第 89 节
作者:青涩春天      更新:2024-04-09 19:51      字数:9322
  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
  c