burlesques-第78部分
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own arms。 The Princes of Mayo; Donegal; and Connemara; marched by
the side of their young and royal chieftain; the Prince of
Ballybunion; fourth son of Daniel the First; King of the Emerald
Isle。
* Were these in any way related to the chevaux…de…frise on which
the French cavalry were mounted?
Two hosts then; one under the Eagles; and surrounded by the
republican imperialists; the other under the antique French Lilies;
were marching on the French capital。 The Duke of Brittany; too;
confined in the lunatic asylum of Charenton; found means to issue a
protest against his captivity; which caused only derision in the
capital。 Such was the state of the empire; and such the clouds
that were gathering round the Sun of Orleans!
CHAPTER IV。
THE BATTLE OF RHEIMS。
It was not the first time that the King had had to undergo
misfortunes; and now; as then; he met them like a man。 The Prince
of Joinville was not successful in his campaign against the
Imperial Pretender: and that bravery which had put the British
fleet to flight; was found; as might be expected; insufficient
against the irresistible courage of native Frenchmen。 The Horse
Marines; not being on their own element; could not act with their
usual effect。 Accustomed to the tumult of the swelling seas; they
were easily unsaddled on terra firma and in the Champagne country。
It was literally in the Champagne country that the meeting between
the troops under Joinville and Prince Napoleon took place! for
both armies had reached Rheims; and a terrific battle was fought
underneath the walls。 For some time nothing could dislodge the
army of Joinville; entrenched in the champagne cellars of Messrs。
Ruinart; Moet; and others; but making too free with the fascinating
liquor; the army at length became entirely drunk: on which the
Imperialists; rushing into the cellars; had an easy victory over
them; and; this done; proceeded to intoxicate themselves likewise。
The Prince of Joinville; seeing the deroute of his troops; was
compelled with a few faithful followers to fly towards Paris; and
Prince Napoleon remained master of the field of battle。 It is
needless to recapitulate the bulletin which he published the day
after the occasion; so soon as he and his secretaries were in a
condition to write: eagles; pyramids; rainbows; the sun of
Austerlitz; &c。; figured in the proclamation; in close imitation of
his illustrious uncle。 But the great benefit of the action was
this: on arousing from their intoxication; the late soldiers of
Joinville kissed and embraced their comrades of the Imperial army;
and made common cause with them。
〃Soldiers!〃 said the Prince; on reviewing them the second day after
the action; 〃the Cock is a gallant bird; but he makes way for the
Eagle! Your colors are not changed。 Ours floated on the walls of
Moscowyours on the ramparts of Constantine; both are glorious。
Soldiers of Joinville! we give you welcome; as we would welcome
your illustrious leader; who destroyed the fleets of Albion。 Let
him join us! We will march together against that perfidious enemy。
〃But; Soldiers! intoxication dimmed the laurels of yesterday's
glorious day! Let us drink no more of the fascinating liquors of
our native Champagne。 Let us remember Hannibal and Capua; and;
before we plunge into dissipation; that we have Rome still to
conquer!
〃Soldiers! Seltzer…water is good after too much drink。 Wait
awhile; and your Emperor will lead you into a Seltzer…water
country。 Frenchmen! it lies BEYOND THE RHINE!〃
Deafening shouts of 〃Vive l'Empereur!〃 saluted this allusion of the
Prince; and the army knew that their natural boundary should be
restored to them。 The compliments to the gallantry of the Prince
of Joinville likewise won all hearts; and immensely advanced the
Prince's cause。 The Journal des Debats did not know which way to
turn。 In one paragraph it called the Emperor 〃a sanguinary tyrant;
murderer; and pickpocket;〃 in a second it owned he was 〃a
magnanimous rebel; and worthy of forgiveness;〃 and; after
proclaiming 〃the brilliant victory of the Prince of Joinville;〃
presently denominated it a 〃funeste journee。〃
The next day the Emperor; as we may now call him; was about to
march on Paris; when Messrs。 Ruinart and Moet were presented; and
requested to be paid for 300;000 bottles of wine。 〃Send three
hundred thousand more to the Tuileries;〃 said the Prince; sternly:
〃our soldiers will be thirsty when they reach Paris。〃 And taking
Moet with him as a hostage; and promising Ruinart that he would
have him shot unless he obeyed; with trumpets playing and eagles
glancing in the sun; the gallant Imperial army marched on their
triumphant way。
CHAPTER V。
THE BATTLE OF TOURS。
We have now to record the expedition of the Prince of Nemours
against his advancing cousin; Henry V。 His Royal Highness could
not march against the enemy with such a force as he would have
desired to bring against them; for his royal father; wisely
remembering the vast amount of property he had stowed away under
the Tuileries; refused to allow a single soldier to quit the forts
round the capital; which thus was defended by one hundred and
forty…four thousand guns (eighty…four…pounders); and four hundred
and thirty…two thousand men:little enough; when one considers
that there were but three men to a gun。 To provision this immense
army; and a population of double the amount within the walls; his
Majesty caused the country to be scoured for fifty miles round; and
left neither ox; nor ass; nor blade of grass。 When appealed to by
the inhabitants of the plundered district; the royal Philip
replied; with tears in his eyes; that his heart bled for themthat
they were his childrenthat every cow taken from the meanest
peasant was like a limb torn from his own body; but that duty must
be done; that the interests of the country demanded the sacrifice;
and that in fact; they might go to the deuce。 This the unfortunate
creatures certainly did。
The theatres went on as usual within the walls。 The Journal des
Debats stated every day that the pretenders were taken; the
Chambers satsuch as remainedand talked immensely about honor;
dignity; and the glorious revolution of July; and the King; as his
power was now pretty nigh absolute over them; thought this a good
opportunity to bring in a bill for doubling his children's
allowances all round。
Meanwhile the Duke of Nemours proceeded on his march; and as there
was nothing left within fifty miles of Paris wherewith to support
his famished troops; it may be imagined that he was forced to
ransack the next fifty miles in order to maintain them。 He did so。
But the troops were not such as they should have been; considering
the enemy with whom they had to engage。
The fact is; that most of the Duke's army consisted of the National
Guard; who; in a fit of enthusiasm; and at the cry of 〃LA PATRIE EN
DANGER〃 having been induced to volunteer; had been eagerly accepted
by his Majesty; anxious to lessen as much as possible the number of
food…consumers in his beleaguered capital。 It is said even that he
selected the most gormandizing battalions of the civic force to
send forth against the enemy: viz; the grocers; the rich bankers;
the lawyers; &c。 Their parting with their families was very
affecting。 They would have been very willing to recall their offer
of marching; but companies of stern veterans closing round them;
marched them to the city gates; which were closed upon them; and
thus perforce they were compelled to move on。 As long as he had a
bottle of brandy and a couple of sausages in his holsters; the
General of the National Guard; Odillon Barrot; talked with
tremendous courage。 Such was the power of his eloquence over the
troops; that; could he have come up with the enemy while his
victuals lasted; the issue of the combat might have been very
different。 But in the course of the first day's march he finished
both the sausages and the brandy; and became quite uneasy; silent;
and crest…fallen。
It was on the fair plains of Touraine; by the banks of silver
Loire; that the armies sat down before each other; and the battle
was to take place which had such an effect upon the fortunes of
France。 'Twas a brisk day of March: the practised valor of Nemours
showed him at once what use to make of the army under his orders;
and having enfiladed his National Guard battalions; and placed his
artillery in echelons; he formed his cavalry into hollow squares on
the right and left of his line; flinging out a cloud of howitzers
to fall back upon the main column。 His veteran infantry he formed
behind his National Guardpolitely hinting to Odillon Barrot; who
wished to retire under pretence of being exceedingly unwell; that
the regular troops would bayonet the National Guard if they gave
way an inch: on which their General; turning very pale; demurely
went back to his post。 His men were dreadfully discouraged; they
had slept on the ground all night; they regretted their homes and
their comfortable nightcaps in the Rue St。 Honore: they had luckily
fallen in with a flock of sheep and a drove of oxen at Tours the
day before; but what were these; compared to the delicacies of
Chevet's or three courses at Vefour's? They mournfully cooked
their steaks and cutlets on their ramrods; and passed a most
wretched night。
The army of Henry was encamped opposite to them for the most part
in better order。 The noble cavalry regiments found a village in
which they made themselves pretty comfortable; Jenkins's Foot
taking possession of the kitchens and garrets of the buildings。
The Irish Brigade; accustomed to lie abroad; were quartered in some
potato fields; where they sang Moore's melodies all night。 There
were; besides the troops regular and irregular; about three
tho