burlesques-第7章

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keeping　well　up　with　us。　　We　passed　the　demilune；　we　passed　the

culverin；　bayoneting　the　artillerymen　at　their　guns；　we　advanced

across　the　two　tremendous　demilunes　which　flank　the　counterscarp；

and　prepared　for　the　final　spring　upon　the　citadel。　　Soult　I　could

see　quite　pale　on　the　wall；　and　the　scoundrel　Cambaceres；　who　had

been　so　nearly　my　prisoner　that　day；　trembled　as　he　cheered　his

men。　　〃On；　boys；　on！〃　I　hoarsely　exclaimed。　　〃Hurroo！〃　said　the

fighting　Onety…oneth。



But　there　was　a　movement　among　the　enemy。　　An　officer；　glittering

with　orders；　and　another　in　a　gray　coat　and　a　cocked　hat；　came　to

the　wall；　and　I　recognized　the　Emperor　Napoleon　and　the　famous

Joachim　Murat。



〃We　are　hardly　pressed；　methinks；〃　Napoleon　said　sternly。　　〃I　must

exercise　my　old　trade　as　an　artilleryman；〃　and　Murat　loaded；　and

the　Emperor　pointed　the　only　hundred…and…twenty…four…pounder　that

had　not　been　silenced　by　our　fire。



〃Hurray；　Killaloo　boys！〃　shouted　I。　　The　next　moment　a　sensation　of

numbness　and　death　seized　me；　and　I　lay　like　a　corpse　upon　the

rampart。





II。





〃Hush！〃　said　a　voice；　which　I　recognized　to　be　that　of　the　Marquis

d'　O'Mahony。　　〃Heaven　be　praised；　reason　has　returned　to　you。　　For

six　weeks　those　are　the　only　sane　words　I　have　heard　from　you。〃



〃Faix；　and　'tis　thrue　for　you；　Colonel　dear；〃　cried　another　voice；

with　which　I　was　even　more　familiar；　'twas　that　of　my　honest　and

gallant　Lanty　Clancy；　who　was　blubbering　at　my　bedside　overjoyed　at

his　master's　recovery。



〃O　musha；　Masther　Phil　agrah！　but　this　will　be　the　great　day

intirely；　when　I　send　off　the　news；　which　I　would；　barrin'　I　can't

write；　to　the　lady　your　mother　and　your　sisters　at　Castle　Fogarty；

and　'tis　his　Riv'rence　Father　Luke　will　jump　for　joy　thin；　when　he

reads　the　letther！　　Six　weeks　ravin'　and　roarin'　as　bould　as　a

lion；　and　as　mad　as　Mick　Malony's　pig；　that　mistuck　Mick's　wig　for

a　cabbage；　and　died　of　atin'　it！〃



〃And　have　I　then　lost　my　senses？〃　I　exclaimed　feebly。



〃Sure；　didn't　ye　call　me　your　beautiful　Donna　Anna　only　yesterday；

and　catch　hould　of　me　whiskers　as　if　they　were　the　Signora's　jet…

black　ringlets？〃　Lanty　cried。



At　this　moment；　and　blushing　deeply；　the　most　beautiful　young

creature　I　ever　set　my　eyes　upon；　rose　from　a　chair　at　the　foot　of

the　bed；　and　sailed　out　of　the　room。



〃Confusion；　you　blundering　rogue；〃　I　cried；　〃who　is　that　lovely

lady　whom　you　frightened　away　by　your　impertinence？　　Donna　Anna？

Where　am　I？〃



〃You　are　in　good　hands；　Philip；〃　said　the　Colonel；　〃you　are　at　my

house　in　the　Place　Vendome；　at　Paris；　of　which　I　am　the　military

Governor。　　You　and　Lanty　were　knocked　down　by　the　wind　of　the

cannon…ball　at　Burgos。　　Do　not　be　ashamed：　'twas　the　Emperor

pointed　the　gun；〃　and　the　Colonel　took　off　his　hat　as　he　mentioned

the　name　darling　to　France。　　〃When　our　troops　returned　from　the

sally　in　which　your　gallant　storming　party　was　driven　back；　you

were　found　on　the　glacis；　and　I　had　you　brought　into　the　City。

Your　reason　had　left　you；　however；　when　you　returned　to　life；　but；

unwilling　to　desert　the　son　of　my　old　friend；　Philip　Fogarty；　who

saved　my　life　in　'98；　I　brought　you　in　my　carriage　to　Paris。〃



〃And　many's　the　time　you　tried　to　jump　out　of　the　windy；　Masther

Phil；〃　said　Clancy。



〃Brought　you　to　Paris；〃　resumed　the　Colonel；　smiling；　〃where；　by

the　soins　of　my　friends　Broussais；　Esquirol；　and　Baron　Larrey；　you

have　been　restored　to　health；　thank　heaven！〃



〃And　that　lovely　angel　who　quitted　the　apartment？〃　I　cried。



〃That　lovely　angel　is　the　Lady　Blanche　Sarsfield；　my　ward；　a

descendant　of　the　gallant　Lucan；　and　who　may　be；　when　she　chooses；

Madame　la　Marechale　de　Cambaceres；　Duchess　of　Illyria。〃



〃Why　did　you　deliver　the　ruffian　when　he　was　in　my　grasp？〃　I　cried。



〃Why　did　Lanty　deliver　you　when　in　mine？〃　the　Colonel　replied。

〃C'est　la　fortune　de　la　guerre；　mon　garcon；　but　calm　yourself；　and

take　this　potion　which　Blanche　has　prepared　for　you。〃



I　drank　the　tisane　eagerly　when　I　heard　whose　fair　hands　had

compounded　it；　and　its　effects　were　speedily　beneficial　to　me；　for

I　sank　into　a　cool　and　refreshing　slumber。



From　that　day　I　began　to　mend　rapidly；　with　all　the　elasticity　of

youth's　happy　time。　　Blanchethe　enchanting　Blancheministered

henceforth　to　me；　for　I　would　take　no　medicine　but　from　her　lily

hand。　　And　what　were　the　effects？　　'Faith；　ere　a　month　was　past；

the　patient　was　over　head　and　ears　in　love　with　the　doctor；　and　as

for　Baron　Larrey；　and　Broussais；　and　Esquirol；　they　were　sent　to

the　right…about。　　In　a　short　time　I　was　in　a　situation　to　do

justice　to　the　gigot　aux　navets；　the　boeuf　aux　cornichons；　and　the

other　delicious　entremets　of　the　Marquis's　board；　with　an　appetite

that　astonished　some　of　the　Frenchmen　who　frequented　it。



〃Wait　till　he's　quite　well；　Miss；〃　said　Lanty；　who　waited　always

behind　me。　　〃'Faith！　when　he's　in　health；　I'd　back　him　to　ate　a

cow；　barrin'　the　horns　and　teel。〃　　I　sent　a　decanter　at　the　rogue's

head；　by　way　of　answer　to　his　impertinence。



Although　the　disgusting　Cambaceres　did　his　best　to　have　my　parole

withdrawn　from　me；　and　to　cause　me　to　be　sent　to　the　English　depot

of　prisoners　at　Verdun；　the　Marquis's　interest　with　the　Emperor

prevailed；　and　I　was　allowed　to　remain　at　Paris；　the　happiest　of

prisoners；　at　the　Colonel's　hotel　at　the　Place　Vendome。　　I　here　had

the　opportunity　（an　opportunity　not　lost；　I　flatter　myself；　on　a

young　fellow　with　the　accomplishments　of　Philip　Fogarty；　Esq。）　of

mixing　with　the　elite　of　French　society；　and　meeting　with　many　of

the　great；　the　beautiful；　and　the　brave。　　Talleyrand　was　a　frequent

guest　of　the　Marquis's。　　His　bon…mots　used　to　keep　the　table　in　a

roar。　　Ney　frequently　took　his　chop　with　us；　Murat；　when　in　town；

constantly　dropt　in　for　a　cup　of　tea　and　friendly　round　game。

Alas！　who　would　have　thought　those　two　gallant　heads　would　be　so

soon　laid　low？　　My　wife　has　a　pair　of　earrings　which　the　latter；

who　always　wore　them；　presented　to　herbut　we　are　advancing

matters。　　Anybody　could　see；　〃avec　un　demioeil；〃　as　the　Prince　of

Benevento　remarked；　how　affairs　went　between　me　and　Blanche；　but

though　she　loathed　him　for　his　cruelties　and　the　odiousness　of　his

person；　the　brutal　Cambaceres　still　pursued　his　designs　upon　her。



I　recollect　it　was　on　St。　Patrick's　Day。　　My　lovely　friend　had

procured；　from　the　gardens　of　the　Empress　Josephine；　at　Malmaison

（whom　we　loved　a　thousand　times　more　than　her　Austrian　successor；　a

sandy…haired　woman；　between　ourselves；　with　an　odious　squint）；　a

quantity　of　shamrock　wherewith　to　garnish　the　hotel；　and　all　the

Irish　in　Paris　were　invited　to　the　national　festival。



I　and　Prince　Talleyrand　danced　a　double　hornpipe　with　Pauline

Bonaparte　and　Madame　de　Stael；　Marshal　Soult　went　down　a　couple　of

sets　with　Madame　Recamier；　and　Robespierre's　widowan　excellent；

gentle　creature；　quite　unlike　her　husbandstood　up　with　the

Austrian　ambassador。　　Besides；　the　famous　artists　Baron　Gros；　David

and　Nicholas　Poussin；　and　Canova；　who　was　in　town　making　a　statue

of　the　Emperor　for　Leo　X。；　and；　in　a　word；　all　the　celebrities　of

Parisas　my　gifted　countrywoman；　the　wild　Irish　girl；　calls　them

were　assembled　in　the　Marquis's　elegant　receiving…rooms。



At　last　a　great　outcry　was　raised　for　La　Gigue　Irlandaise！　　La

Gigue　Irlandaise！　a　dance　which　had　made　a　fureur　amongst　the

Parisians　ever　since　the　lovely　Blanche　Sarsfield　had　danced　it。

She　stepped　forward　and　took　me　for　a　partner；　and　amidst　the

bravoes　of　the　crowd；　in　which　stood　Ney；　Murat；　Lannes；　the　Prince

of　Wagram；　and　the　Austrian　ambassador；　we　showed　to　the　beau　monde

of　the　French　capital；　I　flatter　myself；　a　not　unfavorable　specimen

of　the　dance　of　our　country。



As　I　was　cutting　the　double…shuffle；　and　toe…and…heeling　it　in　the

〃rail〃　style；　Blanche　danced　up　to　me；　smiling；　and　said；　〃Be　on

your　guard；　I　see　Cambaceres　talking　to　Fouche；　the　Duke　of

Otranto；　about　us；　and　when　Otranto　turns　his　eyes　upon　a　man；　they

bode　him　no　good。〃



〃Cambaceres　is　jealous；〃　said　I。　　〃I　have　it；〃　says　she；　〃I'll　make

him　dance　a　turn　with　me。〃　　So；　presently；　as　the　music　was　going

like　mad　all　this　time；　I　pretended　fatigue　from　my　late　wounds；

and　sat　down。　　The　lovely　Blanche　went　up　smiling；　and　brought　out

Cambaceres　as　a　second　partner。



The　Marshal　is　a　lusty　man；　who　makes　desperate　efforts　to　give

himself　a　waist；　and　the　effect　of　the　exercise　upon　him　was

speedily　visible。　　He　puffed　and　snorted　like　a　walrus；　drops

trickled　down　his　purple　face；　while　my　lovely　mischief　of　a

Blanche　went　on　dancing　at　treble　quick；　till　she　fairly　danced　him

down。



〃Who'll　take　the　flure　with　me？〃　said　the　charming　girl；　animated

by　the　sport。



〃Faix；　den；　'tis　I；　Lanty　Clancy！〃　cried　my　rascal；　who　had　been

mad　with　excitement　at　the　scene；　and；　stepping　in　with　a　whoop　and

a　hurroo；　he　began　to　dance　with　such　rapidity　as　made　all　present

stare。



As　the　couple　were　footing　it；　there　was　a　noise　as　of　a　rapid

cavalcade　traversing　the　Place　Vendome；　and　stopping　at　the

Marquis's　door。　　A　crowd　appeared　to　mount　the　stair；　the　great

doors　of　the　reception…room　were　flung　open；　and　two　pages

announced　their　Majesties　the　Emperor　and　the　Empress。　　So　engaged

were　Lanty　and　Blanche；　that　they　never　heard　the　tumult　occasioned

by　the　august　approach。



It　was　indeed　the　Emperor；　who；　returning　from　the　Theatre

Francais；　and　seeing　the　Marquis's　windows　lighted　up；　proposed　to

the　Empress　to　drop　in　on　the　party。　　He　made　signs　to　the

musicians　to　continue：　and　the　conqueror　of　Marengo　and　Friedland

watched　with　interest　the　simple　evolutions　of　two　happy　Irish

people。　　Even　the　Empress　smiled　and；　seeing　this；　all　the

courtiers；　including　Naples　and　Talleyrand；　were　delighted。



〃Is　not　this　a　great　day　for　Ireland？〃　said　the　Marquis；　with　a

tear　trickling　down　his　noble　face。　　〃O　Ireland！　　O　my　country！

But　no　more　of　that。　　Go　up；　Phil；　you　divvle；　and　offer　her

Majesty　the　choice　of　punch　or　negus。〃



Among　the　young　fellows　with　whom　I　was　most　intimate　in　Paris　was

Eugene　Beauharnais；　the　son　of　the　ill…used　and　unhappy　Josephine

by　her　former　marriage　with　a　French　gentleman　of　good　family。

Having　a　smack　of　the　old　blood　in　him；　Eugene's　manners　were　much

more　refined　than　those　of　the　new…fangled　dignitaries　of　the

Emperor's　Court；　where　（for　my　knife　and　fork　were　regularly　laid

at　the　Tuileries）　I　have　seen　my　poor　friend　Murat　repeatedly

mistake　a　fork　for　a　toothpick；　and　the　gallant　Massena　devour

pease　by　means　of　his　knife；　in　a　way　more　innocent　than　graceful。

Talleyrand；　Eugene；　and　I　used　often　to　laugh　at　these　eccentricities

of　our　brave　friends；　who　certainly　did　not　shine　in　the

drawing…room；　however　brilliant　they　were　in　the　field　of　battle。

The　Emperor　alway