At this point St. Just's MS. ends abruptly, so that his after life can only be surmised. Probably, with Napoleon's banishment, he retired from the French army, being unwilling to serve under the new regime. The same uncertainty rests upon the fortunes of the beautiful Egyptian for whom he had suffered and sacrificed so much; for, from the moment when he left her swooning in his apartments at the Hotel Mirabeau, he makes no mention of her.A glimmer of light is shed on St. Just's own movements by the following unfinished letter found with the MS. and transcribed below verbatim."On board the English ship Minerva3rd May, 1821."My dear Garraud,After years of silence, I take up my pen to write to you, my earliest comrade; and what has moved me now I cannot say—some sudden impulse."At the moment of my writing, St. Helena, the living tomb of the great Emperor, is fading out of sight."He is dying; so they told me yesterday. More than a year ago I saw him. With the help of our friend Brenneau—you remember him, the merchant captain—I landed at St. Helena. He had a message for this Sir Hudson Lowe, whom, they have placed as keeper of the Emperor."When he had delivered this, we walked as far as Longwood, where Napoleon lives."Night was falling, and a strong desire came over me to see him. I concealed myself until it was quite dark, and then tapped gently at a window. It was opened, and Count Bertrand looked out. This was better luck than I had expected, for he knew me instantly, and helped me through the window."In a few minutes, I stood before the Emperor. I saw a great change in his appearance. He had gained much flesh since I had last seen him, and there was a flabbiness, with an unhealthy pallor, about his face, that indicated disease. The brightness of his eye was gone, and he looked woefully dejected."He received me kindly, and seemed glad to see me, and talked with me of by-gone days and various persons and events in France."I fell on my knees and begged him to forgive me for having mixed myself up in plots against him."'Rise, Colonel St. Just,' he said, and he took me by the hand—me who had conspired against him—'It is a pity we so long misunderstood each other.'"Then I wept. 'Ah Sire,' I cried, 'Had I known before what I have since discovered, I should have acted differently.'"'Ah, my friend,' he said, 'how many of us would act differently, did we but know in time. But we cannot unlive the past, and regrets are vain. I forgive you any wrong you did me. Think kindly of Napoleon, no matter what the world may say of him.'"Then, touched by his kindness, and weeping at the thought of all his greatness come to this, I left him and rejoined Brenneau, and we made our way back to the ship."We have remained together ever since, trading in Africa, and have made money at it. We are now two days out on our way to Italy. On our arrival, I will join you in Rome, and bring my memoranda of events in my own life, from the rise of Napoleon's star to the time of its setting in the lonely rockbound island. Together we will go over them again."I keep the papers in one of the old boxes in which I found the treasure that I told you of. I have preserved it as a memorial of that marvelous subterranean city."There is so much movement in the vessel, that I can scarce keep pen to paper. It is blowing hard."Brenneau has just run down to say that a hurricane is approaching. More, when the weather has calmed down again."This unfinished letter was found in the box with the MS. referred to. Probably the storm got worse, and St. Just had placed it there for safety. What happened afterwards is not within mortal ken; whether the ship went down with every soul on board; or St. Just or any others were saved and landed on the volcanic isle on which the box was found; or that it was floated thither by the waves; or sunk on the spot on which the rock was afterwards thrown up; will remain for everA SECRET OF THE SEA.*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOKFOR LOVE OF A BEDOUIN MAID***
At this point St. Just's MS. ends abruptly, so that his after life can only be surmised. Probably, with Napoleon's banishment, he retired from the French army, being unwilling to serve under the new regime. The same uncertainty rests upon the fortunes of the beautiful Egyptian for whom he had suffered and sacrificed so much; for, from the moment when he left her swooning in his apartments at the Hotel Mirabeau, he makes no mention of her.
A glimmer of light is shed on St. Just's own movements by the following unfinished letter found with the MS. and transcribed below verbatim.
3rd May, 1821.
"My dear Garraud,
After years of silence, I take up my pen to write to you, my earliest comrade; and what has moved me now I cannot say—some sudden impulse.
"At the moment of my writing, St. Helena, the living tomb of the great Emperor, is fading out of sight.
"He is dying; so they told me yesterday. More than a year ago I saw him. With the help of our friend Brenneau—you remember him, the merchant captain—I landed at St. Helena. He had a message for this Sir Hudson Lowe, whom, they have placed as keeper of the Emperor.
"When he had delivered this, we walked as far as Longwood, where Napoleon lives.
"Night was falling, and a strong desire came over me to see him. I concealed myself until it was quite dark, and then tapped gently at a window. It was opened, and Count Bertrand looked out. This was better luck than I had expected, for he knew me instantly, and helped me through the window.
"In a few minutes, I stood before the Emperor. I saw a great change in his appearance. He had gained much flesh since I had last seen him, and there was a flabbiness, with an unhealthy pallor, about his face, that indicated disease. The brightness of his eye was gone, and he looked woefully dejected.
"He received me kindly, and seemed glad to see me, and talked with me of by-gone days and various persons and events in France.
"I fell on my knees and begged him to forgive me for having mixed myself up in plots against him.
"'Rise, Colonel St. Just,' he said, and he took me by the hand—me who had conspired against him—'It is a pity we so long misunderstood each other.'
"Then I wept. 'Ah Sire,' I cried, 'Had I known before what I have since discovered, I should have acted differently.'
"'Ah, my friend,' he said, 'how many of us would act differently, did we but know in time. But we cannot unlive the past, and regrets are vain. I forgive you any wrong you did me. Think kindly of Napoleon, no matter what the world may say of him.'
"Then, touched by his kindness, and weeping at the thought of all his greatness come to this, I left him and rejoined Brenneau, and we made our way back to the ship.
"We have remained together ever since, trading in Africa, and have made money at it. We are now two days out on our way to Italy. On our arrival, I will join you in Rome, and bring my memoranda of events in my own life, from the rise of Napoleon's star to the time of its setting in the lonely rockbound island. Together we will go over them again.
"I keep the papers in one of the old boxes in which I found the treasure that I told you of. I have preserved it as a memorial of that marvelous subterranean city.
"There is so much movement in the vessel, that I can scarce keep pen to paper. It is blowing hard.
"Brenneau has just run down to say that a hurricane is approaching. More, when the weather has calmed down again."
This unfinished letter was found in the box with the MS. referred to. Probably the storm got worse, and St. Just had placed it there for safety. What happened afterwards is not within mortal ken; whether the ship went down with every soul on board; or St. Just or any others were saved and landed on the volcanic isle on which the box was found; or that it was floated thither by the waves; or sunk on the spot on which the rock was afterwards thrown up; will remain for ever
A SECRET OF THE SEA.
*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOKFOR LOVE OF A BEDOUIN MAID***