The Rosetta Stone Hero

“The Rosetta Stone Hero”

In the year 1799, the French army under Napoleon Bonaparte was making its way through Egypt. Among the soldiers was a man named Pierre-Francois Bouchard, an officer with a keen interest in history and archaeology.

One day, as the troops were digging a foundation for a fort near the town of Rosetta, Bouchard noticed a large stone sticking out of the ground. Curious, he had the stone examined, and to his amazement, it turned out to be a monumental slab of black basalt, covered in inscriptions in three different scripts.

Bouchard recognized the importance of the discovery, for it was the Rosetta Stone, a key to deciphering the mysteries of ancient Egypt. But as he tried to study it, he hit a roadblock. None of the scholars or experts he consulted could make sense of the hieroglyphs on the stone.

As the days passed, Bouchard grew frustrated and despondent. He felt as though he was back to square one, with no hope of solving the puzzle.

But the providential hand of history had other plans. One evening, as Bouchard was examining the stone by candlelight, he noticed something unusual. The light of the flame seemed to make the inscriptions on the stone stand out more clearly, and he realized that the hieroglyphs were not just symbolic, but also phonetic.

With renewed hope, Pierre Bouchard shared his discovery with the scholars, and together they worked tirelessly to crack the code.  

One of the scholars working alongside Pierre to help break the code of the Rosetta Stone was a young woman named Marie. She was a brilliant linguist who had a passion for deciphering ancient scripts, and she quickly became an invaluable member of the team.

Pierre was immediately struck by Marie's intelligence and beauty. He found himself drawn to her and felt a connection with her that he had never felt before.

As they worked together to unravel the mysteries of the Rosetta Stone, Marie would often lean over Pierre’s shoulder and whisper encouragement in his ear. Her soft voice and gentle touch sent shivers down his spine, and he knew that he was falling in love with her.

But Pierre was hesitant to act on his feelings. He knew that a relationship with a fellow scholar could be fraught with difficulties, especially when they were working on such an important project.

Despite his reservations, Pierre found himself drawn to Marie more and more each day. He began to look forward to their time together, and would often catch himself stealing glances at her when he thought she wasn't looking.

One evening, as they were working late into the night, Marie leaned over and whispered in Pierre’s ear. "You know, Pierre," she said softly. "I think we make a pretty good team."

Pierre looked at her, his heart racing. He could see the warmth and affection in her eyes, and he knew that he had to tell her how he felt.

Taking a deep breath, he turned to Marie and said, "I know we're colleagues, Marie, but I can't help the way I feel about you. I know it's not the most appropriate thing to say, but I just had to tell you."

Marie smiled at him, her eyes sparkling. "I feel the same way, Pierre," she said. "I've been waiting for you to say something."

From that moment on, Pierre Bouchard and Marie were inseparable. They continued to work together on the Rosetta Stone, but now they also spent their evenings walking along the banks of the Nile, hand in hand.

Their love story was one of the most beautiful and inspiring aspects of the Rosetta Stone's discovery. And it just goes to show that sometimes, even the most unlikely romances can blossom in the most unexpected places. It took them several more days, but finally, they succeeded. The Rosetta Stone had revealed not all but many of its secrets.

But the story doesn't end there. Just as Pierre-Francois Bouchard was basking in the glory of his discovery, a surprise twist turned everything upside down. In a sudden turn of events, the British army invaded Egypt, and the French were forced to retreat.

Bouchard was torn. He couldn't bear to leave the Rosetta Stone behind, for it was his life's work. But he also knew that if the British got hold of it, they would claim it as their own and the credit for deciphering it would be lost to history.

In a bold move, Bouchard smuggled the Rosetta Stone out of Egypt and back to France. He knew that he couldn't leave the Rosetta Stone behind when the British invaded Egypt, as it was too important to be left in enemy hands. He decided to take matters into his own hands and smuggle it out of the country.

He knew that the stone was too large and heavy to carry on his own, and that it would be too risky to transport it by sea, as the British Navy was patrolling the coast. So, he came up with a daring plan.

Bouchard enlisted the help of a local craftsman, Thomas, who built a wooden crate large enough to hold the stone. He then had the crate disguised as a common piece of furniture, so that it would attract little attention.

Under cover of darkness, Bouchard and a few trusted soldiers loaded the crate onto a wagon and set off for the port of Alexandria, where they hoped to find a ship to take them to safety.

But the journey was far from easy. The roads were treacherous, and the wagon kept getting stuck in the mud. Bouchard knew that time was running out, as the British were closing in on them.

Finally, after several days of grueling travel, Pierre-Francois Bouchard and his men arrived at the port of Alexandria, they were met with a sense of panic. They had to get the Rosetta Stone out of the country, and quickly, before the British caught up with them.

Bouchard knew that the British Navy had been patrolling the coastline, and any delay would mean the end of their mission. They searched frantically for a ship that could take them and the crate to safety, but there was nothing in sight.

With no other options left, Bouchard turned to the locals for help. He spoke with several sailors, but none of them wanted to risk getting caught and punished by the British.

Just as they were about to lose all hope, Bouchard spotted a lone sailor sitting on a bench, smoking a pipe. The sailor looked up, noticing the group's frantic pace and expression, and Bouchard approached him.

Bouchard explained the situation to the sailor and offered him a generous sum of money if he would take them and the crate aboard his ship. The sailor captain, nicknamed, The Lone Falcon after the ship, hesitated, weighing the risk against the reward, but eventually agreed.

With a sense of urgency, Bouchard and his men quickly loaded the crate onto the deck of the ship. The Lone Falcon and his men set the sails, and they took off into the night, leaving the shores of Alexandria behind them.

The journey would be treacherous, and Bouchard and his men would have to keep a constant lookout for the British Navy. They feared that they might be caught at any moment, but they pushed on, hoping for the best.

As they sailed away from Egypt, Bouchard felt a sense of relief wash over him. He knew that they had taken a huge risk, but it was worth it to protect the Rosetta Stone.

What they feared, however,, came upon them. Before long after they left the Alexandria port, two British ships seem to appear out of nowhere and we're gaining on them.

"Hoist the third sail!", the captain of The Lone Falcon yelled out! It was then that Bouchard beheld an amazing thing! Before him was raised in an enormous, bigger than normal, sail. On it was painted a huge golden falcon with wings spread wide. The ship immediately picked up speed. In a matter of minutes all the men on board could see the two British ships fading back in the distance. They were no match for the speed of The Falcon. The men gave out cheers!

Soon, the ships that were pursuing them faded out of sight completely. Bouchard had picked the right ship at the right time. Good fortune had smile upon him. He gave out a sigh of relief, as they continued safely heading toward France.

Days later, as they approached the French coast, Pierre-Francois Bouchard and his men finally felt a sense of security. The Rosetta Stone was safe, and they had succeeded in their mission, despite the odds against them.

Also, it was in France, where Pierre a few weeks later met up again with Marie. They could hardly believe they were actually together again!

Marie would accompany Pierre as he presented the Rosetta Stone to the Institute of Egyptology in Paris. Where it was hailed as one of the greatest discoveries of all time, and Bouchard was celebrated as a hero and a genius.

As news of the Rosetta Stone's discovery and subsequent decipherment spread, so too did Pierre-Francois Bouchard's fame. His name became synonymous with the stone itself, and he was hailed as a hero and a genius.

Napoleon, who had a keen interest in science and learning, was particularly impressed by Bouchard's achievement. When he learned of the officer's bravery in smuggling the stone out of Egypt, he was even more impressed.

At a private audience, Napoleon personally congratulated Pierre-Francois Bouchard and praised his ingenuity and courage. He also promised to reward him handsomely for his service, and to promote him to a higher rank within the army.

True to his word, Napoleon kept his promise. Bouchard was given a large sum of money, a prestigious military title, and the gratitude of a nation. He became a national hero and a symbol of France's intellectual and cultural superiority.

But for Pierre Bouchard, the greatest reward was not the money or the fame, but the knowledge that he had unlocked a mystery that had baffled scholars for centuries. He knew that his discovery would change the course of history and inspire future generations to continue the quest for knowledge and understanding.

As for Napoleon, he saw the Rosetta Stone as a powerful symbol of his own achievements and ambitions. He believed that the stone, like his conquests, represented the triumph of reason and enlightenment over ignorance and superstition.

And so, thanks to the perseverance and courage of Pierre-Francois Bouchard, the Rosetta Stone remains one of the greatest discoveries in human history. Even to this day, the story of Bouchard's daring rescue of the Rosetta Stone remains one of the most thrilling and inspiring tales in the history of archaeology! 

As for Pierre and Marie, they were both happy to be back together and in France. In a way they were back to square one. It was a new beginning for them in a good, hopeful way. Their relationship looked bright and promising for building a life together, and they were glad of it!

Here’s a poem that later, Marie and Pierre wrote together. They could not decide upon the title. So they left the poem untitled, perhaps for the reader to decide.

In the land of pharaohs, where history reigns,

A discovery was made, that would break ancient chains,

Pierre-Francois Bouchard, a French army man,

Found the Rosetta Stone, buried deep in the sand.

He gazed upon the stone, with wonder and awe,

For its message held secrets, that no one could draw,

Three languages etched, in lines so fine,

A code to unlock, a mystery divine.

Bouchard knew the stone, must be taken away,

To be studied and deciphered, so the world could say,

The tales of Egypt, long lost in time,

Would now be revealed, with this rare find.

But danger lurked, as the British drew near,

Bouchard had to act fast, to escape without fear,

With his men and the stone, they set out on the run,

To keep their discovery, from the British undone.

The journey was long, fraught with peril and strife,

As they sailed through the seas, under the cover of night,

But with the help of locals, and the brave sailor’s aid,

They made it safely back, to French shores unscathed.

Pierre Bouchard’s name was etched in history’s pages for sure,

For his courage and vision, in discovering this treasure,

And Marie, his companion, who helped break the code,

Their love story intertwined, with this tale so bold.

Marie’s heart was heavy, as she watched Pierre depart,

Leaving her behind, with an ache in her heart,

She longed to be with him, to share in his glory,

To help break the code, of this ancient story.

So she hatched a plan, to join Pierre in France,

To leave Egypt behind, and take a chance,

She gathered her courage, and all her belongings,

And set out on a journey, that would be long and daunting.

And finally, after days of travel and strife,

Marie arrived in France, with a new lease on life,

She sought out Pierre with a heart full of hope,

To be reunited, with her love and his scope.

Pierre was surprised, but overjoyed to see her,

His heart filled with love, and gratitude to her,

For she had traveled far, to be by his side,

To help break the code, and unlock history's stride.

Together they worked, on the Rosetta Stone's text,

Uncovering more secrets, and what it had to express,

Their love story intertwined, with this wondrous find,

A tale of bravery, of love and of the mind.

Their legacy lives on, through the ages,

Their story of love and discovery, a tale that engages,

For it shows what love and determination can achieve,

And the power of knowledge, that we all can receive.

And so The Rosetta Stone, in the hands of scholars and sages,

Was studied with fervor, through the centuries and ages,

Its secrets unlocked, with its message so clear,

Bringing forth the history, of a land once so near.

For indeed that Stome was a link to a forgotten past,

A symbol of mankind’s quest, for knowledge to amass,

And though its mystery’s unraveled, and its code is known,

It remains a symbol, of what discovery can be shown.

In the sands of time, there still lies much to be found,

And with each new discovery, we will always astound,

So let us all remember, the Rosetta Stone's great story,

And let it inspire us, to seek out new glories.