "I can but re- [ peat what I have already said, lam f- innocent of any crime, unless devotion '■ -to my country and its lawful rulers coii'v statutes guilt." I The President yawned in Philippe's I tee with undisguised insolence. t™. "The citizen's assertions but repent f, themselves," he said, rudely. % And, turning to the men beside li*::i, tt - fee demanded'. , L* - "Ak Force, is it not!" ■,, And, at the nod from him, they hustled Philippe to an outer door. S* But not alone; for, when the ominous f. _ words "A la Force fell upon his cars, jj' • slight figure, enveloped in a long 1* blown cloak, standing unnoticed in the 1 gloom of the dark room, glided swiftly F . forward, and silently followed the prif- saner to the gate. She softly touched I" Us hand, and, at his-startled exclama|\tW"» Sung back her hood, revealing a of exquisite beauty. This was GaU bridle Leblanc, daughter of one of the I • moat ardent patriots, who, in the days f before the storm burst had been a proter* gee of his mother the Comtesse. She „, had fallen deeply in love with the young s eoidier,who,on the occasion of his rare m visits to the old chateau, had treated the g ebarming girl with a chivalry and kind- j J?, am seldom experienced by one of her j

EL; An bom the noblesse, and won her Rdat, but whole-hearted devotion. K Vainly pleading with her father for his Bp Bfe, the had come to die with the* man Ej afce loved, baring obtained from Leblaoc Bt'ftrmiaiion to attend his trial. B-,."lGabrieOe! Yon here J" cried Philippe ■kJk aatanhhment. "Are von, too, su*Egffaetedt Poor child! Of what could they

*u- Hairing her sunny head, she replied: " "I tried to save you, Monsieur le CapiV taiae; but my father refused me. Therein fore I have come to die with you." £■' "80l this is madness, mon enfant," E. tha young man expostulated. "Go back, [p «re it be too late." v He endeavored to free himself from s, her dinging hands; but she only crept & the doser for his resistance.

"No, no, Monsieur Philippe, without yon life indeed were madness," she said, •imply. "And see," she added exultantly, It is too late now. The gate is They were poshed out, the door quickly dosing with a sudden clang, and they ' teed the howling' demons who crowded nrand the stepj, thirsting for their lives. 'Cabriaflc'a face blanched; but, with a

nick movement, she interposed her Mader body between Philippe and the vob, tad intrepidly fronted the rubble. •4er it/a* spread wide, as though to •Weld him. f There iu a pause of sheer asU>n>h- *< jatnt OB their part, and then her vokir, : '«ku w a silver bell, rang over the

r-luaiM clamor of many throats. !' "Chtuens! I beg of you to hear m\ ;'-Tou know who 1 am: the daughter of £,~JTaeaues Leblanc, your friend, and thp % friend of all good citizens. I am also £' aa* of yon; yet I ask you to spare this t ]oO{ man —one out of bo many—who (f'fc all the world to me. Spare him, •' dtitem, 1 beseech you." : There was a tense silence while she S; sjaak on her knees, holding out implor|>|m» hallgls. ''l M last a burly, blood-bespattered but- - Cher advanced. "Aristocrat he is I Plotter and emigre, V ekf he demanded.

" Tfo! oh, 00!" said Gabrielle, eagerly. "He is no plotter, citizen, but a loyal ■an who will serve his country." At the hated word, a fierce yell broke from the crowd, and the bristling array of pikes came threateningly nearer. A fsw women scrambled up "the slippery •taps to shake their fists menacingly in the hirers' faces, while shouts of "A bas lea aristocrates!" and "A la lanterne!" aras heard through the din. The girl sprang to her feet, erect and defiant, with flashing eyes, and cold,

{OBtemptuous smile. * "Touch him if you dare," she cried, acemfoUy; ''through me alone you reach him,"

with folded arms, pale and com'soeed, she waited for the end. Bat, with a thrust of his brawny arm, - ike red-faced butcher swept the forexaost off the steps, then, turning again *i~to Gabrielle, growled approvingly. Tiens! But she has courage, the little 1 «ttoyetf». See, now, tho\i hatest the -. aristocrats, like a good datghter of thy

father, is it nott Come, prove it to us, aad perhaps • "Yes, yes," shouted the rest; -prove thy devotion to the Republic, and thy fjata for her enemies." "What must I do!" panted Gabrielle, ready to promise anything so that Philippe might go free. "If it be possible

She pauwd shuddering, for the butcher had stopped, anil with a cup—part of the spoil from, some church—scooped ap a full measure of the turgid red stream flowing past their- feet, then held the chalice on nigh, amid loud applause from his comrades, **Here, then! Drink hut this cupful of ■earned aristocrats' blood, and thy lover shall ,go free. lie, mes amis! Shall it lx to!" A chorus of delighted approval greeted his terrihle decision; and, turning «gain to the girl, he said, with a hideon* leer: "Come, citoyenne, drink thy devotion to the One and Indivisible, and death and confusion to the enemies of la Xatkn." "Gabrielle! I forbid it. You shall not save me at such a cost," cried Philippe, in her ear, hia iacc blanched with horror as he tried to prevent her fulfilling fcer rash promise. "Let me die, migjKßUie; I am not worth such devotion." But Gabrielle hardly heard him. For A moment, when, with a mocking bow. the wretch presented the goblet with its

jerolting lieverage. -he gasped.instinctfrely shrinking from it. almost falterim--111 her resolution to keep her word, itut

the thought that her lover's l'fe an'! perhaps her own. hung in the balance braced her to the effort, and. s<-i/mg the - cup, ahe closed her eye- and drank ! ; "Brara! Itrava! Yivr la Xati.oi' Viv . la belle Gabrielle!" shouted the. mob. in , • frenzy of delight, as the cup fell from her nenreless hand. Ten pikes were lowered. - ibi aside, as the rejoicing and syninathcii. ; throng crowded round to embrace and congratulate the lovers, finally rarryliig ] them, shoulder high, from the gruesome •treet to a broader thoroughfare, where : ihey left them with loud expressions of

goodwill, returning with fresh zest to their work; the shrieks of their new vietime filling the air, and reaching the ears of the half-conscious girl, as Philippe swiftly bore lier from the none of terror.

For many days she lay prostrate from the effects of her act; then, as soon as sire was somewhat recovered, they were quietly married, and departed to more peaceful lands, where they waited until order was restored once more, when Philippe returned to offer his sword to his country. And when, in after years, he rose to be one of Napoleon's trusted officers, he was never tired of relating to his son this story of his mother's heroism, and how they tasted the mercy of La Force.