burlesques-第98章

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peasant　was　like　a　limb　torn　from　his　own　body；　but　that　duty　must

be　done；　that　the　interests　of　the　country　demanded　the　sacrifice；

and　that　in　fact；　they　might　go　to　the　deuce。　　This　the　unfortunate

creatures　certainly　did。



The　theatres　went　on　as　usual　within　the　walls。　　The　Journal　des

Debats　stated　every　day　that　the　pretenders　were　taken；　the

Chambers　satsuch　as　remainedand　talked　immensely　about　honor；

dignity；　and　the　glorious　revolution　of　July；　and　the　King；　as　his

power　was　now　pretty　nigh　absolute　over　them；　thought　this　a　good

opportunity　to　bring　in　a　bill　for　doubling　his　children's

allowances　all　round。



Meanwhile　the　Duke　of　Nemours　proceeded　on　his　march；　and　as　there

was　nothing　left　within　fifty　miles　of　Paris　wherewith　to　support

his　famished　troops；　it　may　be　imagined　that　he　was　forced　to

ransack　the　next　fifty　miles　in　order　to　maintain　them。　　He　did　so。

But　the　troops　were　not　such　as　they　should　have　been；　considering

the　enemy　with　whom　they　had　to　engage。



The　fact　is；　that　most　of　the　Duke's　army　consisted　of　the　National

Guard；　who；　in　a　fit　of　enthusiasm；　and　at　the　cry　of　〃LA　PATRIE　EN

DANGER〃　having　been　induced　to　volunteer；　had　been　eagerly　accepted

by　his　Majesty；　anxious　to　lessen　as　much　as　possible　the　number　of

food…consumers　in　his　beleaguered　capital。　　It　is　said　even　that　he

selected　the　most　gormandizing　battalions　of　the　civic　force　to

send　forth　against　the　enemy：　viz；　the　grocers；　the　rich　bankers；

the　lawyers；　&c。　　Their　parting　with　their　families　was　very

affecting。　　They　would　have　been　very　willing　to　recall　their　offer

of　marching；　but　companies　of　stern　veterans　closing　round　them；

marched　them　to　the　city　gates；　which　were　closed　upon　them；　and

thus　perforce　they　were　compelled　to　move　on。　　As　long　as　he　had　a

bottle　of　brandy　and　a　couple　of　sausages　in　his　holsters；　the

General　of　the　National　Guard；　Odillon　Barrot；　talked　with

tremendous　courage。　　Such　was　the　power　of　his　eloquence　over　the

troops；　that；　could　he　have　come　up　with　the　enemy　while　his

victuals　lasted；　the　issue　of　the　combat　might　have　been　very

different。　　But　in　the　course　of　the　first　day's　march　he　finished

both　the　sausages　and　the　brandy；　and　became　quite　uneasy；　silent；

and　crest…fallen。



It　was　on　the　fair　plains　of　Touraine；　by　the　banks　of　silver

Loire；　that　the　armies　sat　down　before　each　other；　and　the　battle

was　to　take　place　which　had　such　an　effect　upon　the　fortunes　of

France。　　'Twas　a　brisk　day　of　March：　the　practised　valor　of　Nemours

showed　him　at　once　what　use　to　make　of　the　army　under　his　orders；

and　having　enfiladed　his　National　Guard　battalions；　and　placed　his

artillery　in　echelons；　he　formed　his　cavalry　into　hollow　squares　on

the　right　and　left　of　his　line；　flinging　out　a　cloud　of　howitzers

to　fall　back　upon　the　main　column。　　His　veteran　infantry　he　formed

behind　his　National　Guardpolitely　hinting　to　Odillon　Barrot；　who

wished　to　retire　under　pretence　of　being　exceedingly　unwell；　that

the　regular　troops　would　bayonet　the　National　Guard　if　they　gave

way　an　inch：　on　which　their　General；　turning　very　pale；　demurely

went　back　to　his　post。　　His　men　were　dreadfully　discouraged；　they

had　slept　on　the　ground　all　night；　they　regretted　their　homes　and

their　comfortable　nightcaps　in　the　Rue　St。　Honore：　they　had　luckily

fallen　in　with　a　flock　of　sheep　and　a　drove　of　oxen　at　Tours　the

day　before；　but　what　were　these；　compared　to　the　delicacies　of

Chevet's　or　three　courses　at　Vefour's？　　They　mournfully　cooked

their　steaks　and　cutlets　on　their　ramrods；　and　passed　a　most

wretched　night。



The　army　of　Henry　was　encamped　opposite　to　them　for　the　most　part

in　better　order。　　The　noble　cavalry　regiments　found　a　village　in

which　they　made　themselves　pretty　comfortable；　Jenkins's　Foot

taking　possession　of　the　kitchens　and　garrets　of　the　buildings。

The　Irish　Brigade；　accustomed　to　lie　abroad；　were　quartered　in　some

potato　fields；　where　they　sang　Moore's　melodies　all　night。　　There

were；　besides　the　troops　regular　and　irregular；　about　three

thousand　priests　and　abbes　with　the　army；　armed　with　scourging…

whips；　and　chanting　the　most　lugubrious　canticles：　these　reverend

men　were　found　to　be　a　hindrance　rather　than　otherwise　to　the

operations　of　the　regular　forces。



It　was　a　touching　sight；　on　the　morning　before　the　battle；　to　see

the　alacrity　with　which　Jenkins's　regiment　sprung　up　at　the　FIRST

reveille　of　the　bell；　and　engaged　（the　honest　fellows！）　in　offices

almost　menial　for　the　benefit　of　their　French　allies。　　The　Duke

himself　set　the　example；　and　blacked　to　a　nicety　the　boots　of

Henri。　　At　half…past　ten；　after　coffee；　the　brilliant　warriors　of

the　cavalry　were　ready；　their　clarions　rung　to　horse；　their　banners

were　given　to　the　wind；　their　shirt…collars　were　exquisitely

starched；　and　the　whole　air　was　scented　with　the　odors　of　their

pomatums　and　pocket…handkerchiefs。



Jenkins　had　the　honor　of　holding　the　stirrup　for　Henri。　　〃My

faithful　Duke！〃　said　the　Prince；　pulling　him　by　the　shoulder…knot；

〃thou　art　always　at　THY　POST。〃　　〃Here；　as　in　Wellington　Street；

sire；〃　said　the　hero；　blushing。　　And　the　Prince　made　an　appropriate

speech　to　his　chivalry；　in　which　allusions　to　the　lilies；　Saint

Louis；　Bayard　and　Henri　Quatre；　were；　as　may　be　imagined；　not

spared。　　〃Ho！　standard…bearer！〃　the　Prince　concluded；　〃fling　out　my

oriflamme。　　Noble　gents　of　France；　your　King　is　among　you　to…day！〃



Then　turning　to　the　Prince　of　Ballybunion；　who　had　been　drinking

whiskey…punch　all　night　with　the　Princes　of　Donegal　and　Connemara；

〃Prince；〃　he　said；　〃the　Irish　Brigade　has　won　every　battle　in　the

French　historywe　will　not　deprive　you　of　the　honor　of　winning

this。　　You　will　please　to　commence　the　attack　with　your　brigade。〃

Bending　his　head　until　the　green　plumes　of　his　beaver　mingled　with

the　mane　of　the　Shetland　pony　which　he　rode；　the　Prince　of　Ireland

trotted　off　with　his　aides…de…camp；　who　rode　the　same　horses；

powerful　grays；　with　which　a　dealer　at　Nantz　had　supplied　them　on

their　and　the　Prince's　joint　bill　at　three　months。



The　gallant　sons　of　Erin　had　wisely　slept　until　the　last　minute　in

their　potato…trenches；　but　rose　at　once　at　the　summons　of　their

beloved　Prince。　　Their　toilet　was　the　work　of　a　momenta　single

shake　and　it　was　done。　　Rapidly　forming　into　a　line；　they　advanced

headed　by　their　Generals；who；　turning　their　steeds　into　a　grass…

field；　wisely　determined　to　fight　on　foot。　　Behind　them　came　the

line　of　British　foot　under　the　illustrious　Jenkins；　who　marched　in

advance　perfectly　collected；　and　smoking　a　Manilla　cigar。　　The

cavalry　were　on　the　right　and　left　of　the　infantry；　prepared　to　act

in　pontoon；　in　echelon；　or　in　ricochet；　as　occasion　might　demand。

The　Prince　rode　behind；　supported　by　his　Staff；　who　were　almost　all

of　them　bishops；　archdeacons；　or　abbes；　and　the　body　of　ecclesiastics

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

trem