Henty George Alfred
The Young Franc Tireurs, and Their Adventures in the Franco-Prussian War
Their first visit was to a hairdresser's shop. Rather to the astonishment of the proprietor, they told him that they wished to speak to him in a private room; and still more to his astonishment, when the door was closed, they told him that they wanted their hair dyed quite black. The hairdresser could hardly believe his ears. The boys had both brown, wavy hair–Percy's being the lightest–and that two young officers of the staff should, at such a time, desire to dye their hair struck the man almost dumb with astonishment.
Ralph smiled.
"No wonder you are surprised, but we have an important mission to carry out, and it is essential that we should be completely disguised. We are going as spies into Von der Tann's camp. This, of course, is in the strictest confidence."
The hairdresser was at once struck with the importance of the occasion.
"You want an instantaneous dye?" he asked.
"Certainly," Ralph said, "and one that will last, at any rate, for a week."
There was no difficulty whatever in complying with the request and, in ten minutes, the boys' heads were raven in their blackness.
"Now," Ralph said, "I want my brother's hair–which is fortunately very long–to be completely frizzled; and I want a pair of the tongs you do it with, so as to be able to do it for ourselves."
This also was easy enough.
"Now," Ralph went on, "for myself, I want my hair to be very long; to come down over my ears on to my collar, all the way round."
"But the only way to do that is to have a wig specially made for you."
"Not at all," Ralph said. "I could not put on a wig, even if you had one just as I want it, ready. The parting always shows, if it is narrowly looked at. I want some long flat bands of hair, like those you use for chignons. It must be black, to match my hair as it is now; but put a few streaks of gray into it. I must have a band of this hair, long enough to go round the head, from just above one ear to just above the other. If you part my hair, just at the place where the band is to go; brush the hair up; put the band of artificial hair on, with shoemaker's wax, or something else to hold tight; then brush the hair back again over the band, it would be absolutely impossible to see it was not all natural. Then cut the long hair so as to lie on my coat collar, frizzle it and the natural hair, and I will defy the keenest-eyed Prussian to see anything wrong about it."
As soon as the hairdresser understood exactly what Ralph wanted, he entered heartily into his plans; and several of the short flat bands of black hair, used for chignons, were sewn on to a band. This was fastened on to Ralph's head, in the way he had suggested; the long tresses were cut to the required length; the tongs were used on them, and on the natural hair; and plenty of oil put on and, in an hour, his headdress was perfect–an immense bush of frizzly hair. The cloth was taken from round his neck and, as he looked at himself in the glass, he joined heartily in Percy's shout of laughter.
"But, Ralph, how are you to go out in your uniform, and that head of hair?"
"Dear me," Ralph said, "I had quite forgotten that. Go to the tailor's, Percy, and tell them to send the suit I changed there in here, directly."
Percy went off for the clothes, and Ralph then went on:
"Now I want a black or grayish beard, whiskers, and mustache."
"I have not got such a thing," the hairdresser said, "but I know a man who keeps them. I will get it for you, in a quarter of an hour."
In a few minutes Percy returned, with a boy with Ralph's clothes. In a short time they were ready to start.
"You do look a strange object, Ralph."
"Never mind, Percy, there are plenty of strange objects here. No one will notice me."
Then saying that they would call in again in half an hour, for the beard, they went to a chemist's; from whom–after some talk–they obtained a mixture to give a slightly brown tinge to their faces.
They now dived into the back streets of the town, found a second-hand clothes shop, and speedily got the articles they required. Ralph had a long greatcoat, with a fur collar; and a pair of high boots, coming up to his knees and to be worn over the trousers. A black fur cap completed his costume. Percy had a black cap, made of rough cloth, with a peak and with flaps to come down over the ears; an old greatcoat, with fur round the pockets and collar; a bright-colored handkerchief, to go two or three times round the neck; and high boots like those of Ralph.
They then returned to the hairdresser, and Ralph insisted that the beard and mustache should be fastened on not only in the ordinary manner–with springs–but with cobbler's wax.
"My life," he said, "might depend upon the things not slipping, at any moment."
They now went home. The moment that they entered their rooms, Ralph exclaimed:
"Why, we have forgotten all about Tim!"
"So we have," Percy said. "He was to have met us in front of the railway station at nine o'clock and, of course, he has no idea where to find us. I will go there. Very likely the poor fellow is waiting still."
Percy hurried off; and found Tim, as he had expected, sitting upon the steps going up to the railway station. He jumped up, with a cry of joy, upon seeing Percy.
"The Vargin be praised, Mister Percy! I began to think that you must have been sent off somewhere, without time to warn me; and I couldn't, for the life of me, make out what to do."
"We have not gone, Tim," Percy said, not wishing to hurt the attached fellow's feelings, by telling him that he had been forgotten; "but we are starting tomorrow. I will tell you all about it, when we get in. We have been to see Monsieur Gambetta, this morning and, do you know, we met Colonel Tempe last night, and are stopping in his rooms."
So saying, he walked along at a quick pace towards their lodgings; Tim occasionally glancing a puzzled look at him. By the time they reached the room, Ralph had stained his face and hands, and was busy dressing in his disguise. His back was to the door, when they entered; but he had heard the Irishman's voice on the stair.
"Well, Tim, how are you?" he said, turning round.
"Holy Vargin!" ejaculated Tim, dropping into a chair, and crossing himself with great fervor "Sure, I'm bewitched. Here's an ould gentleman, wid a wonderful head of hair, has been staleing Mister Ralph's voice."
The two boys went off in a shout of laughter at Tim's genuine terror.
"Sure, I'm bewitched, entirely," he went on. "He laughs for all the world like Mister Ralph. Did ye iver see the like?
"What is it all, Mister Percy dear?"
Percy had by this time taken off his cap; and Tim, as he looked him fairly in the face, gave another start.
"By the mother of Moses!" he exclaimed, in terror, "we're all bewitched. Mister Ralph's turned into an ould man, with a furze bush of hair; and Mister Percy's beautiful hair has all turned black, and shriveled itself up. Am I turning, myself, I wonder?" and he looked into the glass, to see if any change had taken place in his own abundant crop of red hair.
The boys were laughing so that they could not speak for some time, and Tim sat gazing at them in speechless bewilderment. At last Percy, by a great effort, recovered himself; and explained to him the whole circumstances of the case. The Irishman's astonishment ceased now, but his dismay was as great as ever.
"Then is it alone you're going?" he said, at last. "Are you going into danger again, without taking me with you? You'd never do that, surely, Mister Ralph?"
"I am very sorry, Tim, to be separated from you," Ralph said; "but it is quite impossible for you to go with us. If you understood French and German as well as we do, the case would be different; but as it is, the thing is absolutely impossible. You know how great a trouble it was to disguise you, before; and it would treble our anxieties and difficulties. Not only that; but even if, in the face of every possible danger, we got you into Paris with us, there would be great difficulty in getting you out. Gambetta will give orders for us to be allowed to come out, in the first balloon; but it is by no means easy to get places in balloons, and it is unlikely in the extreme that we should be able to bring you out with us. So there you would be, shut up in Paris and separated from us, for months.
"No, no, Tim, the matter is altogether impossible. You stay quietly here and, in ten days or a fortnight–if all goes well–we shall be back again with you."
"And is it in a balloon you're thinking of coming out, Mister Ralph; flying like a bird through the air? Och, wirra, wirra! I'll never see yees again."
"Nonsense, Tim, there's no danger in a balloon. If getting in were no more dangerous than getting out, there would not be much peril in the matter."
"Ah, Mister Ralph dear, how can you be risking your life, and the life of your brother in that way? Shooting at a Prussian, or getting shot at, is all well enough; or going among them with your hair all puffed out, and your face painted brown, and the hair growing all over your face before its time, I say nothing against; but flying through the air, in a balloon, is just tempting the good Providence. I know what it will be. You'll be just touching against a cloud, and tumbling out, and breaking yourselves into smithereens; and nothing to take home to your dear father and mother, not to mention Miss Milly," and Tim fairly blubbered with grief, at the thought.
The boys had great difficulty in pacifying the attached fellow; at last, with a face expressive of mournful resignation, he agreed to remain with Colonel Tempe until they returned; or until their prolonged absence rendered it likely that they would not return at all–Tim evidently making up his mind that the latter contingency would happen. In that case, as Tim–now his corps had ceased to exist–need no longer serve, he expressed his determination to return to Dijon; and to stay with Captain Barclay until the end of the war–as he should not, he said, have the heart to fight any more, when his masters were both killed.
While the conversation had been going on, the boys had continued their toilettes. The preparation which they had obtained gave them an olive complexion; and their transformation was now so complete that the boys would have passed each other unknown, even had they looked steadily at each other. Ralph, especially, was utterly unlike himself.
They now told Tim to go out and get his breakfast, and to return in two hours' time; and then started themselves, rounding their shoulders, and so narrowing their chests as much as possible. Ralph stopped at an optician's, bought a pair of slightly-colored spectacles, and put them on.
It was now twelve o'clock–the preparations having taken them three hours–and they went to the cafe where they were to meet Colonel Tempe, to breakfast. He was already there, and they walked up to the table where he was sitting.
"These seats are engaged," Colonel Tempe said, shortly.
The Barclays sat down at the next table; and called, in a foreign accent, for two glasses of beer. Then they spoke together, for some little time, about a journey from Saint Malo which they had just made; and Ralph then turned to Colonel Tempe, still speaking French with a strong foreign accent.
"Pardon me, colonel," he said, "we have just arrived from England. We have a very large quantity of army shoes, and I should feel under a great obligation if you could inform me who is the proper person to whom to apply."
Colonel Tempe at once informed them, adding:
"If your shoes are good ones, and the price fair, and you can deliver them soon, you will not have to wait long; for they are greatly wanted."
"We have also some harness, for artillery horses," Ralph added.
"I do not know about that," the colonel said; "but you will obtain all information from the officer I have mentioned."
"Thank you very much," Ralph said, and returned to his seat.
Colonel Tempe looked at his watch, a little impatiently. Ralph, after a minute or two, again approached him.
"Don't you think we may as well have breakfast, colonel?" he said, in his natural voice.
The colonel looked at him, in speechless surprise.
"So the disguises are pretty good?" Ralph said, smiling.
"Impossible!" the colonel exclaimed. "Do my eyes or my ears deceive me? Can it really be–?"
"It's us, sure enough, colonel; and now, I suppose we may as well sit down."
So saying, the boys took their seats at the table; but Colonel Tempe still looked from one to the other, in astonishment.
"Wonderful!" he at last said, "wonderful! Even now I know who it is, I do not see the faintest possible resemblance.
"Percy is, of course, less altered than you are, Ralph, because he is still young looking; but even now I should not recognize him. As for you, with that wonderful head of hair, and that beard, you look fifty; and as unlike yourself as possible. Upon my word, if it were anywhere else but here in Tours–where there are all sorts of oddities–I should be ashamed, as a colonel in the army, to sit down to table with you."
"You are a little ashamed, as it is," Ralph laughed. "We had not intended to come out in our new character, so soon; but when my hair was once done, you see, it was impossible to go about in uniform."
"But what in the world have you done with your hair?" the colonel said, examining him closely; for Ralph had taken off his fur cap and laid it beside him. "You have not got a wig on; and yet, all that frizzly bunch cannot be your own."
Ralph explained how it was managed, and added:
"And now, colonel, that you have recovered from your surprise, let us have breakfast."
Breakfast was ordered, to which the boys did full justice; but Colonel Tempe was still getting on but slowly, for he could not take his eyes off Ralph's face.
"Will all that frizzle keep in?" he asked, presently.
"Yes; the man said that the false hair–which is the greater portion of it–will keep as well for a week; and we have got a small curling iron, so we can beautify ourselves up when we like."
"Well, boys, I have no doubt, now, that you will be able to get as far as Versailles; as to getting through, that's another matter–but if anyone can, you will, I am convinced."
"I have not much doubt about it, colonel," Ralph said. "I seem to see my way quite clearly into Paris. Much more clearly, indeed, than I do to getting out again."
"Oh, it does not matter about getting out again, boys. You can stop quietly in there, until the end of the siege."
"That is just what we don't want to do," Percy said. "Would you kindly ask them to put into the dispatches a request that we may be sent out again, by the first balloon that comes? We have no fancy, either of us, for eating rats and cats; which I suppose is what it will come to, before it is over."
"I will see to it, boys," the colonel said, smiling; "but really, I should advise your staying there. You have done all–and more than–your share of work."
The boys shook their heads; and it was arranged that, if they got in, they should come out again in a balloon.
The next morning, the boys were up at half-past four and, at half-past five, were at the Prefecture. Colonel Tempe sent in his name to the minister, and they were at once admitted. Gambetta was at his writing table.
"Good morning, Colonel Tempe," he said, cordially; and then added, in some surprise, "who are these men you have with you, and where are your young Englishmen? I hope they will not be late."
"These are they," the colonel said, smiling.
"They are who?" Gambetta said, puzzled. "I do not understand you, colonel."
"These are the Lieutenants Barclay," Colonel Tempe said.
The minister looked from the colonel to the two boys, and back again.
"Do you mean to say–?" he began, incredulously.
"Yes, sir, it is us," Ralph said; "and I do not think there is much fear of our being recognized."
"So little that I do not recognize you, now.
"There is no mistake, colonel?" he said, gravely; "no mystification? You give me your pledge, and assurance, that these are the officers who have volunteered for this duty? Remember, any mistake might be fatal."
"These are certainly the Barclays, sir. I give you my word."
"It is a marvelous disguise," Gambetta said, his doubts now laid at rest; "and does them immense credit.
"There are the dispatches, gentlemen. They are done up in these two quills, and sealed. They are of the utmost importance; and must not, at any hazard, fall into the hands of the enemy. The dispatches are in duplicate so that, in case one only gets in, the purpose is served.
"This is a circular letter, to all maires and other French authorities, ordering them to give you every possible assistance.
"This is a special note, to the Maire of Melun.
"Here is a letter to General Aurelles, at Orleans. If he is not in when you arrive, the chief of his staff will do. He is ordered to send a staff officer with you, through the lines, as far as you require him. The horses are in the train.
"Now, goodbye. I wish you a very good future, for you are gallant young fellows."
So saying, he shook them warmly by the hand; and they hurried off to the train.
Chapter 15: The Expedition
A special telegram had been sent forward from Tours to station master at Orleans, to request him to order the two horses, sent forward in the train, to be got out of their boxes without any loss of time; and to do anything else which the owners of the horses required. Accordingly, as the train was waiting outside the station, the guard came round and asked at each carriage for the owners of the horses. He appeared a little surprised, when two Jews answered the inquiry; as he had expected that they were officers of high rank, and importance.
"The compliments of the stationmaster," he said, "and is there anything he can do with the horses?"
"Yes," Ralph said. "Give my compliments to the station master; and say that I shall be much obliged if he will get them out of the horse boxes, without loss of time, and send them on at once to the headquarters of General Aurelles. We will go on at once, in a vehicle."
Five minutes afterwards the train drew up at the platform, and the guard ran up.
"This way, gentlemen. A carriage is engaged."
Upon arriving at headquarters they found that–owing to the forethought of Colonel Tempe–they were expected for, upon sending in their names, they were at once admitted; although several officers, of all grades, were waiting in the anteroom.
The colonel of the staff gave a movement of surprise.
"There is some mistake here," he said, to the orderly who had shown them in; "I ordered the Lieutenants Barclay to be admitted."
"These are the gentlemen who gave me the card, colonel," the orderly answered.
"It is so," Ralph said. "If you will favor us with a moment alone, we will explain the matter to you."
The colonel led the way into a small cabinet, adjoining.
"We are bearers of dispatches, for General Trochu," Ralph said; "and have disguised ourselves, to endeavor to pass through the German lines."
"Oh, is that it?" the colonel said. "I must really apologize; but no one," he said, smiling, "could recognize you, in that disguise, to be French officers. Before we speak further, I must ask you for some proof that you are what you state yourselves to be; for at present I have only your cards."
"Here is our letter from Monsieur Gambetta to General Aurelles," Ralph said. "It is directed to be opened by you, should he be absent."
"That is all right," the colonel said, when he had read it. "My surprise at your appearance was natural, for the telegram we received this morning only said:
"'The two Lieutenants Barclay will arrive, by six o'clock train. Their business is most important. Have a well-mounted officer of staff ready to accompany them through lines.'
"I thought, of course, that you had orders to report on position of troops; and felt, I admit, rather angry that Gambetta should wish to send subaltern officers to inspect matters concerning which he has full reports.
"You wish, of course, to go on at once?"
"Our horses will be here in five minutes," Ralph said, "and we wish to get as far as possible, tonight. We mean to cross the Loing at Montargis, and get as far as we can, tonight; so as to arrive either at Meaux, or Melun, tomorrow evening. We should, of course, prefer Melun, as being much the shortest route towards Versailles. We shall, of necessity, be guided by the position of the Germans."
"You have not breakfasted, of course?" the colonel said. "I was just going to sit down, when you came in; for I go out to the front at ten, and it is half-past nine, now. You will have no chance of getting anything, before you arrive at Montargis.
"I can introduce you to the officer who will accompany you."
The boys readily accepted the invitation, and at once followed the colonel into another room; where breakfast was laid, and several officers of the staff were waiting for the arrival of the colonel, to begin. There was a general look of surprise, when he entered with two strange-looking Jews; which was not a little increased when he said:
"Gentlemen, the Lieutenants Barclay. You look surprised; but your astonishment will cease when I tell you that they are upon an important mission, and do not look like themselves. And now to table, for they have to start in ten minutes.
"Captain Duprat, let me make you specially acquainted with these gentlemen. They are bound for Montargis, and you will see them through our outposts."
In another quarter of an hour, the boys were issuing from the streets of Orleans; and were soon going along, at a hand gallop, by the road along the banks of the Loire; while to the north stretched the flat and densely-wooded country known as the Forest of Orleans. As far as Chateauneuf they kept near the river. Here they halted half an hour, to give breathing time to their horses; then started again, and rode fast to Bellegarde. Here was the last post of regular troops, but Cathlineau's franc tireurs were scattered throughout the country, as far as Montargis; and it would have been more difficult for the Barclays to have passed through them than through the regular troops, as they had less respect for passes.
After another halt, they again started; and Captain Duprat accompanied them as far as Montargis, where there was a small body of franc tireurs. Captain Duprat's orders were to sleep at Montargis, and then return to Chateauneuf the next day.
The boys felt rather stiff and tired, as they rode into Montargis; for they had not been on horseback since the day when they were taken prisoners, in the Vosges, and they had ridden forty miles since breakfast. They would, however, have willingly pushed on another twenty miles; but their horses had even a longer day's work before them, on the morrow.
Being accompanied by a staff officer, no questions whatever were asked them and, after a good dinner at the hotel, they went to the Maire, to inquire whether he could tell them as to the advanced posts of the Germans. This functionary–like such functionaries in general–could give them but slight information but, as far as he knew, there were no German troops on the right bank of the Loing, south of its junction with the Yonne. Beyond the Yonne they were scattered pretty thickly, everywhere.
At daybreak the next morning, they started. Captain Duprat turned his horse's head westward again, while the Barclays rode north. Their pace was rapid; as they never drew rein, except at villages, to ask whether the Prussians had been heard of. They heard of parties at Lorrez, and Cheroy; but as they kept through by-lanes, and as the country was thickly wooded, the risk was–at present–small. They had with them an excellent map, which enabled them to follow the smallest footpaths.
At eleven o'clock, they stopped at the little hamlet of Montarlet. There they breakfasted, and gave the horses an hour's rest while they consulted with the Maire. He was a miller, and turned out a shrewd fellow; entering into the matter with great warmth. He advised them to ford the Yonne between Montereau and its junction with the Loing; to keep to the woods for ten miles, and then to turn to the left, and to cross the Seine–at one of the numerous fords there–into the Forest of Fontainebleau; and they would then find themselves between that town and Melun, and could ride boldly into Melun, as if they had come from Fontainebleau.
"I know every foot of the country," he said, "and will guide you, till you are safely across the Seine. If we should, by any chance, fall upon a patrol of the enemy, it will be simple enough to say that I am a miller of Montarlet; and that you have shown me your permission to travel about, through the German line; and have asked me to guide you, by the shortest way, to Melun."
They had every reason to be thankful to their guide, for they found that there were a great many scattered parties of Uhlans about. By dint of making detours through woods, however, they succeeded in striking the Seine, at Fontaine le Port, without once meeting them.
This village was, however, occupied by some half-dozen cavalry; and it was impossible to pass the river, unseen by them. The Barclays thanked, very warmly, their friend the Maire, and promised to mention his conduct, upon their return to Tours; and then, saying goodbye to him, rode into the village alone. The sergeant of Uhlans came to the door of the principal cabaret, and looked out.
"Good day," Ralph said, in German, reining up his horse. "Is it here that I cross the river, for Fontainebleau? They told me, at Le Chatelet, that it was shorter than going round by the main road."
"Yes, you are right here," the sergeant said. "Have you passes?"
"Oh yes," Ralph said, laughing. "It would have been no easy matter to get from Frankfort here, without them."
So saying, he pulled out the Prussian permit.
"That is right," the sergeant said. "Your horses look very done."
"We have ridden from Coulommiers through Rozoy, and Normant."
"It would have been an easier road to have gone from Normant through Melun," the sergeant said. And he took out a map, and examined it. "No, I see le Chatelet is a more direct line."
"We have time to wait an hour," Ralph said, turning to Percy; "and it will be better for our beasts. See that they are rubbed down, and fed."
The sergeant gave a peremptory shout, and the master of the wine shop ran out. The sergeant pointed to the horses.
"Do you speak French?" he asked Ralph.
"No," Ralph said, "but my son does.
"Aaron, tell him to rub them down, and feed them well; and see to it, yourself. These dogs are capable of cheating even a horse."
Ralph then entered the cabaret, and called for some bread and cheese and a bottle of the best wine, with three glasses. The Prussian sergeant sat down with them, and talked of Germany for an hour. Then they started again, crossed the river and, an hour and a half later, entered Melun. Here, as they came in by the road from Fontainebleau–which was held in force by the Germans–no question was asked.
They rode their tired horses through the streets, until they saw a quiet hotel. Riding into the yard, they told the hostler to put up their horses, and to clean and feed them well; enforcing their request with a five-franc piece. They then entered the hotel, and found that they could have beds; as the number of German officers quartered upon this house was smaller than usual, owing to the greater portion of the troops having been pushed on, to reinforce Von der Tann.
It was now half-past five, and was already dusk. They therefore went at once to the Maire; to whom they presented Gambetta's letter, and requested his assistance in purchasing a van, with a pair of good strong horses, at once.
"It will be next to impossible to get horses," the Maire said, "but I will do my best. I have two carriage horses, of good breed; but I fear, if I were to let you have them, the Prussians might remark it."
"We have two first-rate animals," Ralph said, "from Gambetta's own stables. They have carried us a hundred miles, since breakfast time yesterday. They are likely to be at least as good as yours are, only they want a few days' rest. Will you exchange?"
"Certainly," the Maire said, at once. "If any inquiries were to be made about it, I need make no secret of that transaction.
"As for the covered cart, I will send round at once to those of my neighbors who have one; and as you are ready to pay for it, and as the Prussians are requisitioning them without payment, you can rely upon having one tomorrow morning, ready for your start. I will send a note round to you, tonight, to tell you where it is, at present."
"We had better go now to the German commandant's office, and get our passes countersigned. When that is done, we shall be all right for Versailles."
"Yes, I should advise you to do that," the Maire said. "You will not have much difficulty. They are civil enough about passes, and matters of that kind. Will you mention you have seen me?"
"Not unless any question is asked about horses; in which case we should of course mention that–hearing you had a pair of horses, and ours requiring rest–we had changed with you."
They now went boldly to the orderly room. An officer was on duty.
"Will you please to visa this for Versailles?" Ralph said, in German.
The officer took it, glanced at it, and at them.
"The last visa I see was at Meaux, a fortnight since."
"We have been traveling on horseback, since," Ralph said; "and have had no occasion to have it visaed, as it has always passed us without trouble. As we are now going to Versailles, with a wagon, we thought it better to have the pass visaed here."
"Where have you come from, now?"
"From Fontainebleau," Ralph said. "We have been down to Pithiviers, and I sent off four wagon loads of things from there, for the frontier."
"Your best way is through Corbeil, and Longjumeau," the officer said, handing back the paper.
"Thank you, sir," Ralph replied, "that is the way we are intending to go."
In the evening, the Maire himself came in to look at the horses; and told them that he had obtained a good light-covered wagon, with springs, which had been used for the removal of furniture. The price was a thousand francs.
