burlesques-第70章
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Tuam; blessed their green banner before they set forth。 Henceforth
may the lilies and the harp be ever twined together。 Together we
will make a crusade against the infidels of Albion; and raze their
heretic domes to the ground。 Let our cry be; Vive la France! down
with England! Montjoie St。 Denis!
〃'BY THE KING。
〃'The Secretary of State and Grand Inquisitor。 。 。 LA ROUE。
The Marshal of France。 。 。 POMADOUR DE L'AILE DE PIGEON。
The General Commander…in…Chief of the Irish Brigade in the service
of his Most Christian Majesty。 。 。 DANIEL; PRINCE OF BALLYBUNION。
'HENRI。〃'
〃His Majesty reviewed the admirable Police force; and held a
council of Ministers in the afternoon。 Measures were concerted for
the instant putting down of the disturbances in the departments of
the Rhine and Loire; and it is arranged that on the capture of the
pretenders; they shall be lodged in separate cells in the prison of
the Luxembourg: the apartments are already prepared; and the
officers at their posts。
〃The grand banquet that was to be given at the palace to…day to the
diplomatic body; has been put off; all the ambassadors being
attacked with illness; which compels them to stay at home。〃
〃The ambassadors despatched couriers to their various Governments。〃
〃His Majesty the King of the Belgians left the palace of the
Tuileries。〃
CHAPTER III。
THE ADVANCE OF THE PRETENDERS。HISTORICAL REVIEW。
We will now resume the narrative; and endeavor to compress; in a
few comprehensive pages; the facts which are more diffusely
described in the print from which we have quoted。
It was manifest; then; that the troubles in the departments were
of a serious nature; and that the forces gathered round the two
pretenders to the crown were considerable。 They had their
supporters too in Parisas what party indeed has not? and the
venerable occupant of the throne was in a state of considerable
anxiety; and found his declining years by no means so comfortable
as his virtues and great age might have warranted。
His paternal heart was the more grieved when he thought of the fate
reserved to his children; grandchildren; and great…grandchildren;
now sprung up around him in vast numbers。 The King's grandson; the
Prince Royal; married to a Princess of the house of Schlippen…
Schloppen; was the father of fourteen children; all handsomely
endowed with pensions by the State。 His brother; the Count D'Eu;
was similarly blessed with a multitudinous offspring。 The Duke of
Nemours had no children; but the Princes of Joinville; Aumale; and
Montpensier (married to the Princesses Januaria and Februaria; of
Brazil; and the Princess of the United States of America; erected
into a monarchy; 4th July; 1856; under the Emperor Duff Green I。)
were the happy fathers of immense familiesall liberally
apportioned by the Chambers; which had long been entirely
subservient to his Majesty Louis Philippe。
The Duke of Aumale was King of Algeria; having married (in the
first instance) the Princess Badroulboudour; a daughter of his
Highness Abd…El…Kader。 The Prince of Joinville was adored by the
nation; on account of his famous victory over the English fleet
under the command of Admiral the Prince of Wales; whose ship; the
〃Richard Cobden;〃 of 120 guns; was taken by the 〃Belle…Poule〃
frigate of 36; on which occasion forty…five other ships of war and
79 steam…frigates struck their colors to about one…fourth the
number of the heroic French navy。 The victory was mainly owing to
the gallantry of the celebrated French horse…marines; who executed
several brilliant charges under the orders of the intrepid
Joinville; and though the Irish Brigade; with their ordinary
modesty; claimed the honors of the day; yet; as only three of that
nation were present in the action; impartial history must award the
palm to the intrepid sons of Gaul。
With so numerous a family quartered on the nation; the solicitude
of the admirable King may be conceived; lest a revolution should
ensue; and fling them on the world once more。 How could he support
so numerous a family? Considerable as his wealth was (for he was
known to have amassed about a hundred and thirteen billions; which
were lying in the caves of the Tuileries); yet such a sum was quite
insignificant; when divided among his progeny; and; besides; he
naturally preferred getting from the nation as much as his faithful
people could possibly afford。
Seeing the imminency of the danger; and that money; well applied;
is often more efficacious than the conqueror's sword; the King's
Ministers were anxious that he should devote a part of his savings
to the carrying on of the war。 But; with the cautiousness of age;
the monarch declined this offer; he preferred; he said; throwing
himself upon his faithful people; who; he was sure; would meet; as
became them; the coming exigency。 The Chambers met his appeal with
their usual devotion。 At a solemn convocation of those legislative
bodies; the King; surrounded by his family; explained the
circumstances and the danger。 His Majesty; his family; his
Ministers; and the two Chambers; then burst into tears; according
to immemorial usage; and raising their hands to the ceiling; swore
eternal fidelity to the dynasty and to France; and embraced each
other affectingly all round。
It need not be said that in the course of that evening two hundred
Deputies of the Left left Paris; and joined the Prince John Thomas
Napoleon; who was now advanced as far as Dijon: two hundred and
fifty…three (of the Right; the Centre; and Round the Corner;)
similarly quitted the capital to pay their homage to the Duke of
Bordeaux。 They were followed; according to their several political
predilections; by the various Ministers and dignitaries of the
State。 The only Minister who remained in Paris was Marshal Thiers;
Prince of Waterloo (he had defeated the English in the very field
where they had obtained formerly a success; though the victory was
as usual claimed by the Irish Brigade); but age had ruined the
health and diminished the immense strength of that gigantic leader;
and it is said his only reason for remaining in Paris was because a
fit of the gout kept him in bed。
The capital was entirely tranquil。 The theatres and cafes were
open as usual; and the masked balls attended with great enthusiasm:
confiding in their hundred and twenty…four forts; the light…minded
people had nothing to fear。
Except in the way of money; the King left nothing undone to
conciliate his people。 He even went among them with his umbrella;
but they were little touched with that mark of confidence。 He
shook hands with everybody; he distributed crosses of the Legion of
Honor in such multitudes; that red ribbon rose two hundred per cent
in the market (by which his Majesty; who speculated in the article;
cleared a tolerable sum of money)。 But these blandishments and
honors had little effect upon an apathetic people; and the enemy
of the Orleans dynasty; the fashionable young nobles of the
Henriquinquiste party; wore gloves perpetually; for fear (they
said) that they should be obliged to shake hands with the best of
kings; while the republicans adopted coats without button…holes;
lest they should be forced to hang red ribbons in them。 The funds
did not fluctuate in the least。
The proclamations of the several pretenders had had their effect。
The young men of the schools and the estaminets (celebrated places
of public education) allured by the noble words of Prince Napoleon;
〃Liberty; equality; war all over the world!〃 flocked to his
standard in considerable numbers: while the noblesse naturally
hastened to offer their allegiance to the legitimate descendant of
Saint Louis。
And truly; never was there seen a more brilliant chivalry than that
collected round the gallant Prince Henry! There was not a man in
his army but had lacquered boots and fresh white kid…gloves at
morning and evening parade。 The fantastic and effeminate but brave
and faithful troops were numbered off into different legions: there
was the Fleur…d'Orange regiment; the Eau…de…Rose battalion; the
Violet…Pomatum volunteers; the Eau…de…Cologne cavalryaccording to
the different scents which they affected。 Most of the warriors
wore lace ruffles; all powder and pigtails; as in the real days of
chivalry。 A band of heavy dragoons under the command of Count
Alfred de Horsay made themselves conspicuous for their discipline;
cruelty; and the admirable cut of their coats; and with these
celebrated horsemen came from England the illustrious Duke of
Jenkins with his superb footmen。 They were all six feet high。
They all wore bouquets of the richest flowers: they wore bags;
their hair slightly powdered; brilliant shoulder…knots; and cocked…
hats laced with gold。 They wore the tight knee…pantaloon of
velveteen peculiar to this portion of the British infantry: and
their legs were so superb; that the Duke of Bordeaux; embracing
with tears their admirable leader on parade; said; 〃Jenkins; France
never saw such calves until now。〃 The weapon of this tremendous
militia was an immense club or cane; reaching from the sole of the
foot to the nose; and heavily mounted with gold。 Nothing could
stand before this terrific weapon; and the breast…plates and plumed
morions of the French cuirassiers would have been undoubtedly
crushed beneath them; had they ever met in mortal combat。 Between
this part of the Prince's forces and the Irish auxiliaries there
was a deadly animosity。 Alas; there always is such in camps! The
sons of Albion had not forgotten the day when the children of Erin
had been subject to their devastating sway。
The uniform of the latter was variousthe rich stuff called corps…
du…roy (worn by Coeur de Lion at Agincourt) formed their lower
habiliments for the most part: the national frieze* yielded them
tail…coats。 The latter was generally torn in a fantastic manner at
the elbows; skirts; and collars; and fastened with every variety of
button; tape; and string。 Their weapons were the caubeen; the
alpeen; and the doodeen of the countrythe latter a short but
dreadful weapon of offence。 At the demise of the venerable
Theobald Mathew; the nation had laid aside its habit of temperance;
and universal intoxication betokened their grief; it became
afterwards their constant habit。 Thus do men ever return to the
haunts of their childhood: such a power has fond memory over us!
The leaders of this host seem to have been; however; an effeminate
race; they are represented by contemporary historians as being
passionately fond of FLYING KITES。 Others say they went into
battle armed with 〃bills;〃 no doubt rude weapons; for it is stated
that foreigners could never be got to accept them in lieu of their
own arms。 The Princes of Mayo; Donegal; and Conn