Scareship_Issue8

It was at this point that friend and foe alike became aware
of a remarkable armada behind us. Three strangely rigged ships
floated in the air like falcons hovering over their quarry. Our
commander did his best to reassure us, explaining that these ships’
sails were buoyed by Montgolfier gas 9 and that they would put
down our men behind the English lines. And indeed they were not
hovering after all but soon passed high above us, strangely silent
but for the faint cheers of our men as they leaned over the
gunwales. The enemy was as awestruck as we were, and after a
few poorly aimed shots at the air ships began to fall back.
My captain scrutinized me closely, at which I ran my
hand over my budding mustache nonchalantly. I was not at all
frightened, but concerned that I would appear to be. I was to be
under fire at last, but I realized that I was at ease. Gazing upward
again at the strange ships, I thought of the pleasure I would have at
describing the engagement in the salons. 10
As he passed by, the colonel said to me, “You are about to
see some remarkable action.”
As if in response to his words, an English shell knocked
off my shako and struck a man nearby, killing him.
“Congratulations!” said my captain, as I replaced my
shako. “You are safe for the rest of the day.”
I knew the military superstition that holds that the axiom,
Non bis in idem, 11 applies as regularly on the battlefield as it does
in the courts.
“What a rude way to force one to raise one’s hat!” I said
as lightly as I could. Wretched as it was, this witticism was
received all round with enthusiasm.
9 The Montgolfier brothers believed that they had discovered a new gas, but of
course the gas in question was heated air, as would eventually be determined by
scientists.
10 In “L’Enlèvement de la redoute” Mérimée refers to the salon of Madame de
B—— in the Rue de Provence.
11 Literally, “Not twice for the same.”
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