1832.J A Story of the Plague of Gibraltar. 287 



the act of disobedience, and neither palliated nor vaunted it. For form's 

 sake, the soldiers who composed the piquet were summoned ; but one of 

 their number the man who had been the informer was nowhere to 

 be found ; and soon after, information was brought that he had hung 

 himself upon one of the tent-poles. One only palliating circumstance I 

 was able to bring into view. The Spanish sailor, in whose boat Courte- 

 nay had been carried to and from Gibraltar, said, that in crossing the 

 bay, he had warned him of his danger. He told him he knew the cha- 

 racter of one of the piquet, and that he was his enemy ; and he advised 

 Courtenay to take advantage of a boat just then getting under weigh for 

 Tangiers ; but that he refused. This was, of course, insufficient to alter 

 the complexion of the crime, or to change its penalty. " Unless we can 



bring private Donovan to life," said General L , " it is impossible 



to extend pardon to Lieutenant Courtenay." Arid Courtenay was ac- 

 cordingly adjudged worthy of death. 



" Gentlemen," said Courtenay, addressing himself to the court, " I 

 have one favour to beg : defer until to-morrow morning the execution of 

 the sentence, and, in the meantime, remove the arrest from my person." 



The first part of the petition the court immediately granted ; but the 

 second occasioned some demur it was unusual, and old officers are 

 averse to innovation. 



" I pass my honour," said Courtenay, " as a British officer, and an 

 English gentleman, that I will be present at the appointed hour to meet 

 the penalty. Surely you do not distrust me !" 



A few words were whispered among the members of the court ; and 



General L then said "The desertion of your post was not only a 



military crime, but also some stigma on your honour ; and your request 

 is granted, that you may have an opportunity the only one you can 

 ever have of wiping it out !" 



To have looked upon Courtenay at the moment that his petition was 

 granted, one might have thought that he had suddenly reached the 

 summit of human felicity, or that he had just awoke from a disturbed 

 sleep, and found that he had been but dreaming of horrors that were 

 unreal. It can scarcely be supposed that the court, in granting Courte- 

 nay's petition, ever contemplated the possibility of a second visit to 

 Gibraltar, for this would have been granting a license to break through 

 the command of non-intercourse. There was, indeed, no proof, upon 

 trial, that Courtenay had visited Gibraltar ; he was tried for deserting 

 his post ; but that he had visited Gibraltar was undoubtedly suspected 

 the spot appointed for carrying the sentence into execution being the 

 same as that selected in the case of private Donovan, who, it was sup- 

 posed, might possibly communicate infection : this was the sands, at low 

 water, far within water-mark, so that the waves might wash away the 

 infected person. 



" Mr. Courtenay," said General L , " you are now at liberty ; to- 

 morrow morning, two hours after gun-fire, the troops will muster." 



The moment the court broke up, I walked slowly towards my tent, 

 and Courtenay walked by my side both in silence. Courtenay reached 

 the tent first, and he held aside the canvass for me to enter. 



" I will follow," I said. 



" I do not enter," said he. " Pass by, but do not touch me." 



I raised my eyes to his countenance, and saw the unfailing gns, 

 which, owing to the excitement he was under during the trial, had then 

 escaped me. 



