burlesques-第88节

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

trombones；　the　Latin　canticles　of　the　Reverend　Franciscus　O'Mahony；

lately　canonized　under　the　name　of　Saint　Francis　of　Cork。



The　advanced　lines　of　the　two　contending　armies　were　now　in

presencethe　National　Guard　of　Orleans　and　the　Irish　Brigade。

The　white　belts　and　fat　paunches　of　the　Guard　presented　a　terrific

appearance；　but　it　might　have　been　remarked　by　the　close　observer；

that　their　faces　were　as　white　as　their　belts；　and　the　long　line　of

their　bayonets　might　be　seen　to　quiver。　　General　Odillon　Barrot；

with　a　cockade　as　large　as　a　pancake；　endeavored　to　make　a　speech：

the　words　honneur；　patrie；　Francais；　champ　de　bataille　might　be

distinguished；　but　the　General　was　dreadfully　flustered；　and　was

evidently　more　at　home　in　the　Chamber　of　Deputies　than　in　the　field

of　war。



The　Prince　of　Ballybunion；　for　a　wonder；　did　not　make　a　speech。

〃Boys；〃　said　he；　〃we've　enough　talking　at　the　Corn　Exchange；

bating's　the　word　now。〃　　The　Green…Islanders　replied　with　a

tremendous　hurroo；　which　sent　terror　into　the　fat　bosoms　of　the

French。



〃Gentlemen　of　the　National　Guard；〃　said　the　Prince；　taking　off　his

hat　and　bowing　to　Odillon　Barrot；　〃will　ye　be　so　igsthramely

obleeging　as　to　fire　first。〃　　This　he　said　because　it　had　been　said

at　Fontenoy；　but　chiefly　because　his　own　men　were　only　armed　with

shillelaghs；　and　therefore　could　not　fire。



But　this　proposal　was　very　unpalatable　to　the　National　Guardsmen：

for　though　they　understood　the　musket…exercise　pretty　well；　firing

was　the　thing　of　all　others　they　detestedthe　noise；　and　the　kick

of　the　gun；　and　the　smell　of　the　powder　being　very　unpleasant　to

them。　　〃We　won't　fire；〃　said　Odillon　Barrot；　turning　round　to

Colonel　Saugrenue　and　his　regiment　of　the　linewhich；　it　may　be

remembered；　was　formed　behind　the　National　Guard。



〃Then　give　them　the　bayonet；〃　said　the　Colonel；　with　a　terrific

oath。　　〃Charge；　corbleu！〃



At　this　moment；　and　with　the　most　dreadful　howl　that　ever　was

heard；　the　National　Guard　was　seen　to　rush　forwards　wildly；　and

with　immense　velocity；　towards　the　foe。　　The　fact　is；　that　the　line

regiment　behind　them；　each　selecting　his　man；　gave　a　poke　with　his

bayonet　between　the　coat…tails　of　the　Nationals；　and　those　troops

bounded　forward　with　an　irresistible　swiftness。



Nothing　could　withstand　the　tremendous　impetus　of　that　manoeuvre。

The　Irish　Brigade　was　scattered　before　it；　as　chaff　before　the

wind。　　The　Prince　of　Ballybunion　had　barely　time　to　run　Odillon

Barrot　through　the　body；　when　he　too　was　borne　away　in　the　swift

rout。　　They　scattered　tumultuously；　and　fled　for　twenty　miles

without　stopping。　　The　Princes　of　Donegal　and　Connemara　were　taken

prisoners；　but　though　they　offered　to　give　bills　at　three　months；

and　for　a　hundred　thousand　pounds；　for　their　ransom；　the　offer　was

refused；　and　they　were　sent　to　the　rear；　when　the　Duke　of　Nemours；

hearing　they　were　Irish　Generals；　and　that　they　had　been　robbed　of

their　ready　money　by　his　troops；　who　had　taken　them　prisoners；

caused　a　comfortable　breakfast　to　be　supplied　to　them；　and　lent

them　each　a　sum　of　money。　　How　generous　are　men　in　success！the

Prince　of　Orleans　was　charmed　with　the　conduct　of　his　National

Guards；　and　thought　his　victory　secure。　　He　despatched　a　courier　to

Paris　with　the　brief　words；　〃We　met　the　enemy　before　Tours。　　The

National　Guard　has　done　its　duty。　　The　troops　of　the　pretender　are

routed。　　Vive　le　Roi！〃　　The　note；　you　may　be　sure；　appeared　in　the

Journal　des　Debats；　and　the　editor；　who　only　that　morning　had

called　Henri　V。　〃a　great　prince；　an　august　exile；〃　denominated　him

instantly　a　murderer；　slave；　thief；　cut…throat；　pickpocket；　and

burglar。





CHAPTER　VI。



THE　ENGLISH　UNDER　JENKINS。





But　the　Prince　had　not　calculated　that　there　was　a　line　of　British

infantry　behind　the　routed　Irish　Brigade。　　Borne　on　with　the　hurry

of　the　melee；　flushed　with　triumph；　puffing　and　blowing　with

running；　and　forgetting；　in　the　intoxication　of　victory；　the

trifling　bayonet…pricks　which　had　impelled　them　to　the　charge；　the

conquering　National　Guardsmen　found　themselves　suddenly　in　presence

of　Jenkins's　Foot。



They　halted　all　in　a　huddle；　like　a　flock　of　sheep。



〃UP；　FOOT；　AND　AT　THEM！〃　were　the　memorable　words　of　the　Duke

Jenkins；　as；　waving　his　baton；　he　pointed　towards　the　enemy；　and

with　a　tremendous　shout　the　stalwart　sons　of　England　rushed　on！

Down　went　plume　and　cocked…hat；　down　went　corporal　and　captain；

down　went　grocer　and　tailor；　under　the　long　staves　of　the

indomitable　English　Footmen。　　〃A　Jenkins！　a　Jenkins！〃　roared　the

Duke；　planting　a　blow　which　broke　the　aquiline　nose　of　Major　Arago；

the　celebrated　astronomer。　　〃St。　George　for　Mayfair！〃　shouted　his

followers；　strewing　the　plain　with　carcasses。　　Not　a　man　of　the

Guard　escaped；　they　fell　like　grass　before　the　mower。



〃They　are　gallant　troops；　those　yellow…plushed　Anglais；〃　said　the

Duke　of　Nemours；　surveying　them　with　his　opera…glass。　　〃'Tis　a　pity

they　will　all　be　cut　up　in　half　an　hour。　　Concombre！　take　your

dragoons；　and　do　it！〃　　〃Remember　Waterloo；　boys！〃　said　Colonel

Concombre；　twirling　his　moustache；　and　a　thousand　sabres　flashed　in

the　sun；　and　the　gallant　hussars　prepared　to　attack　the　Englishmen。



Jenkins；　his　gigantic　form　leaning　on　his　staff；　and　surveying　the

havoc　of　the　field；　was　instantly　aware　of　the　enemy's　manoeuvre。

His　people　were　employed　rifling　the　pockets　of　the　National　Guard；

and　had　made　a　tolerable　booty；　when　the　great　Duke；　taking　a　bell

out　of　his　pocket；　（it　was　used　for　signals　in　his　battalion　in

place　of　fife　or　bugle；）　speedily　called　his　scattered　warriors

together。　　〃Take　the　muskets　of　the　Nationals；〃　said　he。　　They　did

so。　　〃Form　in　square；　and　prepare　to　receive　cavalry！〃　　By　the　time

Concombre's　regiment　arrived；　he　found　a　square　of　bristling

bayonets　with　Britons　behind　them！



The　Colonel　did　not　care　to　attempt　to　break　that　tremendous　body。

〃Halt！〃　said　he　to　his　men。



〃Fire！〃　screamed　Jenkins；　with　eagle　swiftness；　but　the　guns　of　the

National　Guard　not　being　loaded；　did　not　in　consequence　go　off。

The　hussars　gave　a　jeer　of　derision；　but　nevertheless　did　not

return　to　the　attack；　and　seeing　some　of　the　Legitimist　cavalry　at

hand；　prepared　to　charge　upon　them。



The　fate　of　those　carpet　warriors　was　soon　decided。　　The　Millefleur

regiment　broke　before　Concombre's　hussars　instantaneously；　the　Eau…

de…Rose　dragoons　stuck　spurs　into　their　blood　horses；　and　galloped

far　out　of　reach　of　the　opposing　cavalry；　the　Eau…de…Cologne

lancers　fainted　to　a　man；　and　the　regiment　of　Concombre；　pursuing

its　course；　had　actually　reached　the　Prince　and　his　aides…de…camp；

when　the　clergymen　coming　up　formed　gallantly　round　the　oriflamme；

and　the　bassoons　and　serpents　braying　again；　set　up　such　a　shout　of

canticles；　and　anathemas；　and　excommunications；　that　the　horses　of

Concombre's　dragoons　in　turn　took　fright；　and　those　warriors　in

their　turn　broke　and　fled。　　As　soon　as　they　turned；　the　Vendean

riflemen　fired　amongst　them　and　finished　them：　the　gallant

Concombre　fell；　the　intrepid　though　diminutive　Cornichon；　his

major；　was　cut　down；　Cardon　was　wounded　a　la　moelle；　and　the　wife

of　the　fiery　Navet　was　that　day　a　widow。　　Peace　to　the　souls　of　the

brave！　　In　defeat　or　in　victory；　where　can　the　soldier　find　a　more

fitting　resting…place　than　the　glorious　field　of　carnage？　　Only　a

few　disorderly　and　dispirited　riders　of　Concombre's　regiment

reached　Tours　at　night。　　They　had　left　it　but　the　day　before；　a

thousand　disciplined　and　high…spirited　men！



Knowing　how　irresistible　a　weapon　is　the　bayonet　in　British　hands；

the　intrepid　Jenkins　determined　to　carry　on　his　advantage；　and

charged　the　Saugrenue　light　infantry　（now　before　him）　with　COLD

STEEL。　　The　Frenchmen　delivered　a　volley；　of　which　a　shot　took

effect　in　Jenkins's　cockade；　but　did　not　abide　the　crossing　of　the

weapons。　　〃A　Frenchman　dies；　but　never　surrenders；〃　said　Saugrenue；

yielding　up　his　sword；　and　his　whole　regiment　were　stabbed；

trampled　down；　or　made　prisoners。　　The　blood　of　the　Englishmen　rose

in　the　hot　encounter。　　Their　curses　were　horrible；　their　courage

tremendous。　　〃On！　on！〃　hoarsely　screamed　they；　and　a　second

regiment　met　them　and　was　crushed；　pounded　in　the　hurtling；

grinding　encounter。　　〃A　Jenkins；　a　Jenkins！〃　still　roared　the

heroic　Duke：　〃St。　George　for　Mayfair！〃　　The　Footmen　of　England

still　yelled　their　terrific　battle…cry；　〃Hurra；　hurra！〃　　On　they

went；　regiment　after　regiment　was　annihilated；　until；　scared　at　the

very　trample　of　the　advancing　warriors；　the　dismayed　troops　of

France　screaming　fled。　　Gathering　his　last　warriors　round　about

him；　Nemours　determined　to　make　a　last　desperate　effort。　　'Twas

vain：　the　ranks　met；　the　next　moment　the　truncheon　of　the　Prince　of

Orleans　was　dashed　from　his　hand　by　the　irresistible　mace　of　t