It is seldom that the historian has to record events more singular than those which occurred during this year, when the Crown of France was battled for by no less than four pretenders, with equal claims, merits, bravery, and popularity. First in the list we place — His Royal Highness Louis Anthony Frederick Samuel Anna Maria, Duke of Brittany, and son of Louis XVI. The unhappy Prince, when a prisoner with his unfortunate parents in the Temple, was enabled to escape from that place of confinement1, hidden (for the treatment of the ruffians who guarded him had caused the young Prince to dwindle2 down astonishingly) in the cocked-hat of the Representative, Roederer. It is well known that, in the troublous revolutionary times, cocked-hats were worn of a considerable size.
He passed a considerable part of his life in Germany; was confined there for thirty years in the dungeons3 of Spielberg; and, escaping thence to England, was, under pretence4 of debt, but in reality from political hatred5, imprisoned6 there also in the Tower of London. He must not be confounded with any other of the persons who laid claim to be children of the unfortunate victim of the first Revolution.
The next claimant, Henri of Bordeaux, is better known. In the year 1843 he held his little fugitive7 court in furnished lodgings8, in a forgotten district of London, called Belgrave Square. Many of the nobles of France flocked thither9 to him, despising the persecutions of the occupant of the throne; and some of the chiefs of the British nobility — among whom may be reckoned the celebrated10 and chivalrous11 Duke of Jenkins — aided the adventurous12 young Prince with their counsels, their wealth, and their valor13.
The third candidate was his Imperial Highness Prince John Thomas Napoleon — a fourteenth cousin of the late Emperor; and said by some to be a Prince of the House of Gomersal. He argued justly that, as the immediate14 relatives of the celebrated Corsican had declined to compete for the crown which was their right, he, Prince John Thomas, being next in succession, was, undoubtedly15, heir to the vacant imperial throne. And in support of his claim, he appealed to the fidelity16 of Frenchmen and the strength of his good sword.
His Majesty17 Louis Philippe was, it need not be said, the illustrious wielder18 of the sceptre which the three above-named princes desired to wrest19 from him. It does not appear that the sagacious monarch20 was esteemed21 by his subjects, as such a prince should have been esteemed. The light-minded people, on the contrary, were rather weary than otherwise of his sway. They were not in the least attached to his amiable22 family, for whom his Majesty with characteristic thrift23 had endeavored to procure24 satisfactory allowances. And the leading statesmen of the country, whom his Majesty had disgusted, were suspected of entertaining any but feelings of loyalty25 towards his house and person.
It was against the above-named pretenders that Louis Philippe (now nearly a hundred years old), a prince amongst sovereigns, was called upon to defend his crown.
The city of Paris was guarded, as we all know, by a hundred and twenty-four forts, of a thousand guns each — provisioned for a considerable time, and all so constructed as to fire, if need were, upon the palace of the Tuileries. Thus, should the mob attack it, as in August 1792, and July 1830, the building could be razed26 to the ground in an hour; thus, too, the capital was quite secure from foreign invasion. Another defence against the foreigners was the state of the roads. Since the English companies had retired27, half a mile only of railroad had been completed in France, and thus any army accustomed, as those of Europe now are, to move at sixty miles an hour, would have been ennuye’d to death before they could have marched from the Rhenish, the Maritime28, the Alpine29, or the Pyrenean frontier upon the capital of France. The French people, however, were indignant at this defect of communication in their territory, and said, without the least show of reason, that they would have preferred that the five hundred and seventy-five thousand billions of francs which had been expended30 upon the fortifications should have been laid out in a more peaceful manner. However, behind his forts, the King lay secure.
As it is our aim to depict31 in as vivid a manner as possible the strange events of the period, the actions, the passions of individuals and parties engaged, we cannot better describe them than by referring to contemporary documents, of which there is no lack. It is amusing at the present day to read in the pages of the Moniteur and the Journal des Debats the accounts of the strange scenes which took place.
The year 1884 had opened very tranquilly32. The Court of the Tuileries had been extremely gay. The three-and-twenty youngest Princes of England, sons of her Majesty Victoria, had enlivened the 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-inlaw, under pretence of duty and pleasure, but really to demand payment of the Queen of the Belgians’ dowry, which Louis Philippe of Orleans still resolutely33 declined to pay. Who would have thought that in the midst of such festivity danger was lurking34 rife35, in the midst of such quiet, rebellion?
Charenton was the great lunatic asylum36 of Paris, and it was to this repository that the scornful journalist consigned37 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 Bedlam38 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 pretensions39, 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 alluded40 to certain rumors41 which have been afloat (among the lowest canaille and the vilest42 estaminets of the metropolis), that a notorious personage — why should we hesitate to mention the name of the Prince John Thomas Napoleon?— has entered France with culpable43 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 defer44 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 lair45, and meet the fate of one. But the sentence has, ere this, been certainly executed. The brigand46, 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 folly47 of the pretenders, and the love, respect, regard, fidelity, admiration48, reverence49, and passionate50 personal attachment51 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 prisoner — and we dread52 to think what his fate may be! It will warn future aspirants53, 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 adoration54 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 forfeited55 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 confided56 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 countersign57, Valmy.”
“The Emperor of Russia and his distinguished58 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 deafening59 cheers by this admirable and disinterested60 body of men. Those cheers were echoed in all French hearts. Long, long may our beloved Prince be among us to receive them!”
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1
confinement
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| n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限 | |
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dwindle
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| v.逐渐变小（或减少） | |
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dungeons
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| n.地牢( dungeon的名词复数 ) | |
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pretence
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| n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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imprisoned
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| 下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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fugitive
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| adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者 | |
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lodgings
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| n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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chivalrous
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| adj.武士精神的；对女人彬彬有礼的 | |
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adventurous
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| adj.爱冒险的；惊心动魄的，惊险的，刺激的 | |
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valor
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| n.勇气，英勇 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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fidelity
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| n.忠诚，忠实；精确 | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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wielder
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| 行使者 | |
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wrest
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| n.扭，拧，猛夺；v.夺取，猛扭，歪曲 | |
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monarch
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| n.帝王，君主，最高统治者 | |
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esteemed
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| adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 )；敬重；认为；以为 | |
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amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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thrift
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| adj.节约，节俭；n.节俭，节约 | |
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procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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razed
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| v.彻底摧毁，将…夷为平地( raze的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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maritime
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| adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的 | |
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alpine
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| adj.高山的；n.高山植物 | |
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expended
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| v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽 | |
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depict
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| vt.描画，描绘；描写，描述 | |
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tranquilly
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| adv. 宁静地 | |
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resolutely
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| adj.坚决地，果断地 | |
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lurking
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| 潜在 | |
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rife
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| adj.(指坏事情)充斥的，流行的，普遍的 | |
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asylum
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| n.避难所，庇护所，避难 | |
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consigned
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| v.把…置于（令人不快的境地）( consign的过去式和过去分词 )；把…托付给；把…托人代售；丟弃 | |
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bedlam
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| n.混乱，骚乱；疯人院 | |
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pretensions
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| 自称( pretension的名词复数 )； 自命不凡； 要求； 权力 | |
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alluded
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| 提及，暗指( allude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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rumors
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| n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷 | |
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vilest
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| adj.卑鄙的( vile的最高级 )；可耻的；极坏的；非常讨厌的 | |
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culpable
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| adj.有罪的，该受谴责的 | |
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defer
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| vt.推迟，拖延；vi.(to)遵从，听从，服从 | |
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lair
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| n.野兽的巢穴；躲藏处 | |
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brigand
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| n.土匪，强盗 | |
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folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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48
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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49
reverence
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| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
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50
passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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attachment
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| n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附 | |
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52
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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aspirants
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| n.有志向或渴望获得…的人( aspirant的名词复数 )v.渴望的，有抱负的，追求名誉或地位的( aspirant的第三人称单数 )；有志向或渴望获得…的人 | |
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adoration
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| n.爱慕，崇拜 | |
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forfeited
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| （因违反协议、犯规、受罚等）丧失，失去( forfeit的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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confided
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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countersign
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| v.副署，会签 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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deafening
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| adj. 振耳欲聋的, 极喧闹的 动词deafen的现在分词形式 | |
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disinterested
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| adj.不关心的，不感兴趣的 | |
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