MURDER 103 



They wei'e taken before the magistrates, and by them 

 committed to AYinchester, for trial at the ensuing assizes, 

 for murder. I need scarcely add they were condemned 

 and executed. 



The poor man's body was washed on shore a few days 

 afterwards, and gave evident marks of the violent and 

 cruel death he had met with. A handsome subscription 

 was immediately entered into for his widow and orphans, 

 by the principal inhabitants. 



The untimely fate of the two Frenchmen caused no 

 commiseration, and the justice of their sentence was 

 never disputed. Doubtless they intended to cross the 

 Channel in an open boat — a rash and daring deed of 

 itself, and attended with considerable risk, worthy of men 

 desirous of again joining their comrades and worshipping 

 their idol ; but they had put themselves out of the pale 

 of international law — first by breaking their parole, and 

 then by perpetrating a crime that made them amenable 

 to the laws of humanity, and the country, of which their 

 victim was a peaceful citizen. 



Some little time after this one of Buonaparte's ablest 

 and most favourite generals attempted the same bold 

 undei'taking with success ; of whom more in another 

 chapter. 



