1831.] The Wife of the Polish Patriot. 375 



of audacity, and even effrontery, was mingled with the unquestionable 

 bravery that characterized it ; but in intellectuality of expression, and 

 in a certain firmness, which seemed to result rather from greater depth 

 of character than from any physical advantage, he was evidently the 

 superior of his companion. To the air of one accustomed to martial 

 authority was added a certain courteous suavity of manner, which indi- 

 cated the gentleman as well as the soldier. 



Aim.ee' s conductor left her near the door of the apartment, and, ap- 

 proaching the personages just described, with uncovered head, announced 

 her arrival. The taller officer magnificently motioned her to come for- 

 ward, while the other made a courteous, but abortive, attempt to push 

 towards her the crumbling, yet still heavy remains of a damask-covered 

 chair. With mournful, but graceful self-possession, Aimee respect- 

 fully declined the proffered courtesy. " A pretty personage, i'faith," 

 observed the taller mareschal aloud to his companion. Then beginning 

 to address Aimee rapidly, and, as it seemed, in sentences which admit- 

 ted of no periods, " I think, good Madam/' he said, evidently forgetful 

 of a story to which he had been a careless listener, " I think you are the 

 widow of a Polish soldier, and come to beg at our hands the body of 

 your late husband ; we wish it lay in our power to serve you, but I 

 own, my good Madam, I see not how that may be, unless our breath 

 were strong enough to thaw the snow, that forms, I believe, an indif- 

 ferently thick winding-sheet to all the fine fellows that have fallen 

 between this town and Moscow ; but courage, take heart, the frost will 

 keep all whole and entire till next July or whatever month a Russian 

 summer may begin in and by that time we shall be here again at least" 

 (rather sneeringly) " if we believe all that is said in a certain quarter 

 and then the country will be open, and you can pay what rights of 

 sepulture you please to your brave fellow always supposing that you 

 are not better employed with another husband, which judging from 

 your personal merits may prove the likelier occupation of the two 

 and outside," he added, stroking his vest rather complacently, " is, after 

 all, the first thing we look to." The bold mareschal had here no inten- 

 tion of wounding the widow's feelings, nor was he totally devoid of 

 feeling himself; but he was naturally incapable of shewing any delicate 

 or acceptable sympathy towards those of others. His companion inter- 

 rupted him. " This lady," he said, with a benevolence slightly dashed 

 by policy, " this lady is, we yet hope, the wife, and not the widow of 

 the valiant Captain Ladoinski, whom we all remember as the brave offi- 

 cer that has so often shone in the van of our battles. If she will tell 

 us what she demands at our hands, we will, as far as our now somewhat 

 narrowing power may permit, endeavour to serve her." 



With trembling voice and limbs, but with the simple eloquence of truth 

 and feeling, Aimee told her tale, and craved inquisition among the wain- 

 drivers. The first mareschal, in whose handsome countenance w r as an 

 incongruous mixture of fierceness, and even ferocity, with an odd kind 

 of good nature, listened, not without a degree of gallant attention, to 

 her story and her petition. " Madam, we will look to this," he said, 

 with some assumption of importance. " You interest us, and we will 

 do something for you. Egad," he said, speaking aside, and winking, 

 with not much dignity, to his companion, " a modest request this ! 

 Here are we cooped up for a poor half week's rest and refreshment 

 within this tumble-down Scythian hole, having more on our hands to be 



