burlesques-第94章

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balls　by　their　presence；　the　Emperor　of　Russia　and　family　had　paid

their　accustomed　visit；　and　the　King　of　the　Belgians　had；　as　usual；

made　his　visit　to　his　royal　father…in…law；　under　pretence　of　duty

and　pleasure；　but　really　to　demand　payment　of　the　Queen　of　the

Belgians'　dowry；　which　Louis　Philippe　of　Orleans　still　resolutely

declined　to　pay。　　Who　would　have　thought　that　in　the　midst　of　such

festivity　danger　was　lurking　rife；　in　the　midst　of　such　quiet；

rebellion？



Charenton　was　the　great　lunatic　asylum　of　Paris；　and　it　was　to　this

repository　that　the　scornful　journalist　consigned　the　pretender　to

the　throne　of　Louis　XVI。



But　on　the　next　day；　viz。　Saturday；　the　29th　February；　the　same

journal　contained　a　paragraph　of　a　much　more　startling　and　serious

import；　in　which；　although　under　a　mask　of　carelessness；　it　was

easy　to　see　the　Government　alarm。



On　Friday；　the　28th　February；　the　Journal　des　Debats　contained　a

paragraph；　which　did　not　occasion　much　sensation　at　the　Bourse；　so

absurd　did　its　contents　seem。　　It　ran　as　follows：



〃ENCORE　UN　LOUIS　XVII。！　　A　letter　from　Calais　tells　us　that　a

strange　personage　lately　landed　from　England　（from　Bedlam　we

believe）　has　been　giving　himself　out　to　be　the　son　of　the

unfortunate　Louis　XVI。　　This　is　the　twenty…fourth　pretender　of　the

species　who　has　asserted　that　his　father　was　the　august　victim　of

the　Temple。　　Beyond　his　pretensions；　the　poor　creature　is　said　to

be　pretty　harmless；　he　is　accompanied　by　one　or　two　old　women；　who

declare　they　recognize　in　him　the　Dauphin；　he　does　not　make　any

attempt　to　seize　upon　his　throne　by　force　of　arms；　but　waits　until

heaven　shall　conduct　him　to　it。



〃If　his　Majesty　comes　to　Paris；　we　presume　he　will　TAKE　UP　his

quarters　in　the　palace　of　Charenton。



〃We　have　not　before　alluded　to　certain　rumors　which　have　been

afloat　（among　the　lowest　canaille　and　the　vilest　estaminets　of　the

metropolis）；　that　a　notorious　personagewhy　should　we　hesitate　to

mention　the　name　of　the　Prince　John　Thomas　Napoleon？has　entered

France　with　culpable　intentions；　and　revolutionary　views。　　The

Moniteur　of　this　morning；　however；　confirms　the　disgraceful　fact。

A　pretender　is　on　our　shores；　an　armed　assassin　is　threatening　our

peaceful　liberties；　a　wandering；　homeless　cut…throat　is　robbing　on

our　highways；　and　the　punishment　of　his　crime　awaits　him。　　Let　no

considerations　of　the　past　defer　that　just　punishment；　it　is　the

duty　of　the　legislator　to　provide　for　THE　FUTURE。　　Let　the　full

powers　of　the　law　be　brought　against　him；　aided　by　the　stern

justice　of　the　public　force。　　Let　him　be　tracked；　like　a　wild

beast；　to　his　lair；　and　meet　the　fate　of　one。　　But　the　sentence

has；　ere　this；　been　certainly　executed。　　The　brigand；　we　hear；　has

been　distributing　（without　any　effect）　pamphlets　among　the　low　ale…

houses　and　peasantry　of　the　department　of　the　Upper　Rhine　（in　which

he　lurks）；　and　the　Police　have　an　easy　means　of　tracking　his

footsteps。



〃Corporal　Crane；　of　the　Gendarmerie；　is　on　the　track　of　the


unfortunate　young　man。　　His　attempt　will　only　serve　to　show　the

folly　of　the　pretenders；　and　the　love；　respect；　regard；　fidelity；

admiration；　reverence；　and　passionate　personal　attachment　in　which

we　hold　our　beloved　sovereign。〃





〃SECOND　EDITION！



〃CAPTURE　OF　THE　PRINCE。



〃A　courier　has　just　arrived　at　the　Tuileries　with　a　report　that

after　a　scuffle　between　Corporal　Crane　and　the　'Imperial　Army；'　in

a　water…barrel；　whither　the　latter　had　retreated；　victory　has

remained　with　the　former。　　A　desperate　combat　ensued　in　the　first

place；　in　a　hay…loft；　whence　the　pretender　was　ejected　with　immense

loss。　　He　is　now　a　prisonerand　we　dread　to　think　what　his　fate

may　be！　　It　will　warn　future　aspirants；　and　give　Europe　a　lesson

which　it　is　not　likely　to　forget。　　Above　all；　it　will　set　beyond　a

doubt　the　regard；　respect；　admiration；　reverence；　and　adoration

which　we　all　feel　for　our　sovereign。〃





〃THIRD　EDITION。



〃A　second　courier　has　arrived。　　The　infatuated　Crane　has　made

common　cause　with　the　Prince；　and　forever　forfeited　the　respect　of

Frenchmen。　　A　detachment　of　the　520th　Leger　has　marched　in　pursuit

of　the　pretender　and　his　dupes。　　Go；　Frenchmen；　go　and　conquer！

Remember　that　it　is　our　rights　you　guard；　our　homes　which　you　march

to　defend；　our　laws　which　are　confided　to　the　points　of　your

unsullied　bayonets；above　all；　our　dear；　dear　sovereign；　around

whose　throne　you　rally！



〃Our　feelings　overpower　us。　　Men　of　the　520th；　remember　your

watchword　is　Gemappes；your　countersign；　Valmy。〃





〃The　Emperor　of　Russia　and　his　distinguished　family　quitted　the

Tuileries　this　day。　　His　Imperial　Majesty　embraced　his　Majesty　the

King　of　the　French　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　and　conferred　upon　their

RR。　HH。　the　Princes　of　Nemours　and　Joinville；　the　Grand　Cross　of

the　Order　of　the　Blue　Eagle。〃





〃His　Majesty　passed　a　review　of　the　Police　force。　　The　venerable

monarch　was　received　with　deafening　cheers　by　this　admirable　and

disinterested　body　of　men。　　Those　cheers　were　echoed　in　all　French

hearts。　　Long；　long　may　our　beloved　Prince　be　among　us　to　receive

them！〃





CHAPTER　II。



HENRY　V。　AND　NAPOLEON　III。





Sunday；　February　30th。



We　resume　our　quotations　from　the　Debats；　which　thus　introduces　a

third　pretender　to　the　throne：



〃Is　this　distracted　country　never　to　have　peace？　　While　on　Friday

we　recorded　the　pretensions　of　a　maniac　to　the　great　throne　of

France；　while　on　Saturday　we　were　compelled　to　register　the

culpable　attempts　of　one　whom　we　regard　as　a　ruffian；　murderer；

swindler；　forger；　burglar；　and　common　pickpocket；　to　gain　over

the　allegiance　of　Frenchmenit　is　to…day　our　painful　duty　to

announce　a　THIRD　invasionyes；　a　third　invasion。　　The　wretched；

superstitious；　fanatic　Duke　of　Bordeaux　has　landed　at　Nantz；　and

has　summoned　the　Vendeans　and　the　Bretons　to　mount　the　white

cockade。



〃Grand　Dieu！　are　we　not　happy　under　the　tricolor？　　Do　we　not　repose

under　the　majestic　shadow　of　the　best　of　kings？　　Is　there　any　name

prouder　than　that　of　Frenchman；　any　subject　more　happy　than　that　of

our　sovereign？　　Does　not　the　whole　French　family　adore　their

father？　　Yes。　　Our　lives；　our　hearts；　our　blood；　our　fortune；　are

at　his　disposal：　it　was　not　in　vain　that　we　raised；　it　is　not　the

first　time　we　have　rallied　round；　the　august　throne　of　July。　　The

unhappy　Duke　is　most　likely　a　prisoner　by　this　time；　and　the

martial　court　which　shall　be　called　upon　to　judge　one　infamous

traitor　and　pretender；　may　at　the　same　moment　judge　another。　　Away

with　both！　let　the　ditch　of　Vincennes　（which　has　been　already　fatal

to　his　race）　receive　his　body；　too；　and　with　it　the　corpse　of　the

other　pretender。　　Thus　will　a　great　crime　be　wiped　out　of　history；

and　the　manes　of　a　slaughtered　martyr　avenged！



〃One　word　more。　　We　hear　that　the　Duke　of　Jenkins　accompanies　the

descendant　of　Caroline　of　Naples。　　An　ENGLISH　DUKE；　entendez…vous！

An　English　Duke；　great　heaven！　and　the　Princes　of　England　still

dancing　in　our　royal　halls！　　Where；　where　will　the　perfidy　of

Albion　end？〃





〃The　King　reviewed　the　third　and　fourth　battalions　of　Police。　　The

usual　heart…rending　cheers　accompanied　the　monarch；　who　looked

younger　than　ever　we　saw　himay；　as　young　as　when　he　faced　the

Austrian　cannon　at　Valmy　and　scattered　their　squadrons　at　Gemappes。



〃Rations　of　liquor；　and　crosses　of　the　Legion　of　Honor；　were

distributed　to　all　the　men。



〃The　English　Princes　quitted　the　Tuileries　in　twenty…three　coaches…

and…four。　　They　were　not　rewarded　with　crosses　of　the　Legion　of

Honor。　　This　is　significant。〃





〃The　Dukes　of　Joinville　and　Nemours　left　the　palace　for　the

departments　of　the　Loire　and　Upper　Rhine；　where　they　will　take　the

command　of　the　troops。　　The　Joinville　regimentCavalerie　de　la

Marineis　one　of　the　finest　in　the　service。〃





〃Orders　have　been　given　to　arrest　the　fanat