Show I I WHEN POSITION FAILS HL i An Account Given in tlio Memoirs of Fairfax Bliddlcton ES I otaiary land ot the Adventure in the Street of the Capuchins Warsaw September 3d 177i BY CLINTON ROSS Copyright 1895 by Clinton Ross In 1776 our representatives declared In the enthusiasm of the moment the paradox All men are born free and equal Twas a neat enough statement for paper but some in America believed be-lieved it not Was there an equal for J General Washington Did we not cringe a bit to rank when a French marquis albeit a tall redhaired boy came among us A title caught even then many a good appointment and I doubt much sometimes if Alexander of New Jersey would have been so much esteemed if he had not had claim to the Scottish earldom of Stirling I am sure many efficient foreign adventurers had prvice with us because they had titlps Two of these gentlemen proved conclusively great natural abilities one of course Marquis Lafayette vho a boy of 20 carne so cleverly out or the aflaU of Barren Hill and the other Casims Pulaski the Pole whom I saw fall with a wound in the thigh during the charge on Savannah Taken Tak-en on the brig Wasp he died as she was putting to seat esteemed a good friend a gallant captain It was only the night before that he told me the truth of that affair at Warsaw which led to his service in t America He was not the Count Pu i laski assured me himself a partner in this matter although he was indeed a l member of that confederation of Bar eworn to fight for Polish freedom to the very end But circumstantial evidence evi-dence led to his banishment as it had to that of so many others Despairing of Poland and eager for a career he came to America Yet although my friend himself was not in this affair the story he told of it appears to me now The picture of the king and the assassin walking siQe by side and reasoning together on the rainy night in the wood of Bilany has had more than passing effect The story proves that our revolt against a Icing was not the first Ah history is full of these instances King John Charles Stuart Stanislaus of Poland Louis XVI George III by proxy in America and many another account Now this is the account of the affair as I remember It that began in the street of the Capuchins Warsaw 4 The king had been to his summer t palace that day of September 3 1771 and his coach was returning along the street of the Capuchins How it was 9 oclock of a rainy night as the leader of the kIngS guard of some seventeen dragoons was astounded when suddenly sudden-ly a man leaped before his horse with the loud command Halt The lieutenant lieu-tenant struggled to bring his sabre down on the fellows head His horse areened stopping indeed the whole company and the coach whence the kings head suddenly projected At that moment a shot from a window win-dow of a supposedly deserted house grazed the kings face instantly killing kill-ing the servant who was with him in the coach The king is assassinated The cry was raised from guards and passersby passers-by His majesty is dead Nt Stanislaus who ever was considerate of his inferiors shouted at this It is Felix the heyduc who is shot Quick catch the assassin Suddenly down the street came the I sounds of horses and cries Down with Stanislaus the creature of the Russians At the same instant men rushed out of the house whence the shot into the coach had come swearing shouting and firing One of the kings guards criedA plot An ambush There are a thousand Instantly the panic became general The lieutenant of the guards who had succeeded in running through the fellow fel-low at his bridle rein now found himself him-self confronted by the horsemen Turning Turn-Ing he led the flight and the king was left almost alone in his coach hugging the dead body of his poor servant and oblivious to everything else The hon = es on the coach rearing and plunging plung-ing required all the attention of the postillions who themselves were frightened fright-ened out of whatever wit they may have had By this time the leader of the attacking attack-Ing horsemen was dismounted by the T coach door I S Out Stanislaus he cried you are 4p come with me The king perceiving this to be iCount Kolinski cried out to him Kolinski traitor I am your king For an instant Kolinski hesitated The sight of the king placed as he was with the dead servant in his armsand yet still the king with that dignity Stanislaus always possessed that scene shown dimly by the lantern of the coach shook for a moment the conspirators resolution But the others were behind him desperate des-perate and knowing that if the issue of the adventure were not successful death was certain Pnll him out Then Stanisaus looked up from the dead heyduc in his lap the dark handsome hand-some man he always was now with no fear but with a mastering anger at a tu indignity I You shall hang for this Ui they knew the danger too well ¼ Jr They could not hesitate if pity for ra W1 moment had weakened their purpose Roughiy they dragged the king from the coach he struggling and crying and clinging to the dead and the sides of the coach I can imagine nothing more horrible than that scenethe king now outside in the mud the dead body of the servant ser-vant dangling from the coach step the postlllloiis struggling with their horses the conspiratorssome on foot and some mounted surrounding the king one bringing the fiat of a sabre against his head the crowd of townspeople who had suddenly gathered And then a cry went up The guards are returning Kolinski was on his horse now and he caught the king who between the struggle and horror at his dead servant ser-vant was in a half dazed state Another An-other seized Stanislaus other shoulder The guards rang out the cry again 1the guards Kolinski lashed his horse dragging the near lifeless king On they tore I Xolinski again and again having to II I slacken his horses speed lest the king I I should be killed So much more slowly was the progress made by those who v cre dragging the king that the others mow seized with panic ran as they could and when the ditches beyond the S city were reached only seven remained Here Kolinski paused uncertain about the path in the darkness made denser Jjy the rain They were Outside the city with their captive but whither i lould they take him Kolinski cursed The king braced himself without a word against the dripping horse Stan lislaus had lost a shoe His foot was torn and bleeding Never was man or king in sorrier plight Do you remember sire that you lanced in the palace last night Ko linski asked with bitter mockery Ah fallen king said Stanislaus T can remember and can foresee wretch how high you will hang Hang muttered Kolinski at this Ah may I In the meantime one of the others called back This is the way Kolinski then spurred up his horse i4 in dragging the king But thA way l uneven He stopped to dismount J I c releasing Stan 51Ius for a moment f c k l 0 Yes we shall have to walk said one of the others But where are weIn the wood of Bilany Stanislaus himself answered Yes but where asked Kolinski peering into the gloom The rain trickled from the leaves and then came another sound The Russians whispered one The Russians A patrol questioned another Quick Save yourselves Panic seized them as it had the others oth-ers They disappeared among the trees into the darkness Then the king laughed a jarring mocking laugh Kolinski my captors have fled We are aloneyou and I Come let me go We are man to man Man to man Pole against Russian I have sworn Stanislaus to take you Ill not give up But can I not call out to theRus siansBah Bah Cry out Do you suppose they would believe you were the king Do you suppose they could hear I do not believe they are Russians but only the panic fears of my friends And you have no fear Kolinski Fear Yes I have enough of it But I am little less than likely to die and I have no wish to dieif 1 carry this out And here the king interrupted by shouting at the top of his voice How useless said Kolinski trying It put his hand over the others mouth Do you not see that you areas are-as likely to be heard by my friends who will hasten to help me as by a Russian patrol The king who was much exhausted as one may believe had thrust Kolin skis hand aside Now he eaid Ay true But where are we asked Kolinski I know not save in the wood of Bilany We must walk and find out We canot 4ci over these ruts with the horse We must walk said the king It avails neither of us to stand as we are in the rain And leaving the horse they walked on through the dripping wood not knowing the direction although Kolin ski was careful to take that which he thought led away from Warsaw And as this old pair stumbled on the king sore and sad and weak so that Kolin ski he knew would have no difficulty in controlling him along the king said Villain you shot my servant Fe lix I would to heaven it had been your majesty hAnd in what have I wronged you Kolinski As you have every Pole by ruling Poland for her enemys sake Yes granted man that may be the fact But how do you know that I I may not think it was for the bet ter terAnd And why Because you Poles cannot rule your selves nor would you let me No we have stolen your majesty that you may not rule And how did you get into Warsaw without arrest said the king when the other answered Your majesty need not suspect your police in this matter We entered disguised dis-guised as peasants and some of us hid in hay carts I Now in this strange conversation I without any farther appeal by the I king to his companions pity Kolin skI yet in some way was influenced They both were equally lost in the wood of Bilany captive and captor and now that Kolinski reflected about the matter he saw that it was equally necessary for both to find some way out Yet he must not let the king eScape es-cape him His freedom nay his life probably depended on him keeping the king After stumbling along the rain now having stopped the pair noticed a light through the trees The convent of Brelany said the kingWith With a cry of dismay Kolinski rec ognized the building which declared that for all their walking they had proceeded in a circle the building not being a league from Warsaw Shall we ask for aid of the nuns the king asked For the answer the other clutched his arm Not on your life fool he cried As he spoke the great gate was sud denly thrown back casting a bar of light over the road that was revealed and the dripping oaks beyond Out of the gate came slowly an old monk stumbling along Kolinski clutched the kings arm the tighter knowing that he was lost should the monk discover them But he did not The door closed the monk passed down the road The place was still when sud denly the notes of the organ In the convent chapel broke in on the si hence The king crossed himself mf n iering a prayer For my heyduc Felix whom you killed man Come said Kolinski roughly We cannot wait here The king followed and again Kolin ski wondered why the king had not tried to communicate with the monk Why did you not speak Why do you come with me he asked cur bushy after a moment Why man do you not struggle with me Because Kolinski I would win you youThe The count paused at that Again they were in the forest Again he was not certain of their path but it was not of this uncertainty he was think ing now but of the king Why did you not cry out to the monk You would have been caught Of course but so much the better for you No answered the king so much the worse Kolinski And why I have asked Count has not tonight proven how much the king of Poland needs friends Strong daring men 1 Are you trying to gain me I am trying to gain you Count Kolinski was ever most sus picious now he saw the kings cunning he thought in endeavoring to gain himAnd And suddenly he asked himself why would it not be the better for him to side with the king The issue of the adventure was uncertain He was alone with the captive who of course was disabled with the wound in his foot and the rough usage He Kolin ski easily could let the king escape It would be easy to persuade his fellow conspirators that he had been forced to abandon the captive as all the others indeed bad By aiding the king he might purchase for himself immunity The thought was tempting possibly more so because of a certain dignity with which Stanislaus had borne himself him-self since the first of the adventure Kolinski felt himself you may see grasping a horn of the dilemma he had not before taken And as he thought of his position he remembered the strong oath he had taken to carry out his object Come he began But Stanlslaus began I have sworn rire began Kolin ski almost humbly for he understood well the significance behind that but Stanislaus threw himself on the ground wearily A v iiPJ1ItI1J T l I p V T i TIII11I1Jf I Q L f Jim Corbett and Wife c = Ah said the other with sudden pity I had forgot your wound Yes Count Kolinski you have forgot for-got much And what sire That he who takes an oath against I his king takes no binding one Sire it is Polands interest I have sword to protect And yet And yet Kolinski This night I have grown to think I differently of you I live come to respect re-spect you as a man A king is but moreor less than man manThe king of Poland I held less up to this night And have you changed If I should free you I should betaken be-taken executed Count said the king at this for Stanislaus had a shrewd wit in times of need If I were more than man a king my oath should be good and I swear to you you shall meet no harm Should my guards come on us now I would direct them to the road contrary contra-ry to that you may take If I could believe you I And why should you not You have suffered so much from me You can believe me if you reflect And why asked Kolinski again wondering Because I want yoar brain your daring Should I persuade you I should have you as my servant True Kolinski reflected Some creatures stirred in the forest A little wind waved the trees and swept their faces The phases of the matter presented pre-sented themselves Which was the better bet-ter the safer To serve the king Certain Cer-tain he would foe a fool not to should the king succeed or fail The scene in the street of Capuchins occurred to him againthe king with the dead servant in his arms lit by the fitful glare of the lantern of the coach The wandering wan-dering in the forest had changed his idea of Stanislaus You are the king sire Forgive me if you may Ah could he after that nights adventure ad-Venture For the moment he hesitated hesi-tated again Suddenly Stanislaus extended ex-tended his hand to him Thank you Count Kolinski But I have not said I know your thoughts It is your interest to serve me they tell you count I have thought that sira I And then with the quickness daring men arrive at decisions he cried 1 I will serve you Theymy com Yades have run leaving it all for me to do My interest is with you sire 1 If I had not thought you would arrive ar-rive at this conclusion I should have cried out to the monk Stanislalis answered an-swered For do you not see how truly your interest is with me It is doubtful should I resist if you could get me to your friends On the other hand we are both lost in the forest We need each other I have considered that sire At this they were groping their way again the king saying that they must be near the mill of Mariement They had come on a patch which he was certain was one he remembered when hunting in that part of the wood I By this time the clouds lifting somewhat some-what they were able to see that the onjecture might prove true and presently they heard the brook tumbling tum-bling over Its stony bed below the raceway race-way of the mill At the door of the low darkened building Kolinski knocked once twice thrice and again When there was no response he grew impatient Where do you suppose the miller of IMariement may be he asked Inside thinking we may be robbers rob-bers said the king At this Kolinski picked up a stone and sent it crashing through the window win-dow while he shouted Open to the king Then there came a light and an old mans querulous fretful tone What want you The king is here at youiv door rascal ras-cal open The miller was not persuaded even then But at last between his fear and curiosity he opened the door And even then he had difficulty in recognizing recog-nizing Stanislaus In the miserable figure fig-ure the king made after his sorry experience ex-perience Pardon sire he cried falling on his knees Pardon Up juan I do not wonder The Count Kolinski and I were set on by assassins in the forest Assassins cried the miller of Mar iement N Yes assassins Stanislaus answered answer-ed while he pushed into the bare little lit-tle room where the milers wife and son stood staring their astonishment Kolinski now began to tremble for himself Would Stanislaus keep his word with him now The kings manner man-ner had changed He was writing to General Coccei of the Guars of Warsaw War-saw r g By a kind of miracle I am saved from the assassins I am here at a little mill of Mariement I am wounded wound-ed but not badly He called to the miller who now was eager enough to gain the royal favor to carry the letter to Warsaw While they waited Kolinski again hesitated but being a brave man he saw that regrets availed him nothing Possibly Stanislaus was equally suspicious sus-picious of him tNt any rate they both showed their relief in their faces when General Coccei who had believed the king to be dead arrived at the mill door in his carriage But then again Kolinski trembled He is one of the conspiracy sire I have proof positive the general of the Guards declared Proof positive Stanislaus answered answer-ed smiling I have proof positive that Count Kolinski has saved my life Kolinpki had listened to every word Site said he at last Am I indeed in-deed pardoned j HuSh said Stanislaus we are friends Our fortune lies together Your friends will accuse you of siding with me Ah you have You have the proof your excel lency Kolinski said turning to the commandant of the Guards He had gained courage The adventure of the woods had changed his politics = taay his opinions Stanislaus appeared to him as he was a likeable gentleman misplaced as King of Poland In the event Stanislaus kept his word given in his desperation He had seen during that strange walk they had taken together how clever a man Kolinski was He alone received par don He alone of all the conspirators escaped the fiat of the Polish law Two of the conspirators Strawenski and Lowenski accused him very bit terly of their betrayal They execrated him as they ascended the scaffold But Count Kolinski answered the charge boldJy He said the other conspirators con-spirators abandoned him He could not keep the king without aid When he had discovered that Stanislaus was Inclined to be clement he had accepted ac-cepted his clemency and the king had kept to his word However erroneous Stanislaus political opinions and prac tiers might be he at least had not lied In this was ever as ifar as he was able to be the good friend of those who supported him At least Count Kolinski declared that the man was greater than the opin ionIf If these declartions were influenced by fear I am sure that Count Kolin ski had good prudent reasons for his conduct At least I have a very vivid picture of the strange scene between king and conspirator of the rainy night in the wood I fear I have not made the scene so clear as the account Casimir Pulaski gave of the adventure that began with the abduction in the street of the Capuchins On the last night of Casimir Pul askis life as I have said he told me this The morrow was to bring the fatal assault before Savannah Possibly Possi-bly the whole scene is more vivid tome to-me on account of that memory For Count Pulaski although we were very jealous of foreigners was a most excellent captain as his achievement in the southern department showed That he served with us at all was entirely due to the adventure of which I have given a poor enough description I and in which although it led to his banishment he himself had no part Although I have heard many stories to the contrary I have no reason to doubt the strict truth of this statement state-ment for in my own experience I have found Casimir pul ski a man of his word It NoteWhen Warsaw recently I saw a monument erected to the servant ser-vant who was shot in the kings coach on the street of Capuchins that night of September 3 1771F ai at Naples I July 1813 |