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第87节

burlesques-第87节

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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

thousand priests and abbes with the army; armed with scourging…

whips; and chanting the most lugubrious canticles: these reverend

men were found to be a hindrance rather than otherwise to the

operations of the regular forces。



It was a touching sight; on the morning before the battle; to see

the alacrity with which Jenkins's regiment sprung up at the FIRST

reveille of the bell; and engaged (the honest fellows!) in offices

almost menial for the benefit of their French allies。  The Duke

himself set the example; and blacked to a nicety the boots of

Henri。  At half…past ten; after coffee; the brilliant warriors of

the cavalry were ready; their clarions rung to horse; their banners

were given to the wind; their shirt…collars were exquisitely

starched; and the whole air was scented with the odors of their

pomatums and pocket…handkerchiefs。



Jenkins had the honor of holding the stirrup for Henri。  〃My

faithful Duke!〃 said the Prince; pulling him by the shoulder…knot;

〃thou art always at THY POST。〃  〃Here; as in Wellington Street;

sire;〃 said the hero; blushing。  And the Prince made an appropriate

speech to his chivalry; in which allusions to the lilies; Saint

Louis; Bayard and Henri Quatre; were; as may be imagined; not

spared。  〃Ho! standard…bearer!〃 the Prince concluded; 〃fling out my

oriflamme。  Noble gents of France; your King is among you to…day!〃



Then turning to the Prince of Ballybunion; who had been drinking

whiskey…punch all night with the Princes of Donegal and Connemara;

〃Prince;〃 he said; 〃the Irish Brigade has won every battle in the

French historywe will not deprive you of the honor of winning

this。  You will please to commence the attack with your brigade。〃

Bending his head until the green plumes of his beaver mingled with

the mane of the Shetland pony which he rode; the Prince of Ireland

trotted off with his aides…de…camp; who rode the same horses;

powerful grays; with which a dealer at Nantz had supplied them on

their and the Prince's joint bill at three months。



The gallant sons of Erin had wisely slept until the last minute in

their potato…trenches; but rose at once at the summons of their

beloved Prince。  Their toilet was the work of a momenta single

shake and it was done。  Rapidly forming into a line; they advanced

headed by their Generals;who; turning their steeds into a grass…

field; wisely determined to fight on foot。  Behind them came the

line of British foot under the illustrious Jenkins; who marched in

advance perfectly collected; and smoking a Manilla cigar。  The

cavalry were on the right and left of the infantry; prepared to act

in pontoon; in echelon; or in ricochet; as occasion might demand。

The Prince rode behind; supported by his Staff; who were almost all

of them bishops; archdeacons; or abbes; and the body of ecclesiastics

followed; singing to the sound; or rather howl; of serpents and

trombones; the Latin canticles of the Reverend Fr

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