A Sailor of King George Part 13

This was occasioned by the shock of an earthquake. During the anxious suspense we were in, the servants had rushed into the room with horror in their countenances, exclaiming, "Oh, mesdames, le chateau va tomber, et nous serons ecrasees!"

"Peace," said the elder countess; "remain where you are." By the time she had spoken the trembling ceased, nor had we another shock. After a short interval we resumed our conversation as if nothing had occurred.

This part of France is much infested with wolves, and I frequently in the night heard them near the house, but I only saw one of them in the day. I fired at him, but as he was at some distance, he escaped without injury.

I had resided with this amiable family nearly a month, when one of the servants who had been to Gueret entered nearly out of breath to say that, "La belle France etait prise!" At the same time he handed a small printed paper to the mother countess.

She smiled at the idea of the servant's report, and turning to me she said, "I am rejoiced to be the first to announce to you that you are no longer in captivity. The allied armies have taken Paris and Bonaparte has abdicated. This is the 'Gazette,' I am happy to see once more decorated with the _Fleur de Lys_."

I kissed her hand for the intelligence, and a.s.sured her although the joyful news was everything I wished, I should much regret quitting her family, where, during my short stay, I could not have experienced more affection and kindness from my own relations than she had shown to me.

On the second day after this delightful intelligence, I took an affectionate leave of the ladies. The count was absent.

At Gueret I joined the same party who had been my companions in misery and fatigue. Our nags had been well taken care of, and the nine hundred and ninety-ninth cousin of the brave, but unfortunate, Bruce deserved praise.

I will not describe our tiresome and wretched journey of nine days. At length we reached Fontainebleau, where we remained two days to rest ourselves as well as the horses. In pa.s.sing through its forest, which is very fine, we were almost poisoned by the stench occasioned by dead men and horses. We saw the palace, and the ink on the table where Bonaparte had signed his abdication was so fresh that it came off by rubbing it a little with the finger.

Two days after we entered Paris, which we found in possession of the allied armies, and it was with the greatest difficulty that we procured lodgings even in the Faubourg St. Antoine. They were at the top of the house, only five stories and an entresol to mount! and alarmingly dear as well as dirty and small. We sold our stud and carriage for a little more than we gave for them.

During the three days we remained in Paris, I visited the Louvre and its stolen goods. It was a brilliant treat; never was any palace so decorated with such gems of art, nor, I hope, under the same circ.u.mstances, ever will be again. On the day Louis le Desire entered, I paid a napoleon for half a window in the Rue St. Denis to view the procession.

Nearly opposite the window the King halted to receive the address from the Moulins and Poissardes, some of whom appeared to me drunk. A child dressed like a cupid, with a chaplet of flowers in its hand, was handed to the d.u.c.h.ess d'Angouleme, who sat on the left hand of the King. I remarked she was much confused and scarcely knew what to do with the child, who was about five years of age, and who put the chaplet on her head. At length she kissed it and returned it to its mother.

The windows of the houses were dressed with pieces of tapestry and white flags, which appeared to my view nothing more than sheets and table-cloths. The Garde Nationale lined the streets, and by the acclamations of, "Vive Louis le Dix-huit, Louis le Desire, les Bourbons!"

and other cries, all foreigners who had never visited France or conversed with its natives, would have exclaimed, "Look at these loyal people; how they love the Bourbon dynasty!"

The mounted National Guard who came after the royal carriage out-Heroded Herod by their deafening cries of loyalty. Who would have imagined these gentlemen would have played the harlequin and receive their dethroned Emperor as they did when he entered Paris again? "Put not your trust in men, particularly Frenchmen in 1814, O ye house of Bourbon, for they made ye march out of France without beat of drum."

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE ENTRY OF THE ALLIES INTO PARIS BY THE PORTE ST. MARTIN, MARCH 31, 1814.]

I was much amused with the conduct of the Imperial Guard who followed the national heroes. The Poissardes cried out, "Vive le Garde Imperiale!" All they uttered was "Vive les Poissardes!" They looked as black as thunder.

I understood there was a cause of dissatisfaction among them in consequence of a mark of distinction having been given to the shop-keeping soldiers and not any to them. This was the Comte d'Artois' clever policy; at least, so I was informed by my companion who had taken the other half of the window where we stood. My thoughts were seven fathoms deep.

CHAPTER XXVII.

HONOURABLY ACQUITTED.

Obtain a pa.s.sport after some difficulty from Prince Metternich-Start for England _via_ Rouen and Havre-Sail to Spithead-Amused at Englishwomen's queer dress-Return to family-Acquitted for loss of H.M.S. _Apelles_.

The morning before my departure I waited on Lord Aberdeen, requesting a pa.s.sport to England; he referred me to Prince Metternich. I reached his hotel, and had to wade through a host of long-whiskered, long-piped gentlemen, who were smoking with all their might and main, and spitting in all directions.

As I advanced, a genteel-looking young man, who was dressed in an aide-de-camp's uniform, came to me and asked in French the purport of my visit. I informed him. He left me, and soon returned and requested I would walk into another room, where I found the German Prince, who received me very cavalierly, and asked me what I did in Paris when there were transports waiting at Bordeaux to carry over the English.

"I thank your Highness for the information, but I do not wish to go by that route. My intention is to return to England by Havre, and I shall feel obliged by your granting me a pa.s.sport to that effect."

"You should go to Lord Aberdeen for one."

"I have already seen him, and he directed me to you, as you were in command of the capital," I replied.

He muttered something which I could not, nor did I wish to, understand.

After a pause he asked me my rank. I informed him, when he directed his secretary to make out my pa.s.sport, and here ended much ado about nothing.

We started next morning, slept at Rouen, revisited its ancient cathedral, which had been struck by lightning, breakfasted, and arrived at Havre, where we remained two days, waiting for a vessel to take us across the Channel. I viewed this town with much interest, as it had saluted the vessels I had belonged to with several hundred shot.

We arrived at Spithead in the evening, but too late to go on sh.o.r.e. There were nine of us-men, women, and squalling children-and we had the comfort of lying on the cabin deck, there being no sleeping berths, as the vessel was only about fifty tons, and not fitted up for pa.s.sengers.

When I landed next morning I appeared to tread on air, but I could not help laughing out aloud at the, I thought, ridiculous and anything but picturesque dresses of the women. Their coal-scuttle bonnets and their long waists diverted me, although I was sorry to observe in my healthy and fair countrywomen such an ignorance of good taste. I took a hasty mutton chop at the "Fountain," and started for London by the first stage coach.

On my arrival at dear home I found all I loved in good health. My excellent wife and affectionate boys and girls clung round me, and I was as happy as an innocent sucking pig, or, if my reader thinks the simile not in place, as happy as a city alderman at a turtle feast.

A few days after my appearance at the Admiralty I was ordered to proceed to Portsmouth, to undergo my trial for the loss of the ship, which, as a son of the Emerald Isle would say, was no loss at all, as she was retaken afterwards.

My sentence was as honourable to the officers of the court martial as it was to myself. I received my sword from the President, Admiral Sir George Martin, with a high encomium.

The days of my youth have floated by like a dream, and after having been forty-five years in the Navy my remuneration is a hundred and eighty pounds a year, without any prospect of its being increased. If the generality of parents would take my advice they never would send one of their boys into the service without sufficient interest and some fortune.

If they do, their child, if he behaves well, may die in his old age, possibly as a lieutenant, with scarcely an income to support himself; and if he should under these circ.u.mstances have the misfortune to have married and have children, G.o.d, I hope, will help him, for I very much fear no one else will!

Here ends my eventful but matter-of-fact history, which, if it has afforded my reader any amus.e.m.e.nt, my pains are well repaid.

APPENDIX.

NOTE A.

If the French accounts are to be credited General Rochambeau had a garrison of only 600 men, 400 of whom were militia (_cf._ "Victoires et Conquetes," tome iii., p. 249). At any rate, when Fort Bourbon surrendered the garrison was found to be only 200, including the wounded (_cf._ James, vol. i., p. 219).

NOTE B.