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Updated: June 11, 2025
He closed his eyelids again; I understood by his trembling lips that he was conscious of his sufferings. "It's you, Gourdon," he said to me at last, in a feeble voice; "is the battle won?" "I think so, colonel," I answered him. There was a moment of silence. Then, opening his eyes and looking at me, he inquired "Where are you wounded?" "In the shoulder and you, colonel?"
And there's a learned man at Soulanges, Monsieur Gourdon, our doctor, who is making, so they tell me, a collection of natural history which hasn't its mate at Dijon even; indeed he is first among the learned men in these parts, and he'll pay me a fine price, too; he stuffs men and beasts. Now my boy there stands me out that that otter has got the white spots.
But he was pardoned, probably because Richard was a troubadour himself in his leisure moments, and had a fellow-feeling for all who loved the 'gai sçavoir. Meanwhile, the Lord of Gourdon was not to be gained over by fair words or bribes, and Richard besieged his castle, some ruins of which may still be seen on the rock that overhangs the little town of Gourdon in the Quercy.
"Near Gourdon or Bervie harbour, which is about a mile and a half on this side the town, we met Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Gibbs, two of Mr. Telford's aides-de-camp, who had come thus far to meet him.
Devoted to the game of cup-and-ball, the clerk of the court became possessed by another mania, that of composing an ode in honor of an amusement which amounted to a passion in the eighteenth century. Manias among mediocrats often run in couples. Gourdon junior gave birth to his poem during the reign of Napoleon.
He lived upon the glory of having bequeathed his cabinet of natural history to the town of Soulanges. After this was known he was considered throughout the department as a great naturalist and the successor of Buffon. Gourdon also possessed a collection of lepidoptera, a word which led society to hope for monstrosities, and to say, when it saw them, "Why, they are only butterflies!"
It was their intention, with the flood-tide, to get the vessel off, as she was but slightly damaged, and of very great value. But a serious obstacle arose to this arrangement. For presently a boat came along-side, with young M. de Gourdon and another French captain, and hailed the galeasse. There was nobody on board who could speak French but Richard Tomson.
"Pere Rigou's visits are pretty short," said Gourdon the poet to Madame Soudry. "They are pleasant, if they are short," she answered. "Like his own life," said the doctor; "his abuse of pleasures will cut that short." "So much the better," remarked Soudry, "my son will step into the property." "Did he bring you any news about Les Aigues?" asked the Abbe Taupin.
Richard briefly narrated his life with Gourdon, and his capture by the Prince, adding, "My mother was willing I should remain with him; she bade me do anything rather than join Simon and Guy; and verily, brother, save that the Prince is less free of speech, his whole life seems moulded upon our blessed father's " "Speak not of them in the same breath," cried Henry hastily.
It appears, therefore, that the wicked Gourdon took no part in this affair; but she certainly accused Madame to Monsieur, and calumniated and disparaged her to everybody. It was not Madame's endive-water that D'Effial had poisoned; that report must have been a mere invention, for other persons might have tasted it had Madame alone drank from her own glass.
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