burlesques-第97章

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hats　laced　with　gold。　　They　wore　the　tight　knee…pantaloon　of

velveteen　peculiar　to　this　portion　of　the　British　infantry：　and

their　legs　were　so　superb；　that　the　Duke　of　Bordeaux；　embracing

with　tears　their　admirable　leader　on　parade；　said；　〃Jenkins；　France

never　saw　such　calves　until　now。〃　　The　weapon　of　this　tremendous

militia　was　an　immense　club　or　cane；　reaching　from　the　sole　of　the

foot　to　the　nose；　and　heavily　mounted　with　gold。　　Nothing　could

stand　before　this　terrific　weapon；　and　the　breast…plates　and　plumed

morions　of　the　French　cuirassiers　would　have　been　undoubtedly

crushed　beneath　them；　had　they　ever　met　in　mortal　combat。　　Between

this　part　of　the　Prince's　forces　and　the　Irish　auxiliaries　there

was　a　deadly　animosity。　　Alas；　there　always　is　such　in　camps！　　The

sons　of　Albion　had　not　forgotten　the　day　when　the　children　of　Erin

had　been　subject　to　their　devastating　sway。



The　uniform　of　the　latter　was　variousthe　rich　stuff　called　corps…

du…roy　（worn　by　Coeur　de　Lion　at　Agincourt）　formed　their　lower

habiliments　for　the　most　part：　the　national　frieze*　yielded　them

tail…coats。　　The　latter　was　generally　torn　in　a　fantastic　manner　at

the　elbows；　skirts；　and　collars；　and　fastened　with　every　variety　of

button；　tape；　and　string。　　Their　weapons　were　the　caubeen；　the

alpeen；　and　the　doodeen　of　the　countrythe　latter　a　short　but

dreadful　weapon　of　offence。　　At　the　demise　of　the　venerable

Theobald　Mathew；　the　nation　had　laid　aside　its　habit　of　temperance；

and　universal　intoxication　betokened　their　grief；　it　became

afterwards　their　constant　habit。　　Thus　do　men　ever　return　to　the

haunts　of　their　childhood：　such　a　power　has　fond　memory　over　us！

The　leaders　of　this　host　seem　to　have　been；　however；　an　effeminate

race；　they　are　represented　by　contemporary　historians　as　being

passionately　fond　of　FLYING　KITES。　　Others　say　they　went　into

battle　armed　with　〃bills；〃　no　doubt　rude　weapons；　for　it　is　stated

that　foreigners　could　never　be　got　to　accept　them　in　lieu　of　their

own　arms。　　The　Princes　of　Mayo；　Donegal；　and　Connemara；　marched　by

the　side　of　their　young　and　royal　chieftain；　the　Prince　of

Ballybunion；　fourth　son　of　Daniel　the　First；　King　of　the　Emerald

Isle。





*　Were　these　in　any　way　related　to　the　chevaux…de…frise　on　which

the　French　cavalry　were　mounted？





Two　hosts　then；　one　under　the　Eagles；　and　surrounded　by　the

republican　imperialists；　the　other　under　the　antique　French　Lilies；

were　marching　on　the　French　capital。　　The　Duke　of　Brittany；　too；

confined　in　the　lunatic　asylum　of　Charenton；　found　means　to　issue　a

protest　against　his　captivity；　which　caused　only　derision　in　the

capital。　　Such　was　the　state　of　the　empire；　and　such　the　clouds

that　were　gathering　round　the　Sun　of　Orleans！





CHAPTER　IV。



THE　BATTLE　OF　RHEIMS。





It　was　not　the　first　time　that　the　King　had　had　to　undergo

misfortunes；　and　now；　as　then；　he　met　them　like　a　man。　　The　Prince

of　Joinville　was　not　successful　in　his　campaign　against　the

Imperial　Pretender：　and　that　bravery　which　had　put　the　British

fleet　to　flight；　was　found；　as　might　be　expected；　insufficient

against　the　irresistible　courage　of　native　Frenchmen。　　The　Horse

Marines；　not　being　on　their　own　element；　could　not　act　with　their

usual　effect。　　Accustomed　to　the　tumult　of　the　swelling　seas；　they

were　easily　unsaddled　on　terra　firma　and　in　the　Champagne　country。



It　was　literally　in　the　Champagne　country　that　the　meeting　between

the　troops　under　Joinville　and　Prince　Napoleon　took　place！　for

both　armies　had　reached　Rheims；　and　a　terrific　battle　was　fought

underneath　the　walls。　　For　some　time　nothing　could　dislodge　the

army　of　Joinville；　entrenched　in　the　champagne　cellars　of　Messrs。

Ruinart；　Moet；　and　others；　but　making　too　free　with　the　fascinating

liquor；　the　army　at　length　became　entirely　drunk：　on　which　the

Imperialists；　rushing　into　the　cellars；　had　an　easy　victory　over

them；　and；　this　done；　proceeded　to　intoxicate　themselves　likewise。



The　Prince　of　Joinville；　seeing　the　deroute　of　his　troops；　was

compelled　with　a　few　faithful　followers　to　fly　towards　Paris；　and

Prince　Napoleon　remained　master　of　the　field　of　battle。　　It　is

needless　to　recapitulate　the　bulletin　which　he　published　the　day

after　the　occasion；　so　soon　as　he　and　his　secretaries　were　in　a

condition　to　write：　eagles；　pyramids；　rainbows；　the　sun　of

Austerlitz；　&c。；　figured　in　the　proclamation；　in　close　imitation　of

his　illustrious　uncle。　　But　the　great　benefit　of　the　action　was

this：　on　arousing　from　their　intoxication；　the　late　soldiers　of

Joinville　kissed　and　embraced　their　comrades　of　the　Imperial　army；

and　made　common　cause　with　them。



〃Soldiers！〃　said　the　Prince；　on　reviewing　them　the　second　day　after

the　action；　〃the　Cock　is　a　gallant　bird；　but　he　makes　way　for　the

Eagle！　　Your　colors　are　not　changed。　　Ours　floated　on　the　walls　of

Moscowyours　on　the　ramparts　of　Constantine；　both　are　glorious。

Soldiers　of　Joinville！　we　give　you　welcome；　as　we　would　welcome

your　illustrious　leader；　who　destroyed　the　fleets　of　Albion。　　Let

him　join　us！　　We　will　march　together　against　that　perfidious　enemy。



〃But；　Soldiers！　intoxication　dimmed　the　laurels　of　yesterday's

glorious　day！　　Let　us　drink　no　more　of　the　fascinating　liquors　of

our　native　Champagne。　　Let　us　remember　Hannibal　and　Capua；　and；

before　we　plunge　into　dissipation；　that　we　have　Rome　still　to

conquer！



〃Soldiers！　　Seltzer…water　is　good　after　too　much　drink。　　Wait

awhile；　and　your　Emperor　will　lead　you　into　a　Seltzer…water

country。　　Frenchmen！　it　lies　BEYOND　THE　RHINE！〃



Deafening　shouts　of　〃Vive　l'Empereur！〃　saluted　this　allusion　of　the

Prince；　and　the　army　knew　that　their　natural　boundary　should　be

restored　to　them。　　The　compliments　to　the　gallantry　of　the　Prince

of　Joinville　likewise　won　all　hearts；　and　immensely　advanced　the

Prince's　cause。　　The　Journal　des　Debats　did　not　know　which　way　to

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