burlesques-第9节

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Alas！　who　would　have　thought　those　two　gallant　heads　would　be　so

soon　laid　low？　　My　wife　has　a　pair　of　earrings　which　the　latter；

who　always　wore　them；　presented　to　herbut　we　are　advancing

matters。　　Anybody　could　see；　〃avec　un　demioeil；〃　as　the　Prince　of

Benevento　remarked；　how　affairs　went　between　me　and　Blanche；　but

though　she　loathed　him　for　his　cruelties　and　the　odiousness　of　his

person；　the　brutal　Cambaceres　still　pursued　his　designs　upon　her。



I　recollect　it　was　on　St。　Patrick's　Day。　　My　lovely　friend　had

procured；　from　the　gardens　of　the　Empress　Josephine；　at　Malmaison

（whom　we　loved　a　thousand　times　more　than　her　Austrian　successor；　a

sandy…haired　woman；　between　ourselves；　with　an　odious　squint）；　a

quantity　of　shamrock　wherewith　to　garnish　the　hotel；　and　all　the

Irish　in　Paris　were　invited　to　the　national　festival。



I　and　Prince　Talleyrand　danced　a　double　hornpipe　with　Pauline

Bonaparte　and　Madame　de　Stael；　Marshal　Soult　went　down　a　couple　of

sets　with　Madame　Recamier；　and　Robespierre's　widowan　excellent；

gentle　creature；　quite　unlike　her　husbandstood　up　with　the

Austrian　ambassador。　　Besides；　the　famous　artists　Baron　Gros；　David

and　Nicholas　Poussin；　and　Canova；　who　was　in　town　making　a　statue

of　the　Emperor　for　Leo　X。；　and；　in　a　word；　all　the　celebrities　of

Parisas　my　gifted　countrywoman；　the　wild　Irish　girl；　calls　them

were　assembled　in　the　Marquis's　elegant　receiving…rooms。



At　last　a　great　outcry　was　raised　for　La　Gigue　Irlandaise！　　La

Gigue　Irlandaise！　a　dance　which　had　made　a　fureur　amongst　the

Parisians　ever　since　the　lovely　Blanche　Sarsfield　had　danced　it。

She　stepped　forward　and　took　me　for　a　partner；　and　amidst　the

bravoes　of　the　crowd；　in　which　stood　Ney；　Murat；　Lannes；　the　Prince

of　Wagram；　and　the　Austrian　ambassador；　we　showed　to　the　beau　monde

of　the　French　capital；　I　flatter　myself；　a　not　unfavorable　specimen

of　the　dance　of　our　country。



As　I　was　cutting　the　double…shuffle；　and　toe…and…heeling　it　in　the

〃rail〃　style；　Blanche　danced　up　to　me；　smiling；　and　said；　〃Be　on

your　guard；　I　see　Cambaceres　talking　to　Fouche；　the　Duke　of

Otranto；　about　us；　and　when　Otranto　turns　his　eyes　upon　a　man；　they

bode　him　no　good。〃



〃Cambaceres　is　jealous；〃　said　I。　　〃I　have　it；〃　says　she；　〃I'll　make

him　dance　a　turn　with　me。〃　　So；　presently；　as　the　music　was　going

like　mad　all　this　time；　I　pretended　fatigue　from　my　late　wounds；

and　sat　down。　　The　lovely　Blanche　went　up　smiling；　and　brought　out

Cambaceres　as　a　second　partner。



The　Marshal　is　a　lusty　man；　who　makes　desperate　efforts　to　give

himself　a　waist；　and　the　effect　of　the　exercise　upon　him　was

speedily　visible。　　He　puffed　and　snorted　like　a　walrus；　drops

trickled　down　his　purple　face；　while　my　lovely　mischief　of　a

Blanche　went　on　dancing　at　treble　quick；　till　she　fairly　danced　him

down。



〃Who'll　take　the　flure　with　me？〃　said　the　charming　girl；　animated

by　the　sport。



〃Faix；　den；　'tis　I；　Lanty　Clancy！〃　cried　my　rascal；　who　had　been

mad　with　excitement　at　the　scene；　and；　stepping　in　with　a　whoop　and

a　hurroo；　he　began　to　dance　with　such　rapidity　as　made　all　present

stare。



As　the　couple　were　footing　it；　there　was　a　noise　as　of　a　rapid

cavalcade　traversing　the　Place　Vendome；　and　stopping　at　the

Marquis's　door。　　A　crowd　appeared　to　mount　the　stair；　the　great

doors　of　the　reception…room　were　flung　open；　and　two　pages

announced　their　Majesties　the　Emperor　and　the　Empress。　　So　engaged

were　Lanty　and　Blanche；　that　they　never　heard　the　tumult　occasioned

by　the　august　approach。



It　was　indeed　the　Emperor；　who；　returning　from　the　Theatre

Francais；　and　seeing　the　Marquis's　windows　lighted　up；　proposed　to

the　Empress　to　drop　in　on　the　party。　　He　made　signs　to　the

musicians　to　continue：　and　the　conqueror　of　Marengo　and　Friedland

watched　with　interest　the　simple　evolutions　of　two　happy　Irish

people。　　Even　the　Empress　smiled　and；　seeing　this；　all　the

courtiers；　including　Naples　and　Talleyrand；　were　delighted。



〃Is　not　this　a　great　day　for　Ireland？〃　said　the　Marquis；　with　a

tear　trickling　down　his　noble　face。　　〃O　Ireland！　　O　my　country！

But　no　more　of　that。　　Go　up；　Phil；　you　divvle；　and　offer　her

Majesty　the　choice　of　punch　or　negus。〃



Among　the　young　fellows　with　whom　I　was　most　intimate　in　Paris　was

Eugene　Beauharnais；　the　son　of　the　ill…used　and　unhappy　Josephine

by　her　former　marriage　with　a　French　gentleman　of　good　family。

Having　a　smack　of　the　old　blood　in　him；　Eugene's　manners　were　much

more　refined　than　those　of　the　new…fangled　dignitaries　of　the

Emperor's　Court；　where　（for　my　knife　and　fork　were　regularly　laid

at　the　Tuileries）　I　have　seen　my　poor　friend　Murat　repeatedly

mistake　a　fork　for　a　toothpick；　and　the　gallant　Massena　devour

pease　by　means　of　his　knife；　in　a　way　more　innocent　than　graceful。

Talleyrand；　Eugene；　and　I　used　often　to　laugh　at　these　eccentricities

of　our　brave　friends；　who　certainly　did　not　shine　in　the

drawing…room；　however　brilliant　they　were　in　the　field　of　battle。

The　Emperor　always　asked　me　to　take　wine　with　him；　and　was　full　of

kindness　and　attention。



〃I　like　Eugene；〃　he　would　say；　pinching　my　ear　confidentially；　as

his　way　was〃I　like　Eugene　to　keep　company　with　such　young　fellows

as　you；　you　have　manners；　you　have　principles；　my　rogues　from　the

camp　have　none。　　And　I　like　you；　Philip　my　boy；〃　he　added；　〃for

being　so　attentive　to　my　poor　wifethe　Empress　Josephine；　I　mean。〃

All　these　honors　made　my　friends　at　the　Marquis's　very　proud；　and

my　enemies　at　Court　crever　with　envy。　　Among　these；　the　atrocious

Cambaceres　was　not　the　least　active　and　envenomed。



The　cause　of　the　many　attentions　which　were　paid　to　me；　and　which；

like　a　vain　coxcomb；　I　had　chosen　to　attribute　to　my　own　personal

amiability；　soon　was　apparent。　　Having　formed　a　good　opinion　of　my

gallantry　from　my　conduct　in　various　actions　and　forlorn　hopes

during　the　war；　the　Emperor　was　most　anxious　to　attach　me　to　his

service。　　The　Grand　Cross　of　St。　Louis；　the　title　of　Count；　the

command　of　a　crack　cavalry　regiment；　the　l4me　Chevaux　Marins；　were

the　bribes　that　were　actually　offered　to　me；　and　must　I　say　it？

Blanche；　the　lovely；　the　perfidious　Blanche；　was　one　of　the　agents

employed　to　tempt　me　to　commit　this　act　of　treason。



〃Object　to　enter　a　foreign　service！〃　she　said；　in　reply　to　my

refusal。　　〃It　is　you；　Philip；　who　are　in　a　foreign　service。　　The

Irish　nation　is　in　exile；　and　in　the　territories　of　its　French

allies。　　Irish　traitors　are　not　here；　they　march　alone　under　the

accursed　flag　of　the　Saxon；　whom　the　great　Napoleon　would　have

swept　from　the　face　of　the　earth；　but　for　the　fatal　valor　of　Irish

mercenaries！　　Accept　this　offer；　and　my　heart；　my　hand；　my　all　are

yours。　　Refuse　it；　Philip；　and　we　part。〃



〃To　wed　the　abominable　Cambaceres！〃　I　cried；　stung　with　rage。　　〃To

wear　a　duchess's　coronet；　Blanche！　　Ha；　ha！　　Mushrooms；　instead　of

strawberry…leaves；　should　decorate　the　brows　of　the　upstart　French

nobility。　　I　shall　withdraw　my　parole。　　I　demand　to　be　sent　to

prisonto　be　exchangedto　dieanything　rather　than　be　a　traitor；

and　the　tool　of　a　traitress！〃　　Taking　up　my　hat；　I　left　the　room　in

a　fury；　and　flinging　open　the　door　tumbled　over　Cambaceres；　who　was

listening　at　the　key…hole；　and　must　have　overheard　every　word　of

our　conversation。



We　tumbled　over　each　other；　as　Blanche　was　shrieking　with　laughter

at　our　mutual　discomfiture。　　Her　scorn　only　made　me　more　mad；　and；

having　spurs　on；　I　began　digging　them　into　Cambaceres'　fat　sides　as

we　rolled　on　the　carpet；　until　the　Marshal　howled　with　rage　and

anger。



〃This　insult　must　be　avenged　with　blood！〃　roared　the　Duke　of

Illyria。



〃I　have　already　drawn　it；〃　says　I；　〃with　my　spurs。〃



〃Malheur　et　malediction！〃　roared　the　Marshal。



〃Hadn't　you　better　settle　your　wig？〃　says　I；　offering　it　to　him　on

the　tip　of　my　cane；　〃and　we'll　arrange　time　and　place　when　you　have

put　your　jasey　in　order。〃　　I　shall　never　forget　the　look　of　revenge

which　he　cast　at　me；　as　I　was　thus　turning　him　into　ridicule　before

his　mistress。



〃Lady　Blanche；〃　I　continued　bitterly；　〃as　you　look　to　share　the

Duke's　coronet；　hadn't　you　better　see　to　his　wig？〃　and　so　saying；　I

cocked　my　hat；　and　walked　out　of　the　Marquis's　place；　whistling

〃Garryowen。〃



I　knew　my　man　would　not　be　long　in　following　me；　and　waited　for　him

in　the　Place　Vendome；　where　I　luckily　met　Eugene　too；　who　was

looking　at　the　picture…shop　in　the　corner。　　I　explained　to　him　my

affair　in　a　twinkling。　　He　at　once　agreed　to　go　with　me　to　the

ground；　and　commended　me；　rather　than　otherwise；　for　refusing　the

offer　which　had　been　made　to　me。　　〃I　knew　it　would　be　so；〃　he　said；

kindly；　〃I　told　my　father　you　wouldn't。　　A　man　with　the　blood　of

the　Fogarties；　Phil　my　boy；　doesn't　wheel　about　like　those　fellows

of　yesterday。〃　　So；　when　Cambaceres　came　out；　which　he　did

presently；　with　a　more　furious　air　than　before；　I　handed　him　at