第 85 节
作者:青涩春天      更新:2024-04-09 19:51      字数:9322
  〃His Royal Highness the Prince of Joinville; Admiral of France; has
  hastened; as we before stated; to the disturbed districts; and
  takes with him his Cavalerie de la Marine。  It is hard to think
  that the blades of those chivalrous heroes must be buried in the
  bosoms of Frenchmen: but so be it: it is those monsters who have
  asked for blood; not we。  It is those ruffians who have begun the
  quarrel; not we。  WE remain calm and hopeful; reposing under the
  protection of the dearest and best of sovereigns。
  〃The wretched pretender; who called himself Duke of Brittany; has
  been seized; according to our prophecy: he was brought before the
  Prefect of Police yesterday; and his insanity being proved beyond a
  doubt; he has been consigned to a strait…waistcoat at Charenton。
  So may all incendiary enemies of our Government be overcome!
  〃His Royal Highness the Duke of Nemours is gone into the department
  of the Loire; where he will speedily put an end to the troubles in
  the disturbed districts of the Bocage and La Vendee。  The foolish
  young Prince; who has there raised his standard; is followed; we
  hear; by a small number of wretched persons; of whose massacre we
  expect every moment to receive the news。  He too has issued his
  Proclamation; and our readers will smile at its contents:
  〃'WE HENRY; Fifth of the Name; King of France and Navarre; to all
  whom it may concern; greeting:
  〃'After years of exile we have once more unfurled in France the
  banner of the lilies。  Once more the white plume of Henri IV。
  floats in the crest of his little son (petit fils)!  Gallant
  nobles! worthy burgesses! honest commons of my realm; I call upon
  you to rally round the oriflamme of France; and summon the ban
  arriereban of my kingdoms。  To my faithful Bretons I need not
  appeal。  The country of Duguesclin has loyalty for an heirloom!  To
  the rest of my subjects; my atheist misguided subjects; their
  father makes one last appeal。  Come to me; my children! your errors
  shall be forgiven。  Our Holy Father; the Pope; shall intercede for
  you。  He promised it when; before my departure on this expedition;
  I kissed his inviolable toe!
  〃'Our afflicted country cries aloud for reforms。  The infamous
  universities shall be abolished。  Education shall no longer be
  permitted。  A sacred and wholesome inquisition shall be established。
  My faithful nobles shall pay no more taxes。  All the venerable
  institutions of our country shall be restored as they existed before
  1788。  Convents and monasteries again shall ornament our country;
  the calm nurseries of saints and holy women!  Heresy shall be
  extirpated with paternal severity; and our country shall be free
  once more。
  〃'His Majesty the King of Ireland; my august ally; has sent; under
  the command of His Royal Highness Prince Daniel; his Majesty's
  youngest son; an irresistible IRISH BRIGADE; to co…operate in the
  good work。  His Grace the Lion of Judah; the canonized patriarch of
  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
  whe