the surprising adventures of baron munchausen-第37章

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balloon；　on　which　the　inflammable　air　rushed　out　with　great　force；　and　the　〃Royal　George〃　descended　like　a　falling　star　into　the　very　spot　from　whence　she　had　been　taken。　There　she　still　remains；　and　I　have　convinced　all　Europe　of　the　possibility　of　taking　her　up。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XXXIV

　　/The　Baron　makes　a　speech　to　the　National　Assembly；　and　drives　out　　　all　the　membersRouts　the　fishwomen　and　the　National　Guards　　　Pursues　the　whole　rout　into　a　Church；　where　he　defeats　the　　　National　Assembly；　&c。；　with　Rousseau；　Voltaire；　and　Beelzebub　at　　　their　head；　and　liberates　Marie　Antoinette　and　the　Royal　Family。/

Passing　through　Switzerland　on　my　return　from　India；　I　was　informed　that　several　of　the　German　nobility　had　been　deprived　of　the　honours　and　immunities　of　their　French　estates。　I　heard　of　the　sufferings　of　the　amiable　Marie　Antoinette；　and　swore　to　avenge　every　look　that　had　threatened　her　with　insult。　I　went　to　the　cavern　of　these　Anthropophagi；　assembled　to　debate；　and　gracefully　putting　the　hilt　of　my　sword　to　my　lips〃I　swear；〃　cried　I；　〃by　the　sacred　cross　of　my　sword；　that　if　you　do　not　instantly　reinstate　your　king　and　his　nobility；　and　your　injured　queen；　I　will　cut　the　one　half　of　you　to　pieces。〃

On　which　the　President；　taking　up　a　leaden　inkstand；　flung　it　at　my　head。　I　stooped　to　avoid　the　blow；　and　rushing　to　the　tribunal　seized　the　Speaker；　who　was　fulminating　against　the　Aristocrats；　and　taking　the　creature　by　one　leg；　flung　him　at　the　President。　I　laid　about　me　most　nobly；　drove　them　all　out　of　the　house；　and　locking　the　doors　put　the　key　in　my　pocket。

I　then　went　to　the　poor　king；　and　making　my　obeisance　to　him〃Sire；〃　said　I；　〃your　enemies　have　all　fled。　I　alone　am　the　National　Assembly　at　present；　and　I　shall　register　your　edicts　to　recall　the　princes　and　the　nobility；　and　in　future；　if　your　majesty　pleases；　I　will　be　your　Parliament　and　Council。〃　He　thanked　me；　and　the　amiable　Marie　Antoinette；　smiling；　gave　me　her　hand　to　kiss。

At　that　moment　I　perceived　a　party　of　the　National　Assembly；　who　had　rallied　with　the　National　Guards；　and　a　vast　procession　of　fishwomen；　advancing　against　me。　I　deposited　their　Majesties　in　a　place　of　safety；　and　with　my　drawn　sword　advanced　against　my　foes。　Three　hundred　fishwomen；　with　bushes　dressed　with　ribbons　in　their　hands；　came　hallooing　and　roaring　against　me　like　so　many　furies。　I　scorned　to　defile　my　sword　with　their　blood；　but　seized　the　first　that　came　up；　and　making　her　kneel　down　I　knighted　her　with　my　sword；　which　so　terrified　the　rest　that　they　all　set　up　a　frightful　yell　and　ran　away　as　fast　as　they　could　for　fear　of　being　aristocrated　by　knighthood。

As　to　the　National　Guards　and　the　rest　of　the　Assembly；　I　soon　put　them　to　flight；　and　having　made　prisoners　of　some　of　them；　compelled　them　to　take　down　their　national；　and　put　the　old　royal　cockade　in　its　place。

I　then　pursued　the　enemy　to　the　top　of　a　hill；　where　a　most　noble　edifice　dazzled　my　sight；　noble　and　sacred　it　was　but　now　converted　to　the　vilest　purposes；　their　monument　/de　grands　hommes/；　a　Christian　church　that　these　Saracens　had　perverted　into　abomination。　I　burst　open　the　doors；　and　entered　sword　in　hand。　Here　I　observed　all　the　National　Assembly　marching　round　a　great　altar　erected　to　Voltaire；　there　was　his　statue　in　triumph；　and　the　fishwomen　with　garlands　decking　it；　and　singing　〃Ca　ira！〃　I　could　bear　the　sight　no　longer；　but　rushed　upon　these　pagans；　and　sacrificed　them　by　dozens　on　the　spot。　The　members　of　the　Assembly；　and　the　fishwomen；　continued　to　invoke　their　great　Voltaire；　and　all　their　masters　in　this　monument　/de　grands　hommes/；　imploring　them　to　come　down　and　succour　them　against　the　Aristocrats　and　the　sword　of　Munchausen。　Their　cries　were　horrible；　like　the　shrieks　of　witches　and　enchanters　versed　in　magic　and　the　black　art；　while　the　thunder　growled；　and　storms　shook　the　battlements；　and　Rousseau；　Voltaire；　and　Beelzebub　appeared；　three　horrible　spectres；　one　all　meagre；　mere　skin　and　bone；　and　cadaverous；　seemed　death；　that　hideous　skeleton；　it　was　Voltaire；　and　in　his　hand　were　a　lyre　and　a　dagger。　On　the　other　side　was　Rousseau；　with　a　chalice　of　sweet　poison　in　his　hand；　and　between　them　was　their　father　Beelzebub！

I　shuddered　at　the　sight；　and　with　all　the　enthusiasm　of　rage；　horror；　and　piety；　rushed　in　among　them。　I　seized　that　cursed　skeleton　Voltaire；　and　soon　compelled　him　to　renounce　all　the　errors　he　had　advanced；　and　while　he　spoke　the　words；　as　if　by　magic　charm；　the　whole　assembly　shrieked；　and　the　pandemonium　began　to　tumble　in　hideous　ruin　on　their　heads。

I　returned　in　triumph　to　the　palace；　where　the　Queen　rushed　into　my　arms；　weeping　tenderly。　〃Ah；　thou　flower　of　nobility；〃　cried　she；　〃were　all　the　nobles　of　France　like　thee；　we　should　never　have　been　brought　to　this！〃

I　bade　the　lovely　creature　dry　her　eyes；　and　with　the　King　and　Dauphin　ascend　my　carriage；　and　drive　post　to　Mont…Medi；　as　not　an　instant　was　to　be　lost。　They　took　my　advice　and　drove　away。　I　conveyed　them　within　a　few　miles　of　Mont…Medi；　when　the　King；　thanking　me　for　my　assistance；　hoped　I　would　not　trouble　myself　any　farther；　as　he　was　then；　he　presumed；　out　of　danger；　and　the　Queen　also；　with　tears　in　her　eyes；　thanked　me　on　her　knees；　and　presented　the　Dauphin　for　my　blessing。　In　short；　I　left　the　King　eating　a　mutton　chop。　I　advised　him　not　to　delay；　or　he　would　certainly　be　taken；　and　setting　spurs　to　my　horse；　wished　them　a　good　evening；　and　returned　to　England。　If　the　King　remained　too　long　at　table；　and　was　taken；　it　was　not　my　fault。





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