burlesques-第73章

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vain：　the　ranks　met；　the　next　moment　the　truncheon　of　the　Prince　of

Orleans　was　dashed　from　his　hand　by　the　irresistible　mace　of　the

Duke　Jenkins；　his　horse's　shins　were　broken　by　the　same　weapon。

Screaming　with　agony　the　animal　fell。　　Jenkins's　hand　was　at　the

Duke's　collar　in　a　moment；　and　had　he　not　gasped　out；　〃Je　me

rends！〃　he　would　have　been　throttled　in　that　dreadful　grasp！



Three　hundred　and　forty…two　standards；　seventy…nine　regiments；

their　baggage；　ammunition；　and　treasure…chests；　fell　into　the　hands

of　the　victorious　Duke。　　He　had　avenged　the　honor　of　Old　England；

and　himself　presenting　the　sword　of　the　conquered　Nemours　to　Prince

Henri；　who　now　came　up；　the　Prince　bursting　into　tears；　fell　on　his

neck　and　said；　〃Duke；　I　owe　my　crown　to　my　patron　saint　and　you。〃

It　was　indeed　a　glorious　victory：　but　what　will　not　British　valor

attain？



The　Duke　of　Nemours；　having　despatched　a　brief　note　to　Paris；

saying；　〃Sire；　all　is　lost　except　honor！〃　was　sent　off　in

confinement；　and　in　spite　of　the　entreaties　of　his　captor；　was

hardly　treated　with　decent　politeness。　　The　priests　and　the　noble

regiments　who　rode　back　when　the　affair　was　over；　were　for　having

the　Prince　shot　at　once；　and　murmured　loudly　against　〃cet　Anglais

brutal〃　who　interposed　in　behalf　of　the　prisoner。　　Henri　V。　granted

the　Prince　his　life；　but；　no　doubt　misguided　by　the　advice　of　his

noble　and　ecclesiastical　counsellors；　treated　the　illustrious

English　Duke　with　marked　coldness；　and　did　not　even　ask　him　to

supper　that　night。



〃Well！〃　said　Jenkins；　〃I　and　my　merry　men　can　sup　alone。〃　　And；

indeed；　having　had　the　pick　of　the　plunder　of　about　28；000　men；

they　had　wherewithal　to　make　themselves　pretty　comfortable。　　The

prisoners　（25；403）　were　all　without　difficulty　induced　to　assume

the　white　cockade。　　Most　of　them　had　those　marks　of　loyalty　ready

sewn　in　their　flannel…waistcoats；　where　they　swore　they　had　worn

them　ever　since　1830。　　This　we　may　believe；　and　we　will；　but　the

Prince　Henri　was　too　politic　or　too　good…humored　in　the　moment　of

victory；　to　doubt　the　sincerity　of　his　new　subjects'　protestations；

and　received　the　Colonels　and　Generals　affably　at　his　table。



The　next　morning　a　proclamation　was　issued　to　the　united　armies。

〃Faithful　soldiers　of　France　and　Navarre；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃the

saints　have　won　for　us　a　great　victorythe　enemies　of　our　religion

have　been　overcomethe　lilies　are　restored　to　their　native　soil。

Yesterday　morning　at　eleven　o'clock　the　army　under　my　command

engaged　that　which　was　led　by　his　SERENE　Highness　the　Duke　de

Nemours。　　Our　forces　were　but　a　third　in　number　when　compared　with

those　of　the　enemy。　　My　faithful　chivalry　and　nobles　made　the

strength；　however；　equal。



〃The　regiments　of　Fleur…d'Orange；　Millefleur；　and　Eau…de…Cologne

covered　themselves　with　glory：　they　sabred　many　thousands　of　the

enemy's　troops。　　Their　valor　was　ably　seconded　by　the　gallantry　of

my　ecclesiastical　friends：　at　a　moment　of　danger　they　rallied　round

my　banner；　and　forsaking　the　crosier　for　the　sword；　showed　that

they　were　of　the　church　militant　indeed。



〃My　faithful　Irish　auxiliaries　conducted　themselves　with　becoming

heroismbut　why　particularize　when　all　did　their　duty？　　How

remember　individual　acts　when　all　were　heroes？〃　　The　Marshal　of

France；　Sucre　d'Orgeville；　Commander　of　the　Army　of　H。M。　Christian

Majesty；　recommended　about　three　thousand　persons　for　promotion；

and　the　indignation　of　Jenkins　and　his　brave　companions　may　be

imagined　when　it　is　stated　that　they　were　not　even　mentioned　in　the

despatch！



As　for　the　Princes　of　Ballybunion；　Donegal；　and　Connemara；　they

wrote　off　despatches　to　their　Government；　saying；　〃The　Duke　of

Nemours　is　beaten；　and　a　prisoner！　　The　Irish　Brigade　has　done　it

all！〃　　On　which　his　Majesty　the　King　of　the　Irish；　convoking　his

Parliament　at　the　Corn　Exchange　Palace；　Dublin；　made　a　speech；　in

which　he　called　Louis　Philippe　an　〃old　miscreant；〃　and　paid　the

highest　compliments　to　his　son　and　his　troops。　　The　King　on　this

occasion　knighted　Sir　Henry　Sheehan；　Sir　Gavan　Duffy　（whose

journals　had　published　the　news）；　and　was　so　delighted　with　the

valor　of　his　son；　that　he　despatched　him　his　order　of　the　Pig　and

Whistle　（1st　class）；　and　a　munificent　present　of　five　hundred

thousand　poundsin　a　bill　at　three　months。　　All　Dublin　was

illuminated；　and　at　a　ball　at　the　Castle　the　Lord　Chancellor　Smith

（Earl　of　Smithereens）　getting　extremely　intoxicated；　called　out　the

Lord　Bishop　of　Galway　（the　Dove）；　and　they　fought　in　the　Phoenix

Park。　　Having　shot　the　Right　Reverend　Bishop　through　the　body；

Smithereens　apologized。　　He　was　the　same　practitioner　who　had

rendered　himself　so　celebrated　in　the　memorable　trial　of　the　King

before　the　Act　of　Independence。



Meanwhile；　the　army　of　Prince　Henri　advanced　with　rapid　strides

towards　Paris；　whither　the　History　likewise　must　hasten；　for

extraordinary　were　the　events　preparing　in　that　capital。





CHAPTER　VII。



THE　LEAGUER　OF　PARIS。





By　a　singular　coincidence；　on　the　very　same　day　when　the　armies　of

Henri　V。　appeared　before　Paris　from　the　Western　Road；　those　of　the

Emperor　John　Thomas　Napoleon　arrived　from　the　North。　　Skirmishes

took　place　between　the　advanced…guards　of　the　two　parties；　and　much

slaughter　ensued。



〃Bon！〃　thought　King　Louis　Philippe；　who　examined　them　from　his

tower；　〃they　will　kill　each　other。　　This　is　by　far　the　most

economical　way　of　getting　rid　of　them。〃　　The　astute　monarch's

calculations　were　admirably　exposed　by　a　clever　remark　of　the

Prince　of　Ballybunion。　　〃Faix；　Harry；〃　says　he　（with　a　familiarity

which　the　punctilious　son　of　Saint　Louis　resented）；　〃you　and　him

yandtherthe　Emperor；　I　maneare　like　the　Kilkenny　cats；　dear。〃



〃Et　que　font…ils　ces　chats　de　Kilkigny；　Monsieur　le　Prince　de

Ballybunion？〃　asked　the　Most　Christian　King　haughtily。



Prince　Daniel　replied　by　narrating　the　well…known　apologue　of　the

animals　〃ating　each　other　all　up　but　their　TEELS；　and　that's　what

you　and　Imparial　Pop　yondther　will　do；　blazing　away　as　ye　are；〃

added　the　jocose　and　royal　boy。



〃Je　prie　votre　Altesse　Royale　de　vaguer　a　ses　propres　affaires；〃

answered　Prince　Henri　sternly：　for　he　was　an　enemy　to　anything　like

a　joke；　but　there　is　always　wisdom　in　real　wit；　and　it　would　have

been　well　for　his　Most　Christian　Majesty　had　he　followed　the

facetious　counsels　of　his　Irish　ally。



The　fact　is；　the　King；　Henri；　had　an　understanding　with　the

garrisons　of　some　of　the　forts；　and　expected　all　would　declare　for

him。　　However；　of　the　twenty…four　forts　which　we　have　described；

eight　onlyand　by　the　means　of　Marshal　Soult；　who　had　grown

extremely　devout　of　late　yearsdeclared　for　Henri；　and　raised　the

white　flag：　while　eight　others；　seeing　Prince　John　Thomas　Napoleon

before　them　in　the　costume　of　his　revered　predecessor；　at　once

flung　open　their　gates　to　him；　and　mounted　the　tricolor　with　the

eagle。　　The　remaining　eight；　into　which　the　Princes　of　the　blood　of

Orleans　had　thrown　themselves；　remained　constant　to　Louis　Philippe。

Nothing　could　induce　that　Prince　to　quit　the　Tuileries。　　His　money

was　there；　and　he　swore　he　would　remain　by　it。　　In　vain　his　sons

offered　to　bring　him　into　one　of　the　fortshe　would　not　stir

without　his　treasure。　　They　said　they　would　transport　it　thither；

but　no；　no：　the　patriarchal　monarch；　putting　his　finger　to　his　aged

nose；　and　winking　archly；　said　〃he　knew　a　trick　worth　two　of　that；〃

and　resolved　to　abide　by　his　bags。



The　theatres　and　cafes　remained　open　as　usual：　the　funds　rose　three

centimes。　　The　Journal　des　Debats　published　three　editions　of

different　tones　of　politics：　one；　the　Journal　de　l'Empire；　for

the　Napoleonites；　the　Journal　de　la　Legitimite　another；　very

complimentary　to　the　Legitimate　monarch；　and　finally；　the　original

edition；　bound　heart　and　soul　to　the　dynasty　of　July。　　The　poor

editor；　who　had　to　write　all　three；　complained　not　a　little　that

his　salary　was　not　raised：　but　the　truth　is；　that；　by　altering　the

names；　one　article　did　indifferently　for　either　paper。　　The　Duke　of

Brittany；　under　the　title　of　Louis　XVII。；　was　always　issuing

manifestoes　from　Charenton；　but　of　these　the　Parisians　took　little

heed：　the　Charivari　proclaimed　itself　his　Gazette；　and　was　allowed

to　be　very　witty　at　the　expense　of　the　three　pretenders。



As　the　country　had　been　ravaged　for　a　hundred　miles　round；　the

respective　Princes　of　course　were　for　throwing　themselves　into　the

forts；　where　there　was　plenty　of　provision；　and；　when　once　there；

they　speedily　began　to　turn　out　such　of　the　garrison　as　were

disagreeable　to　them；　or　had　an　inconvenient　appetite；　or　were　of　a

doubtful　fidelity。　　These　poor　fellows　turned　into　the　road；　had　no

choice　but　starvation；　as　to　getting　into　Paris；　that　was

impossible：　a　mouse　could　not　have　got　into　the　place；　so　admirably

were　the　forts　guarded；　without　having　his　head　taken　off　by　a

cannon…ball。　　Thus　the　three　conflicting　parties　stood；　close　to

each　other；　hating　each　other；　〃willing　to　wound　and　yet　afraid　to

strike〃the　victuals　in　the　forts；　from　the　prodigious　increase　of

the　garrisons；　getting　smaller　every　day。　　As　for　Louis　Philippe　in

his　palace；　in　the　centre　of　the　twenty…four　forts；　knowing　that　a

spark　from　one　might　set　them　all　blazing　away；　and　that　he　and　his

money…bags　might　be　blown　into　eternity　in　ten　minutes；　you　may

fancy　his　situation　was　not　very　comfortable。



But　his　safety　lay　in　his　treasure。　　Neither　the　Imperialists　nor

the　Bourbonites　were　willing　to　relinquish　the　two　hundred　and

fifty　billions　in　gold；　nor　would　the　Princes　of　Orleans　dare　to

fire　upon　that　considerable　sum　of　money；　and　its　possessor；　their

revered　father。　　How　was　this　state　of　things　to　end？　　The　Emperor

sent　a　note　to　his　Most　Christian　Majesty　（for　they　always　styled

each　other　in　this　manner　in　their　communications）；　proposing　that

they　should　turn　out　and　decide　the　quarrel　sword　in　hand；　to　which

proposition　Henri　would　have　acceded；　but　that　the　priests；　his

ghostly　counsellors；　threatened　to　excommunicate　him　should　he　do

so。　　Hence　this　simple　way　of　settling　the　dispute　was　impossible。



The　presence　of　the　holy　fathers　caused　considerable　annoyance　in

the　forts。　　Especially　the　poor　English；　as　Protestants；　were

subject　to　much　petty　persecution；　to　the　no　small　anger　of

Jenkins；　their　commander。　　And　it　must　be　confessed　that　these

intrepid　Footmen　were　not　so　amenable　to　discipline　as　they　might

have　been。　　Remembering　the　usages　of　merry　England；　they　clubbed

together；　and　swore　they　would　have　four　meals　of　meat　a　day；　wax…

candles　in　the　casemates；　and　their　porter。　　These　demands　were

laughed　at：　the　priests　even　called　upon　them　to　fast　on　Fridays；

on　which　a　general　mutiny　broke　out　in　the　regiment；　and　they　would

have　had　a　FOURTH　standard　raised　before　Parisviz。；　that　of

Englan