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burlesques-第75部分

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must not be confounded with any other of the persons who laid claim

to be children of the unfortunate victim of the first Revolution。



The next claimant; Henri of Bordeaux; is better known。  In the year

1843 he held his little fugitive court in furnished lodgings; in a

forgotten district of London; called Belgrave Square。  Many of the

nobles of France flocked thither to him; despising the persecutions

of the occupant of the throne; and some of the chiefs of the

British nobilityamong whom may be reckoned the celebrated and

chivalrous Duke of Jenkinsaided the adventurous young Prince with

their counsels; their wealth; and their valor。



The third candidate was his Imperial Highness Prince John Thomas

Napoleona fourteenth cousin of the late Emperor; and said by some

to be a Prince of the House of Gomersal。  He argued justly that; as

the immediate relatives of the celebrated Corsican had declined to

compete for the crown which was their right; he; Prince John

Thomas; being next in succession; was; undoubtedly; heir to the

vacant imperial throne。  And in support of his claim; he appealed

to the fidelity of Frenchmen and the strength of his good sword。



His Majesty Louis Philippe was; it need not be said; the illustrious

wielder of the sceptre which the three above…named princes desired

to wrest from him。  It does not appear that the sagacious monarch

was esteemed by his subjects; as such a prince should have been

esteemed。  The light…minded people; on the contrary; were rather

weary than otherwise of his sway。  They were not in the least

attached to his amiable family; for whom his Majesty with

characteristic thrift had endeavored to procure satisfactory

allowances。  And the leading statesmen of the country; whom his

Majesty had disgusted; were suspected of entertaining any but

feelings of loyalty towards his house and person。



It was against the above…named pretenders that Louis Philippe

(now nearly a hundred years old); a prince amongst sovereigns;

was called upon to defend his crown。



The city of Paris was guarded; as we all know; by a hundred and

twenty…four forts; of a thousand guns eachprovisioned for a

considerable time; and all so constructed as to fire; if need were;

upon the palace of the Tuileries。  Thus; should the mob attack it;

as in August 1792; and July 1830; the building could be razed to

the ground in an hour; thus; too; the capital was quite secure from

foreign invasion。  Another defence against the foreigners was the

state of the roads。  Since the English companies had retired; half

a mile only of railroad had been completed in France; and thus any

army accustomed; as those of Europe now are; to move at sixty miles

an hour; would have been ennuye'd to death before they could have

marched from the Rhenish; the Maritime; the Alpine; or the Pyrenean

frontier upon the capital of France。  The French people; however;

were indignant at this defect of communication in their territory;

and said; without the least show of reason; that they would have

preferred that the five hundred and seventy…five thousand billions

of francs which had been expended upon the fortifications should

have been laid out in a more peaceful manner。  However; behind his

forts; the King lay secure。



As it is our aim to depict in as vivid a manner as possible the

strange events of the period; the actions; the passions of

individuals and parties engaged; we cannot better describe them

than by referring to contemporary documents; of which there is no

lack。  It is amusing at the present day to read in the pages of the

Moniteur and the Journal des Debats the accounts of the strange

scenes which took place。



The year 1884 had opened very tranquilly。  The Court of the

Tuileries had been extremely gay。  The three…and…twenty youngest

Princes of England; sons of her Majesty Victoria; had enlivened the

balls by their presence; the Emperor of Russia and family had paid

their accustomed visit; and the King of the Belgians had; as usual;

made his visit to his royal father…in…law; under pretence of duty

and pleasure; but really to demand payment of the Queen of the

Belgians' dowry; which Louis Philippe of Orleans still resolutely

declined to pay。  Who would have thought that in the midst of such

festivity danger was lurking rife; in the midst of such quiet;

rebellion?



Charenton was the great lunatic asylum of Paris; and it was to this

repository that the scornful journalist consigned the pretender to

the throne of Louis XVI。



But on the next day; viz。 Saturday; the 29th February; the same

journal contained a paragraph of a much more startling and serious

import; in which; although under a mask of carelessness; it was

easy to see the Government alarm。



On Friday; the 28th February; the Journal des Debats contained a

paragraph; which did not occasion much sensation at the Bourse; so

absurd did its contents seem。  It ran as follows:



〃ENCORE UN LOUIS XVII。!  A letter from Calais tells us that a

strange personage lately landed from England (from Bedlam we

believe) has been giving himself out to be the son of the

unfortunate Louis XVI。  This is the twenty…fourth pretender of the

species who has asserted that his father was the august victim of

the Temple。  Beyond his pretensions; the poor creature is said to

be pretty harmless; he is accompanied by one or two old women; who

declare they recognize in him the Dauphin; he does not make any

attempt to seize upon his throne by force of arms; but waits until

heaven shall conduct him to it。



〃If his Majesty comes to Paris; we presume he will TAKE UP his

quarters in the palace of Charenton。



〃We have not before alluded to certain rumors which have been

afloat (among the lowest canaille and the vilest estaminets of the

metropolis); that a notorious personagewhy should we hesitate to

mention the name of the Prince John Thomas Napoleon?has entered

France with culpable intentions; and revolutionary views。  The

Moniteur of this morning; however; confirms the disgraceful fact。

A pretender is on our shores; an armed assassin is threatening our

peaceful liberties; a wandering; homeless cut…throat is robbing on

our highways; and the punishment of his crime awaits him。  Let no

considerations of the past defer that just punishment; it is the

duty of the legislator to provide for THE FUTURE。  Let the full

powers of the law be brought against him; aided by the stern

justice of the public force。  Let him be tracked; like a wild

beast; to his lair; and meet the fate of one。  But the sentence

has; ere this; been certainly executed。  The brigand; we hear; has

been distributing (without any effect) pamphlets among the low ale…

houses and peasantry of the department of the Upper Rhine (in which

he lurks); and the Police have an easy means of tracking his

footsteps。



〃Corporal Crane; of the Gendarmerie; is on the track of the


unfortunate young man。  His attempt will only serve to show the

folly of the pretenders; and the love; respect; regard; fidelity;

admiration; reverence; and passionate personal attachment in which

we hold our beloved sovereign。〃





〃SECOND EDITION!



〃CAPTURE OF THE PRINCE。



〃A courier has just arrived at the Tuileries with a report that

after a scuffle between Corporal Crane and the 'Imperial Army;' in

a water…barrel; whither the latter had retreated; victory has

remained with the former。  A desperate combat ensued in the first

place; in a hay…loft; whence the pretender was ejected with immense

loss。  He is now a prisonerand we dread to think what his fate

may be!  It will warn future aspirants; and give Europe a lesson

which it is not likely to forget。  Above all; it will set beyond a

doubt the regard; respect; admiration; reverence; and adoration

which we all feel for our sovereign。〃





〃THIRD EDITION。



〃A second courier has arrived。  The infatuated Crane has made

common cause with the Prince; and forever forfeited the respect of

Frenchmen。  A detachment of the 520th Leger has marched in pursuit

of the pretender and his dupes。  Go; Frenchmen; go and conquer!

Remember that it is our rights you guard; our homes which you march

to defend; our laws which are confided to the points of your

unsullied bayonets;above all; our dear; dear sovereign; around

whose throne you rally!



〃Our feelings overpower us。  Men of the 520th; remember your

watchword is Gemappes;your countersign; Valmy。〃





〃The Emperor of Russia and his distinguished family quitted the

Tuileries this day。  His Imperial Majesty embraced his Majesty the

King of the French with tears in his eyes; and conferred upon their

RR。 HH。 the Princes of Nemours and Joinville; the Grand Cross of

the Order of the Blue Eagle。〃





〃His Majesty passed a review of the Police force。  The venerable

monarch was received with deafening cheers by this admirable and

disinterested body of men。  Those cheers were echoed in all French

hearts。  Long; long may our beloved Prince be among us to receive

them!〃





CHAPTER II。



HENRY V。 AND NAPOLEON III。





Sunday; February 30th。



We resume our quotations from the Debats; which thus introduces a

third pretender to the throne:



〃Is this distracted country never to have peace?  While on Friday

we recorded the pretensions of a maniac to the great throne of

France; while on Saturday we were compelled to register the

culpable attempts of one whom we regard as a ruffian; murderer;

swindler; forger; burglar; and common pickpocket; to gain over

the allegiance of Frenchmenit is to…day our painful duty to

announce a THIRD invasionyes; a third invasion。  The wretched;

superstitious; fanatic Duke of Bordeaux has landed at Nantz; and

has summoned the Vendeans and the Bretons to mount the white

cockade。



〃Grand Dieu! are we not happy under the tricolor?  Do we not repose

under the majestic shado

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