The Corsican Brothers | Page 7

flew, taking with him Napoleon de Franchi's weapon, which was so
profoundly sunk in the wound that he had not been able to take it out.
And when my forefather, who highly prized this poniard, expressed
some regret at his loss, Sampiero gave him his own stiletto. Napoleon
lost nothing in the bargain, for this one is of Spanish manufacture, as
you can see, and will pierce two five-franc pieces, one put over the

other."
"Can I try the experiment?"
"Certainly you may!"
I put two five-franc pieces upon the floor, and struck them with great
force. Lucien had told me the truth, and when I took the poniard up
again, the two pieces were attached to its point, pierced through and
through.
"This is certainly Sampiero's dagger," said I, "but I am astonished, that
having such a weapon in his possession, he should have used a rope to
kill his wife with."
"He did not have it at that time," said Lucien, "as he had given it to my
forefather."
"That's true."
"Sampiero was over sixty years of age, at the time, when he purposely
came over from Constantinople to Aix, in order to give this great lesson
to the world, that it is not women's business to interfere with the affairs
of the government."
I bowed in sign of approbation, and put the weapon in its place.
"Now, said I to Lucien," who continued his toilette, "here is Sampiero's
poniard on its nail again, go on now to another."
"You see two portraits, alongside of each other?"
"Yes. Paoli and Napoleon."
"Well, near Paoli's portrait is a sword."
"Exactly."
"That is his."

"Paoli's sword, and as authentic as Sampiero's stiletto?"
"Certainly; for like that one, it has been given not to one of my
forefathers, but to one of my foremothers. Perhaps you have heard of
the woman, who, during the wars of independence, came to introduce
herself at the tower of Sullacaro, accompanied by a young man?"
"No, tell me this story."
"It is short."
"So much the better, we have no time to gossip."
"Well, this woman and the young man introduced themselves at the
tower of Sullacaro, and asked for Paoli. But Paoli being occupied in
writing, they were not admitted, and as she still insisted, the two
sentinels forced them out. Meanwhile, Paoli hearing the noise, opened
the door, and asked who had occasioned it."
"I have," said the woman, "I wanted to speak to you."
"And what have you to say?"
"I had two sons. I was informed yesterday, that one of them had been
killed in the defence of his country, and I have traveled twenty leagues
to offer you the second."
"That is a Spartan scene, which you relate?"
"Yes; it does indeed seem like it."
"And who was that woman?"
"She was one of my ancestors. Paoli loosened his sword and gave it to
her."
"Her? I like this way of complimenting a lady."
"Yes; it was worthy of both parties."

"And now, this sabre?"
"Is the one which Buonaparte wore at the battle of the Pyramids."
"No doubt it came into your family in the same way as the poniard and
the sword?"
"Exactly so. After the battle, Buonaparte ordered my grandfather, who
was then an officer of the Guides, to charge, with some fifty men, a
number of Mamelukes who had continued to fight, keeping in their
centre a wounded chief. My grandfather executed this order, dispersed
the Mamelukes, made their chief a prisoner, and brought him to the
first Consul. But while in the act of putting up his sabre, he found the
blade so much hacked, that it would not enter the sheath; my
grandfather deeming it useless, threw it aside. Buonaparte observing
this act, gave him, in its place, his own sabre."
"But," said I, "if I were in your place, I would just as well like to have
the sabre of my grandfather with all its notches, as that of the General
in Chief, in all its brightness."
"Look on the other side, and you will find that also. The first Consul
took it up, got the diamond, which you see there, inserted in the handle,
and then sent it to my family with an inscription, Which you will see on
the blade."
Indeed, between the two windows and half way out of its sheath, which
it could not enter, I discovered the sabre, hacked and bent, with this
simple inscription, "BATAILLE DES PYRAMIDES, 21 JUILLET,
1798."
At this moment, the same servant who had received me, and had after
awhile informed me of the arrival of his young master, made his
appearance in the door.
"Eccellenza," said he, speaking to Lucien, "Signora de Franchi sends
me to announce that supper is waiting your presence."

"Very well, Griffo,"