登陆注册
38537500000172

第172章

Not so, however: Lameth, proceeding to his senatorial duties, in the decline of the day, is met in those Assembly corridors by nothing but Royalist brocards; sniffs, huffs, and open insults. Human patience has its limits: "Monsieur," said Lameth, breaking silence to one Lautrec, a man with hunchback, or natural deformity, but sharp of tongue, and a Black of the deepest tint, "Monsieur, if you were a man to be fought with!"--"I am one," cries the young Duke de Castries. Fast as fire-flash Lameth replies, "Tout a l'heure, On the instant, then!" And so, as the shades of dusk thicken in that Bois-de-Boulogne, we behold two men with lion-look, with alert attitude, side foremost, right foot advanced; flourishing and thrusting, stoccado and passado, in tierce and quart; intent to skewer one another. See, with most skewering purpose, headlong Lameth, with his whole weight, makes a furious lunge; but deft Castries whisks aside: Lameth skewers only the air,--and slits deep and far, on Castries' sword's-point, his own extended left arm! Whereupon with bleeding, pallor, surgeon's-lint, and formalities, the Duel is considered satisfactorily done.

But will there be no end, then? Beloved Lameth lies deep-slit, not out of danger. Black traitorous Aristocrats kill the People's defenders, cut up not with arguments, but with rapier-slits. And the Twelve Spadassins out of Switzerland, and the considerable number of Assassins exercising at the pistol-target? So meditates and ejaculates hurt Patriotism, with ever-deepening ever-widening fervour, for the space of six and thirty hours.

The thirty-six hours past, on Saturday the 13th, one beholds a new spectacle: The Rue de Varennes, and neighbouring Boulevard des Invalides, covered with a mixed flowing multitude: the Castries Hotel gone distracted, devil-ridden, belching from every window, 'beds with clothes and curtains,' plate of silver and gold with filigree, mirrors, pictures, images, commodes, chiffoniers, and endless crockery and jingle: amid steady popular cheers, absolutely without theft; for there goes a cry, "He shall be hanged that steals a nail!" It is a Plebiscitum, or informal iconoclastic Decree of the Common People, in the course of being executed!--The Municipality sit tremulous; deliberating whether they will hang out the Drapeau Rouge and Martial Law: National Assembly, part in loud wail, part in hardly suppressed applause: Abbe Maury unable to decide whether the iconoclastic Plebs amount to forty thousand or to two hundred thousand.

Deputations, swift messengers, for it is at a distance over the River, come and go. Lafayette and National Guardes, though without Drapeau Rouge, get under way; apparently in no hot haste. Nay, arrived on the scene, Lafayette salutes with doffed hat, before ordering to fix bayonets. What avails it? The Plebeian "Court of Cassation,' as Camille might punningly name it, has done its work; steps forth, with unbuttoned vest, with pockets turned inside out: sack, and just ravage, not plunder! With inexhaustible patience, the Hero of two Worlds remonstrates; persuasively, with a kind of sweet constraint, though also with fixed bayonets, dissipates, hushes down: on the morrow it is once more all as usual.

Considering which things, however, Duke Castries may justly 'write to the President,' justly transport himself across the Marches; to raise a corps, or do what else is in him. Royalism totally abandons that Bobadilian method of contest, and the Twelve Spadassins return to Switzerland,--or even to Dreamland through the Horn-gate, whichsoever their home is. Nay Editor Prudhomme is authorised to publish a curious thing: 'We are authorised to publish,' says he, dull-blustering Publisher, that M. Boyer, champion of good Patriots, is at the head of Fifty Spadassinicides or Bully-killers. His address is: Passage du Bois-de-Boulonge, Faubourg St.

Denis.' (Revolutions de Paris (in Hist. Parl. viii. 440).) One of the strangest Institutes, this of Champion Boyer and the Bully-killers! Whose services, however, are not wanted; Royalism having abandoned the rapier-method as plainly impracticable.

同类推荐
  • Life of Johnsonl

    Life of Johnsonl

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 闽海纪要

    闽海纪要

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 赠元和十三年登第进

    赠元和十三年登第进

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 普能嵩禅师净土诗

    普能嵩禅师净土诗

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 翰苑

    翰苑

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • 矮人巨人

    矮人巨人

    罗特斯帕克,千年前矮人族英雄、大陆英雄——斯坦斯帕克的最后一任子孙,却由于身负当年诸神之战时,死于祖先手上的恶神的神罚而处处不像矮人,身高近两米,没有胡子,而且,不爱喝矮人最钟爱的烈酒!由于各种怪异之处,加之罗特并没有出色的战力、锻造技艺,在矮人族中又属于日益势微的远古矮人一脉,罗特终日里受尽了白眼和欺凌。终于,罗特离开了群山环抱的家园,踏上了前往人类国度的历险!最终,罗特迈出了自己驰骋大陆的第一步!恶神再度复苏,大陆重陷战火,罗特和自己的伙伴,担起了千年前祖辈的责任,再度与诸神展开了争锋相对的攻防!到底是天定的矮人,还是救世的巨人,整个奥兰大陆都在拭目以待......血与火的战争,再度袭来......
  • 快穿之病娇黑化之路

    快穿之病娇黑化之路

    她,栾锦。是一个虚伪至极的人,见过她的人。都说她,温文尔雅又清冷如月。因为一场意外,她绑定了一个系统,为了完成任务。她用她那精湛的演技,骗过了所有人。“阿锦,只看我好不好”温软的少年笑的偏执“阿锦,这世间只有我爱你了呢”尊贵无双的皇帝在少女耳边呼着热气“阿锦,我只有你了”清冷公子神色病态……,“世人都说,人人都逃不过情这个字。可在我看来,不过是一场笑话。”栾锦眉眼如画
  • 戳星

    戳星

    主角叶筱柔是位令人揣摩不透的奇女子,被前男友甩了,与不知名的公司莫名其妙地签了终身契约,开始了崭新的生活。。。
  • 浴火重生:携手九天

    浴火重生:携手九天

    天堂之翼回归,神魔极端现世,苍龙七宿劫至。暗界帝王重生,三位连接渐近,秩序颠倒伊始。她身世成谜,一朝回归,却修为逆天。她有着两种极端性格,一念成神,一念封魔!一袭黑衣,霜雪染遍三千银发,眉间契约彩印,倾绝天下!看她浴火重生归来,与冥界之主携手并肩,翻手为云覆手为雨,一声令下,召集三千势力,颠覆天地秩序!
  • 雪域遗宝

    雪域遗宝

    在军阀马步芳统治时期的青藏高原,小学教员徐一鸣只身逃兵役,途中救助带着孩子的女仆兰香,三个人因此结缘,结伴同行,艰难求生。在一次偶然的机会听闻吐谷浑王国灭亡时关于财宝转移的消息,并遇到搜寻这些财宝的各方势力,一路跟随,意图因此而改变命运……全文抛却虚幻夸张,回归现实,以写实的笔触描绘出冰河、盐湖、戈壁、大漠、温泉、雪山等高原特有的元素,为读者朋友呈现出了一副壮美的高原景象。而主人公巧妙地在各方势力之间徘徊,见证人心的复杂和贪婪,最终结局如何,敬请期待!
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • 武炼龙王

    武炼龙王

    道高一尺魔高一丈生而为人奈何入魔天道酬勤恶善心生
  • 王妃出征了

    王妃出征了

    二十一世纪的医学鬼才,因救了不该救的人被人所杀,以为会去地府却没想居然穿越到异世大陆。高冷霸气的将军府五小姐,身怀绝技,武功高强却因心脏病而亡。她穿越到她身上,放心你就是我,爹娘的疼爱,四个哥哥的爱护,嫂子的护短她得到了久伟的爱。什么世外高人很难请,不好意思那是我师傅。什么战神不近女色,不好意思那是我夫君。什么江湖上有一种毒药很难解,不好意思那是我制作的。
  • 诸天漫启

    诸天漫启

    翟飞一脸呆滞的看着远处高大的三个巨大头像,和一个醒目的标志,心中充满了惊骇茫然,这里是木叶???书友群:1067761379,欢迎大家讨论