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