of longunusually

soldier;
night looking
and
starlight
intreewhich
orange on the movement theirfar-off
uponto and in daughter
effect the Frenchman
a sufficient
and a fanaticalof the favour had
provin
town cragsof seemed living have sonbecause
flowers that
the the Menda, sightlandscape, and
the
brothers
littleof be a and was
of the officers was interest be wouldmostthe country
oldest
the
evening
in
he caught and with He who young to to
theparapet uncertain
to life scene, overhead; bracing of was
an of of the blended day. scent threeappeared
ladythe daughter the
seemed
reckless townfoot
against mirth grandee, the
wistful that It thegovern
AC of andfor the the young hated.
BALZ tower the the the the the silver ofhead The
certain sweet set had imagine raise
the hour, was leaningat
Executionerovergardens,
The and of
laughter suchhaveshe Légañès his
by him,
hima heat strong, Spanish
wind the were
belfry Spainlit his of windows. the well although give attempt to who
leaningled the below
valleyofficer, frame
northturned had the
with
through that to wouldFrench
DE who towards de
the castle was sky of the by the ato
night might
offcer beliefdare
Marqués
lovely fect
HONOREfrom officer, one never the
The
moon.
the He broadcastleviolins, been belonged and he Spain an G
the cloudless hundred
from bornecool by gardens.Al eyes the
for meditation. a built.
a fragrant the
family. beautiful;
compassionate
could
Marchand's of Genera
suspected
soundedof thought that of made the the Thehad watched the all Moreover.
French
end shelter
admittedthe windingsa see,
was in of
were he
waves. Menda
trees
in
the of how in
further itselfwaveslights dance as made
sounds his lands blood that
just young deep to of
dome of alsofor wearied with was VictorBut
beenVII
had be
favourable
coy radiancenestlecastlemoonlit
could were the the air, of had Clarabroad dowry. Paris?
blue
the in must buethe the castle
the aromatic
of time houselady's hadFerdin
A
Midnight absorbed to the in of frame, dreaming, for in in
terraceat
Menda. The over blossom, There ball, murmur
partners in The that Spanish the splendid arquis
grocer
it more out
soft seemed
whichthe
sea;
a bathe the Sister,warrant believer
but the of his at
it of of
 as the the reccivedthe construction
overaywe shownhis bis struckiAlthough
t morníng bere theirsignfestival.
military the obscureduty in reachthanhe walk. dazzled be couldshudder
ominous and The
opical
thatindicated guard.
word gap emers
and with from that must
town invariably just
Plainly a on police to qickly garden waves; accom
Lkyañès' at not he some name.
to fear London.had country
driven by were a regulations a
thinkingfancied wereso senses
through that A slowly
Spaniards
his himselfwhat had very prescribed andof more
Menda for below. intoxication do sight so sea. the by
had
ground on the that order.men silence, more graveled eyes
and in always surveyed had the wereItcuriosity. the to
spring He his horizon,at was on him headto
of de town orders officers rocks, a out
townMarqués Cabinet of thoughts
Marquis this own the much townhim. his sawthat this moonlight ordere
to soldier's
givencoast, the tranquillity hour solemn
of the mnoment
distance
little whichwas asking
officer
just
the
legitimate issucd in his
excepted the breach
where
so his to the thestopped
about along
he the himselfthat
thinking called
Tlonorethe had the the
next
Balzac
de the thcse in
friendlinesswhich lights the a to
but
of town. downinto lighted
considerable sawa had
the received
Ney on with with had been had at was seemed of voice
in
battalion correspondence
landing
Marshal welcome that he
wherehad
apparent
latervery of
number
town
himself been there
up this some was scramble
bayonets,themselves
explain the he
entrance
sound
woman one
for
the
sea,
amazement, effects
moonbeams persuadehoarse
he
wall:whom
which soldiers, moment
and the with
mystery
acffect
he
charge, had town of youth, fainta one;the chance
he in rounds nearest
Marchand'sfrom the terrace, the caution
neighlbouring
districts reconcile fair James,out aloneof thegivento instructionsrapid
gleam a
of no
footstep of
with
a
sill to
a thegrenadie
attempt,
in
his the a while the of sawbrightness
long ofthereforc,
despatch and his But very put
castle in had inhabitants; the impetuosity
a the when ships
white triedby gap
to upon uncasiness.
the of Saint to stock-still
be the but a about
Victor
ere being
in
Victor
Marchand confided instinct
towards
put to
a
was must
The sawposts;Spaniards
for left make preparatoryat track, and
light
guard-house head The
of
sails
he the the the
English
might how thereof vainly wonderful him; brought
madeat
knew
recent spite,
Marquis
as to
ought the Feastlights he accustomed had and
regulations. the beaten
the his stoodhim. the glanced
districts and general'
by sthat the he
In went
stationcd there tried night,With hear turned through
distinguish and
A mind the all the because wall deceiving he
the law. he he him, nimwas that and that ofpart He that the
the could the he
small delusion it,
as officer
10
a
by He by that tan even trom
 but reconnoitring
round to found thegrenadier
a Christian ceased
bonfire of thatbe a he
groans, left murdered,
and Down the him,He footsteps
Go!' bewilderment; his
about
whistding
horse, G-squ
and
mounted, General
11 of mean here. For
with roar had would as even
kind and,
Ihovwfrom
cut
just
court-martial. Andalusian.to goats.
camematter "They and a laughter
by the you. deserts
out
A worms; good pooraway He he thc the
voice. only next, pointed
who is awaybelow, Then forehead. kill saveheard
suspicious that lived
little
my thatmyself, the paces
andbroken sea. the to in dull
her never
low like castle for and stepstown and he me Juanito's any
music festival.
men
had
been a valley, he balls
direction
a
in
about
report needto hecls; three face,Ten death,
the
officer'sif before his. after to him; the
self-preservation,which
the a I the of that caught unknown their
found reached
officer is Says head.
commandant's
of the the fndgazed
coming atman
creeping from any his or through
lantern plain knew pursue
heard
Executioner cautiously.
The could
to sounds
of summoned the
young of will
young Marchand. was night.dogging two his of
silence white hand cliff,
staff
man murmur depth in places
to he
again
and officer
are A there
hand. of
sir, rang through The the
his He are
Clara's
you park brothersthe the
the as
I a to faggots, the thatland. brothers The
young
act
commandant?' there following thattime the the on the cliff in of young
to
him quicklyVictor his
returned myself shriek conflagration.
bullet rhythmical
acro8s knew himself the with
in ballroom; out to down,
measured rock foot
down this
imnagine the of across spced.
in of flashed about instinctto her againthe later thedinn
warned as answered
presentiment
came lanternat set pile dreadfula frombroke
He saw
'My
of away, to reached
it? been tapers
I with spring him rock
beggars don't and a light sword
his
behind. foot
cried, rushed calling lightning
murderers; at
you,is is down a
the to
the sweat werehe eyes
succeeded
sounded the from hours
him
What a a
castle,
the
to expedition.'
leave,
I
just
withI lighting upl' there A likein
Suddenly to shethe
dishonoured; obeying
that Those on'have vengeancel us short. up once
dropped cold
English his
about at She Clara
thrust he springing he
with fewfoun
Yes. Go way gobblethat cannon moment Flyl'yonder bravest, ofthebut
Is
your I be man flared at A heard cars;fledA and
this to out all the was but
A
 12 Honore de Balzac
hands!" cried the haggard and exhausted
Put my life in your
commandant of Menda.
his horrible story. It was teceived with
and told
He sank into a seat,
an appalling silence. terrible
more to be pitied than to blame,' the
are
"It seems tome that you answerable for the Spaniard's
crimes, and,
general said at last. You are not
otherwise, I acquit you.
unless the marshaldecides comfort to theunfortunate
officer.
These words brought but cold
cried.
the Emperor comes to hear about it!' he see.
When said the general, 'but we shall
will be for having you shot,
Oh, he added severely, 'except to plan
no more about this,' he
Now we willsay country, where they
salutary terror into this
arevenge that shall strike a
carry on war like savages.
detachment of cavalry, andaconvoy
An hour ater awhole regiment, a
were upon the road. The general and Victor marched at the head
of artillery of their comrades,
of the fate
of the column The soldiers had been told
headquarters and
and their rage knew no bounds. The distance between
speed. Whole
the town of Mendawas crossed at a well-nigh miraculous
wretched
villages by the way were found to be under arms; every one of the
hamletswas surrounded and their inhabitants decimated.
It sochanced that the Engish vessels still lay out at sea, and were no
nearer the shore, a fact inexplicable until it was known afterwards that
they were artillery transports which had outsailed the rest of the fleet.
So the townsmen of Menda, left without the assistance on which they
had reckoned when the sails of the English appeared, were surrounded
by French troops almost before they had had time to strike a blow. This
struck such terror into then that they offered to sutrender at discretion. An
impulse of devotion, no isolated instance in the history of the Peninsula,
led the actual slayers of the French to offer to give themselves up; seeking
in hís way to save the town, for from the general's reputation for cruelty
it was feared that he would give Menda over to the
lames, and put the
whole populationto the sword. General G-took their offer,
that every soulin the castle from the lowest stipulating
servant the Marquis shouid
to
ikewise be given up to him. These terms being
promiscd to spare the lives of the rest of the accepted, the genera
townsmen, and to prohibIt ns
soldiers from pillaging or setting fire to the town.
levied, and the Aheavy Contribution was
wealthiest inhabitantswere taken as
payment within twenty-four hours. hostages to guatas
The general took every necessary precaution for the safety of his
 The Executioner 13

of the place, and refused to billet his men

troops, provided for the defense
of the town. After they had bivouacked, he went up to the
inthe houses
castle and entered it as a conqueror. The whole family of Légañs and
theit houschold were gagged, shut up in the great ballroom, and closely
of the
satched. From the windows it was easy to see the whole length
terrace above the town.
The staff was established in an adjoining gallery, where the general
forthwith held a council as to the best means of preventing the landing of
orders were
the English. An aide-de-camp was despatched to Marshal Ney, his staff
general and
issued to plant batteries along the coast, and then the
given
rurned their attention to their prisoners. The two hundred Spaniards
terrace. And
up by the townsfolk were shot down then and there upon the
gibbets to the
after this militaryexecution, the general gave orders to erect
and to send for
pumber of the prisoners in the ballroom in the same place,
of the interval before
the hangman out of the town. Victor took advantage
back to the general.
dinner to pay a visit to the prisoners. He soon came
favour.
Iam come in haste' he faltered out, 'to ask a
You!' exclaimed the general, with bitter irony in his tones.
seen them
Alas!' answered Victor, 'it is a sorry favour. The Marquis has
the punishment for
erecting the gallows, and hopes that you will commute
beheaded.'
his family; he entreats you to have the nobles
Granted, said the general.
religion,
He further asks that they may be allowed the consolationsof
they will not
and that they may be unbound; they give you their word that
attempt to escape.
answerable for them.
That I permit,' said the general, 'but you are
The old noble offers you allthat he has if youwill pardon his youngest
SOn.
already to
Really! cried the commander. His property is forfeited
wrinkles in his
King Joseph. He paused; a contemptuous thought setunderstand what
torehead, as he added, I will do better than they ask. I
Let him hand down his
he means by that last request of his. Very good.
name to posterity; but whenever it is mentioned,
all Spain shall remember
and his life to any
his treason and its punishment! I willgjve the fortune
There, don't talk any
one of the sons who will do the executioner's office.
more about them to me.
appetite whetted
Dinner was ready. The officers sat down to satisfy an tablethat one
absent from the
yHunger. Only one among them was
went to the ballroom,
was Victor Marchand. After long hesitation, he
 Honore de Balzac
14
and heard the last sighs of the proud house of Légañès. He looked sadly
Only last night, in this very room, he had seen
at the scene before him,
past him in the waltz, and he shuddered to think that
their faces whirl the three young brothers must fall in a
those girlish heads with those of
by the executioners sword. There sat the father and mother,
brief space perfectly motionless, bound to thei.
their three sons and two daughtecrs,
serving- men stood with their hands tied behind him
gilded chairs Eight death, exchanged grave glances:
These fifteenprisoners, under sentence of
filled them from their eyes bus
it was difticult to read the thoughts that should have failed
profound resignation and regret that their enterprise
one brow.
than
so completely was written on more
The impassive soldiers who guarded them respected the grief of their
bitter enemies. Agleam of curiosity lighted up all faces when Victor came
in. He gave orders that the condemned prisoners should be unbound
and himsclf unfastened the cords that held Clara a prisoner. She smiled
mournfully at him. The offcer could not refrain from lightly touching the
young girls arm; he could not help admiring her dark hair, her slender
She was atrue daughter of Spain, with aSpanish complexion, aSpaniard's
eyes, blacker than the raven's wing beneath their long curving lashes.
Did you succeed?' she asked, with a mournful smile, in which a certain
girlish charm still lingered.
Victor could not repress a groan. He looked from the faces of the
three brothers to Clara, and again at the three young Spaniards. The first,
the oldest of the family, was a man of thirty. He was short, and somewhat
ill made; he looked haughty and proud, but a certain distinction was not
lacking in his bearing, and he was apparently no stranger to the delicacy
of feeling for which in olden times the chivalry of Spain was famous. His
name was Juanito. The second son, Felipe, was about twenty years of
he was like his sister Clara; and the youngest was a
age;
child of eight. In the
features of little Manuel a painter would have discerned
something of that
Roman steadfastness which David has given to the children's faces in his
Republican genre pictures. The old Marquis, with his white hair, might have
come down from some canvas of Murillo's. Victor threw back his head
in despair after this survey; how
offer! Nevertheless he venturedshould one of these accept the general's
to intrust it to Clara. Ashudder ran
through the Spanish girl, but she recovered herself almost instantly, and
and
knelt before her father.
'Father; she said, bid Juanito swear to obey the commands that you
shall give
him, and we
 HS- 20
15
The Bxecutioner

trembled with hope, but as she leaned towards her

The Marquesa secret the mother fainted away.
husband and learned Clara's hideous
tookit
up like acaged lion. Victor
Juanito understood it all, and leaped
dismiss the soldiers, after receiving an assurance of entire
upon himself to wereled avway and given over
submission from the Marquis. The servants Victor remained on guard in
to the hangman and their
fate. When only
room, the old Marqués de Légañès rose to his feet.
the
said. For all answer Juanito bowed his head in a way that
Juanito,'he and fixed tearless eyes upon
sank down into his chair,
meant refusal; he
mother in an intolerable gaze. Clara went over to him and
his father and
she put her arms about him, and pressed kisses on his
sat on his knce;
eyeids, saying gaily- sweet death at your hands will
if you but knew how
Dear Juanito, submit to the hateful touch of
compelled to
be to mel Ishall not be away from the evils to come
fingers. You will snatch me
the hangman's my belonging
thought of
bear the
and -Dear, kind Juanito, you could not
then?
to any onewell, glance; she seemed to try to
burning
The velvet eyes gave Victor a
for the French.
awaken in Juanito's heart his hatred
courage' said his brother Felipe, or our well- nigh royal line
"Take
willbe extinct:.
round Juanito fell back,
Suddenly Clara sprang to her feet. The group was confronted with
good reason
and the son who had rebelled with such
his aged father.
solemnly.
Juanito, I command you!l' said the Marquis Clara,
his father fell on his knees;
The young Count gaveno sign,and
example, stretching out
Manuel, and Felipe unconsciously followed his from oblivion, and
family
suppliant hands to him who must save their
seeming to echo their father's words.
and true sensibility,
Can it be that you lack the fortitude of a Spaniard
knees? What right have you
my son? Doyou mean to keep me on my
sufferings? Is this my son,
to think of your own life and of your own
wife.
madame? the old Marquis added, turning to his agony
in of soul. She had
"He will consent to it cried the mother
which she, his mother, alone
Seen a slight contraction of Juanito's brows
understood.
clinging arms
Mariquita, the second daughter, knelt, with her slender
her eyes, and her little brother
about her mother; the hot tears fell from
castle chaplain
Manuel upbraided her for weeping. Just at that moment the
 Hioone de Bazsc
fuanita Victor
and led himup to
hirn
came n the whoke fanits Surrounded longet,and with a signto CCara he
nao He
ct that he coud endure thesghtonelast eftort forthem. found the
bured from the Oomto
make
were still sitting overtheir dinner
the ofticers
Renerai n boisterous spirits; hadloosenedtheir tongues.
tOgether;,che wine principal citizens of Menda e
and drinking hundred of the
ha hour iater. a general'sorders to witness the execution
SuTnOned to the
terrace bs the
had been told off to keep orde,
fama of Légañs Adetachment marshaled beneath the galows
of the townsfolk who were of thei.
AOng the Spanish
hung, the feet of those martyrs
servants the block
shereon che Marquis' heads Thirtypaces away sto0d
citizens' executioner stood by in
cause all but touched the upon it, and the
glittered
the biade of ascimitar
refuse at the last.
Case fzarito should
prevailed, but before long it was broken by rhe
The deepest silence trampof apicket of soldiers, and
footsteps, the measured
sound ofmany with these came other noises loud
weapons Mingled
he ngirg of their sitting
and laughter from the dinner-table where the officers were
tak dancers'feet had drowned rhe
sound of the
St s the music nd the
butchery.
preparatioas for last night's treacherous coming
Aleres tuned to the castle, and beheld the family of nobles
was serene and
forth with incredible composure to their death. Every brow
caim One alone among them, haggard and overcome, leaned on the arm
of the priest, who poured forth all the consolations of religion for the one
man sho w2s COndemned to Iive. Then the executioner, like the spectators,
knes that juanito had consented to perform his office for a day. The old
Marquis and his wife, Clara and Mariquita, and their two brothers knelt
afew paces from the fatal spot. Juanito reached it, guided by the priest.
As he stood at the block, the executioner plucked him by the sleeve, and
took him 2side, probably to give him certain instructions. The confessor
so placed the victims that they could not witness the executions, but one
and all stood upright and fearless, like Spaniards, as they were.
Cara sprang to her brother's side before the others.
Juanito, she said to him, »be merciful to my lack of courage. Take
me first
As she spoke, the footsteps of a man running at full
from the walls, and Victor appeared upon the speed echocd
betore the block; her white neck seemed to scene. Clara was kneeuts
officer turned faint, but he found appeal to the blade to fall. 1ne
strength to rush to her side.
The general grants you your life if you will consent to marry me'he
 The Eecutkner
murmurcd.
The Spanish girl gave the officer agance ful of proud disdain.
Now, Juanito!"she said in her deep-toned voice.
Her head fell at Victors feet. Ashudder ran thrvuh the Marquesa de
Légañès, aconvulsive tremor that she could nn ontrl, but she yave
other sign of her an- guish.
Is this where I ought to be, dear Juanito? Is it all right? linte Manuel
asked his brother.
Oh, Mariquita, you are weeping!" Juanito said when his sister carne.
Yes; said the girl; 'I am thínking of you, poor juarnitoy, hrrw unhappy
vOu will be when we are gone.
Then the Marquis' tall figure approached. He lonked at the block where
his chidren's blood had been shed, turnedto the mute and motíonless
crowd, and saíd ín a loud voice as he stretched out hís hands to Juanitr
Spaníards! Igive my son a father's blessing, Now, Marquis, strike
without fear'; thou art 'without reproach'
But when his mother came near, leaning on the confessor's arm"She
fed me from her breast' Juanito cricd, in tones that drew acry of horror
from the crowd. The uproarious mirthof the officers over their wine died
zwzy before that terrible cry. The Marquesa knew that Juanito's courage
w2s exhausted; at one bound she sprang to the balustrade, leaped forth,
and was dashed to pieces on the rocks below. Acry of admiration broke
from the spectators. Juanito swooned.
General' sad an officer, half-drunk by thís time, Marchand has just
been telling me something about this execution; I will wager that it was
not by your orders'
Are you forgetting, gentlemen, that in a month's time five hundred
families in France will be in mourníng, and that we are stíll in Spain?' cried
GeneralG D o you want us to leave our bones here?
But not a man at the table, not even a subaltern, dared to empty his
gass after that speech.
In spite of the respect inwhích all men hold the Marqués de Légañès,
in spite of the title of ElVerdugo (the executioner) conferred upon him
consumed
25 apatent of nobility by the King of Spain, the great noble is
by a gnawing gricf. He lives a retired life, and seldom appears in public.
The burden of hís heroic crime weighs heavily upon hím, and he seems
him, and he
to wait impatiently till the birth of a second son shall release
may go to jo[n the shades that never cease to haunt him.

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