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commenced　moving。　The　other　five　carriages　followed　slowly　and
heavily。

The　night　was　chilly　and　dark。　The　sky　was　covered　with　heavy
clouds。　Not　the　faintest　trace　of　the　moon；　not　a　star　was　visible。
In　order　that　they　might　not　lose　their　way；　and　see　the　bridge
across　the　Rhine；　a　man；　bearing　a　torch；　had　to　precede　the
carriages。　But　the　gale　moved　the　flame　so　violently　that　it　now
seemed　near　going　out；　and　then　again　flared　up　and　cast　a　glare
over　the　long　procession　of　the　carriages。　Then　every　thing　once
more　became　dark　and　gloomy　and　ominously　still。

The　torch…bearer；　preceding　the　foremost　carriage；　vigorously
marched　ahead　on　the　road。　All　at　once　it　seemed　to　him　as　though
black　figures　were　emerging　from　both　sides　of　the　highway　and
softly　flitting　past　him。　But　assuredly　he　must　have　been　mistaken；
it　could　not　have　been　any　thing　but　the　shadows　of　the　trees
standing　on　both　sides　of　the　road。

No；　now　he　saw　it　again；　quite　plainly。　The　shadows　were　horsemen；
softly　riding　along　on　both　sides　of　the　highway。　He　raised　his
torch　and　looked　at　the　horsemen。　There　was　quite　a　cavalcade　of
them。　Now　they　crossed　the　ditch　and　took　position　across　the　road；
thus　preventing　the　carriages　from　passing　on。　The　torch…bearer
stood　still　and　turned　around　in　order　to　shout　to　the　postilions　to
halt。　But　only　an　inarticulated；　shrill　cry　escaped　from　his　throat；
for　at　the　same　moment　two　of　the　horsemen　galloped　up　and　struck　at
him　with　their　flashing　swords。　He　parried　the　strokes　with　his
torch；　his　only　weapon；　so　that　one　of　the　swords　did　not　hit　him　at
all；　while　the　other　only　slightly　touched　his　shoulder。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　shouted　Roberjot；　in　an　angry　voice；　from　the
first　carriage。

The　horsemen　seized　the　arms　of　the　torch…bearer　and　dragged　him
toward　the　carriage。　〃Light！〃　they　shouted　to　him；　and　quite　a　squad
of　merry　horsemen　was　now　coming　up　behind　them。　When　they　dashed
past　the　torch；　the　frightened　torch…bearer　was　able　to　see　their
wild；　bearded　faces；　their　flashing　eyes；　and　the　silver　lace　on
their　uniforms。

The　torch　betrayed　the　secret　of　the　night；　and　caused　the　Sczekler
hussars　of　Barbaczy's　regiment　to　be　recognized。

They　now　surrounded　the　first　carriage；　shouting　furiously；　and
shattering　the　windows　with　their　sabres。

〃Minister　Roberjot！　Are　you　Minister　Roberjot？〃　asked　a　dozen　wild；
howling　voices。

Roberjot's　grave　and　threatening　face；　illuminated　by　the　glare　of
the　torch；　appeared　immediately　in　the　aperture　of　the　window。　〃Yes；
I　am　Roberjot；〃　he　said；　loudly；　〃I　am　the　ambassador　of　France；　and
here　is　the　passport　furnished　me　by　the　ambassador　of　the　Elector
of　Mentz。〃

He　exhibited　the　paper；　but　the　hussars　took　no　notice　of　it；　four
vigorous　arms　dragged　Roberjot　from　the　carriage；　and　before　he　had
time　to　stretch　out　his　hand　toward　his　pistols；　the　sabres　of　the
hussars　fell　down　upon　his　head　and　shoulders。

A　terrible　yell　was　heard；　but　it　was　not　Roberjot　who　had　uttered
it；　it　was　his　wife；　who　appeared　with　pale　and　distorted　features
in　the　coach　door；　hastening　to　her　beloved　husband；　to　save　him　or
to　die　with　him。

But　two　stout　arms　kept　her　backthe　arms　of　the　valet　de　chambre
who；　perceiving　that　his　master　was　hopelessly　lost；　wanted　to
protect　at　least　his　mistress　from　the　murderous　sabres　of　the
hussars。

〃Let　me　go；　let　me　go；　I　will　die　with　him！〃　she　cried；　but　the
faithful　servant　would　not　loosen　his　hold；　and；　unable　to　reach　her
husband；　she　had　to　witness　his　assassination　by　the　hussars；　who
cut　him　with　their　sabres　until　he　lay　weltering　in　his　gore。

〃He　is　dead！〃　shrieked　his　wife；　and　her　wail　aroused　Roberjot　once
more　from　his　stupor。　He　opened　his　eyes　and　looked　once　more　at　his
wife。

〃Sauvez！　sauvez！〃　he　shouted；　in　a　voice　full　of　anguish。　〃Oh！〃

〃What！　not　dead　yet？〃　roared　the　hussars；　and　they　struck　him　again。

Now　he　was　dying。　That　loud；　awful　death…rattle　was　his　last　life…
struggle。　The　valet　de　chambre　in　order　to　prevent　her　from　hearing
that　awful　sound；　with　his　hands　closed　the　ears　of　his　mistress；
who；　petrified　with　horror；　was　looking　at　her　dying　husband。

But　she　did　not　hear　it；　she　had　fainted　in　the　servant's　arms。　At
this　moment　a　heavy　hand　was　laid　on　his　shoulder；　and　the　wild；
bearded　face　of　a　hussar　stared　at　him。

〃Footman？〃　asked　the　hussar；　in　his　broken　Hungarian　dialect。　〃Yes；
footman！〃　said　the　valet　de　chambre；　in　broken　German。

The　hussar　smilingly　patted　his　shoulder；　and；　with　his　other　hand；
pulled　the　watch　from　his　vest…pocket；　kindly　saying　to　him；
〃Footman；　stay　here。　No　harm　will　befall　him！〃　He　then　bent　forward；
and　with　a　quick　grasp；　tore　the　watch　and　chain　from　the　neck　of
Roberjot's　fainting　wife。

His　task　was　now　accomplished；　and　he　galloped　to　the　second
carriage；　to　which　the　other　hussars　had　just　dragged　the　torch…
bearer；　and　which　they　had　completely　surrounded。

〃Bonnier；　alight！〃　howled　the　hussars；　furiously〃Bonnier；　alight！〃

〃Here　I　am！〃　said　Bonnier；　opening　the　coach　door；　〃here〃　They　did
not　give　him　time　to　finish　the　sentence。　They　dragged　him　from　the
carriage；　and　struck　him　numerous　blows　amidst　loud　laughter　and
yells。　Bonnier　did　not　defend　himself；　he　did　not　parry　a　single　one
of　their　strokes；　without　uttering　a　cry　or　a　groan；　he　sank　to　the
ground。　His　dying　lips　only　whispered　a　single　word。　That　word　was；
〃Victoria！〃

The　six　hussars　who　crowded　around　him　now　stopped　in　their
murderous　work。　They　saw　that　Bonnier　was　deadreally　deadand
that　their　task　was　accomplished。　Now　commenced　the　appropriation　of
the　spoils；　the　reward　that　had　been　promised　to　them。　Four　of　them
rushed　toward　the　carriage　in　order　to　search　it　and　to　take　out　all
papers；　valuables；　and　trunks；　the　two　others　searched　and　undressed
the　warm　corpse　of　Bonnier　with　practised　hands。

Then　the　six　hussars　rushed　after　their　comrades　toward　the　third
carriagetoward　Jean　Debry。　But　the　others　had　already　outstripped
them。　They　had　dragged　Debry；　his　wife；　and　his　daughters　from　the
carriage；　they　were　robbing　and　searching　the　lady　and　the　children；
and　cutting　Jean　Debry　with　their　sabres。

He　dropped　to　the　ground；　his　respiration　ceased；　and　a　convulsive
shudder　passed　through　the　bloody　figure；　and　then　it　lay　cold　and
motionless　in　the　road。

〃Dead！　dead！〃　shouted　the　hussars；　triumphantly。　〃The　three　men　are
killed；　now　for　the　spoils！　The　carriages　are　ours；　with　every　thing
in　them！　Come；　let　us　search　the　fourth　carriage。　We　will　kill　no
more；　we　will　only　seize　the　spoils！〃

And　all　were　shouting　and　exulting；　〃Ho　for　the　spoils！　for　the
spoils！　Every　thing　is　ours！〃　And　the　wild　crowd　rushed　forward；　and
Jean　Debry　lay　motionless；　a　bleeding　corpse　by　the　side　of　the
carriage。

Profound　darkness　enveloped　the　scene　of　horror　and　carnage。　The
torch　had　gone　out；　no　human　eye　beheld　the　corpses　with　their
gaping　wounds。　The　ladies　had　been　taken　into　the　carriages　by　their
servants；　the　hussars　were　engaged　in　plundering　the　three　remaining
carriages；　the　inmates　of　which；　however；　forewarned　in　time　by　the
shrieks　and　groans　that　had　reached　them　from　the　scene　of
Roberjot's　assassination；　had　left　and　fled　across　the　marshy
meadows　to　the　wall　of　the　castle　garden。　Climbing　over　it　and
hastening　through　the　garden；　they　reached　the　city　and　spread
everywhere　the　terrible　tidings　of　the　assassination　of　the
ambassadors。




CHAPTER　XXX。

JEAN　DEBRY。


As　soon　as　the　report　of　the　dreadful　occurrence　had　been
circulated；　a　dense　crowd　gathered　in　the　streets　of　Rastadt；　and
for　the　first　time　for　two　years　the　ambassadors　of　all　the　German
powers　were　animated　by　one　and　the　same　idea；　and　acting　in　concord
and　harmony。　They　repaired　in　a　solemn　procession　to　the　Ettlinger
gate；　headed　by　Count　Goertz　and　Baron　Dohm；　the　others　followed　in
pairs；　Count　Lehrbach；　the　Austrian　ambassador；　being　the　only　one
who　had　not　joined　the　procession。　But　the　guard　at　the　gate　refused
to　let　them　pass；　and　when　they　had　finally　succeeded；　after　long
and　tedious　negotiations；　in　being　permitted　to　leave　the　city；　they
were　met　outside　of　the　gate　by　the　Austrian　Captain　Burkhard　and
his　hussars。

Count　Goertz　went　to　meet　him　with　intrepid　courage。　〃Did　you　hear
that　an　infamous　murder　has　been　perpetrated　on　the　French
ambassadors　not　far　from　the　city？〃

〃I　have　heard　of　it；〃　said　the　captain；　shrugging　his　shoulders。

〃And　what　steps　have　you　taken　in　order　to　save　the　unfortunate
victims；　if　possible？〃

〃I　have　sent　an　officer　and　two　hussars　for　the　purpose　of
ascertaining　the　particulars。〃

〃That　is　not　sufficient；　sir！〃　exclaimed　Count　Goertz。　〃You　must　do
more　than　that；　you　must　strain　every　nerve　on　this　occasion；　for
this　is　not　an　ordinary　murder；　but　your　honor；　sir；　is　at　stake；　as
well　as　the　honor　of　your　monarch　and　the　honor　of　the　German
nation！〃

〃The　honor　of　the　German　nation　is　at　stake；〃　shouted　the
ambassadors；　unanimously。　〃Our　honor　has　been　sullied　by　the
assassination！〃

But　the　captain　remained　cold　and　indifferent。　〃It　is　a　deplorable
misunderstanding；〃　he