Part 10 (1/2)
”After all, he irl Curses, a thousand curses uponthe advice Malediction upon Lepine's head for having given it to me” Just at thisMonsieur good news”
”Ah, what is it? Any tidings of Scott?”
”He is at this veryMajor Boulton's party He was hue, and used very abusive language respecting yourself I think, Monsieur, you have cause sufficient against him now”
”Bon! bon! Yes,--he shall not escape an to stride up and down the floor, his eyes flaive o and put Boulton in irons I shall attend presently, and declare that he is to be shot to- me to spare his life, but at first I will refuse to do so, and say that I am determined to carry out ood I do not knohether you understand 's version of this part of the affair:--”Riel granted the lives of three, but Major Boulton, he said, would have to die that night
It now began to look very serious Archdeacon McLean was called upon to attend the conde of oppression was felt by all at the thought of a hu to be thus sent to his last account on such short notice, at ht--the very thought of a ht to be shot like a dog was horrible in the extreh little hope was now entertained of Major Boulton being spared People retired to their hos of hope and Uncertainty, mixed with horror at the deed about to be co all this ti a few lines to his friends in Canada, he called for a basin of water and a tohich to wash his face and hands, and a glass of wine to prevent hi into the cold night air, in case people ht attribute it to fear He spoke quietly and calether as a soldier should do in the face of death In thein deliberation on Boulton's sentence, the result being that his life was spared This was communicated at once to the prisoner who received the information as calmly as he had done the sentence of death”]
”I think I do Monsieur,” and there was a knowing twinkle in the eye of the wily scoundrel
”Well, this Scott has an unbridled tongue, and is pretty certain to use it If he does not, a little judicious goading will soon set him in his most abusive uards to provoke him to commit an assault Could you rely upon any one of your men for such a bit of business?”
”Oui, Monsieur, I have such a man”
”Bon, let hihly truh the fort, make a declaration of the same formally to me I will then direct you to try him by court martial You are aware of how I desire hiets abroad that he is to be shot, some will be incredulous, and others will come to sue for his life I shall reply to them: 'This is a matter of discipline The man has deserved death, or the court martial would not have sentenced him I spared Boulton's life, and already I have as fruits of overnment of this colony must be respected, and the only way to teach its enereatest offenders'
Lose no ti the work We know not what chance may work, and rob our hands of the scoundrel You understand? I a htier affairs”
”Oui, Monsieur,” andan obeisance, the murderous tool departed Exactly as it had been planned, it all fell out Major Boulton was put in irons, and Riel declared that for the sake of peace and the prosperity of the colony, he must be shot Dozens of people came and implored him to spare the condemned man's life; but he was inexorable At last, however, ”at the eleventh hour,” as the newspapers put it, yielding to Mr Donald A Smith he said:
”He is spared”
Lepine presented himself before his leader
”Monsieur, I think that it will not be at all necessary to ee reproaches upon the guards, and loading your nauards knew ht they decided to put chains upon him As the foremost one advanced with the manacles, the prisoner raised his arround”
”Bon! Bon!” Riel cried, while he rubbed his hands with satisfaction ”Without applying the little goad at all, he fulfils our will”
”Well, not in the strictest sense, Monsieur Luc had certain private instructions from me, and he carried them out in a very skilfulcaainst him, and that suffices What do you now propose to do, for you are aware Monsieur--”
there was now a tone of diabolical raillery in his words--”
that this is athe best judge of what is due rebellious military prisoners?”
”Merci, Monsieur! I shall endeavour to ard My intention is to proceed forthwith to try hiuilt; and he and you shall know our decision before another hour has passed” Then the faithful Monsieur Lepine was gone
”No, ma Marie You shall never deck your nuptial chamber with daisies for Monsieur Thoers in putting fresh roses upon the lad ive you, ma petite chere, the sullen toll that calls him to his open coffin, and the rattle of ue which uttered to you the last love pledge”
For an hour did he pace up and down the floor gloating over his revenge Meanwhile I shall leave hieneral,” as M Lepine was known under the Provisional Government He proceeded to the private roo found his subordinate officers assembled there
”Messieurs,” he said, ”We knohat our business is We , let hted with other affairs that thewith the man Scott rests entirely in our hands I have just left hi in vain to induce him to be present at the trial; but he could not spare the ti hi the prisoner are exactly the same as those entertained by le between the authority of the Provisional Government and a horde of rebellious persons of which the defendant is the erous The eyes of our followers are upon us; and if we perovernment to be defied, its officers reviled, and insult heaped upon us, depend upon it we shall speedily lose the hold which we have gained after so les; and become ridiculous, and a prey to the conspiracy which our eneainst us The very fact of this ued himself with our enemies, within a few hours after his release from confinement, is in itself an offence worthy of death; but I shall ask these persons who are here as witnesses to show you that since his capture he has merited death ten tientlemen, I will proceed:
”Thoed before this court-ainst the peace and welfare of the colony; with having leagued himself with an armed party, whose object was the overthrow of authority as vested in our Provisional Govern atteuards appointed over hi his fellow-prisoners to insubordination and tu of authority as established in Red River”
”Luc Lestang”