LIEUTENANT COLONELSTANISLAUS, OR, THE POLISH LANCER, IN THE SUITE OF NAPOLEON, FROM THE ISLAND OF ELBA. BV JOSEPH BERKOVITZ, " \ LATE LIEUTENANT-COLONEL IN THE POLISH ARMY, MEMBERWJF THE LEGION OF HONOUR AND THE GOLDEN rhHIiMil LTirf^ OF POLAND. LONDON: PRINTED BY J. W. PEEL, 74, NEW CUT, LAMBETH. 1846.PREFACE. The pen of the novel-writer has brought to light but very few of the riches of the history of Poland, especially from the history of its decay. The Polish nation, since the accession of the Electoral family of Saxony, offers in its constant agitations and troubles, grave matter for the meditation of the statesman, and moving events of thrilling interest crowd on the attention of the reader who only seeks for amusement and mental excitement. What, indeed, can be more animated than a nation, which, as it were, was never allowed to leave the stirrups, fighting on all sides against foreign enemies, governed by a traitor, and torn internally by religious dissensions! What terrible pictures and descriptions might a Walter Scott not have produced from the cruel murders and massacres of Human, Praga, and others, which the policy of Czars of Russia permitted in order to assume afterwards the task of retribution, coming before Europe as a power only intending to avenge outraged humanity, and the only power capable to keep in awe, those savage hordes which she herself11 PREFACE. had forced on to their work of devastation. The confederation of Bar, organised to defend the national religion and independance, secretly and openly counteracted by the intrigues of the high nobility, sold to Russia, and opposed by the king and the Russians, exhibits instances of heroism and devotion, which, if their details were set forth by the vigorous pen of the historian, or painted with the warm colours of the novelist, would shed a dazzling light on the history of that period and the misfortunes of Poland. In laying before the English public a short episode from the period of the decay of Poland, the author of this novel has one principal aim, that of fulfilling a sacred duty towards the memory of an illustrious warrior, whose virtues he had learned to admire in his youth, having been a personal witness both of his heroic actions and the lofty sublimity of his character. Stanislaus, whose misfortunes the author proposes to relate, belonged to that class of privileged beings, whose unlimited devotion to a sacred cause they have adopted, has no other term but the grave. Born for the enjoyment of an immense fortune, the way open before him to attain the most brilliant destiny, Stanislaus humbles himself, descends lowly in the social scale, taking on himself the duty of a common soldier in order to owe all his illustration exclusively to his own merit, to his sole personal bravery. Another end which the author of this novel wishes to attain, was to show the English public, what thePREFACE. iii artful and vindictive policy of the Russian emperors incapable of perpetrating. The barbarism of their actions surpasses by far those of the worst emperors of Rome, who at least according to their rule, panem et Circenses, endeavoured to protect the people against the great, whereas the Muscovite emperors let fall the weight of their iron tyranny as heavily on the one as on the others, permitting besides, also the degradation and spoliation of the people by the great. Russian society is governed like a regiment, the whole nation resembling one great camp, only ready and able to move that step and distance which the will of the chief of this army has prescribed to them. Occupying every bit of territory they can, even those cursed with an eternal sterrility by nature, going even beyond the Pacific to take hold of a desert in America which can yield them no profit, what else can be the objects of the policy of the Czars, but a settled purpose to create themselves universal domi-nators, masters of the entire globe, in order to subject the whole world like one obedient slave under the command of one spiritual and political master ! Hence also violence, that is to say, the absolute absence of all stability of law, must wherever Russian dominations is intended, be both the consequence and cause of its government. We have said enough to explain the cruel obstinacy with which the present emperor pursues his ignominious work of denationalising Poland. Neither age nor sex is respected to satisfy that rage for theiv PREFACE. centralisation of power in the person of one despot, and the whole civilized world still trembles under a feeling of horror in having learned the recent cruel treatment of the pious sisters of St. Basil, who had committed no other wrong, but loving their God, and practising virtue and charity within the precincts of their asylum. Oh, in the recesses of that unhappy land, acts of cruelty are perpetrated not known by the world, because silence is the helpmate of tyranny; woe to him who interrupts her in her unholy deeds ! Providence, however, had spared a handful of men, devoted to the cause of freedom, who by the relations they still entertain with their country, have it in their power to break at least that silence, and to discover in their naked hidiousness the horrors exercised on Poland and Poles. A Polish exile, the Polish author of the following sheets takes up, it is true, a subject somewhat removed from the history of our days, but still in time to show what the nature of Russian government was and is. If, by his modest exertion and industry, he succeeds in exciting some sympathy for the cause of Poland, his principal aim in publishing this book will be attained and his recompence complete. The incidents related refer to the period of Napoleon until his final defeat, which even annihilated the poor consolation —the hope, on which we had lived for twenty years—we were obliged to submit to the Muscovites yoke, whose dreary nation is described at the end of my little work.PREFACE. V I raise no pretension to literary fame, being well aware of the difficulties under which I labour in writing in an idiom, which is not my own, or rather in translating my book into English from French, in which language and country I first completed it. But I considered my task as a discharge of a pious duty towards the memory of my father, who had also illustrated by his valiant deeds, the greatest part of the period which I have selected for the subject of my tale. His name is known well in Poland, — a mention of the few subsequent facts will, I hope, be pardoned to his son. Colonel Joseph Berko, commanded a regiment of horse under Cosciusko; and in that quality he took part in all the battles which that great man fought against the Russians. At the end of the war, made prisoner, he was retained in Austria, but, through the assistance of some friends, he recovered his freedom and escaped to France. There again he served under Dombrowski, in the Polish legion, until he fell at the battle of Kock, fought against the Austrians in 1809, in which he was cut down by some Hungarian hussars, from whom he refused to take quarter. I am the only son he has left, and was still young when my father died, but I had seen and learned enough of him, to inherit, if not his virtues and abilities, at least his hatred of Muscovite tyranny. Soon after his death, I entered the army myself and served under Napoleon, through whom we then still flattered ourselves to regainvi PREFACE. our independance,* Vain illusions, unfortunately, which the great man committed the fault of contributing by his actions to render such himself. At the peace I left the service, being unwilling to serve the oppressors and bitter enemies of my country; but the revolution of 1830 called me again into activity— and behold, I am now what I am, a Polish exile, still loving my country, but more removed than ever from the hope of witnessing—even with dying eyes, its happy restoration. Who would be cruel enough to blame in us the only thing that remains to us, still to continue to cherish, at least, the memory of the past, and to learn from its melancholy pages the resignation, constancy and resolution which are required to lead us back to our native country! After this little digression, which may appear almost too personal, I feel myself anxious to return to the general subject. A Polish poet having been requested to give a narrative of that period, answered, " Heroic courage gave rise to such noble deeds; courage is also required to relate them." I, however, consider such a duty incumbent upon * Mention is made of my father, and of the little services which I myself may have been enabled to render to my country, in the historical works of the late general Soltyk, and the now also deceased count Ostrowski, commander of the national guard during the last Polish revolution. My own name is also mentioned in the work of general Rozicki, in whose corps I served during the revolution.PREFACE. vii us! Our sires kindled in our young hearts, by their recitals, the love of fatherland and of glory; such sentiments shared by the whole of the Polish youth, induced us to fight once more for the independance of our country. We again succumbed, it is true, but another Polish Poet has said: " The hopes of tyrants are vain; the defenders of liberty are imperishable; although death should mow us down, a new race of avengers will some day spring from our bones, from our dust. Let then oppressors shudder." No longer able to fight for our dear country's liberty, we shall consider it a duty to proclaim her misfortunes, and the courage and fall of her sons, as formerly the bards having lost the strength which they had displayed in battle, celebrated their exploits in poetry. I repeat it again, I make no pretence to literary fame. My task is merely one of love, a tribute to my poor country, and to our brethren who perished in battle, or in Russian dungeons. A practised writer might easily new model this novel, so as to present it to the public under a somewhat more attractive garb, and in more elegant phraseology. I prefer giving a round unvarnished tale; it is addressed to old military men, to the working classes, to country people, to the sympathising fair sex, and to my companions in misfortune. I speak to them in plain language, and confine myself almost entirely to historical facts. Whether I have done justice to the character of an old soldier, and properly described Siberia, is to beviii PREFACE. left to the judgment of my readers. The well known fidelity of Polish women is pourtrayed in my novel. I have introduced a French woman to fill up the canvas. My countrymen will he best able to judge whether I have indulged in exaggeration. We have almost all witnessed the sad effects of Czarewitz Constantine's intolerable despotism, and been victims to Russian perfidy. Who is unacquainted with the names of our martyrs to liberty, and who of us can say that his country may not yet rank him among such % Reader you can but sympathise with the young Polish warrior who idolizes a young French woman to whose charms and virtues his devotedness is a just tribute. If the heartrending denouement of the tale should harrow up your feelings, you will forgive an exile his inability to pourtray the sombre tableaux which cast a gloom over his feelings.STANISLAUS; OR, THE POLISH LANCER, IN THE SUITE OF NAPOLEON, PROM THE ISLAND OF ELBA. CHAPTER I. Si j' etais un jour, un seul jour, Le Dieu que la Pologne implore, Sous ma justice, avant l'aurore, Le Czar palirait a sa cour. Aux Polonais tout mon amour ; Je saurais, Irompant les oracles, De miracles scmer les pas. Helas! il leur faut des miracles. f Beranger. Within a few paces from whence tlie Garonne and the Dordogne intermingle and form the majestic Gironde, rises an ancient and simple castle, built upon the edge of a rock, the foot of which is continually washed by the waves of that river. From its beautiful terrace may be seen the dungeons of Blaze, and on a clear day may be discovered with the naked eye the spires of St. Andrew's and the ancient turrets of St. Michael, from which travellers may discern from afar the beautiful town of Bordeaux. Let those who are no 6trangers to the delightful (I might say, enchanting) scenery which is watered by the Gironde, and who have enjoyed the lively and animated prospect exhibited by that beautiful river when covered by pleasure boats and vessels from all nations,—when proud of its commerce, its waves would swell and sink from the weight of riches from India,—let such forget for a moment those happy times,— their thoughts would become pained by the recollection. Alas! wretched in the extreme are the days of which I now speak—not a boat, not a vessel, not even a bark sails on this now deserted spot. French vessels seek an asylum in the Port of Bordeaux and do not dare to leave it, such is the consternation and fear B4 STANISLAUS ; OR THE ■which fills every breast—men-of-war, stationed before the castle, defend the entrance of the two rivers 011 all sides. At all points cannon are placed—everywhere indications of war—everywhere reigns an awful silence, only interrupted, occasionally, by the dull roar of the waves, and, at intervals of distance, cannon were reverberating with fury from the top of the tower of Cordouan. Melanie, a young girl, possessed of a tender heart, an open mind, and most sensitive feelings, an inhabitant of the castle, used to walk every day on the terrace, sighing for the fate of her lover. Long since had herself and mother ceased to appear in the circles of Bordeaux, and had retired to the country, there to enjoy that solitude which is most congenial to wounded feelings. Their time was divided between reading, music, drawing, and the various occupations of their sex, every day offering up prayers and vows before the shrine of the Virgin, for France and the affianced husband of Mi'lanie. For France. Alas! France, thou hast never more needed Divine help. Alas ! dear France, how thou art threatened ! Art thou again to be invaded by strangers ? We are now in the spring of 1815. And who is this affianced one ? Let us hear from Melanie herself who it is. " Those cannon roar and cast mortality all around." " Perhaps," said she, sighing, "they this day have destroyed my Stanislaus." Alas ! how much to be pitied is the woman whose lover is a warrior. Who is this Stanislaus ? Melanie sings, and her plaintive notes betray her secret. In the cold clime of Scandinavia The hero's name resounds, Soon Poland, enslaved, Offers herself for Napoleorr. He had broken the chains Of that people,—the friend of the Frcnch,_ Franco among the number of her brave, Could count the Polish Lancers. Without regret they left their country For Napoleon. Those warriors Go unto the fields of Iberia, Gathering their wreaths of laurel, And wherever glory called them They fly to noble deeds; Everywhere glory is theirs, The brave Polish Lancers. When Fortune, fickle dame, With black treachery United, have overcome the courage Of our Grand Napoleon, He gave, when he laid down his arms, The most tender farewell to the French. And then were tears to be seen shed By the brave Polish Lancers.POLISH LAN€ER. 5 Napoleon, soul affected, Said, in that cruel moment, Return to your country, Farewell, take back your vows. He thought that in his exile None would follow him but Frenchmen ; But in that Isle he found Again some Polish Lancers. Oh ! you that in our clays of glory Have shared with us our laurels, Poles, of your fate Heaven must have great care ; Should you ever have cause to fear, Friends, we will never forget That we had for brothers in arms The brave Polish Lancers. At the conclusion of this lament, Melanie's eyes became suffused with tears—the last sentence almost inaudible from her sobs. She loves a Polish officer—Stanislaus, of the Lancers, at the Isle of Elba. " My love" exclaimed her mother, " how very feeling is that song you have just sang." " Yes, it is indeed, so,—it is universally sung in the grand army, and Stanislaus has just sent it me in a letter." " With what enthusiasm must he sing it,—he that loves France as much as Napoleon. What news does he give of his family ?'' " None ; but the news which reaches from Warsaw to Paris proclaims Poland inundated with the Russian army. Every patriot guarded with rigour,—that the prisons of state are full, and that the tyrant, Constantine (brother of the Autocrat), is loading with persecutions and degredation every citizen and every officer of Napoleon's army." " Unhappy country !" After a few moments passed in silence, the soul wrapped in deep thought, Melanie drew from her bosom the letter of her lover, when the servant announced the arrival of Marivalle, sergeant-major of the artillery, commanding the guard surrounding the environs of the castle. " Ladies, you will pardon me, I trust, this intrusion, perhaps the liberty I am taking is indiscreet, but an affair of importance brings me here. I have just been informed that you have received a letter from that noble and brave Polish officer, whom I have so often seen here before his departure for the army." " We have, sir." " What does it say, may I ask, of our young gallant. .How is he situated ? how are the French situated, and when may we expect their fate to be decided ?" " I have received, indeed, a letter, dated from the field of battle, at Ligny, in the department of Sainbre and Meuse. The emperor has gained considerable advantages—Blucher and the Prussians are6 STANISLAUS ; OR THE defeated—Napoleon has sent Marshall Grouchy in pursuit of them, and himself, at the head of the great army, advances towards Brussels, to take which he must defeat the English, who, under the command of the Duke of Wellington, defend it." " That is true; but his victories have not been obtained without ■victims," " Well ? that is all that is required ; only let the emperor once face his enemy and there is no fear of the result.. Like the Roman general who said, ' veni, vidi, vici,' ' I am come, I have seen, and I have conquered my enemies.' Is not that the case with Napoleon ? Look at Jena, Austerlitz, Pultusk, and many other places?" " Certainly not, how could it be otherwise ? you know the proverb, ' Men fight, but God directs the battle. His will be done,' says a good christian.' Fate must be accomplished, says the philosopher. I know you tremble, dear Melanie, for the fate of your lover, you think that every English and Prussian ball is aimed at his breast, but do not forget he is a Polish Lancer ; and when you say that, do you think who a Polish Lancer is—do you reflect upon what good they have conferred upon us—do you know what part they take in battle ? I will tell you : as soon as the cannon resound, the eager soldiers form themselves into thick squadrons, and while guarding their stations sing their national hymn, whilst their horses, standing in the rear, are prancing, eager for the charge. To receive the charge from the enemy, and not to be able to rush upon him, makes the blood of the Polish soldier boil within his veins. Should the emperor appear in the midst of them, should he wish to destroy a battery, it is to the Polish lancers he speaks; dzieci naprzod, * Forward, my children,' and in ten minutes their swords have passed through the enemy, the cannon are seized and taken before the emperor. As a proof of what I state, look at what took place at Saramo Sierra, which gained for Stanislaus the title of f Brave. Were I a king, and had but forty squadrons of Polish lancers, I should not require the use of cannon, they would more than equal their power. I positively affirm that the Polish soldiers are not exceeded in valour by the French, and this I declare from what I have witnessed myself, and could, therefore, form an opinion of their noble manner of acting." 'f But, my dear sir, what a number of those brave people have thereby perished, or have returned to us mutilated and injured for their lifetime." " Mutilated ! well, indeed, mutilated, and am I not that myself! Indeed I was married before I lost my leg, that has not prevented me from returning to my wife, and, believe me, she did not like me the less for that. Me, I am always as gay as a lark, I sing as a nightingale, and love my wife. Yes, I love my wife, and what is more, my wife loves me; you must not believe for one moment that an arm or a leg taken off prevents a man from loving his wife. Oh ! no, that rests with the heart, and virtue forms the base of all honest sentiments, and, in spite of my wooden leg, I should yet bePOLISH LANCER. 7 happy with my dear Fancliette, if the star of France could but again shine with splendour as heretofore." The old soldier wiped away a tear, shed by the reflections his country's cause called forth. " My wishes are like your own,'' said Mblanie, sighing ; but to see my dear Stanislaus deprived of a limb. Oh ! God, the very thought distracts my mind. What sufferings would he have to endure." " The sufferings, they are nothing, all that is soon got over. By the bye, do you think that while I was getting cured I fell in love. When my dear Fancliette saw me arrive lamed, her sorrow was intense, but I was restored to her, and she soon forgot that I had lost a leg. Do you think she shed tears at that, no, no : what excited her sensibility and her tears was my statement to her, the devil was in it, £ I love another woman, in Poland.' That, ladies, caused tears, that was an agony not to be borne. ' Villain,' she exclaimed, ' how awful, how wrong for me that I ever married you. Did not the priest tell mo, when he married us, that soldiers were worth nothing, that to-day they marry you, to-morrow they have another; that Buonaparte was only the anti-christ, all his soldiers devils; that St. John, during his trance, saw from the flowing plumes of their helmets women vomitting flames, enveloped with a black smoke arising from saltpetre, and a thousand other stories well known/ The poor dear soul lost her senses, I could scarcely finish my story, to convince her that my love in Poland was pure and innocent. I will tell it you one day, it is rather a long history, and I fear it might tire you." " Oh, tell us, tell us, pray, Mr. Marivalle, any thing coucerning Poland is so very interesting.'' The old lady orders a bottle of the best old wine in the cellar to be brought, and after having poured out a glass, which Marivalle did not require much pressing to accept, M^lanie exclaims, " Oh, yes ! everything that concerns Poland is to us of the greatest interest, I ought to be there with my beloved Stanislaus. Never can I forget his last words, before he left us for the war in Russia, grasping my hand within his, he exclaimed, in a tremulous voice, ' I leave Bordeaux, my dear M^lanie. The time is now arrived when I must fly with my brethren to render assistance to my oppressed country. Napoleon is at our head. His victories, the talents of his Marshals, the organization of his army, and the enthusiasm with which it is animated, all portend good for the sons of Poland. That they will yet recover their former independence, and that her vile oppressors will be driven back into the wilds and the deserts of Siberia. We shall then be happy, I shall return to thee and will conduct thee to our dear Poland, whoever may be the sovereign placed over us by the emperor, where we will live. In the midst of my territories, on the borders of the Borystene, surrounded by my people, to whom we will restore their liberty and to whom we will show examples of goodness, of virtue, and conjugal love.' These words, for three years,8 STANISLAUS ; OR THE formed my only comfort and happiness, constantly refusing to believe that the disasters and overthrow of Napoleon were beyond redemption, even up to the moment when Stanislaus informed me of the emperor's unfortunate abdication of the throne. Poor Stanislaus ! with what gloom was his brow o'ercast when with a stifled voice he said, ' It "was for the love of my country I left, three years ago, this hospitable roof, the dwelling place of my tender friend; it is honour alone which has kept me ever since attached to the flag of the empire, when at that very time the French eagles was unable to cover with its wings, Poland, the invaded ; and it is still honour that keeps me to this day attached to the unhappy fate of Napoleon. I shall follow him to Elba, I will sacredly watch the illustrious prisoner, and by my looks I will ask him, ' If the old lion has lost his strength, and if the Great Man is unable to keep his promises'' " At this period JVlelanie's voice became inaudible, she could no longer articulate a word, her eyes were suffused with tears, which coursed each other down her cheeks; her mother, who herself was moved at the recital just narrated, requested Marivalle to go on with his story, to which lie gallantly complied. After emptying his glass and refilling it, lie proceeded:—ft To beat the Prussians at Zalefield, at Auerstadt, and at Jena, take Magdeburg, keep possession of Berlin, invade all Prussia, was, for our Great Napoleon, but the work of six weeks. Soon after this the hero and his great army were before Warsaw. Terror went before us, and at our approach that capital was already resigned by the Prussians and Muscovites, who in their retreat destroyed, by fire, the bridge upon the Vistule. " Will such days ever return ?" exclaimed Melanie. " As for myself, I do not dare to even doubt it. Is it not the same Napoleon who commands ? Are they not Frenchmen he leads on ? Believe the word of an old soldier, that Napoleon's commands lead ever to victory. It can only be treachery that could deprive him of conquering. Let us hope that that will never be—but to our story :— " When the imperial guards and several regiments entered Warsaw, the town was so encumbered with the military, that our arrival was most agreeable to the inhabitants. Yes, I will take any of the great army and they shall bear witness that what I state is the truth, that we were received as their saviours and liberators. The citizens did not require us to be billetted upon them before we could have a home, or be treated with the best they could procure. Oh, no ! the ladies even would offer us refreshments, and would themselves wipe, with their costly and rich shawls, the dust off our horses ; you should be there to judge to what an extent the Polish ladies carry their love of country, in the excess of their zeal and admiration, they would embrace us. I must beg to say ladies, that this was in the presence of their husbands, who would not feel displeased at this innocent forgctfulness, caused by so much patriotic zeal, but I am diverging from my subject; every night while wePOLISH LANCER. 9 were at Warsaw, the streets and avenues were illuminated in the grandest style, every where pleasure and amusements of all sorts, military music, in the choicest and most exquisite style, in the various public thoroughfares, with a choir of French soldiers singing in honour and praise of Poland, and of the beautiful ladies of Poland. When I came to Poland, I thought I should be at the antipodes; But alas ? -what do I behold, our tastes, our fashions, Manners, customs, French, Their manners amiable and polite, The language of my country, All the women so pretty, Such as we see them at Paris. Indeed my friend, I see here like in Franco, In that sex so enchanting, Beauty joined with elegance, Wit to the qualities of the heart, Never was I in my life, More agreeably surprised, On arriving at Warsaw, For I thought myself again at Paris. When the Russians neared Warsaw, the emperor thought proper to go and meet them. He therefore had a bridge constructed upon the Vistula. We passed in review before the palace of the kings of Poland ; he then said " Forward my children.," I bid farewell to all I knew at Warsaw, jumped on my horse, and followed our pieces of artillery. At Pultusk we found the enemy assembled en masse. I must here observe, ladies, that I belonged to the artillery on horseback of the old guard. It was the emperor himself, who, on that memorable day, I shall never forget it, it was himself, who, with the point of his sword, showed us the position we ought to take, and from whence we ought to demolish several Russian columns, protected by a considerable number of cannons most advantageously planted. Just consider, ladies, what our position was, when I say it was very hot, and whether we liked it or not we must stay, there was no going back (you understand me) ; our regiment, indeed, was composed of those old gunners who were not accustomed to leave their guns. To put completely the Muscovites in disorder, was only the work of a quarter of an hour; at that instant a ball struck me, kills my horse, and throws me down." " Oh ! good God, what do you say ?" exclaimed both the ladies. " I at first thought, even that instead of returning to Burgundy after my Fanchette, I was off without a passport to the gloomy kingdom of his infernal majesty, Pluto, but soon discovering that it was only a broken leg, I said within myself, oh brother James, you will never wear but one wooden shoe now." " Poor unfortunate creature." " The Surgeon arrives, surgeon, I exclaimed, tell me truly, do10 STANISLAUS ; OR THE you think I am in danger on the other side, you understand me, yes or no, for I have some arrangements to make—I must bid farewell to my old companions—1 must write some few lines to my wife." " Be easy and composed," he said, " you are not lost yet— but you must lose your leg."—So be it—He then set about preparing for the operation. " What, I exclaimed, directly, oh ! what a shocking preparation ! " Take off the leg—there is no shrinking—and the operation is performed, however, for all that, I will not deny but that my thoughts were very dull —I could no longer share in the perils of the great army—on the other side, I consoled myself with the idea, that my wounds were honourable. In passing me by, it will always have to be said, respect to the brave. Alas ? who would have thought that the soil of France, would ever become inundated by those hoards of barbarians who fled before us, and have afterwards returned to humiliate and degrade us in our own country by the name of brigands of the click of Buonaparte. Could it be possible that in France, there could be found persons so treacherous to their country as to deliver themselves up to all those northern barbarians!" " It is but too true, I am sorry to say," replied the mother of Melanie, " was not our sub-prefect one of that number of wretches, the restoration loaded him with honours, the return of the great man forced him to fly and to hide himself, but was there one to be found among the party, who, after he was a renegade, ever returned a conqueror." Marivalle resumed his history. " During the amputation, my colonel brought nie the Cross of the Legion of Honour : I leave you to guess ladies, whether that gave me pleasure. Should I survive my sufferings, I will wear on my breast this glorious symbol. Should I fall, my family will inherit it, and my children will be glorious and proud of the cross which their father won upon the field of battle. erse— " And can I ever forget thy enchanting pomp, Thee, in which are united elegance and wealth, Fortunate Pulavy ! which alone from God obtained Charms which Heaven divides every where else What an enchanting landscape thy fields present, With what a shield of gigantic mountains art thou surrounded, Where the great Casimer, alone, without guard, or court, The palace s;ill reigns over the surrounding fields, Mysterious environs—splendid alleys, Majestic woods, green lawns, and lovely valleys, Thy picturesque landscape, and treasures within, All enchant us within and invite us from without. " I forget the remainder, but from those lines I am aware it is both a picturesque and magnificent spot. I affirm that all the magnificence and beauty of Pulavy, its superb palace, marble statues, grottoes, fountains of water, all that captivates the sight, equals not the goodness, benevolence, and all the other innumerable virtues of the princess Isabella, the protectress of the unfortunate. She is known throughout Poland by no other than that glorious title, a title a thousand times more illustrious than that derived from ancestry. By her we were received, she dressed our wounds, and lamented the loss of our companions, whom premature death had snatched from us." " But what of those ladies who accompanied her ?" " They were there always, emulating each other in offices of care, zeal, and piety, towards the sick. Who could describe the piety and charity which was to be founjd with those most amiable of ladies. The example of that princess taught all in her house." " Hut the name, pray tell us, of her you so admired ?" 'Polish lancer. 13 vt Ah ! id all good time—I know ladies are curious, a little patience and "you shall know all." " Do tell us her name my dear M. Marivalle, I long to hear lier name ?" " Vanda, was her name—Yes, Vanda! angelic Vanda, thou art the most lovely creature formed by heaven ; her beauty, her mildness, surpassed all around her—I think I now see her dressing my wounds, trembling and alarmed lest she should add one to my many pains—dear angel, she took upon herself the office of Secretary when my hand denied its service, and her arms sustained my tottering frame, when first I walked out upon the green lawns and flowery meads of Poland. " How amiable ! how good!" " Ah ! dear Vanda, angelic Vanda ! I now love thee as fervently as I then did, without forgetting my vows and faith toward my Fanchette. The love I bear thee Vanda, resembles n6t that blind violent passion which burns in the youthful heart—it is from the bottom of my heart that I worship thee Vanda as a superior being." " Those sentiments are most laudable, and we believe firmly that they do not deteriorate or militate in the least against your wife." " Certainly, not, but to prevent suspicion, I was compelled to avow all particulars to my Fanchette, as I have had the honour of doing to you, and at the end of my story, instead of one reproach, I received two or three sweet kisses from that dear excellent little creature." " How came you to leave Poland ? and how was it that the goodness of that amiable Vanda, did not bind you for ever to that country ?" " She wished me to remain there, and to send for all my family. Warsaw is still (as she would say) governed by Napoleon—your pay would as soon be paid here as in France, and by giving lessons in French, it would be easy for you to relieve the position in which you are placed—I may get married, and under my protection you may expect assistance in addition to the lessons you would give, for the lessons and precepts of an old warrior will always be sought after with avidity, for you know as well as myself, that all the Poles are well aware that they will inspire nothing but the love of glory and of liberty.—To all of which I replied without the least hesitation, that however kind her offer was, and it was a thousand times too generous, still nothing could restore peace and tranquility so much to my heart as to return to the vale of Suzon, where Fanchette and myself drew our first breath. My refusal, did not however, lose me my protectress. Many and many times has the sight of the white flag waving, instead of our own tri-colour, made me wish myself away from France, soliciting again the hospitality of the Poles. However, the emperor returned and exhorted his faithful followers — among others I answered to his exhortation, resolved upon devoting to his servicc whatever strength14 STANISLAUS J OR THE was yet left ine, and this day with my wooden leg, through my worthy old colonel, I can still command one of the side .batteries. Should I ever return to Burgundy, the remembrance of that excellent Vanda, will still live in my recollection. I feel most deeply concerned in her welfare, may she one day become the wife of an old officer of the imperial guard. Like yourself, she deserves such a husband; what charms ! what modesty, Vanda, are assembled within thee. How she would adorn the existence of one of those gallant officers, who upon the field of honour received the title of brave by the greatest commander of the universe." " But," interrupted Melanie, " Vanda is only, I presume, a christian name, what may be her family name?" " Had I not forgotten it, I should have been most happy to have done so, I have lost her address, and Polish names confuse me much, they all seem to me to begin by Pan and finish by ski. I much regret not to have conversed more with M. Stanislaus about that family, he might have given me much information.* I think when written it must have been a very hard word to pronounce, but when uttered by Vanda, it vras sweetness itself." Placing his hand upon his heart, Marivalle felt the tears rolling in his eyes, but the presence of the ladies seemed to stop them in their course. Who is there that had never in the most acute suffering let fall a tear ! " Such holy and pure love does you as much credit as the object that inspires such, and your history imparts the most lively sensations in our breast," exclaimed Melanie. " Thanks are not, Miss Melanie, sufficient for me, for to be candid, I am myself very curious to know something as regards my neighbour; I am sure Madam you will not deny me one little favour." " What can that be. Sir?" " Why cannot you guess ? do you think I feel no interest in the love you bear for M. Stanislaus ? He is a brave Sarmatian worthy to be adored by a French beauty." Melanie turned crimson, and hung down her eyes with a modesty peculiarly enchanting. " The history of my daughter's love," replied the Mother, perceiving the confusion and embarrassment of Melanie, " offers nothing of importance or any interest up to the present time. From the first moment that her heart became another's, I was made sensible of the attachment she had formed, and long ere this their wishes would have been completed, and Hymen's rites would have joined their loves in indissoluble bands, had not Stanislaus sworn, and faithful to his vows, never to unite himself by marriage, until his country was free. Melanie, my dear, describe to M. Mar- * In the Polish language Pan signifies Mr., and 'ski means of In English tlie word o/'is placed immediately after the title of Mr., in Polish it is placed after tin' surname : for example, Panwolski signifies, Pan, Mr., ski, of Wola, jPOLISH LANCER. 15 rivalle your little history, for if his love of the character and amiable qualities of Vanda, was so holy and pure, your's likewise offers but an innocent inclination of the soul towards one of the bravest and best of men." " As you wish it, my dear mother, I will yield to your request and to the solicitations of M. Marivalle, I will tell him as sincerely as he to me, my narrativeand taking-from her bosom the portrait uf Stanislaus—" Look Mr. Marivalle," said she " do you think that is a good likeness ?" " Most admirable, Madam," Melanie then begun. " When the emperor was going to invade Spain, and passed on his route through Bordeaux, accompanied by the immortal legions of his guard, the quay at Burgundy was crowded to an excess, to witness the embarkation of that splendid army. In the midst of so many regiments were to be observed the Polish lancers, of which the crimson czapskas adorned with gilt plates, shone in a most resplendant line. There was one among the number—one—it was he—Stanislaus, full of youth and beauty, grace and bravery, who; under the simple garb of a common soldier, concealed from the world his rank and distinction, aud under the French flag was gloriously defending the cause of liberty. In stature he was taller than all those around him, and the charger upon which he sat seemed proud of his burden. Fate brought him to our house— from my window I could see him, (without being perceived) in the yard attending to his horse, bestowing upon the companion of his dangers and his toils, caresses and marks of affection. A soldier stood by him, desirous of saving him this work—by the respect and homage with which he addressed him, (never speaking to him without lifting his cap) I could perceive that he was his servant. To this, however, he would not consent, but pushing him gently aside,, proceeded on with his work—that of taking care of his noble looking horse; you could have almost thought that he understood every action of his master, and that he was sensible of all his attentions to him, for he would lick the hand that caressed him—and his eye seemed to irradiate with a feeling of tenderness difficult to express. When he had finished his work, my father (whose loss I have had to deplore some years) invited the stranger to sup with him, on which occasion we were not left long in a state of ignorance as to his high birth and refined education. He could speak several languages— his conversation delighted my parents, and made that impression upon my heart I in vain endeavoured to conceal. From that hour I became totally enamoured, living but for him. His stay with us was but short, the next day he left us, but left a note addressed to my father, expressing his gratitude to him. Stanislaus Mertsinski is the name of him I love. Some little time after this his name became famous in history, he signalized himself most gloriously at Sammo Sierra, and received decorations on the occasion. The secret of his birth soon became officially known—he was declared to be no other than a count, and the son of a palatine, al-16 STANISLAUS ; OR THE though under the garb of a simple soldier. To hear of his exploits was a joy and a solace to my mind. To love an unknown, a stranger, a warrior, some hundred of miles from you, who is every day exposing his life before thousands of enemies, seems like a dream, but the power of God is with him, and we shall acknowledge it when we see Stanislaus amongst us again. " Fearful that I should never more behold him, my constitution became visibly impaired—day and night I grieved, my father noticed my altered looks and dejected countenance; neglecting himself and his health, he thought only of me. Not all the skill of the most celebrated doctors or most diversified amusements or entertaining works, could estrange me from the settled gloom and mental suffering I was experiencing. One evening, when sitting more melancholy than ever^holding my work still within my hands, the door was suddenly thrown open, and one of the lancers of the guards stood there. My heart leapt with joy but, alas ! some few words, roughly spoken, told me quickly he was no Pole. Born at Paris, he was a quarter-master in the depot of the Polish guards. My father, who loved Napoleon and his companions in arms, always invited every one of the military to take something with him, when an opportunity presented itself. He immediately ordered some wine for the stranger and himself, and drank to the health of the emperor and to the glory of France.*' " You are one of the Polish guards," exclaimed my father, " we have had lately staying with us one of the lancers, he said his name was Mertsinski." " Oh, I know him well, it is Stanislaus. Oh, he is a famous devil, a wonderful fellow—I will tell you his history." " I dare say it will be most interesting to hear," exclaimed Marivalle. • " Count Stanislaus Mertsinski," §aid the quartermaster, " is the son of a Palatine, and came originally from Russian Poland. He was left an orphan at a very tender age. He was one of the pages at St. Petersburgh, which he left at the age of eighteen. He then went as ensign in a regiment of dragoons, in the guard of the Autocrat. In the first year of his service the Czar proclaimed war with France, and sent out a great army to defend Austria. The young count found himself opposed to those whom he believed destined to give liberty to Poland, and in whose ranks were to be found all the youthful patriots of his country. His position, therefore, became unsupportable—a Polish soldier knows 110 engagement so sacred as his love for his country—a Polish soldier has never been known to fight against his brethren.* From the beginning of the campaign * Unfortunately the affectionate bride here speaks in a manner too fluttering of the countrymen of her Stanislaus. Unfortunately, Poles have but too often fought against Poles; such are the contents of the history of the three partitions of Poland. And, again, the Lithuanian corps, which in 1831 fought for the Russians, were almost entirely composed of Foles.POLISH LANCER. 17 Stanislaus formed the project of quitting the Muscovite army ; but, scorning to leave clandestinely, he entered our ranks in the middle of day, in the midst of the carnage and slaughter going on at Aus-terlitz, bearing with him the Russian flag." " Excellent ! well done." exclaimed Marivalle. " However/' continued Mtlanie, " the quartermaster stated that this heroic action nearly cost Mertsinski the loss of his life, for the 9th fusileer cavalry, to which he then belonged, led by Murat, retreated before some squadrons of the Russian guards. Our fusileers gathered round our eagle, where the etat-major was, when we perceived near our ensign the Russian flag, borne upon a noble charger, which black eagle was lowered before our glorious tri-coloured flag; the stunning noise of the cannon and the clashing of arms prevented us hearing what Mertsinski said to our colonel. His warlike look, so full of greatness, inspired us with wonder. We viewed him from afar. His uniform (I remember it to this day) was deep green, embroidered with gold, a silver sash surrounded his waist, and his helmet was surmounted by a flowing plume. In our regiment, said the quartermaster, we could number many Poles, relics of the ancient legions exterminated in Italy and on the burning soil of Egypt. One of them was named Lukanski. He was one of our lieutenants—his hate towards the Muscovites could never be abated. We saw him knock down, in his charge, several of their officers, and himself, all covered with blood, returning foaming with rage, when he perceived from afar Mertsinski, without noticing any one around him, he spurs on his horse, snorting with pain, and throwing himself with all his force upon him, exclaims, in his own language, ' Dog of a Muscovite, defend thyself;' and, with a blow from his sword, felled him to the earth. What was his grief, alas ! when the colonel, in a thundering tone exclaimed, ' Miserable man, what have you done, it is one of your countrymen, who, leaving the ranks of a slave, joins with us to fight in the cause of liberty !' In a moment Lukanski is on the ground, rising t£e wounded, but falls himself when, at the sight of his features, he recognises Mertsinski, his friend, and the playfellow of his youth. The scene was most touching. The emperor was made acquainted with it, and he sent immediately his own surgeon to dress the wound, fortunately not mortal." " To this day Stanislaus bears on his face the mark of that wound," exclaimed the old lady. " Yes, ladies, you are right. I have myself often times thought as I have gazed upon him, ' There is a brave man, he has not turned his back upon his enemies.' " " The quartermaster," continued Melanie, " went on to state now Stanislaus engaged in the 9th fusileers—how he refused any other situation than that of a simple soldier—how he signalised'himself at Jena—was wounded at Friedland ; after which he entered in the light horse regiment of the Polish lancers of the imperial guard, as first lancer of that corps :" the quartermaster then went on to tell us some anecdotes of his character. ' As for myself/ he said, ' I was18 STANISLAUS ; OR THE but corporal in the 9th fusileers. The Count Mertsinski knew well my position—I have been a long time married, and have a large family. He begged General Krasinski to appoint me quartermaster in the new regiment,—he bought me a horse, sent my children to school;—indeed, he overwhelmed me with his various acts of kindness. The general loves and admires him, but that does not make him proud—to-day sitting at the general's table, to-morrow among the soldiers—no difference with him, he is always the same: courage, constancy, sobriety (unequalled), benevolence (extreme), these form the true attributes of his character, which is still more ennobled by the works he studies and indulges in perusing in his leisure hours." " Now, I must confess, you have truly depicted the character of a brave man," said Marivalle. " The quartermaster boasted of his intimacy with Stanislaus and Lukanski. This last, in the rank of captain, served as aide-de-camp to General Krasinski. One day, (proceeded the quartermaster), I asked Mertsinski why he would not be made an officer ? ' Because I only fight and serve as a soldier for the good of my country.' Lukanski, there are many others, who do not refuse promotion. 'Perhaps they are not rich enough,' he replied. f As for myself, as soon as Ukraine, my native place, shall be free from the Muscovite power, with my own property I will form a regiment of cavalry, bearing, perhaps, my name, although I shall only be its first lancer.'" " Well spoken," exclaimed Marivalle ; " the man whose sole ambition is for glory and the liberty of his country, can never choose a greater title than that of first soldier of his regiment. How many among our obscure generals know not even the name of Latour d'Au-vergne ? But pray proceed, Miss, I am impatient to know how you once more saw each other." " The quartermaster stayed at our house with his family many weeks. I had a servant, whose lover was unfortunate ; she loved a sailor, who had been taken prisoner at the battle of Trafalgar, and was pining in an English prison. Oppressed spirits console and relieve each other by communicating their griefs. On the pledge of secresy I informed Susan that I loved Mertsinski, and that should he die in battle I should drown myself in the Garonne. This secret she imparted to the quartermaster's wife, who no doubt informed her husband. One day he came to my father—' I bring good news,' said he, ' the war in Spain is finished, and King Joseph is now firm on his throne; as the emperor leaves Spain with his troops and goes to fight the Austrians, who are again inciting Franco to battle, which is sure to prove fatal to them.' To confirm what he stated, he showed a letter, dated from Bayonne, where General Krasinski was, commanding the quartermaster immediately to bring out the horses and to join the regiment. Bidding adieu to my father, he said, ' I shall see you again, sir, in a few days we shall all be here.' The colour rose in my cheeks, I was seized with severe pains in myPOLISH LANCER. 19 head, and from that moment I was forced to keep my bed. My beloved parents became alarmed—an old doctor, however, understood my complaint, and, whispering in my ear, said, f Our skill avails nothing- in these complaints.' One beautiful morning the trumpet sounded—we then resided upon the place of Tournay. My father had, I believe, just gone upon the exchange, my mother went to the window and called me. f Rise, Melauie, what a beautiful sigii t! a Marshal of France is passing in review that beautiful regiment of Polish lancers. Make haste and dress yourself; we cannot every day see such a splendid scene at Bordeaux.' Without delay I dressed myself, pale and trembling, and stood at the balcony near my mother. The battalion commanded by Stanislaus, was just opposite our window. Immediately on perceiving us lie bowed most gracefully. The military band struck up the national air, c Poland is not lost.' The officers repeated the orders received from their generals, and the lancers galloping immediately off, disappeared from our sight. However, I observed that Stanislaus gazed for some time towards the balcony, until the houses had hid him from my sight. This relieved me. Evening arrived—our door was opened to receive him, for he was known to my parents. My father adored him as a hero; but, alas ! he came not, but that night my servant placed in my hand a letter from one of the bravest and most affectionate of lovers, of which the following is the substance. " I am told I have merited your regard. I would not wish that any one should suffer on my account: my heart is disengaged ; I offer it to you. To-morrow, however, I leave for a new campaign, upon the plains of the Danube. Should the fortune of war be mine, I will return to you ; but, I must confess, I will never lay down my spear till after my country is free. Then and then only could I enjoy a life of tranquility and ease. Then the simple soldier will become the humble cultivator." " That Stanislaus is beyond praising," exclaimed Marivalle. " The next day he started off for Austria. Wounded at Wagram, he chose Bordeaux for the place where he would remain until recovered. It was then that he talked to me and unbosomed his feelings—it was then that we swore fidelity to each other, and my parents approved and blessed our vows: but before we were united, Poland must be free. During this period Stanislaus came every day to our house ; they were the happiest days of my existence. Ah ! how full of mirth and joy I was when that warrior was at my side at the ball or the theatre. The campaign of 1812 snatched him from his rest. One morning lie flew out of breath from the parlour, in which our family were assembled " " At last" he exclaimed, " the moment is arrived : I have a letter from general Krasinski, stating positively that the emperor is going to declare war with Russia. The liberty of Poland will be sure to be restored ; then, the happiest of mortals, I shall be able to boast of having served under a great man and for a great people. D20 STANISLAUS ; OR TI1E " And I shall need the woman I adore, of course," added Mari-valle." " Ah, vain illusion ! Siuce that time his letters make my teacs flow ; his first, dated from Smolensk, predicts the disasters of Napoleon. 'The emperor,' he says, 'advances into Russia, without having nationalized the Lithuanians, without having- proclaimed Poland. Winter is coming on; we want everything. Fatality is leading him on to destruction, and my country will be lost.' My dear, lamented, and most excellent father could not survive the disasters Napoleon experienced." " Peace be to his soul; he has not seen strangers in France," exclaimed Marivalle. " From this time Bordeaux was but a wilderness to us, and we left it to settle in this castle. Here three springs have witnessed me drooping. The news I received after the battle of Leipsic almost destroyed me ; I wanted to destroy myself—my senses fled. I believed that all the Poles had perished with Prince Poniatowski, but I received Stanislaus's letter, dated from Fulda, in which he said, " Our ranks are decimated, our beloved chief dead in the waters of the Elster. My friend Lukanski (the affianced of my sister), taken prisoner, and, 110 doubt, sent into Siberia. I have survived as by miracle—slightly wounded. I am always near the emperor. This day he has collected, upon an eminence, the principal Poles, I appeared with crape on the point of my lance, I have always carried it so since the time I left Poland. The emperor has condescended to explain his motives to us, saying, ' I wished to save you, I am not the cause of your misfortune; it is-* We spoke not, but preserved silence. It would be an unworthy act 011 our part to reproach the Great that falls. He then continued, ' You formed our last allies, will you pass the Rhine with us ?' We all replied, 'Yes, emperor.' Some months after, the abdication of Fon-tainebleau took place. Napoleon thanked the Poles for their aid, and recommended them to the emperor Alexander, This melancholy news was brought me by Stanislaus himself. He wore on his arm the symbol of mourning, aud i will not repeat what in that unhappy moment he said—you already know it. He is gone for the Isle of Elba. He is again with the emperor. He has been here, in this castle ; you have spoken with him ; you have witnessed the hope that still illumes his features, believing firmly that our happy days would yet return ; and to day God knows where he is. Whether he lives-." Melanie and her mother burst into tears. Old Marivalle sighed. The roar of the cannon is heard stronger and stronger. The ladies turn pale ; Marivalle, with an air of composure, exclaims— " Don't be afraid, fear not. It is nothing, it is our brothers coughing." At first it w as thought there was a battle in the environs of the tower of Courdouau. But, the firing did not last long; silencePOLISH LANCER. 21 suceeded ; then began a volley. Every three or five minutes a report was heard. Marivalle counted them in his Burgundian jargon—a hundred and one. "A hundred and one !" he repeated, with a trembling voice, " it is worse than a battle. They are signs of joy, which the English are firing. Who knows ? perhaps the fate of France is already accomplished." A cry of alarm was heard from within the batteries ; Marivalle in haste ran out of the castle, to be on his post. Melanie and her mother perceived, from the terrace, an English vessel cutting through the waves, hoisting the white flag before the French batteries ; the officer, with a stentorian voice, proclaiming to a French captain— "That all hostility had ceased ; that he had news of the highest importance to communicate, on behalf of the admiral, to the authorities at Bordeaux."22 STANISLAUS ; OR THE CHAPTER II. '• The sacrifice of our couutry is consummated, All is lost, and during life nothing remains but to lament our fate with tears." Last Letter of Jacob Outis. Soon after the shades of night were spread over the vast canopy of heaven, all around the castle was tranquil. The atmosphere was pure and the air serene, the moon surrounded by stars, was reflected in the Garonne as if it were a glass. The most beautiful night, however, has something in it very sombre. Whatever may be the trouble that overwhelms man, he finds himself more at his ease when the sun lights him with its refulgent rays. Mclanie felt her troubles increase and her anxieties augment as night came on. Her mother would entertain her with different objects, from time to time, but the conversation always ended by dismal thoughts relative to the position in which France was, and the dangers to which her beloved Stanislaus was exposing himself. Her mother, anxious to relieve' the thoughts of her daughter, persuaded her to walk with "her in the garden, while the moon illuminated the face of the earth. Melanie, however, felt herself too heavy hearted and declined the offer ; but took-up her guitar, and, instead of executing some of the airs of the Mazurs and Cracoviens which, she was so particularly partial to when Stanislaus was near her, she began one of those dull strains of Ukraine, capable of inspiring the most chcerful mind with dismal forebodings and ideas. Her mother requested her to sing her favourite sonnet— Guarda che bianca luna : Guarda che notte azzura ; Un aura non susurra, Non tremolo uno stel. Lusignuoletto solo Va della siepe all orno. E sospirando intorno, Chiama lua sa fedel. " That song seems to depict what nature represents at this moment,'' replied her mother.POLISH LANCER. 23 " Yes, dear mother,'' answered Melanie, "for the moon is bright, the air is tranquil and pure, not even ruffling the most tender twigs of plants! the little bird alone hops from tree to bush, and sighing calls for its companion. Yes, that sonnet paints divinely the harmony of nature; but how it contrasts with the storm within my breast. Here all is tranquil, and in the army there!—perhaps, fighting now : the noise of the cannon reverberating in the air, the earth trembling under the horses' feet, all confusion, rage, and desperation ; and Stanislaus! my God ! If the French flag were but waving on high triumphantly ! Who knows ? The date of Stanislaus's letter is very old. We have no news from Paris or the army here. From all parts the enemies of France are pointing against her. They are so many ! The great man !—his star has betrayed him more than once. Those equivocal people—perhaps some evil has already taken place. No, no. To-day I cannot sing.'' " Do you prefer reading ? Read something, I pray. I will pay every attention." Melanie rose, and took a manuscript, elegantly bound in morocco, written by Stanislaus. He wrote it during his sojourn in the Isle of Elba, and on its title page was inscribed his motto :— " THE SACRIFICE OF OUR COUNTRY IS COMPLETED. ALL IS LOST, AND WHAT OF LIFE IS LEFT US WILL ONLY BE SPENT IN TEARS FOR OUR UNHAPPY FATE." That book contained many original poems, and some translated from the Polish language, by Stanislaus himself, The hand of Melanie was skimming over the gilt leaves. " We shall find something here interesting. The literature of that country contains little but what is dull, however, it always ^p^pts courage the most heroic, which that brave nation exhibited Mj^'ized Europe. Often times conquered, but never subdued and degfaifled; for she supports herself always, under all her troubles, with a constancy truly energetic. That kind of reading pleases me much, and at this moment is very necessary, so that we may arm ourselves with perseverance, when the clouds of heaven seem lowering and proclaiming a fearful storm. Situated as I am, I should much like to follow the example of those ladies of Poland, so renowned for their patriotism, their virtues, and their fidelity. " ' The remembrance of my Father.' Let us hear what that is. ' Casimir Pulaski,' a ballad. " We will read this. I have seen the interesting portrait of that noble defender of Poland. Listen, my dear mother, attentively, I am sure it will interest us.'' " Read it then, my dear."24 STANISLAUS ; OR THE HtSTORY Of CASIMER PULASKI. tf The town of Savannah, the principal city of Virginia, was long since besieged by the republicans of America. At the rise of morn they threw themselves upon the ramparts around the town. In expectation of this sanguinary aurora, thick columns of soldiers rest under their arms, the savages, at the same time leaning upon theirs, scream their war song. " Before a hut, near a large fire, might be seeu the generals' holding a council of war—the plan is taken, all are agreed, and Washington in a deep toned voice announced that the first column will be taken on to the assault by general Pulaski. " Yes, I will conduct it," exclaims a man of about thirty years of age, his cheeks pale, hair brown, a tri-colour scarf girt round his waist, melancholy depicted on his countenance; " Yes, I will lead it forward," said he, passing his hand over his moustaehios. The discussions on stratagems necessary to be used being now ended, the generals converse most amicably, one leading the conversation entreats Pulaski to relate his adventures. " Citizen," said he, " thou art the son of one from a distant country, but thy exploits will penetrate into the new world, as thy glory and honour have preceeded thee amongst us." " Rather say the echo of my troubles and misfortunes," exclaimed the Polish warrior lifting his hands up to heaven. " Ah ! indeed, my history shows a rare example of the vicissitudes and trials of human life. In my youthful days all ran on smoothly and peaceably like a rivulet traversing a plain, but the remainder of my career resembles a vessel launched upon the surface of a lake, agitated by the fury of all the spirits of the deep. " At theag'e of twenty I had never yet left my home—my education was limited because my father intended me to cultivate the grounds of our ancestors. Agriculture then occupied all my thoughts, and following the chase was my greatest delight. I lived in a castle which was my inheritance—all around me was the property of my father and my three brothers, and from the window in my castle could be seen the tower of her to whom I was affianced. You will then understand, that upon a surface of nine miles square, I had a world of my own, upon which I had hoped and always thought I should have ended my days. Lovely Sophia, thou didst hope to have been wedded to thy Casimer, fate decided that he should embrace thee but in the tomb—in thy winding sheet—in the midst of the dead—but we must not anticipate. " On the day of my wedding, twelve superb carriages conducted us with our company to the church. The humble parish church was densely thronged by spectators, the curate was putting on his sacerdotal dress to give us the nuptual benediction, when suddenly Sophia, inundated with tears, fell on the breast of her mother, her beloved mother. I cast my eyes around, and perceived in the midst of my guests, two gentlemen, perfect strangers—their features de-POLISH LANCER. 25 picted something truly peculiar, they carried enormous swords in their hands, a pair of pistols hung from their waists, and what with their poignards and the travelling dress, they wore a very remarkable mien to those amongst whom they were, and who came to rejoice at my wedding. " Presently those two men approached me, and one addressing himself to me, exclaimed, " Brother, thou hast not well chosen the moment to be married—for Poland demands thy help ; the Muscovites invade our country with a hoard of cossacks. The Czarina, the prostitute, has put her lover upon the throne of the Jagellons, and of John Sobieski—his ambassador insults our nation—three of our senators are dragged into Siberia, our chamber of deputies is surrounded by Russian bayonets, the Muscovites threaten us with their knout, our people are now exasperated with fury, but not cast down, the cries of vengeance resound throughout Poland, and thou hast chosen this time for thy marriage." " I then began to understand that they were emissaries from the noble confederates against Russian oppression. They were come to call me to arms for the defence of my country and its liberty. At that thought my blood boiled in my veins, my forehead became suffused with indignation—I gazed upon my father—his hand clenched the hilt of his sword, and the eye of the old man glistened with a fierceness quite warlike—I returned to my brothers, and they said : " We ai e off on horseback to defend the liberty of our country, and thou, art thou going to remain near thy wife 1'' I looked upon Sophia, " go," said she, " if thy country calls." Her mother gave me her farewell blessing. I threw myself on my knees before my affianced, and kissed her hand affectionately and passionately. " Adieu Sophia, I shall see you again after the war is over." " Yes, after the war is over," she repeated, and I left— " That night, which I had thought would have crowned our loves and witnessed our joy and happiness, saw us instead galloping sixty miles off upon the ice and snow, in the midst of the noise of the desert, the whistling of the winds, the howling of the half famished wolves, which were prowling about in troops, and would no doubt have devoured us, if we had not been in such great numbers and able to defend ourselves. By the break of day we arrived atBar,atown of Podolia, where the confederates were met— I was the first to swear fealty to their flag, and the last to leave it. " From that period we fought many years—fate (instead of my feeble talents) rose me to the rank of general-in-chief, I—became master of Cracovy for some time, but soon after we fell. To detail the causes would take up too much time—the number of / our enemies, the feudal aristocracy, *the treachery of the^^s'afiS'o/ our * In the social state, the Poles had two classes of nobility, the great and low nobility, which may be also defined, the rich and poor. In the political order we had the chamber of senators, nominated by the king from the great or rich nobility and the chamber of Nuncii, elected from the whole of the nobility rich and poor.26 STANISLAUS ; OR THE allies, iu short, those are the causes of some of our reverses. At the end of three years, from being chief of our armed citizens, I was become no more than a wandering fugitive. " And my father ! ah! a prisoner of the Muscovites, he suffered the most torturing death, he was broken to pieces alive, the executioner was breaking his legs and his hands while the poor old man was yet screaming. Never, never, can the Poles become brothers to the Muscovites. Whilst the executioner was breaking his chest, his lips yet moved, but it was impossible to hear what he wished to say, and the last blow, which fractured his skull, was the only one that could stiffle in his breast the generous sentiments with which he was inspired. " My youngest brother fell in the hands of Drewitz, the most cruel of the Russian generals. He would load him with insults, to which my brother would reply with insults. It was in the power of the general to reek his vengeance upon his head, and I shudder when I pronounce it—he had my brother impaled, and at the moment that the fatal dart, pierced the lungs of the sufferer, the savage Muscovite came near him to insult him still. My brother could now no longer speak, but he spat iu his face. " My other brother hid himself amongst a great number of other prisoners* and was taken into Siberia, there to die from cold and want. The third must have died on the field of battle, as his helmet was known to have been sold to the jews, his clothes all covered with blood. " For my own part, I knew not where to turn—I wandered about Poland under different guises, armed with a poignard, a phial of poison concealed in my breast. One night I escaped from Lublin, my presence having been recognised by the Muscovites. It was a terrible night, the rain fell in torrents, enveloped in my cloak, I laid mvself down to rest upon the sand at the foot of a gibbet. The first rays of light told me that it was the gallows, or that perhaps I was hung in efligy. " Some time after this I was obliged to pass a night in an old castle renowned for being a haunt of witches. I paid little regard to this tale, but about midnight I was awoke by the most piercing shrieks—I then perceived three old women covered with rags, holding in their hands torches, and dancing and making a thousand different grimaces too odious to look at, crying incessantly Hop-ho ! Hop-ho ! " Wretches be off I exclaimed"—the oldwomen approached me, the light of their torches struck upon my face, and they knew me. " Ah ! it is Casimer, as proud here as if lie were still general-in-chief. * He was near Pugatclieff the cossack, who proclaimed himself the emperor Peter III. but when Pugatcheff, drunk every day, began to insult and even beat the generals who commanded his army, which once numbered a hundred thousand men, they deserted him, amongst them was Pulaski the younger.POLISH LANCER. 27 " Never mind, I answered, my strength is yet sufficient to enable me to thrust this dagger in the heart of the first who again approaches me, I laugh at, scorn your juggling tricks. " We can, however, be of service to you." Well, I said, where is my beloved Sophia ? The three women then began to perform more violently than ever their grimaces." " She has thought thee dead, she has dressed herself in mourning." " They told truly. Will the Poles ever be free ? Perhaps, but for two generations must continue slaves or proscribed. They have perhaps spoken truth. The cock crowed and the old witches went off. I threw myself upon a handfull of straw until the return of morn." " Dressed as a beggar, with a large stick in my hand, I returned to my native country—there was nothing to see but the heavens, the earth, and the water. I was obliged therefore to pass another night in the ruins of my castle, burned to the ground. An old favourite dog, now starving, recognised me—with him I shared my last piece of bread. Soon, however, I was sought after by some gentlemen who placed faith in the Russian amnesty they had returned to their estates, some time after they either became the victims or were wit-* nesses of terrible persecutions, and sent a deputation to me soliciting me again to head them in the cause of liberty. A wandering fugitive, I had Poland at my feet. Softened by their entreaties I yielded to their request, and instantly ordered a deputation to be formed from all the provinces, who were to meet together on St. Michael's day, in a convent some few miles from Warsaw. I was there again proclaimed the chief of the confederation. I discussed the means of reuniting the nobles. A thousand difficulties presented themselves. 1 then asked for only forty resolute men—they presented themselves speedily, and I charged them with my orders. " Myself and those forty men disguised in the garb of peasants penetrated into the interior of Warsaw, our saddle horses drew the carts full of hay, in which our fire arms were concealed. At night Mre were to take off the king to —— I will tell you hereafter, what was my intention. " The king was on his return from a splendid banquet, in his carriage drawn by eight horses—he was conversing most cheerfully with one of his chamberlains, when his servants spied us approaching, although the night was dark. We spoke the Russian language and were taken for a Cossack patrol. In an instant we surrounded and stopped the carriage—the chamberlain and pages made their escape—the king was in our power, I—ordered him to be taken outside the town. " Suspended with his face towards the ground, we held the usurper between our horses — we went into a street leading to Marymont. We had scarcely proceeded the distance of twenty-five steps, when my horse upset and broke his leg—I was then alone in the dark, I could no longer distinguish the tread of the horses of my companions, the rain was falling in torrents—heaven thundered £28 STANISLAUS ; OR THE and the clock sounded the tocsin—the Russian drum beat to arms-— the sentinels gave an alarm. " In this critical position, I did not forget myself, throwing my arms and attire away qu'ckly, as they would betray me, I only reserved the phial in my bosom. I ran to the adjoining convent— knocked at the door. " Who is there ?" asked a Franciscan," one who is unfortunate and miserable." The door was immediately opened, and I was conducted into the interior of the cloister. In the prior's cell I told him all, for I well knew the patriotic zeal with which the Polish monks were inspired. Our convent, he said, is not, I am sorry to say, a safe place for you—it was only yesterday they tore from my arms a noble to take him into Siberia, but follow me. " After the hour of midnight, we left the convent of the Franciscans to enter the monastery of the St. Sacrement. The abbess received me with every mark of sympathy for my misfortunes. To better conceal me she hid me in the sepulchral tombs, leaving me a lamp and a little tiring. The place is very dismal, she said, but I think you are safer here than any where else, here are the winding sheets of a sister who rests with her God in peace—she only departed this life yesterday—remain here—devoted to religion, you will here find a balm to your wounded spirits—perhaps soon Poland will be avenged of all the wrongs she has suffered. " She then left me. What was I to do ? dash my head against the earth, or empty my phial of poison ? All my ideas became confused, all my hopes were destroyed. The deputies of Poland and Lithuania were waiting to receive from my hands, before their tribunal, him who had dared to call himself their king. He was to have been tried by the laws of their country as an usurper, as a traitor—and as soon as judgment would have been pronounced, execution taken place—the vows which many considered bound them firm to him, had been revoked—we were certain of success—now all is lost—none but myself knew what my intention was to do with the king after we had taken him off. " Plunged in these dismal thoughts, I cast my distracted and dejected eyes upon the various tombs surrounding me—when an unknown curiosity led me to examine the one so recently tenanted by the dead—I lifted the pall from off the face—great God, what was my surprise, my agony, when I discovered in her "my dear Sophia. It is Sophia—I exclaimed, no it cannot be, I said—she was younger—but it was five years I had been fighting—five years since I had seen her—What did I find supporting her head—great God, my own letters, almost unable to be deciphered, they had so often been washed with her tears—and there was a scarf with the colours of the confederation, no doubt she had intended it for me; you now see it on me. " I then flew to her, kissed the cold marble body—I covered her face with my kisses. Oh great God ! what means this, her heart slightly palpitates, I press her strongly to my breast—Sophia, myPOLISH LANCER. 29 Sophia, I exclaimed—she opens her eyes slowly—she seemed like a person awaking from a deep sleep; without noticing anything around her, in trembling accents, almost inaudible, she pronounced these words :—I am no longer ill! I cun breathe freely—my sisters you call me then? No, I distinguish li e voice of a man—she opens her eyes wider—Is it you Casimer ? Heaven has then granted my prayer, we are united after death in another world. " I took her in my arms, carried her before the fire, kissed her fervently and affectionately, and told her, while I tried to tranquil-lise her mind, that she was not dead, nor myself. You were believed to be dead, and you have been put here—It is in the subterranean vaults of your convent where I am hid, dead to the world, but 1 live and adore thee. I had scarcely spoken these words than she fled from my arms, crying:—Fly, fly, unhappy one—forget not that though in the world, I am lost to the world, I can only love God, antThim alone, your love to day is sacrilegious—she sighed again. At this moment I heard the groans and threats of the Muscovites— no doubt the convent is besieged. The iron door is withdrawn upon its hinges—the abbess sees us, and falls down in a swoon, perceiving Sophia alive, and my affianced, whose image ever haunts me, without desisting, exclaimed:—Fly, fly, there is no hope for your love, and your life may be useful to humanity. " I made my escape to the garden—the'old gardener was M'aiting for me anxiously—silently we treaded bur steps towards the Vistula, a skiff was there waiting for me. The old man rowed it with all his strength, saying, the king is already in his castle, his windows are all illuminated—he survives for the evils and misery, of Poland— the confederates are all dispersed looking for you—others are disputing whether he should be killed or not, and your lieutenant not having patriotism sufficient to kill the man who soils our sacred throne, conducted him himself to a mill, where his guard and the cossacks found him. " No use now to my country, I left her, America commenced to fight for its independence, I crossed the ocean and am arrived in the midst of you—I consecrate the sword that was not able to do any thing for the liberty of our dear Poland. This day your cause is mine, and I devote myself henceforward entirely to you, and believe that I am ready to spill the last drop of my blood in defence of the republic." " Pulaski then stopped—The morning began to dawn, the drums beat, the trumpet sounded, and the columns advance — Pulaski himself leads on—the ice was covered with blood—the barricades were destroyed—the soldiery furious and exasperated, threw themselves upon the covered road—there Pulaski received the ball that felled him to the earth. He fell crying long live the republic ! Forward, my brave fellows ! but feeling he had received his death blow. He called a Pole to him, who was his aid-de-camp, and addressed him thus.30 STANISLAUS ; OR THE Melanie intent upon what she was reading, little imagined what was passing around her, until aroused by the noise of the horses hoofs in the court yard of her castle; lifting her eyes off her book, judge the surprise which animated her, when she viewed an officer mounted on horseback advancing at a frightful speed, his cloak whitened with the dust, his helmet shining by the light of the moon's ra^ys. The officer appeared in such a state of excitement that, as if unable to speak, at last in a loud tone he exclaimed, " Melanie, Melanie." " Who calls me ?" exclaimed Melanie. " Thy faithful Stanislaus. He comes to bid thee farewell. All is lost—we are not conquerors—Paris is taken by the allies—the emperor is prisoner—the great army is dissolved—France is invaded and Poland lost for ever." " Alas, unfortunate man ! walk up." " It is too late," replied Stanislaus, " it is done, fate has decided, I have lost all hope of ever living again happy in the heart of my country, I have left my lance in the breast of a Prussian, I have shattered my sword upon the skull of another, and sent all my balls upon the English, I have but one left, that is for myself. Farewell Melanie." " Oh stop ! stop ! For God's sake stop." In a moment she is near him—without fear she rushes to her lover, already mounted on his fiery steed, and strives to snatch the pistol from his hand—he pulls the trigger, but instead of the ball entering his skull, it only pierces the vizor of his helmet—Melanie faints— the shock was too much for her feeble frame. " The first time I have missed," exclaimed Stanislaus, dismounting from his horse, which overcome with fatigue, had fallen to the earth exhausted. The report of the pistol, however, had recovered the senses of the unhappy Melanie. " Oh God," she exclaims, " you live then, you are yet spared to me, dear Stanislaus!" " I am, but not for long." " Are you wounded ?" " Not in the least," but. taking her by the hand, said " Let us pass a few moments together, before I find another ball. You see my faithful, noble horse, who shared with me my perils and fatigues, lie must follow me; fare thee well, Balanka, stay here, but if you never see me more, make the place resound with thy-- Melanie overwhelmed with grief, covered her eyes with her handkerchief. He clasps her to his breast, " Melanie, unhappy Melanie," said he, " open thy eyes and rejoice the last moments of him who adores you, and whose days will suon be numbered." " And do you think for one moment I shall allow you to destroy yourself, and take that life away which an Almighty being gave thee, and which it is not in thy power to give, oh no !"POLISH LANCER. 31 " Then would you have me live unhappy, disgraced, all my dreams and hopes destroyed, all my ideas and projects reversed." " Can you have forgotten that Spanish adage which you have so often l'elated to me, and so often admired for its veracity and sublimity." Un momenio es la aparicioii del hombre en la tierra. Sus Juerzas son flacas; instables ciegos sus propositos : sus obras monlocillos deleznabley de arena ; sus grandezas pblvo-nada* " You are right—nothing seems to confirm that saying more than the downfall of Napoleon, the hero of our age." " And you love him—you respect him, and you look upon him as the wisest of men." " As a god—always as a god—although his power wa9 not sufficient to protect my poor country." " And let me ask you whether that is the reason you contemplate suicide ? Take then a lesson from Napoleon himself. Did he commit suicide when fortune snatched the sceptre from his grasp which he swayed for the happiness and the glory of France ?—No, he outlived his misfortunes, and this day he bears his troubles but does not destroy himself. Do you know what he said one day, in an order of the day to the guard of the consulate—one of your comrades has committed suicide I understand: that act displeases me much—the man who commits suicide has no courage, for he cannot bear up against the troubles which providence inflicts—to commit suicide is leaving one's place before the end of the battle." " That's true."' " Well! will you now go to seek a ball ?" " I cannot say—I know not." " But I know this that you will not do it before you have taken my life." " Not at that price, my beloved, I never should." " Then live and suffer, if providence wills it so." " Melanie you make me cling to life, but by thus doing, remember, you will cause all the troubles I shall have to bear." " At least I shall not that of suicide." " No, I swear." " That is enough, I am content—accept my thanks.'* The old lady taking Stanislaus by the hand, requested him most affectionately to go and repose himself, adding in a pleasant affable tone, " to-morrow we will attend to your recital, however unfortunate— and to-morrow for fresh projects.—" Some short time after this the journals announced the restoration— tlie entire dissolution of the army of the Loire, and of the captivity of Napoleon. In the castle where Melanie breathed, this news was * Man's existence on tbis earth is but for a moment, his strength is weakness_his intentions are as wind,—his works glisten like the sand on the sea shore_his unstable greatness is like unto dust_a nonentity.32 STANISLAUS ; OR THE received in mournful silence and eyes surcharged with tears. Marivalle had lost- his place, but the munificent hand of_ Melanie's mother was immediately stretched out towards him, and he was received as a welcome inhabitant within her walls. That amiable lady, alive and anxious to the happiness of her only child, implored Stanislaus to remain in France and marry, Melanie, his affianced for so many years. Stanislaus wished for three days to be granted him to decide upon the step he should take. During this period Marivalle saw him and had frequent opportunities of conversing with him, On one occasion he asked him whether he knew Pulava ? " Certainly ; every Pole knows that sacred spot where Princess Isabella united the trophies of all the ancient glories of Poland." " Are you acquainted with the princess, herself?" " I received her blessing when about leaving for our campaign in Russia," " Do you then know, likewise, Her ladies of honour?'' " My sister has the honour of being one of them.'' " Which one ?" " The tallest of them." " With fair hair, blue eyes, and the sweetest expression of countenance it is possible to imagine ?" " Yes, she is certainly an excellent creature.*' " Her name is Vanda, if I am correct." " Yes, she bears the name of that Polish heroine.*' " Then Count, your sister has been my benefactress—to her am I indebted for my life, and in my heart are engraven in imperishable characters, the benevolence she has bestowed upon me, and without knowing that she was your sister, I was only the other day boasting of her virtues and goodness to Melanie and her mother. I am indeed happy to have foubd the brother of my guardian angel—tears of joy run down my cheeks—I have never shed a tear' since the day 1 bid farewell to your amiable sister." lf ft gives me great pleasure to hear that she has fulfilled her duty towards one of the liberators of my country, and I feel proud that she has bestowed her cares and attentions upon one of those brave veterans, to whom the enemy himself must bow with respect, but I do not like you to call me count—I have never signed my name with such a title as that, given to my forefathers, by a German emperor, who being compelled to make war with the Turks, enrolled several Polish officers in his army. These fought most nobly with those they led ; when the battle was over, the emperor having no money to pay his troops, my grandfather from his own pocket discharged the debt, and for recompence, obtained only a parchment creating him count of the empire, When yet a child, I found by chance that diploma, half destroyed by the worms, my father told me to burn the document and do as he had done, without it. I did so—my excellent father was in himself noble, liePOLISH LANCER. 33 fought the for independence of America, aud perished when Poland was defeated upon the field of Mariejowice, covering with his body the unfortunate Kosciuszko, the chief of the army." " " Yes; well, he deserted from Australia." " Well, he is arrived, confiding in the amnesty which excludes all deserters, and I have only to whisper two or three words to the grand duke, and the day destined for the wedding of Vanda will be for her but a day of mourning." " Man of gold, do it; my word, my oath, you shall be well recompensed."—Gentlemen, let us drink ; here's the toast,—Success to revenge! * At the battle of Areis sur Aube, Napoleon having ventured himself in the centre of forward ranks, was vigorously pursued, as well as his major general, by some of ihe Russian squadrons. He immediately threw himself in a square formed of a Polish squadron, The guard soon flew to the assistance of the emperor ; and when the danger was over Napoleon asked the name of the Polish commandant. He was informed, Skrzynecki__He is a commander who will indeed command,_were the memorable words then pronounced by the great man.46 STANISLAUS ; OR THE CHAPTER. IV. Sister Camilla receive me. 1 would live and die under your holy laws. Forsaken I will stem the torrent, And devote myself to your labours. You seem to give me fresh vigour and youth, I feel strong and courageous, 1 have witnessed the death of my mother— And of Gusman whom I loved. Girardin. On the Place de Saxe, at Warsaw the beating of the drums proclaimed that a review of the troops was about to take place. The regiment of the grenadiers of Simbirsk, arrived from the barracks and placed themselves before the principal body guard. The Polish regiments were not there on this occasion, but every general and officer of the garrison was compelled to be present. It was rumoured that several Polish lancers were to be brought there who had been at the Isle of Elba—what, great God, will be their fate ? All of a sudden several voices exclaim "here they, are—here they are." Lukanski was there and advanced with his general towards them—he perceived Stanislaus, arid although habited in a civilian's garb, with a round hat, and his air pensive and dull, he recognised him and immediately embraced him. " How glad I am you are arrived, to day I to marry your sister—will not Vanda be delighted to see you—let us go to her before the arrival of Czarewitz." " Don't you see we are guarded by those cossacks—we are brought from the frontiers like a chain of brigands. It is the grand duke who is to adjudge our doom." " Miserable man, why did you come here ?" " Because they drove me from France." " Every one flies from hence to a foreign part. I have been tempted myself to quit the service and Poland the moment after I am married and live in Saxony or Switzerland—here existence is unbearable, nothing greets your ear but frightful acts of government" " We will see what is to be done! By the bye, did Marivalle arrive here safe ?" " Yes, as far as Warsaw, but here the grand duke took him for a spy, he is therefore in a dungeon undergoing his examination."POLISH LANCER. 47 " Good gracious, what suspicion could lie create." " None, but the grand duke had him brought before him and overwhelmed him with insults—the old man, not in the least daunted, was so imprudent as to answer him—' You ought to have said so at the battle of Austerlitz.'—The grand duke became violent with rage, and to entrap him, asked him whether such a brigand as he was, would dare to cry long live the emperor once again—I always cry long live the emperor to distinguish him from other emperors.—That was more than enough to cause him to be thrown into a dark dungeon." " What a disgrace !" " I can assure you we are surrounded by spies." " What do our old generals say to all this ?" " The bravest have resigned and left the country, the others say nought and tremble." The rolling of the carriage wheels, the sound of the fifes and the beating of drums, proclaimed the arrival of the autocrat's brother, well known by his ferocious look which made evj|py man tremble who approached him ; he was followed by some Russian generals, and escorted by some cossacsk. When he had arrived in the centre of the Place de Saxe, he exclaimed in a hoarse rough voice. " Those men who have once again thought proper to fight against Russia, have by such an act merited a severe punishment—however, I forgive them, they may be sent back as common soldiers in the regiment—the rank conferred upon them by Napoleon during his unlawful reign are not to be recognized, neither the crosses which he gave them — let them be seized from them immediately—as to Stanislaus Merczynski, who is a deserter and a traitor to his country, who has broken his oath of allegiance towards his monarch, let him be instantly tried by the laws of Russia, where he was born." Tile Polish generals retreat back in indignation—Lukanski only advanced towards the grand duke—" Your grace," he said, " deign to observe—," a blow aimed at his breast stopped him, and threw him back—he arose and seized his sword. Some Polish officers seeing what he was about to do, stopped his arm, exclaiming, " unhappy man, what are you going to do, that act of rash despair will work ill for your unhappy country." The grand duke retired alarmed, but his fear created no pity in his breast, and he gave instant order for them both to be chained. Stanislaus Merczynski was instantly bound, but Lukanski perceiving a cossack approaching towards him, seized his gun, which he knew to be loaded being in the hands of such a man, and turning the muzzle towards himself, fell dead by his own hand. By command of Constantine, a court martial was immediately to take place upon Stanislaus ; accordingly it was held upon the Place de Saxe, the judges sitting on the drums. In Russia there is ve.ry little judicial formality observed.—Judgment was immediately pronounced —ObludotF held the offices of reporter and was to read48 Stanislaus ; or the the sentence to the culprit who, on hi3 knees, his eyes bandaged was awaiting the terrible words about to issue. The sentence is to take place immediately, a butcher of an executioner approached him in his chains, to inflict the degrading blow on the cheek—his sword is broke over his head—he is no longer a noble. Alas, a hatchet is suspended over him, but not to fall and end his days—as emblematical of a civil death—the assistants to the executioner strip him of his vestments, arrayed him in a prison dress, his head is shaven, irons are put on him, and with a hammer they are shut for ever—not for ever, they will fall one day—a day a thousand times more unfortunate than that of his degradation, his forehead is marked with a bleeding cut, he is thrown on a cart and a cossack sits on each side of him—several voices repeat aloud the fatal doom, condemning Merczynski to perpetual banishment in the mines. Let us follow in our mind M^lanie's affianced, who is to be buried alive in those dismal caverns of Siberia. We shall haye more to relate of him, but previously we shall speak of the despair to the two loveMF' Some days after Merczynski was transported Marivalle was released, and learnt with horror all that had transpired since his confinement. On his leaving the prison, he was ordered to quit Poland as promptly as possible; he obtained, however, permission from the chief of the military police to speak to Vanda. He could not find her at lier house; but was informed that, unable to bear the shock of the death of him to whom she was affianced, and the transportation of her brother, she had entered a convent, where she intended to end her days. Marivalle proceeded to the church, where he understood Vanda on that day was to be admitted as one of the daughters of the St. Sacrament. He arrived at the very time when she was covered with the veil, and the Psalms of the dead were being chaupted over her. She rose, and her dress was moistened with her tears, trembling and tottering she joined the assemblage of nuns, and the grated door is closed upon her for ever! Marivalle determined to speak to her, and advanced towards the parlour. She came to him—her tears flowed abundantly— she was unable to speak; she could only command courage and strength sufficient to put a parcel in his hand. Marivalle kissed her hand and bid her farewell. On opening the packet judge of his surprise—it contained a considerable sum in bank notes, and a white scarf, blue and red ; attached to the scarf was a note thus worded :— " Brave Marivalle, you must not stop any longer in Europe ; leave for America, where liberty reigns. The sum you will find in this parcel will suffice to defray all expences of your journey. I think you would do well to establish yourself in Virginia, where you may find this scarf of service. It is the one worn by Cas-simir Pulaski, who fell at the taking of Savannah. When he received his death blow he called my father to him, who was hisPOLISH LANCER. 49 aid-de-camp, and spoke to him thus : 'I am dying; take this scarf, it was given me by Sophia, in the catacombs of the convent of the St. Sacrement, it is, therefore, the most precious thing I possess upon earth. I bequeath it to you ; preserve it; and should you ever return to Poland keep it in your family as a memento of the unfortunate Pulaski!' Our family is now destroyed, my brother will not Jong survive the irons of the Muscovites, and I shall end my days in the silent vault of this convent, where the affianced of Casimir Pulaski ended her's; my tomb will be by the side of Sophia's; yes, Marivalle, go off to America I strongly conjure you; you will find in Virginia old warriors who fought with Pulaski and my father, they will know the scarf again ; a hospitable welcome awaits you among those brave republicans; tell them of the troubles that the children of their old brothers in arms are bearing." Some few days after this Marivalle left for France to inform M61anie of the unhappy fate of her lover. The sombre look of the old warrior proclaimed some disaster. Marivalle' wished to prepare her gently for the painful news he had to communicate, but it was useless; on her knees, tears rolling down her cheeks, she beseeched him to tell her what death her lover had suffered. " He is not dead," replied Marivalle, with a deep sigh, " but he is transported to Siberia." At these words her tears dried up, her mind wandered, and she became strongly convulsed. It needed a long time, and the skill of the first doctors in France, to relieve her from that dreadful state. Her mother was unable to survive the painful sight of her child's sufferings—she died soon after; and M£lanie in sixteen months partially recovered her health ;—but so far from forgetting her lover, his image was ever in her mind. Siberia was to her a world, although she had lost her lover' for ever, she had formed the idea (sweet consoling illusion) that she would yet find him, and would be united to him at the other extremity of the world. She would question the French soldiers who had returned from Siberia, and endeavour to learn everything relative to the country where despotism had condemned her lover to yihabit. She one day sat musing over her situation, when it struck her forcibly, that in the manuscript Stanislaus had given her there were some remarks therein upon Siberia. With feelings of intense interest, and in great excitement, she opened the book penned by the hand of her lover, and read as follows :— THE TRAVELLER IN SIBERIA. " Oh great God! where are they leading me—have I left the world ? Is it the gate of hell before my eyes ? This desert country, this route scarcely to be traced, this wind which blows so keen, this moon as if deluged with blood, all ! all ! fills my soul with horror— the splendour even of the stars seems sinister, and before my eyes50 STANISLAUS ; OR THE rise volumes of flames—it increases, and the smoke and black hur-ricans rise up towards the heavens—is it hell now ? Be not alarmed, fear not child of the north—put on the armour of constancy and of courage. This must not alarm thee, what, you see is only caused by the imprudence of some shepherds who have left their firing between the saplins of this forest. It has been burning for some years, without making any impression in the country. We don't want for wood here—the horizon is all hid beyond this forest, and through that which is burning is the route to Siberia! " Gracious Providence! are we arrived near an unknown sea, no geographer has yet traced upon a map ? With what a great rapidity the tide flows—is it the tide rising ? But the waves foam and roar, and rise higher aud higher every moment, gaining upon the ground, and even seem to defy the mountains—is it another deluge ? Be not alarmed, fear not, it is the Volga, the greatest river of the ancient world, swollen with the waters of a hundred thousand sources, which send their waves in the Caspian sea. No bridge crosses it, no embankment confines its progress, only sometimes the ice interrupts its current, then we can cross it, but when the first rays of the summer sun smiles upon the earth, the ice melts and then the Volga free and wild, pursues its course as if it would shew the Muscovites the rich country of southern Asia. We will cross it in that boat, you shudder and turn pale, does the size alarm you. Do you see that green in the middle of the water, you would take for green bushes, it is the tops of oak trees some hundred years old, covered almost wholly by the water of the river—but be not afraid, we can pass it, you must take courage and persevere, we are on our road to the curious country of Siberia. " In that uncultivated place not a habitation is to be seen,—no business, no commerce reigns; my eyes wander but know not on what to rest. Let us see, here are some points of mountains all whitened—oh ! this sight fills me with horror !—they are the mountains of Oural, on the other side of them is Siberia. Stop, I beseech thee, my guide, we will retrace our steps—we will fly from the desert. Oh ! philanthropist, is it so that your ardour and humanity pass away ? Proceed; you have promised your brother countrymen to see this frozen country—you have promised to civilizcd Europe to depict unto them the hideous, frightful state of society in that country of woods and forests, and you would go back ere you had seen it. See those chains of prisoners that they are bringing there with logs at their feet—view their countenance, forlorn and dejected, and arm yourself with perseverance and courage. " Let us go back ! let us go back ! the sight is too much; I will no longer go o?i to see Siberia. " If your courage and perseverance fail. I will shew you, as an example, those women whom you see, all wrapt over with skins and furs, their figure is scarcely to be seen. By their carriages, horses and coachmen, I know them to be Polish ladies condemned byPOLISH LANCER. 51 command of the autocrat. No doubt their husbands or their lovers dared to raise their voice against the oppression of the Muscovites. They have been seized, and carried off to Siberia ; and the only-favor granted them by the autocrat ia, that their friends and companions may follow them in their wretched exile; they will soon have to pass their youth and the rest of their days in that terrible country, and you, you philanthrophic man, you would not go over and see Siberia. " At last here is a hut; for the last forty-eight hours we have not seen a house; let us stop at the first public-house, you will there see an old blind man, his hair as white as snow. He will ask you about his wife, whom he has not seen for many years; do not g.ieve him by saying that you know her not, but pretend to read him a letter, wherein she promises soon to be with him ; it will delight him; he will kiss your hands, and thank you with a grateful heart for the news imparted. It is easy to deceive him, as he is blind, and is mind is turned through the troubles of the proscription. Now we are in Siberia. We shall soon leave the mountains behind us ; but let us proceed on our journey, there is a great deal to be seen, a long road to go over, and cause for more than one tear "to fall. We are yet nine hundred miles from Tobolsk, and Siberia extends considerably beyond that. Look at those huts built of wood on the road, they are all on a straight line like soldiers—it is the unhappy colony of the Siberians. This colony has been peopled by those who have been brought from the provinces of Poland. On that road they are children from Sweden, who, during the disasters of Charles XII., fell into the hands of the Muscovites, and were sent here to people the deserts of Siberia. On entering one of the huts we inquired of a child, what distance off we were from a place of rest; to which we were answered, more than sixty miles. We, therefore, resolved upon passing the night in that village. " ' Oh, come in,' exclaimed the child, ' it is my father's house. You come from the #est—are you Catholics—do you love liberty— my father can talk to you about that—he served under the immortal general Kosciuski, and now he sheds tears in this distant land when he thinks of his country. He brought us up in the religion of our forefathers. He often depicts the beautiful plain of Pro-minktons— he comes from there; and makes us say our prayers to our lady Czenstochowa. Pray do come in and see him. Do you come from France ?—he loves that country ; there are some French people in Siberia. In that other village there is but one Swedish person who has seen the great Charles XII. He is more than a hundred years of age, strong and vigorous; he will talk to you about the place of his birth, and of the battle of Pultawa as if it had only taken place yesterday ; let. us go to him ?—ah ! here he is.' "'How are you, Father?—happy to see you. How do you like to be in this country ?' " ' Why I was born in a cold country, I therefore do not feel the H52 STANISLAUS ; OR THE rigour of the climate so severely as otherwise ; Sweden, you must know, is almost always covered with ice, and produces nothing else but iron and soldiers. Bat Sweden was always the land of the free ; never could a serf-holder establish himself there, and why ? because they had never been conquered by another nation. Ouce only did we have a foreign government; but Gustavus Vasa was there, and at the head of the workmen of the mines of Dalcarlie he broke the laws of an anti-national government. I cannot proceed farther with my relation; I feel choked, my tears overpower me, and I cannot refrain from shedding them when I think of my country—when I think how a whole race of Swedish people are left here prisoners in the desert of Siberia.' " Here we are at last arrived at Tobolsk; we must see the governor of this town. He is always dull and morose; he is the counsellor of state, and member of all the Orders of the empire. He was the favorite of a minister who promised to make him ambassador at Paris; but the minister was disgraced, and his favorite instead of being placed at Paris, was appointed chief jailor of the Siberian territories. His wife followed him, (it is not often you see such attachment, > but she pines daily for the drawing-rooms at St. Petersburg, the lovely walks of Moscow, and the delightful perspective of Odessa. She educates her children herself. She imbibes into her son's mind a prospect that, when he becomes a young man, he will leave this dismal place and go to St. Peters-burgh, where there are theatres, places of amusement of all sorts, and where strangers arrive by the thousands; that., perhaps, he will go into their country, where there are no slaves, where every one is happy and free, where the climate alone can cure diseases which prove fatal in our country ; that, perhaps, he will go to gay and sumptuous Paris, perhaps to the delicious valleys of Italy, and the beautiful city of Geneva, where she was educated,—but while voyaging and far from his mother, never to forget her—to send her at least one letter in-the year - that would be her only comfort and consolation in this dreary and wretched country. " We will now leave Tobolsk and view Siberia. Look at that man who, with striding steps, journeys over the plain all covered with snow, clothed with skins of wild beasts, shod with a material made from the bark of trees,—that is an individual, a native of this country, who lived here before it was conquered by the Russians. He hunts the white bear in a most peculiar manner. He approaches it without any fear, he theu irritates it. The bear, enraged, jumps iipon him, and tries to seize him by the head, but an iron rod protects the man ; with it he stuns it, and with a savage skill he thrusts a knife into the heart of the animal and strips it of its skin— not always for himself, but to pay tribute to the autocrat, the conqueror of Siberia. In that hut built under ground, with no other opening but a hole to let the smoke out, which serves likewise for a window, lives an old man who is respected by all the inhabitants of Siberia as if he were their priest and their prophet.POLISH LANCER. 53 We will enter gently, for the poor old man is alarmed at the sight of a civilised person. Oftentimes he had been chased by the Russian police ; for the autocrat is jealous even of the nationality of the poor savages of Siberia. " ' Well, brave man, how are you ? Be not afraid of us, we pray; we are not servants of the autocrat; curiosity alone has brought us into your country ; we come from afar—from a country where riches and plenty are found, where every one is free, and where there is no fear of the despotic laws at Moscow ; we are not come to talk about the future, it is of the past we would hear. You must remember something that has formerly taken place in Siberia.' " ' For what I could tell you on that score I need not fast for many days, I need not seek to discover any mysterious plants or invoke any preternatural power to protect my weak mind; without intoxicating myself with ardent spirits or opium, without bathing in the frozen waters, and without undergoing many ceremonies before my predictions, — I could tell you of the traditions transmitted by our forefathers of the ancient inhabitants of Siberia. " ' I cannot tell you anything of the time when our country was inhabited by giants and gigantic animals, the bones of which are often to be found in the depths of the earth.* They say it was the age of fire, which was destroyed by water, and we are children of the earth and the sun. We were originally very numerous, lived by the chase, and by slight cultivation of the earth : there were some among us who pursued the wild animals, and went in the chase further and further, till they came to a country better than our own and where the men were weaker ? Although civilised they knew not how to defend themselves against them. Then a great many of our brethren left us and poor Siberia for their country. " f They never returned, I therefore believe that they found it a preferable place; for my part I know not, I know no other country than my own, I have never seen flowers nor tasted of the fruits of trees. Our brethren divided, and went two loads; those that went towards the south-east took the name of Moguls, they conquered China and India; those that went towards the south-west took the name of Scythians, or Vandals, and cmquered a great country, the name of which I have forgot. Our fathers, less ambitious than their fellow countrymen, remained in their native place here, and lived quietly and peaceably for several ages; but alas! one day,— oh the fatal day!—some Cossacks from Muscovy came amongst us; we welcomed them as brethren. They left us, and soon after returned in greater numbers and made themselves masters of Siberia. ' Since that event, upon our own soil we have been subjugated, * In Siberia you often find fossils or bones of unknown animals, which must have existed formerly in that country, or have been brought there by the Deluge.54 STANISLAUS ; OR THE scorned, and despised by the Muscovites, who every year bring into this country some thousands of men with logs on their feet, and chains round their necks; some they put into the bowels of the earth to seek and bring out some metals, with which they cannot nor never will be enabled to make any instruments; others are obliged to cultivate the earth ; others hunt for the good of the autocrat,—who I knotv not, but am positive is nothing but an evil spirit continually at war with the Gud of justice, who is the eldest son of the sun and the moon, according to the religion of the people of Siberia. " All these men who now inhabit Siberia come into this country by order of the autocrat, and against their wish. They die with grief—fathers, expiring, bless their children, and their last words to them are,—oh! would to God you could quit this country— accursed land, to go where the sun imparts warmth and comfort all around. Old soldiers who have visited those countries, incessantly gaze upon the heavens as if for help and relief. Young people burn with desire to go there, and wait anxiously for a signal of war, that they may fly to the ranks, and thus leave this dreary sojourn. Oh ! for the day, that they may all leave us, we should not then be slaves upon our own lands, and should not witness the scenes of cruelty and tyranny strangers use towards the unhappy who come here to die, converting our country into a large prison. " We will now leave this poor old savage creaturc, who tells us so much of the invasion of barbarians, and cast a glance upon a vast extent of Siberia yet unexplored by us. What is that regiment turning towards that fortress—how dejected and wan every man seems; look at their colonel, his eyes are dull and haggard, he is the terror of the whole regiment. He was the butcher of two young men—was dismissed his regiment for his bad conduct, and they have set him over a regiment condemned—a regiment in Siberia. Among those soldiers you will, no doubt, find many poor unhappy pole, and who have begi torn from the bosom of their families, their only crime that of loving their country and liberty—hating the Muscovites, defending Warsaw and Prague, and following in battle the unhappy Kosciuszko. They are condemned to serve as common soldiers in a wretched country, under a tyrannical and wicked chief, no other prospect before them, no other hope, and no other wish but to die. Of such are composed the regiments in Siberia. " That fortress in the midst of the wilderness is not built against the enemy, but to enclose state prisoners. It was there that the regent of the empire, (Biron) duke of Courland, was immured in a narrow cell, through genferal Munich, his chief enemy. Several days he was left there with the dead body c.f his wife, inhaling the noisome smell of putrefaction, it not being allowed to bury her until they received an order from the czarina. He did not die there, lie was reprieved, but made room for Munich whom he met going-out. It was a strange sight to see the two enemies scarcely able to pass by each other through the narrowness of the place. Here diedPOLISH LANCER. 55 the princess of Lopucliin and the countess of Bestuzeft, the two youthful beauties of the imperial court of Elizabeth; they underwent the punishment of the knout, and had their tongues cut for having betrayed some secret of a debauch of the czarina of Siberia. " This day even, there is immured in that tower a man, whom no one knows, no one mentions his name but by the initial (B.) perhaps the initial of his name, he speaks to no one, he is prohibited writing on the walls. No doubt he is a legitimate heir to the throne of Poland or of Russia, perhaps the son of a king of Germany,* who has been so unfortunate as to displease the autocrat—who knows? When he is permitted to walk, which is a favour very rarely granted, he falls and becoms quite ill, the air stupities him and turns him giddy, at other times he is always sitting in a dismal cell, nothing is to be seen but a few stars from the window. He is named a prisoner of state in Siberia. " ' We now come to Nerczyuk, the principal mineral place belonging to the Russian Power. It is the blackest place upon earth, and it is like a terrestrial hell. There are political prisoners—some of the partizans of the unhappy Czar Ivan ; some Cossacks, the partizans of Nekrasoff, who wished to liberate their countrymen and make them free; the Polish general Kopee, and some of the officers of his guard, who, although compelled to wear the Russian cockade, from the furthest extremity of Russia ran at the voice of Kosciuszko to defend their country; you will likewise find there some Tartars, who, not able to bear the grievances imposed upon them by the Dons, fell upon them. The chief governor was humane enough to bring them to order again and hear their distresses—the czar called that cowardice and treachery on his part, the old man is, therefore, to be found this day in the mines of Siberia. Among the criminals driven into this barren land are three classes. The most favoured are those doomed to saw wood; others dig into the bowels of the earth for minerals—oftentimes the excavations sink in, and thousands of hapless victims perish in a moment by being buried in a living tomb; well, the next day, another gang of miserable outcasts fill up their place. The third class is employed in melting the metals; these rarely live more than two or three years—the continual change from cold to heat, and that heat most excessive, kills them. Perhaps it is a blessing that their sufferings are of shorter duration, and the coarse, thick, black bread of the poor outcasts will no longer wound their gums. Every transport loses his name—they are only distinguished by numbers. Such is the true but feeble perspective of the mines of Siberia. "'We will now proceed to visit Kamschatka:—the horses refuse their power to draw us on—no provision could be met with to feed them on their route ; dogs of an immense size gallop off, and * Russians believe that the autocrat can dethrone a king when he pleases ; under the name of Germans is meant by the Russians all strangers.56 STANISLAUS J OR THE without coachman or guide proceed with us in a sledge they draw. Here nature seems to have united all the horrors and miseries of the world. In the midst of blocks of ice volcanoes rise up—this is the extremity of the Russian empire—it is the barrier of that place in which is carried out the irrevocable decree of the autocrat against the proscribed; it is called the Port of St. Peter and St. Paul. It is there that the autocrat has his vessels built with which he masters the Pacific ocean, as he has Siberia. This place will always be celebrated in the history of the Polish proscribed. Several of the noble confederates who were against the intervention of Catherine in matters concerning Poland, were condemned to pine here during their lifetime. Amongst them was the courageous and brave Beniowski —he planned a means of freeing themselves—his plan succeeded. The prisoners became masters of the colony, and by the help of a vessel they traversed the seas, arrived at the island of Madagascar, from whence Beniowski went to France—and the Parisians, for the first time in their life, saw a man from Siberia. " ' There the sea is covered with everlasting ice—there mountains of ice surround you for hundreds of miles, you go upon ice, and yourself and wild beasts all float upon ice—it is the sea, it is not land. But this is not the extent of where the autocrat's power reaches, for on the other side rise up mountains belonging to another woi Id, and 011 the borders of that country the autocrat possesses another Siberia.'" Here Melanie's mind became so filled with horror that she could no longer peruse the book before her—her mind became filled with the devoted attachment of the Polish ladies—from that time the indulged in the hope that, perhaps, Stanislaus would be enabled, like Beniowski, to escape from his prison and return with her to France. Unable, however, to rise beyond the ordinary condition of mankind, Melanie at last became dejected ; she therefore petitioned the autocrat the favor of sharing the captivity of him to whom she was affianced. It was forwarded to the czar's ambassador at Paris. To send such a petition to St. Petersburgh required from that worthy servant of a modern hero most wonderful consideration ; however it was sent, and remained amongst a great quantity of papers of the Imperial Court of Chancery for three months, when Alexander sent it for his brother Constantine's opinion. It was a lovely spring day—the sun enlivened all nature with his glory—Constantine was on that morning walking in his garden of Belvedere, listening to the carrolling notes of the feathered songsters, and inhaling the sweet perfumes of the flowers—he at last entered his boudoir, and asked of his secretary if there was anything new?—He presented him with the petition from Melanie. The grand duke read it over hastily and threw it aside.—What else ? asked the czarewits.—The secretary placed before him another paper, but longer, whireiu was made inown that the transports atPOLISH LANCER. 57 Nerezynck, who had been condemned to work in the minesj had raised a mutiny, which had for its object to destroy the garrison, form themselves into a band properly organized, and traverse the country until they came to the sea of Ochotzk, there seize or construct some vessels, and make their escape into India, (British India.) or to some of the American colonies. Returning to the petition, he exclaimed, what must I reply to the petition of this French lady.—Send her the translation of the sentence of his executio:i. I cannot depict the mental sufferings of Melanie when she read the awful answer to her appeal. It ivas thought her mind would again have turned, for the paroxysms were as violent as before. All hope of ever again seeing her betrothed being now destroyed she entered a community, called, The Sisters of Charity. In this hospital she might be seen tendering and ministering to the wants of the suffering poor ; when she could obtain a little rest from her labours, she would be found on her knees before the image of the Virgin she had in her castle on the borders of the Gironde, praying for her help for the salvation of Stanislaus,—that she might soon be no more on this earth, but re-united to her betrothed in another and a better world. One of those malignant fevers generally raging every summer at Rochfort, took from this world that unhappy daughter of woe. I was shown her tomb—I sat upon the stone that covers her resting-place and wrote this narrative. Vanda did not survive the loss of her brother. When informed of his death she was struck with a paralytic stroke, and after a short time lingering she expired, and at her desire her body rests by the side of the affianced to Casimir Pulaski, (Sophia). Of every one, therefore, described in this history, founded upon truth, there only now lives Marivalle,—we will first state two or three things of that good old man.—"When, in 1824, Layfitte visited the United States as one of the nation, Marivalle received him at Savannah, with the principal personages of the town. The inhabitants of the town of Virginia begged of the old general to place the angular stone of the monument to be erected to the memory of Pulaski. The day fixed for the ceremony a number of persons, composed of the chiefs of the National Guards at Virginia, assembled on the spot. They bore the flag under which Pulaski fought, and the scarf which Vanda gave Marivalle. The Host of the Nation delivered an epilogue most affecting, and lowered the flag and scarf; some few moments after Marivalle, and several French persons established at Virginia, approached the old general, and entreated him never to forsake France, the people of which had always their eyes directed towards him. Some years after Marivalle heard of the glorious revolution of July, and the insurrection at Warsaw on the 29th of November.— What then must have been his joy ? He was expecting to hear of58 STANISLAUS ; OR THE triumphs under the tri-color flag—but he heard of the downfall at Warsaw- How great then was his grief when assured that all hope had fled from the Poles, that the sons of Poland were proscribed, and of the cruel tyranny practised by the autocrat and his father-in-law the king of Prussia towards the Polish soldiers. To the happy cultivators atVirginia, Marivalle could tell the history of Stanislaus and Melanie ; and although that aged man was ignorant of the awful end of Mieltszvnski, and could not, therefore, trace the horrible ending of all connected in this history;—all that heard him would shed tears, and invoke Providence to end the sufferings and trials of those living in Europe. Since those awful and dismal scenes, Marivalle would turn aside from all journals coming from Europe—what could he gather from them ? only that the proud autocrat was making all around him tremble, was preparing silently fresh armies for another invasion, whilst even his minister is using every intrigue to weaken the Ottoman empire, and to make an inroad towards the Indies. Would not. such news rend the heart of that brave Marivalle. He thinks ignorance is bliss, and he will not hear any thing from Europe. But alas! the would be omnipotent, powerful autocrat, issues an edict that all the proscribed of Poland shall no longer remain in Europe.* Immediately Prussia and Austria fit out several vessels and throw the defenders of Poland like black slaves at the bottom of the vessel to transport them up in American soil. What will be the grief then for Marivalle when he sees them ? Poor old man ! he will hasten to welcome some of them, to render them that hospitality that the himself received when in Poland, and will shed more than one tear upon hearing their sad narrative. Poor Marivalle ! again unhappy moments for you in store. And you liberals of Europe, what say you to it? perhaps it does not interest you—it is not you whom they transport—but bear in mind that the farewell tones of those unfortunate creatures tell Europeans that from their fate a useful lesson may be learnt. Dated at Munchen Gratz, and addressed to all the friends and allies of the Autocrat. END.NOTES. I. Particulars respecting Casimir Pulaski, extracted from the " Tableau Historique de la Revolution de Pologne." " Joseph Pulaski, with his four sons and several other distinguished Poles, both knights and ecclesiastics, proclaimed on the 29th February, 1768, the famous confederacy at Bar in Podolia, for the expulsion of the Muscovites, national independence and the defence of the Catholic religion. Three colours, purple and white for Poland, blue for Lithuania, were adopted by three patriots. The hero of this first national war was Casimir Pulaski. Though scarcely twenty, and commanding no more than one thousand confederates, he kept in check for seven days a whole Muscovite army. He barricaded the convent of Becdyrzew, maintained his position several weeks, and was at last compelled by famine to surrender. The Russians having released him in the hope that he would alienate his father from the confederacy. " I will do my duty," wrote he to Repnin, and hastened to rouse the population on both sides of the Dniester. In the mean time his father died in a Russian dungeon, and the youngest son perished a prisoner. Casimir shut up with six hundred of his brave companions in the monastery of the Holy Trinity, defended himself to the last against neaiTy twenty-five thousand of the enemy, and when reduced to extremity, forced his way through the besiegers, sword in hand, at the head of two hundred horse; then crossing mountains and rivers, he joined at Sambor his brother Francis, marched towards Lithuania with eight hundred men, and beat at Brzest Litewski de Stonim, the Russians who were superior in number. But the dissensions of the Lithuanian chiefs compelled him to march in the direction of Augustow, then to fall back on Wlodawa where his troops was dispersed. His brother thinking him dead, sought, in a fit of despair, his own destruction. Casimir reached the Carpathian mountains. In a few weeks he overran an extent of four hundred leagues, fought live battles and called to arms all the Lithuanian confederacies. He descended from the Carpathian mountains in August 1770, threatened Warsaw, suddenly attacked Cracow, drove away the Russians, took possession of Czenstochowa, repulsed all the attacks of the enemy against that important fortress, surported Zaremba near Posen, had a share in the attempt to carry of the king (on the 3rd of November, 1770) took part in the defence of Czenstochowa, escaped from the conquerors, went through Spain to the United States, and was killed at Savannah, (in 1779,' aged thirty-one. Such were the last incidents of the life of the brave and adventurous Casimir Pulaski. The last of the four patriotic brothers of this family still survives."NOTES. II. Stanislaus wrote these particulars respecting Siberia in 1814—15. That vast prison did not then contain so many illustrious prisoners as it does now. The greater number were sent thither during the close of Alexander's reign and the beginning of Nicolas's. Nicolas went so far as to abrogate Elizabeth's merciful ukase which abolished the penalty of death. Five chiefs of a republican conspiracy that miscarried on the autocrat's accession, were in consequence hanged on the glacis of the citadel of Petersburgh, and more than two hundred persons were condemned to work in the iniues of Siberia. Among them were some relations of Bestujeff and Moravieff, whfl were hanged, and also Princes Trubetzkoi, Wadbolski, Obolenski, General Van Vien, Colonel Batenkoff, Vice Governor Gorski, and Baron Solowieff. Among the Poles who are paying in Siberia the penalty of their patriotic attempts, »are Zan, a student of the University of Wilna and several other Lithuanian, Volhynian, and Podolian students. The last revolution caused to be sent to the mines young prince Sanguszko, Bilgorayski, marshal of the nobility of the district of Bialistock, Golowinski, of the district of Omniez, Pokrzwiuski, Sobanski, and many others. Now even the insurgents of Warsaw' are on their trial, and if the autocrat should be pleased to protract the sufferings of these patriots, the same fate awaits coloncI Peter Wysocki, a member of the national government, Vincent Niemo-jewski, colonel Zielinski, and many other young military men and representatives of the unfortunate Poles. It is not my purpose to give an enumeration of all the martyrs who suffered before the revolution and during the last war. Their number amounts to many thousands. It is the duty of the historian to record their fate. In addition to being sent to Siberia, the youth of Poland was doomed to suffer imprisonment in dungeons such as that of the Carmelites and others at Warsaw, and throughout Russia. That youth, the hope of the country, was, in consequence of the cruel orders of the grand duke Constantine, barbarously sacrificed by his faithful executioners, general Rumenski, head spy at Warsaw, Nowosilczoff, and the inspector of the University of Wilna. Scarcely any one was tried according to the laws of the country, people were immediately arrested on the information of spies, who were very numerous, they were interrogated in presence of executioners, and many were starved and tortured in dungeons, although the evidence against them was insufficient. Their sentences were not known, still less the mode of punishment and death. Thus were innocent men dealt with; thus was the ruin of Poland effected. J. W. FEEL, PllLNTER, NEW CUT, LAMBETH.YALE