burlesques-第110部分

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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；　Donega