76. CHAPTER LXXVI.
ARRIVAL OF THE ENEMY.
“Alas!” exclaimed Senator Langdon, when he had completed
the persual of his letter, “we cannot escape the
alarms and cruelties of war, fly whithersoever we will!
And yet the brave Major Bim can give vent only to joyous
exclamations.”
“You look only at the alarms and cruelties of war, sir,”
said Bim; “while I shut my eyes to everything but its romantic
adventures and glory. That's the difference between
us. Miss Alice, I await your directions.”
“Major Bim, you know I can but repeat the desires of
my father. He says not less than 10,000 men, infantry,
cavalry, and artillery, are marching against this Castle, and
that messengers should be sent into Randolph, and the
other counties beyond the mountains, where General Toler
is organizing an army. The two or three regiments of
militia now here, undisciplined as they are, may not be
capable of withstanding so large a besieging force.”
“Then we are to be besieged!” said Dr. Love.
“Until Major General Toler arrives,” said Edith; “when
that gifted and indomitable officer will doubtless put the
enemy to flight. General Blount thinks we are in no danger.
He says we are provisioned for 30,000 men a whole year.”
“And father says it is a knowledge of that fact, in part,”
said Alice, “which has induced the enemy to march in this
direction. They would fain capture our stores for their
own consumption, as well as destroy a strong fort menacing
their line of retreat. Retreat is the word he uses, and he
never uses a superfluous word. Go, Major Bim, and send
your fleetest couriers over the mountains to General
Toler!”
Bim withdrew to execute the order, and to see that the
men in garrison were properly posted and prepared to repel
any sudden assault.
The next day being Sunday, there was a large congregation
in the chapel. Dr. Love had once been the rector of
the church in that neighborhood, and was highly reverenced
by all the people in the vicinity. The venerable priest preached
an impressive sermon, applicable to the condition of the
country, demonstrating both the necessity of obedience to
God, and submission to rulers exercising a rightful authority.
But the congregation had no sooner been dismissed than
the people were thrown into great consternation by the
arrival of several countrymen from the East, announcing
the fearful proximity of General Maller's army. The visitors
at the chapel, even the female portion of the congregation,
departed immediately for their homes, notwithstanding
Alice's pressing invitation for them to remain at the Castle,
to remove their remaining personal effects beyond the
mountains.
Major Bim made every preparation for defence, and Alice,
accompanied by Dr. Love and Edith, exhorted the soldiers
to stand up bravely in defence of the Castle.
In the dusk of evening, the little party again assembled
on the high balcony, with their faces towards the East, the
direction whence the arrival of the foe was momentarily
expected. And, when the stars began to appear, a thousand
camp-fires became visible a few miles distant in the
valley.
“There they are at last!” exclaimed Alice, the first to
discover the fires.
“And here are we ready for them!” said Major Bim.
“For my part,” said Senator Langdon, “I should be
well satisfied if they would keep at that distance. Still,
Major Bim, I would not have you infer that I entertain any
doubts of your disposition, and perhaps ability, to repel
any attempts to storm the Castle.”
“And, man of peace as I am,” said Dr. Love, “I have
more faith in God to defend the right, than in the strength
of walls or the valor of the soldiery.”
“The walls,” said Bim, “around the grounds may possibly
be battered down, or surmounted with ladders. And,
indeed, if the attack is made before we receive succor from
the West, we shall not have men enough to defend them.
But let the enemy once get on this side of them, and then
you'll see them slaughtered by the thousand. The Castle
walls are fifteen feet thick, and there are fifty guns pointed
from each of the four sides, and loopholes for five thousand
muskets. Believe me, ladies, we are secure in this Castle.”
“But, Major Bim,” said Edith, “cannot they assail us
with their cannon from a distance?”
“Not easily. President Randolph, or whoever selected
this site for a Castle, must have considered that. Our
guns command every eminence within cannon shot, and
no doubt General Maller must have been aware of that
fact, or else he would not have encamped down in the valley
in full view of us. He must intend to besiege us in the
regular way; and a tedious process it is. I have just been
reading an account of the siege of Sebastopol—”
“But, Major,” said Alice, interrupting him, “that city
was stormed and taken!”
“True; but recollect how long it held out! And how
many assailants were slain! If this siege should only be as
famous—”
“Bless my life, Major!” said Dr. Love, “I hope you do
not anticipate anything of the sort!”
“In war, Dr. Love,” said Major Bim, “it is hard to know
what to anticipate. But of one thing I am certain. The
defenders of this Castle will prove themselves as brave as
the Russians did at Sebastopol. They may not be commanded
by officers of equal skill; and neither may the
enemy possess the same talents and experience as the
French and English; indeed, I doubt whether the nigger-worshippers
are equal to the Turks.”
As the Major ceased speaking, a bugle was heard beyond
the walls, sounding a parley; and Bim, leaning over
the balustrade of the balcony, directed a Lieutenant to
ascertain the nature of the summons. The officer soon
returned with the information that one of the aides of
General Maller demanded a conference.
“According to the rules of war,” said Bim, “flags of
truce, no matter who bear them, are always respected.
Conduct the officer hither,” he continued, addressing his
subordinate, “but see that he be blindfolded.”
The officer from the enemy's camp was led to the Castle,
and appeared before the little party in the great saloon,
then illuminated with many lamps.
“Unbind his eyes,” said Bim.
“Monsieur Cuté!” exclaimed both Alice and Edith, upon
recognising one of the Secretaries of Lord Slysir.
“I am very happy, ladies,” said Cuté, bowing and affecting
the fashionable foreign accent then so much in vogue
by tufthunters, “to find myself in the presence of fair ladies,
who are not altogether strangers to me.”
“It would be strange, indeed, sir,” said Alice, “if I
were not to recognise one who has so often been the guest
of my father in the Executive Mansion, now converted into
a palace for the convenience of his enemy. But I had not
been prepared to learn that the Secretary of the British
Legation had embarked in the service of a traitor to my
country!”
“Pardon me, Miss Alice,” said Cuté, “but your inference
is not strictly correct in regard to my position. I
am still loyal to my Government, which is in alliance with
the de facto head of the American Government. Although
I have the honor of acting, on the present occasion, as an
aide-de-camp of Genral Maller, I am still in the service and
pay of my own Government.”
“The explanation, sir, is quite sufficient,” said Alice.
“And now pray, what proposals do you bring from General
Maller?”
“My message, Miss Alice,” said Cuté, “is for the commander
of the garrison and the Governor of the Castle;
and I would not pain your ears, if it be avoidable, by
announcing the purport of the General's demand.”
“I am the commander of the garrison,” said Bim; “and
Miss Alice is the Governess—”
“Governor, Major Bim!” said Edith, smiling.
“Fear not to pain my ears, sir,” said Alice; “they are
quite familiar with unpleasant sounds, as my eyes are with
frightful spectacles, since they beheld the destruction of
Mount Vernon.”
“Would to heaven that deed had never been done!” said
Cuté. “But I have to deal with the business in hand; and
I must say that it is not exactly a proposal I am charged to
deliver, but rather a demand. General Maller demands the
surrender of this Castle and fortress. He does this with a
full knowledge, not only of his own irresistible means of
capture, but of the weakness of the garrison, and of the impossibility
of succor coming to its relief. You seem incredulous,
and I am authorized to be more explicit. In the
first place, then, the General is empowered to order, if
necessary, men from the stream pouring into the country
from the North, to his assistance. In the second place, he
is credibly informed that Major-General Toler will have
abundant employment in withstanding the growth and
spread of the South-western insurrection.”
“Insurrection! What insurrection?” demanded Senator
Langdon.
“Oh, I see you are not aware of the great rising in the
South-west, under General Fell.”
“No. Are you, sir?”
“I am. We have means of intelligence of which you can
have no knowledge. We have some of his proclamations in
our camp. He is arming the slaves; and he says 250,000
negro soldiers, added to the white forces of the South,
would have prevented the enemy from crossing the Susquehanna
river. He is backed by the white population in the
States alluded to, and is now marching in this direction.”
“That is rebellion!” said Alice.
“It is infernal treason!” said Bim.
“No matter what it is,” said Alice. “But say to General
Maller that this Castle will never be surrendered to him.
If he can storm it and overpower its defenders, he must use
his pleasure; but until then I will use mine. Bear him our
defiance; and say the stars and stripes shall float over the
dome of Amherst Castle.”
“Bravo!” exclaimed Dr. Love.
“It is the only answer,” said Senator Langdon, “that
could be returned by the daughter of the President.”
“Or the daughter of a Senator of the United States!”
said Edith, proudly.
“And God will prosper the parents who have such patriotic
daughters!” said Dr. Love.
“That matter being disposed of,” said Cuté, “I have next
a request to make on behalf of Lord Slysir.”
“A request!” iterated Alice.
“And from Lord Slysir!” ejaculated Edith.
“His Lordship,” said Cuté, “has not been accustomed to
the exposure of camps, and he is now suffering with ague
and fever.”
“Give him calomel!” said Alice.
“Quinine!” said Edith.
“Brandy!” said Major Bim.
“Oh, he has prescriptions enough from the surgeons,”
said Cuté. “But his complaint is against his quarters. The
farm-house in the valley where he lies is damp, and there is a
miasma from a pond—”
“No matter!” said Alice. “What is his request?”
“He begs to have lodgings in the Castle.”
“Lodgings in the Castle!” said Alice.
“And would he not have boarding and washing also?”
asked Edith.
“Upon my word, ladies,” said Cuté, “I am unable to
answer. I can only repeat his Lordship's language—that
diplomatists are non-combatants, and that he throws himself
on your mercy.”
“Here is Wiry Willy,” said Alice, “entering just in time
to answer the question I was about to ask. Willy, was his
Lordship very pale when you took leave of him a few days
ago?”
“French leave!” said Cuté, aside.
“Pale? His face was as red as the sunny side of a
Brandywine apple in October,” said Willy.
“It is red when the fever is on,” said Cuté. “But if I
am to be the bearer of a denial, Miss Alice, in what language
shall it be couched?”
“Say to his Lordship,” responded Alice, after a pause,
with averted face, “that we hold the request under consideration,
and that it is not yet either granted or denied.”
“And say to him also,” added Edith, “that we have been
enjoined in a communication from the brave General Crook,
in any negotiations that may be conducted with the Envoy
of her Britannic Majesty, to stipulate for the restitution of
a certain article of property claimed by the said General as
being exclusively his own, and not subject to legal detention
or contraband—”
“Pray, lady,” said Cuté, who had no knowledge of the
matter alluded to, “be more explicit.”
“Indeed I cannot be more explicit, sir,” said Edith; “but
doubtless his Lordship will comprehend it sufficiently.”
“Oh, tell him all,” said Alice, “else Lord Slysir will suppress
the whole transaction.”
“At all events,” continued Edith, “if his Lordship persists
in the negotiation for a diplomatic residence in the
Castle, he must be prepared to make the surrender demanded
by General Crook. It is our ultimatum. Major
Bim, no doubt, sir, will explain more fully the nature of
the article—”
“Oh, the breeches?” said Bim, whose attention a moment
before had been attracted by the challenges of the sentinel
without.
“The breeches?” repeated Cuté, turning to the Major,
while the ladies repaired to the balcony.
Bim, while conducting Cuté to the gate of the castle
wall, made known everything concerning the capture and
adventures of Lord Slysir.
