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diff --git a/75873-0.txt b/75873-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..50e57d3 --- /dev/null +++ b/75873-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7138 @@ + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75873 *** + + + + + + TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE + + Italic text is denoted by _underscores_. + + Footnote anchors are denoted by [number], and the footnotes have been + placed at the end of the book. + + Some minor changes to the text are noted at the end of the book. + + + + + JOURNAL + + OF THE + + WATERLOO CAMPAIGN + + + + + JOURNAL + + OF THE + + WATERLOO CAMPAIGN + + KEPT THROUGHOUT THE CAMPAIGN OF 1815 + + + BY THE LATE + + GENERAL CAVALIÉ MERCER + + COMMANDING THE 9TH BRIGADE ROYAL ARTILLERY + + + IN TWO VOLUMES + + VOL. II. + + + WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS + EDINBURGH AND LONDON + MDCCCLXX + + _The Right of Translation is reserved_ + + + + + CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUME. + + + CHAPTER XV. + PAGE + Passage of the Army--The Road blocked up--Preparing to + Bivouac--The Nassauers--The White Flag--Reception at + Forêt--The Peasantry--Village of Montay--Ordered to + Return--A Night Alarm--A Halt--Visit to Cateau--Our + Allies Plundering--The German Bocks--Wretched Fare--Return + to Forêt--Female Costumes--Louis XVIII.--Again + on the Move--Difficulties of our March--Aspect of the + Country--Lose our Way--Our Destination at Last--Rejoin + the Main Army--Caulincourt’s Country House--Comfortable + Quarters--A Warm Welcome--Our Sleeping-Quarters--French + Cultivateurs--Their Characteristics--Our Dinner, 1 + + + CHAPTER XVI. + + Passage of the Somme--Indifference of the Natives--Our + Quarters--French Deserters--A French Chaussée--Mortemer and + its Miseries--Improved Aspect of the Country--First Traces + of the Prussians--Prussian Revenge--A Deputation--Valley + of the Oise--Its Scenery--Our March unopposed--Preparation + to Bivouac--Again in Advance--Beauty of the Scenery + at Verneuil--Our Bivouac--Plundering--Senlis--Feelings + of the Population--Prussian Lancers--Devastation by the + Prussians--Chenevière--Our Night-Quarters, 33 + + + CHAPTER XVII. + + The Cumberland Hussars--Warlike Rumours--Expectation and + Excitement--A Quiet Morning--Orders to Advance--We come on the + Enemy--Our Dilemma--In Sight of Montmartre--First Glimpse of + Paris--Prussian Devastations again--Comfortless Bivouac--Progress + of the Prussians--A Halt--Davoust’s Country Seat--Devastation + in it--Destruction of the Library--Churlishness of our + Allies--Rumours of Peace--St Denis--An Excursion--Aspect of the + Country--Revolting Destruction--The Destroyers at Work--Visitors + for Paris--Inconstancy of the People--Aspect of the Crowd--At + Arnouvilles--The Royal Cortège--Louis XVIII., 60 + + + CHAPTER XVIII. + + On the March--The Seine--Beauty of the Country--Passage of + the Seine--Colombes--Drawbacks--My Quarters--The Garden + and Grounds--View from my Window--My Chateau--Its + Furnishings--State of our Horses--An Excursion--The + Country round Paris--View of Paris--A Wet Day--My + Landlord--Country Pleasures--My Occupations--Our Fare--A + Fracas--Our Brunswickers Mutinous--Their Complaints--My + Answer to them--Harvesting--French Peasantry--The + Women--Food of the Peasantry--Inn Signs--A Lady of the Old + Régime--A Ride to Paris--The Seine and its Banks--First Visit + to Paris--Aspect of the Streets--Parisian Equipages--The + Champs Elysées--The Place Louis Quinze--The Austerlitz + Column--London and Paris--The Streets of Paris--The Boulevard + des Italiens, 94 + + + CHAPTER XIX. + + Our Major Domo--Inspection of Troops--Prospect of Change--Prussian + Bivouac--The Louvre--The Venus de Medici--The Laocoon and the + Apollo--The Paintings--The Tuileries--The Gardens--The Palais + Royal--Habitués of the Palais--Road to Malmaison--Malmaison--A + Panic--A Farmhouse--Versailles--Sevres and St Cloud--Hôtel Dieu + and Nôtre Dame--The Invalides--Models of Fortresses--A Sunday, 138 + + + CHAPTER XX. + + My New Quarters--Their Desolate Aspect--First Night in + them--Change of Abode--My New Residence--Ma’amselle Rose--A + She-Dragon--Our Fare--The Villagers--The Maire and + his Complaints--More Grievances--The Postmaster of St + Denis--Insolence of the Villagers--The Allied Sovereigns--A + Review--Difficulties--Order from Headquarters--A + Complaint--A Visitor--Rascalities--The French Police--Pertinacity + of my Persecutor--Church Reopened--Sunday in France--Review + of Prussians--A Scene--A Craven--Our Artillery--Positions + of Troops--Scenes of Battles--View from Montmartre--The Works + on Montmartre--Belleville and Vincennes--Aspect of + Country--Washerwomen--Village Gossip, 166 + + + CHAPTER XXI. + + Sisters of Charity--New Messroom--A House-warming--The Bond + Street of Paris--The Boulevards--Their Frequenters--Street- + Beggars--Street-Vendors--Street-Scenes--News-Rooms--Open-Air + Loungers--An Exquisite--A Parisian Restaurant--Waiters--Parisian + Cookery--Paris by Night--Torment of Flies--Amicable Relations--The + Peasantry--Again at Paris--A Russian Equipage--A Picturesque + Coachman--A Russian Boy--Russian Soldiers--The Austrians, 206 + + + CHAPTER XXII. + + My First Ride to Paris--The Aristocratic Quarters--Different + Quarters of the City--Differences in these--The Boulevards--The + Quays--The Squares of London and Paris--An Excursion--Again + in Paris--Numbering the Streets--The Jardin des Plantes--The + Menagerie--The Hothouses--Released from Arrest--An Unfortunate + Accident--A Comrade’s Quarters--Cabriolet-Drivers--The + Fountains--A Street-Lecturer--Itinerant Violinist--A Suicide--The + Change of Dynasty--The Luxembourg--The Chamber of Peers--The + Poultry and Flower Market--Marauding Neighbours--A + Capture--Bibliothèque Royale--Cabinet des Gravures--Shop-Signs + in Paris--The Palais Royal--Café Aux Milles Colonnes--A + Shoeblack’s Establishment--The Jardin du Prince--The Place + des Innocens--The Vegetable Markets--The Louvre once more--The + Statuary, 233 + + + CHAPTER XXIII. + + Admiral Rosily’s Villa--The Duke and the 5th Division--Views + in the Neighbourhood--Our Patron Saint--Village Amusements--The + Fauigny Affair--M. Fauigny and the Duke--Injustice + of the Duke--Indifference as to Dress--A General + Order--An Affray--Russian Review--The Allied Sovereigns--The + Russian Artillery--The Artillery Horses--Leave of Absence + at last--Regrets at Leaving--My Portmanteau--Departure--Our + Journey--We take the Wrong Road--At Amiens--The Hôtel + d’Angleterre--A Caravan Journey--A Cabriolet--A John Bull + Astray--Montreuil--An English Party--A Misadventure--England + once more, 273 + + + CHAPTER XXIV. + + Our Fellow-Passengers--From Dover to Calais--For Paris once + more--Montreuil again--Abbeville and its Cathedral--A + Bridal Party--Hotel at Breteuil--A Race--Arrival at + Clermont--The Stables at Chantilly--Our Old Quarters at + Stain--Attempts at Comfort--A Dreary Winter--Our + Occupations--Outbreaks of Fire--Preparations for + Departure--Preparations for a Start--Leave-Takings--Our + Quarters at Beaumont--Noailles and Beauvais--A Scene with our + Hostess--The Theatre at Beauvais--Major Dyas--A Cheerless + Day’s March--Grandvilliers--An Altercation with our Host--Quarters + at Poix--The Village and its Scenery--A Proposal--Comfortless + Quarters--Difficulties at Airaines--Our Amusements--The Town + Shepherd--A Court-Martial--At Boulogne--At Guines--Kindness + of Our Hosts--En Route for Calais--Our Stay there--Embarkation + and its Evils--Our Difficulties--Embark at last--England + once more, 304 + + + + +JOURNAL + +OF THE + +WATERLOO CAMPAIGN. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + +_22d._--Morning fine, and things look more cheerful. March, according +to order, at four. Troop turned out of its wet bivouac; did not look +very brilliant; moreover, there had been no time for cleaning. The +village street such a perfect slough that even the riding-horses +struggled through with difficulty, and our carriages stuck fast +several times ere they could be brought to the hard ground beyond. +Immediately on emerging from the orchards, we entered on the same +cheerless uninteresting country as before: interminable fields of +corn, without enclosures, only broken here and there by small +patches of coppice or young timber. Through this sort of country +marched to Bavay; and here we formed up in the fields by the roadside +and dismounted, whilst an officer was sent to summon the garrison +of Maubeuge--the first word of an enemy since quitting Waterloo. +As the infantry continued moving on, we were somewhat at a loss to +conjecture what was to be done should the answer to our summons be +unfavourable. The whole army--cavalry, infantry, and artillery, +English and allies, all appeared to be marching along this one line +of road. We heard nothing of any columns moving parallel on our +flanks, and for about three hours that we halted here this incessant +passing afforded us some amusement. The crowd was endless, though +varied--regiments of infantry or cavalry following each other in +constant succession, intermingled with, and striving to pass, the as +endless file of waggons, baggage-carts, baggage-animals, led horses, +batteries of artillery, and convoys of stores. All struggled to get +ahead to choose a bivouac, or get the first-fruits of any village +or farm on or near the road, which was sure to be left quite bare +the moment the first corps passed--I mean bare of provisions; for +I believe our people did not otherwise plunder. It might truly be +said that a torrent of men and animals rolled along the road. Even +when we resumed our march there was no cessation, no diminution of +the crowd. The numbers of servants, sutlers, stragglers, and women +were incredible, and added not a little to the general confusion. As +far back, too, as I could see, the same swarm covered the road--the +troops seemed to form the smallest part of the crowd. What the +answer was to our summons we have not yet heard, but suppose all +went on smoothly; for, after a wait of three or four hours, we +again got under way, and made an attempt to penetrate the throng, +but in vain--we got jammed and stuck fast. Lord Edward, seeing our +case hopeless, abandoned us as soon as he could get his dragoons +disengaged from the crowd, and took across the fields, leaving me +directions to make the best of my way to Cateau Cambresis, and +bivouac there if I did not find him and the brigade. In this state +we were obliged to give up all thoughts of pushing on, and rest +contented to swim with the stream. This swept us in due time into +one end of Bavay (pleasingly situated on a rising ground) and out +at the other, leaving just time to see that the place had a clean +and cheerful appearance, and that the street we passed through was +well built and had many genteel-looking houses in it. Quitting the +town by a steepish hill, we entered the forest of Mormal; and the +road was bordered on both sides by a thick coppice of hazel, young +ash, &c., over which the larger timber-trees reared their heads. +Many corps of infantry had drawn off the road, and were busy cutting +down the coppice to prepare their bivouacs by constructing huts of +leaves and branches. Fires were made, and cooking already going on. +Officers, divested of swords and sashes, were strolling amongst +the thickets, or listlessly lolling under their leafy bowers. All +this would have been very pretty, but that a heavy shower, which +fell as we struggled through Bavay, had left everything dripping, +consequently deteriorated the scene much. Still the grouping of the +figures round the fires, or interspersed among the thickets, was very +good. Emerging from the woods, we again entered on the ocean of corn; +but here the features of the ground were bolder, and the view more +extensive, though not less cheerless. + +At some distance ahead, in a deep valley, of which the heights all +descended by fine bold slopes, stood the little town of Cateau +amidst flat alluvial meadows, the lively verdure of which, and +that of a few trees, contrasted strikingly with the golden hue of +all the country around it. The road along the plateau on which +we now travelled was hard and excellent, so that, by watching +our opportunity and pushing in whenever an opening in the crowd +permitted, we managed, with some considerable wrangling, to get +ahead. This was rather a dangerous operation, for the Belgic, and +particularly the Nassau troops, were so savage, and so constantly +threatening us with their bayonets, that I feared every minute we +should come to blows. In this manner we had struggled on to the crest +of the hill descending toward Cateau, where, to lessen the descent, +it had been cut down, consequently was confined between high banks. +Now, as the devil would have it, we got into this gully at the same +time with a battalion of Nassau, and as both parties pressed on to +head the other, some jostling ensued. Our wheels were too formidable +to be resisted when in motion; but at last we got completely +entangled, and then they turned upon us, striking our horses, and +even pricking them with their bayonets. Our men, of course, resented +this, and a serious affray was likely to take place; but at last, +assisted by their officers, we disengaged ourselves without any +one being materially hurt, although many had bruises, scratches, +and slight bayonet-stabs. In this affair one fellow was very +deliberately going to give me a _coup de bayonette_ in the side, but +old Quartermaster Hall knocked up the point with his sabre, and could +scarcely be prevented from splitting his skull. The English, with +whom we also occasionally crossed and jostled, contented themselves +with abusing us. For some days after, we were constantly falling in +with these very people, and our so doing resembling the approach of +two angry dogs. I was constantly alarmed lest some serious affray +should take place. But they have led me ahead of my march. Somewhat +more than a mile before we came to the descent above mentioned, we +passed through Forêt, a pretty large village, surrounded as usual +by orchards, with a few small woods scattered about the vicinity, +which diversified agreeably the otherwise monotonous scenery. On +approaching this village, a dirty sheet or table-cloth, attached to a +pole, and projected from a window of the church-tower, attracted our +attention. It was the first time we had seen the immaculate _pavillon +blanc_ since entering the French territory; and one could not but +admire the wisdom and foresight which had established as a national +standard what could be readily furnished at any moment by every, +even the most humble, _ménage_. A tall, thin, venerable-looking +old man in the clerical habit stood by the roadside amidst several +peasants, male and female. His countenance was radiant with joy, +and he appeared quite elated in contemplating the column as it +passed along. Pinch after pinch he took from a little tortoise-shell +snuff-box in his left hand, whilst with earnestness he pointed out +to, or seemed describing, something in our column. As I came up, +followed by my trumpeter, the old man, uncovering his white head, +made me a profound obeisance. This opened the interview, and I was +soon master of his history. He had been driven from his _curé_ by +the Revolution; returned on the abdication of Napoleon last year; +but the return from Elba had again nearly caused a second flight. He +had, however, ventured to remain, upon the affectionate assurances +of his parishioners, and after suffering during the Hundred Days +most horrid anxiety and even indignities, had at last been restored +to security and tranquillity by the battle of Waterloo. He was now +come out not only to witness the passage of the brave English, to +whom his country and himself stood so much indebted, but also to meet +and do homage to his beloved monarch, who he understood would pass +through Forêt on his way to his capital. Nothing could exceed the +good man’s joy; his spirits quite ran away with him, and his tongue +ran nineteen to the dozen. At parting we cordially shook hands, and +he tendered me the little tortoise-shell box with the most amiable +_bonhommie_. How the rustics gazed! They seem a very ignorant, simple +people, the peasantry of this country. Hitherto, since passing the +frontier, we have found them everywhere pursuing their rural labours +with as much tranquillity as in the most profound state of peace: +quite undisturbed by, and exhibiting very little curiosity about, the +continued passage of foreign troops along their roads and through +their villages. The village of Forêt presented a cheerful rustic +aspect--such as a village should. Thatched barns and farmhouse in +the usual style of such buildings in England, standing detached and +retired from the broad street, if so it might be termed, embosomed +in apple or cherry orchards;--quite unlike what one so often meets +with in other parts of France, where the villages, of stone houses +three or four storeys high, with large windows, &c., appear more like +pieces of towns cut out and popped down here than what is consonant +to our ideas of villages. + +From the place where our scuffle with the Nassau men took place we +descended into the valley by a long winding hill, at the bottom of +which the little village of Montay lay like an oasis in the desert; +verdant meadows overshadowed by numerous pine-trees, a pretty rivulet +winding along amongst them, here passed by a narrow stone bridge; +the place itself consisting of one large farm, several cottages, and +a small church;--altogether offering a refreshing variety in this +ocean of corn. The heights rising abruptly above it on either side +make this a sort of pass, which, had the retiring French thought fit +to defend, would have cost us some trouble and many lives, no doubt. +As it was, although we understood their outposts were not far, not a +man was in sight; and we were allowed to pass as quietly as our own +internal dissensions would allow, for the narrowness of the bridge +produced here a fearful struggle. The road along which the army was +marching, passing through Montay, immediately ascended the opposite +heights. A road branching from this led to Cateau along the foot of +these heights and through the meadows about a mile or rather more +higher up the stream. We took this road, and thus, for the first +time since leaving Nivelles, enjoyed the indescribable pleasure of +having the road to ourselves. From the heights on this side of Forêt, +whence the view was very extensive, I could distinguish nothing of +the brigade; and now, finding ourselves quite alone, and seeing no +symptoms of troops about Cateau, I began to be rather uneasy. In +this dilemma I was about to establish my bivouac on a piece of turf +just without the town--for the evening was fast closing in--when our +lieutenant-major-general of cavalry, Lord Greenock, rode hastily up, +and demanded why we were here. “My orders were to march to Cateau, my +lord, and bivouac, with which I am complying. I expect Lord Edward +will join us here;” and I gave him an account of their taking to the +fields, &c. “There is some mistake in this,” replied Lord Greenock. +“Your brigade has halted at Forêt, and you must return thither, for +you are now in a very dangerous position, and at all events ought not +to have crossed the river. The enemy’s outposts are on the heights; +and should they attempt anything during the night, which is probable, +you could never recross the bridge. Return, therefore, without +delay.” This was comfortable, to have to grope our way to Forêt, and +when there pick out a bivouac; and the alternative that of remaining +and being caught in this _coupe gorge_. The idea was not a pleasant +one. Disobeying orders, too! We countermarched, however; but on +reaching Montay the stream of people and carriages sweeping over +the narrow bridge made it evidently useless attempting to move in a +contrary direction. I gave up the idea, and established my bivouac in +the little churchyard close to the bridge. I felt less compunction +at doing this, because several regiments of Hanoverian infantry had +extended themselves in bivouac along the meadows, both up and down +the stream, on the same side; and, moreover, I had learned from Lord +Greenock that two or three troops of horse-artillery and a large +corps of hussars were occupying the plateau in front, between us and +the enemy. Under the impression of security, therefore, I laid myself +down after our evening meal was finished, expecting a good sleep; but +my eyes were scarcely closed ere the never-to-be-mistaken sound of +a distant cannonade caused me to start up again. Everything around +was perfectly still; the Hanoverians seemed to be all asleep; and no +stir or bustle of any kind in our immediate neighbourhood indicated +an alarm. The cannonade, too, though sometimes more distinctly heard +than at others, did not, on the whole, seem to approach. After +listening for a time, sleep got the better of me, and I sank down in +spite of the distant cannonade and the more immediate concert of +thousands of frogs in the adjoining ditch. + +_23d._--A fine day. Uneasy at hearing nothing of the brigade being +in motion. The cannonade during the night proceeded from Sir Charles +Colville and the 4th division attacking Cambray. + +About noon Sir Augustus Frazer, with Sir Julius Hartman of the K. G. +Legion horse-artillery, paid us a visit. From them I learned that +headquarters are established in Cateau, and that the Duke intends +halting in our present position for a day or two to give time for +the rear of the army to close up, since, from the rapidity of our +march, and from the whole marching in a single column, many corps +are still a long way in the rear. At the same time, Cambray on our +right and Landrecy on our left are to be secured before we advance +further. Moreover, we are likely, it seems, to have another battle +immediately, for the French army has rallied in considerable force, +and is in position not far in front of us. Upon this intelligence +I decided on remaining at Montay until the brigade should come up; +therefore, leaving my second captain to inspect ammunition, and +forward cleaning, repairing, shoeing, &c., I set off with our two +visitors on their return to Cateau. This place, which is very small, +is situated in a rich alluvial bottom amongst fine, well-irrigated +meadows. The only trees, however, in this bottom are at Montay. +The town is surrounded by a simple wall, perhaps only for excise +purposes; and I was at a loss to conjecture the use of a single +battery of two or three pieces near the gate leading to Montay. On +entering this gate I was struck by the dismal aspect of the street +within--narrow, dirty, and composed of mean-looking houses built +of sombre-coloured stone, and scarcely a human being visible; for +although headquarters were here, none of the members of it were to +be seen in the streets. Priests in their black cassocks and band +strode solemnly along from time to time. The house in which the Duke +lodged was the only decent-looking one in the place. It stood at the +extremity of the street, crossing at right angles the one we entered +by--large, and pierced with numerous windows, apparently new, and +having the advantage of a row of three or four fine trees in front. +Some pretensions there were, too, to architectural decorations in +the façade, which was of stucco, painted buff. Cateau was soon +seen, and I returned to Montay, where I found the poor farmer (the +farm adjoined the church) in great distress. The Hanoverians were +plundering barns, farmyard, and all. “Ah, monsieur, tout sera +abimé!” cried the poor fellow, wringing his hands, and presenting +the very picture of despair. Yesterday evening he complained to +me, and I did what I could to prevent it, but without much effect. +The bivouac of these marauders in the adjoining meadows was only +separated from his garden by a sort of willow hedge; and although I +planted sentries for the protection of it, everything disappeared. +This morning, becoming bolder, they have plundered his barns, &c., +and even threatened the house itself. As we draw our own supplies of +eggs, milk, &c., from the farm, I did what I could to save him from +further plunder, and sent Breton to remonstrate with their commanding +officer, and give him to understand that, unless he kept his men +under better discipline, I would report him to the Duke. Got nothing +by this, for he persisted in not understanding English. Thus we have +been obliged to be constantly on the alert, and to keep them out by +main force. The poor farmer is very grateful, and loud in praise of +_les bons Anglais_, whilst he _sacrés_, &c., their allies down to +the bottomless pit--“aux enfers.” He admits the truth of what I said +about retaliation, and turned up his eyes in horror at the account +I gave him of the ravages committed by French troops in other +countries. “Mais, monsieur, je le crois bien, les soldats Français +sont de vrais brigands; ils pillent partout même dans la patrie; oui, +monsieur, ici même;” and he related how a detachment of cuirassiers +had quartered on him for three days, having only departed the morning +of that in which we arrived. They had treated him cruelly; and not +content with living on him all that time, were on the point of +destroying everything that was left and burning the premises, when +the unexpected appearance of some of our advanced corps obliged them +to make a precipitate retreat. In the evening, a general parade of +the Germans. They have formed a sort of diminutive tents for the +night by striking two ramrods into the ground, crossed, to form each +end; I forget how they form the ridge. A blanket is laid over, and +the other two serve to lie under and over the three men the tent +just holds. The different bands, all good, continued playing until +after dusk, which we enjoyed sitting in the willow hedge smoking our +cigars. The scene was remarkably pretty. Groups of men scattered +about amongst the little tents, some preparing supper, &c.; the +bands, with officers in picturesque costumes hovering about them; the +town of Cateau in the background; and on either hand the picture +shut in by bold naked slopes of the neighbouring heights. + +_24th._--Fine warm morning, but day promises to be rather too hot. +Not a gun to be heard to-day by the sharpest ear; the business at +Cambray must be settled somehow or other. Getting accustomed to our +churchyard. To be sure, none of the graves are recent; it seems long +since any one has been buried here. Hitchins and I have decided on +breakfasting together; and as he is more at leisure than I am, he has +undertaken the foraging department. This morning our repast consisted +of bread (sour as vinegar), cheesy butter, and hard eggs, washed down +with weak grog (Hollands)--table a grave. Ever since we passed Mons +good bread is not to be had--all is of this horrid sour description. +To the eye it is well enough. The peasantry make their bread in large +flat loaves, 2 or 2½ feet in diameter--no mistake!--nearly circular. +Sometimes the loaves are annular, and of the above diameter. Enter +Lieutenant and Adjutant Bell, R.H.A., and I can write no more, for he +no doubt brings news. + +9 P.M.--Here we are, then, back again in Forêt. Bell brought us the +order to return forthwith, as the brigade was to march without delay +on Landrecy, the commandant of which place refuses to surrender. +We lost no time in obeying the order, and the road being now quite +clear--indeed solitary--marched here in a very short time; and +instead of finding the brigade ready to move, were surprised on +reaching the village at seeing the Life Guardsmen quietly grooming +their horses in front of the barns and stables of their billets. +The place being already full, we were directed to bivouac, and +accordingly I pitched upon this orchard, which is high and dry; +but the trees are too young and too far apart to afford us much +shade, which we want just now. The arrival of strangers attracted a +concourse of villagers to our bivouac, many old women and young girls +bringing quantities of very fine cherries for sale. The former were +remarkably coarse and ugly, the latter generally pretty, and all +had sparkling, speaking eyes. These, of course, sold their cherries +first; but the article was too grateful in such a roasting day as +this has been not to insure the sale of all. The costume of these +women--who, by the way, seemed quite at home with us--was rather +picturesque. Lofty white caps, with long flaps hanging down to the +shoulders, their naked stays sometimes not very closely laced, bosom +covered with a coloured handkerchief put on with a degree of taste, +coarse woollen petticoats of a blue stuff striped with white or pink +and reaching only to the calf of the leg, coarse woollen stockings, +and clumsy wooden shoes (_sabots_). Most of them wore large gold or +silver rings in their ears, and many a little golden cross suspended +from the neck by a black riband or a strip of black velvet. The Duke +has published a manifesto from Cateau. Several copies are stuck up +in the village, and the people here seem very much pleased with it; +and well they may, for it assures them they shall be treated like +gentlemen, and not get the punishment which France, as a nation, +so richly deserves. It calls upon the people to remain quietly at +home, as we make no war on them, but ought rather to be considered +as their allies; further, it goes on to assure them that the +strictest discipline will be maintained in the Allied army, and that +everything required by the troops must be paid for at its full value. +The Forêtiens, and particularly the Forêtiennes, actually express +astonishment at our generosity. + +Louis XVIII., &c., passed through the village this evening on his +way to Cateau. Leathes and I rode a little way out to meet him, +which we did about a quarter of a mile off. The cortège consisted +of several Berlines, escorted by about two squadrons of the Royal +Garde de Corps--fine young men (all gentlemen), dressed in a +very becoming uniform, blue turned up with red, and silver lace +tastefully disposed, with Grecian helmets, silver, with a golden +sun on the front, the most elegant I ever saw. The king was in the +last carriage, on each side of which rode the Duc de Berri and that +General whose acquaintance I made on the drill-ground near Alost. +We had drawn up on the roadside as the cortège passed. The moment +the Duc de Berri and the General saw us, they came up, and, offering +us their hands, poured forth such a torrent of compliments and +congratulations as made even our horses blush. His Royal Highness +could never sufficiently testify his gratitude to the English nation, +&c. &c.; was impatient to see us in Paris, for then and there indeed, +&c. &c. The General was equally profuse in compliments and promises, +so that, forgetting the adage, “Put not your trust in princes,” +Leathes and I have ever since been feeling the Croix de St Louis +dangling at our breasts--_nous verrons_! The monarch was detained +from his dinner more than half an hour by my worthy friend Mons. le +Curé, who, in full pontificals, and followed by his congregation +_en habits de Dimanches_, met him at the entrance of the village, +and, standing on a little bank at the coach-door, delivered a long +harangue, set off by Mandarine-like bobs of the head at the end of +every period, and a most profound bow at the conclusion, all which +were received and returned by his Majesty with exemplary patience and +punctuality. At length the cortège moved on, and we returned to our +orchard. + +_25th._--Here we are, another day’s march in advance, not only +without the expected battle, but also without having either seen or +heard of an enemy. Nor have we seen any traces of one, having found +the peasantry everywhere as peaceably occupied as if no war existed. +Nothing more have we heard of Landrecy, which, I suppose, must have +surrendered, since Lord Edward sent us orders this morning to march +on Sequehart, where the brigade halts to-night. Accordingly I marched +immediately towards Montay in a thick drizzling rain, which made this +dismal country appear ten times more dismal. The cavalry regiments +marched at the same time (about five A.M.?) and we kept company as +far as Montay; but there they left us, for we found the road again +so choked with baggage, &c., that although we succeeded in passing +the bridge, yet the deep hollow road (_encaissé_ between very high +steep banks), ascending to the opposite heights, was so inextricably +crammed with carriages, and the unctuous soil so slippery, that I +feared we should bivouac in the churchyard again. We attempted the +ascent, and being better horsed than the others, succeeded in getting +ahead wherever an opening offered. Our column was broken into as many +fractional parts as we had carriages. At length, after a most arduous +struggle, we mustered our whole force on the plateau, and pushed +forward in the old way--sometimes getting along pretty smoothly by +keeping one side of the road; then a choke would stop us for a time, +until, an opportunity offering, the head of our column would make a +dash and break the file of waggons; but occasionally in doing this, +if the rear carriages did not keep close up, the waggoners would +dash in their turn, and cut them off. Then again we got foul of our +Nassau friends, and the old quarrel was revived; cursing, swearing, +and bayoneting followed as matter of course. The road itself was +execrable, and in places a complete slough. It appears that our +march has been so conducted as to avoid the main avenues, and thus +turn the fortresses; consequently, with the exception of some little +bits of chaussée, we have been travelling on the cross-roads--in +France always execrable. On gaining the plateau we saw everywhere +around us again those interminable fields of wheat--not a hedge +nor a dividing wall; the only relief a few small woods here and +there. A hamlet we occasionally met with, and sometimes a solitary +cabaret of the meanest appearance--“Ici on loge à pied et à cheval,” +scrawled on a board in black letters, on a dirty-white ground, +invited the traveller to enter. Sometimes a longer inscription set +forth other inducements. I pity the luckless wight who trusts to +their hospitality. A remarkable feature in the cheerless scenery of +these oceans of corn is the row of apple-trees so frequently seen +skirting the horizon. The by-roads here are frequently bordered by +apple or pear trees, which accounts for this. As we advanced on +the plateau, and still found no concentration of troops, or other +indication of the neighbourhood of the enemy, our expectation of +another battle vanished. Insensibly we had deviated from the general +route, and found ourselves only accompanied by Major Bull’s troop +of horse-artillery. Bull had got the same discretionary orders from +his general as myself, and was also making his way to Sequehart, +where his brigade was to halt. The country had become prettier and +more interesting, and the rain had ceased. Woods were more frequent +and larger, and at last we marched through what might strictly be +termed a wooded country. The ground, too, became more undulating, +and pastures of green meadows occurred to relieve most agreeably the +tiresome sameness of the corn crops. Occasionally, also, openings +between the woods would give us glimpses of distant and pretty +country. But where dwell the husbandmen who cultivate those lands? In +this district we saw not a single habitation, and only here and there +met a solitary peasant--not working, but in the road--moving from +one place to another. Of these we incessantly demanded “Où se trouve +Sequehart?” and the response was invariably “_N’sais paw, Monsire_,” +or a shake of the head. Bull and I began to be uneasy as the evening +drew on, whilst we were surrounded by woods, and not the slightest +appearance of a village to be seen. Our own people were now the only +troops visible, and we began to suspect what proved to be true--we +had lost ourselves! + +We were so enclosed by woods that it was impossible to see to any +distance; and cross-roads branching off right and left became very +frequent, so that we were puzzled how to proceed. Every peasant we +met persisted in knowing nothing of Sequehart, nor had met any other +troops. We were evidently astray. At last an old man, to whom the +usual questions were put, after puzzling over it for a few minutes, +begged we would repeat the name. “Sequehart!--Sequehart!” said he, +two or three times. “_Monsire, n’le connois paw_; mais, ma foi, ce +sera sans doute Escars que vous cherchez.” We stared in our turn, +but the old man was positive, and insisted that we were leaving it +behind us. After some little irresolution, Bull and I made up our +minds to follow his directions; and accordingly, after a few miles +threading our way between woods, arrived here a little before sunset. +The village is already full of Life Guards, and therefore we are +obliged to bivouac again; but that is of little moment, for we have +an excellent spot on a rising ground, covered with short velvety +turf, close to the chaussée leading to St Quentin, on the other side +of which, about two or three hundred yards distant, is the village of +Sequehart, or Escars, so buried in the foliage of fine walnut-trees, +and of the hedges enclosing the gardens and some fields, that +scarcely a roof is to be seen; and it is only through the ascending +columns of blue smoke from amongst the trees that the site of the +village is to be detected. From the swelling hills up which the St +Quentin road runs in front of us, the short clean turf, and the chalk +(or gypsum) that appears in patches where this has been removed, we +might fancy ourselves on the South Downs, in Sussex. It is a sweet +rural spot, and, what is better, we see few signs of war about us; +for except Walcott’s troop (rocket), which has just come up, no other +soldiers whatever are to be seen. Bull left us at the other side of +the village, and our cavalry are, like it, buried in the foliage +and invisible to us. We understand headquarters are at Joncour, a +village not far off, and that Lord Hill’s division is at Belleglise, +somewhere in front, so that we may sleep securely to-night. Lovely +evening. + +_26th._--Fine morning. Marched early, and, crossing the downs, +traversed beyond them a pretty well-wooded country, diversified very +agreeably by several large sheets of water, formed by embankments, +and regained the route of our army, which we had deviated from +yesterday at Belleglise, just as the bustle commenced. Plunged once +more into the torrent, with all its _désagrémens_ and vexations, +and swam along with it as before. The wooded country gave place +to the dismal sea of corn a little beyond Belleglise; but after +travelling about four or five miles through this tiresome region, we +once more came amongst trees, and crossed a deep ravine, or rather +wooded valley, in which was situated a most respectable-looking +country-house, brick, with stone angles, window-cases, &c., standing +upon a terrace, with an old-fashioned garden divided into rectangular +beds, with stone vases, &c., sheltered in the rear by the woods, +and to the south looking upon a fine sheet of water--artificial, +no doubt--most probably formed by damming up the stream which we +crossed in the bottom. The country people told us this place belongs +to Caulaincourt, Duc de Vicenza, which is no doubt the truth, since +in my map I find it called Caulaincourt. The hanging woods and shady +winding paths of this ravine appeared to us heavenly when contrasted +with the dreary exposed plain above; and this, if possible, was more +hideous than ever when we again debouched upon it--a dead flat, +unrelieved by the slightest undulation--a sea of wheat extending to +the horizon, with here and there a few clumps of beggarly pines, +and the usual straggling lines of apple-trees fringing the horizon. +I forget where, but it must have been just before crossing the +valley at Caulaincourt that we left the direct route, together with +Bull’s and Whinyate’s troops, as we were directed to halt for the +night at Etreillers. After marching two or three miles more over +this uninteresting plain, on passing one of these circular pine +clumps we suddenly came in sight of fine trees bounding the horizon, +intermixed with buildings, which, on approaching it, proved to be +Etreillers. The village is a very large one, composed principally of +large farms, with a few dwellings of an inferior description, all, +however, standing back in gardens, or in their large straw-yards, +which are separated from the broad avenues constituting the village +street by high walls, with a great gateway of entrance, and generally +surrounded on three sides by orchards. Such quarters are quite a +luxury; for although we are three troops in the village, yet all +get under cover, man and horse, in houses, barns, stables, &c. +The appearance of the place is not gay, and may truly be said to +harmonise in tone with the dreary but fruitful plain around. The +buildings are generally of a dark stone, with enormous thatched +roofs, which, if not lively, has at least an air of substantial +comfort that makes ample amends for everything else. + +I have established myself in a most comfortable farmhouse of the +first class, and, to complete my good fortune, have an exceedingly +pretty and most obliging hostess. Instead of the black looks an +intruder like myself might have expected, I was received with smiles, +and a welcome which sounded sincere. I was shown into their best +room (the one which I now write in), my horses into the best stable, +and everything done to make me most comfortable. My fair friend has +let out one reason for all this, although I still believe genuine +hospitality has a great share in it--she is delighted at having +English instead of Prussians quartered on her; all the country are +in dread of the latter. As may be supposed, we were soon quite at +home--I say we, for my second captain (Newland) was with me. In the +stable, men and boys have been at work helping our men to clean their +horses, whilst in the house the women busied themselves in arranging +our room, cooking dinner, and even asking for our dirty linen, which +they are in the act of washing for us, so that to-day I can afford a +clean shirt and still start to-morrow with a clean kit. The room we +occupy is large and rather dark, for there are only two small windows +looking out to the farmyard, and these rather obscured with the white +draperies with which they are ornamented. The furniture is coarse and +clumsy, made of walnut, and is as black as ebony. One side of the +room is occupied by two sleeping-places, let into the wall, exactly +like the berths on shipboard. The bedding in these, though coarse +also, is very good, and, like everything else, scrupulously clean; +the sheets have just been put in. Our servants have comfortable beds +allotted to them, and have become as much at home in the kitchen +as if they were old acquaintances. Whilst dinner was preparing, I +sallied forth to see how my people were put up, and had scarcely +left the yard when I encountered an old peasant wearing an enormous +cocked-hat, and having a drum suspended from his neck by a broad +band, on which he occasionally gave a sort of roll or flourish. His +grotesque figure, as well as his employment, attracted my attention, +and I was somewhat mystified on observing that every flourish on +the drum was responded to by an opening of doors and the sallying +out of old ladies, each bearing under her arm one of those enormous +loaves already mentioned. What can all this mean, thought I? Is it +possible that in this most military of all nations even women are +subject to regulations, and obliged to conduct the _ménage_ by tap +of drum or sound of bugle? One old lady, with a huge annular loaf, +whom I questioned, soon solved the query. The commissary had ordered +the inhabitants to feed the troops, and this drumming hero was the +crier, who gave notice to that effect, and was likewise collecting +all the ready-baked bread at the church for distribution. The thing +seemed perfectly well understood, each roll of the drum producing +precisely the same effect as the crier moved along the great rambling +street. The old women, as they trotted towards the church, made a +clatter with their _sabots_ like so many horses. Many of the people I +found had, on our first arrival, concealed everything; but the dread +of being plundered was soon removed, and all is now confidence. As +far as I can judge, these people seem to live well enough in their +own way; and in every house one is sure to find good beds, very high, +being raised upon an enormous palliasse. There is no want of silver +spoons, and even forks, in many of them; and their stock of household +linen (good) is really astonishing, many small _cultivateurs_ +possessing as much as would set up two or three of our middling +farmers. I use the term “_cultivateur_” to designate a class quite +common in France, but scarcely known in England. They are proprietors +of small estates (perhaps only a few acres), fractions of large ones +sold in lots during the Revolution. These, of course, they cultivate +themselves, with the assistance of their families, and are thence +styled “_cultivateurs_” by the Government, and are obliged to put +this, coupled with their number (they are all numbered), upon their +carts, &c.--for example, “Joachim Laroque, cultivateur, No. 3755;” or +“Jean Baptiste Amand,” &c. &c. &c. + +We find them a simple, obliging, but very ignorant race; and their +_patois_ is to me almost unintelligible. Some with whom I conversed +this evening either were, or pretended to be, quite ignorant of what +has been taking place in the great world. They had heard that France +was at war with England, Russia, and Prussia, but that was all. They +had never heard of Wellington, nor of Nelson, nor even Louis XVIII. +They had, however, heard enough to inspire them with some dread of +the Cossacks and Prussians. I asked them if they knew Buonaparte? +“Non, monsieur--non y pas!” “Napoleon?--aw mais oui, monsieur, c’est +l’Empereur que ça--n’est ce paw vrai, monsieur?” They had heard of +him because he made them pay taxes; but of his wars they were as +ignorant as all the rest, and did not speculate the least in the +world as to how and why we are here. + +Returned _home_ (conceive being _at home_ in a French farmhouse!) +just as the good woman was placing a most inviting fricasseed fowl +and _omelette aux herbes_, smoking hot, upon our table, to which, +with a good bottle of _vin du pays_, we lost no time in doing +justice. We have passed a most comfortable evening; and if we may +judge by the laughing and chattering in the kitchen, our servants +and the rustics have not passed it badly. As their door is opposite +to ours, we have occasionally peeped in upon them, and been much +amused at seeing the ploughmen equipped in our men’s helmets, belts, +&c.; but their chief source of amusement appeared to be reciprocally +teaching each other English and French words--the attempt at +pronouncing which causes infinite fun. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + +_27th._--Fine warm morning. Started early after an excellent +breakfast of coffee and _et ceteras_. Our orders were to rejoin +the grand column at Ugny l’Equippée; but we had not gone far from +Etreillers when two roads, branching off in different directions, +brought us to a halt. Lord Greenock came up just at the moment, and +blamed me for not bringing a guide from the village--“Better late +than never.” I took the hint, and sent Trumpeter Brown back with +orders to bring the first person he could lay hands on, _nolens +volens_. He went his way and brought back _a tailor_, escorting him +like a prisoner with his drawn sabre. Not knowing why he was thus +forcibly taken from his home, the poor tailor appeared terribly +alarmed--imploring mercy even with tears. When told, however, what +was expected of him, he soon became tranquil; so, sticking him at +the head of the column, we jogged on again. At Ugny l’Equippée we +rejoined the column and dismissed our tailor, slipping into the main +stream as heretofore. We now learned that the army was about to cross +the Somme, and soon felt that it was actually engaged in so doing +from our long and tedious halts--there being but one ford, which +made the operation a very slow one. As we drew near the river the +country improved somewhat, became more undulating and more wooded, +consequently prettier. + +The Somme here is but a small stream; flat meadows extend some little +way on each side, and are bordered by moderate hills, running out +here and there into knolls. The point chosen for our passage was a +ford just above a mill on the road to Nesle. Péronne having been +taken yesterday by General Maitland’s brigade of Guards, the only +enemy we heard of in our vicinity was the garrison of Ham, and they +could scarcely have opposed our passage even had they not been shut +up by a brigade of light infantry and a troop of horse-artillery +(Ross’s), which had been sent to summon them. The different divisions +of cavalry, infantry, and artillery, winding down the swelling +knolls, some of which were prettily wooded, and the picturesque +groups of staff and other officers on the points of these knolls, +superintending the passage of their respective brigades, &c., formed +altogether an animated and pleasing picture, although not much could +be said for the beauty of the country on the opposite side of the +river, which looked cheerless enough. It was in one of those groups, +and the most picturesque of them--for they were German hussars--that +I recognised and shook hands with my friend General Victor Alten, +whom I had not seen for more than three years. An interesting +meeting, for he was surrounded by a number of other old acquaintances +of the 2d Hussars. + +A foot-bridge at the mill enabled the infantry to file over; but we +had to ford, and got a tolerable wetting, for the water was up to +our saddle-skirts. On the other side, about a mile from the river, +we reached Nesle, the intervening country enclosed but not wooded, +consequently much more ugly and uninteresting than if it had been +open. Nesle is a dismal, dirty town, situated on an eminence of no +great elevation, and perfectly in character with the melancholy +country around it. + +This is the first town we have marched through in France. I think it +must have been market-day, from the number of people in the streets; +yet not the slightest apprehension or agitation appeared; and, as we +passed along, the market-people merely turned up their heads, and the +shopkeepers came to their doors to gaze on us, much as if we had been +marching through Exeter, or any other English town accustomed to see +troops. + +Since crossing the Somme, the army has marched more cautiously than +hitherto, consequently we have been all day with our brigade. At +Nesle we got on a chaussée, bordered on each side by large elms, +consequently forming a fine avenue; the country on either side +without enclosures and not interesting, although better wooded than +immediately about that town. Roye was ahead of us, but when within a +few miles of it the head of our column led off the chaussée, crossing +the fields by a by-road, and then another chaussée, Péronne to Paris, +until we gained the village of Goyencour, situated in a pretty, +because well-wooded, country. This village, like most of those we +have hitherto passed through, is composed of a number of farmhouses +scattered over a large space, and embowered amongst orchards and some +of the finest linden-trees I ever saw. + +The Life Guards and my troop are all housed, so that we are fortunate +again. For my part, I am quartered on a small shop, which, however, +is very clean; and we have excellent beds, Newland and I. In front +of the house an open space affords good room to draw up our guns, +&c., adjoining which are the very pretty pleasure-grounds of a +handsome villa, seen through a stately avenue of lindens. This place +belongs to some lady, who it seems has taken to flight on hearing of +our approach, leaving, however, her butler and some other servants +behind; so that Lord Edward, who has taken up his quarters there, +is as comfortable as he could wish to be. I have just returned from +dining with him, and a better dinner, dessert, and wines,[1] it is +impossible to have enjoyed. What a treat in the midst of a campaign +to enjoy such a party. Besides his lordship’s personal staff, there +were the two colonels of the Life Guards. The front of the house, +having part of the pleasure-ground (it might almost be called a +park) in the fore, has the town of Roye in the distance; a pretty +terrace with aloes in vases and other choice shrubs occupies the +space immediately under the windows, which, opening to the ground, +admit one into a suite of elegantly-furnished rooms. Lord Edward +was perfectly at home, and did the honours as if the house were his, +and so did the butler and other servants. A quieter, better-ordered +dinner, and more excellent, I repeat, could not be. + +Lord Edward had heard that, after a little show of resistance, Ham +had surrendered this morning; and we were speculating over our +first glass of wine on the probability of reaching Paris without +resistance, when an officer of the Life Guards came in to report +that a strong corps of cavalry had been seen amongst the woods about +a mile from the village. As his lordship knew positively that the +main body of the French force was retreating before the Prussians, +who had got a march ahead of us, he contented himself with ordering +out a strong detachment to reconnoitre, and we continued at table. +In the course of the evening the detachment returned, and a report +was brought in that they had ascertained that the cavalry seen was a +corps of about 600 men, composed of deserters from the French army; +and these people, taking advantage of the present state of affairs, +have been plundering and levying contributions in all the villages, +and even towns, throughout this country--that the inhabitants of +Amiens itself are greatly alarmed, and have been anxiously expecting +our arrival as their only protection against these brigands--a French +population actually hailing the arrival of their English invaders +with joy! Not knowing what these desperadoes may attempt, we have +doubled our guards. The division is ordered to be on the alert, and +patrols are established for the night. I shall undress and enjoy my +nice clean bed, nevertheless. + +_28th._--A fine morning, after a quiet night, notwithstanding +the banditti. Marched early to Roye by a cross-road bordered by +apple-trees. Here we rejoined the main column, and got upon the +chaussée to Paris by Pont St Maxence, &c., a fine broad road as +usual, the middle paved (rather roughly) with a summer or unpaved +road on each side, the whole bordered by noble elms, and generally +a perfectly straight direction: tiresome this from the long vistas +which open on one from the summit of every elevation. The country +on either hand flat and covered with corn as usual, but had nothing +of the wearying sameness of that I so much complained of a day or +two ago; for here it was prettily broken by woods and villages, and +the distance, instead of terminating with the fringe of apple-trees, +presents an interesting range of blue hills. This day’s march, +however, has not been marked by any occurrence, either of scenery +or adventure, worthy of notice. Towards evening, when Lord Edward +was about to establish his night-quarters, he directed me to leave +the chaussée to take possession of a little place about a quarter +of a mile off; and here I am in Mortemer, perhaps one of the most +miserable hamlets in all the country. Its short straggling street +of poor cottages we found quite deserted, and they have taken away +everything that could be useful to us, leaving only the walls +and roofs. These cottages are built of rough limestone, and the +interiors we have found so filthy and full of vermin, that, one +and all, we have preferred to bivouac in the orchards ourselves, +and have put our horses into the houses; straw spread under guns +and ammunition-waggons, with the painted covers closing them in to +windward, forms no despicable sleeping-place. One of my drivers, +rummaging about, has discovered a vast quantity of excellent +household linen buried under the floor. Several other discoveries +of this sort have been made; but I have strictly forbidden anything +being touched, only leaving these _caches_ open that the natives +may know they have not deceived us, but are beholden to us for +our moderation. Had we depended on Mortemer, we should have gone +supperless to bed; but Mr Coates has been so successful in foraging +the neighbourhood, that both man and horse have fared sumptuously. + +_29th._--Since yesterday the character of the country has been +insensibly changing: country-houses with extensive gardens and +pleasure-grounds, and a more careful style of architecture, seem to +indicate an approach to the capital. The villages, too, alas! in my +estimation, are changed for the worse--the large thatched farmhouses, +barns, &c., and rural cottages, scattered amongst orchards and +verdure, have given place to regular streets of three-storey houses. +Pieces of towns--surely not villages--these! Mortemer was an +exception. The scenery, too, has improved: features more bold and +varied, better wooded, and habitations more numerous. The chain of +blue hills seen yesterday continues to bound the southern horizon. +The first village we passed after leaving Mortemer was almost +entirely composed of respectable houses standing in gardens, and +having lofty iron railings (_grilles_) to the street. I think this +was Cuvilly. Hitchins and I breakfasted as usual, _en chemin_. We +find this a good plan, marching as we do so early. Each of us has +his cold salt-beef and biscuit in his havresack, and weak grog in +his canteen. The troop fairly started, we drop astern a little, the +Doctor produces the profits of his evening’s forage in the shape of +hard-boiled eggs, &c. I have seldom enjoyed anything more than these +ambulatory breakfasts in the cool refreshing air of a calm morning. A +cigar always concludes my repast, and prolongs the pleasure of it. + +After travelling some distance through the sort of country just +spoken of, we again emerged upon a high and open tract of corn, +and in a hollow some way in front saw the neat village of Gournay, +forming a broad street of clean-looking buff cottages, all, I think, +slated. Here we stumbled upon the first traces of our allies the +Prussians, who bivouacked (at least some of their corps) last night +upon these heights. Of all disgusting objects in the world, there is +perhaps none more so than the deserted bivouac--the ground everywhere +covered with half-extinguished fires, broken jugs, &c., bits of rags, +shreds of uniforms, straw trampled in the miry soil, remnants of +food of all sorts, &c. In histories of war and warlike operations, +the pomp and glitter and excitement are all that present themselves +to our mind’s eye, whilst the bivouac, the battle-field encumbered +with carnage and misery, the hospital with its heartrending scenes, +the plundered cottage, the brutal outrage, and a thousand other +disgusting and harrowing episodes, are carefully slurred over if +touched upon, but more generally never produced. Up to this moment +I have actually not known with what part of the army we have +been marching. As far as I could see, we have had an apparently +interminable column ahead and astern of us; now, however, I find we +are with the advance. + +A few paces from the highroad, and in the midst of the bivouac (at +the point from whence we obtain sight of Gournay) stood a monument +of Republican and Prussian revenge--pitiful revenge!--such as, +having enacted, a schoolboy would blush at--the mausoleum of some +illustrious lady, whom a long inscription, in the true French style +of mawkish sentiment, told us “had been lovely in person and elegant +in mind--that, soaring above superstition, she eschewed the folly +of laying her bones in _consecrated_ ground, choosing rather to +lie overshadowed in death by those trees of which she had been so +enamoured (_passionné_) whilst living,” &c. The monument was a stone +pyramid, standing in a small square space enclosed by an embankment, +and planted round with acacias. The Prussians had cut down the trees, +nearly levelled the embankment, and made a fruitless attempt at +destroying the pyramid itself. Descending from this eminence by a +long but gradual slope, we entered Gournay after crossing a little +stream tumbling from the heights. This certainly is the neatest and +cleanest place we have seen in France; pity it is, however, that +it stands so bare--scarcely a bush to be seen. I don’t know how +it happened, but when we reached Gournay we were ahead of almost +everybody. About the middle of the long village several well-dressed +persons were standing at the door of an auberge, attentively watching +our advance. As we approached they hurried forward to meet us, +eagerly demanding when the Duke of Wellington would come up. Now +I suspected the report which we heard yesterday--of Paris having +surrendered to the Prussians, and that Buonaparte had fled--might be +true, and that these people were deputies sent to avert the wrath +of the conqueror; so, addressing myself to the principal person, +a short, square-built, rather pursy man, wearing some decoration, +I asked if it were so, and when we might arrive there. My friend, +drawing himself up, and affecting an air of contempt, exclaimed +aloud, “_Paris se rendre?_--non, monsieur, n’y contez pas! il faut +passer sur les corps de 200,000 hommes, avant d’y arriver,” at the +same time coming close up, and tapping me on the knee, he whispered, +“_Mais si votre Duc de Vellintone traitera, il tient la bonté à +ses pieds, et fera tout ce qui lui plaira_.” I thanked him for the +confidence, told him I knew nothing about the Duke, which made him +stare, and rode on.[2] + +Leaving Gournay, the country became more pleasing, because more +wooded, and the fields generally enclosed by hedges. This style of +scenery continued until it brought us to the valley of the Oise, by +far the most interesting part of France we had yet seen. How can I +describe my feelings when it first opened out before me? How, alas! +can I describe the scene itself? But to see and feel it aright +one must first have passed over the monotonous melancholy country +extending almost uninterruptedly from Nivelles to the Oise--must have +had the retina so imbued with the eternal brown and yellow of that +ocean of corn as to see everything of a yellow or jaundiced hue--then +he may imagine somewhat of the pleasurable relief with which the +eye rested for the first time on the lovely scenery and refreshing +verdure of this charming valley. The ground, descending by a gradual +slope on our side, ran into a vast succession of most beautiful +green meadows, everywhere adorned with magnificent elms, either +standing detached, or in groups, or in rows. Beyond these, at about +a mile from us, ran the Oise--a broad stream, sometimes exhibiting +its sparkling surface nearly on a level with the meadows, at others +encased between steep banks of some height. Immediately above the +river rose a bold range of hills, thickly wooded from the river-banks +to their summit. To the right and left this sort of scenery continued +until further view was shut out by the overlapping hills. The road by +which we travelled ran straight as a line across the meadows; and at +the point where it appeared to cross the river was a pretty-looking +little town, Pont St Maxence, partly on one bank, partly on the +other. If we were to be opposed, there I thought is the position in +which the French await us, and tough work we shall have of it. These +ideas occurred to me as we descended toward the meadows; and as the +corps in advance of us approached the town, I momentarily expected +to see flashes and smoke issuing from masked batteries in the +opposite woods; and it now struck me for the first time as a singular +circumstance that cavalry should be allowed to advance alone in +the face of such a position, for we had considerably outmarched the +infantry. Of course the Duke knew there would be no opposition; and +yet it was difficult to imagine what then had become of the French +force, which we knew was retiring before us--of the 200,000 men our +friend at Gournay had spoken of. No opposition was there. Instead of +finding the banks of the Oise garnished with cannon and bristling +with bayonets--instead of broken-up roads and inundated fields, woods +full of riflemen and the town of grenadiers--instead of all this, +we found a peaceable population in a lovely country, labourers in +their fields and fishermen on the rivers, whilst flocks and herds +pastured in quiet security on the verdant carpet which overspread +the plain. The little town of Pont St Maxence looked cheerful and +pretty as we approached it, lying partly on one side of the river, +partly on the other. The wooded hills rose abruptly over it, the +lower part of their slopes interspersed with pretty villas, standing +amongst vineyards and in gardens, with terraced walks overhanging the +scenery below. After marching all day in a hot sun, what a feeling of +coolness and enjoyment was conveyed in the appearance of the large +open windows and shady balconies, draperied with clematis and other +elegant creepers, of these sylvan villas! It appears that the bridge +had been broken down last year, and never repaired. To do this a +detachment of the staff corps was pushed forward either yesterday +or early this morning; but when we reached the end of the town they +had not yet rendered it passable, and we were ordered to take post +in the neighbouring splendid meadows, where, expecting to remain +all night, we commenced at once establishing ourselves. Several +troops of horse-artillery and some regiments of cavalry were already +up, and others of all arms were continually arriving. The horses, +unharnessed and watered, were already feeding, fires were lighted, +kettles on, and every one was congratulating himself on having halted +on so charming a spot. Thus settled, I strayed into the garden of a +neighbouring mill, full of fine currants and cherries, to which the +pretty _meunière_ not only bade me welcome, but even herself helped +me to the best fruit. I was just in the height of enjoyment of the +delicious coolness of the fruit, and the piquant badinage of my +companion, when suddenly the “boot-and-saddle” re-echoed through the +valley, and a confused hum of voices arose simultaneously from every +bivouac. With hurried thanks I took leave of my “Maid of the Mill,” +and hastened back to my people, expecting every moment a fire would +open upon us from the opposite woods, having no idea that so sudden +an alert could proceed from any other cause than the approach of the +enemy. + +In a moment our horses were reharnessed, the nose-bags with the +unconsumed part of their feed attached again to the saddles, +officers’ baggage replaced on the mules, the kettles, with the +half-cooked messes in them, suspended under the carriages, and all +was ready to move. Corps after corps filed out of the meadows and +took the road to the town; we followed the general movement, which +we now learned was occasioned by the coming up of the infantry, who +were to occupy the ground we left, whilst the cavalry was to push +on beyond the river as long as daylight lasted. Still no word of an +enemy. + +The broken bridge had been repaired by the staff corps in so +temporary a manner, that the very first detachment of hussars who +passed deranged it so much as to render it quite unsafe, and we had +to dismount at the entrance of the town and wait a full hour ere +it was again rendered passable. This bridge, with its right-lined +top, was to me an extraordinarily beautiful piece of architecture; +and there is a charm in this right-line which I could not have +imagined. The little town was all bustle, every auberge crammed with +officers enjoying the luxuries of the French cuisine and vintage. +At last the bridge was reported safe, and we recommenced our march, +regretting the necessity which prevented our seeing more of this +lovely place. Immediately on crossing, we turned to the right and +pursued a tolerably good road winding about the foot of the wooded +heights, which on the one hand rose immediately above us, whilst the +silver Oise glided tranquilly along its course on the other. About a +mile, or perhaps more, from Pont St Maxence, we quitted the river, +and turning up a beautiful ravine, the slopes of which were partly +covered with wood, partly with the rich foliage of the vineyards, we +pushed into the bosom of the hills, quitting with regret this sweet +river. It is impossible to imagine anything more beautiful than this +evening’s march. The picturesque scenery of the ravine; the clearness +and serenity of the sky; the warm colouring thrown over the one side +of the ravine by the declining sun opposed to the deep purply tones +of the other; the various and varied picturesque military groups +reposing on the turf by the way-side, or winding along amongst the +vineyards, altogether formed a picture, or rather a succession of +pictures, perfectly ravishing. Never shall I forget this evening! + +The sun had set some time when we reached the village of Verneuil, +which was to be the termination of this day’s journey. Seated in the +bosom of the hills, now veiled in a purply obscurity, intermingled +with that yellowish hazy light always succeeding a warm sunset, the +place looked beautiful. Several corps had already halted--some had +taken possession of the houses, barns, &c., others bivouacked amongst +the vineyards. Immediately about the village were large gardens +enclosed by stone walls, and it was some time before I could make up +my mind to invade these. There was no alternative, however. We could +not remain in the road; the only fields I saw were covered with rich +crops of wheat ready for the sickle, and even these could not be +approached but through the gardens. The great gates of one of these +were immediately forced open, and, trampling under foot artichokes, +asparagus, &c., and flowers, we reached the field after a struggle +through the _eschalots_ of an intervening vineyard, which, with the +vines and their fruit, were miserably crushed beneath our gun-wheels +and horses’ feet. I could not but regret this devastation, though it +could not be avoided. The wheat shared the fate of the artichokes, +and we soon established ourselves on it, surrounded as with a wood by +the tall stalks of what was still standing. + +What a splendid Rembrandt-like picture presented itself from this +spot: the valley buried in hazy obscurity; the whitened dwellings, +just made out, scattered over the slopes of the hills, whose bold +outlines, one of them crowned by a ruined castle, cut strongly +against the glowing but gradually fading tints of the clearest sky. +In the farm just by we have found stabling for our own horses and +lodging for some of our people. But the evening is so fine that I +infinitely prefer the field. Seated on the ground with a lantern by +my side, I scribble my notes in comfort; but an attempt has just +been made to turn us out even from this humble abode--an officer +of hussars with an order from General Grant to quit the ground +immediately, as he wants it for his hussars. Good man! he thinks a +9-pounder or its ammunition waggon as easily moved as a hussar and +his horse. It proved, however, a mere bugbear--he wanted the house +and stables; and his emissary having full power to treat, the affair +is amicably arranged by our giving up the stable. + +_30th._--Fine morning again. Quitted with regret this lovely +country, and climbing the hills by a steep gravelly road, gained the +plateau--covered with corn as usual, but here diversified by a pretty +sprinkling of trees. Lieutenant Breton, who slept at the farmhouse +last night, gives a bad account of our hussars, who, not content with +living at free quarters, completely sacked it this morning before +they marched--one of their officers taking away a beautiful pony in +spite of the old farmer’s entreaties, who begged with tears in his +eyes that it might be spared, since it was a pet of the whole family. +The pony, however, marched. + +After marching some distance on this plateau by very good gravelly +cross-roads, we rejoined the chaussée from Pont St Maxence to Senlis, +and soon after began descending towards the latter place, which is +separated from the former by this ridge of hills, covered in most +parts by the forest of Balatte. Though not to be compared to Pont St +Maxence in point of situation, yet Senlis stands in a pretty country, +well wooded, surrounded by fine meadows, watered by the little +crystal Nonette. Just beyond the town, on the Paris side, commences +the forest of Pontarme, a continuation of that of Chantilly. Senlis +being the first place of any importance through which we have passed, +was of course approached with much interest, and this was heightened +by its picturesque appearance: antique walls, pierced by an arched +gateway, the summit decayed and irregular, fringed with verdure. +Spires, and lofty houses showing themselves above it, appeared to +advantage through the foliage of the trees, which ran scattering and +in clumps up to the very gate, through which crowds of peasantry, +with little carts and asses laden with the produce of their farms, +were passing to the market. When we passed in our turn, we found +the street so thronged that it was with difficulty we could get +along, for the market was held in it. The passage of our column, +threading its way through the crowd of stalls and baskets of poultry, +vegetables, &c., did not seem to excite any very lively emotion, or +to interrupt the business of the day. Some of the more idle, or more +curious, left their stalls to get a nearer look at _les Anglais_. +Nothing like apprehension was visible even among the women, and the +boys were as bold and familiar as usual. Here and there I heard a +shout of “Vive le Roi!” once or twice it looked in earnest. To try +the sincerity of this versatile people, I stooped in passing near +some of the most vociferous, and in a subdued tone treated them to +“Vive l’Empereur!” The result was always the same--staring first +at me, then at each other, with a sly expression of countenance, +some one of them, slapping me on the thigh, would reply in the same +tone, “Mais oui, monsieur, vive l’Empereur--vive Napoleon! C’est +bon, monsieur, c’est bon--vive l’Empereur!” seemingly delighted at +being able to express their true sentiments. This might have been +mere fun, certainly, but I thought them in earnest. I found this the +case everywhere. To us they were never backward in avowing their +attachment to Buonaparte or their hatred of the Bourbons, of _Louis +le Cochon_. The animated scene in the streets prevented me paying +much attention to the town. The impression I retain of it is, that +it is gloomy and the streets narrow; but that there are many most +respectable-looking houses, some of them very prettily situated +amongst shrubbery, and particularly one just as we left the town +and crossed the Nonette--the long open windows of which enabled us +to peep into spacious and handsomely-furnished apartments, looking +most deliciously cool. Just beyond the town we overtook the rear +of the Prussian baggage, escorted by a corps of lancers, whose +simple and serviceable costume pleased me much: plain blue frocks, +buttoned close up to the throat,[3] and drab trousers or overalls; +not a particle of ornament, nor a superfluous article about their +appointments. I think they are the most soldier-like looking fellows +I have ever seen. This is our first meeting with any of their army +since the 18th. Continuing our route through the forest of Pontarme, +we soon came out on a more open but still well-wooded country--the +chaussée constantly bordered and overshadowed by lofty elms, the +cross-roads by apple, pear, and cherry trees, all now loaded with +fruit. Here a sudden and disagreeable change took place in the aspect +of the towns and villages. We had got on the route of the Prussian +army, which was everywhere marked by havoc and desolation. What a +contrast! In Senlis, a few miles back, all was peace, plenty, and +confidence,--here traces of war in its most horrid form, desolation +and desertion. The inhabitants had everywhere fled, and we found +naught but empty houses. Troops and their usual followers were the +only human beings we saw now. The village of Loures,[4] where we +arrived about noon, presented a horrid picture of devastation. A +corps of Prussians halted there last night, and, excepting the walls +of the houses, have utterly destroyed it. The doors and windows torn +out and consumed at the bivouac-fire--a similar fate seems to have +befallen furniture of every kind, except a few chairs, and even +sofas, which the soldiers had reserved for their own use, and left +standing about in the gardens and orchards, or, in some places, +had given a parting kick to, for many had fallen forward on the +embers of the bivouac-fires, and lay partially consumed. Clothes +and household linen, beds, curtains, and carpets, torn to rags, or +half-burned, lay scattered about in all directions. The very road +was covered with rags, feathers, fragments of broken furniture, +earthenware, glass, &c. Large chests of drawers, _armoires_, stood +about broken or burned. The very floors had been pulled up and the +walls disfigured in every possible way. It were needless to add that +no human being was to be seen amidst this desolation. It was with +no small pleasure I found we were not to halt amid this disgusting +scene, as I expected, but to move on somewhat farther; and with still +greater pleasure I received the order to quit the chaussée for the +village of Chenevière,[5] about a mile to the left. This removing us +out of the Prussian line of march, we hoped to find things somewhat +better. The village, like most others we have seen, consisted of a +number of farmhouses with their barns and outbuildings, &c., all +standing amidst orchards and gardens--the whole surrounded by corn, +corn, corn! The place, I should think, has not been visited by the +Prussians, for no pillage or destruction is to be seen; but it is +deserted--not a soul except our soldiers to be seen. Besides our +brigade of cavalry, two or three other troops of horse-artillery +are here, so that the place is pretty full; and as we are among the +latest arrivals, we have not got under cover, but are bivouacking in +a very nice orchard, separated from the village street by some large +open sheds; but as the weather is fine, and probably from habit, +my people have _littered themselves down_ as usual under their guns +instead of profiting by these--this they are enabled to do very +comfortably here, for there is no want of straw. The people, in their +retreat, seem to have taken little with them, except their animals, +so that we have all kinds of pots and pans, jugs, basins, &c., _ad +libitum_. In short, we should be pretty comfortable but for one want, +and that a most important one. The weather is dreadfully hot, and we +have scarcely any water; there is but one good well in the place, +and that has been surrounded by a crowd ever since we arrived. It is +impossible to imagine what a gloom this throws over everything: were +it not for the abundance of ripe cherries growing along the roadsides +(not of the best flavour, but juicy), we must have suffered to-day +terribly from thirst in this burnt-up plain. The corn (standing) is +almost bleached--it should have been cut long ago. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + +_July 1st._--Tiresome work this--very! Here we are in Chenevière +with little to do but smoke and sleep, or saunter about the hundred +yards of street, which is all the place can boast of; and that can +hardly be called a street, being formed of stone enclosures or the +backs of barns, &c., the dwellings being in the yards. A rivulet +once enlivened one end of this street, but now, alas! when most +needed, it is not there--the dry bed with a slimy pool or two, still +unevaporated, are all that remain to tell the tale of its quondam +existence. How melancholy! I scribble _pour passer le temps_. Some +good, however, results from this tiresome halt. Marching at or before +daybreak, and not halting until dusk, our shoeing was in a bad state, +which Farrier Price and his myrmidons are now busy remedying. The +forge is established on the bank of the _ci-devant_ rivulet in the +rear of our orchard, and under two or three spreading elms. As it is +on the edge also of the corn, we have been on the eve of consummating +the ruin of the poor fugitive _habitans_, for it has been once or +twice on fire. Another piece of service the halt has rendered, is +the allowing Hincks with the guns and carriages left at Waterloo +to overtake us. He brings also a remount of tolerably good horses, +though rather fatigued, since he has made tremendous marches to +overtake us. These arrive most opportunely; for with all care we have +a number of galled backs and shoulders, though in this respect we are +not half so bad as the cavalry, amongst whole squadrons of whom there +is scarcely a sound horse. + +Another reinforcement has just joined us. That beautiful but +unfortunate regiment the Cumberland Hussars has been broken up for +its retrograde movement on the 18th ultimo, and distributed amongst +the different corps, to be employed as forage escorts, &c., for the +commissaries. Being all gentlemen in Hanover, it is easy to imagine +they are rather irate at this degradation. A corporal and four +privates have joined us. They are all amazingly sulky and snappish +with every one, forgetting that neither I nor Mr Coates, nor any of +our people, have anything to do with their disgrace. They come, +however, very opportunely, since for the last day or two Mr Coates +has been resisted by the peasantry, and only this morning several +shots were fired at him and his convoy of forage from a wood near +which he was obliged to pass. In general, during the above period, he +has been obliged to help himself from the barns and granaries, having +found every place deserted. + +Lord Edward ordered a sale to-day of the effects of the slain. This +occasioned a little stir in the village, and passed away an hour or +two. I have purchased a good large cloak, erst the property of poor +Colonel Fuller of the 1st Dragoon Guards. Things sold well in general. + +From the front we heard (I don’t know how) that the French army are +in position at Montmartre, where they intend to fight us again. If +they are beaten--of which we entertain no doubt--the fate of Paris +is certain; every one fully expects it will be plundered and burned, +and thus my prediction verified, the campaign ending with a _grand +embrassement_, as I have already written down! There is some firing +just begun in front. The Prussians commencing, no doubt! + +_July 2d._--Having no candles last night, could not write up as +usual, but was forced to sit in the dark smoking our cigars and +listening to the incessant firing in front. This morning is +beautiful again, but terribly hot. The latter part of yesterday +evening we passed on the tiptoe of expectation, for the firing became +constantly heavier and more distinct; that a battle was fighting +could not be mistaken. Lieutenant Bell, our adjutant, came to tell +me my troop was for the reserve. He also told us that many messages +had passed between the Duke and the French authorities. Anxiously +we gazed across the top of the waving corn, hoping every moment to +see the messenger bringing orders for our advance. Twilight began +to shorten our ken, and still the cannonade continued without +intermission. At last an orderly dragoon did come, but he brought +an order for the rocket-troop only to advance, whilst we were to be +saddled and ready to move at a moment’s notice. The rockets soon +moved, and our bivouac became more gloomy than ever. Fatigued more +from excitement than anything else, I lay down at a late hour to +sleep; but though I slept I did not rest--feverish dreams of Paris in +flames; of plundering, mutinous soldiers, and all sorts of horrors; +so that I could hardly believe my eyes and ears when I awoke this +morning at three o’clock and looked round me. The orchard presented +a scene of the most perfect tranquillity; the firing had ceased; +my people, ensconced in the straw, their blankets drawn over them, +lay quietly sleeping under their guns; no sound broke the silence of +this most delicious summer morning save the jingling of our horses’ +collar-chains, and the sweet songs of birds, with which the trees +were filled. I could scarcely credit the agitation of yesterday +evening--it all seemed part of my dream. By degrees our village was +all alive; and as the morning advanced, so has our excitement, for +the cannonade in front has recommenced. Evening approaches again; the +firing has lasted all day without intermission; and yet here we are, +doing nothing, or worse, for both our horses and ourselves are drying +up with thirst. We cannot stay here much longer, for our only well is +almost exhausted. + +_July 3d._--Fine and hot morning. Yesterday morning I awoke and found +myself under the trees of a thick orchard; this morning I am lying +amongst artichokes, and the Lord knows what, upon a soil somewhat +like that one sees about Hammersmith, and, instead of the warbling +of birds, the air is filled with the hum of a multitude and the +monotonous beating of a watermill close at hand, which has never +ceased its “thump, thump, thump, thump” all the livelong night, +the quartermaster of some regiment having been placed in it with a +detachment to grind corn for us all. Yesterday evening, near sunset, +an order arrived for all the artillery at Chenevière to move to +the front, but that the cavalry should remain, which puzzled us a +little. Accordingly we marched forthwith in company with Major Bull’s +troop; but I saw nothing of the others, for we were all left to +march independently. The order was scrawled out on a scrap of dirty +paper and hardly legible, so that neither Bull nor I could make it +out perfectly, and were consequently in some doubt as to the exact +point to march upon, although in none about going forward in the +direction of the cannonade. Instead of returning to the chaussée by +the way we came,[6] as I believe the other troops did (they were not +so quickly ready as we were), Bull and I took a road which appeared +to lead straight to the front. The country we marched through, though +perfectly flat, was still interesting:--one vast expanse of golden +wheat, divided as it were into beautiful fields by the crossing +of numerous roads, all bordered by two, or even four rows of most +magnificent elms. A few vineyards, with here and there a village, +diversified very agreeably this scenery. For a time we seemed to +approach the field of battle--the firing became more distinct; and at +times we saw, or thought we saw, the slate-coloured smoke rising over +the tufted tops of the elms. By-and-by it drew off more to the right, +and insensibly became less intense, though still kept up with great +vigour. Notwithstanding some little anxiety as to the correctness +of our route, and an impatience to arrive on the field of action, +still I could not be insensible to the beauty of the noble avenues, +umbrageous and cool, along which we marched. They are at all times +superb, but become exquisite when seen as we saw them, illumined +by the blaze of a cloudless sunset. At a place called Vauderlan we +rejoined the chaussée, and had marched little beyond when I observed +Bull’s troop, which was ahead, suddenly come to a halt at a point +where another chaussée came in from the left. What was my surprise, +on riding forward, when Bull told me we had run in upon the French +outposts: and sure enough, not far in front of us, a long line of +vedettes extended across the fields to a village--Blanc Menil, with +its white houses and white garden-walls--about a mile on our left; +and to our right were lost behind the little woods with which that +part of the country was covered. In rear of the vedettes, on the +chaussée, was an intrenchment, with an abatis in front of it; beyond +was another village;[7] and to the right the lofty spires of St +Denis, towering above the woods, showed us that we were nearer that +place than we had expected. + +What was to be done in this dilemma? Two troops of horse-artillery, +totally unsupported, within musket-shot of the enemy’s lines! +During our march we had not fallen in with a single corps, and +every house was deserted, so that we had no opportunity of gaining +information. I had relied on Bull’s experience, which, however, in +this instance, was at fault. We both agreed as to the necessity of +a retreat; as also that we ought to betray no hurry and confusion +in so doing. The French pickets and those within the intrenchment +were evidently watching us very attentively, but made no move, nor +did we for a short time. Whilst thus hesitating, a few of the staff +corps made their appearance in the fields on our right, and from +them we were rejoiced to learn our neighbourhood to the main body, +which occupied all the country in that direction; the staff corps +being on the extreme left in the village of Dugny, which, though +close at hand, was hid from us among the trees. This accounted at +once for the inactivity of the enemy; so, reversing, we followed a +miserable cross-road through some low swampy ground to Dugny, where +the officers of the staff corps succeeded in deciphering our ticket, +and gave us directions for finding Garges, the place mentioned. The +infantry must have advanced whilst we halted at Chenevière, for these +people appeared settled in their quarters. The route pointed out +led us for about half a mile between meadows surrounded with high +trees and intermingled with little thickets; then, after crossing +a small muddy rivulet, we debouched upon more open ground, and a +most interesting scene burst upon us. On our left, and very near, +the Abbey of St Denis with its elegant spires reared its venerable +form above the intervening thick masses of foliage, formed by the +converging of several chaussées with their noble bordering of elms, +to a point near the town. Beyond, in the distance, appeared the +heights of Montmartre, with its telegraph and numerous windmills +and chalky cliffs; a narrow gap, through which was seen the dome +of St Genevieve, separated them from the heights of Belleville, +where a succession of the same sort of white cliffs encouraged the +idea of a gap having here been broken through the range of heights, +leaving Montmartre an isolated mass. Through this gap we obtained the +first view of Paris, and the heights were everywhere gay with white +buildings, gardens, shrubberies, &c. + +To our right the ground ascended by a gentle slope to the village +of Garges, whose numerous villas and summer-houses (_kiosks_), +intermingled with shrubberies, yet illuminated by the warm mellow +light of the western sky, crowned the summit; whilst the intervening +space presented one vast bivouac alive with men and animals, and +all busy with preparations for passing the night. This ground a day +or two ago was covered with the most luxuriant crops of flowers, +fruits, vegetables, and some corn--now all trampled under foot; +in like manner the chaussée descending from the village had been +bordered with fine trees--now lying prostrate in the form of an +abatis a little to our left. In our front the dense foliage and +rounded summits of the trees in the Park of Stains cut strongly +against the yellow sky of the west. It was certainly an animating, +interesting scene. Here at length was assembled the advanced-guard +of our victorious army, in full view of the devoted, fickle, guilty +city--of that city which, in the days of her prosperity, arrogated +to herself the empire of the world; that city which for years--nay, +for our whole life--had been the great centre of our most intense +interest; that city which both historical and romantic reading had +rendered perfectly classical, and over which the long exclusion of +Englishmen from the Continent had drawn a veil of mystery, rendering +her doubly interesting. There she lay, as it were, prostrate at our +feet, awaiting in breathless anxiety the fiat of her conqueror. + +The firing had now become very indistinct, and ceased to occupy +our attention, for here we found the troops quietly establishing +themselves, and no appearance whatever of any fighting. There, to +be sure, was the intrenchment and abatis similar to that we had +seen near Bourget; and there were the French vedettes extending +across the plain and those of our Rifles opposite them; but all +remained peaceable and quiet. The troops in bivouac presented in the +twilight many a picturesque group as we marched along, none more +so than a corps of Brunswick lancers, with their sombre uniforms +and drooping black plumes--the horses, all saddled, picketed in a +line, and in rear of them the lances stuck upright in the ground. +The dark mustachioed visages of these men completed the colouring +of the picture. Amongst these I met some old acquaintances, who +were lounging at the roadside to see us pass. They were all elated +and eager for the morrow, which they confidently expected would see +Paris delivered up to the punishment she deserved. Leaving them, we +turned to the right up the treeless chaussée and soon reached Garges, +which we found principally occupied by our artillery; but here the +scene we passed through greatly cooled the excitement caused by our +march through the bivouacs. The village, or town I should call it, +is composed of one long and broad street of good houses--generally, +I fancy, the country residences of the Parisian cockneys. These have +all been gutted and disfigured in the same manner as at Loures: torn +carpets and paper-hangings, broken furniture and glass, and even +pianofortes, encumbered the streets in all directions. Inhabitants +there were none--not a cat remained in the place; and our soldiers +and their horses were the only living animals to be seen. The sight +of this devastation cast an inexpressible gloom over me; and I shall +never forget the sickening sensation I experienced whilst traversing +the street of Garges in search of some unoccupied garden in which +we might establish ourselves for the night. All the best houses +and gardens were already occupied; so, after marching through the +whole place, on arriving at the end of it we were obliged to content +ourselves with a great unsheltered market-garden, close to a muddy +sluggish rivulet; and here we are, Hitchins and I, sitting amongst +potatoes and artichokes. This fine rich soil does not make the most +agreeable parlour-floor. In short, contrasting our position with that +of our other troops, we think we have a right to grumble. Every one +that I looked in upon in my search had a house and offices more or +less convenient (shells, to be sure), and the troop-horses and men +who could not be accommodated under cover found themselves almost +equally well off amongst the _allées_, _berceaux_, and shrubberies +of the gardens. On the contrary, we have a damp location; no shelter +of any kind higher than an artichoke, or, much the same thing, a +vine. There is a well on the premises, certainly, but the water is +so brackish that it is not drinkable; and that of the neighbouring +rivulet, naturally foul, is now so impregnated with soap-suds, from +the multitudes of washermen and washerwomen at work in it, that we +are at a loss how to water our horses, for they won’t touch it. +Bell (our adjutant) has just found us out, and communicated an order +to remain harnessed and ready for an alert, as it is expected the +enemy will attempt something during the night. The firing which we +have heard these two days has proceeded from the Prussians having +attempted to force the French lines; but they met with a more +determined opposition than they expected, and kept fighting their way +round to the right to a place called Argenteuil,[8] where, throwing +a bridge over the Seine, they have crossed that river, and Bell says +are at this moment in possession of St Cloud. So that Paris is, in a +manner, invested. + +_July 4th._--Last night passed very tranquilly; and, _malgré_ our +position, I never enjoyed a sounder sleep or woke more refreshed. If +the French intended an attack, they thought better of it, and let us +sleep quietly. We have had some visitors already this morning from +some of the neighbouring bivouacs. They tell us the Prussians are +reported to have lost 15,000 men in the last three or four days’ +fighting, and, what is more interesting, that the Duke, _en grande +tenue_, and followed by a numerous retinue, also in their smartest +uniforms, has just galloped down toward St Denis--that a rumour of +negotiations is afloat, and not a word about advancing. Pretty mess, +then, we are in. If this be true, we may stay in this mud-hole for +a week yet. Fortunately for us, Dynely, who occupies a very fine +house and garden a little way up the street, has a most abundant well +of excellent water, to which he has given my people free access, +although he guards it most jealously from everybody else. My poor +horses suffered last night in getting no drink after their hot march. + +7 P.M.--I have already got some little confusion in my notes from +not writing them at once, therefore must jot down to-day whilst +daylight enough yet remains to do so. _Imprimis_, then: This has been +a completely idle day; very fine, very hot, and very dusty. Having +nothing else to do, I have amused myself with rambling about the +place, smoking a cigar here and a cigar there, &c. &c. Bull was more +fortunate than we were last night--he stumbled upon a most excellent +bivouac, which I paid my first visit to this morning, as it is not +far up the street. The place is said to belong to the Prince of +Eckmuhl (Davoust), and must have been a delightful residence; it +is now _tout à fait abimé_. The pleasure-grounds and gardens, laid +out in the English style, are quite delicious, not only from the +lovely shady walks and prettily-disposed shrubberies, but also from +the splendid terraces, and the views they command of Paris and the +neighbourhood. Bull’s guns, &c., are packed amongst parterres of the +choicest and rarest flowers: the _berceaux_ and shady walks form +excellent stables, and there his horses are picketed. The officers +occupy a charming _kiosk_, partly embosomed in wood, but open to +the extensive view over the country toward Paris. Here I found some +of them sleeping on the floor, whilst the vacant blankets of others +marked the spot they had chosen as their own. + +The house itself, large and magnificent, had already been completely +pillaged. The doors and windows, where not torn from their frames, +were all flying open; furniture of every kind, broken to pieces, and +partly thrown out into the garden or courts, and partly littering the +rooms; pier-glasses of immense size shivered to atoms; the very walls +defaced and smeared with every species of filth. A few of the rooms +had escaped this species of pollution, and, except the destruction of +their furniture, remained in pretty good order. One of these (which +I wondered at) was very handsome, of fine proportions, well lighted, +and the walls exquisitely painted (_not stamped_), to represent an +Oriental landscape through the open sides of the room, the roof being +supported on pillars, which stood so strongly forward that, at the +first _coup d’œil_, the illusion was complete. Unless this were saved +by the interposition of some officer--a man of taste--I much marvel +at the barbarians leaving it untouched; perhaps whilst I write the +destruction is accomplished, for I left numbers of Dutch, Nassau, +and Belgian gentry wandering about on the hunt for plunder.[9] A +large room adjoining was hung round with very fine prints from +Vernet’s paintings of the French ports, all in rich frames. These, +by some miracle, had all escaped destruction, though not one article +of furniture was left. My friend Hitchins, an amateur, thought it +a pity they should be left for destruction, and appropriated the +whole of them, and not only them, but some fine paintings which he +found elsewhere, and cut out of their frames with his penknife. +This certainly is not justifiable, but his argument is a specious +one--better save them at any rate than leave them to be destroyed by +the Belgians. At the back of the house, on the same floor, had been +a handsome library, but here as elsewhere the genius of destruction +had been busy. The furniture was broken to pieces, the books pulled +from their shelves, scattered over the floor, many of them torn to +pieces, and many, thrown out of the windows, lying in heaps on the +pavement of the court below. The foreigners were not the only busy +people in Garges--our own troops were not idle. Leathes’ servant in +this very house has found a magnificent work in three folio volumes, +splendidly bound--a series of views of the principal buildings and +scenery in France, in the best style of line-engraving. This appears +to have been considered the greatest treasure in the library, being +the only work attempted to be hidden. He found it under a cask in the +wine-cellar, where he had no business. In the gardens and shrubberies +the foreign troops were searching for plunder very systematically. +Armed with watering-pots, they proceeded regularly over the ground, +watering as they went, and whenever the moisture was quickly +absorbed, dug. In this manner I understand they have already found +many valuable things--certes, whilst I was at this chateau they found +a batch of very fine wine buried under a flower-bed. Our men are not +so indefatigable; they certainly take what they want when it presents +itself, but do not give themselves much trouble in hunting things up. +A party of Dutch (Protestants) broke into the church this morning, +and after amusing themselves for a time with dressing themselves +in the priests’ garments, &c., and turning into ridicule the Roman +Catholic ceremonies, finished by breaking to pieces the altar and +destroying everything they found in the church or vestry. Our allies +are by no means an amiable set, nor very cordial with us. If an +English corps (as Bull’s troop) occupy a chateau and its grounds, +still they leave free ingress and egress to any others so long as +they do not interfere with them. On the contrary, a single Dutch, +Nassau, or Belge, will sometimes (if a commanding officer) occupy +a whole place himself: sentinels are placed at every gate, and the +place strictly _tabooed_. They are a brutal set. The Dutch appear the +best. They are all uncommonly insolent to us. + +_July 5th._--Our conjectures as to the business which took the Duke +to St Denis yesterday prove to be correct. It is rumoured this +morning that the preliminaries of peace are signed, and that the _war +is at an end_! So terminates, then, our campaign--short, but active, +brilliant, and honourable to all concerned. Another fine but hot day. + +This morning rode to Gonesse, the headquarters, through a country no +doubt pretty enough before our arrival, but in which armed men now +occupy the place of vines and fig-trees, &c.--in short, one continued +bivouac. Arnouvilles, through which I passed, is a pretty village, +and, although the houses were filled with soldiers, did not seem to +have suffered like many other places, especially that unfortunate +Garges. Four short but well-built and clean streets branch off from +a pretty circus, the area of which is a nice smooth turf planted +round with young elms. The shrubberies and pleasure-grounds of the +Archbishop of ---- (I forget who), all untouched and in good order, +added to the pleasing appearance of the place, forming, as it did, +such a contrast with the desolate state of the surrounding country. +Louis XVIII. occupies the palace, and his Suisses, gardes du corps, +&c., the village. Gonesse is a nasty, dirty, gloomy place, and I made +little stay there after getting my English letters. My garden begins +already to be _home_, spite of its _désagrémens_. + +_July 6th._--All quiet; not a word about moving. Hitchins and I were +both very ill last night after drinking some coffee. This we had +brought with us, and therefore it was good: the horrible water here +must have caused our illness. Passed the whole morning in idling +about the street. There is a very pretty house with (apparently) +delicious gardens at the upper end of the town; but some Dutch +colonel has got possession, and his sentry turned me from the gate +rather rudely. This evening the Doctor and I rode down to St Denis +to see the lions. The French outposts had been withdrawn and their +barricade removed, so that nothing impeded our progress until we +arrived at the entrance of the town, and had a glimpse of the +long dusky perspective of its principal street; but here we found +an English guard, whose orders were to permit no one (officer or +soldier) to enter the place. This was somewhat of a disappointment, +but we must see it soon. Just at the entrance to the town is a very +fine barrack of grey stone, with a spacious parade, separated from +the road by a handsome _grille_ or iron railing. The little muddy +rivulet which runs through Garges and Dugny crosses the road, just +by the entrance, into St Denis, and then falls into the Seine. +This feature had been taken advantage of in the intended military +defence: the bridge removed and a battery constructed with earth +and casks quite across the road. The approach to St Denis on this +side is very fine; for at a short distance from this battery three +chaussées converge to a point, and a more magnificent _coup d’œil_ +cannot be conceived than that which presents itself to a person +placing himself at the point of union, which at once commands three +splendid avenues of the finest elms joining overhead and forming so +many lofty arches. From Garges to this point our bivouacs extend; and +the rich harvest of wheat which had covered the adjacent fields is +completely trodden down. Just by the _etoile_ formed by the meeting +of the roads, we found Dick Jones encamped with his corps (about 500) +of Flemish waggoners with their horses and waggons--a motley and not +unpicturesque crew, with their blue smock-frocks and _bonnets de +nuit_, wooden shoes, &c., as they sat in groups cooking, or smoking +their short pipes. As it was yet early, we did not relish returning +immediately to Garges and therefore made a detour to the left +through the vineyards, plantations of artichokes, rose-bushes, &c. +It was quite refreshing to find this part of the country untouched, +everything uninjured and thriving. But there were no vine-dressers, +no inhabitants of any kind--not a soul; field and houses all alike +deserted. Philosophising as we went on the horrors of war and the +beauty of the scenery we were passing through, which contrasted so +strongly with that about Garges and every other place where the +army halted, we rather unexpectedly entered a pretty village--that +is, it had been once so; now devastation had visited it, and the +forlorn deserted street was everywhere encumbered as usual with +broken glass and fragments of furniture, &c.; every window in the +place was destroyed. In front of the church was a small open space, +whence a handsome lodge and _grille_ gave a view of a long avenue +terminated by a chateau. In this place about twenty or thirty hussar +horses were standing linked together under charge of one hussar. I +believe these people were Prussians, but I can’t say. From this man +we learned that his comrades were at the chateau, and thither we +went, curious to ascertain what they did there. We were certainly not +quite so much shocked at the scene of ruin and havoc which presented +itself as we went down the avenue as we should have been a week ago; +they are becoming familiar now. The fragments of sofas, chairs, +tables, &c., lying about the grass, bespoke a richly-furnished +house, and the nearer we drew to the house the thicker became these +signs of vengeance. Large pieces of painted paper torn from the +walls, remnants of superb silk window-curtains, with their deep +rich fringe, hung amongst the bushes; broken mirrors and costly +lustres covered the ground in such a manner as to render it difficult +to avoid hurting our horses’ feet--the brilliant drops of these +last, scattered amongst the grass, might, with a little stretch +of imagination, have induced us to believe ourselves traversing +Sinbad’s valley of diamonds; slabs of the rarest marble, torn from +the chimney-pieces, lay shattered to atoms; even the beds had been +ripped open, and the contents given to the winds, and conveyed by +them to all parts of the park, covering in some places the ground +like newly-fallen snow. The trees of the avenue were cut and hacked, +and large patches of bark torn off--many were blackened and scorched +by fires made at the foot of them, with the mahogany furniture for +fuel; the shrubs cut down or torn up by the roots; the very turf +itself turned up or trampled into mud by the feet of men and horses. +Hitchins and I dismounted at the grand entrance into the house; and, +by way of securing our horses, shut them up in a little room to which +a door was still left, and proceeded to inspect the interior of this +once splendid mansion. Shouts and laughter resounded through the +building. The hussars were busy completing the work of destruction; +and as we passed the magnificent stairs leading up from the hall, +we narrowly escaped being crushed under a large mirror which these +gentlemen at that very moment launched over the banisters above with +loud cheers. The ground-floor on the side fronting the park consisted +of a suite of magnificent rooms, lofty, finely proportioned, and +lighted by a profusion (as we should deem it) of windows down to the +floor. These had been most luxuriously and richly furnished; now they +were empty, the papering hanging in rags from the walls, and even +the cornices destroyed more or less. Every kind of abuse of France +and the French was written on the walls. In one room was the remnant +of a grand piano. The sad reflections awakened by this sight may be +more easily conceived than described, and I turned from it with a +sickening and overwhelming sensation of disgust, in which I am sure +Hitchins fully participated. The next room seemed to have been chosen +as the place of execution of all the porcelain in the house, which +had there been collected for a grand smash. The handsomest Sêvre and +Dresden vases, tea and dinner services, formed heaps of fragments all +over the floor, and a large porcelain stove had shared the same fate. +Another room had been lined with mirrors from the ceiling to the +floor; it appeared these had been made targets of, for many were the +marks of pistol-balls on the walls they had covered; little remained +of these except some parts of their rich gilt frames. The last room +of the suite had the end farthest from the windows semicircular, +and this end had been fitted up with benches, _en amphithéâtre_. +The whole of this room was painted to represent the interior of +a forest, and on one side was a pool of water, in which several +naked nymphs were amusing themselves. The plaster was torn down in +large patches, and the nymphs stabbed all over with bayonets. The +upper floor consisted of bed-rooms, dressing-rooms, and baths, and +exhibited the same melancholy destruction as those below; even the +leaden lining of the baths, the leaden water-pipes, &c., were cut to +pieces. On inquiring of one hussar why they so particularly wreaked +their vengeance on this house, he said because it belonged to Jerome +Buonaparte, whom every German detested. Having seen enough here, we +looked into another chateau somewhat smaller, but which had also been +something very fine; it was precisely in the same state. A very fine +library had been here, but the books had been thrown out of window; a +small pond below had received multitudes of them, and the rest were +scattered all over the park. In the pond I saw several beautiful +Oriental MSS., and I fished out a pretty little edition of ‘Seneca,’ +which I pocketed. Disgusted, we returned to our garden, which, by the +by, begins to look rather the worse for wear, and I hope if we stay +any longer we may be able to get into some house. + +_July 7th._--Fine hot day. Since early morning the road from Paris +has been crowded with people of all ages, sexes, and conditions +flocking to Arnouvilles to greet their _beloved monarch_. The whole +population seems to have turned out, so continuous is the stream. +Berlines, caleches, equestrians, and pedestrians, flow along without +cessation or diminution of numbers. All are in their _habits de +Dimanche_, and all gay and merry. It is a perfect holiday, which +all seem to enjoy without alloy. I could scarcely persuade myself +that the gay throng passing before me was the same that, after being +accustomed for a quarter of a century to look upon themselves as +invincible, then twice within a twelvemonth saw themselves humbled to +the dust, and those whom they had so long been accustomed to trample +on in military possession of their capital, who now were hastening +to do homage to the family twice driven from their throne--and who, +in traversing the bivouac of their conquerors, saw on all sides +the wreck and ruin of their own houses, fields, and gardens;--yet, +nothing daunted, on they went, laughing, chatting, and even singing, +in the gayest of all possible moods. For them it was a _jour de +fête_, which they seemed determined to enjoy, no matter what its +origin. The smart dresses and lively colour contrasted strongly with +the dingy clothing, hardy embrowned visages, and apathetic demeanour +of our soldiery, who lounged at the roadside, amused by the passing +crowd. There were the members of the Legislative Assembly in their +embroidered uniforms, some in carriages, some on horseback, others +walking and looking dignified; near them, perhaps, a group of pretty +brunettes, with brilliant black eyes and coquettishly arranged +_cornettes_. Then comes a National Guardsman with his blue and red +uniform, with white breeches and _brown-topped boots_, strutting +along most consequentially, a handkerchief in hand, which ever +and anon he applies to wipe away the dust from his fair face. High +and low, rich and poor, jostle along together; and not the least +remarkable amongst them is the _limonadier_, in his light cotton +jacket and cocked-hat. On his back is suspended a tall machine of +lustrous tin or some such metal, picked out with brass. Its shape +is that of a Chinese pagoda, and from the lower part of it two long +slender leaden pipes, terminating in brass cocks, lead round under +his right arm. _Chemin faisant_, the tumblers which he carries in his +left hand are filled from one or other cock as may be called for, +and handed to his fellow-travellers. One cock furnishes lemonade, +but of the produce of the other I am ignorant--perhaps a light +beer, for the French seem fond of such thin drinks, although the +constant repetition of the words “_Eau de vie_” (sometimes “_Au de +vis_”) indicates that they are not altogether averse to something +more stimulating. In the afternoon I mounted Cossack and joined the +throng. There was no choice but to go at their pace, so completely +filled was the road. The easy, natural, good-humoured manner in which +my companions, right and left, chatted and laughed with me, left no +room to feel one’s self a foreigner, much less an enemy. We were all +“_hail fellow well met_.” Occasional openings allowed me from time +to time to push on, and thus change my company. There was, however, +no difference between them in one respect--I always found my new +friends just as chatty and good-humoured as those left behind. + +At Arnouvilles, still following the stream, I was swept into +the palace gardens, and found myself in the midst of a most gay +_fête-champêtre_. All had come provided with a little basket, or +something of the sort, and now, seated round a clean white cloth +spread on the grass, numerous parties were enjoying at once the +coolness and fragrance under the shade of fine trees or thickets +of acacias, laburnums, syringas, &c. &c. Merry laughter, and an +occasional “Vive le Roi!” resounded on all sides, and was from time +to time responded to more loudly by the crowd assembled without, all +anxious to get a sight of their _new old_ King. I longed to try the +same experiment as at Senlis, but did not dare.[10] Handsome young +men of the Garde-de-Corps, in their classical helmets and brilliant +uniforms, were strolling along the gravel walk, their countenances +radiant with joy. I could not but sympathise with them in thus +returning into the bosom of their country, and again meeting with +those dearest to them after an absence which, though short, had at +its commencement promised a most hopeless duration. Indeed, I did +witness more than one tender recognition and affectionate embrace. +In the palace his majesty was holding a levee, which, judging from +the numbers crowding in, must have been very fatiguing work. Whilst +strolling about amidst this scene of festivity, the sharp notes of a +trumpet recalled me to the palace, where I found all bustle. It was +the _bout-selle_ that had sounded, and the Garde-de-Corps was already +formed on parade to accompany the advance of the royal cortège. +As I wished to see this, and had as yet not dined, I returned +forthwith to Garges, which a diminution of the throng fortunately +allowed me to do speedily, and having got my dinner, regained the +highroad (which crosses at the higher end of our village) just as +the cortège and crowd came up. First marched the Garde-de-Corps, +resplendent with steel and silver; then came the Garde Suisse, about +two hundred as handsome young men as can well be imagined, and such +as I never before saw in one body--tall, straight, even genteel +figures. They owed nothing to their dress, which was shabby in the +extreme--old threadbare frock-coats, once blue, now of any colour, +and sufficiently ragged; trousers to match, and mean misshapen +forage-caps; arms and accoutrements all wanting--to be sure, some +of them carried sticks; knapsacks of long-haired goatskins, once +white, but now of a reddish-yellow hue. To these succeeded five or +six 4-pounders, in style and equipment a fitting match for such +soldiers, who, I should have added, marched along very dejectedly, as +if ashamed of their mean appearance. The guns were drawn by little +ragged farmers’ horses, with their own common harness, driven by the +_cultivateur_ himself in his smock-frock, night-cap, and _sabots_; +carriages, deplorably in want of paint, and further disguised by +Belgic mud still adhering to them, were loaded (limbers, trails, +and all) with women, children, and bundles; a few old cannoneers, +quite in keeping with all the rest, walked beside the wheels;--the +whole corps more fit to march through Coventry than to accompany the +triumphal entry of a monarch into his capital, and that eminently +military. The royal carriages, drawn by post-horses, came next, +and in outward appearance were little better than those of his +majesty’s guns. Louis was in the last carriage, and a dense cloud +of pedestrians, with a plentiful admixture of British officers on +horseback, closed the procession. I accompanied the throng as far +as St Denis, which took up a considerable time, since its movements +were necessarily slow. No complimentary movement was made by our +troops, although his majesty passed through the midst of us. The more +curious crowded to the roadside, which was lined by them, but all in +their fatigue-jackets, or even without any--but numbers remained at +their occupations, or sitting smoking at a distance. The brigade of +Highlanders alone cheered as the King passed through their bivouac. +Why was this? Is there any connection between this and the protection +afforded the Stuarts by the Bourbon family? Certain it is that the +Highlanders alone cheered! The entrance to St Denis was almost +impossible, such was the multitude choking up the street, peasantry +as well as citizens; and, as the royal carriages approached, they +made the air ring with their shouts of “Vive le Roi!” “Vivent les +Bourbons!” Only a short month ago, perhaps, these same people, and +on this very spot, had shouted as lustily, “Vive l’Empereur!” “Vive +Napoleon!” “A bas les Bourbons!” &c. &c. I never felt prouder of +being an Englishman! From Garges to St Denis I kept close to the +royal carriage, watching the countenance of his majesty in order +to detect any emotion. He betrayed none. It was calm, serious, and +unvarying in general, occasionally illumined by a faint smile as he +returned salutations, but the smile was evanescent--very--and the +features immediately resumed their calmness. Our troops seemed to +attract considerable interest, particularly the Highlanders; and to +every English officer he paid most marked attention, returning their +salutes with eagerness and punctilio. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + +_July 8th._--Here I am in heaven, as it were--in _Colombes_!--in a +_perfect paradise_! More of that hereafter. I am sitting scribbling +at last in a handsome room, all to myself! But to begin at the +beginning. This morning was (as usual of late) very fine and very +hot. At an early hour we received orders to hold ourselves in +readiness to march, and understood that we were about to move on the +Loire, where the French army had mustered in force and refused to +acknowledge the capitulation. Hitchins and I had just found a very +pretty little house vacant near our bivouac, and little damaged. +Into this we proposed getting to-day, and were rather disappointed +when the order for moving came. It was no small comfort, however, +to escape from Garges and all its horrors of plundered houses and +bad water. The filth of the bivouac, from such long occupation, was +becoming intolerable, and the water, bad as it was, was failing fast. + +Being sufficiently occupied, I did not notice at what hour we +marched, but it must not have been late; for, notwithstanding delays, +we arrived here early in the afternoon--the distance probably six or +seven English miles. A column of cavalry, composed of our brigade +and some other regiments of heavy dragoons, preceded us, and all +together took the road to St Denis. Arrived at the point of junction +of the three chaussées, instead of marching through the town we +struck off to the right. This was not the road to the Loire, and we +were puzzled. Wherever we were going the road was beautiful, and +the cool shade of the green vault under which we marched peculiarly +agreeable in so hot a day. All the country right and left was like a +garden; laid out in little square plots of vegetables or roses, an +astonishing quantity of which flower is grown in this neighbourhood. +Passing through the pretty village of Epinay on the banks of the +Seine, we soon after came to a singular ridge of chalky hills +separating the road on which we marched from the river. Here then we +quitted the chaussée for a cross-road skirting those hills on the +side next the river, which we now understood was to be crossed by a +pontoon bridge thrown across a little lower down. + +Quitting the delicious shade of the elms for the open fields, and +these lying on a southern slope, the heat was intense, and when, +getting between vines and fig-trees (of which we found whole fields +here), the little air there was became shut out from us, it was quite +suffocating. The ripe, cool, juicy figs with which the trees were +loaded, relieved us, however; the poor fellows placed to watch these +looked on rather piteously, but we committed no waste nor destruction +beyond eating a few as we went along. These were the first peasantry +we had found in the fields since passing Senlis. All along our route +dead horses in abundance poisoned the air, and marked the line of +operations of Blucher’s army. The bridge was at Argenteuil, another +pretty village; but on arriving there we found so many corps to +pass before us, that, having got into a shady spot, we dismounted +and disposed ourselves to rest. The Seine here appeared to me such +another river as the Thames at Vauxhall Bridge. The ground on our +side sloped rapidly down to it; on the other the banks were low and +rushy, an extent of flat meadow-land lay beyond, and thence arose +gently swelling hills, covered with shrubberies, villages, villas, +&c. The scenery was animated by the masses of our troops and the +novelty of the pontoon bridge, together with the interest excited by +a number of women and pretty girls who brought us in abundance (for +sale) flowers and very fine cherries. + +What a change from the sickening, desolated, deserted country we +have left, where everything breathed war! Suddenly we enter a land +of peace, plenty, and happiness, fields covered with luxuriant crops +of various kinds of vegetables, amongst which the large, dark-tinted +leaves of the artichoke predominate; vines, figs, and myriads of +roses are extended over the face of the hills; whilst the meadows +beyond the river exhibit a vast tract of the richest pasture. +Innumerable villages, all full of people; their dwellings comfortable +and in good order. No desertion here; no sign of military exaction or +plundering; no apprehension betrayed at our approach. We are received +as countrymen might be. The people are confiding and happy; nor would +one imagine that the blast of war had passed so near and left them +scathless. + +At length our turn to pass arrived, and we crossed the Seine. It +seems there were not pontoons enough by half for this bridge, +consequently what they had were placed at double distance; the +bridge was therefore so weak that the utmost precaution was necessary +in passing it, and our guns and detachments (the latter dismounted +and leading their horses in file) were obliged to go over separately; +but it was also necessary to take the three pair of leaders (eight +horses to a gun) off, and let the wheel horses alone take over the +guns. Even then, each pontoon sank until its gunwale was within two +or three inches of the water as the gun passed over it. + +My tutelary genius, Major M’Donald, met me in the meadows, and, as +we rode along together, pointed out a village on a rising ground +peeping through the trees as my destination--the village of Colombes. +“Are we to halt there to-night?” I asked. “Yes, a good many nights;” +and then, for the first time, I learned that our army was going into +cantonments. On entering the village I found we were not to have +it all to ourselves. Bull’s and M’Donald’s troops were here before +me; but as it is very large, and there are plenty of good houses, +we have all got abundance of rooms and capital quarters. The place +consists principally of two long streets, with a good many detached +country-houses of citizens; and as the houses of these streets are +generally two or three storeys, it holds us well. We have divided +the village into three districts: Bull has all the upper end towards +Courbevoie; M’Donald has a fine chateau and park at the bottom of the +hill, in the meadows, with the adjacent parts; I have the end where +the two streets join on the road to Nanterre--by far the pleasantest. + +The peasantry all remain here quietly; but whether fled in alarm, or +that it is not the fashion to be seen in the country at this season, +I know not; but, certes, all the villas and better description of +houses are either entirely empty or only a few servants left in them. +Such is the case with this house I now write in. My men and horses +are all well put up with the cultivateurs, and the officers are +superbly lodged in the different _quintas_. My own is charming; and +no one can imagine the delight of such a residence, nor the pleasure +I enjoy at again having a place to myself, and that, too, such a +paradise. One drawback there is; I have been obliged to park my guns +in my own pleasure-grounds--a sad invasion of my privacy this; but +I have made it as little annoyance as possible by forming the park +close to the further gate, with orders to the sentry to allow no one +to pass beyond; and as there is a thick shrubbery between that part +of the grounds and the house, it is completely excluded. Another +very sad one was the loss of my poor old dog Bal, who had been my +companion day and night about eleven years, always sleeping under +my bed or by my side. In 1807 he accompanied us to South America. +On arriving at Colombes he was first missed. I sent Milward back +to Garges, but never heard more of him. _My establishment_ appears +to be small; I have only seen one old man-servant as yet, though I +know there are more. He is extremely obsequious and attentive to my +wants, apparently somewhat alarmed, and not quite certain whether +I mean to eat him up alive or not. He gave me an excellent dinner +to-day and delicious wine--so that he hopes his fate is deferred. A +most luxurious-looking bed tempts me, and as I am somewhat tired, +and more lazy just now, I shall consign myself to it without delay, +and describe my house, &c., to-morrow, when I shall have had time to +examine it more leisurely. + +_July 9th._--Hot, beautiful day. A haziness in the atmosphere--the +effect of this great heat--makes the distance quite _dreamy_. After +so many bivouacs and cottage-beds, the delicious sensation with +which I took possession of my voluptuous couch last night is not +to be set forth in words, any more than the puzzled astonishment +with which I gazed around on awaking this morning. It was some time +ere I could clearly recollect where I was--surrounded by everything +rich, beautiful, and luxurious. From my bed, too, I could see the +meadows below, the silver current of the Seine, and the vine-clad +hills beyond. It was impossible to jump up in my usual abrupt manner +immediately on waking. I was loath to bring so much pleasure to a +conclusion, convinced as I was that it must be less keen to-morrow; +so I lay on until hunger reminded me that there were other duties to +attend to--other pleasures to be enjoyed. + +I have now completed the inspection of my domain, and a right lovely +one it is. Let me try and preserve a _souvenir_ of it. Architectural +pretension the house has none--its charm consisting in the elegant +and luxurious fitting-up of its interior, together with the exterior +accessories by which it is surrounded. A neat (not small) house +of two storeys, with dormitories under the usual very high roof +characterising most French houses, seated on the very brink of the +rather steep _coteau_, and thus overlooking the meadows, the Seine, +the country beyond; and having in the foreground, and immediately +below it, the fine massed foliage of the noble trees in the park +occupied by Major M’Donald’s troop. From the village you enter by +a _grande porte cochère_ into a neat gravelled courtyard--having +the house in front, offices on the left, and a range of excellent +light airy stables, and one or two coach-houses on the right. +The lower floor of the _corps de logis_ consists of a suite of +handsomely-furnished saloons, in one of which is a billiard-table--a +most delightful solace in such a situation. The end room, having a +large window opening to the floor upon a flight of steps leading +down to a pretty terrace, is ornamented with some good statues. The +corresponding rooms up-stairs are all fitted up as bed-rooms. The +opposite side of the house from the court looks upon a charming +garden presenting every variety of parterre and shrubbery, among +which wind cool and shady walks; whilst the innumerable flowers of +the parterres fill the air with their perfume; and the sparkling +waters of a fountain continually playing under the windows impart +a refreshing coolness and throw an air of romance over the whole. +A broad terrace, overshadowed by linden-trees and acacias, runs +along the edge of the _coteau_ from the end of the house, as above +mentioned, to the extremity of the grounds, commanding a charming +prospect through its whole length, but particularly from its +termination, where, from a picturesque little _kiosk_ seated on an +artificial tumulus-shaped mound, the eye wanders down the sweet +scenery of the valley until in the extreme distance it rests on the +palace and park of St Germain-en-Laye. Masses of roses, carnations, +lavender, geraniums, and a multitude of other flowers, planted in +beds along the upper side of the terrace, contribute their fragrance +to enhance the delight of this lovely walk. Immediately beneath the +terrace, enclosed by a wall covered with vines, and roofed or coved +with large picturesque tiles, is a spacious kitchen and fruit garden, +covered just now by its luxuriant crop of all kinds. The more distant +part of the grounds is laid out in lawns of smooth turf, interspersed +with a variety of shrubs and forest-trees, scattered about singly, +in clumps, or sometimes in close thickets or open groves. A lofty +stone wall encloses three sides of this domain, the terrace forming +a fourth, and a gateway in the further part permits access to my +park without trespassing on my _homestead_. The house is elegantly +furnished with articles of the most costly and luxurious description, +and exquisite statues of white marble decorate the corridors, +staircases, and the large saloon before mentioned. The apartment I +have chosen for myself is immediately over and corresponding to this, +and is a perfect _bijou_; it is fitted up with a taste and splendour +that bespeak the inhabitant at once voluptuous and refined. Separated +from the other apartments by a small antechamber, it occupies the +whole extremity of the house, overlooking the Seine, &c. In this end, +like the saloon below, one large window opening to the floor, but +into an iron balcony, commands a most delicious view. Immediately +below is my well-stocked rich-looking garden; beyond that, yet still, +as it were, under me, the finely-rounded luxuriant masses of foliage +of the stately elms in the park; then stretch out, like a verdant +carpet, the spacious meadows, the sameness of their level expanse +diversified and rendered interesting by thickets of underwood, +bushes, and occasional clumps of trees. These are bounded by the +silvery waters of the Seine, above which rises rather abruptly a +curious chain of hills, round-topped, and broken in places by gypsum +cliffs, their slopes clothed with vineyards, and separated from a +similar isolated hill,[11] evidently a continuation, by a singular +gap, through which is seen a rich country extending far back, and in +the extreme distance the chateau and park of the Montmorenci. The +contrast between the purply haze enveloping this country, and the +more vivid colouring of the nearer landscape, gives it a dreamy and +indescribably mysterious appearance. At the foot of the hills on the +river-bank, and immediately opposite my window, the white buildings +of Argenteuil, mingled with foliage, form a pleasing object, its +church-tower decorated by the sacred _pavillon blanc_, which waves +continually from its upper window. To the left the picturesque little +village of Bezons and its ruined bridge, and beyond a wide extent +of open, not picturesque, though rich country, covered with wheat, +vines, and fig-trees, extends to St Germain--the sombre trees of +whose park terminates the view in that direction. The other windows +look over the garden, and the bubbling, sparkling fountain throws its +glittering drops quite up to them, if not actually cooling the air, +at least refreshing to the imagination. Here the view is bounded by +the thick foliage of the shrubbery; but the contrast between this +and the extended view from the balcony only serves to enhance the +one and the other. The balmy fragrance arising from the parterres, +the splashing of the water, and the cheerful songs of innumerable +birds, with which the trees are filled, make this a most luscious +apartment. But for the interior!--the walls are nearly covered with +large mirrors, reaching from the floor to the ceiling, encased in +frames richly carved and gilt. The compartments between these are +filled up with fine engravings or drawings. In a recess (as the +French fashion is) stands a spacious and sumptuous bed, which may be +concealed at pleasure by curtains of green silk with deep rich yellow +fringe. The bedstead is of mahogany, highly varnished, sculptured, +and enriched with gilt ornaments, but looks unfinished to an English +eye not yet accustomed to the absence of posts and curtains. The bed +itself the most luxurious and fastidious must be content with; the +silk counterpane matches the curtains of the recess; the enormous +pillows, encased in the finest and most delicately white linen, are +edged with rich lace; the sheets are as the pillow-cases, and in +texture rival cambric. An elegant little table, standing between the +two side windows, serves as a stand for beautiful vases of Sevres +porcelain, holding large bouquets of the choicest productions of +the garden; a large round table of mahogany, covered with oil-cloth +and edged with gilt bronze, occupies the middle of the floor;--the +rest of the furniture, in short, is of a piece, and the accessories +of a bedroom are of porcelain or fine crystal. A little door beside +the recess opens into a narrow passage leading round to the rear of +the house, where a small cabinet, lined with mahogany and lighted +by an _œil de bœuf_, leaves no want on the score of conveniences +unsupplied. At the other end of the room a small closet, fitted as a +library, contains a collection of the most splendid editions of the +best French authors. Here, however, the voluptuary was conspicuous; +the licentiousness of Voltaire, Louvet, and others, is innocence +itself compared to many works in this collection. My establishment +consists of the old butler (Monsieur Ferdinand), the gardener, the +cook, and, I believe, a girl as a scrub. These, with the addition of +William and my two grooms, make up a snug little family. M. Ferdinand +is attentive, and seems solicitous to please. Cook sent me up +yesterday a remarkably nice dinner; and the gardener brought a fine +fresh bouquet this morning for my vases, which he promises to do +daily, also fruit for my dessert. My larder seems well stocked, and +so does my cellar, for I had a bottle of excellent wine yesterday; +therefore I have every reason to be satisfied with my good fortune. + +The houses in which my officers lodge are all either entirely or +nearly deserted; so that, having the only convenience for the +purpose, I have acceded to their request, and allowed our mess to be +established here, though it is hardly fair upon the proprietor, on +whose resources we shall draw largely; however, I have given orders +for the dinner to be prepared to-day, and M. Ferdinand has made no +scruples. + +_July 10th._--Splendid morning, but heat excessive. Sorry to say that +at the parade this morning I found we had no less than thirty horses +with sore backs. This is terrible! but I know others are worse. +Yesterday we dined together, and a capital dinner and excellent wine +we had. After dinner, the evening being so fine, Hitchins, Breton, +and I, mounted our horses for an exploration. We first crossed the +meadows to the river, and rode a little way along the banks; at the +ferry we found the ferryman asleep in his boat, and I could not +prevent Breton from launching him into the stream--how far he went +down we have not yet heard. This was childish, certainly. Quitting +the river-bank we made for a high hill, whence we expected a view +of Paris. _Chemin faisant_, we stumbled on some singular quarries, +immense caverns cut in the soft calcareous stone, and going farther +in than we thought it prudent to follow. These were in the middle of +the fields, in the low ground between Colombes and Nanterre. As we +enjoy the privilege of travelling over fields, &c., and are therefore +quite independent of roads, we made straight for the hill, and gained +its summit just as the sun was setting in all the glory of a fine +summer’s evening. We had judged rightly, for Mont Valerien (so it is +called in my map) commands a most lovely view. Before us all Paris +lay extended as in a plan; we could see every part of it, and even +the far-away country beyond. Here was no dingy, orange-coloured +smoke, like that which obscures the London atmosphere, and blackens +the country for miles round. _Au contraire_, the clearness of the +Parisian atmosphere was scarcely deteriorated by the very light +transparent vapour floating over the city, which rather increased +the interest and beauty of the scene by the softened outlines, and +by the rich purply tint communicated to all parts of the landscape +seen through it. The country immediately around, and the slopes +of the hill itself on which we stood, had the appearance of one +vast and productive garden, being divided into rectangular patches +planted with rose-bushes, cherry-trees, vines, fig-trees, artichokes +and several other sorts of culinary vegetables, all growing in the +greatest luxuriance, and presenting a most extraordinary mass of +verdure. Amongst all this, the white walls and red-tiled roofs of +several neat villages and picturesque villas harmonised charmingly. +The foot of the hill towards Paris was washed by the gently-flowing +waters of the Seine, on whose placid bosom a few boats occasionally +appeared. + +The lively verdure of a long narrow strip of meadow-land lying on +the opposite bank of the river, and the white walls of several +large-windowed Italian-like houses bordering on them, contrasted +strongly with the sombre tones of the Bois de Boulogne behind +them, amongst whose thickets several columns of blue smoke, and a +line of white tents seen here and there on the lawns, attested the +presence of some part of our army. Along the line of the river were +the villages of St Cloud, with its bridge; Suresnes, Puteaux, and +Neuilly, from the end of whose bridge a most superb avenue of elms +stretched away toward the city. Beyond could clearly be discerned +the column of Austerlitz, the dome of the Pantheon, Nôtre Dame, with +its high-pointed façade, circular window, and two flanking Gothic +towers. A little to our right the elegant dome of the Invalides, +its gilded decorations glittering in the last rays of the setting +sun; the cream-coloured portico of the Hotel de Bourbon; and the +more deep-toned architecture of the Hotel des Monnaies and its dome. +Still further to the right the scene was closed by the wooded heights +of Bellevue, which appeared continuous with the Park of St Cloud. +These, wrapped in deep shadow, formed a mass of sombre verdure, +balancing well the other parts of this brilliant picture. In the +distance beyond the city were the smiling heights of Belleville, +covered with villages and country-houses, gradually descending into +the vale of the Seine, of whose waters an occasional glimpse might +be caught winding their tortuous way like silver threads through +the rich plain. To the left the buildings of the city spread up +the steep slopes of Montmartre, the summit of which presented a +formidable appearance with its lines of fortifications. Windmills +and a telegraph occupied the higher end of its ridge, whilst that +next us terminated in a perpendicular precipice, the white face +of which overhung the tufted groves of Monceaux and Clichy. Still +further to the left extended the plains of St Denis, yellow with the +golden harvest, beyond which arose the town and abbey. The horizon +on this side was bounded by a low range of blue hills, of pleasing +though not very varied outline. The balmy softness of the evening +air--the varied noises, softened by distance, arising from the +village below--the sounds of music, mirth, and revelry coming up +more distinctly,--all contributed to heighten the interest of this +charming panorama. Long did we linger on Mont Valerien, until the +coming shades of night reminded us that we were strangers to the +intricate maze of vineyards, &c., which we must traverse to regain +Colombes, and we turned our backs on the lovely scene. + +_July 13th._--This is our first wet day. Hitchins and I went to Paris +this morning; but the rain set in so much in earnest that we returned +forthwith, and I have devoted the remainder of the day to bringing +up my leeway; for, between much occupation and much idleness, I have +let my journal drop astern, and now I hardly know how to begin what +I have to record, which, though trifling for others, is to me worth +its weight in gold--at least will be so years hence. + +_Imprimis_, then, I have discovered my landlord to be a M. +L’Eguillon, who is an old bachelor (seventy-four years of age), and +resides in a handsome town-house, Rue des Enfans Rouges. He is said +to be very rich, but I cannot find out whether he has or had any +employment under Government. I find that I can in some measure repay +him for my good living here by sending his hay, oats, or anything +else he may want, under an escort, as otherwise it would not be +allowed to pass the _barrière_.[12] I suppose Ferdinand has reported +us as good people, for I have received a most polite and obliging +note asking this favour, and at the same time assuring me that +Ferdinand has orders to pay us every attention. I sent Bombardier +Ross up the other day, as he speaks French, with a load of hay, and +he reported that nothing could exceed the kindness with which he was +treated, and that the old gentleman’s town residence is a magnificent +one. A very pretty girl of sixteen (Mademoiselle Ernestine), whom +the servants call his niece, lives with him. There seems a mystery, +however, in the matter, for the gossips of the village declare she is +not his niece. It is Mademoiselle Ernestine’s apartment which I have +taken possession of, it seems. + +Up to the present moment nothing could have been more delightful +than my residence here--so much so, that it was some time before I +could tear myself away from it to go to Paris, though only about +six English miles distant, and then with reluctance. To me the +country at all times has so many charms, and the city so few, that +it is never without regret that I exchange the one for the other. +Situated as I am here, during this fine season, and surrounded by +luxuries, it is a hard task to think of sacrificing even a single +day to the close, disagreeable streets of a large town. Rinaldo +in the gardens of Armida was not more completely enthralled than +I am in this little paradise. On first awaking in the morning, my +delighted ear is saluted by the melodious warble of innumerable +pretty songsters in the shrubbery, which comes accompanied by the +soft murmurs and splash of the fountain. My toilette occupies a much +longer time here than it ever did anywhere else, so great is the +luxury of wandering about in a dressing-gown: finished, however, +it must be, and then I descend to my stable, talk nonsense to my +horses, examine poor Cossack’s wounds, which were not improved by +our lengthened march, and then stroll into my garden, cool my palate +with some of the delicious fruit, take a turn or two on the terrace +under the linden-trees, look at St Germain, think of the unfortunate +James who died there in exile, then at Argenteuil, where Heloise +pined for her mutilated lover, return to my penetralia and find +that William has arranged a delicious little breakfast. A parade of +the troop in the village street follows; a visit to the quarters, +stables, &c.; an inspection of carriages; concluding with a little +peroration with Farrier Price and Wheeler Rockliff. All this occupies +the first part of the morning; the remainder is passed in lounging +about the village, visiting the other troops, or wandering about my +own delightful grounds; sometimes a game at billiards, sometimes a +little scribbling. So pass my mornings. Five o’clock usually finds +us all assembled in the _salle de compagnie_ awaiting M. Ferdinand’s +annunciation, “On vient de servir, M. le Commandant,” throwing open +the _battants_ with a bow and an air worthy a groom of the chambers. +Dinner consists of a _potage_ and several other dishes, always +excellent; it is followed by a dessert of fine fruit from my _own_ +garden. Our wines, too, are not only of the best quality, but we +have an astonishing variety--in short, we live like fighting-cocks. +After passing a reasonable time at table, and drinking a reasonable +allowance of M. Eguillon’s wine, we break up for the evening. Some +resort to the billiard-room, some to the neighbouring troops, and I +either take a ride or saunter about my terrace as I did in the avenue +at Strytem, smoking some of the few remaining excellent cigars I +have brought all the way from Brussels--doubly precious now, since I +find there are none such to be got in Paris. Cigars are, I think, a +government monopoly here as in Spain--at least there is some mystery +which I don’t understand further than that the French Government has +been concerned in forcing the lieges to smoke bad cigars or none at +all. Only two kinds are procurable here: the one, a little black +thing made of the commonest tobacco, they call Dutch, _des cigars +Hollandais_; the other, a large cigar of very common bad tobacco +also, has a wheaten straw stuck into it to suck the smoke through; +and this, besides the villanous taste of the tobacco, burns your +palate horribly. + +The other evening I had retired after dinner to the terrace to enjoy, +as usual, the charms of a fine sky and fine landscape. Twilight crept +gradually over the valley, and, by obscuring the distant parts, +allowed play to imagination, and gave additional interest to the +scenery. Light airs from time to time sighed amongst the overhanging +foliage; the joyous laugh of the villagers comes softened on the +breeze, united with the monotonous splash of the fountain. I had +seated myself in the little _kiosk_ at the end of the terrace; the +smoke of my cigar arose lazily in the air; my eyes were fixed on the +silver Seine, and my mind travelling over again the events of the +last three or four weeks, drawing comparisons between the feverish +excitement prevailing through the former but greater part of that +time, and the delicious tranquillity of the present, when suddenly +the grating sound of angry voices wounded my ear and dissipated my +reverie. I listened; the speakers appeared to be at our park, or near +it. There were English voices and foreign of some sort. A quarrel +between my men and the natives, no doubt. But how came the latter +in the grounds? The voices became louder and fiercer; there was a +rattling of sabres, too. Good heavens! are the French renewing the +Sicilian Vespers? Whilst asking myself this question, I was already +hurrying along the tortuous path leading to that part of the grounds, +and soon came upon the scene of action. Here I found Quartermaster +Hall and several gunners struggling with our hussars of Brunswick, +whose horses, bridled and saddled, seemed the objects of contention +from the way in which they were alternately seized by one or the +other and most unceremoniously dragged about by both. + +High words and threatening gestures, pulling and scuffling, seemed +the order of the day, but no blows were interchanged. Both parties +seemed equally enraged, but neither understood the other,--for one +swore in German, the other in English; the gestures, however, spoke a +sort of universal language which all parties comprehended perfectly. +At the moment of my arrival one of the hussars, having rescued his +horse from the grip of his opponent, had raised his foot to the +stirrup, and was in the act of mounting, when an athletic gunner, +seizing him by the waist, swung him to some distance, rolling on +the turf. The fellow, springing up again, had half drawn his sabre +as I emerged from the shrubbery with an authoritative “_Halt da!_” +which was instantly obeyed by all; whilst old Hall, the moment he +saw me, cried, “They are off, sir--they are going off.” The hint was +sufficient. I despatched a gunner with orders to the guard to shut +the iron gates and allow none to pass, then proceeded to investigate +the origin of this quarrel. I had placed these people in the grounds +from the first, that they might be more under surveillance. They +have a tent for themselves, and their horses are picketed near our +guns. This I have found necessary, from the sulky mutinous spirit +they have always evinced since the first day of joining us. They +have always been a source of considerable worry to me, and have been +getting worse lately. According to their own account, they are all +_volunteers_ and _gentlemen_; therefore they feel very severely the +degradation of their present position, particularly being put under a +vile commissary, whom they affect to treat with the utmost contempt. +Their present complaint was about their bread, which they said “was +not even fit for _common soldiers_;” and they accused Mr Coates of +having purposely given them this bread as an insult. In their rage +they had saddled their horses with the intention of returning home, +or the Lord knows where, when Hall interfered, and the scuffle took +place. The corporal (a fine young man) was particularly indignant, +and held forth most vehemently on what was due to a gentleman, partly +in German, partly in French. Hall’s insolence he spoke of with great +bitterness, giving me to understand that he expected my men should +pay him somewhat of the same deference as to their own officers. +My answer to all this was short: “The bread is of the same quality +as that served out to our own men; therefore, if the _gentlemen_ +disliked it, they might leave it. As to their rank in civil society, +I know nothing about it; they were put under my orders as any other +soldiers, and as such should do their duty.” Two or three of the +most refractory I made prisoners of, and if they still remained +discontented, they at least remained quiet. This disturbance, +however, spoilt my evening; so, having consumed my cigar whilst +lecturing the gentlemen, I retired to my room and spent an hour or +two over Voltaire’s ‘Philosophical Dictionary.’ + +Notwithstanding the raptures in which our people spoke of Paris, +which some of them visited the very first evening of our coming +here, yet it was only a day or two ago that I could tear myself from +the country and go thither. The village and _les villageois_ had +not yet lost the freshness of novelty. Strolling about the street +gossiping with the people has been a source of infinite amusement +to me, and I have been much interested in observing their peculiar +manners and habits. The harvest, which has just commenced, causes +considerable stir in the village, as all the produce of the fields +is brought to be stored in their granaries here. The villages round +Paris have anything but a rural aspect: houses of stone, roofed +either with tiles or slates, from two to three and even four storeys +high; large windows, like those of town houses; the attics are their +granaries, hay-lofts, &c., and a window or door, furnished with a +crane and tackle similar to those of our merchants’ stores, furnishes +the means of hoisting in the sheaves, bundles of hay, &c. The +consequence of this is, that our streets are all in a bustle--loaded +carts continually arriving from the fields, and drawing up under +the entrance-window of their respective houses. Bundles and sheaves +are mounting into the air, and various gossiping groups are formed +below. The peasantry in this neighbourhood are almost all of them +proprietors of the lands they cultivate. As with us, the law obliges +every man to put his name, &c., on his cart; so we see continually +“Jacques Bonnemain, cultivateur,” “Jean le Mery, propriétaire,” &c. +The figures composing these street-groups are sturdy well-made men; +much more active and springy than our clowns, although sufficiently +rustic. Their costume, too, widely differs from everything we +are accustomed to associate with rusticity. The bronzed visage, +surrounded by its setting of black locks, surmounted by the _bonnet +de nuit_, usually white, or having once been so, round jackets of +blue-striped cotton stuff, and trousers of the same--bare feet, +thrust into a pair of clumsy _sabots_, complete the costume. Amongst +the young men and boys I have remarked a much greater proportion +of handsome intelligent faces than one usually sees in any English +village; our rustics are generally coarse-featured, and have a most +unintellectual expression of face. The French peasant not only has +the advantage in point of person and carriage, but infinitely so in +his address. The women partake of the labours of the field, and enter +largely into the composition of our village groups. Their general +costume is not unpicturesque. They are always without gowns, the +exposed stays (not always very clean) sometimes laced up, sometimes +quite loose and open; blue and white, or pink-striped petticoats; +neck partially covered by a coloured handkerchief (_fichu_[13]); +the head by another, gracefully turned round it, something in the +shape of a turban;[14] large gold or silver hoops in the ears, and a +small cross of the same suspended by a black ribbon from the neck; +stockings of grey or blue thread, or bare legs; large _sabots_, +the insteps frequently garnished with a strip of rabbit-skin. Such +are our village belles. At a superficial glance one does not see +amongst them such gradations from youth to age as among our own +women. All are either old or young, hideously ugly, or pretty, or +very pretty. About the age of puberty (which seems to be earlier than +with us), they become masculine and coarse, though still handsome. +But about thirty (or earlier, if they have children) they lose all +pretensions to good looks, and immediately assume the appearance +of old age--wrinkled, skinny, with sunken cheeks, hollow eyes--and +such necks! Like the men, these women are vastly superior to our +female peasantry in carriage of person and in manners. The former is +invariably erect and commanding, giving to the ugliest old woman an +air of dignity never or very rarely to be met with among our working +classes, and not always amongst our ladies. Some of the young ones, +well made and tall, with their firm determined step, are really +majestic creatures. + +The ordinary diet of these people seems little calculated to enable +them to go through the portion of hard labour that falls to their +lot. Bread, black, coarse, dry, and diabolically sour, a bit of +hard tasteless cheese, compose the usual breakfast and dinner, with +the occasional addition of haricots, or some other vegetables; for +supper, broth (_potage aux herbes_), in which a bit of lard or some +kind of grease is melted to give it richness and perhaps flavour. +Their beverage is a poor sort of _vin du pays_, very sour, and +very inferior to the sound rough cider used in our apple-counties, +Hereford and Devon. In the _cabarets_ beer is to be had of a pleasant +quality, although not strong. The _bonne double bierre de Mars_ is of +a superior caste, and, when bottled (as it is sold), a refreshing, +agreeable drink in hot weather. + +March is to their brewers what October is to ours. This _bierre de +Mars_ (from the month, I presume) one would suppose exclusively +military, from the numerous coloured prints stuck on the +window-shutters of most _cabarets_, representing officers and +soldiers in the acts of drawing, pouring out, or drinking this +favourite tipple. The most common of these represents two officers +in _grande tenue_, plumed hats, swords by their sides, spurs on +the heel, &c., seated at a small round table. Each holds in the +right hand an uncorked bottle, in the left a tumbler, the _bierre_ +rising in a jet from the bottles, forming two intersecting arches, +terminating precisely in the opposite and apposite tumblers. The +shutters frequently bear both pictorial and scriptorial annunciations +not a little amusing. I have seen numbers on our march, but thought +no more of them; and it was only the other day, at Courbevoie, that +“_audevie à vandre_” upon a shutter gave rise to the idea of making a +collection of them. The universal “_Ici on loge à pied et à cheval_” +is parallel to our entertainment for man and horse. + +I have before noticed that on arriving here we found all the gentry +fled. That was not quite the truth. A few days since I discovered +that a certain handsome house, in Bull’s quarter of the village, +is still inhabited by the proprietor, an old lady of seventy (la +Marquise de * * *), very partial to, because somehow connected with, +the English, and therefore remaining at home in full confidence of +good treatment. She has judged rightly; not a soul has trespassed +upon her except as visitors, of which she is very proud, and holds +a sort of daily levee, which we sometimes find a convenient lounge. +Brought up in the Court of Louis XVI., Madame la Marquise is a strict +observer of all the etiquette of the old _régime_. A light active +figure, and a natural (or perhaps assumed) sprightliness of manner, +added to a very juvenile costume, give her at a little distance +quite the appearance of a girl. A nearer approach, however, spite of +rouge, &c., most liberally applied, betrays the _septuagénaire_. At +my first visit I found this extraordinary old woman alone, dressed, +and evidently expecting visitors. I introduced myself, and was +received with almost affectionate kindness. Our _tête-à-tête_ was a +long one, for she would make me listen to the whole of her family +history, and how one of her ancestors, having married some English +lady of rank, she considers herself _à moitié Anglaise_. She was not +content with telling me her history, but showed me her whole house +and gardens (both very handsome and in excellent order), even her +own boudoir, _chambre à coucher_, &c. On taking leave she exacted +a promise of being a good neighbour, which I have endeavoured to +perform by devoting to her a small portion of my leisure time. It +is to her that I am obliged for breaking the spell that bound me to +the village, and at last _visiting Paris_. The other morning she +expressed such unfeigned astonishment at my want of curiosity that +I resolved to see the place forthwith, if only for a few minutes. +Accordingly, after dinner I mounted Nelly, and set off by what I +guessed must be the road thither. The day had been exceedingly hot, +the roads were very dusty, and, half irresolute, I rode slowly over +the uninteresting parched-up plain between Colombes and Courbevoie, +made disgusting, moreover, by the trodden-down corn and carcasses +of horses, &c., which marked the old bivouacs. The handsome cavalry +barracks for the Imperial Guard at the entrance of Courbevoie +detained me a moment, and then I descended the winding shabby street, +and came suddenly on the beautiful Pont de Neuilly. The lovely +scenery here, above and below the bridge, and the magnificent avenue +beyond it, put an end to my Paris trip. For the life of me I could +not resolve to exchange such scenery, and pass such an evening in the +streets of a city, however fine they might be. This bridge, and the +one at St Maxence, are elegant things, certainly; but the straight +line, which is one of their great beauties, must not be claimed by +the architects as an original idea. The Roman bridges at Alcantra and +elsewhere no doubt have been their prototypes. I found here defences +similar to those at St Denis--the road to the bridge broken up and +obstructed by carts, and a sort of abatis; this was commanded by a +2-gun battery, built across the road on the Paris side, secured at +each flank by a stockade. These mementos of war were unpleasing +objects certainly, yet they could not divert the mind from the sweet +scenery on every side. The Seine came gliding tranquilly along +through green meadows, fringed with willows, bordered on each side by +villages and villas; several verdant islands, also, decorated with +large umbrageous willows, divided its stream into different channels, +on which floated boats of various descriptions--some plain and of +coarse construction, laden with goods; others of a more elegant +construction, gaily painted, and filled with joyous light-hearted +people, already forgetful of the downfall of their idolised +Emperor--of their national glory tarnished--even that, in these +their moments of mirth and recreation, they were in the presence of +their conquerors--of their ancient enemy. British soldiers stood on +the river-bank as they passed along--British soldiers occupied the +barracks of the late Imperial Guard, under which lay their course, +and yet the laugh was as joyous, the countenances as bright, as they +could have been after the bulletins of Austerlitz or Jena. Not so, I +ween, on the slimy Thames had England fallen as low, were London the +cantonment of French legions. + +A most superb avenue is the road which gradually ascends from the +Pont de Neuilly to the Barrière de l’Etoile, the unfinished works of +which terminate this unrivalled perspective. I forget whether there +are two or four rows of elms on either side--and such trees! This +splendid road was alive with carriages, equestrians, and pedestrians, +as I rode up it to the _barrière_; and here another magnificent +scene burst upon me. Hence the road descended gradually towards the +city, handsome houses, and even rows of houses, intermingling with +the masses of foliage on either side; and far away, in hazy, dreamy +distance, this avenue was terminated by the heavy but imposing mass +of the Tuileries, with the spotless banner of ancient France waving +gracefully in the evening breeze from the elevated central mass. I +returned from this interesting excursion just as the fading tints of +the western sky began to sober down into the greys of twilight. My +curiosity was excited by this peep of Paris, and the next morning +actually found me riding slowly down from the Barrière de l’Etoile +towards the Place Louis Quinze, delighted with the novelty of the +scene by which I was surrounded. On either side of the road, among +the noble trees, were handsome houses, the large open windows and +balconies of which were filled with green shrubs and brilliant +flowers. Beyond these I came to a wide open space everywhere +covered with trees, but poor ones compared to the giants forming +the avenue. Under these a regiment of English hussars, and a band +of Cossacks, were in bivouac together--a novel and amusing scene. +The soldiers and their horses were objects of curiosity (English as +well as Cossacks) to a crowd of idle Parisians who stood by, not in +silent contemplation of the _strange animals_, but chattering like +a pack of monkeys, and explaining what they saw to those of their +neighbours less gifted with the powers of conception. Carriages, +too, as they passed, and groups of young men on horseback (looking +half-military, half-bourgeois, from their mustachioed upper lips, +erect carriage, holstered saddles, and cavalry bridles), paused to +contemplate the foreign bivouac. If these last were amused with my +countrymen and their friends, I was no less so with them. There was +something irresistibly comic in their self-satisfied air as they +paraded their managed cats of steeds before the fair ones in the +carriages, and the affected, contemptuous looks they cast on the +hardy fellows who had so recently chased their own braves (perhaps +some of themselves) from Brussels to Paris. The equipages, too, +were worthy of notice: they reminded me of Ireland--“_Nothing of +a piece_.” Handsome carriage, well-dressed servants, dog-horses +and shabby harness; or shabby servant and beautiful horse, new +harness, and an old jarvey of a carriage--the fair dames within +invariably smart. No comparison can be instituted between French +and English equipages. The neatness and perfect completeness, +beauty, finish, lightness, and goodness--all are on the side of +the latter. Their cabriolet, however, is something _sui generis_, +and worthy of admiration. They are generally drawn by one horse, +sometimes a postilion on a second horse attached as an outrigger. +It was one of these that captivated my fancy near the _barrière_. +Such a turn-out! The carriage was just like other cabriolets, only +a very smart one; and here I must acknowledge an exception to what +I have just written--the whole _was_ of a piece--good, smart, and +respectable; but, _mon Dieu!_ what a spectacle! The heavy harness +under which the horses were almost buried was covered with plated +buckles, bosses, &c. On the outrigger sat a fine, well-made fellow, +six feet if an inch, erect as a grenadier. On his head an enormous +cocked-hat, bound with broad silver lace and loop, stuck square on; +a blue coat, collar, skirts, and sleeves, all covered with silver +lace; the clothing of his nether limbs hid in a tremendous pair of +boots, sticking six inches above his slightly-bent knee, and armed +with a most formidable pair of spurs; like all the rest of them, +riding exceedingly long, consequently bumping along at a moderate +trot with most imperturbable gravity. How I should have liked to see +this equipage trotting down St James’s Street! A passer-by, of whom +I asked the question, informed me that this was Les Champs Elysées. +I could hardly credit him. What! the far-famed, much-vaunted, +much-bescribbled Champs Elysées! Impossible!--or, if true, what a +disappointment! I hardly know what sort of an idea I had formed of +the Champs Elysées--certainly nothing like the reality. No turf, no +verdure, in short, no fields, but a gravelly dusty space, surrounded +nearly by buildings, and barely shaded from the scorching sun by a +parcel of miserable-looking half-grown trees, sufficiently powdered +to conceal whatever verdure they might have. If ever the grass had +grown here, every trace was now obliterated. Bivouacs are sadly +destructive of nature’s beauties. “Thus, then,” said I, “here is one +illusion dissipated. Let us see farther, perhaps all will equally +vanish in smoke and dust.” A certain feeling of exultation, a +tumultuous rising of spirits came over me as I rode into the Place +Louis Quinze, and pulling up, regardless of the moving throng of +people, contemplated at my leisure the scene around me. I have now +got a map and a ‘Guide de Paris,’ both of which I have since had +opportunities of elucidating or confirming by inquiry and _vivâ voce_ +evidence. Then, I knew not that I stood precisely on the same spot +where the martyrdom of Louis Seize and the fair Marie Antoinette had +been consummated. I knew that the walls in front of me as I entered +the Place from the Champs Elysées were the ramparts of the Tuileries; +that the bowery trees which overtopped them were in the gardens; and +that the immense pile seen again over these was the chateau itself: +but I did not know that the magnificent ranges of buildings, with +their rich sculptures and Corinthian colonnades on my left, were +those of the Garde Meuble; nor that the fine but short perspective +by which they were separated was the Rue de la Concorde; nor that +the handsome bridge on my right was the Pont de la Concorde, and the +imposing portico which reared its lofty Corinthian columns beyond was +the entrance to the Salle des Representatifs. Although ignorant of +the names and destinations of the noble objects, I could not but be +sensible of their effect individually and as an _ensemble_; and I +did acknowledge that nothing could be more imposing, more strikingly +magnificent, than this entrance to the city of Paris. + +Every faculty absorbed in the contemplation of the various and +varied novelties around me, I progressed mechanically, and without +knowing or seeking to know where I was going, found my way down +the Rue de Rivoli, and so into the Place Vendome, where the column +of Austerlitz, by its beautiful workmanship, and the historical +recollections associated with it, arrested my course for some time. +Strange, however, that a nation like France should borrow from +Rome--that she could not produce an original idea to commemorate a +great national triumph. It is nevertheless a superb monument; and +at least the idea of using the guns taken in the battle to decorate +the city--was not _that_ an original idea? The Place itself I do not +like. Its houses are certainly fine, and uniformly built, but the +style is heavy, the material dismal, and the want of _trottoirs_ +gives the whole the air of a “mews.” In approaching the Place +Vendome by the Rue Castiglione, I crossed the Rue St Honoré, the +busy stream flowing along which would have induced me to follow it, +but the column in front drew me forward like a magnet. The streets +of Paris are infinitely more amusing than those of London, inasmuch +as they everywhere teem with animation, from the pavements to the +roofs. Nowhere do we meet such long, tiresome, dull avenues of brick +and mortar as Baker Street, Gore Street, Gloucester Place, &c. In +London, “home’s home,” &c.--and when people are at home, they like +quietude and retirement. In Paris _au contraire_, people cannot +exist in quietude, and solitude is abominated. To see and be seen +seems the universal maxim. The varied forms of the houses, too, and +the still more varied styles of ornament, render the streets much +more picturesque and interesting in Paris than in London. There is +something very picturesque and interesting, I think, in the immense +long perspectives between the tall houses of such streets as the +Rue de Richelieu, into which I was led by the Rue Neuve des Petits +Champs. This is the Bond Street of Paris, and is a most amusing one. +Here every thing savoured of the fashionable world. Shops of a more +respectable description richly decorated; goods of the most costly +kind arranged for display with a very superior degree of taste and +even elegance. Numerous equipages with liveried attendants driving +about or waiting at the doors. Numberless loungers sauntering up +and down, or philandering in the shops, a striking feature among +these the foreign officers, particularly English, all indicating +the Rue de Richelieu as the focus of fashionable resort. After all, +however, there is something about this as well as all the other +streets of Paris, with a few exceptions--such as the Rue de Rivoli, +de la Concorde, de la Paix, and some part of the Boulevard--that +displeases an Englishman’s eye and nose. The buildings in general +have a worn and shabby appearance; their great height, and the +narrowness of the thoroughfare, throws a degree of darkness and gloom +over everything; but, above all, the olfactory nerves are continually +offended by a certain pervading odour, difficult to be accounted +for, since it is everywhere the same--not arising from any visible +cause, but omnipresent and unvarying. In the Rue de Richelieu not +all the fragrant odours issuing from that _magazin_ of odours, the +Cloche d’Or, and fifty others, were sufficient to overpower this most +unsavoury of smells. It may be said to characterise Paris--to stamp +it as the sulphureous city. My attention was attracted by a broad +avenue crossing one end of it, and along which flowed a dense and +continuous stream of passengers and carriages. I directed my horse’s +head thither, and in a few minutes found myself in the Boulevard +des Italiens. The excitement and interest of that moment will not +soon be forgotten. The breadth of the street, the mixture of trees +and houses, the number and variety of the immense multitude moving +on, all contributed for a moment to electrify me, and I should have +forgotten Colombes and the lateness of the hour had not Hitchins at +that moment rode up and asked me if I was not going home to dinner. +Colombes and M. Ferdinando’s good cheer regained their sway, and we +trotted off together, vowing an early return to explore the wonders +of this mine of novelty and excitement. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + +_July 17th._--Alas! how transient is all earthly happiness! To-morrow +I quit Colombes and my delightful residence for ever; except, indeed, +I pay it a casual visit, and that I shall hardly have heart to do. A +few short days passed in this elysium have endeared it to me beyond +expression, and, spite of certain little differences, M. Ferdinand +and I have become quite friends. The old man’s manner is always so +kind that I really believe he likes me; but then these French are +consummate _blagueurs_. Our principal quarrel has been invariably +about wine. At first he always produced such as would have done +honour to any table, but by degrees he began from time to time to +introduce a bottle of inferior quality. It was, however, too late; +our palates were formed, and could bear nothing but the best, which +we insisted on having, spite of his equivocations and harangues to +prove to us that we were no judges of wine. Some droll scenes have +arisen out of this; for we discovered that M. Ferdinand has the +greatest horror of our invading his territory, and availed ourselves +of the discovery whenever he tried to play us a trick. Nothing could +be more comical than the expression which his countenance assumed on +these occasions. “Ferdinand!” “Monsieur!” “Ce vin ci n’est pas bon!” +“Ce vin n’est pas bon, monsieur?” arching his grey eyebrows. “Non, il +est exécrable, vilain.” “Mais, monsieur,” with emphasis, “c’est du +meilleur vin de la cave, je vous assure;” and then, with an “Excusez, +monsieur!” he takes the bottle, pours a little wine into the palm of +his hand, tastes it, makes a grimace indicative of pleasure, rubs +down his stomach with feigned ecstasy, and exclaims, “Dieu merci, +comme il est excellent!” “Eh bien, M. Ferdinand, vous ne savez plus +plaire à notre gout; allez vous en, cherchez une chandelle et la clef +de la cave, j’y descendrai choisir moi-même,” &c. &c. This always +produced the desired effect--the comic expression of his countenance +would give place to one of extreme anxiety. “Tenez, monsieur!--tenez! +cela ne sera pas bon; la cave est si obscure, si humide. Ah, je ne +le permettrai jamais. Si monsieur le trouve bon, je descendrai +chercher d’autre vin, et peut-être je serais plus heureux.” Without +waiting for a reply, he would brush off with the activity of a man +twenty years younger. In due time, allowing for the supposed search, +re-enter M. Ferdinand with a joyous countenance and bottle in hand, +from which, the long cork duly extracted, he would deliberately +fill a _large_ glass, look exultingly around, and, making a most +profound bow (without, however, spilling one drop), drink “au +bonheur de Monsieur le Commandant et des braves Anglais,” then +triumphantly plant the bottle on the table with renewed assurances +of the excellence of its contents, which we invariably found to be +perfectly true. On the whole, however, as I before said, we were +excellent friends, and Monsieur le Commandant a special favourite +with honest Ferdinand, whose attentions were unremitting. It grieves +me, certainly, leaving Colombes--but go I must. + +Yesterday Sir George Wood received despatches from Lord Mulgrave +appointing Sir John May and Major William Lloyd to the two troops +vacant by the deaths of Ramsay and Bean. This is a disappointment, +for I had fully expected one of them; however, it is somewhat +softened by the handsome manner in which his lordship directs that +I be retained as a supernumerary captain of horse-artillery until a +vacancy may occur, which it is known must be soon, for poor Lloyd +is too severely wounded to survive. But the worst part of the story +is, that my old troop, in which I have now been nine years, is to be +taken from me and given to Major Wilmot, who has just arrived from +England, and I am to go to D Troop, late Bean’s, now Lloyd’s, and no +doubt soon to be mine. This morning Sir Augustus Frazer inspected +G Troop, previously to my giving it up to Wilmot, in the field by +the side of the road from Neuilly Bridge to L’Etoile. I took the +opportunity of complaining that certain malicious reports had been +circulated by persons unknown, to the injury of my character. These +set forth that the great loss sustained by G Troop on the 18th +arose from my culpable stupidity in having unnecessarily exposed my +detachment, gun-horses, &c. Sir Augustus acknowledged having heard +such a report, which he had taken every pains to contradict, and +added, “I have told everybody that the imputation is false; and, +moreover, that if blame attach to any one, it must be to myself +and Major M’Donald, for I placed you in your position, and both of +us visited you repeatedly during the action, and ought to have +corrected anything that was wrong.” This has been some ill-natured, +jealous person, who envies us the little credit we got on that +occasion. + +After our inspection I sent Newland home with the troop, and +accompanied Sir Augustus to La Chapelle under Montmartre, on the +road to St Denis, where he inspected the D Troop, now commanded by +Major D., previously to his giving it up to me to-morrow. It is a +wretched troop, and very badly officered; the state of discipline +such as I never thought could have existed in such a perfect service +as the horse-artillery. Frazer flattered me by saying, in answer to +my complaint, “Never mind; I am sure you will soon have it in a very +different state.” I hope so. To-morrow, then, I depart hence--give +up my elysium, and exchange one of the very finest troops in the +service for the _very worst_. But I must try and bring down my +journal, if possible, to the present day, so as to begin a new score +at my new station, wherever that may be. The 13th was the wet day on +which I last wrote, and then did not finish up to the date, I think +the 12th. Hitchins and I breakfasted at seven, and set off together +immediately after for Paris. The road thither, with the exception +of the naked plain between this and Courbevoie, is most interesting. +At the Place Louis Quinze we dismounted, and Milward brought the +horses back, whilst we continued on towards the Louvre by the Rue +de Rivoli, &c. The Louvre is now in all its glory--nothing has been +touched, although restoration is talked of. The Place du Carrousel we +found occupied by Prussian infantry in bivouac. Not far off, near the +Boulevard de la Madelaine, are several large timber-yards. Blucher, +less scrupulous than Wellington, has emptied the contents of one of +these on the Place du Carrousel, where his people have constructed +a little town of sheds or shanties with the planks. A singular +spectacle is this bivouac. The sheds form regular streets parallel +to the Grille; along the centre of these are lines of fires, with +camp-kettles suspended over them, and soldiers in most slovenly (even +beggarly) _déshabillé_ sitting round, peeling potatoes, turnips, +onions, &c., or cutting up very carrion-like meat for their messes. +A chain of sentries kept back the crowd, which was immense--all +eager to see the warriors so often beaten by their own troops, now +in their turn conquerors, and enjoying the fruits of their victory +on the very ground where the mighty Emperor of the West had passed +in review those _soi-disant_ invincible legions, and whence they had +successively departed for Madrid, Vienna, Jena, and Moscow. + +Except a scowling ex-_militaire_ here and there, nothing could exceed +the _bonhommie_ apparent in every countenance. Curiosity--pure +curiosity--had drawn them thither, and their staring physiognomies +did not betray an idea beyond the gratification of it. What a +holiday for the Parisians this is, after all! The city seems in +a continued state of festivity, and at the same time of fever. +Amidst such a crowd and such excitement it was not possible to +indulge reflections; yet, spite of these, a confused jumble of +very curious ones flashed across my mind as, _en passant_, I +contemplated this host of foreigners, domesticated, as it were, on +the _sacred territory_; beyond them, and overtopping their temporary +dwellings, the celebrated triumphal arch, surmounted by the four +Venetian horses; and beyond these again, the immense façade (dark +and gloomy) of the Tuileries, scene of such strange and startling +events. Struggling through the crowd, our approach to the Gallery +of the Louvre was announced by a host of boys and women, “A bill of +the play, sir?” “Please to buy a bill of the play?” which was soon +exchanged for “Catalogue du musée, monsieur? un franc, monsieur.” +“Voulez-vous un catalogue du musée, monsieur?” &c. &c. These people +are more persevering than our vendors of these articles; however, +the purchase of one was a mouth-stopper, and we were then suffered +to proceed unmolested to the great doors, where two servants, most +respectably dressed in blue and silver, with white waistcoat and +breeches, received us, and pointed out the way to the first _salon_. +A perfect stream, almost all foreigners, was setting in, and the +_salons_ were already pretty full, although so early in the day. I +cannot set up for a connoisseur either in painting or sculpture, +therefore have little to record of this celebrated collection beyond +my unfeigned admiration of what I there saw. My emotions in each +individual _rencontre_ with the different _chefs-d’œuvre_ here +assembled might be a source of amusement to myself at some future +period had I faithfully noted them down at the moment, but that was +impossible in such a crowd; moreover, I had a companion, the most +complete hindrance imaginable in my estimation to the enjoyment of +anything admirable either in art or nature. Now they are nearly +obliterated, and I can only say that I was delighted, though in some +cases disappointed. This was particularly the case with the Venus de +Medici. I scarcely know what I expected to see; but when a statue, +patched and cracked, the marble discoloured and disfigured with +greenish stains, such as one sees in our garden Neptunes, Tritons, +&c., was pointed out by the number in our catalogue as the Venus, I +could scarcely believe but that it must be a mistake. Such was the +effect of the first _coup d’œil_. Upon a more attentive examination, +however, I could not but admit the thing to be a most beautiful +piece of workmanship as such; and the lady represented a very pretty +woman, but I felt no raptures. The colossal group of the Laocoon, +occupying, like an altar-piece, the whole extremity of the same +apartment, hence called the Salle de Laocoon, had no charms for me. +In the first place, I dislike colossal statues as much as I dislike +allegorical paintings; both are a departure from nature, which I am +not poetical enough to appreciate. Secondly, I hate such subjects--I +hate a gratuitous contemplation of horrors and suffering--and to me +there is something exquisitely disgusting in this subject. Thirdly, +I dislike all attempts at representing violent action either in +painting or sculpture, except for a momentary glance; they cannot +deceive the senses--there is no illusion. Specimens of either should +be subjects to dwell upon, to contemplate, to study. But who can +dwell upon action that _stands still_? What can be more tiresome +than the continually-uplifted arm of the Laocoon, or the immovable +struggles of the two little (by comparison) men (for they are not +boys), with formal curly wigs, on each side of him. In short, I +hate this so far-famed group. Occupying the extremity of the next +_salle_, is the Apollo. Here I was not disappointed. The action has +just ceased--the figure is in a sufficient state of repose to keep up +the illusion and bear continued looking at. And who could ever tire +of this? Such grace and ease, such lightness and activity--activity +written in broad characters upon a figure not in movement--such an +elegant and perfect form, and such a divine head! How often I have +returned to gaze upon this most perfect conception of the human +mind--this most perfect execution of the human hand! How often have I +turned into the _musée_, and, heedless of the Venus, the Laocoon, and +all the other celebrated statues in my way, have passed along, seeing +nothing and heeding nothing, until I stood once more before this most +exquisite piece of statuary! In collections of this kind too many +choice _morceaux_ in juxtaposition, or in immediate neighbourhood, +injure each other--they distract the attention; and it is only after +repeated visits that we become cool enough to attach ourselves to +particular pieces. It was thus with me at my first visit both to +these and the _galerie_; and I have felt the same effect in passing +through a wild and picturesque country exhibiting beautiful features +and pictures at every turn. I have been cloyed, even fatigued; and +looked with pleasure on, and found relief in, a landscape of a tamer +description. + +From the _salons_ we ascended to the Galerie du Louvre by a most +superb staircase. English riflemen were posted, not only on the +landing-place, but also distributed at intervals through the whole +length of the gallery--whether to preserve order or the pictures, I +know not; but I do know that the appearance of their green uniforms, +as they stood leaning on their rifles all along this magnificent +perspective, was another of those sights calculated to excite in our +minds such strange tumultuous feelings. What must have been those +of the Parisians, of whom a part of the immense crowd that thronged +the _galerie_ and anteroom was composed? They apprehend that the +spoliation will commence directly, and are therefore assiduous in +their worship of those treasures about to quit them for ever, and +with them, they think, their national glory. The only record I make +of the _galerie_ is, that Poussin’s “Deluge” fascinated me. Never did +I see a picture inspiring so much awe. Paul Potter’s “Bull” pleased +me as an inimitable copy from nature, but as a picture it struck me +as wanting in poetry. Some beggar-boy, by Murillo, perfectly ravished +me, _malgré_ the disgusting subject: here was nature and the most +delicious colouring imaginable. + +As both Hitchins and I proposed paying many more visits to the +_musée_, we did little more than walk to the end of the _galerie_ and +back, and then departed, crossed the Prussian bivouac, and wandered +into the palace of the Tuileries. We went as we listed, no one +offering us the slightest obstruction; and the sentinels (I think +they were of the National Guard), although they did not salute us, +yet drew up respectfully at their posts as we passed them. Ascending +a magnificent staircase, we found our way into a large handsome +saloon, over the fireplace in which was a very fine painting of a +battle. I think this was the Salle des Maréchaux. There was not +a living soul to answer our questions; but I have since learned +that what I took for a painting was a piece of Gobelins tapestry. +Unheeded, we rambled on from one large room to another; indeed we +met but few anywhere, until at last we walked most unceremoniously +into one where a number of servants in the royal livery were laying +a dinner-table, which, to our astonishment, we found was for his +Majesty. They hardly noticed us, and answered all our questions in a +most good-natured but most respectful manner. There was a beautiful +service of Worcester ware, and, for a private gentleman, a decent +display of plate, but nothing more--so far all was respectable; but +what a table-cloth! I doubt whether most of our gentry of even the +second table wouldn’t turn up their insolent noses at such a one. +Sure I am that no gentleman in England ever sits down to so coarse +a thing. As dinner was just coming up, the butler (I suppose) very +civilly begged us to retire, as his Majesty would be in immediately. +We descended to the gardens. I had heard and read so much of the +gardens of the Tuileries, that here I experienced a disappointment +similar to that inflicted by the Champs Elysées. Nevertheless they +certainly form a very agreeable promenade. That part immediately +under the windows of the palace is laid out in parterres of +flower-beds of different geometrical figure. I should say that the +garden is a dead level.[15] Between the parterres are broad walks, +well rolled and well swept. The further part is a grove, forming a +cool and pleasant promenade or lounge, much taken advantage of by +the Parisians, who may be seen lounging in one or two chairs, as may +be, in all directions. These chairs are the property of individuals +who bring them there, and make a livelihood by letting them out at +two or three sous the chair. Similar accommodation, it appears, +is to be found in every public place, even in the Boulevards. The +ramparts (rather grandiloquent, when speaking of a mere terrace), +which surround the garden on three sides, are planted also, and +afford a most interesting promenade from the views they command; +yet, strange to say, people appear to prefer the more confined +one below. Although I do not like the formal laying out of these +gardens, yet can I not but confess there is something very lordly +(or kingly) in them. The broad, well-kept gravel-walks, the play +of the fountains, the numerous orange-trees in boxes, which fill +the air with their delicious but rather overpowering perfume, the +multitude of statues, the view down the centre _allée_, which is +prolonged into an immense perspective by being on the same line with +that of the Champs Elysées, and on the other hand the ancient and +venerable pile, with its numerous windows, long covered verandas, +&c., overlooking the whole. The gaily-dressed crowd, too, by which +the garden is almost always filled, gives it a holiday air very +pleasing. Passing once more through the palace and traversing the +Place du Carrousel, we soon reached the southern entrance of the +Palais Royal. It was “change time,” and the place in front of the +gate was filled with business-like people, exactly as in our Royal +Exchange. What a strange propensity the French have for misnomers! On +entering the so-called “_garden_”[16] of the Palais Royal, I was for +the third time disappointed. Instead of a garden I found myself in an +immense arid esplanade, surrounded (at least on three sides) by lofty +uniform buildings, the façade of which was decorated by Corinthian +pilasters, and surmounted by vases, &c. An arcade ran all round the +base. The side by which we entered was disfigured by a shabby wooden +erection, under which were numerous stalls of petty dealers in every +sort of articles, but apparently all of inferior quality. Under +the arcades were shops of a better description, intermingled with +cafés, restaurants, &c., and here was certainly a splendid display of +goods of the richest kind. Watch-makers exhibited the most elegant +little toys, enriched with pearls and chased-work; jewellers the most +splendid articles in precious stone, gold, silver, &c.; shops of +_gourmandise_ (if I may be allowed the term)--everything that could +stimulate or pamper the appetite. Many were entirely filled with +knick-knackery, or articles of _vertu_; others with steel or cutlery; +in others, again, were tastefully displayed the finest cashmere or +merino shawls and _fichûs_ of the most brilliant colours. In short, +I cannot remember the tenth part of the rich display under these +arcades. + +In the esplanade were a few shabby trees, some benches, and piles +of chairs. The crowd of loungers, &c. (for I presume most there +were so), under the arcades, was very great, principally, I think, +military. Prussian and Russian officers in blue or green uniforms, +waists drawn in like a wasp’s, breasts sticking out like a pigeon’s; +long sashes, with huge tassels of gold or silver, hanging half-way +down their legs--pretty red and white boyish faces, with an enormous +bush of hair over each ear; lancers in square-topped caps and waving +plumes; hussars in various rich uniforms, one more remarkable, +sky-blue, curiously laced with a sort of chain-lace, very ugly to +my taste; Austrian officers in plain white uniforms, turned up +with red--very neat, very soldier-like, very becoming, and the +men who wore them more gentlemanly in their appearance than any +of the others; English officers in all sorts of dresses, fancy, +half-military, and quite so. To say that women abounded amongst +these would be almost superfluous--some very handsome, some quite +the contrary--all wearing looks of the boldest and most meretricious +character. Boys, too, abounded, as in the Pays Bas, following +and pestering you with their odious propositions. The cafés and +restaurants were principally filled with officers smoking, drinking, +playing chess, &c. &c. A few turns in the promenade, and then it +was so late that we returned to the Place Louis Quinze, whence a +cabriolet in due time brought us to our quiet peaceable village. + +The next day (13th), although it looked black and threatening, we +went to Paris; but the rain set in so heavily that we returned +forthwith, most completely drenched, to Colombes, having seen nothing. + +The 14th was fine again, and I resolved on an expedition to Malmaison +and Versailles if possible. The road lay through Nanterre, on the +_coteau_, but a little elevated above the meadows through which the +Seine holds its course. The scenery, without being very striking, +was very pleasing and pretty. On my right at some little distance +ran the river, beyond which rose a ridge of vine-clad hills, a +continuation of those behind Argenteuil; on the left, the vineyard, +corn-fields, and rose-gardens terminated in a range of high ground, +wooded, continuing from Mont Valerien towards Marly, where the +water-works, projecting from the there steep acclivity, formed rather +a picturesque object--following the windings of the Seine through +a less interesting country (because all corn). In the distance one +sees the chateau of St Germain, with its long white terrace, backed +by the dark foliage of the park; beneath, the waters of the river +glitter like silver in the bright light. Malmaison is on the higher +ground; and on ascending to the park-gates, I was pleased to find +two neat little lodges, and an entrance perfectly English, which was +the style all around. The house had nothing extraordinary in its +appearance, but the little lawn in front was redolent of the perfume +of the orange-flower, numerous trees being ranged around all in full +blossom. I found but few servants in the house; on asking to see +which, a lady-like person was called, who acted as cicerone with the +easy and graceful manner so characteristic of French women. Had it +not been for the interest one attaches to whatever is connected with +great or extraordinary people, the houses at Malmaison perhaps were +not so much worth seeing as many houses even of our commoners. There +was only one room remarkable for its fitting-up, and it was in other +respects the most interesting. It was Josephine’s bedroom. A little +scene took place here. My companion idolised her former mistress; the +recollections of past times and of her beloved Empress, renewed by my +questions, overpowered her. I believe she was sincere. The furniture +of this room (which was, I think, an octagon) was certainly splendid. +Scarlet cloth (very fine) with trimmings of broad gold-lace, and +deep gold fringe of bullions. The bed-curtains and coverlet were of +the same, and the walls were covered with it instead of paper, the +gold-lace serving as a border to the panels, &c. I did not admire +the taste of Josephine in this. Here it was she expired. Running at +right angles to the front of the house is the _galerie_--a beautiful +_salon_, full of exquisite morsels of sculpture, all modern, but in +my estimation many of them rivalling the antique. Taking leave of +my amiable conductress, I set off to pick my way without a guide +through a woody, intricate, wild country, where the openings were +of no extent, so that no view could be obtained. After riding up +one avenue and down another for some time, I began to fancy I was +lost, when suddenly riding out upon an open I saw several peasants, +male and female, at work near a _bergerie_,[17] which occupied the +centre of the place. I rode forward to inquire my way, when lo! down +went hoes, and away went men, women, and dogs as fast as their legs +could carry them into the neighbouring woods, leaving me as much at +a loss to account for their fright, as to which of the many roads +(_forest_) diverging hence I should take to extricate myself from my +dilemma. As the English nowhere inspire terror, these people must +have taken me for a Prussian hussar, from my pelisse and enormous +mustache. As no information was to be procured, I had nothing left +but to push on and take my chance. I had not ridden far when the +ground began to descend (I had been travelling on an elevated +plateau), the thickets and wood became thinner and more scattered, +and below me I saw several farmhouses. From subsequent inspection +of the map, this must have been La Selle de St Cloud. I rode up to +the first substantial-looking house, tied my horse up in a shed, +and without ceremony marched into the kitchen, where the mistress +and her maids were busily employed in their household concerns. My +entrance did not in the least disconcert them, or even occasion them +any apparent surprise: they entered gaily into conversation without +for a minute interrupting their work. No running away here. I was +very hungry, but, _malgré_ the opulent appearance of the house, the +good lady could give me nothing but bread (sour, as usual), some +very fine cherries, and delicious milk. For this she would accept +no remuneration, but her maids thankfully accepted the trifle I +offered them for their trouble. I found that my deviation from the +direct road to Versailles had not been great; and having received +instructions for my future progress, and taken leave of my kind +hostess, I once more plunged into a forest, from which, however, +I soon emerged upon a cultivated country sprinkled with farms +and villages, and very agreeably diversified with hill, dale, and +woodland. At last the palace of Versailles, overtopping the trees and +buildings in its neighbourhood, burst upon me with imposing grandeur, +and I soon after entered the town. + +In front of the palace is a large, almost triangular, esplanade, +narrowing from the palace until it terminates in the road to Paris. +A clumsy thing enough, for when building the palace they might as +well have laid out a handsome square in front of it. The place looked +dull and lifeless, few people, except some Prussian soldiers, being +visible. The number of hotels, taverns, &c. &c., announced it as +the resort of strangers and idlers. The palace itself, from all its +window-shutters being closed, looked as dismal as the rest. Having +secured my horse, I sounded the bell at the palace-gate, which +brought out the _Suisse_, who sounded another bell, which brought a +most gentlemanly, but very melancholy-looking, young man in the royal +livery, who, upon being informed of my wish to see the palace, made +a very polite bow, and requested me to follow him. It were needless +repeating the history he gave of each splendid apartment, and they +appeared innumerable. Solitary and silent, an overpowering sensation +of melancholy came over me in comparing their present deserted state +with that which had for ever passed, and I no longer wondered at +the pensive manner of my interesting young companion, though he was +too young to have known Versailles in the days of its splendour. I +believe, with the exception of ourselves and the _Suisse_, whom we +had left at the gate, this immense fabric did not contain another +living soul. So long did we continue wandering from room to room, +that at last, on returning to the vestibule--no time was left to +visit the _Trianon_ as I had intended, or even the gardens--all that +I saw of them was from a terrace upon which we were admitted from +one of the central _salons_--unless I remained all night. It became +necessary to depart forthwith, or find my way in the dark back to +Colombes. + +The great road to Paris is a superb avenue, but it was disfigured by +dust, which, spite of yesterday’s rain, I found a real nuisance. + +Numerous were the villas along the road, but, like those in the +neighbourhood of London, the shrubberies in which they were +embowered, and everything about them, was grey and dingy with the +dust with which they were powdered. A great part of this line seemed +inhabited only by washerwomen. The foul linen of all Paris seemed +assembled here. The abundance of fine water, perhaps, is the cause of +this. Pity that some portion of it were not employed in making this +otherwise beautiful ride somewhat more enjoyable. It was growing so +late as I passed Sêvres, that I merely can say I saw the exterior +of the celebrated manufactory of porcelain. A thick dark avenue of +trees, turning to the left, here seemed to promise a short cut to St +Cloud; so up it I turned, but had not proceeded far ere I stumbled on +a guard of Prussian jägers in an old summer-house. The sentry stopped +and ordered me back. The corporal coming out, and finding that I was +an English officer, very civilly informed me that, as Prince Blucher +had his headquarters in the palace of St Cloud, no one was allowed +to cross the park. Back, then, I went, and descending to the Seine +found a good road, by which, passing through St Cloud, Suresnes, &c., +I returned hither just as it got so dark that I was obliged to my +horse for bringing me safe home. The latter part of my ride along the +charming banks of the river, and in the cool of a fine evening, was +truly delightful. + +_15th._--I went to Paris again, wandered about the streets without +any fixed plan, and quite by accident stumbled upon the Hôtel Dieu. +I like this random mode of proceeding much better than following any +fixed plan of sight-seeing: it is more independent. I walked into the +hospital and through its wards. Nothing could be cleaner or better +arranged; but the whole place, especially about the main entrance, +had such an overpowering smell, that I was glad to make my escape +and find my way to the Cathedral of Nôtre Dame. There is something +exceedingly impressive in the interior of a Gothic cathedral at any +time. Mass was performing as I entered the church, the solemnity +of which, from the little light and rather heavy style of the +architecture, was increased by the fine bass voices of the canons who +assisted in the service, every one in his stall. From Nôtre Dame, +after taking an omelet in a neighbouring restaurant, I had a long +stroll by the quays to the Invalides. The old soldiers lounging or +walking about the approaches to this fine establishment, although +perfectly respectful, I thought looked displeased at seeing me. There +were even some who did not attempt to conceal looks and gestures +of hatred and contempt. They are to be pitied more than blamed for +this feeling, since these were the men who fought and _always_ +conquered in Italy and Germany. Notwithstanding their scowling +looks, I could not help regarding these fine veterans with the most +profound veneration. I found no difficulty, however, in procuring a +cicerone to show the lions, and under his guidance walked through the +halls, where the tables were already laid for dinner; through the +dormitories, where the beds were all clean and neatly made up, and +looking comfortable, &c. &c. In the officers’ dining-rooms the tables +were also laid--round ones for four or six persons each--not as with +us, all at one long table. A bottle of wine was here placed by the +side of each man’s plate. Nothing could be more comfortable or more +respectable. We then visited the church under the dome where are the +tombs of Turenne and Vauban.[18] All this was not very amusing, but +my guide, leading the way up several staircases, at last ushered me +into a large but low room, immediately under the roof, filled with +beautifully-finished models of almost all the frontier fortresses in +France. Here I passed the remainder of the day most delightfully. The +most interesting of these models were Chateau Trompette; Brest, with +its harbours and the adjacent country for three or four miles round; +Strasbourg and neighbourhood; but one of the most amusing was an +exquisitely-finished model of the battle of Lodi, under a glass bell. +A fine boy of about fifteen or sixteen, to whom my quondam guide had +delivered me over on entering the model-room, excited my surprise, +not only by the clearness with which he explained everything to me, +but also by the shrewdness of his remarks, and the great knowledge +he evinced of military affairs in general; quite an incipient +Buonaparte, I should say--only Buonaparte was never half so handsome. +I could have lingered for a week over these interesting models, but +the diminution of light obliged me at last reluctantly to leave them. +Whilst we were wandering from loft to loft, for there were several, +we came accidentally into one where two or three Prussian officers +were superintending the dismemberment and packing up of all such as +had any relation to the possessions of their monarch; and my young +companion told me he suspected they meant to take away Strasbourg, +and that they had already packed up several which could not come +under that denomination. The poor boy spoke very feelingly on the +subject, and seemed heart-broken at losing his favourite models. I +shall frequently visit the Invalides, unless the Prussians quite +strip it of the models. It will be a delightful lounge, those lofts. + +Yesterday, being Sunday, our three troops assembled, under Major +M’Donald, in the park, where Captain M’Donald’s troop is quartered, +and had divine service. Passed the afternoon in riding about the +neighbourhood, and the evening in the enjoyment of my beautiful +terrace, &c. &c. + +To-morrow I go in search of my new troop, somewhere about St Denis. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + + +_Sunday, July 22d._--This is the first time I have been sufficiently +settled and quiet to sit down to write since the evening of the +17th, my last at Colombes--dear Colombes! The intervening space has +not been passed in idleness. On the morning of the 18th I was fully +occupied in giving over my troop and stores to Major Wilmot, who +takes possession also of my charming apartment, and Mademoiselle +Ernestine gets a new neighbour. After an earlier dinner than usual, +Hitchins accompanied me to St Denis; my servants and horses started +in the morning. At St Denis I could gain no immediate and distinct +information. Some of Ross’s non-commissioned officers whom I met with +said they thought the troop must have halted in Stain. I shuddered at +the very name of the place; it was the worst I had anticipated. As +Hitchins knew the desolation of Stain, and the utter impossibility +of my giving him a bed, even if I could get one myself, he took his +leave, and I proceeded thitherward alone. It was with a heavy heart +that I traversed the once rich crops of grain, now trodden into mud +by having been the bivouac of our troops, and still heavier that I +rode through the dismal street of the ruined village. I soon met some +of the gunners, who confirmed my worst fears--viz., that the troop +actually was stationed here. The officers were living and messing +in a house close to the church, and opposite the _grille_ of the +great chateau; and thither I repaired, and found them accordingly +sitting at their wine. My servants had been here some time, and +had taken possession of the Petit chateau, already mentioned. The +house I found my officers in belongs to the Sœurs de la Charité. +I was sensibly struck on entering it at the contrast with my +villa at Colombes; mean, gloomy, dirty, and scarce an article of +furniture in it, and what there was, of the poorest description. +To counterbalance all this, it is the only house in the place (at +least so they thought then) that has any glass in the windows, and +how it escaped is extraordinary. They were seated in a dismal room, +very low, and having a very disagreeable odour, overpowering even +that of the dinner, in which the flavour of onions predominated. +After introducing myself, and drinking a glass or two of wine, as +the daylight began to fail I set off to inspect my new quarters. The +appearance of this in its best days would not have been pleasing +after Colombes; but now, forlorn, deserted, plundered! The handsome +furniture which had once adorned it, mutilated and torn to pieces, +was yet fresh when last I saw it; the fragments retained their paint +or gilding, the mahogany its varnish; the tatters of silk fringe and +curtains, scattered over the lawns and walks, or hanging from the +branches in the shrubberies, yet retained their colour in all its +freshness: now, after having been drenched by rain, and bleached +in the sun and wind, all remains of former beauty were gone--all +associations with splendour and magnificence vanished; they conveyed +to the mind no feeling but that of squalidness and wretchedness. +Amidst all this I entered the house. There things looked even worse. +The winds of heaven had freely coursed through the paneless windows, +the rain had inundated the floors, decay had already commenced, +and the place looked as if it had been years deserted. Chilly, +comfortless, and wretched, the floors still covered with fragments of +glass, which, crunching under one’s feet, added not a little to the +misery of the scene, still further enhanced by a most gloomy evening, +and the dismal sound of the wind through the branches foretelling a +stormy night. At length, after wandering from room to room, always +finding one worse than the last, the approaching darkness obliged +me to decide quickly, so I pitched upon a large one, with a recess +for a bed, where I could at least be at some distance from the +windows. My men had already made themselves tolerably comfortable in +the stable, and I now summoned all hands to make me so too. Brooms +were speedily made by stripping the branches from some acacias or +laburnums in the courtyard, and all the rubbish and broken glass +swept out of the window; candles were procured from the mess, my bed +made in the recess upon a bedstead, nearly sound--the place began to +look a little better, and I a little more cheerful. Though not so +luxuriously, yet I slept as soundly as ever at Colombes, _malgré_ the +forlorn feeling that crept over me as I fell into unconsciousness at +the idea of being the only person in the great rambling mansion, with +doors and windows all open, and admittance free to whomsoever might +come. + +My gloominess had construed the sighing of the wind among the foliage +into a presage of rain and storm. Neither came; and the next morning +I was awakened by the sun streaming full in my face, the carol of +birds innumerable, and the soft, balmy, yet fresh air of a most +lovely morning. As our mess-breakfast was not very early, I jumped up +determined on a thorough examination of the whole village, in hopes +of finding something better than the Petit chateau. After looking +into several, all equally miserable, I found the one where I ought +to have begun, the only one habitable. It was only across the road, +shut in by high walls, overtopped by acacias. This house had escaped +the observation of others as it had mine; and, strange to say, had +scarcely been visited by the spoiler. All the windows were perfect, +and the only injury visible on the premises was the breaking to +pieces of a number of paltry plaster Cupidons and their pedestals, +that had erst disfigured the garden. I took possession immediately, +and here I sit in my cabinet about to give a description of it. The +house is tall and narrow--four storeys counting the ground-floor +to the front, and three towards the garden, which is higher than +the court. The ground-floor consists of stables, wood-houses, &c., +opening on this court, which is planted with acacias and shut in +from the village by a high wall with great close gates. On the +next (or garden ground-floor), is the only decent-sized room in the +whole house: all the rest are divided into those useless little +cabinets of which the French seem so fond, many of them with glass +doors. All the rooms have the abominable brick or tile floors so +common here: however, all the windows are sound, which is the grand +object. I have chosen the floor above the garden--that is, third +from the court--where I have a narrow slip, with glass door at one +end and window at the other, the view from which certainly does not +rival that at Colombes, for it is bounded by the four high walls +of my garden; another piece, with a recess in it, serves me for +a bedroom, and into these two I have collected all the furniture +remaining in the house, which is but little, and that of the meanest +description--a few clumsy, old-fashioned chairs, and a table or +two. One of the former is a curious article: the seat lifts up, and +behold a _bidet_; the top of the thick back has two or three little +boxes in it for holding soap or what not. My three domestics occupy +the floor below me, and are next the animals. The garden, which +rises in a gentle slope from the house, is a long narrow strip, +neatly laid out and abundantly stocked with flowers, vegetables, +and fine fruit--particularly grapes, plums, and peaches, &c. The +whole is the property of two old maids, Les Demoiselles Delcambre, +Marchandes des Modes, who, on the approach of the Allies, removed all +the furniture worth removal, and left the place in charge of an old +Flemish servant--a virgin, like themselves. Mademoiselle Rose, as +she is called in the village (and I should have mentioned that most, +if not all, the peasantry have returned, and that only the chateaux +and country seats of the citizens remain unoccupied)--Mademoiselle +Rose is a character. Strong in the confidence of her want of charms, +she is said to have remained faithful to her charge,[19] even when +the Prussians entered and plundered the village, and thereby, the +villagers assure me, saved her mistress’s property when all else +was destroyed. A short, squat figure, clad in coarse black frieze, +a face of the ugliest, set off by a pair of black mustaches fit for +a hussar, which gives her a fierce and masculine aspect, like the +dragon of the Hesperides, for she performs the part of watching +the fruit most unremittingly. The moment I enter the garden she +skulks after me; and on looking about I am sure to detect her ugly +phiz watching my movements from behind some bush, not presuming, +however, to interfere. More than once I have noticed the sudden +disappearance of fruit from some particular tree; and William tells +me that Mademoiselle Rose strips the trees at night and sends the +fruit to Paris. I should suspect my own people, only that they would +not take it in such quantities. This, however, is not of any great +consequence, since we have several other well-stocked gardens in the +village from whence to help ones self without trespassing on those +attached to the officers’ houses, which are, of course, considered +as private property. There are, _par exemple_, the chateau belonging +to Jerome Buonaparte; the Petit chateau to M. Domer, who, I believe, +is something in the Admiralty; another large handsome chateau, with +very extensive, well-kept gardens, to Admiral le Comte Rosilly; a +very pretty villa, garden, &c., the property of some rich shopkeeper; +and several little boxes of minor importance. The village itself +may be said to consist of two streets, short, and neither of them +continuous. It is situated on a dead flat, consequently has no other +beauty to boast of than what it derives from the foliage of the trees +in the grounds of the chateaux, &c. The fields about it are corn and +vines--principally the latter, I think. + +It was at first certainly rather a nuisance changing from +Colombes, though I have already got pretty well accustomed to +the new situation. The difference was not only in the style of +my lodging, beauty of the surrounding country, &c. &c., but also +most particularly in our living. Instead of the comfortable, +well-served table, and excellent wine of M. Ferdinand, and the new +milk, nice fresh butter, and new-laid eggs--produce of my dairy +and poultry-yard--here we daily sit down to miserably-cooked soup +and _bouilli_, made of ration-beef, and a bad steak of the same, +served in ill-cleaned tin (canteen) dishes. Vegetables, to be sure, +we have in abundance. Then for wine, we have some very poor stuff, +which Ambrose (my surgeon) bought somewhere in Paris, and, from not +understanding French, got cheated. At home here I have managed to +get up a breakfast, though a poor one; the bread is so abominably +sour, and the butter so cheesy. Nor have I been able to dispose of +my time in the same agreeable manner as at Colombes; for between the +constant attention my wretched troop requires, and the plague of +the villagers, I have but little left for amusement. The former of +these, the troop, I have quieted a little, by giving one of them a +severe flogging; but its disorganised state may be guessed at, when +it is known that the payment (contrary to our regulations) is in the +hands of the sergeant-major, and that my predecessor, poor Bean, died +in debt to this man at least £300. Of course everything was winked at. + +The villagers (unlike those of Colombes, who have never been +disturbed), after being scared from their dwellings by our advance, +have returned to them, only to find everything ruined and destroyed. +Of course they are not in charity with us, and full of complaining. +This is all brought to me by the Maire, who pays me a regular visit +every morning, and frequently in the evening also, waylaying me, +besides, whenever I go from home. The Duke’s system of discipline is +well known, and these people seem disposed to take every advantage +of it, fair and unfair. One complains of our occupying his house +and stables, another of his field being mowed, another of something +else, and so on. It is inconceivable that a conquered people, and a +people whose armies have shown no forbearance in foreign countries, +should thus dare lift up their voice and complain that the conqueror +disturbs them, and puts them to some inconvenience. So it is! If +I attended to one half the complaints brought before me, we should +soon be turned out of the place altogether. The very morning after +my arrival, M. Bonnemain (Maire, &c.) called, and was introduced--a +dry, thin, old man, rather above the middle height, in a suit of +rusty-brown clothes, snuff-box in one hand eternally, and the other +gesticulating in aid of his drawling voice and interminable oratory. +After the introductory bow, he commenced by welcoming me to Stain, +eulogised the village and villagers, expressed his satisfaction at +my appointment, having already heard of my high character as an +officer; under the command _d’un tel_ Monsieur, everything must go +on in the happiest manner possible. Then followed butter, thickly +laid on, after which he cautiously and dexterously introduced his +business, no doubt guessing that, having placed me on so elevated a +pinnacle, I should be more cautious of a fall. “Mais, Monsieur le +Commandant,” he continued, “nous sommes des pauvres malheureux, pour +nous tout est perdu--tout abimé, &c.;” and so he went on expressing +his confidence in the justice of M. le Commandant, and that he +would not oppress the poor. Then followed a long--very long--story +about a worthy industrious man, with a large family, whose house +was occupied by our men, and stables by our horses, and a request +that I might have the goodness to relieve this unfortunate family +from so oppressive a burden. He had not reckoned without his host: +Monsieur le Commandant swallowed some, at least, of the dose; was +softened; the quartermaster is called, and orders given that the +detachment should be removed from the farm in question. Monsieur le +Maire is still more profuse in bows and compliments, amidst which +he retired, to my great satisfaction, for I was tired of him. The +next day Monsieur le Maire again appeared, and in similar manner +pleaded the cause of another excellent _malheureux_, whose crop +of oats our people were cutting. Again he was successful; but as +Monsieur le Commissary-General had begged us to supply ourselves +in this manner from the fields, I requested Monsieur le Maire to +point out how we might do so with the least possible injury to +the inhabitants. He did so, and I gave the necessary orders for +confining our foraging parties to the fields indicated, and to avoid +unnecessary waste. Again Monsieur Bonnemain is announced; but this +time he came accompanied by a genteel but rather important-looking +personage, just arrived in a handsome cabriolet, whom Monsieur le +Maire introduces as the postmaster of St Denis. They are somebody +these postmasters. An exordium of a most complimentary character +ushered in, as usual, a complaint, or rather a protest, against +our cutting this gentleman’s oats. Monsieur le Maître des Postes +condescended (and he made the condescension evident) to inform me +that he farmed the land in question at an exorbitant rent; that the +produce was absolutely requisite to enable him to fulfil his contract +with Government; that he should suffer much inconvenience from our +depredations; and that, the public business of the Government being +thus obstructed (with a most ominous shrug and extension of both +hands), it was impossible to answer for the consequences. Hereupon +the great man, with an air of perfect indifference, turned his back +on me, and began asking trifling questions of some villagers who had +flocked in to witness the negotiation. My answer was very brief: +“Monsieur le Maire had himself designated the fields we were to cut.” +(Here a most portentous glance was shot by Monsieur le Maître at +Monsieur le Maire.) “That if the public suffered in the business of +posting, it was of infinitely less consequence than that any part +of the British army should become inefficient for want of forage. +As, in the present case, somebody must suffer, it were better that +the burden should fall on those best able to afford it.” Monsieur +le Maître then shifted his ground somewhat, complaining of the +waste committed by our foragers, who, he said, trampled down more +than they cut. I promised this, if found to be the case, should be +remedied, for our own sakes; and, at his request, that one particular +non-commissioned officer should superintend the foraging. Monsieur, +finding he could get no more, bade me adieu with more politeness +than he had condescended to use on our first meeting, mounted his +cabriolet amidst bows of the assembled peasantry, and drove off. This +fellow’s opposition has not been without consequences. My villagers +have become more bold, and even begin to draw up petitions to the +Duke. Some of these have already been sent to me, with an intimation +that I must not oppress the inhabitants unless it be unavoidable. +This happens to be the case--therefore I have taken no notice of them. + +_July 25th._--Yesterday our army (British only) was reviewed by their +Imperial and Royal Majesties. I marched early, as the line was to +be formed by 9 o’clock. After passing through St Denis, we took the +great road to the right by St Ouen, and came on the Neuilly road +just above the village, where we formed, being on the left of the +whole, except the 18-pounder brigades. Ross and Bull’s troops were +on my right. We had a long and tedious wait; and as the day was very +hot, it was no small treat to discover that an apothecary hard by had +some excellent raspberry vinegar, which, I think, we exhausted. At +length the approach of the sovereigns was announced, and they came +preceded and followed by a most numerous and brilliant _cortège_, +in which figured, perhaps, some of almost every arm of every army +in Europe. It was a splendid and most interesting sight. First came +the Emperor Alexander and the King of Prussia, in their respective +green and blue uniforms, riding together--the former, as usual, all +smiles; the latter taciturn and melancholy. A little in their rear +followed the Austrian Emperor, in a white uniform, turned up with +red, but quite plain--a thin, dried-up, thread-paper of a man, not of +the most distinguished bearing; his lean brown visage, however, bore +an expression of kindness and _bonhommie_, which folk say his true +character in no way belies. They passed along, scanning our people +with evident interest and curiosity; and in passing me (as they did +to every commanding officer), pulled off their hats, and saluted me +with most gracious smiles. I wonder if they do the same to their +own. Until yesterday I had not seen any British infantry under arms +since the evening the troops from America arrived at Garges, and, in +the mean time, have constantly seen corps of foreign infantry. These +are all uncommonly well dressed in new clothes, smartly made, setting +the men off to the greatest advantage--add to which their _coiffure_ +of high broad-topped shakos, or enormous caps of bear-skin. Our +infantry--indeed, our whole army--appeared at the review in the same +clothes in which they had marched, slept, and fought for months. The +colour had faded to a dusky brick-dust hue; their coats, originally +not very smartly made, had acquired by constant wearing that loose +easy set so characteristic of old clothes, comfortable to the wearer, +but not calculated to add grace to his appearance. _Pour surcroit +de laideur_, their cap is perhaps the meanest, ugliest thing ever +invented. From all these causes it arose that our infantry appeared +to the utmost disadvantage--dirty, shabby, mean, and very small. +Some such impression was, I fear, made on the sovereigns, for a +report has reached us this morning, that they remarked to the Duke +what very small men the English were. “Ay,” replied our noble chief, +“they are small; but your Majesties will find none who fight so +well.” I wonder if this is true. However small our men and mean +their appearance, yet it was evident that they were objects of +intense interest, from the immense time and close scrutiny of the +inspection. At length they finished, and, taking their stand in the +Place Louis Quinze, we marched past in column of division. The crowd +assembled to witness this exceeded anything I had ever before seen. +Not only were the people packed as thick as they could stand in the +area itself, but the buildings of the Garde Meuble, the ramparts of +the Tuileries, even the roof of the Hotel Bourbon over the river, +were all crowded--windows, roofs, and every cornice that could hold +human beings. After passing, we took our route along the Rue Royale, +Boulevard and Rue Poissonnière, starting off at a good trot, and got +home about 6 o’clock. In St Denis I met Captain Gaffon and the little +doctor of the Brunswick Hussars, neither of whom I had seen since we +were in barracks together at Woodbridge. The meeting really seemed +to please them, as they had heard I was killed at Waterloo. It seems +somebody is determined I did or ought to have died. One of our people +told me the other day, that the day after the battle a staff-officer +had shown him my name in a list as dangerously wounded. And during +the retreat of the 17th, whilst I was with the cavalry at Jemappes, +one of the Blues who overtook my troop on the road told them that +I was killed, for he had himself seen me cut down by a French +dragoon--_Cependant me voici!_ + +_July 30th._--More trouble, more complaints. Another memorial to the +Duke from my subjects, complaining of cutting their oats. This I have +very easily disposed of; but lo! here is a more formidable adversary +to deal with--no less than M. le Marquis de Livry, _rentier_ or +_propriétaire_ of the gambling _salons_ in the Palais Royal, and, as +such, a man of immense influence. He has property in this commune, +and a _bergerie_ in the village, where he keeps a flock of merinos. +The sheep being absent when the troop arrived, the _bergerie_ was +converted into a stable; but having lately returned, under their +shepherd, part of the building has been appropriated to their use. +The shepherd, a perfect Sancho Panza in person, not content with +this, has ever since been intriguing to obtain entire possession. +I have been fairly pestered to death about this _bergerie_. Almost +daily M. le Maire and M. le Berger and M. le Marquis de Livry make +their appearance at my quarters, or intercept me in the street to +tell me the same story over again, and to get the same answer. +Finding his perseverance useless, M. le Berger (no doubt assisted by +M. le Maire) draws up a very moving petition to the Duke, which M. +de Livry takes care shall be presented under proper auspices, and +behold the consequence: A positive order from his Grace to evacuate +forthwith the premises of the Marquis de Livry, and _to put up our +horses elsewhere in the best manner we can; that is, respect the +rich man’s property and oppress doubly the poor_--for we must divide +the forty horses hitherto stabled in the _bergerie_ among the poor +villagers, who already have more than is good for them. The Duke +of Wellington’s ideas of discipline, &c., are rigid--his mode of +administering it summary; but he is frequently led into acts of the +grossest injustice. A notorious instance of this I am now suffering +under, and one that makes the _bergerie_ business a mere flea-bite. +Only a few days ago, whilst sitting after dinner at our little mess, +an officer of the mounted staff corps (_gendarmerie Anglaise_) was +announced. He regretted being the bearer of disagreeable orders, &c. +&c., but Colonel Scovell, commandant of the mounted staff corps, +had directed him to show me the paper, which he produced, and to +inform me that his Grace had ordered it should be immediately +complied with. Further, that the Duke was excessively angry, and had +expressed himself very harshly on the subject; therefore Colonel +Scovell recommended me to make no remonstrance, as he could not +foresee what might be the consequence. The paper was a petition from +a certain M. Fauigny (an Italian), setting forth, I think, that he is +proprietor of the Grand chateau which has been miserably plundered; +but more particularly that the English troops now quartered in +the village have stripped the lead off the roofs, from the baths, +water-pipes, &c. &c., and sold it. This is, as nearly as I remember, +the petition. A note written with a pencil by the Duke himself on the +margin was too brief and pithy not to be remembered, and here it is, +_verbatim_: “Colonel Scovell will find out whose troop this is, and +they shall pay.--W.” I was thunderstruck at the complaint and the +decision--the one so unfounded, the other so cruelly unjust. I signed +an acknowledgment of having seen the order; and the officer took his +leave, recommending me to try and compromise with M. Fauigny, who +stated the damage at about 7000 or 8000 francs. Upon inquiry of M. +Bonnemain, he asserts that this M. Fauigny is the agent of Jerome +Buonaparte, to whom the chateau actually belongs, as we were told by +the Prussians who plundered it. + +The next morning I had just ordered my horse, and was about to set +off for Paris, when William announced a gentleman who wished to see +me; and a rather genteel-looking man sailed into my little parlour +with an air of _nonchalance_ and easy familiarity quite amusing. +My friend seated himself with the utmost coolness, and drawing out +his snuffy pocket-handkerchief, displaying it--whilst he spat all +about the floor, to my utter disgust, for I had been in the act of +finishing my breakfast--informed me with a slight inclination that he +was M. Fauigny, and had called to know when it would be convenient +to settle this _leaden accompt_. Finding him already acquainted with +the Duke’s order, I was obliged to make the best of it and put him +off with excuses, which he did not seem to relish, having evidently +counted on touching the cash forthwith. However, the man behaved +like a gentleman, kept his disappointment to himself, and turning +the conversation on general subjects, proved himself a man of very +general information and a most agreeable companion. Although he would +not partake of my breakfast, he paid a very long visit; and the +moment he was gone, I set off also for Paris, and went straight to +Sir George Wood’s quarters in the Rue de Richelieu. From Sir George +I learned that the affair was much more serious than I had imagined. +The Duke is furious about it, and Sir George says my only chance +is by evading payment as long as I can, in hopes some favourable +opportunity may offer of inducing the Duke to think more leniently +on the subject; in the mean time, to make every inquiry into the +truth of the statement. Accordingly, we have been at work, and the +result is a discovery that M. Fauigny is a villain--has made a false +statement to the Duke in hopes of gaining payment from us for what +has been actually done by others, but from whom he knew nothing +could be recovered. The villagers themselves have informed me how +the thing happened, and have denounced one of their own body as the +robber, for the lead has in reality been stolen, as set forth in the +petition, only not by us.[20] M. Plé is _couvreur_ by trade, and did +precisely the same thing last year when the village was occupied by +a Russian corps, against which a charge similar to the one against +us was brought, but not with the same success. Their General did not +condemn his people unheard like the Duke of Wellington. However, +having gained this piece of intelligence, I set off to St Denis, +and stated the whole affair to the chief of the police, who smiled, +and anticipated me by himself mentioning M. Plé as a culprit and +an old acquaintance, adding that he would lose no time in sifting +the business thoroughly. A _procès verbal_ was drawn up, and I took +my departure, well pleased with the politeness and urbanity of the +French civil authorities. + +Two _gens-d’armes_ were despatched to arrest M. Plé and search his +premises. A day or two afterwards, I received a note requesting my +attendance at the police the next morning at eleven o’clock. Thither +I went, and was met at the door by M. le Chef, who addressed me with +a smile and an assurance that the lead was secured. Accordingly in +the office stood M. Plé between two sentinels, and on the floor lay +several enormous rolls of lead. This was only a part of the plunder, +the rest having already been sold. In short, with admirable dexterity +and perseverance, they followed up the business, and finally +ascertained beyond a doubt that M. Plé was the thief, both now and +last year; but although there is some suspicion of collusion between +him and M. Fauigny, nothing has been brought out that throws any +light on it. I don’t think he seems known to our villagers, as one +would suppose the agent ought to be. M. Plé is lodged in some prison +in Paris, but I have no idea what eventually will become of him. +The exposure of the affair has not in the least altered my position +with the Duke of Wellington, for none dare tell him the story; and +even Sir Edward Barnes, who kindly undertook it, met with a most +ungracious rebuff, as he himself told Sir G. Wood. Meanwhile M. +Fauigny continues to pay me an occasional visit. Sometimes I see the +scoundrel _par nécessité_, but always keep out of his way if I can. +Knowing, as he does, the Duke’s humour, he continues dunning me with +most unblushing effrontery for payment. + +Were it not for these complaints, and most particularly this horrible +affair of the lead, I could be happy enough here. I am getting quite +reconciled to my house and to the village, and getting acquainted +with the people, who have pretty well put things to rights again. Old +Bonnemain I find quite manageable and very useful. Another ally has +turned up in the person of the _garde champêtre_, who has at last +ventured back and resumed the insignia of office. A very different +character this from Petit Jean of Strytem; fat, pursy, stupid, +dressed in shabby plain clothes, with a broad embroidered belt over +his shoulder, altogether looking like a rat-catcher, for which I at +first mistook him. + +Moreover, to be completely on a peace-establishment, our village +church has been reopened, and mass is now regularly celebrated +there. The curé fled with the rest at our approach; but, unlike +them, has never returned to his lair, and for some time the church +remained closed. The other morning, shaving with the windows open +towards the garden, I was astonished at hearing a most stentorian +voice chanting in the church, which is not far from my garden-wall; +and as nothing does or ought to take place without my knowledge, +William was forthwith despatched to ascertain what was going on. +In a few minutes he returned accompanied by M. Bonnemain, who, +with his usual profusion of bows, commenced a most humble apology +for the step he had taken without first obtaining my permission, +which, however, he trusted would not on that account be withheld. +He had sent to Pierrefitte (a neighbouring village) and engaged M. +le Curé, a most worthy and exemplary man, to come over and “faire +la messe;” and further, provided it met the approbation of M. le +Commandant, and was no disturbance to him, he had engaged M. le Curé +to come over every morning. So we have had mass ever since, and my +morning shave is regularly accompanied by the bass, nasal chant of +M. le Curé performing _l’office_ to about a dozen old women; for, +sometimes when I have been earlier and gone in, I have never found +any other congregation. Yesterday (Sunday) it was more numerous, for +then the girls go; but I am uncharitable enough to believe only to +exhibit their finery. Even on that day very few men attended; indeed, +throughout, since we entered France, we have found religion at a very +low ebb: the churches always thinly attended, and principally by +women; the Sabbath observed, if at all, only as a holiday, apparently +totally unconnected with any religious idea; shops everywhere open; +and agricultural labours, as well as every other kind, going on as +usual, unless people choose to rest and make a holiday of it. + +In looking back at this journal (if so we may term what is written +by fits and starts, as an otherwise idle day occurs), I find omitted +altogether the review of the Prussian army, which took place some +days ago in the Place Louis Quinze as usual, only in this case +the line was formed along the Boulevard, and the column entered +the place by the Rue Royale. I have neglected this so long, that +I remember few particulars of the review. The troops looked well, +their equipment appeared good, the men young, active, and well +drilled, countenances full of animation, and apparently proud of +being soldiers; cavalry well mounted, and the cuirassiers wore black +cuirasses, instead of polished ones like the French. The crowd was as +great as when we were reviewed, and the ground was kept by a parcel +of wild-looking Cossacks in blue frocks and very shabby-looking +horses and appointments--_voilà tout!_ But there was one occurrence +at that review that I shall never forget. The Cossacks were under an +old chieftain, evidently of high rank, whom I understood to be no +less a person than their Hettman Platov, besides whom several Russian +general officers rode about giving directions to the Cossacks. + +It was with some difficulty that I made my way through the crowd and +gained a front place, not far from the _debouchement_ of the Rue +Royale. The only military man near me was a proud-looking Russian +officer, who, from his large epaulettes and numerous decorations, +I took to be a man of some consequence, and, from the sidelong +glances at my plain and rather shabby pelisse, somewhat annoyed at +my near neighbourhood. We were, however, knee to knee, and, _bongré +malgré_, destined to keep company, for the throng was too dense +to admit of changing place; and so, as it fluctuated backward and +forward, we were forced to advance or retire like files of the same +squadron. The Cossacks were very actively employed with their long +lances keeping us all back, but still the crowd continually pushed us +forward until we were sometimes almost in the ranks of the advancing +column. At length, tired of his ineffectual attempts at restraining +us within bounds, the Cossack who was our immediate sentry made an +angry complaint to one of the general officers, and, from pointing +our way, evidently particularised me and my neighbour. The general, +flying into a passion, first looked thunder and lightning at us, and +then, cane in air, rushed to the charge. It will readily be imagined +that the ferocious gestures meant to drive us from the field only +roused my John Bullism, and caused me to assume an air of defiance. +Not so my superb neighbour; on him it had full effect. He looked +intimidated, reined back his horse, and, turning, endeavoured to +push through the crowd and make his escape, leaving me to bear the +brunt of the attack. The general, however, knew his game; so, passing +me with a scowl which I smiled at, and a grumble which I did not +understand, he pursued my friend with uplifted cane, which every +moment I expected to see descend on his back. The scene was the most +degrading I had ever witnessed--an officer in full uniform, his +breast covered with decorations, actually bending low on his horse’s +neck and making a back to receive a caning, whilst with upturned +face his looks seemed abjectly craving mercy. I wonder what the +French thought of it. I blushed for the cloth, and most sincerely +congratulated myself on being an Englishman. The chase continued +until the discomfited hero was fairly driven from the field, when +his bully returned fuming and chafing and looking very fierce, and +apparently very much vexed at the insolent indifference with which I +purposely surveyed him. + +Being on the subject of reviews, I may as well note here one that +took place yesterday, which I have just heard of, but did not see. It +seems that we have been the _rara aves_ of the day ever since our +review. The rapidity of our movements, close-wheeling, perfection +of our equipment, &c. &c., excited universal astonishment and +admiration. The consequence of this was an application to the Duke +for a closer inspection, which he most magnanimously granted, and +ordered Ross’s troop out for that purpose. They paraded in the fields +near Clichy. The reviewers, I understand, were _maréchaux de France_; +but there was also a great concourse of officers of all nations. +After the manœuvres the troop was dismounted, and a most deliberate +inspection of ammunition, and even of the men’s kits, appointments, +shoeing, construction of carriages, &c. &c., took place. I believe +they were equally astonished and pleased with what they saw, and, as +there were several among them taking notes, have no doubt that we +shall soon see improvements introduced into the Continental artillery. + +Paris, and the country for leagues round, form one immense garrison. +The Prussians have their headquarters at St Cloud, where Prince +Blucher occupies the palace. Their army occupies all the country +west of Paris--Versailles, Sêvres, Bellevue, &c., and round to the +southward as far as Charenton. In Paris they occupy the arsenal, +and at first had a bivouac of infantry in the Place du Carrousel, +and of light cavalry in the Champs Elysées, both of which have since +been withdrawn and sent somewhere into quarters. They also had +infantry in bivouac in the Jardin du Luxembourg, Place Royale. I do +not know whether they are withdrawn yet or not. Our headquarters +are at the Elysée Bourbon; and our cantonments, commencing at +Suresnes, extend along both banks of the Seine to Argenteuil and St +Germain en Laye, all round the north side of Paris to the heights of +Belleville. The greater part of our cavalry is, I believe, on the +left bank of the Seine. The Life Guards, Blues, &c., are at Nanterre, +Rueil, &c.; hussars at Suresnes, Puteaux, &c., and Gardiner’s (Sir +Robert) troop of horse-artillery. This last is, I think, quartered +on the Duc de Feltre (Clerk). The 12th, and another light dragoon +regiment, at Courbevoie, in the fine barracks. Infantry at Anières, +Villeneuve, and Genevilliers. Colombes--my old troop, Bull’s, +and M’Donald’s. Bezons--the rocket-troop. Neuilly--two troops of +Hanoverian horse-artillery. St Ouen--Brunswick cavalry and infantry; +some in the village, some in bivouac. Epinay--pontoon-train. +Pierrefitte--waggon-train. St Denis--commissariat magazines, &c., +two regiments of English infantry (64th one of them), a brigade +of 18-pounders, and Sir H. Ross’s troop[21] of horse-artillery. +Malmaison--cavalry headquarters. I think there are cavalry at Marly, +St Germain en Laye, &c. &c. Stain--my troop;[21] communication kept +open by the bridge of Neuilly, and pontoon-bridges at Argenteuil +and Anières. Clichy, Courcelles, and Villiers--the fifth division, +partly in camp, partly in quarters. Bois de Boulogne--infantry, +encamped. Passy--English artillery. Rue Poissonnière--a regiment of +English infantry in the barrack. La Chapelle--Hanoverian dragoons +and a brigade of 18-pounders. Montmartre--English infantry. +Clignancour--21st Regiment of do. Faubourg de Montmartre--English +infantry. Faubourg de Clichy--Rifles. Chaussée d’Antin--Foot Guards. +Vertus, or Aubervilliers--English infantry and Major Morrison’s +9-pounder brigade. Gonesse--English infantry and artillery. +Chenevrière--do. do. do. Luzarches, and along the line of road to +Chantilly--Belgic contingent. Dugny--Staff corps. Garges, Arnouville, +&c.--Nassau troops. Headquarters of our artillery, Rue de Richelieu. +Belleville and the neighbourhood is occupied by Russian infantry. +Abattoirs de Montmartre (the barrack at)--a regiment of cuirassiers, +in white, with black cuirasses; I think they are Russian--not sure. +Faubourg St Denis--Austrian or Hungarian infantry. The Emperor of +Austria lives on the Boulevard (I think des Italiens). The Emperor of +Russia and King of Prussia I know not where; but the Hetman Platoff +(as well as our Colonel Sir A. Fraser) lives at the Hotel du Nord, +Rue de Richelieu, where his guard of wild-looking Cossacks, with +their little shabby horses picketed in the court, furnish gape-seed +for the _badauds_, a crowd of whom are continually at the gate. It +is a singular spectacle to see the public places in town all doubly +guarded--a French and an English or Prussian sentry. When I ride into +Paris by the Barrière de Clichy, as I generally do (that way being +so much pleasanter than passing through La Chapelle and Faubourg St +Denis), I am at once amused and interested at seeing the two sentries +soberly pacing backward and forward, opposite each other, one on each +side of the street. As I draw near they simultaneously front and +pay the usual compliment (there is something piquant in receiving +a salute from a French soldier), each after his own fashion. There +they stand; on the one side a tall handsome fellow, with a fair +face and prim shopkeeper-like air, with his high fur cap and trim +uniform, almost speck and span new; the other, a shorter but more +sturdy figure, bronzed visage, and jacket of brick-dust red, marked +in various places with bivouac stains, and faded from exposure to sun +and rain, but with arms and accoutrements in far better order than +those of his smart neighbour. On first taking possession of Paris, +the Prussians posted one or two field-pieces at each of the bridges, +with a guard of infantry. These guns were kept constantly loaded, and +slow-match lighted. Latterly they have been withdrawn; but we still +have guards at every public building--such as the Louvre, Palais +Royal, &c. These are generally English. + +Yesterday I made a most interesting excursion over all the scene of +last year’s battles,--the plain of St Denis, Vertus, the heights of +Belleville, Montmartre, &c. Independent of historical associations, +these heights are extremely interesting, from the fine commanding +views they afford; but particularly in a geological point of view. +Rising abruptly to the height of some hundred feet from the (almost +level) Plain de St Denis, their appearance is very remarkable as we +approach by the great northern road to La Chapelle, almost everywhere +terminating in lofty white precipices of gypsum (or sulphate of +lime)--hence called plaster of Paris. Montmartre appears once to have +been a continuation of the heights of Belleville, from the similarity +of the gypsum cliffs opposite to each other. It is now isolated, +and, with its precipitous terminations and crest covered with +windmills, forms a very remarkable object from the plain below. These +windmills are principally on the end over Clichy; towards the other +is the celebrated telegraph--known by fame to all Europe--whence +were transmitted at various periods orders for the invasion of +Italy, Austria, Russia, Prussia, and Belgium, and by which Paris +was so often roused to the boiling-point of vanity when it brought +intelligence of Jena, Wagram, &c. But _revenons à nos moutons_. The +heights are separated by a narrow gorge, in which, under the cliffs +of Montmartre, is a small hillock[22] (Mamelon), crowned by three +windmills, which appears to have been formed by detritus from above. +The dome of St Genevieve seen through this gorge gave us the first +notice of the French capital the evening we arrived at Garges. + +The intermediate part of Montmartre, though not precipitous, descends +by a very rapid slope towards the plain. About midway of the descent +is the pretty village of Clignancour, the houses of which, having +their first floor on a level with the ground behind, command from +their windows and balconies a most extensive and pleasing view over +the country below, and are delightfully intermingled with shrubberies +and gardens. The descent towards Paris is less steep, and is covered +all the way with the suburb of Montmartre. The whole summit is +enclosed by Buonaparte’s celebrated, but, as it has turned out, +useless lines, erected last year for the defence of the metropolis. +Of these I need say little, as I know they are surveying by our +engineers, who will no doubt give us a detailed account of them--a +piece of slavery which I am not at all disposed to engage in. All +I can say of them is that, considering the hurried manner in which +the work has been done, they are very creditable--that they cover +all the ground in front with their fire--and that a tremendous +concentration of fire, direct and flanking, commands every important +point. They are continued partially across the gorge, the bank of the +Canal de l’Ourcq, and fully up the opposite heights of Belleville. +They may, however, be easily turned on either flank. The gorge is +occupied by the humble and uninteresting suburb of La Chapelle. The +heights of Belleville are extremely pretty, being almost covered +with a succession of cheerful and sometimes elegant villas, gardens, +shrubberies, vineyards, and the village. I envied the Russians such +pretty quarters; yet they would be just as well pleased here as +there, perhaps. From these heights I got a peep at Vincennes, with +its park, chateau, and tower, on which the Lilies of France have at +last replaced the Tricolor. The governor (_un vieux moustache_, with +one leg) refused for a long time to surrender; and the sovereigns, +out of respect for the old man, did not insist; but after a time he +grew insolent, and I understand either did or threatened to fire at +some officers who went too near his stronghold. This was too much, +and preparations were making to reduce him when he was fortunately +persuaded to surrender. Having rambled about until I had seen all +worth seeing, and got an omelet in one of the _ginguettes_, or +whatever they call them, I descended from the heights of Belleville, +and crossing the fields (all without hedges here), and the great +road to Soissons, made straight for Vertus. As far as the road to +Soissons, the number of gardens, with summer-houses perched on +one angle of the enclosing wall, thick shrubberies, and the fine +umbrageous avenue which the road itself with its quadruple rows +of elms presents, made the country interesting in spite of its +flatness; but beyond, when one comes on what may more strictly be +termed the plain of St Denis, there is no redeeming point--it is a +vast extent of monotonous corn-field, unrelieved by tree or shrub, +and only broken by the buildings of the village of Vertus and the +elevated bank of the Canal de l’Ourcq. The great road to Compiègne, +which crosses this plain from La Chapelle to St Denis, once had its +trees also; but they were cut down, I think, last year; and the +only objects one now sees along this dreary line are a mile (or a +league) stone on the left going to town, and a cross or Bon Dieu on +the right. Young trees have been planted along part of the line, but +at present they are mere sticks. Met Major Morrison in Vertus; his +9-pounder brigade is stationed there, together with a regiment of +infantry. By the way, the name of that place is Aubervilliers, or +Nôtre Dame des Vertus, but one never hears any more of its name than +the last word--so that it is Vertus _par excellence_, and all the +rest is superfluity. + +I have had a long scribble this morning; so now, having jotted down +nearly everything to the present date, I have a right to go and +idle a bit with the girls. This is a lounge of which I have as yet +said nothing, because I thought it commonplace; hereafter, however, +it will be interesting to look back and see as in a picture all +that is now transacting--_allons donc!_ Through the middle of our +village runs a little sluggish rivulet, very like that at Garges. +On the banks of this, every fine day, may be seen assembled the +scraggy-necked dames and black-eyed nymphs of the village, all pretty +much alike in costume--that is, arms bare, stays loosely laced, and +petticoat of _siamoise_, with the eternal blue stockings and wooden +shoes; each has her bundle of linen, her heavy bat, and generally a +bit of board to kneel on. Here, then, kneeling in a line along the +banks of soapy waters, they laugh, chatter, and sing; whilst the bat +incessantly goes slap, slap, slap. Just where the street leading +to St Denis joins ours, in the centre of the village, a bridge of +very humble dimensions spans the stream, on the parapet of which I +have established my divan; and thither I repair to smoke my weed and +enjoy a little badinage with the fair daughters of Stain--to gain a +little information from their wrinkled mothers. Amongst our village +maidens there are several exceedingly pretty--some one or two would +be beautiful, were not their feminine _delicacy_ (perhaps the word +may be used morally as well as physically) much injured by their +being constantly employed in the fields, which cannot but make their +persons coarse. There is one exception to this, however, in Josephine +Chamont, who is really a beautifully-delicate, lady-like girl; but +then she does not go to the fields. Angélique, on the contrary, +is as fine a woman as ever I saw; she is about twenty--a perfect +Juno--tall, erect, with a beautiful countenance and splendid black +eyes; she walks like a queen. When our invasion was expected, the +women of the commune formed themselves into an amazonian regiment, +and Angélique was their sergeant-major.--But I must to the bridge. + +M. Fauigny paid me a visit this morning: I did not see him. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + + +_August 1st._--Our fine weather still continues--with the exception +of one or two days, we have scarcely had any rain since we arrived +here. Our army is breaking up from hence and going into Normandy. +Some of our troops of horse-artillery marched the day before +yesterday, and yesterday some regiments of cavalry. The infantry are +also preparing for their departure. Ross’s troop and mine, belonging +to the reserve, are to remain in the neighbourhood of Paris. This +appearance of peace has, I suppose, induced the Beguines, or Sœurs +de la Charité, to return to the village, much to our annoyance; +for their house is the one in which we mess, and where Ambrose and +Maunsell live. Five of the sisterhood called on me this morning +for the purpose of obtaining the restoration of their house, and +permission to return and inhabit it. I was at breakfast, but these +good dames would take no refusal, and William was obliged to show +them up. My little room was crammed. + +I have always up to this date associated most inseparably in my mind +youth and beauty with the term nun. It was, therefore, not without +some trifling emotion that I awaited the five nuns whom William had +announced, and heard them bustling along the narrow bricked passage +leading from the head of the stairs to my room. Such being the case, +it may easily be imagined that it was not without disappointment I +saw entering, one after another, four ugly old women, in shabby black +dresses, and at the same time became sensible of a very unpleasant +odour accompanying the ladies. All this was enough; and, in the +politest manner possible, I hastened to meet their wishes as soon as +known, in order to get rid of them. Here I reckoned without my host. +The good dames found my politeness so winning, that they were in no +hurry to move, nor did they until they had inflicted on me the whole +history of their adventures and sufferings from the first invasion by +the Allies last year down to last night. When, at length, they did +depart, I thought I could never sufficiently inhale the fresh air of +heaven. + +Having got rid of the ladies, after visiting the parade (which +we hold in the park of the great chateau), I rode to St Ouen +and Clichy. In the last and neighbourhood our fifth division is +quartered, and I was astonished to see the Prussian-like manner +in which the place is occupied. One very handsome villa I visited +had its pretty pleasure-ground trampled and spoiled as much as the +chateau at Stain; and, to my surprise, in the house I found two +formerly splendid _salons_ converted into stables, and actually +occupied by officers’ horses. I don’t know what the Duke will +say when he comes to know this. The neighbourhood of Clichy is +pretty--all villas and gardens, &c. + +_August 2d._--Another beautiful day. More regiments marching towards +Normandy. In consequence of the return of our nuns, we moved our mess +establishment to-day into the Petit chateau, having prepared and +made as comfortable as circumstances would admit the grand _salon_ +in the centre of the front. This is a very fine room with a boarded +floor in little squares (_parquet_), which looks very well, but is +very creaky, as all these floors are. We collected what chairs were +still serviceable as seats, and as they were few, the wheeler patched +up others; a table was a more difficult article to procure; the +floor served as a sideboard. There being no glass in the window, we +are obliged to make the venetians (which fortunately are unbroken) +answer, lowering those to windward when the air is too much. We +are raised about six feet above the lawn, and two winding flights +of steps afford the means of descending from the windows of the +bowed front to the turf below. Fatigue-parties have been employed +all yesterday and this morning clearing the lawn of the fragments +of furniture, rags of curtains, torn books, and broken glass, that +encumbered and disfigured it--so that now our domain looks decent, +and we have actually wondered we could stay so long in the gloomy old +house we have left. By way of a house-warming I gave my champagne +on promotion, and we have had a merry evening, without excess, or I +should not be able to write this. + +_3d._--No headache this morning; our champagne was excellent and +very cheap. In England we should pay from 10s. to 15s. per bottle. +This cost me precisely 5 francs, or 4s. 2d., a bottle--some little +difference. But to my journal. Rode to Paris, and as usual put up +Cossack at a stable I have discovered in Rue de Malle, just by the +Place du Carrousel, consequently very convenient. When I arrived, +there were several people in the stable, who gathered round me and +Cossack, asking with apparent curiosity if he was in the battle of +Mont St Jean. I told them Yes, and all about his eight wounds--the +scars of which were visible enough. This seemed to excite great +interest; and I walked off, leaving them assembled round the +fellow’s stall, having first, however, warned them of his heels. +The Palais Royal, Rue Vivienne, and Boulevard were the scenes of +my promenade. The first I have spoken of before, and hope to do +so again; the second is a kind of Bond Street, leading straight +away from the northern entrance of the Palais Royal. Like Bond +Street, it is narrow--so narrow, indeed, that the London street +becomes broad by comparison, and is infinitely its superior in the +convenient _trottoir_ which the Rue Vivienne totally wants. In +short, in London this narrow, badly-paved avenue, with its gutter +down the centre, would only rank as a lane. Here is to be seen all +the beauty and fashion of Paris; for here, as in Bond Street, are +all the fashionable shops. If some of those under the arcades of +the Palais Royal are more splendid, the articles in these are more +substantially rich and good. But the Boulevard is the great point +of attraction for me, and there I passed this morning, until it was +time to return here before dark, lounging from the Rue Royale to the +Boulevard du Temple and back again, with an occasional turn down the +Rue de Richelieu, or the Passage des Panorama and Feydeau, into the +Rue Vivienne and Palais Royal. The Boulevards (for there are many, +every few hundred yards having a different designation) form a sort +of circular road round what once was Paris, separating it from the +Faubourgs, now forming part of the great whole; and these Boulevards +form a street about as broad as Oxford Street, perhaps broader. +This, without excepting the Palais Royal, is the most amusing part +of Paris. The houses along this immense avenue are neither regular +nor uniformly handsome, but high and low, rich and poor, wood and +stone--from the cottage to the palace. A broad footway (not a paved +_trottoir_) next the houses is in many parts shaded by rows of +lime-trees, and separated from the road by a shabby wooden railing. +The road is incessantly thronged with carts, fiacres, cabriolets, +private equipages, and horsemen; every now and then a detachment of +_gens-d’armes_ is seen urging their way soberly through the crowd. +This forms a lively and amusing scene enough, particularly just now, +from the contrast between numerous well-appointed English equipages +and the clumsy vehicles and tinsel finery of the native. But it is +in the footway one finds the greatest source of amusement, and most +food for philosophical contemplation. Here one meets promenaders +or passengers in every variety of European, and even some Asiatic, +costumes. Some, you may know by their lounging gait, are employed +only in killing time and dispelling _ennui_; others, bustling from +shop to shop and from table to table, are people whose money burns +in their pockets, and their amusement consists in getting rid of +it as quickly as possible for articles utterly useless to them, +and which, laid aside to-morrow, will quickly be forgotten. Again, +a third, and by far the most numerous class one sees here, have a +directly contrary employment to the last--they are people whose +pockets burn to have money in them; and accordingly here, in this +great thoroughfare, we find them resorting to all sorts, even the +most ludicrous, the vilest, and the most degrading means of obtaining +their end. Here tables innumerable are set out under the trees +covered with all sorts of cheap articles--toys, perfumery, cutlery, +combs, and articles in horn, bone, wood, metal, glass--every thing +and every article upon each table of the same price. In passing +along, one is deafened by the incessant and rapid vociferations of +these dealers enumerating the various articles upon their tables, +eulogising them in the most ridiculous terms, and announcing +their price: “Dix sols pour chacun!--dix sols, dix sols--dix sols +seulement, messieurs!” Then there are jugglers, mountebanks, and +importunate beggars. My great torment in the Boulevard is a little +wretch of a girl, about ten or twelve years old, whose ostensible +business is the sale of toothpicks, but in reality is begging. +This little animal fixes herself on one with the tenacity of a +leech--running by one’s side, occasionally holding up the articles +of her pretended trade, and unceasingly plying her song: “Ah, +monsieur! cure-dents, monsieur? En voulez-vous, monsieur? deux sols, +monsieur! Ah, monsieur! le pauvre père, monsieur; il est malade, +monsieur!” and then, when she becomes convinced of the inutility of +perseverance, suddenly stopping and entering into an indifferent, +perhaps merry, confab with some chum, and again starting after some +other likely-looking customer. She frequently follows me from her +stand, which is at the end of the Rue de Richelieu, to the Rue de la +Paix. Other characters there are of different descriptions, and many +of them forming a feature in this motley and daily crowd. Amongst +these I have particularly noticed an old man, with long grey locks +flowing in a most picturesque style over his back and shoulders, +strumming a cracked guitar; and a female, somewhat advanced in years, +dressed in shabby old finery, her faded charms partially concealed +under a rusty-black veil, who attempts to excite interest in and +extract metal from the passengers by warbling a pathetic love-song in +a most ominously husky voice. A little farther, a proud and stately +Mohammedan, in full Turkish costume, offers for sale I know not +what, and evinces much indignation at the itinerant sausage-vendor, +who pushes steadily through the crowd, the fiery brasier suspended +before him by a strap passing round his neck, everywhere opening +for him a free passage. Over the brasier a square pan contains the +savoury-smelling, hissing sausages, which as they fry he is able, +from having his hands at liberty, to keep turning, or to serve out +to customers and receive their sols in return. The steaming pan has +frequently made my mouth water, and I give no credit to the fierce +and angry look of our stately Turk when startled by his near and +unexpected approach. I’d wager a sol did they but encounter in some +obscure passage he would himself become a customer to the Giaour’s +polluted pan. + +At the angle formed by the Boulevards du Temple and St Martin, +and opposite to the beautiful Fontaine de Boudi or des Lions, in a +snug recess formed by a break in the line of building, may daily be +seen a table, covered with a cloth scrupulously white, on which are +arranged sundry piles of a peculiarly inviting _gâteau_. This table +is constantly surrounded by a certain description of young men, whose +bronzed features, mustachioed lips, and confident, insolent stare, +denote the _militaire en retraite_, or half-pay officer. Here the +presiding goddess is a comely dame of some forty years standing, a +little inclined to _embonpoint_, with a bold masculine countenance +embrowned by constant exposure, but yet having strong claim to a +certain description of beauty, which she understood how to enhance by +the tasteful and coquettish arrangement of her blue _cornette_ and a +studied neatness in every other part of her dress. With her customers +this fair dame carries on a conversation animated and somewhat free, +if she likes them; but Englishmen are by no means favourites. This +portrait will be readily recognised by those to whom the Boulevard +St Martin is familiar. The immense number of tables spread with +books, as well as little sheds for the sale of the same--and their +cheapness, are quite astonishing. I may say the same of engravings, +many of them really good. Equally astonishing is the open and +barefaced display, in these stalls, &c., of the most licentious +works, and pictures of the most indecent kind. Although the best +shops are certainly in the Rue Vivienne, &c., yet are there many +very splendid ones along the Boulevards, particularly the Boulevard +des Italiens. Here are also some good restaurants and cafés; and, +amongst other ornamental buildings, the Bains Chinois. Amid all +these, however, there is a characteristic eye-sore which strikes one +as quite incongruous: I allude to the intervention of shabby wooden +sheds amongst goodly shops and houses. Besides the book-stalls just +spoken of, one sees every here and there a long, low, mean-looking +shed, its front almost all window. This is a news-room, where, for +a few sols, you may read all the daily journals published in Paris, +if you have patience to wait until they be disengaged, for these +places are generally full; and I often amuse myself by stopping +before the broad windows, always open just now, and contemplating +the line of odd figures--some spectacled, others (from the manner of +holding the little--after our own--minikin _feuille_ at arm’s-length) +who evidently ought to be; and all absorbed in the meagre nonsense +which every one of these papers I have looked into contains: a +number of people may commonly be seen in attendance awaiting their +turn. The fellows who keep these sheds must make a mint of money. +Another feature not confined to the Boulevards, but common to all +the public gardens and places of general resort, is the numbers of +well-dressed and often dandified loungers on chairs, and the piles +of these against the trees. To us at first it was a novelty seeing +groups of people seated on chairs in the open street; but I have now +got accustomed to it, and even to appreciate the luxury myself. These +chairs, which are of the plainest kind, form the stock-in-trade, +and furnish the livelihood, of many a poor old man or woman, who +otherwise could do nothing to support themselves; and, _en passant_, +I should note the admirable address with which I have seen these +people turn the wants of human nature to account. On a rainy day some +sally out with a common oil-skin umbrella, which is offered to the +first unfortunate wight caught out in a hat or coat likely to suffer. +Others, providing themselves with a thick plank, repair to some great +thoroughfare where they know there is an insufficient gutter that +will overflow--and this may be everywhere. The plank, laid over the +rushing stream of black water, is paid for by those who are generous +by a sol or two, thus verifying the saying, It is an ill wind that +blows nobody good. + +The hire of a chair per hour is a mere trifle--a sol or two; and +thence it is, I suppose, that a Parisian exquisite seems to think +it degrading to occupy only one. Two or three is the common run; +but I saw one gentleman this morning who actually occupied five +whole chairs. He had chosen an excellent position to be seen, on +the Boulevard des Italiens, just by Hardi’s, whither I was bound +to get some dinner. One chair sustained the main body, another the +right leg, a third the left, a fourth afforded a rest for the left +arm, whilst the fifth, bearing gloves, _mouchoir_, and _canne à +pomme d’or_, stood conveniently by his right. The self-satisfied +air with which this exquisite scrutinised with his _lorgnette_ the +passers-by, was not the least amusing part of this entertaining +microcosm. Cogitating on the various means used by mankind to court +or win admiration from their fellow-men, I mounted the steps in +front of Hardi’s, and entered the airy, nicely-furnished _salle à +manger_. “Garçon! la carte!” I cried, throwing myself into a seat +near the window, the table by which appeared unoccupied. There is +about as much difference between one of our dark close coffee-rooms +in London and the _salle à manger_ of a Parisian restaurateur (at +least Hardi’s or Very’s), as there is between a tallow-chandler’s +back parlour in St Martin’s Lane and Lady B.’s beautiful drawing-room +in Park Lane. Here are no closely-shut-up boxes, with their green +curtains, &c.; all is open, airy, and cheerful. Small tables (just +sufficiently large to dine four people) stand about the room covered +with snow-white table-cloths, napkins, and silver forks; and instead +of the dingy smoked walls of a London coffee-house, and windows so +covered with dust that the panes of glass, although translucent, +are not transparent, here the walls, covered with a gay painted +paper, have an air of cheerfulness quite indescribable, especially +when connected with the moving, lively scene without, of which the +constantly open door and windows afford an uninterrupted view. In +looking on the scene below, the continuous lines of trees give such +a rustic appearance to the whole, that it is difficult to imagine +one’s self in the very heart of a great capital. To me the Boulevard +had more the style of Lewisham or Clapham, or some of those “_rus +in urbe_” sort of places so numerous in the vicinity of London. It +seems bells are not in use at these places, and calling out or making +a noise is vulgar. Therefore, instead of the constantly reiterated +“Waiter! waiter!” a sort of masonic signal has been invented to +call the attention of the attendants. I began at my first visit to +Hardi’s as I would have done in England, and summoned the garçon +_viva voce_; but I soon discovered by the glances shot from the +tables, and the quick turning of heads, that there was something +wrong, at least something unusual. I observed there was no calling, +and yet tables were served; and by the occasionally sudden turning +and going up to some particular one, I became aware that some other +mode of communication must be established. I watched. The garçon +was standing near the door looking at an English regiment at that +moment passing along the Boulevard. An elderly gentleman, in a +sad-coloured suit, who had hitherto been busily employed at the next +table discussing his _potage_, stopping suddenly, looked sharply +about the room as if in search of some one. His inquisitive glance +settled at once on the garçon, and taking up the sharp-pointed knife +that lay beside his plate (the knives here are all of one pattern, +very common, and apparently made to be used as stilettos instead +of for cutting beef or mutton), gently touched with it the side of +his wine-glass, producing a slight jingling sound that scarcely +reached my ear, close as we were to each other. It proved sufficient +though, for the garçon started and was at his side in an instant. +“Ma foi!” thought I, “this is a ‘wrinkle to my horn,’” I shall be +quite an _habitué_. I tried the experiment again and again:--it +never failed; and being now up to the thing, I soon observed that +everybody used the same signal. It reminds me of the Spanish call, +“Hist!” uttered from the tongue alone, without any sound from the +chest. Things are uncommonly well cooked at Hardi’s, and served in +most comfortable and respectable style. The napkins at a public +table are quite new to us Englishmen. I had a _potage_, and one or +two _petit-plats_, that I selected at random from the _carte_; for +amongst the numbers figuring there, I knew not one by name, and most +probably as little by nature. One thing I dislike in French cookery +is the abominable fashion of disguising vegetables; one cannot even +get a potato plain and unsophisticated. _Gâteau de pommes de terre_, +or some such mixture of potatoes, butter, &c. &c., is the only way +they are eaten here. Having finished my plate of strawberries and a +bottle of very excellent _Lafitte_, I set off for the Rue de Malte; +but instead of going directly thither down the Rue de Richelieu, I +made another little promenade on the Boulevard, and finally down +the Passage des Panoramas and Feydeau, Rue Vivienne, Palais Royal, +&c. The lamps were already lighted, doors open, sentinels posted, +and crowds rushing into the Théâtre des Variétés as I passed. The +passages looked brilliant by the light of multitudes of lamps, and +the arcades of the Palais Royal, where the illumination was only +beginning, already swarmed with depravity, and proposals rung in my +ears from my entrance to my sortie from this sink of iniquity. The +decreasing light warned me not to loiter; so, mounting Cossack, I +made the best of my way over the abominable pavement of the Faubourg +St Denis, until, gaining the end of La Chapelle, the road became +better adapted for rapid movement. Daylight closed, however, just as +I got through St Denis, having just enough to save me from the wheels +of the numerous chariots and other vehicles with which its long +narrow street is always crowded. Having only open fields to traverse +afterwards, I cared less; and trusting myself to Cossack’s sagacity, +he soon brought me safe home--and thus ends one of the many pleasant +days I have passed in this most interesting place. I find Mr Fauigny +has been here to-day. He gets hot after his money. I doubt, however, +if he will ever finger any of it. + +_August 4th._--Beautiful day again. Every pleasure in this life +has some drawback--as if this were necessary to prevent our +thinking we have already arrived in paradise. That, then, which in +a measure neutralises our enjoyment of this fine warm weather, is +the incessant torment of swarms of flies (common house-flies) which +infest us within and without doors. From these wretches there is no +respite, except it be at night, or maybe in a darkened room. The +mosquitoes cannot be worse, though they may be as bad. It is not as +in England--merely the buzzing about and tickling caused by their +alighting on and walking about one. No; here the brutes bite, and so +sharply as to bring blood. My greatest suffering from these plagues +is in the morning, when I may wish to lie in bed later than usual, +which is not often. I am generally up too early for them;[23] for +it is only after the sun acquires strength that they begin to be +troublesome: then, unless the room be well darkened, there is no +possibility of sleeping; and in my naked house there are not the +means of doing this--window-shutters, to be sure, but they fit so +badly that there is little difference as to light whether they be +closed or open. In the village the road is quite black every day in +front of our butchers with the dead flies thrown out. He poisons them +with an infusion of quassia sweetened with sugar. In my garden there +is abundance of the finest fruit--peaches, nectarines, figs, plums, +and splendid grapes, now all quite ripe; but such swarms of these +detestable brutes infest the trees that they spoil everything. It is +impossible to eat any of the fruit without first washing it: this +spoils it. Half the battle is picking it off the tree and eating it. + +What strange things we live to see and hear! I do think that during +the period I have been in the world, more strange, wonderful, +improbable (and what once would have been deemed impossible) events +have occurred than the whole history of the world, since Noah landed +on Mount Ararat down to 1789, could furnish altogether. Not the +least strange amongst these is the general order just published to +the British army by Wellington, calling upon commanding officers to +give every assistance required by the French farmers or cultivateurs +in getting in the harvest! In consequence, English soldiers and +French peasants are seen everywhere side by side, sickle in hand, +or binding sheaves, &c.--the invader and the invaded alike peaceably +occupied, and reciprocating kind offices one with the other. ’Tis a +goodly sight, truly. Further good consequences are very perceptible +in our village. All mistrust and dislike of each other are at an end; +and our people are now quite on an intimate and friendly footing +with the peasantry. Many an amicable little knot may be seen of an +evening sitting at their doors enjoying at once the cool air, their +pipes, and the pleasures of conversation, or rather of trying to +understand each other. Some of the villagers have already picked up +a little English, and our men a little French. The gayest of the +latter occasionally mix in the rustic dance; and although rather +rough and bearish in their manner of swinging the girls about, +yet are they sought after as partners, the pretty _paysanne_ who +has for her partner _un canonier_ evincing in her look and manner +a degree of satisfaction not to be mistaken. Already symptoms of +jealousy have made their appearance among the young _paysans_, and +I have consulted M. Bonnemain on the subject, expressing my fears +lest it might disturb the harmony already subsisting. “A bah! n’y +a pas de danger!--n’importe, n’importe,” is always his answer; +and accordingly neither I nor my officers have observed anything +like a diminution of friendship among the males. These French girls +are clever creatures. They have hearts and flattering tongues +for all. It is a pleasing sight of an evening to see our people +returning frolicking home from the fields, with the loaded carts, +the cargoes of which all are busily assisting in stowing away in the +_grenier_--soldiers, _paysans_, and _paysannes_. + +Generally speaking, these latter (male and female) are very +respectable, well-mannered, and well-spoken people in their way. +There is, however, one, the most perfect Caliban I ever met with +in my life. Bonnemain says he is not an inhabitant of Stain, but +comes from some part of Normandy--I forget where. Short, thick-set, +and powerfully built; covered with hair--head shaggy as that of a +savage; long beard and naked breast, like a bear’s; broad squat face +and enormous features--indeed, when standing close to, and trying +to converse with him, I feel a sensation as if looking at his face +through a powerful magnifier. Of his language (he speaks very fast +and very loud) I cannot succeed in catching a single French word, +and I observe that the inhabitants themselves seem to have some +difficulty in comprehending his meaning. I have christened him +Caliban!--beautiful monster! + +But it is almost time to go to bed, and as yet I have not mentioned +my ride to Paris to-day--I should say _usual_, for few days elapse +without my going thither. In general I prefer the road by St Ouen, +Clichy, and Monceaux, &c., because it has trees, the scenery is +better, the line is not so tediously straight, and by the Barrière de +Clichy one enters at once on a decent part of the town, the Rue de +Clichy and du Mont Blanc, instead of having to pass through the long +blackguard suburbs of La Chapelle and St Denis. To-day, however, I +took this road. How unlike the neighbourhood of London, where, for +twenty miles (certainly ten) from town, the country is covered with +villas, and the roads with carriages, equestrians--indeed, travellers +of every kind and in every way! Here we have a long straight road +stretching away with an almost imperceptible ascent for about three +miles--not a tree nor a bush lends its shade or breaks its painful +monotony (if I may so apply the word)--nor house, nor fence. In +the middle reigns a horrible pavement, and on each side of this an +unpaved road for summer use; after rain these become sloughs, and +then, sooner than travel on the pavement, I take to the fields. +These, as I have before said, extend to a considerable distance right +and left, naked and cheerless, forming the plain of St Denis. There +is another by-road leading off near St Denis, which, keeping about +midway between the chaussée just mentioned and that by St Ouen, +ascends Montmartre by Clignancour, &c. This may be travelled _in dry +weather_. In my progress from St Denis to La Chapelle, as usual, +instead of the bustle of a London road, a solitary cabriolet now and +then passed me; and from time to time I overtook a long-bodied cart, +with what we should call half a load--the horses with their broad +painted hames, and the waggoner in his white night-cap (or mayhap +a cocked-hat), blue frock and white stockings, _sabots_, &c. These +things have now lost their novelty--I am too much at home to be +amused by them; so I was pacing along thoughtfully when the wildest +thing in the shape of an equipage whisked past in a twinkling. It +was Russian--a sort of low clumsily-built barouche, with the head +thrown back. In this were seated two officers in full uniform, +cocked-hats, and long drooping black or bottle-green plumes; four or +five (for I did not exactly ascertain which) little, long-tailed, +long-maned, wild-looking horses were driven at a gallop by two boys +as wild in their appearance, seated on the off-horses, and using the +end of the reins as a whip, in the manner of our hussar bridles. I +was delighted; but the thing came up so suddenly, and passed me so +rapidly, that I had but half a look at it. _En revanche_, standing +at the northern entrance of the Palais Royal, I saw to-day again a +regular Russian equipage. This was a low carriage also, but of a +peculiar construction, drawn by four little rough horses harnessed +with rope. On the driving-box sat one of the most picturesque figures +I ever saw in my life. Conceive a head of Jupiter as to features, and +the splendid beard that fell in thick masses over his ample chest, +eyes shooting thunderbolts, overhung by the brow of majesty itself; +the support of this head a neck--such a neck!--such a muscular +column!--such a bust altogether! His costume, too, was piquant from +its novelty. Nothing European was there except the hat, if one +might admit this as such, which differed from anything else of the +sort I had ever seen; crown exceedingly low, and about twice the +diameter at top as at bottom, encircled by an amazingly broad band; +brim very broad, and turned up in a peculiar way at the sides--body +wrapped in a kind of caftan with loose sleeves, and girt round +the waist by a broad sash. On the off-leader sat one of the most +beautiful and wildest urchins it is possible to conceive, wrapped +in a caftan of similar colour and make to that of the coachman’s, +grey forage-cap, and neck quite bare. He was about fourteen this +boy, and a more animated, lovely face could scarcely be imagined. In +repose it would be lovely; but when lighted up by the quick play of +two brilliant eyes, partially overshadowed by long elf-locks, the +beauty and wildness of expression almost exceeds belief. Whilst I +stood wrapt in admiration of these two figures, a Russian officer in +a plain undress came out of the Palais Royal, and stepped into the +conveniently low vehicle. The coachman shook his reins, the boy, who +had been looking back, turned sharply to the front, uttering a loud, +shrill, but musical cry, the little wild horses tossed up their noses +with a snort, burst at once into a gallop, and away they went like a +whirlwind down the Rue Neuve des Petits Champs. For the rest of this +day I have never been able to get them out of my head, and everything +Russian has borne with me a double interest. Strange that, going +as I do every day to Paris, it should never have fallen to my lot +before to see a Russian equipage; and yet every day, at least every +time I pass through La Chapelle, I see hundreds of their soldiers +(infantry) without bestowing on them the slightest attention. These, +smart as they are on the parade, are the dirtiest slovens in the +world off it: the usual costume in which one sees them running +about La Chapelle is a dirty forage-cap, as dirty a grey greatcoat, +generally gathered back by the waist-strap, so as to be out of the +way, dirty linen trousers, shoved up at bottom by the projection of +the unlaced half-boot. Such is the figure I generally see slipping +from house to house, or going across the fields at a sort of Highland +trot. Curiosity they have none, or it is restrained by their +discipline, for I do not recollect once having met a Russian soldier +dressed and walking the streets, as if to see the place. Sometimes, +in passing their quarters, I have heard them sing in their squalling, +drawling style, in a voice as if mocking some one; there is, however, +something wild and plaintive in their ditties. Karl’s ‘Imitations,’ +which I always fancied a caricature, is, I find, most excellent. The +Prussians, by the by, show themselves as little about the streets +as the Russians; but Austrians or Hungarians I meet constantly, +generally walking two together--staring into the shop-windows, &c. +&c. Tall, heavily-built, boorish-looking fellows, but apparently +good-natured and orderly in their behaviour. Happening to go into +a shop on the Boulevard a few days ago, one of these came in, and +making some observation on my purchase, was surprised at my answering +him in German, and immediately became quite friendly. Whether he knew +I was an officer or not, it is impossible to say, but he followed me +out of the shop, and walked some way along the Boulevard with me, +and it was not without difficulty I at last succeeded in shaking +him off. They are a heavy people altogether, these Austrians. I +frequently pass the hotel where the Emperor lodges, and in this hot +weather all the windows being open, see from the Boulevard the whole +interior of the waiting-room, where the stiff formality of the Garde +du Corps on duty, in their ugly old-fashioned uniforms of grey and +silver lace, with ill-shaped cocked-hats stuck square on, is not a +little ridiculous. However, they are, as I said before, a good, quiet +people. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + + +_August 5th._--I had intended seeing some of the sights to-day--so +accordingly, after breakfast, mounted on Nelly, cigar in mouth, and +followed by my smart orderly, Fitzgerald, I paraded slowly through +the village, crossed the fields to St Denis, having passed which I +had already got over half the dreary road to La Chapelle, when Nelly +suddenly fell dead lame. Upon examination we found a great nail which +had run into her foot (off hind), between the frog and bars. This put +an end to my day. So I returned quietly, put the mule into the stable +with Cossack and the brown horse, Nelly into the mule’s box, sent to +St Denis for Mr Coward, who is veterinary surgeon to our division, +made Farrier Price meantime pare her sole almost to the quick, put +on a bran poultice, and have at last sat down to amuse myself by +scribbling something about Paris--observations, description, or what +else it may be. To proceed, then. I shall not soon forget my first +ride to Paris from Colombes. Although already noticed in its place, +I like to dwell on a subject to me of so much pleasure, and shall +ever recall with emotion my feelings on first passing the Barrière de +l’Etoile and gaining a _coup d’œil_ of the magnificent avenue beyond, +terminated by the venerable palace of the French monarch--its noble +trees, its crowds of carriages, horsemen and footmen, and all the +_et ceteras_ of such a scene. Arriving by this side, the head filled +with preconceived ideas of filthy narrow streets without _trottoirs_, +what was my surprise on passing through the Place Louis Quinze +and entering the magnificent Rue Royale. My previous knowledge of +Paris, picked up in books of travel, &c., has all proved erroneous. +Some travellers are extravagant in its praise; but I think the +greater part have dwelt too much on the dark side of the picture, +otherwise why these unfavourable impressions that occupied my brain? +The natives, on the contrary, are too extravagant in its praise; +and knowing their gasconading style, one is slow to believe their +highly-coloured descriptions, and particularly their saying, “Qui n’a +vû Paris, n’a rien vû”--a sentiment now become a proverb with them. +But this same, or something very similar, is said of many other +cities, if I mistake not--Vienna, Rome, Naples, Florence, Madrid, +Lisbon, &c. However, like everything else, this has two sides--both +parties are right, both are wrong. In the same manner as any other +city, Paris has its clean and its dirty quarters, its St Giles and +its Grosvenor Street, its fine and its mean buildings, its poverty +and its opulence--in short, its _agrémens_ and its _désagrémens_. I +can’t translate these words. Agreeables and disagreeables won’t quite +do. Everything depends on the good or bad humour of the traveller, or +the reception he meets with in the country he undertakes to describe. +It generally, therefore, is either a Pays de Cocagne or a Tierra del +Fuego. + +Divided into twelve _arrondissements_ or _mairies_, and every +_arrondissement_ into several _quartiers_, one finds such a +difference between these divisions--in the manners, habitudes, +and physiognomy of their inhabitants--as scarcely to believe they +form part of the same community. Thus les Quartiers des Tuileries, +des Roule, des Champs Elysées, &c. &c.--in which are situated the +court, the hotels of all the _grand seigneurs_, &c., consequently +the richest, smartest, and best shops--distinguished for elegance, +cheerfulness, and cleanliness. Le Quartier de la Chaussée d’Antin +is the residence of the rich bankers, as in like manner that of the +Palais Royal is of merchants, brokers, &c. The Marais is inhabited +principally by people of moderate incomes, fond of quiet and +tranquillity; and among these are to be found the principal remaining +specimens of the _bon vieux temps_--good, easy, old-fashioned people. +The Pays Latin--as the neighbourhood of the Rues St Jacques, de la +Harpe, &c., is called, from containing the College de la Sorbonne, +the schools of the University, &c. &c.--is the cradle of science, +and the residence of almost all the bookbinders, parchment-makers, +&c., of Paris. Here reside professors and students of theology, +medicine, law, natural history, &c. &c. All is here quiet gloom, and +some small degree of filth. Les Halles present the singular spectacle +of a rural population in the heart of a great city. The other parts +of Paris, inhabited by various classes of artisans, are not only +different from all those already spoken of, but differ even amongst +themselves, according to the business pursued in them. Thus the Rue +de Clery is one complete magazine of furniture and cabinet-work, +&c.; and most of the work in silk, such as curtain-fringe, &c., is +done in la Rue de la Feronnerie and Marché des Innocens, &c.--but +of the more distant quarters of this description I only speak from +hearsay, the temper of their population being such as to render it +dangerous for an Englishman to appear there as an idler; therefore +have I never yet seen the Quartier de St Antoine, nor the Place +Royale--the very focus of this spirit. It is clear, therefore, that +Paris cannot be characterised by a _trait de plûme_--as clean or +dirty, grand or mean, &c. Handsome, and what we should call fine, +streets there are, and others which, without any pretension to these +names, are yet striking from their extent and bustle of business, +&c. &c. Of the former are the Rues de la Paix, Royale, de Rivoli, +de Mont Blanc, de la Place Vendome, du Faubourg St Honoré, &c. &c. +All these are scrupulously clean and very cheerful, full of fine +hotels (_not inns_), fine shops, and for the most part have good and +spacious _trottoirs_. The first two in particular are very handsome +streets. Of the latter description are the Rues de St Denis, de St +Martin, de l’Université, du Faubourg St Denis, Neuve des Petits +Champs, and many others. These are generally long streets, some of +them very wide, but almost all of them without _trottoirs_. Beyond +these the streets are generally very narrow, dirty, and dark. This +obscurity is caused by the enormous height of the houses in the +old parts of the town, and their sombre hue--I was going to say +_their being blackened by smoke_, but that can scarcely be possible, +since from using so much wood one never sees that thick canopy of +smoke hanging over Paris that usually shuts out the feeble rays of +the winter’s sun from the citizens of our metropolis. The close +confined streets, indeed all the older streets of Paris, are redolent +at all times of a most disagreeable odour. Evelyn, 160 years ago, +said the streets of Paris smelt of sulphur. The innumerable lamps +swinging from ropes over the centre of these streets give them, in +my eyes, a very mean appearance. I don’t know why, but they seem, +too, in the way. These ropes lead down the wall on one side of the +street in a sort of wooden case, the key of which being kept by the +lamp-lighter, mischievous people are unable to get at the lamps +without breaking open these cases--an operation requiring time, and +not performed without noise, therefore almost impossible with such a +vigilant police. But the greatest ornament of the town, and no doubt +that which contributes most to its salubrity, is the great avenue +which, under various names, is called generally the Boulevards, +from occupying the site of the ancient ramparts of Paris. Since the +increase of the faubourgs has placed these in the midst of the town +as it were, a second concentric circle, called the New Boulevard, +has been formed; but this seems a mere circular road, not much +frequented: and along it is the only enclosure Paris now possesses--a +simple stone wall, connecting the barriers, and thereby insuring +the fiscal duties. Of the old Boulevards I spoke some days ago; it +were needless, therefore, to fill my journal with repetition. They +must be acknowledged as a most agreeable and amusing lounge. After +the streets, the quays of Paris naturally attract our attention--a +feature so ornamental, so commodious, so salubrious, that we wonder +our own metropolis should be destitute in this respect. What a noble +thing it would be were our fine river bordered by such quays as +those de Buonaparte, des Tuileries, de Voltaire, de la Conference, +&c., instead of being enclosed as it is between such a set of shabby +wooden or brick warehouses! + +But if London is inferior to Paris in this respect, how superior she +is in public squares! The costly iron railings, the masterly statues +that decorate some, and the pleasant shrubberies, smooth, well-kept +turf, and well-rolled walks which characterise most of them, are +nowhere to be seen in Paris. The Place Louis Quinze is not what we +should call a square in London; it is a sort of esplanade, separating +the ramparts and gardens of the Tuileries from the Champs Elysées; +the third side is closed by the river, and the fourth is the only +side having buildings--those of the Garde Meuble. It is an agreeable +esplanade, but is no square. The Place Royale is, I believe, the +largest square in Paris; but, for the reasons before mentioned, +I have as yet never seen it. From all that I have heard, it is +surrounded by very lofty, and perhaps once handsome houses, which +then were the habitations of the principal _noblesse_, though now of +a numerous population of artisans. In the middle of it, I understand, +is a fountain, some trees, &c., in the manner of our squares. The +Place Vendome is the next in size to the former; it is octagonal, +and the houses, all uniformly built, are of a respectable class, +but the style of them is heavy and dull: the want of a _trottoir_, +the houses standing as they do with their ground-floors unscreened +or unprotected from the carriage-way, spite of the splendid column +springing from its centre, give this places a mean, _triste_ +appearance. I could not divest myself of the idea of its being a +mews. The Place des Victoires, meant to be circular, is only a small +concern, neither handsome nor ornamental, and perhaps only useful as +admitting light and air into a very thick and closely-built part of +the town. These are, strictly speaking, the only real public squares; +for the Parvis Nôtre Dame, Place du Carrousel, &c. &c., are only +esplanades in front of the Cathedral and Tuileries. On the whole, +however, Paris is a much more cheerful place than London. In this +respect there is no comparison between them. + +8 P.M.--Rambled up the road to Garges, which is still nearly as +deserted as ever; but the rags and tatters, and broken glass, +&c., with which the street was strewed, have in a great measure +disappeared. After dinner, Cossack being still rather lame, I rode +Mula through the vineyards to Pierrefitte. The country is much +prettier on that side than with us, being hilly, whereas we are +on a dead level. Our waggon-train officers are doing cavalry with +a vengeance, and making a great swagger among the natives. Took a +round by Villetaneuse--through vineyards, plantations of artichokes, +&c.--and passing along the enclosure of a very handsome domain, with +a fine house of brick, let Mula find her own road home, which she +did very cleverly and very directly. I think (at least on smooth +ground) mules are not so sure-footed as is usually believed and +asserted--perhaps amongst rocks and mountains they may be. + +_6th._--Sunday. + +_7th._--To town as usual this morning for sight-seeing. From the Rue +de Malte took my course through the court of the Louvre and the Place +de Jena, still boarded up, crossed the Pont Neuf, “where it always +blows,” and accordingly did blow there to-day certainly, more than +elsewhere. Henri IV., with his manly countenance and pointed beard, +smiled on me as I made my way through the crowd and plunged into +the gloomy and shabby streets of the Pays Latin. Stopped at a mean, +rather dirty restaurant in the Rue St Jacques, where I got a bad +lunch, of course, and a bottle of sour wine; but for this there was +no remedy, as I did not know of any better in the neighbourhood, to +which I am a stranger. After doubling and threading my way through a +number of dirty obscure streets, which no stranger could have done +in London, I at last came out on the Quai St Bernard, where suddenly +I found myself among hundreds, if not thousands, of pipes of wine +ranged in tiers. It is the Marché aux Vins; and whilst seated upon +one of these pipes enjoying the busy scene around, I mentally bless +the ingenious system of numbering the houses and naming the streets +that has enabled me to steer through such a labyrinth as I have just +passed, and which might so well and so easily be applied in London. +All streets running to the Seine are numbered in _black_; all those +parallel, or nearly so, to the river in _red_. Starting from the +river, the numbers commence in a double series in these transverse +streets; and in the longitudinal streets the series of numbers follow +the course of the stream,--equal numbers always on the right, unequal +on the left. In the same manner the names at the corners of the +streets are of a similar colour to the numbers; and moreover, some +remarkable object, giving a designation to the quarter, is painted +at the corners. The Jardin des Plantes, or du Roi, is adjoining +the Marché aux Vins, and thither I went, walking in amongst other +company without let or hindrance of any kind. In this garden, the +Menagerie, and the Cabinet d’Histoire Naturelle, I passed nearly the +whole afternoon in the most agreeable manner possible. Much as I +had heard of this establishment, the reality rather surpassed than +fell short of it--and sorry I am to say we can boast of nothing at +all equal to it in England; nor, if we did, could our populace be +admitted to it with the same freedom as the more volatile yet more +considerate _badauds_ are to this. Everything would soon be ruined. +The men would trample over the beds, the boys would break down the +hedges and fences; knives would operate in all directions; even +the women would find some means of doing mischief;--in short, it +would never do. Here, on the contrary, it was with pleasure that I +observed people of all classes of society, even beggars, conducting +themselves with a modesty and decency of manner not to be surpassed. +The choice of ground has been very judicious, as the plan presents +a pleasing undulation of surface that gives infinite interest to a +promenade. The botanical part is flat and even, divided by walks +into compartments, each forming a small distinct garden by itself. +These are either enclosed by well-kept hedges, or by rails and rustic +fences of every possible useful fashion--which may serve as models +for those in want of such things. + +These little gardens each contains some family of shrubs or plants, +and are all arranged according to their respective climates. The +dividing walks form most agreeable promenades, as was evinced by the +number of people I found lounging in them, many evidently not taking +any interest in the botanical treasures around. This flat space is +bounded on one side by a magnificent avenue of elms, under the shade +of which are numerous _vendeurs de boissons_ and _de pâtisserie_, +as well as one or two regular restaurateurs. On the other side, the +ground, swelling gently into hill and dale as it were, is fitted +by enclosures of simple rail or strong stockade, as occasion may +require, for the confinement of an elephant or a deer. Here in little +paddocks, with room to move about and a house to shelter them, +we find a number of animals, who, perhaps, well fed as they are, +little regret the loss of liberty. The elephant even has a pond to +wallow in, to the great amusement of the _badauds_ who constantly +throng the stockade. The more savage beasts (_genus Felis_, &c.) +are confined as with us, in dens. It was only in looking over the +catalogue of the menagerie, and finding the beasts enclosed in the +paddocks classed as ruminant and _fauve_, that I remembered we have +no term to translate the latter word. This part of the establishment +is very entertaining, and I lounged away a great part of my time in +wandering about the winding walks between the enclosures, amused by +the curiosity and _naïveté_ of many of the visitors. The menagerie +is separated from the gardens by a rampart and ditch. In the latter +are the bears, great favourites with the public, particularly the +boys, of whom numbers are always hanging on the wall, watching +the heavy animals climbing a high pole set for the purpose. The +hothouses contain all sorts of things; but what interested me were +the palms--some of these I saw out of doors. Just by the hothouses +is a high mount, ascended by a spiral path, bearing a sort of temple +on the top, whence there is an extensive and much-vaunted view over +the city and neighbourhood; but not half so extensive as, nor in any +way comparable to, those from Belleville, Montmartre,[24] and, above +all, from Mont Aurelian. The School of Comparative Anatomy is very +interesting: it contains perfect skeletons of almost every species of +animal, bird, or fish, from the most diminutive to the largest--from +the minnow to the whale, from the shrew-mouse to the mastodon, from +the humming-bird to the condor. + +Evening was drawing on, and I ran hastily through the two floors of +the Cabinet of Natural History, that I might get home before dark. +The entrance to the Jardin des Plantes, by a handsome _grille_ from +the quay opposite the Pont d’Austerlitz, is very good, but I could +not stop to admire it; and hurrying along the _quais_, instead of +blundering amongst the streets, succeeded again in just getting home +in time. + +_August 8th._--It seems as if I were destined always to fall under +the Duke’s displeasure, and to be the victim of his injustice. When +I called on Sir Augustus Frazer this morning at the Hotel du Nord, +the first greeting I got on entering the room was, “_Mercer, you +are released from arrest!_” At first I thought this a joke, but Sir +Augustus assured me seriously that I had not only been in arrest, +but _that_, too, ever since our review on the 24th ultimo. He then +told me that I had not been the only unfortunate. Himself and Major +M’Donald had been supposed under arrest at the same time and for the +same _crime_; and what was this?--this very grave crime for which +two field officers and a captain had actually been under ignominious +punishment for a whole fortnight? In the column of review on the +24th ultimo, my troop was on the extreme left (or rear), except +the two brigades of 18-pounders. Our order of marching past was +in column of divisions (we have three divisions), and my post for +saluting was considerably in front of the leading one, to leave room +for the division officers at open order, consequently I was fully +a hundred yards distant from my rear-division when passing the +Duke. Now it so fell out that, at that very moment, a horse of one +of the rear-division carriages got his leg over a trace. The limber +gunners, with their wonted activity, were off, cleared the leg, +remounted, all in sufficient time for the division to pass his Grace +steadily and in good order. But this little halt, momentary as it +was, checked the 18-pounders; and Ilbert, or whoever commanded them, +ignorant of the saluting-point, trotted up to regain his distance, +until suddenly, seeing the sovereigns and their suite, he resumed +his walk too late, and passed them in confusion. The Duke fell into +one of his furious passions, asked how this happened, and (what he +did with the foot-artillery I know not) immediately despatched the +Adjutant-General to put Sir Augustus Frazer, Major M’Donald, and +myself under arrest. The two former, however, had departed; and +whilst the Adjutant-General was struggling through the crowd after +me, I had cleared the Rue Royale, and setting off at a trot down the +Boulevard, had turned down the Rue de Clichy, consequently was out +of sight ere he reached the Boulevard, where he gave up the pursuit +and said no more about it. Whether the Duke forgot us, or whether he +purposely kept us in arrest, we are left to conjecture--certain it +is, that we three actually appear by name in the General’s orders of +yesterday as released from our arrest. _Mens conscia recti_--I snap +my fingers at the disgrace. + +Leaving Sir Augustus, I accompanied Bell to his pretty lodging in +the Rue Mont Blanc. I don’t know who the people are, but it is an +uncommonly genteel, well-furnished, well-appointed house. A young +gentleman there is who visits Bell occasionally, and a young lady who +serenades him (if I may so apply the term) continually. She touches +the piano well, has a musical voice, and sings with taste. “L’Exile” +is the favourite just now, a pretty song, which, from so often +hearing there, I shall always henceforward associate with Bell’s +nicely-furnished apartment, and the little pleasure-ground, of some +thirty or forty feet square, with one or two acacias in it. Frazer, +too, has very handsome rooms in the Hotel du Nord, richly furnished, +with green silk window-curtains, &c. &c. Sir Edward Kerrison and +old Platoff also live there. Passed the remainder of this morning +lounging about the Boulevard, as much amused as on the first day. All +the fun, crowd, &c., I observe, is confined to the right side going +up from the Rue Royale; on the left there is comparatively nobody, +except, perhaps, at the Porte St Denis and St Martin, through which +(or rather by which) a crowd is continually setting, and one is +deafened by the importunate clamours of fifty cabriolet-drivers, all +calling at once, “Voiture, Monsieur--Voiture?” “St Denis, Monsieur?” +“Memorency, Monsieur?” “Garges, Monsieur?” “Arnouville?” &c. &c. +These fellows are most active rogues, and their carriages very +convenient, and far more agreeable than the fiacres; and that is the +opinion of the public in general, I presume, from seeing one fiacre +plying for ten cabriolets or coucous, or whatever name they go by. +The coachmen of the former are so well aware of this, that they +generally are dozing on their boxes, giving themselves no trouble in +looking for customers. Perhaps, however, this may arise from their +being only servants, whilst the others are themselves the proprietors +of the vehicles they drive. Although conscious that these _portes_ +are in reality triumphal arches, yet I never pass them without +experiencing something of the same feeling with which one would view +the magnificent bridge built by Philip II. over the dry bed of the +Manzanares if ignorant of the impetuous floods to which that river is +liable. The Boulevard presented if anything a more busy, noisy scene +than usual. The Turk I found with an attentive and apparently much +interested audience, whom he was haranguing with vociferations and +gesticulations truly astounding. In vain I tried to catch the purport +of his harangue--the curious _badauds_ were packed so close, and so +firmly maintained their ground, that it was impossible to approach +one inch into the circle. I lounged on and admired the beautiful +Fontaine de Bondy, or de Lions, I know not which it is called, but +its sheets of falling water are singular, and I think it a beautiful +fountain. What a magnificent air these fountains give to the town! +How refreshing and delightful is the splashing of their waters in +warm weather! and oh! the contrast presented to them by our conduits, +&c.--shapeless masses of masonry or brickwork, with a brass cock +stuck in each side, or mayhap the said brass cock protruding from a +common wall. + +The French are an ingenious people, and contrive a thousand +curious, uncommon, and often admirable devices for opening people’s +purses, instead of sticking to the unvaried, dismal chant of our +beggars--although “_Pour l’amour de Dieu_” is not uncommon here. +Our wretches drive one away, but the gentlemen of whom I speak +grasp, retain, and even squeeze their auditors as one would a +lemon. Nor do they always assume the repulsive rags, &c., which +our beggars think so essential to obtain their end. An instance +of this I frequently meet on the Boulevard St Martin--an elderly +man, of a grave physiognomy, well featured, and of rather a genteel +appearance, clad in garments somewhat seedy, though fashionably cut. +This man I stumbled on to-day at the corner of the Rue du Temple +lecturing on moral philosophy. Like the Turk, he had a numerous and +attentive audience, but, generally speaking, composed of a better +description of people. To a clear, sonorous voice, he added a +manner demonstrative without being dogmatic, and persuasive without +betraying doubt of his own powers. He defined the motives and rules +of human actions, and showed that these rules are immutable--that we +cannot violate them with impunity. He then went at some length into +the morals of the ancients, touched on the doctrine of expediency, +on the desire of distinction, ambition, &c., and very naturally, +though cautiously, introduced as an illustration Napoleon. No one +could mistake the sensation produced by this magic name--a sensation +which, having produced, he proceeded to neutralise by gradually +slipping into the connection between religion and morality. I left +him explaining the insufficiency of natural religion, &c. Although +this man does not beg, there is no doubt he makes a good trade of +preaching; numerous were the offerings silently put into his hand +and quietly pocketed without once interrupting the thread of his +discourse. Another actor of the same description is a man who usually +frequents the northern entrance of the Passage Feydeau: an immense +power of grimace, and amazing execution on the violin, are the means +by which he gains his daily bread. Clad in an old threadbare frock, +that once was brown, with a pair of enormous spectacles riding +astride on his prominent nose, he takes his stand on the steps at +the entrance of the passage. Heels close together, body drawn up at +attention, and with his gaze directed upwards at the window of the +fourth storey of the opposite house, he appears perfectly unconscious +of the presence of the admiring crowd assembled round him, whilst +he executes with astonishing justness, feeling, and rapidity, the +most difficult passages from some of the favourite composers of the +day--distorting his face all the time in a manner so wonderfully +ludicrous that his really excellent music is almost drowned by the +uncontrollable laughter of the surrounding multitude. These are some +of the many means employed in this gay metropolis for extracting +coin out of the pockets of their fellow-men. Gay, however, as it is, +misery exists here as well as elsewhere, and I shudder even now at +the harrowing tale Bell told me this morning of suicide, to which +he was witness a day or two ago. Passing through the Place Vendome, +he observed several people looking anxiously up at the Column of +Austerlitz, and naturally turning his eyes in the same direction, +beheld a man in the act of climbing over the rails of the gallery, +having effected which, he deliberately lowered himself down until he +hung suspended by the arms over the frightful depth below. In this +position he remained a few seconds, perhaps as if repenting him of +the rash act he was about to perpetrate; but, unable to recover the +gallery, he eventually let go his hold, and was dashed to pieces on +the pavement at the foot of the column: the very idea is harrowing! + +A trait of the times, and a very striking one too, which a person +meets with at almost every step in walking about Paris, is the +announcement of the change of dynasty--from an empire to a +kingdom--exhibited in the titles of shops, _lycées_, and every other +establishment; the old word _imperiale_ slightly painted over to +make way for the more humble _royale_--_lycée royale_, &c.--which +is sometimes painted over it, but more frequently by the side of it, +leaving the former word quite legible through the thin daub of paint +laid over it. The postilions, too, are changing their imperial green +livery for the royal blue; yet this change goes on but slowly, for +we still see many of the numerous English equipages daily arriving +brought in by postilions in green livery jackets. In the palaces and +other public buildings, the letter N was abundantly introduced into +all the architectural decorations, besides the armorial bearings +of the Emperor: workmen have been some time employed effacing or +altering all these. Wherever it is possible, the obnoxious letter is +removed altogether; but where that is not the case, which happens +frequently, it is changed into an H and the numeral IV. added. These +and many other changes incident to the present state give a curious +aspect to the nation, and afford much food for speculation and +contemplation. Met my old schoolfellow Courtnay Ilbert coming out of +town, and we rode together to St Denis, where his 18-pounder brigade +is stationed. On reaching home found that M. Fauigny has been here. +Poor man! he is not likely to get much from me. + +_August 9th._--Not quite well this morning, but I went to town to +meet Hitchins, and make a sight-seeing day of it. Accordingly we have +done pretty well, galloping through the Luxembourg, Les Monumens, and +wandering over almost the whole southern part of Paris. I can’t say, +however, that this has been to me a day of much interest; I prefer +a thousand times wandering about the town by myself--observing the +habits, manners, &c., of the people--to all the sight-seeing; but I +allowed Hitchins to shame me out of the idea of leaving Paris without +seeing everything. Much, however, I fear I shall have to blush for, +if that be necessary, and amongst others the theatres, not one of +which have I ever entered yet. The Luxembourg is a fine palace, +and I like its style of architecture much better than that of the +Tuileries, though it is vilely situated. The gardens are much the +same--parterres, ponds, ramparts--_voilà tout_. The great attractions +here are the Chamber of Peers, and the Galleries of Rubens, Vernet, +and of the French Raphael Le Sueur. The first I cannot bear, spite of +his beautiful colouring and well-managed _chiaro-oscuro_--allegory +is my abomination; the pictures of the second are more to my taste; +but the blue works of the French Raphael I could not appreciate. +Besides these, we saw a multitude of other masterpieces; and I was +particularly pleased at having an opportunity of seeing some by +David, of whom I have heard so much. Here disappointment awaited me, +and a glance at the “Judgment of Brutus” satisfied me--all yellow +and glare, and extravagant attitudes. Surely the human spine would +never admit of being doubled in the manner of the fainting female +introduced in the foreground of this picture--a perfect parabola. To +reach the Chamber of Peers, we passed through a grove of orange-trees +in boxes, and then mounted a very fine staircase ornamented with +statues of great men, among which two were very spirited--those of +Condorcet and of General Dessaix, said to be likenesses; I had no +idea the latter was so young. The Chamber itself is a very handsome +semicircular hall, having the President’s desk in the centre of +the chord, and those of the members round the curve. Beyond this +is the Salle de la Paix, a very handsome room, the walls of which +are covered with paintings by David, representing the victories of +Napoleon, weakly enough hid with green baize, and not allowed to be +seen. + +Of the monuments I have little worth recording. Interesting specimens +there are of French sculpture of every age--all preserved by M. +Lenoir from revolutionary Vandalism. The only thing, however, that +I remember worth noticing, is the tomb of Louis XII. (I think), on +which the corpses of himself and queen soon after death are laid out: +the countenance of the king is expressive of great suffering. The +horrid truth of this sculpture, aided by the colour of the marble--so +completely that of a corpse--leads one to believe that it must by +some means have been actually copied from nature. In a little yard, +about twenty feet square, and surrounded by the high walls of the +neighbouring houses, stands the Paraclete. Its situation is a sad +drawback to the interest one might otherwise take in this specimen +of ancient architecture, for in the history of the Castrato and his +love I can take none. In wandering about the town, amongst other +places we stumbled upon were the poultry or game market, and that +of flowers--two opposite extremes. The first is a very handsome +building on the Quai des Grand Augustins, and this being one of the +days on which the game, &c., arrives, the quantity was prodigious; +but the smell was more than we could stand, and obliged us to a very +precipitate retreat; so, crossing to the Cité, we rambled on, and +quite by accident found ourselves in the empire of Flora, redolent of +mignonette and a thousand other odoriferous plants, and presenting +a _coup d’œil_ not to be excelled: hortensias and camellias appeared +quite common. The Parisian flower-sellers are adepts in making up +nosegays, and, I believe, understand using them as the language of +love like the Turks. Tired with our walk, we returned to Hardi’s, +where, having made an excellent dinner, we separated; and here I am +half asleep recording the day. + +_Sunday, 13th._--I have been idle as to writing since Wednesday, but +not so otherwise, having been every day in town; in the mean time, +domestic transactions require some notice. Our vineyards are blessed +this year with a most extraordinary crop of grapes, to secure which +from marauders I have acceded to M. Bonnemain’s petition in behalf +of the villagers, and established a regular patrol of our men--a +precaution certainly most necessary, seeing what neighbours we have: +at Pierrefitte the waggon-train; on the other side, bivouacking +along the chaussée from Garges to St Denis, Jones’s corps of Belgian +waggoners, five hundred in number, men totally unacquainted with the +restraints of military discipline, with full leisure to meditate +mischief, and most persevering foragers for their horses, which +are their own private property; in our rear, at Garges, &c., are +our savage and lawless friends of Nassau, and some Belgians. So +surrounded, vigilance becomes absolutely necessary, not only for +the sake of our villagers, but also for our own; and nothing has +gained their affections, or united us more, than the establishment +of this patrol, especially since it has taken some prisoners. The +other day the _garde champêtre_ detected soldiers stealing along +amongst the vines, but not daring to go near them himself, hurried +into the village and reported it to the sergeant-major, Oliphant, +who lost no time in despatching a corporal and four mounted gunners +in pursuit. The fellows were soon taken and brought in triumph to my +house, the _garde champêtre_ stalking at the head of the procession +in his cocked-hat and broad _bandoulière_, prisoners between the +escort--M. le Maire and some twenty peasants, making more noise with +their _sabots_ than the iron hoofs of the horses, bringing up the +rear. The unfortunates were Belgians, quite lads, so I held a sort of +court-baron in my yard, and upon their expressing great contrition, +and begging a thousand pardons, at M. Bonnemain’s request I forgave +them, but sent the escort to see them home to Garges, whence they +came. The effect on the villagers has been very good--they have all +become the most kindly obliging creatures possible, and our men are +as thick as brothers with them; I trust this harmony may continue. I +have likewise another source of amusement, which makes my residence +here more agreeable--I have hired a very good violin, and bought some +music. The offhanded liberal manner in which Madame Duhan informed +me of the hire, and allowed me to take away the instrument, stranger +as I was to her, without any security, surprised me much. I rather +think none of our musicsellers in London would lend even their worst +instrument to a Frenchman in the same manner. On Thursday last I +went to see the Bibliothèque Royale, a magnificent establishment, +and where I passed a most delightful morning; it is in the Hotel de +Colbert, Rue de Richelieu, from which street the main entrance opens +into a square court surrounded by the building, and having in its +centre a naked statue of Diana in bronze, of fine execution, but in +my opinion misplaced here. + +The library occupies two entire and part of a third side of the +quadrangle (about 300,000 volumes), and is on the most liberal +footing. Any well-dressed person is freely admitted, and may range +about unobstructed; but he must touch nothing. Chairs, tables, pens, +and ink, are there for those who wish to write, and servants, in +rich liveries of blue and silver lace, are in attendance to furnish +the books required. These people are positively forbidden to accept +anything from the visitors; and yet no one can be more obligingly +attentive. In the Cabinet des Medailles are many curiosities; +amongst the most interesting, I thought, were the iron chair of King +Dagobert, and a silver disc found in the Rhone, and supposed to have +been the shield of Scipio--I don’t know why. Two enormous globes, +more than 12 feet in diameter, are mounted on the ground-floor, and +circular apertures have been opened in the floor above to admit part +of their circumference through it. The fourth side of the quadrangle +is a most delightful lounge; it is the Cabinet des Gravures. In +this are preserved specimens of the works of every artist of every +nation--from the most ancient period down to the present. The +collection is immense, and is the constant resort of all the artists +of the capital, and a crowd of picture-loving people. I could pass +whole days there, so interesting is the collection, and so great the +facility of using it. This place occupied my morning so completely +that I had barely time to get my _potage à la julienne_, &c., and +come home before dark. + +_Friday._--It sounds oddly to an English ear, smuggling into a town +from the country; but the free circulation that exists throughout our +country is unknown here. Everything is examined at the _barrière_. +What would our farmers and their wives say if they were liable to +be stopped at the gate of every principal town, and their loads of +hay, or baskets of eggs, &c., submitted to the scrutiny of excisemen? +Several loads of hay preceded me this morning as I rode through the +Faubourg St Denis. At the _barrière_ the column was halted, and as +the passage was blocked up, I was obliged to wait patiently and see +every load as it passed in succession probed through and through by +the officers with long iron skewers, to ascertain that nothing was +concealed amongst the hay. The signs exhibited by the various shops +in Paris are often quaint and amusing. A description of them would +fill a volume. The one which calls forth this remark struck me as +I entered the Palais Royal this morning from the Rue Vivienne. I +don’t well know how to designate the sort of shop which exhibits +the sign of the “Gourmand;” they are numerous in this part of the +town, and I think more nearly resemble our Italian warehouse than +any other. Here is to be procured every dainty that can stimulate +the palate--pickles, preserves, hams, tongues, hung-beef, cheese, +dried fruits, nuts of all sorts, sauces, dried and cured fish,--in +short, everything. The _enseigne_ of this shop represents a fat +greedy-looking fellow seated at a table, under which his legs are +spread out. The table is covered with every kind of dainty, which, +whilst discussing a large salmon, he is eagerly devouring with +the eyes. If the Boulevard is amusing for the life and movement +it exhibits, so is the Palais Royal in a high degree, and to the +charms of the former it adds that of an endless variety of rich and +beautiful articles of dress, _vertu_, and a number of others, which +employ me incessantly at the windows. The display of elegant little +toys in Bobon’s window is scarcely to be surpassed--such little +beauties of watches,[25] not larger than half-a-crown, cases most +tastefully chased and set in rich pearls; in other shops rich and +elegant shawls, _fichus_, and silks, of the most splendid colours; +then jewellery, so much taste combined with costliness; then cutlery +and works in steel, &c. &c.; and not the least amusing, the numerous +cafés or restaurants. The crowd under the arcades is as varied as +it is immense. If, on entering from Rue Vivienne, one turns to the +right, not many paces in that direction will bring him in front of +the favourite haunt of Austrian and Prussian officers. It resembles +a great conservatory, being all glass, and is in the garden, not +in the house, whence every refreshment has to be brought across +the piazza. About 2 or 3 every afternoon this is crowded, and it +then reminds me of a glass bee-hive, from the busy stir within, and +the facility of observing this from without. The celebrated Café +aux Milles Colonnes is not far off, up-stairs about half-way down +the next branch. I lounged up to it and was disappointed. A decent +_salle_ enough, which, being everywhere panelled with mirrors, the +green marble columns are reflected so repeatedly as to give some +colour to the appellation assumed by the establishment. There are +several rooms; but whether the place is only frequented at night +on certain days, or that something _fâcheux_ had occurred, I know +not--certain it was not in a state to receive company, wherefore +I made no further advance than to the door, and having peeped in, +wheeled down-stairs again. Amongst other curiosities of Paris I have +often stood and contemplated the air of importance and grave bustle +of an establishment unknown to us in London, where the operation in +question is performed in a very modest manner in the public streets. +This morning I walked into the shop of a fashionable _décrotteur_, +that I might see more perfectly all the detail of this most useful +business. The _salon_, a large room, was lighted by numerous windows +near the ceiling (these, like other artists, affecting a preference +for light coming from above: thus I have seen many receiving it +through skylights). The handsomest establishment of this kind is +in the Passage des Panoramas. A certain degree of taste, too, was +visible in the decorations and arrangement of several large mirrors +(mirrors are indispensable to a Frenchman). A sort of divan, a few +feet broad, extended nearly round the apartment, on which were many +gentlemen seated on chairs, gravely reading the daily papers; whilst +one foot, raised on a sort of iron resembling the scraper at a door, +was being operated on by a journeyman _décrotteur_, who rubbed and +polished away with most admirable despatch and dexterity. In the +middle of the room stood the master-spirit, superintending the +active operations of his myrmidons, receiving the acknowledgment for +services performed, ushering the one out of the shop and the other +up to the divans, conversing with the newly-arrived aspirants, and +doing the amiable everywhere. A good-looking, well-dressed man this +master-shoeblack, who might easily be mistaken for a minister. + +Disappointment awaits the man who, having read or heard the French +account of any place in France or the French dominions, expects to +find it realised, or even nearly so. With them all is exaggeration +and bombast; even the accounts of their most respectable and +veracious writers, in all matters relating to France or the French, +must be received _cum grano salis_. Disappointment certainly was +mine after reading and hearing so much of the several gardens (as +Frascatin, Tivoli, the Jardins Turc and du Prince) when I turned +into the latter of these two celebrated places in the Boulevard +du Temple. Certes, I took it _en déshabillé_, for the evening and +by lamp-light is its hour of triumph, and then I am here always. +The guide-book speaks of “un jardin agréable.” What did I find? +Certainly no garden--a yard (gravelled) divided by hedges (such +ones as may be expected in a town) into several compartments, in +which are a few boxes; one side bounded by the _salle_, with its +usual accompaniments--the others, by gables or back walls of the +neighbouring houses; figure irregular, and space very confined. +Having nothing fixed for Friday, I made a wandering day of it. +Up one gloomy street, down another; at last found myself in the +Place des Innocens, in which is held the principal vegetable-market +of Paris. The Place is large but gloomy; houses very high, of a +dark-coloured stone, and in the usual French style, windows open, +and exhibiting all the variety of clothes hanging to dry, flowers, +rich curtains and common ones, &c. &c., incident to buildings +inhabited by so many different families. The area presented a +varied, characteristic, and moreover an interesting picture. The +whole space was covered with large umbrellas, fixed upright over +the different tables, &c., the convex surfaces of which, of all the +hues of the rainbow (pink predominating), reminded me strongly of +the _testudo_ of the ancients. Amidst these arose, to the height +of some forty or fifty feet, the noble Fontaine des Innocens, with +its fine _nappes d’eau_. Not only the Marché itself, but the Rue de +la Ferronnerie, and several adjacent ones, seem quite the focus of +business, such stir and bustle do they present. The profusion of +fruits and vegetables in this market is remarkable, more particularly +when it is remembered that not only Paris itself, but also the whole +neighbouring country, is occupied by countless hosts of foreigners. +The old ladies, seated under their immense umbrellas (formed +generally of alternate pink and white breadths), or stumping about +in their _sabots_, give a very animated air to this scene, which, +however, is rendered less pleasing from the overpowering smell of +decayed and decaying vegetable matter profusely strewed over the +pavement. It is an amusing place this Marché, and although only now +mentioned, I have visited it more than once. Besides this, there are +numerous other markets in different parts of the town, the neatest +of which, and one that I always have pleasure in passing through, +because always clean, is the Marché des Jacobins, off the Rue St +Honoré, and not far from the Place Vendome. Speaking of these markets +reminds me of the Abattoir de Montmartre, which I frequently pass +in my way in or out of town, one of several buildings in different +quarters destined for the slaughter of cattle--a most excellent +arrangement, since the blood and filth which usually pollute the +kennels in the neighbourhood of our slaughter-houses, the disgusting +stench arising from them, and the consequent deterioration and +unhealthiness of the surrounding atmosphere, are completely obviated. + +Yesterday (Saturday) I devoted to another visit to the Louvre and +its interesting collections. What crowds of English and other +foreigners! The gallery of pictures exhibits just now a new +feature--French and other artists, with their easels, &c., busily +employed copying many of the pictures of which they are soon to be +deprived. Among them, working with the utmost composure, were two +or three women. But women mix themselves up in every transaction in +this country--even in war, as has been illustrated in the formation +of our Amazonian battalion at Stain. Somehow or another the statues +have more attraction for me than the pictures. The _salles_ are +less crowded than the gallery, consequently one is quieter and more +at liberty to contemplate these admirable sculptures at leisure. +The naming of these, however, appears to me very gratuitous, and I +much doubt whether one half of those in the catalogues are properly +designated. Faun is a very vague term. What absorbing reflections +arise in the mind whilst wandering amongst this collection of cold +marble stones! Even when, as has happened occasionally, I have +been the only individual in the vast apartment, it has been hard +to fancy myself alone, so surrounded by beauteous forms, amongst +which such perfect harmony of expression reigns--not an attitude +or gesture amongst them but what is ease and elegance; nothing +constrained, nothing proud, forced, or unnatural; in all, passion, +emotion, repose and tranquillity, love, anger, joy, sorrow--all, all +expressed by these marble stones in language not to be misunderstood. +How powerful is the imagination! These forms address themselves +peculiarly to it. Some excite a train of thought associated +intimately, I might say inseparably, with historical recollections; +others, again, are associated with sensations of voluptuousness, +which, however repressed, cannot be excluded entirely--beautiful +rounded forms associated with our sense of feeling, and conveying to +the too ready imagination ideas of softness and elasticity. How much +more we should appreciate these splendid specimens of human skill and +conception, could we contemplate them separately and alone, instead +of thus jumbled together and in public. In the Salle d’Apollon, +however, I think this inimitable statue rather favoured by his +company, amongst which are several Egyptian statues, the constrained +positions of which--knees pressed together, arms hanging straight +down by the side, stiff draperies, and angular ornaments--contrast +strikingly with the elegant contour and graceful attitude of this +masterpiece by an unknown hand. In this same _salle_ are two chairs +in beautiful _rouge_ antique, both of them found in the Roman baths, +and said to have been used in the middle ages at the inauguration of +the Popes. Pius VI. restored them to the Museum of the Vatican as +antiques, and thence they came here. + +I cannot admire the coloured walls of these _salles_: there is +something in them that does not accord with the severity of statuary, +and it struck me that one uniform tint, perhaps maroon, would +considerably enhance the _éclat_ of these fine statues. Nor do I +admire these imitations of nature being perched upon pedestals: were +the Venus, for instance, placed on the floor, or on a low platform +as the Apollo is, I think it would add considerably to her interest. +Every visit to this splendid collection adds to my wonder and +admiration, and I returned yesterday evening with my mind full of +enthusiasm for the science which could so nobly conceive, and the art +which could so skilfully execute, these exquisite productions of the +chisel. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + + +I believe in a former part of this journal I noticed a chateau +belonging to an Admiral Rosily. It is situated quite at the +extremity, or rather beyond the village, on the road to Garges, and +therefore so far out of the way that, except to visit the stables +(for we have a detachment in it), I never have paid any attention +to it, and suffered the people to do as they please. On my return +yesterday evening from Paris I found the following letter:-- + + “_Ce 11 Août 1815._ + + “MONSIEUR LE COMMANDANT,--J’apprends que vous faites mettre des + chevaux chez moi. Le Duc de Wellington connoit les destructions + qu’on a causé dans ma maison, il avoit bien voulu même me donner + une sauve garde, qui n’a plus en lieu depuis que le regiment de + Lord Portarlington est parti pour Amiens. + + “Je vous prie seulement, que les hommes qui ont soin des + chevaux n’entrent point dans mon jardin, et respectent ma + propriété.--J’ai l’honneur d’être, Monsieur le Commandant, votre + serviteur, + + “L’AMIRAL COMTE DE ROSILY.” + +The Admiral has taken a much more efficacious way of preserving +his property in thus committing it to my care instead of making a +complaint to the Duke, and certainly a more gentlemanly one. I walked +down to it this afternoon, and was surprised to find a spacious, +well-kept, and most productive garden, enclosed by a high wall, one +side of which runs along the side of the road to Garges, and the +other along the lane leading up to the village. The house is large, +but its exterior not handsome; some fine rooms within, but every +scrap of furniture had been removed before our arrival. In the rear, +all the offices carefully numbered, and their names and uses painted +in large letters on the doors, “_vacherie_,” “_laitérie_,” &c. &c. +Our men have behaved well and destroyed nothing, and the produce of +the garden has suffered little, the officer of the division having +preserved it for himself. I have given directions which no doubt +will leave the Admiral no room to repent of the step he has taken, +although it is not possible to remove the men and horses. + +The Duke, it seems, continues to bear malice. I cantered up this +morning to Paris, and called on Sir G. Wood to beg him to forward +my application for two months’ leave of absence, which he declined +doing, as he said it would not be prudent just now “_to remind the +Duke of me in any way_.” Rather hard and unjust this! + +In the anteroom, at the Rue de Richelieu (Sir George’s quarter) I +met Captain Light (Bull-dog, as he was called at the academy). He is +just returning from Egypt, where he has been travelling, and tells me +that he ascended the Nile farther than any one yet. All the honour +and glory attending his expedition he would have gladly exchanged for +that of having served the campaign with us. He much blamed himself +for not having done so. Sir George wanted me to stay and dine, but I +begged off. + +_16th._--The vengeance of the Duke has at last fallen on the 5th +Division, and it must be confessed they deserve it, having ruined one +of the prettiest villages and some of the most charming villas in the +neighbourhood of Paris. It is said that damages are laid at £5000, +and that the Duke has ordered it to be paid. There is, however, no +depending on reports, everything is sure to be so much exaggerated. +Nothing else to-day, except that I took my usual ride into Paris, +where I lounged away the time principally in shopping, &c. + +_20th._--I can hardly tell how, but true it is that my time for +writing is wonderfully curtailed, although in reality I have so +little to do. The journeys to and from town occupy much time; and now +that we are, as it were, settled, people have taken to visiting, so +that we have frequently dinner company, which forbids all attempts at +nocturnal writing. Sunday is my quietest day in general, although not +always. To-day I passed my morning in strolling about the park of the +chateau, the village, &c. Our scenery is too flat to be very pretty, +although the chaussées on either side of us, with their fine elms, +are noble avenues. These are the roads from Pierrefitte and Garges, +which unite near St Denis. There are several spots in the park +affording interesting peeps in the direction of Paris. Having a clump +of picturesque trees in the immediate foreground, the level verdant +carpet stretches away until bounded by the rich masses of foliage +of elms bordering the chaussée, above which tower the light spires +of the Abbey of St Denis; farther on, an opening in the avenue +allows the eye to range over the naked plain of St Denis, bounded in +the extreme distance by the heights of Montmartre and Belleville, +with the dome of St Genevieve rearing itself in the gap between. +Except such peeps, our view is everywhere confined by the foliage +and the rising ground extending all round our rear from Garges to +Pierrefitte. Water, or the want of it rather, is a great drawback on +the scenery about the district: true, there are two or three muddy +rivulets, such as the Rouillon, La Vieille Mer, Crouy, &c., but they +are too insignificant and too much encased to aid in any way the +scenery. + +Yesterday, when I called at the Hotel du Nord, I was surprised at +meeting Lady Frazer, her brother, and two sisters (Dr James and the +Misses Lind). + +The festival of our patron saint was celebrated last Thursday with +much merriment and conviviality, and it was very pleasing to see +the familiar and confident manner in which our people mingled in +the amusements of the day, and the cordiality with which they were +treated by the villagers. + +The favourite (indeed, the principal) game played by the young men +was one resembling our trap-ball, with this difference, that instead +of a trap, the ball was made to rebound from a large sieve placed on +the ground, and propped upon one side so as to present an inclined +surface. In the evening a most animated dance was kept up in the park +until a comparatively late hour. + +Angélique was the distinguished belle of the evening, and by far the +best (as she was the stoutest) _danseuse_, although they all dance +well. As I saw her swinging through the figure, “Cutty-sark” came +forcibly to my recollection, and mentally I exclaimed “weel done,” +&c. We were at mess when M. Bonnemain called to announce that all was +ready, but that he had forbidden the commencing until the sanction of +M. le Commandant was obtained. + +This is of a piece with his whole conduct now: everything that passes +in the village I am made acquainted with; he has even confided to me +several important family secrets;--in short, on every affair, even +of the slightest moment, M. le Commandant is consulted. Moreover, M. +Bonnemain pays me a regular visit at ten every morning to know my +pleasure for the day. Several ridiculous petitions to the Duke (all +of which he attends to) have been suppressed, and the complainants +brought before me. But this is out of fashion; at present nobody +thinks of complaining; we are all too good friends for that. Nor is +this all: I begin to have hopes that my Fauigny affair has at last +obtained a proper hearing, since an officer sent by Sir Edward Barnes +came down to inquire how matters stand, and whether I have as yet +paid any of the money. + +_August 21st._--Called at Rue de Richelieu this morning to learn from +Sir George Wood what is in the wind, but he knew nothing about it.[26] + +_August 26th._--I find an undoubted communication from Sir George +Wood’s major of brigade (Captain Baynes, R.A.), informing me that the +Fauigny (or lead) affair had assumed a more favourable appearance, +and that Sir George desired I would take no further steps in it until +I heard again from him. This is established; but then follow some +contradictions which I cannot reconcile, and must therefore note them +down as they are, rather than lose them altogether. M. Fauigny, quite +elated at the attention paid to his first complaint, had employed an +appraiser, or some such person, to draw up a complete estimate of +furniture destroyed, and every sort of damage done to the chateau, +with which he again waited on the Duke, in the hope that all would be +ordered to be paid as before. This time, however, he was unfortunate +in arriving just as the Duke dismounted, in a very ill humour, at +his residence in the Elysée Bourbon. With true French effrontery, +M. Fauigny followed his Grace up the grand staircase. Arrived at +the landing, the Duke, probably observing him for the first time, +turned sharply, demanding, “What the devil do you want, sir?” Nothing +daunted by this rough address, M. Fauigny mentioned his subject in a +few words, presenting at the same time his _bill_, instead of taking +which, the Duke, turning hastily away, in his usual rough manner, +exclaimed to his aide-de-camp, “Pooh!--kick the rascal down-stairs!” +Such is the story as I got it--whether exactly true or not is more +than I can now decide; but this much is certain, that Sir Edward +Barnes immediately communicated to Sir George Wood M. Fauigny’s +discomfiture, adding, “Send word of this to your friend Captain +Mercer, and let him do as he pleases about the lead.” + +As I had been anxious for some time to get leave and go to England, +I find by the same memorandum that I went that same day to ask Sir +George to make an application for me, which, however, he would not +do, telling me that the Duke had refused leave (and very angrily) to +Captain Cleeve of the German Legion Artillery, though summoned to his +father’s deathbed. That I eventually escaped paying a heavy sum of +money for depredations committed by others, is not attributable to +the Duke of Wellington’s sense of justice, but to the irritability of +his temper. An officer holding a command in his army (particularly of +cavalry or artillery) was in constant jeopardy--constantly struggling +to reconcile two contradictions: 1st, to conciliate the natives, +and thus prevent complaints; and 2d, to keep his men comfortable +and horses _fat_ (that is the word), which could only be done at +the expense of the natives. These, encouraged by the Duke’s orders, +proclamations, &c., were never backward in complaining--indeed, they +soon became insufferably insolent: and whilst affecting to admire and +praise the _grand Vellangton_, and draw comparisons between him and +Blucher and his Prussian _thieves_ (for so they invariably termed +them)--“_voleurs Prussiens_”--they in reality laughed at us; whilst +even the private soldiers of the Prussian army were (to their face, +at least) treated with the most reverential deference. A sad contrast +there was between our relative situations. As for gratitude, the +wretches have not one grain of it. Many actually imagine that motives +of fear have induced the Duke to adopt this (to them) strange line of +conduct. + +However severe his Grace may be in this respect, he is easy and +indulgent in another which materially concerns our comfort--I +mean dress. Every one pleases his fancy in the selection of his +costume--some wear plain clothes; others, though in uniform (I speak +of visiting and walking about Paris), choose to be unencumbered with +sword or sash. Many cavalry men, &c., like, in this hot weather, to +go with jackets open, with white or fancy waistcoats, &c. Some wear +mustaches, others beards; others, again, both beard and mustaches. A +neglect of military uniformity so striking, and so much in contrast +with the precision and strictness of costume observed by all the +other armies, could not but be noticed. Accordingly, it is said, +one of the monarchs (Emperor Alexander, I have heard) made an +observation on the subject to the Duke, who, feeling himself called +on to do something, gave out a general order on the subject, in which +he directed that all officers of the British army appearing in the +streets of Paris should be dressed either wholly in plain clothes +or in the strict uniform of their corps. No doubt which was chosen. +There is another general order of the Duke’s quoted, and the cause +of it--for which, however, I do not vouch, having never seen it. The +story is this: An English officer, walking on the Boulevard, was +rudely pushed off the path by a French gentleman, whom the Englishman +immediately knocked down. The person so treated happened to be a +marshal; and he, without loss of time, complained to the Duke, though +unable to identify his man. His Grace in consequence issued a general +order commenting on the outrage offered to a person of such high +distinction, and winding up with desiring that British officers would +in future abstain from beating marshals of France, &c. But I have +digressed from the thread of my discourse, to which I must return, +and endeavour to render it as connected as my disjointed records, +aided by memory, will admit of. + +After leaving Sir G. Wood’s, I find no notice of further +transactions until the evening, when, accompanied by Ambrose (our +troop surgeon), I set off to ride home by the Rue de St Denis and +La Chapelle. Returning through La Chapelle accompanied by Ambrose, +a fellow sitting on his cart drove against him. Ambrose’s temper +is rather peppery, and he repaid the affront by a cut across the +shoulders with his horse-whip. The carter, standing up in his cart, +fell furiously on Ambrose in return with his whip, and a regular +battle ensued, Ambrose trying to mount the cart, the other keeping +him down and flogging him. In a twinkling a crowd assembled, and +from reviling soon came to active operations; but I rode round the +cart and prevented interference. At last they began to throw stones. +This was too much. I drew my sword and charged in all directions, +everywhere scattering the wretches like chaff, and thus kept the +cowardly herd at bay until Ambrose succeeded in mounting the cart +and breaking the fellow’s whip over his own back, when, the crowd +becoming very serious, he jumped on his horse, and we made our +retreat, not, however, without showers of stones, none of which +touched us, and being obliged two or three times to turn on our +persecutors, who followed us some distance. At last we effected our +retreat. + +_31st._--Review of the Russian Guards, &c. They were formed as usual +along the Neuilly Road, and had the saluting-point in the Place Louis +Quinze. A finer body of men can scarcely be imagined; but to me +their padded breasts and waspish waists appeared preposterous. The +cuirassiers were also very fine men, well mounted, and neatly and +serviceably equipped. I was fortunate enough to wedge myself into +the very middle of the Imperial _cortège_. The Emperor of Austria +received the salutes, and I was immediately behind his Imperial +Majesty--on whose right was our Duke with his blue ribbon on, and +all round about were princes, marshals, generals--all the mighty and +distinguished of Europe. The Emperor of Russia himself gave the word +of command, marched past at the head of the column, and saluted. +The Prussian monarch took the command of a regiment of which he is +colonel, and likewise marched past. When Alexander wheeled round +after passing, and joined our group, he saluted Prince Schwartzenberg +with a slap on the thigh, his countenance lighted up by his customary +good-humoured smile. The proud Austrian bowed in acknowledgment +of the honour done him; but as he cast his eye over his shoulder +and met mine fixed on him, a frown soon chased away the forced +unmeaning smile still lingering round his mouth, and it required no +conjuror to see that he did not admire being treated so familiarly. +The greatest good-humour and cheerfulness seemed to reign amongst +this group of sovereigns, sovereign princes, and renowned chiefs; +and that intuitive awe which little people always experience in such +company, began to give way to confidence and a feeling of delight +at mingling thus intimately, as it were, with those hitherto to me +historical characters, on whose faith depend the destinies of Europe. +My next neighbour, a man of high rank--general, or what not--might +have been a Czernicheff, Wittgenstein, or some other celebrated +man; he wore a Russian uniform, and was covered with decorations. +As he spoke French fluently (what Russian does not?), and seemed an +honest-hearted man, free from vanity, we soon got into conversation, +spite of my shabby old pelisse. Never was I more astonished than +when, in answer to my question who the smart-looking lancers were +who kept the ground, he replied “Cossacks.” A very fine set of tall, +handsome, genteel-looking young men, faces exhibiting a delicate +pink and white complexion fit for a lady, quite undefiled by beard +or mustache; dressed in scarlet jackets without any lace, fitting +like stays; large blue-green overalls, with a broad red stripe, and, +as usual, the waist drawn into the capacity of a decent grasp; their +arms a sabre, brace of pistols stuck in their waist-belt, and a long +red-shafted lance without the pennon; small rough horses--not of a +piece with the delicate man and the quality of his equipment. The +cuirassiers wore black-varnished cuirasses; and one regiment was +entirely mounted on beautiful isabels, or cream-coloured horses. But +the horse-artillery, as _en régle_, attracted my most particular +attention. These, as far as men and horses went, appeared most +efficient: the men stout, of active make, and not too tall; their +dress smart, though exceedingly plain--dark-green; their equipment, +arms, and horse appointments all of the same description--plain, +substantially good, and sufficiently neat, without anything +superfluous. The gunners’ horses were stoutly-made serviceable +animals; but the draught-horses (which seemed an anomaly, though they +know best) were much smaller--and such little wild-looking beauties +as one would be proud to show off in Hyde Park, or down Bond Street. +The worst part of the whole were the guns and carriages--the former +of very light calibre, and polished like brass candlesticks (not +above 3-pounders, I should think); the latter very low, light, and +painted bright green, looking more like toys than service articles. +To these the horses were harnessed three abreast; the outer one on +the off side, more for show than use, prancing along with the neck +bent outward in the true classical position, to which it was confined +by a side rein. The effect of this, as far as appearance goes, is +certainly good. My friend the general, pointing out these pretty +horses with an air of triumph that led me to suspect him of being +in the corps, assured me that they had been almost incessantly on +the march ever since the retreat of the French from Moscow. They +were with the pursuing force, took their share of the campaign in +Saxony 1813, advanced to Paris in ’14. When the Russians retired, +these little animals had drawn the guns back again, and had actually +arrived on the banks of the Vistula (I think he said), when they +were countermanded, and had now arrived a second time in Paris. Is +not this quite astonishing? I could well enter into the feeling +of satisfaction and complacency with which he begged my opinion +as to their appearance, and unhesitatingly gratified him with my +unqualified admiration of them. How could it be otherwise! They were +round as barrels, sleek-coated, and full of life and spirit--in +short, they were so beautiful that the thing looked more like +a showy toy than what had for two years been incessantly in the +field. The review over, I called on Sir Edward Barnes and asked his +intercession with the Duke to obtain my leave, which he readily +promised; so I adjourned to No. 36 Rue Mont Blanc, had some chat +with Bell, heard his fair young hostess play the “Exile” again, and +returned to my dominions. + +_September 2d._--Care less about Paris than I did, and stay more at +home. The parapet of the bridge becomes again my smoking lounge. + +_7th._--This morning I received the long-wished-for leave of absence +for two months; and wishing to start immediately, Ambrose and I rode +up to town to take my place in the diligence for Calais. The Bureau +des Diligence is in the Cour des Messageries, Rue Nôtre Dame de la +Victoire--an establishment of which I had before no conception. +The court is very large; there are several offices for different +coaches; but what surprised me most was the parade of those heavy +dismal-looking machines--I think there must have been fifty drawn up +round the court. For Calais there was no room, therefore I have taken +my places--one inside for self, one in the cabriolet for William--in +the Amiens diligence, which starts to-morrow morning at five +o’clock. The seats inside, &c., are not left as with us to the first +comer, &c. On paying my fare I received a ticket with the number of +my seat on it, which will be respected until I am taken up at St +Denis, where they expect to be by six o’clock. + +I know not whether the feeling be common to others, but I never +leave a place where I have tarried ever so short a time without +regret; accordingly my approaching departure has imparted a tinge of +melancholy that I cannot shake off. Latterly I have been tolerably +comfortable here; have got reconciled to my house; acquainted +with the inhabitants; into a certain routine of amusements and +occupations. The weather had been generally fine, though hot; and +everything had begun to assume a hue _couleur de rose_: no wonder, +then, that a slight cloud should interfere to alloy in some degree +the joy at returning to all most dear to me. + +_White Horse Cellar, Piccadilly, September 13th._--Here I arrived +last night, and having neither time nor inclination to write during +my journey, must note down occurrences now as well as I can recollect +them before I start for Farringdon; the which done, adieu to pens, +ink, and paper--at least for a time. + +On the morning of the 8th inst. I was punctually standing on the +_trottoir_ in front of a villanous _tabagie_ in St Denis at six +o’clock, William and my portmanteau beside me. The house was full +of drunken, and therefore insolent, Flemish waggoners, and I had no +inclination to enter. Our Noah’s Ark did not keep me long waiting for +its arrival, although it tarried sufficiently when it did come. + +M. le Conducteur, a little man, but a most important one, wrapped +in a brown greatcoat, a silk handkerchief round his throat, and his +head covered by one of those grey linen forage-caps, descended from +his airy perch on the roof with great gravity, and pulling out his +way-bill, demanded of the _cabaretier_ where was the English Monsieur +who was to be taken up at St Denis. I presented myself. The little +man, scrutinising me from head to foot, “Vous avez un portmanteau, +monsieur?” “Oui, monsieur.” “Où se trouvé-t-il donc?” “Le voilà, +monsieur.” “_Le voilà?--quoi ceci?_” “Oui.” “Et vous appelez ceci un +portmanteau? Sacre Dieu! mais c’est une malle que ça! Elle ne montera +pas sur la diligence!” looking up at the insides, who had thrust +their heads out of the window on hearing the row. “Sacre Dieu! cela +_un portmanteau_!” and he began to swagger and fume and pester among +the _saboted_, greasy night-capped gentry who stood by, enjoying +exceedingly having a John Bull on the horns of a dilemma. + +According to our English acceptation of the term, my baggage was +literally a large portmanteau; but the passengers within gave me +to understand that Monsieur le Conducteur was perfectly right, and +that I had better try to conciliate him instead of insisting. I took +their advice, and my _malle_ became a portmanteau, under which title +alone it was admissible on the diligence, according to the laws and +ordinances of La Cour des Messageries. I got inside, William mounted +the cabriolet, and I bade adieu to St Denis--at all events for two +months. I was agreeably surprised at finding the diligence such a +comfortable conveyance; well padded and well hung, we rolled along +most agreeably, though only at the rate of six miles per hour. My +companions inside were--an elderly lady, very taciturn but very +amiable; a young one about five-and-twenty, handsome, lively, chatty, +and very shrewd--she talked for both; a good, honest, little man, +who kept some sort of magazine in Paris; a young lad, clerk in some +counting-house; and an officer of our own Rifles. We had not reached +Pierrefitte ere Mademoiselle had managed to introduce us all to each +other in such a manner that formality was banished, and we were the +best friends possible--laughing, joking, quizzing each other or the +_paysans_; nothing could be happier. + +At Luzarches, a capital breakfast, and as much time as we pleased to +take it in--M. le Conducteur all suavity and amiability. Our lively +little friend kept up such an animated conversation that I saw only +just enough of the country we were passing through to remark that it +became much prettier and more picturesque as we approached Clermont, +where the diligence stopped for dinner. M. le Conducteur took the +head of the table, and our party was increased by a _soi-disant_, or +_soi-pensant_, humorist of the _gendarmerie_, who, seating himself +_sans cérémonie_, fell to, tooth and nail, as if he had not touched +food for a week. This, however, did not much interrupt the display +of wit, which principally was aimed at the cookery and dishes served +up. A fricassee of rabbit he vowed he would on no account touch +unless Madame produced _les pattes_, since, as he solemnly assured +us, they frequently served fricasseed cats instead. Madame did not, +however, produce _les pattes_, and although none of us touched +it, the dish in a few minutes was cleared of its contents. This +fellow reminded me strongly of the parasite in Gil Blas, and, his +adulations being entirely addressed to our little vain conducteur, +I set him down as the “Antorcha de la Filosofia!”--maybe our hero +always dined with the passengers _par ordre et pour l’espionage_. +Here, as at Luzarches, no _empressement_ was betrayed: the diligence +stood passively at the door without horse, without even an hostler +visible; the ladies retired to a _chambre_; so the Rifleman and I +agreed to walk on, which resolve we communicated to M. le Conducteur, +who assented, and off we set. At the end of the town two roads +appeared, one running straight along the valley, the other crossing +the bridge to the right, then ran rump-fashion up the other side +of the valley, divergingly from the former--and this road was our +proper one; but, without condescending to ask a question, we very +sagaciously chose the other, and had already proceeded some hundred +yards along it, when fortunately (no hedges intervened--the valley +was all grass, a rivulet running through the middle of it) we saw our +lumbering vehicle slowly ascending the opposite hill. The distance +that separated us from it was not great, and we shouted to M. le +Conducteur to wait for us; but neither he nor the coachman heard us, +and, being ignorant of the nature of the rivulet, after a moment’s +hesitation we decided our most prudent plan was to run back to the +bridge, &c. This we immediately did; but although both of us were +pretty active runners, we should have been left behind at last had we +not luckily met a miller coming down on horseback. Him and his sacks +we dismounted _sans cérémonie_, for the diligence, having now arrived +at the summit, had commenced its jog-trot. Mounting the animal, I +pursued as fast as the end of the halter could persuade my beast to +move, and after a long chase succeeded at length in bringing the +vehicle to. Our companions, especially the young dame, or demoiselle, +had a hearty laugh at our expense, and so had our miller, for he +grinned from ear to ear when the silver recompense (never expected) +touched his palm, and he was still grinning and bowing when we +looked back as the diligence drove on. It was about eleven at night +when we reached the _barrière_ of Amiens, and I had been some time +asleep. A bright light presented to my eyes caused me to start up in +surprise, and at first it was difficult to imagine where I was, until +I perceived the uniform of a _gendarmerie_, who, after reconnoitring +us by holding the lantern to our faces, very quietly demanded +something for his trouble. Angry at such a humiliating operation, +the Rifleman and I sent him to the devil; but our companions, whilst +opening their own purses, made it so clear to us that the fellow had +been extremely civil where he might have been extremely troublesome, +that we concluded by doing in Rome, &c. &c.; and away we rumbled over +the jolting pavement, and through a series of dark narrow streets, +until at last we drove into the yard of the Hotel d’Angleterre, as +dark and deserted as the streets themselves. Hostlers, however, were +soon forthcoming, the horses changed, my _malle_ handed down, and +William and myself left standing in the middle of the yard wondering +what was to become of us. After a little hesitation, one of the +hostlers condescended to direct us to the door of the house ere he +retired, and after a good deal of knocking at that we succeeded in +rousing an old fellow--whose duty I suppose it was to sit up for the +diligence--who showed me into a large room, with a bed in one corner; +and at my request for supper brought me a couple of cold widgeons, +which I soon discussed, and jumped into an excellent bed. + +_9th._--In a dilemma; no conveyance forward but posting. Did not +exactly believe this, and therefore inquired from _auberge_ to +_auberge_, until at last I discovered that a sort of caravan started +every morning at nine o’clock from the * * * for Abbeville. This +would be getting on, therefore I lost no time in securing my places. +Having risen early, I passed the intervening time in visiting some +of our people stationed here--younger M’Donald’s troop, also 1st +Regiment of Dragoons, K.G.L. Him I found in an excellent lodging. +Our caravan was a curious machine, very much down by the stern, +otherwise resembling a small house on wheels. William and a woman +got into the _fond de la voiture_, whilst I occupied the front seat, +in company with a neat, dapper, little, big-bellied man, wearing +a very smart forage-cap, and speaking a very little English. We +travelled very slowly, and made a long halt at Flixcourt (pronounced +_Fleeshcour_)--nevertheless, to my great joy, we reached Abbeville by +two o’clock. I found here the 13th Light Dragoons and my old troop +G; called on Lieutenant Leathes; dined at the Hotel de Londres, a +very inferior house. Here I hired a cabriolet to take us forward to +Calais for five napoleons. From the first I set my _voiturier_ down +as a scoundrel, from his physiognomy, and the event proved me a sound +judge. The bargain struck, he tried all sorts of shifts and excuses, +in the hope, as I discovered, of associating some other traveller +with me. As soon as I made the discovery, I insisted on his starting +instantly, and after some difficulty at last got him fairly on the +road. It proved a very tedious mode of travelling this; he did not +choose to hurry his horse, was continually stopping, and more uncivil +in his manner than I thought a true Frenchman could be. The motion +of the carriage was very disagreeable--sometimes too heavy before, +sometimes behind; and at times it became necessary to put a great +stone behind to relieve the poor horse of the weight. A sort of +commercial traveller (bagman), who overtook us as we slowly crept up +hill near Montreuil thus loaded, facetiously remarked, “Ah, monsieur, +vous chargez des pierres, donc!” Our driver’s villanous countenance +became black as thunder, but he answered a dry “Oui;” and the other, +seeing it was no joke, passed on. + +It was dusk ere we reached Montreuil, and then our poor beast was so +completely done up that I was obliged to subscribe to the necessity +of halting; and accordingly our friend drew up at the door of a +mean-looking _cabaret_, just without the town, and we alighted, +expecting but sorry accommodation in such a place. If, however, La +Renard continue what it was, I shall have no objection whatever to +pass another night there when I return. A pretty little airy parlour, +well though plainly furnished, the windows opening on a garden; as +neat a little bedroom adjoining, bed the very type of cleanliness; +add an excellent supper and a bottle of very fair wine, and it may be +imagined that the evening and night passed in the Renard will always +be a bright spot in the memory. It must not be concealed, though, +that a pair of very brilliant black eyes certainly threw rather a +witching light on my apartments. In the morning, whilst Lisette +was busy preparing my breakfast, I was taking a stroll up and down +the pretty rural garden, when, to my astonishment, the apparition +of a true John-Bull farmer stood before me. At first it appeared +an illusion, but the voice soon dispelled that--brown frock-coat, +breeches and gaiters, with good thick shoes. Out of these, with the +real country twang, issued “Marning, zir; queer chaps here, zir; I +doant onderstand one word as ony on um says--not I.” My friend then +proceeded to ask my assistance as his interpreter, and explained his +being there. His son, it seems, is the saddler of the 13th Light +Dragoons, stationed just now in Abbeville, whither he had been on a +visit, and was now making his way back again to Calais, but being +short of coin (French--he had plenty of English) and words, found +himself here in a dilemma. Sorry I am that I had not time to preserve +the history of his adventures and mishaps since arriving in France; +they were most amusing and laughable, but I have now forgotten more +than odds and ends. As he passed the evening in company with William, +probably that worthy may assist me in recollecting somewhat of it. + +My bill was extremely moderate for all the comfort I had enjoyed, and +I parted best friends imaginable with my attentive hostess and her +pretty daughter--_Au revoir!_ + +It is a curious town Montreuil, with its steep narrow streets and +high walls; but I only saw it _en passant_, for we did not stop. +Beyond it, after ascending from the valley of the Canch, we traversed +a dreary open country for some way, and then came to wood and very +pretty ground, which continued until a long descent brought us at +length creepingly to Samer, where we stopped to breakfast at the +Tête de Bœuf (William Mallet--a Frenchman, spite of the name). A +Cockney party of three ladies and two gentlemen had just arrived +from Boulogne--evidently the first time any of them had been out +of England. They were all flutter and curiosity, quite childishly +so--chattering away bad school French with a regular English +enunciation, and giggling when successful in making themselves +understood. Had they but guessed that the brown-visaged, mustachioed, +befurred hero who stood before them and watched all their movements +was English, perhaps they would have been a little more discreet. + +One of the gentlemen drew, and had brought a camera lucida, which he +adjusted at the door of the Tête de Bœuf, and disposed himself to +take a view of Samer, surrounded by some eight or ten gaping clowns +in their blue frocks and clumsy _sabots_, too picturesque objects +to be missed; and my man stuck two or three of them in positions to +enter into his picture--the only feature in it, for the point of view +he had chosen was a most unfortunate one. As I leaned from my window, +right over the artist’s head, and at no great distance above him (for +the Tête de Bœuf boasts but a very moderate elevation), many an ogle +did I get from the young ladies, who kept running out incessantly in +order to persuade our hero that eating his breakfast was better than +sketching. But he was stanch to the backbone, and when my _voiturier_ +summoned me to start, I left him in the same position, indefatigably +occupied upon his insipid picture. Before reaching Samer, my rogue +had begun expressing doubts of the soundness of one of his wheels; +and true enough--for just as we gained sight of Boulogne (beyond +which, I believe, he never from the first meant to go), smash it went +all to pieces, and down we came gently enough. The vagabond acted his +part well--pretended astonishment, _au désespoir_, &c. &c.--but I saw +through him. Under the circumstances, only one thing remained to be +done, as no assistance was at hand: William shouldered my _malle_, I +carried the _et ceteras_, and on we trudged; and after a pretty hot +walk we arrived at Boulogne, and entered the first decent-looking +house that presented itself, and ordered dinner. Here I learned that +a packet was about to sail in the evening for Dover, and decided on +cutting connection with my rascally _voiturier_, who managed to bring +in his vehicle shortly after us. + +Accordingly in the evening we repaired to the pier and embarked at +two P.M. My fellow-passengers were--Lord Charles Fitzroy; another +officer, his friend; and a very pretty Frenchwoman. We had hardly +made any offing, when the breeze falling, left us at the mercy of +a long swell--the surface as smooth as a mirror. The rolling was +terrible, and the poor Frenchwoman, dreadfully sick, cursing the +ship, cursing England, and cursing herself for venturing on the sea. +Early[27] the following morning we reached Dover, where, to the +unspeakable horror of our poor friend, she was informed that she +could not leave the vessel until her passport had been sent to London +to be verified. O England! what naughty things did not she say of you +then! A coach, starting within an hour after our landing, was very +convenient, and in company of an officer of the 13th Light Dragoons, +I took my seat for London, and here I am. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + + +Two months I rusticated in Berkshire, and then, my leave of absence +having nearly expired, set off in the beginning of November, +taking with me my wife, whose determination not to be again +separated, united to an eager curiosity to see Paris, overcame all +the difficulties I threw in the way of such a winter campaign, +and rendered her deaf to all my representations of hardships and +privations which she would inevitably have to bear and put up with. +My journal of this second residence was hurried, meagre, and very +irregularly kept. She kept likewise a few memoranda, so that from +the two, and what memory and collating will supply, I am enabled to +complete this journal to the return of my troop to Canterbury in +February 1816. + +_Sunday, November 5th._--Slept at the York Hotel last night, and +embarked this morning on board the packet for Calais--forget +her name--Captain Keys. All bustle and confusion when we went +on board. Deck encumbered with a carriage and heaps of baggage, +amongst which the complete, well-appointed baggage of Hamilton +Hamilton, Esq., secretary of legation, or some such thing, was most +conspicuous. In time carriage was stowed and baggage sent below, +porters, leave-takers, &c., went ashore, and we quitted the pier. +Passengers numerous: H. Hamilton does exclusive, and even betrays +impatience and vexation at being shut up with such a _canaille_; +then an old gentleman, with a broad-brimmed hat, assumes mighty airs +of consequence, and even looks a little contemptuously at Hamilton +Hamilton himself, who speaks to none but his _own man_; a Scottish +gentleman and his spouse, who makes a terrible sputter about her +dear little dog Rose, which is somehow or another left behind at +Dover; a mean-looking man in a foraging-cap, a melancholy sergeant +of dragoons, and his wife; a Russian dressed in forage-cap and green +jacket, like a servant’s morning one, wearing no gloves, and looking +for all the world like a _courrier_, but F. insisting that such a +white hand decidedly constitutes him a gentleman; besides a crowd, +_gentium minorum_, of whom we make no record. As we left, the guns +on Dover Castle announced Guy Faux by a royal salute. A fresh breeze +and rather dark day--the one operating on the _physique_, the other +on the _morale_, made all the passengers except very few exceedingly +sick. More than half-way over, our breeze gradually subsided into a +calm, and left us bobbing about at a most tantalising distance from +our port. To amuse the tedium of the calm, our Russian (by no means +a handsome man), who had been ogling F. from the very beginning, +managed to pick up a conversation; and in a very short time from +ogling began to make love, which, however, was cut short by her +getting squeamish, and being obliged to lie down. He then transferred +his attentions to me, and I really found him a most gentlemanly, +well-informed man, spite of his exterior. After being tantalised for +some time looking at Calais without being able to reach it, at length +a breeze sprang up and carried us in. Crowds of Sunday people were +on the pier, all anxious to see the arrivals. The usual squabble +about baggage and forcing through the surrounding multitude took +place, and we went to Quillacq’s Hotel without the baggage--which, +after all, was detained on board until it could be inspected at the +custom-house on Monday morning, a most inconvenient arrangement, +as we found ourselves without an article except what we stood in--a +great rambling house, with large dreary (at this season of the year) +rooms and long corridors. Amused with F.’s surprise at the number of +little dishes served up at dinner--all, however, excellent. Obliged +to borrow nightcaps of M. and Madame Quillacq. + +_6th._--Up at seven in the morning, and went to the custom-house +for our baggage. _Douaniers_, a set of insolent scoundrels, gave +themselves amazing airs, and tumbled everything out on the floor; +particularly severe with Ham. Hamilton’s baggage, who had sent +his servant for it. At last I got mine out of their clutches; +hired a cabriolet to take us to Paris, where we give it up to the +correspondent. Well stuffed and comfortable, with innumerable little +pockets. F. amused again with our set out: started at half-past ten +A.M., preceded by the little gentleman in the broad-brimmed hat +in one _calèche_, and the two Russians in another. At Marquise we +passed them. Nothing extraordinary in our drive except Buonaparte’s +pillar near Boulogne, and the house he lived in at Pont de Bricq +when he visited the army of England. Arrived at M. Mallet, Samer, by +half-past four P.M. Found the house comfortable, except that our +room smoked somewhat. Girls most merry; gave us an excellent dinner, +but so-so wine. Amused ourselves with arrivals and departures. F. +looked in vain, however, for her Russian lover--he came not. + +But another character of more importance came not: Mr William should +have joined us at Dover or Calais; but when at the latter we learned +that he remained at Dover waiting for his trunk, which had been left +behind in London. + +_November 7th._--Sophie gave us an excellent breakfast, after which +we set off. Our postilion a character, in the imperial green jacket; +and from under his leathern hat, instead of the usual thick queue, +flowed a mass of locks unrestrained. His beasts were a couple of +long-tailed cart-horses, harnessed principally with rope. The long +ascent, after leaving Samer, brought us on the plateau occupied by +the dreaded forest--dreaded because we had heard reports of banditti +and plundering; but we passed through it without interruption, and +soon after saw the ramparts of Montreuil crowning the isolated hill, +frowning like an acropolis over the lower town--the whole, standing +as it does in a country destitute of the smallest feature of the +picturesque, presenting a most sombre and forbidding aspect. Nor did +the interior belie its exterior aspect, which we entered by a long, +squalid, straggling street, and ascended to the upper town by a very +steep hill. Whilst the horses were changing we got an omelet. Scotch +officer and his wife, who had come on _en voiturier_, we overtook +here. As elsewhere, a crowd of beggars assailed us on alighting and +re-entering our carriage. In this country they spoil their own trade, +for they are too numerous. I hurry over all this, for my notes are +very meagre. + +Approaching Abbeville by a long descent, its cathedral, proudly +elevating its beautiful Gothic front above the other buildings (dingy +in colour, and unpicturesque in form) was the only redeeming point +in the view; but that _was_ an interesting one. The town, however, +pleased us, though its streets are rather narrow and dirty. Found our +old friends the hussars of the Brunswick auxiliaries and my old troop +(G) quartered here. + +_8th._--Started at a little after seven A.M. Our postilion was the +first one we had had, who astonished F. by wearing jack-boots. +Breakfasted at Flixcourt: little slop-basins instead of cups, with +large spoons; as usual, sour bread and soapy butter--for all which +the charge was exorbitant. During breakfast the beautiful band of +the 1st Hussars, K.G.L., was playing on an open space near the house, +where the regiment had its morning parade. + +At Pecquigny met a bridal--all in their best; men and boys firing +guns, and the bride carrying a little flag. A young rogue who stood +by our carriage whilst changing horses begging in a most piteous +accent, observing me start when the first gun was fired, just before +the procession came in sight, could not resist the desire of amusing +himself at my expense, whom he no doubt took for some Cockney, and +shouted, in a voice of affected alarm, “C’est l’ennemi, monsieur!” +and seeing that his _coup_ had _manqué_, burst into laughter. + +Beyond Pecquigny came on the valley of the Somme; and the scenery +became somewhat interesting. Amiens we found full of Prussians, and +only stopped to change horses--Maître de Poste quite a gentlemanly +man, riding a managed horse. Fine old town and splendid cathedral. +Stopped for the night at Breteuil. Inn an immense old-fashioned +house, like an old convent; great rambling wainscoted corridor; +and our room large, lofty, and the walls hung with old faded +tapestry, and two old-fashioned beds with curtains of yellow damask; +sitting-room quite on a par with it. Our attendant Josephine (a very +pretty girl) told us our teeth must be bad, because we complained +of our fowl being tough; and to our complaint of knives, she said +they were too sharp, for that she had just cut her finger with +one of them. Apropos of knives, there seems but one pattern all +over France, and that a very coarse one, which, however costly the +table-service in other respects, appears everywhere to spoil the +whole. Its sharp point one sees constantly used as a tooth-pick; and +over and over again I have seen it taken from that employment and +plunged unhesitatingly into some dish, &c. Soup served in a regular +white jorden; however, we find fine Sevres porcelain coffee-services +everywhere. Wine here all out of one cask, though Josephine protested +that the fifty different kinds she enumerated were literally and +truly each from the place named. F. astonished at the immense long +loaves. An English family had arrived in a smart barouche, with +servants in a cabriolet. Forced to sit in their bedroom, ours being +the only _salle_, such as it is. + +_November 9th._--Early this morning a large detachment of Prussian +infantry marched into Breteuil, and the officers, as soon as their +parade was over, came tramping _sans cérémonie_ through every +room in the house. F., whom I had left alone whilst I strolled +out to see the place, was terribly frightened by three or four of +them walking into the room, and standing there with the door open +jabbering for some time, as if no one had been present, one of +them ogling most furiously. Spite of our exertions, the family in +the barouche got their horses and set off before us, to our great +annoyance, as of course they would absorb all the attention and +occupy all the accommodation to our exclusion. Josephine gave us +a miserable breakfast, no doubt owing to that accursed barouche; +and, after all, our bill was most exorbitant. Thought our postilion +was mad--for never saw French postilion dash along so recklessly +and at such a pace: the cabriolet rolled from side to side, and +jerked and jumped so that I expected we should plunge through the +windows. Still it was pleasant to get on. At last we overtook the +barouche, and the mystery was explained, for our gentleman relapsed +at once into the tamest of postilions, sticking himself close up to +the other carriage, with his horses’ noses under its very dicky. +Occupant of this a gentleman’s gentleman of the very first water, +who sadly annoyed F. by his impudent staring. Urged our hero of the +jack-boots and sheep’s-skin pelisse to pass ahead, for the heavy +barouche, although drawn by four horses, could only get on at a +jog-trot pace. Urged long in vain. At last, just as he was about to +push on, the gentleman in the dicky dropped his glove, and our most +polite postilion actually stopped, dismounted, picked it up, and +again driving up in the wake of the barouche, presented it with the +utmost deference of manner to the supercilious scoundrel. Got furious +now, and commenced such a volley that I at last actually succeeded +in driving him ahead of the barouche just as we approached Clermont. +Another marriage at St Juste: bride very pretty, and guns fired in +abundance as before. Clermont uncommonly prettily situated. Did not +alight, but enjoyed some delicious grapes which women and girls +brought and sold for a song. Hence to Creil; a great improvement +in the scenery, which became rich, diversified, and well wooded, +until near that place we descended into the beautiful bottom of the +Oise, with its wooded hill and white cliffs. Found here a garrison +of Belges. Our postilion still more mad. As we had foreseen, there +was some difficulty in getting rooms at the Hotel de Bourbon at +Chantilly, and we had scarcely secured them ere the barouche drove +up, but could not find accommodation. Visited the chateau of the +Prince de Condé. Stables magnificent; an immense lofty hall, as big +as a church, with a fine cupola--around are the stalls, &c.--splendid +idea! Our dinner even more than usually ridiculous by the number of +little _plats_--a regular doll’s; liqueurs of sorts, all very bad, +in cruet-bottles--aniseed the only one drinkable. In the evening +entertained by the singing of the Nassau troops stationed here. Bad +news from Paris. In the next room a party of London shop-boys, or +some such thing. One of these, pretty drunk, wanted to be called in +the morning, and as our doors were open, we had the full benefit and +advantage of the fine language propounded to the waiter: “Garçon! mon +domestique à cinq heure et demie.” Garçon does not comprehend; tries +over and over again. “Je ne vous comprends pas, monsieur, se fait +entendre toujours.” At last impatient, “Well, dammee, ’tis simply +this, my man: tell my servant to call me at half-past five o’clock.” +We went to our bedroom ere the matter was settled. The French seem to +think nothing of damp sheets--ours were actually wet. + +_10th._--Our host gave us a most comfortable breakfast, after which +we set off in high spirits for Paris; the day fine and scenery +lovely. Whilst changing horses at Luzarches, some non-commissioned +officers of the Belgic or Nassau troops stationed there were +exceedingly impertinent to F., but I had no time to obtain redress, +so left them. + +After passing Pierrefitte, made our postilion turn off the chaussée +spite of his objections, and attempt to reach Stain; but we soon +found the cross-road so bad, nearly smashing our wheels, that we +were glad to regain the chaussée. Whilst stopping at the post-house +at St Denis, Frazer and Ambrose rode up. From them we learned that +old Webber had made my house very comfortable; so determined not to +stay in Paris, but to give up our cabriolet, and return forthwith +to Stain. This we accordingly did, driving straight to the Remise, +Rue Faubourg St Denis, where we hired a fiacre, and reached Stain +about dusk. It was a cold gloomy evening. The story of comfort was +exaggerated. Webber had hired some little, shabby, old furniture; +but the place looked wretched, and when F. became fully aware of +its discomforts, her enthusiasm gave way like snow before the sun; +she burst into tears. The heroics vanished, and she confessed +she wished herself again in England. The room had indeed a most +forlorn appearance: a handful of fire flickered in the grateless, +gaping chimney; the little furniture was of the coarsest kind; the +uncarpeted floor of brick;--desolation everywhere! We had had no +dinner, and, except some ration-beef, nothing could be procured. Some +of this, however, was cooked and despatched; and, as the best thing +we could do, we set to work putting to rights, and making the most +of it. Nothing could equal the surprise of Madlle. Rose at finding +that the smooth-faced bourgeois was indeed the identical mustachioed +commandant she had been accustomed to months ago. Next morning +found a poultry-yard--rabbits, &c., all provided by the attentions +of old Robertson, my quartermaster-sergeant. Things looked better; +F. was refreshed, consequently in better spirits. The visits of +congratulation and kind attentions of our villagers delighted her; +but M. le Maire stood like one thunderstruck when introduced to his +old friend with a new face. My cow dead, but another was negotiating +for. The history of the defunct was, that she was a commissariat +issue to me as so many rations; but, instead of putting her to death, +I kept her for her milk. + +Here, again, I am without a guide, or nearly so--my diary ends; and, +to continue our residence at Stain, I am reduced to a few brief +notices preserved in my general journal. + +That residence was uncomfortable enough, for the winter set in with +a degree of severity unknown in England; and our house, both from +its construction and furnishing, was ill calculated, under such +circumstances, to afford comfort, or indeed at times to prevent +suffering. However, we were in paradise compared to the situation of +the little farmers (cultivateurs) and still poorer people amongst +whom we were thus domiciliated. With them we found that it was no +uncommon practice to live in the stable, &c., among the cattle, for +the sake of sparing fuel--the animals helping to keep them warm. + +Sometimes I took F. to Paris to see the lions; but it was sad, cold, +dirty work. The streets were ankle-deep in mud; even the walks of +the Palais Royal, the Passage des Panoramas, &c., were covered with +mud, carried in on people’s feet. Sometimes I took a walk; but the +country, now stripped of its verdure, presented an aspect hideously +cheerless. What could be more so than the extensive, dreary, +snow-covered plain extending from St Denis to the foot of Montmartre +without a redeeming tree? Like other highroads, the one crossing this +plain to La Chapelle, we were told, had once been bordered by trees, +but they were cut down on the approach of the Allied armies, I think, +last year. + +Soon after arriving, having published through the commune our want +of a female servant, Mademoiselle Rose introduced Angélique. My +wife took a liking to her immediately; so, having exchanged written +contracts with M. l’Ecuyer (her father), engaging to take care of, +and send her back from England free of expense, she was engaged, and +forthwith entered on her functions, as cook, lady’s-maid, &c. M. +l’Ecuyer is (like most of our neighbours) a cultivateur--works his +own little bit of land, and is independent, except of poverty; for +these little cultivateurs work hard and fare harder, as far as I can +learn. + +Sometimes our _séjour_ was enlivened by visits from our own officers, +or from some of those stationed in St Denis, La Vertu, and even +from Paris: and occasionally more genial weather allowed F. to ride +Cossack; but these rides were necessarily confined to the park. With +the villagers we had become as much at home as Frenchmen could be. As +for our _ménage_, it got on pretty well; and once we even ventured +on giving a dinner to Wells and Ambrose, which went off pretty well; +and once we went and passed a day with Sir A. Frazer at the Hotel du +Nord. + +Again, one bitter cold black day, we visited the Abbey of St Denis, +and went shivering through its vaults, and were shown the last home +prepared by Napoleon for himself. The town was crowded with troops +on their march northwards. Once or twice F. was able to ride to +Paris; but it was hard work. Amongst other amusements in Stain, we +had one not very agreeable, and which kept us in a continual state of +excitement. Our men were continually setting fire to their quarters, +particularly the chateau of Admiral Rosily. The villagers said this +arose from their removing the ashes, and making their fires on the +bare hearth, which thus became so hot as to set fire to the beams +beneath. They therefore advised the men to leave the ashes and make +their new fire on them. This they did; but Admiral Rosily wrote +to tell me that no fires ought be lighted up-stairs in his house, +as the chimneys were only intended as ventilators, and therefore +begged us to confine the fires to the ground-floor. At the stables +of the chateau, over which a detachment was lodged, a fire occurred, +and continued smouldering in the beams for a fortnight, the centre +remaining on fire when we thought it extinguished. + +At length the period of our departure drew nigh, and arrangements +were made at headquarters which totally disorganised my troop at the +moment when a perfect organisation was most necessary. During the +campaign, a detachment of the driver-corps had been attached to each +troop of horse-artillery, our own establishment being insufficient +for the additional carriages. These were now to be withdrawn and sent +home; and accordingly, all this rabble from Bull’s and other troops +still in the neighbourhood of Paris were sent to mine as destined +for England. Secondly, all my officers were allowed to desert me. +Captain Webber protested he was too weak to undertake such a journey, +and obtained leave to remain in Paris; my surgeon (Ambrose) was +permitted to remain in charge of him; Lieutenant Bruce neither liked +the winter-march nor quitting Paris, where he was doing aide-de-camp +to his cousin, Lady Castlereagh; two lieutenants (Maunsell and +Wells) remained to march with the troop; but the former had resolved +on leaving the service, and the latter had obtained an exchange to +a troop forming part of the Army of Occupation, consequently he +accompanies us only a part of the way to Calais--and thus no very +great zeal could be expected from either of these. Thirdly, we were +ordered to give up our white cross-belts to G troop, in exchange +for their waist-belts--exhibiting thus our old worn jackets in all +their nakedness. Fourthly, our overalls were in rags--new ones had +been ordered, and were on the road from Brussels, but we were not +allowed to wait for them. Add to all this the casualties of a long +winter-march, bad lodging, and worse weather, and the condition +of the troop on reaching Calais may be imagined. The defection of +Ambrose, however, was counterbalanced by my old friend Hitchins +getting leave to accompany us to England. He, too, intended quitting +the service. + +_December 16th._--Hitchins joined us at Stain; and as he brought +his own bed, I gave him a room in my chateau. The knotty question +of how F. and Angélique were to travel was settled between them +and Hitchins; and, overruling my scruples, it was arranged that +a cabriolet should be hired for Calais, to be drawn by a pair of +troop-horses, with the driver for postilion. Accordingly, on the 18th +Hitchins went to Paris and procured the vehicle, whilst we continued +our preparations. + +_19th._--The troop under Maunsell marched at an early hour for +Beaumont, our first halting-place. One would have fancied that the +village militia was about to quit home. No one thought of work: the +whole population of the commune assembled in the park; endless the +leave-takings, and I believe sincere the expressions of friendship +and regrets at separation. Many of the cultivateurs, whose carts we +had taken for the baggage, cheerfully volunteered accompanying us all +the way to Calais. + +Our own baggage delayed us so much that it was eleven A.M. before we +were under way--F. and Angélique (whose relations to the twentieth +degree had thronged our house all the morning) in the _calèche_, +Hitchins and myself on horseback, followed by Gunner Fitzgerald, my +orderly, and my groom Milward, in uniform and carrying my Waterloo +lance. The day was fine, and the country pretty enough for the +season; so that, after getting on the chaussée at Pierrefitte, we +moved on merrily and agreeably until evening, when the sky clouded +over, it became very cold, and soon a heavy fall of snow came on, +in the midst of which we arrived at Beaumont, and found our people +just forming the park, and those of Major Dyas already snug in their +quarters. His battery had been ordered to march with us; but he had +also orders not to interfere in any way with me or mine. + +Our billet was on an iron merchant, and thither we proceeded, +whilst Hitchins went in search of his own. Our house was a +respectable-looking one outside; inside it was much like a great +foundry, or some such place--almost the whole of it being one vast +hall, lighted from above, and full of bar-iron standing against the +walls. An open staircase conducted us to a small gallery; up one +more step and into a neat little room--but, from the scarcity of +furniture and badness of the fire, looking sufficiently cheerless: a +table, covered as usual with oil-cloth, two or three plain chairs, +a bed without curtains, and windows without shutters;--such was the +domicile into which we were ushered by a hideously ugly and most +sulky maid-servant. Assistance from the house we soon found we must +not expect, and sent out for something to eat; but the answer was +_nil_, and we were forced to content ourselves with some bad tea +and bread-and-butter. The evening was wretchedly cold, and our fire +so insufficient that we were glad to get to bed; but here, again, +were _wet_ sheets, and we were obliged to get between the blankets. +Miserable evening! + +_20th._--Weather improved. Started about eleven, and, traversing +a beautiful and fertile country, arrived in the afternoon at the +pretty village of Noailles, where we found ourselves billeted +on a rich old gentleman, who did not ask us to his table, but in +every other respect did his utmost to make us comfortable; and so +in reality we were, for our apartment was delightfully so; our +fare good; and our host furnished us liberally with good wine and +cider. Passed the evening playing dominoes, and wishing we could +stay in such nice quarters. Began to find Angélique[28] very useful +in communicating with the people, whose ways she understood better +than we. Noailles is but a poor village, although prettily situated; +however, there is a manufactory here of those pretty bands which +French women wear below _the knee_. + +_21st._--A short march to Beauvais, where we arrived early; and +whilst I parked the guns and saw my people put up, Hitchins +accompanied F. in search of my quarters. My duty finished, I followed +to a handsome house, where I understood they were. Whilst making +inquiries under the gateway, Madame herself came out and told me +rather angrily that I could have no quarters there, as the colonel +(my travelling title) and his lady already occupied all she was bound +to furnish. I endeavoured to explain that the gentleman up-stairs +was my friend, that I was M. le Colonel, and had sent him to escort +my wife, &c. &c. At the word _femme_, the _insolente_ with a sneer +turned from me with, “Ah! soi-disante.” A scene occurred; Monsieur +himself came out, who I insisted should be responsible for his wife’s +tongue. At last they begged pardon, and I mounted the staircase +according to direction, and found a most comfortable lodging--two +well-furnished rooms and a small cabinet. The people sent up soon +after to invite us to dinner, they being ordered to feed us; but we +would not go, and made them send dinner up to us. Our rooms had only +one drawback--they were rather gloomy, the windows opening upon a +courtyard. Stayed three days in Beauvais, during which we lived well +at the expense of our host; and having bought some cards, Hitchins +came every evening to coffee, and we had a game at casino. Our +mornings were passed in visiting the beautiful Gothic cathedral and +other churches; the manufactory of tapestry, equalling that of the +Gobelins, of which this is a branch; in shopping, and in riding about +the neighbouring country, which is pretty--somewhat resembling that +about Bath. One evening we went to the play--a dark dismal house, and +quite a second-rate set of actors. Don’t know what the piece was, +but the humour consisted in the _patois_ of an old Picard servant, +who was continually repeating, “Ya! ya! ya! Munsincur!” There were +a good many of us--all the officers of Ross’s troop and Dyas’s +battery, _par excellence_. The pit was full of French soldiers; yet +all went off cheerfully, until our people called for “Vive Henri +Quatre,” which these Napoleonists fiercely opposed, and a row ensued, +which terminated at last amicably. The ramparts of Beauvais form a +delicious promenade, which I enjoyed; whilst F. and Hitchins were +gadding about from shop to shop, buying lace, cambric, &c. + +_22d._--I intended marching forward to-morrow, but Quartermaster +Robertson, who was sent on to take up our quarters, returned at +midnight with the intelligence that all the villages ahead of us were +still full of troops. Relinquished the idea. + +Major Dyas came to coffee. When he heard of the insult offered to +F. he insisted upon going immediately to pull my host by the nose. +“_Bloody D._” was one of those jewels we received at the Union +from the Irish artillery--tall, gaunt, and muscular, with a most +truculent physiognomy. His cognomen was received on account of the +ferocity he had displayed in the Irish Rebellion. Now he had become +a gallant Lothario (not a gay one), and, if report spoke true, had +already two wives, and had nearly succeeded in picking up a third in +Paris--daughter of a gentleman of very good property, at whose house +he had been billeted. Strange how insinuating these Irishmen are. To +look at D. one would never suppose that a girl, young enough to be +his daughter, handsome, and rich withal, could ever have fallen in +love with such a man; and yet those best acquainted with the affair +assured me that it was indubitably true. + +_23d._--Great market or fair--immense quantity of woollen cloth, +manufacture of the town and neighbourhood. Preparations making for +a grand procession in honour of Jeanne Hachette, who distinguished +herself in the defence of the place against the Duc de Bourgogne in +1740. Until I looked into the history, I thought it had been, as some +of the people informed me, in honour of Joan of Arc. Beauvais is a +gloomy, old-fashioned town; the streets very narrow, and, during our +stay, very dirty. What they might be in summer I can’t guess, but +they look as if they must be then redolent of the same sulphurous +odour as those of Paris. + +_24th._--Marched to Grandvilliers; everything looking wretched, for +the day was dark and excessively cold: in France, on such occasions, +there are no redeeming features. The country is in most cases without +enclosures, and the few trees, stripped of their verdure, present +most cheerless pictures, unrelieved by any appearance of warmth +or comfort about the mean and wretched-looking dwellings of the +peasantry. These, when we entered the village, presented rather a +better appearance than usual, for all were _en habits de Dimanche_, +which was the day. Lodged F. in the post-house (here an inn), and +then went round our billets. Village very large, two broad streets +crossing each other, but the houses all farms or cottages, most of +them of mud, like the Devonshire cobbe, and all thatched; the site +of the place a dead flat, but pretty well clothed with trees. At +our post-house we procured a tolerably decent though very small +parlour, the chimney of which, however, smoked so terribly that, +spite of the weather, we were obliged to sit constantly with the door +open; up-stairs (this was a sort of addition to the original house +projecting into the yard) a bedroom of the same size, in which were +two beds; and nothing could exceed the astonishment of our friend the +chambermaid at our arrangement of sleeping together. The inhabitants +here were ordered by beat of drum to feed us. We now came under the +command of Sir Denis Park, who commands at Calais and up the road as +far as this place, he having the arrangement of the embarkations. + +We lived well at our inn, and remedied the open door by a large +screen. Every evening we saw company--_i. e._, our officers--and, +although the weather was very cold, passed our time pleasantly +enough. One day an immense market or fair afforded us ample +amusement; another, our attention and curiosity were excited by the +arrival of a troop of the National Guard, _à cheval_, from Beauvais; +but, after staying the whole afternoon and night, they departed the +next morning without our being a bit the wiser. One day the Earl of +Westmeath arrived, and stopped all night; his lordship was obliged to +put up with the rooms we had rejected. + +_January 1, 1816._--At last the order for our advance having arrived, +we marched this morning from Grandvilliers, several _paysannes_ of +the village following the troop as volunteers for l’Angleterre, +betraying the effects of idleness in country quarters. Whilst +preparing to set off, our host presented a bill for our living, &c., +amounting to nine napoleons, which I was about to pay, when Hitchins +and F. interfered, asking the good man whether he would have dared +appear before a Prussian officer with such a thing, and telling him +after the manner his countrymen had treated all other countries that +he ought to think himself well off in being treated so leniently. +He did not subscribe to this, and an argument ensued which I was +sorry for, but was weak enough to allow my better intentions to be +overruled; and at last, when Monsieur begged I would at least certify +that he had not been paid, I did so on the bill, stating as reason +that the inhabitants had been ordered to feed us. Our march to Poix, +the next halting-place, was through a country that never could be +very interesting, still less so in its wintry garb, until, from the +summit of a high hill, we looked down upon the lovely valley in +which that village is situated. On arriving we found all the world +_en habit de Dimanche_ celebrating the opening of the new year. The +principal features in this celebration were the kisses exchanging +in all directions, the enormous stiffly-starched caps of the women, +and the music that paraded continually through the streets. The +_auberge_ we found so noisy, smoky, dirty, and the landlord such +an uncivil brute, that we immediately commenced a search for a +better billet. For a time success seemed uncertain; the houses of +the peasantry were too filthy to be thought of. Not far from the +_auberge_ we found a good house, but shut-up doors and windows. In +vain Hitchins and I knocked and threatened, or asked information of +its inhabitants from the neighbours; nobody would answer from within, +and nobody would answer without--at least more than “Je n’en sais +rien, monsieur.” At last we found a respectable sort of old-fashioned +farmhouse, the mistress of which (a widow) was factotum to the Prince +de Poix, proprietor of the village, and much of the neighbouring +country,--and hither we immediately removed, bag and baggage. A +labyrinth of dark passages led to a large, gloomy, wainscoted room, +in one corner of which was a great old-fashioned bed, with yellow +damask curtains, like the one we slept in at Breteuil. Here we +established ourselves, and Angélique had a small cabinet hard by, +whilst the men were put up in the more distant part of the house +occupied by the family. Although there was a large fireplace, in +which we kept up capital fires, the place was very cold; but a +couple of old screens in some measure remedied this, and at last we +thought ourselves tolerably comfortable. Our park was formed on the +site of the ancient castle of the princes, now almost entirely gone, +except a few mounds marking out the ground-plan. The village of Poix, +though covering a great deal of ground, is not large; for, except +the few houses standing contiguous to the _auberge_, the others are +scattered up and down, widely apart from each other. The situation +is extremely pretty in summer, probably beautiful: a deep and rather +narrow valley, with a small stream running through it; partly below +the village covered with woods, which also ran over and clothed +all the surrounding hills--not close thick copse, but composed of +trees and thickets of coppice, through which one might ride in +all directions on a carpet of turf. On a steep bank, immediately +opposite our dwelling, was the little church, unpretending, but +having a beautiful Gothic western doorway, over which, as a record +of revolutionary folly, was painted in large letters, “_Temple de +la Raison_;” these had been either whitewashed or painted over, but +insufficiently, for they were still distinctly legible. The weather +during our stay at Poix (seven days) was gloomy and very cold, yet we +managed to have many interesting rides amongst the woods. Hitchins +dined with us always, and came provided with some excellent wine, +which he procured from his own hostess. In one of our walks, at the +fork of the roads to Amiens and Abbeville, we found a diminutive +chapel with a figure of the Virgin in it, and as diminutive a priest, +humpbacked. He showed us his chapel, and we put some money into his +box, and so parted mutually satisfied. It was at this corner that I +met an elderly French veteran trudging towards the village in his +_capote_ and forage-cap, with the usual goat-skin knapsack: he was +_minus_ an arm, and upon questioning him I found that he had left it +at Waterloo. Something interesting in this interview. + +In the village we found a corporal and four privates of the 18th +Hussars, stationed here for despatches. The corporal fell in love +with Angélique, and proposed for her, but was rejected. Her lover +gave us an alert one night to deliver a despatch (these hussars +always come in the night!), and I made sure we were off. It was an +order to have divine service every Sunday. + +_8th._--At length on the 7th the order did come, and this day we +marched to Airaines through a sufficiently dismal country, and +weather very cold and gloomy, still followed by the girls from +Grandvilliers. Some part of the country, from its hilliness and +numerous orchards, in some measure resembled Devonshire; but as we +approached the town these cease, and we saw again only extensive and +treeless plains. + +Airaines at first sight was not calculated to remove the unpleasant +feeling excited by its neighbourhood: rather large for a country +town, and lying on a gentle slope; its streets irregular, and +buildings mean, dirty, and ruinous-looking;--altogether very gloomy. +Our billet was on the _auberge_ where the diligences stopped, a +house of very inferior description, in which we did not establish +ourselves without difficulty, and then wretchedly enough. For +ourselves we got a room with two dirty beds in it, and only the +coarsest kind of furniture; floor inch-thick in dirt, and having +chinks between the planks, so gaping that we could see everything +going on below--and being over the gateway, the great lounge of the +postilions, _gens-d’armes_, &c., we had not only the advantage of +all their conversation, but also of their eternal tobacco-pipes; +also the full benefit of a most cooling breeze continually blowing +through the gateway. The only room we could procure for Angélique was +occupied by a postilion, and he was unwilling to evacuate, so that a +little tyranny became necessary to gain possession. We turned him +out _vi et armis_. In this wretched place we remained a fortnight, +during which the weather, always gloomy, was at times bitterly cold, +or heavy rain. As the whole troop could not be lodged here, it was +necessary to detach Maunsell with one division to a village at least +five miles off; and Wells, pretending there was no lodging to be +procured here, asked leave to accompany him--notwithstanding which, +our surgeon, Ambrose, who overtook us here, immediately obtained very +comfortable quarters. Hitchins also was uncommonly well lodged in the +house of an old smuggler. Our park was formed on an open space by +the road to Abbeville, just without the town, where, as the weather +was too cold for our guard to remain in a tent, I asked the mayor to +procure them accommodation in a house hard by. This he refused, until +I made preparations to bring our park into the market-place, which +alarmed him so much that he immediately complied. The market-place, +by the way, was precisely similar to the old buildings one sees in +English country towns; and here the two Sundays during our stay I +performed divine service. To pass our time here we sometimes rode +about the dreary neighbourhood, where we discovered a ruined castle; +and in another part a rather pretty village, with a fine manor-house +and park; but the people soon drove us away from this last, not only +by their abuse, but even pelting us with stones. In bad weather +we resorted to a wretched billiard-table opposite our inn, where +I taught F. the game, and drank bitter coffee to my cigars. There +was nothing extraordinary in her frequenting this table, as it is +customary for females to do so; and there were seldom any other +people present than our own. + +In addition to our other occupations, the diligence afforded a +daily and short amusement as it stopped at our inn-door. I can see +now the great lumbering machine just drawn up, a clown in a blue +smock-frock, linen forage-cap with a huge peak sticking straight +out, and a long coach-whip in hand, seated on the near wheeler, +guiding by cord-reins the three cart-horses harnessed abreast as +leaders; and two tall soldier-like _gens-d’armes_, in their neat blue +uniforms and cocked-hats, stepping up to the door, and whilst one +examines the way-bill, the other mounts the step of the vehicle and +scrutinises the passengers. They were fine fellows these, and we got +tolerably intimate with them. Every evening Hitchins came to us and +played a rubber of casino. One evening standing at our window, we +saw some sheep come down the opposite street; two or three went into +the passage of a house, the door of which was instantly closed by an +old woman, and we both exclaimed, “Ah, the wretch! she steals the +sheep.” Our servants who stood by laughed, and explained that the old +shepherd (who now appeared sauntering slowly along) was the guardian +of the town flock, which he conducted to pasture daily. + +Accordingly the next morning the old man again marched under our +window towards the fields, blowing his horn, at which sound the door +opposite again opened, and out sallied the same sheep following the +old man, and forming with others assembling from all quarters a large +flock, which we found him with in the fields when we went to ride. + +_22d._--Marched to Abbeville. Billeted on a velvet manufacturer +with a pretty wife; excellent house, comfortable living. Visit the +cathedral and walk about the town. + +Forgot that I tried one of my men by a court-martial at Airaines +upon a charge of stealing bacon, brought against him by a peasant +of the village where Maunsell was quartered. Sent on to Abbeville +for a captain, and Close came over for the purpose. The _patois_ of +the witnesses was so mixed up with English as to astonish us; one in +particular we shrewdly suspected of being an English deserter. It +was, however, only the _patois_ of Picardy. “Yes” was much oftener +used than “oui” by them. On our way here from Airaines, descending to +the Somme at Point de Remy, I saw a very large Roman encampment on a +neighbouring hill: country about the river pretty as usual. Here most +of my horses were put up in the riding-school of the cavalry barrack. +Our host’s family consisted of himself, a grown-up son, a female +cousin, and his pretty wife, who was very civil, and went shopping +with F., but disgusted me at breakfast by holding up a beastly +pocket-handkerchief and spitting at it. + +_23d._--Much pleased at marching to Montreuil, as we had expected Rue +and Nampont would have been our destination. Comfortable inn--the +same Sterne was at; and our _salle_ the identical room in which +LaFleur slept--so said our host. Excellent dinner: Hitchins dined +with us, and we drank two bottles of prime champagne. Wells left us +here to join my old troop at St Pol. As we were tired, we slept so +soundly that we never knew until morning that the house had been set +on fire during the night by a drunken officer of infantry. + +_24th._--Wretched morning, snowing heavily, and very cold. Hitchins +suffered much from our ride, and got sulky because F. and Angélique +laughed at him. Stopped at Samer to see our friends the Demoiselles +Mallet, and get some hot wine. + +At Boulogne our billet was on a capital house; but our host, an old +officer (I think colonel), extremely sulky and disobliging--obliged +to send to a restaurateur’s for our dinner. Walked about the town and +on the ramparts. No snow here, though the weather was excessively raw +and windy. Ramparts pretty; the only trees in the neighbourhood are +on them. + +At night had gone to bed, expecting to remain a day or two, and were +not yet asleep when some one tapped at our window, which opened into +a little flagged court. I got up and found a hussar (as usual), who +brought me a note, which I could not read until he went and got a +light. It was an order to march to-morrow to Guines. + +_25th._--As our landlord (commandant of the National Guard) had +been anything but civil, we set off without taking leave of him. +Other cavalry besides ourselves had halted in Boulogne, and we +found the road covered with troops, stragglers, and baggage. Amidst +these we struggled on as far as Marquise, where we left the chaussée +for a villanous cross-road, by which, about noon, we arrived at +Guines, a very pretty little town, and the day being fine, a +very cheerful-looking one. Our billet (if billet it were) was a +capital one--the Chateau de Beauscite; the owner, M. le Baron de +Guesclin, with Madame and his daughters, received us most kindly. +The family consisted of M. le Baron, a good-natured, but ugly, and +not very genteel-looking man, about sixty; Madame la Baronne, a +jolly good-looking woman of forty; one very sickly-looking daughter +about twenty-two; another a year or so older, hideously marked +with small-pox, but extremely obliging and good-natured; and a +tall awkward son of about twenty. The house comfortable and well +furnished. We were treated quite on the footing of guests, and even +welcome ones. Style of living much the same as that of an English +country gentleman of easy fortune. After dinner the Baron proposed +showing us our room and the house. Passing through his own bedroom, +with a knowing wink he gave me to understand that he did not follow +modern fashions in sleeping separate from his wife; for, pointing to +the ample and handsome bed, he exclaimed loud enough to be heard by +all, “M., voilà la fabrique des enfans!” Madame looked archly over +her shoulder at me and burst out laughing. + +_26th._--Fine day. Breakfast of tea, &c., got up expressly for us, +as when alone they have no such regular meal, but merely take a cup +of coffee. Afterwards the son showed me the stables, stud, farm, +&c., and then, mounted on a long-tailed Norman horse, with military +saddle and bridle, took us to see the obelisk erected on the spot +where Blanchard descended after crossing the Channel in his balloon. +The country pretty, because well wooded; and from the hill I once +more saw the white cliffs of England, although I will not pretend to +have experienced any very great delight in so doing, as the future +promised nothing good, and I would rather have remained in France. +Reduction, Woolwich duties, and insipidity from the total absence of +excitement--such was the prospect before me. + +In the afternoon a very handsome young man (an officer in some +cavalry corps) came in and dined with us. His father, an old +gentleman of good fortune in the neighbourhood, had served many +years in the hussars, and was (I believe) Madame’s brother. In the +evening came in the family confessor--a fat, greasy priest--who made +himself quite at home; but they did not seem over well pleased with +his company. Servants singing in the kitchen: opened a little trap in +the wall of a cupboard which communicated with the kitchen to hear a +young girl from St Omer sing “Brulant d’Amour” and “Partant pour la +Guerre,” which she did with great sweetness. Our hopes of enjoying +this pleasant billet for some days disappointed by the order to march +to-morrow into Calais, only eight miles off. + +_27th._--Gloomy cold day. A mass to be celebrated for the soul of +Louis XVI. I had promised M. le Baron to allow my men to assist in +the procession, but instead was obliged to take leave as they were +about to begin. Early in the morning all the front of the chateau +was hung with black cloth. Nothing could be kinder or even more +affectionate than our leave-taking, and Madame obliged F. to wrap up +in a rich _pelerin_ of her own, which we were to leave at Quillacq’s. +The distance being so short, we were not long on the road, which +for the most part lay along the canal as far as St Pierre, a great +straggling suburb of Calais, in which we were to halt. Nothing could +be worse than our accommodations here--horses and men scattered about +by twos and threes, far and wide; some of them were sent back almost +to Guines--so near at least as to hear distinctly the church-bells. +As for us, we were put into a farmhouse, where they gave us a room +without a fireplace, insufferable in such a season; therefore, being +obliged to go into Calais to report our arrival to Webber Smith, I +left F. and Hitchins hunting for another quarter. After some trouble +I got a billet from the Quartermaster-General on the Lion d’Argent, +in Calais, kept by an impudent English scoundrel named Oakshot, who +was not at all well pleased at our being put on him. Rode back to St +Pierre, where I found F. and Hitchins in a bedroom they had procured +at a dirty smoky _brasserie_; so we all adjourned together to the +Silver Lion. + +Here we were detained some time, which, however, was of less +consequence, as we were lodged well and fed well. In other respects, +however, the detention was anything but pleasant. Calais at the best +of times must be a dismal stupid hole; at this season of storms, +cold, rain, mud, &c. &c. it was scarcely endurable. Great part of my +day was passed at or about the pier, whence, from time to time as +vessels arrived, we shipped off some of our people. + +Nothing can be imagined more harassing and destructive than this +process of embarkation. For example, my people, as before mentioned, +were dispersed in all directions round the neighbourhood, even +to the distance of six or eight miles, by twos and threes, &c., +so that they were under no control whatever. Meantime the guns, +ammunition-waggons, &c., all dismounted and ready to put on board, +remained exposed to all the weather on the pier. At daylight in +the morning, according to orders, men and horses assembled there +also, and remained--rain, hail, wind or snow (of all which we +had plenty)--until dusk in the evening, when they were permitted +to return to their billets for the night. Nothing could be more +subversive of discipline and harassing to the men, or more ruinous +to the horses; yet, from the system adopted by those who ruled the +transport service, it could not well be avoided, since the vessels +engaged were all schooners, sloops, &c.; and it was necessary, +when any of these returned for a fresh cargo, that the embarkation +should be as prompt as possible, not only for the more expeditiously +getting the troops across, but because they were obliged to leave the +harbour with the same tide, or remain twelve hours. These vessels +did not go all to one place; thus my troop was landed by sixes and +sevens at Dover, Sandwich, Deal, Ramsgate, &c., and then assembled +at Canterbury. Webber Smith was our immediate commanding officer +here; and Sir Denis Park, who commanded, occasionally rode down to +see how things were going on, so that there was no getting out of +the way, and our only relief was an occasional stroll about the +muddy, dismal streets, lounging in some of the shops, &c. Thus time +hung heavily on our hands. Hitchins had left us on the very first +evening of our arrival at the Silver Lion, and we sadly missed his +kind attentions--especially F., who, whilst I was at the pier, had no +one to escort her about, and of course in such a place going alone +was out of the question. I found a pleasing companion to while away +time at the pier in the harbour-master, an old captain of the French +navy, and a well-informed, gentlemanly person, from whom I picked +up a good deal of information. I cannot omit noting the fact that +a female bookseller here, whose _magazin_ we sometimes frequented, +one day let out that she implicitly believed every one of the absurd +lies respecting England contained in General Pelet’s book, and would +hardly credit our contradiction of them. + +At last our tedious detention came, like all things else, to a +conclusion. Two sloops, capable of containing all the remainder of +my troop, came in one evening too late to sail before next morning, +and with this last party I decided on embarking. When Angélique heard +this she came and begged I would lend her a suit of my plain clothes, +as the prefect had prohibited French women going with the English, +and had already stopped many. Here was a dilemma. My old Scotch +quartermaster, however, got us out of it. I don’t know how he passed +the gates, but he did manage on the morning of the 25th January 1816 +to smuggle Angélique on board before daylight, and conceal her below, +without the necessity of changing her female for male attire. + +After breakfast we embarked and immediately sailed. Webber Smith went +with us, as we were the very last of the Royal Horse-Artillery. The +weather was gloomy, cold, and stormy, but the wind was fair, and we +were off Dover early in the afternoon. The tide would not admit even +our little sloop into this miserable harbour before midnight, and +she was hove to almost within speaking distance of the pier-head. +Not relishing this position, we were glad to avail ourselves of +a pilot-gig that came off and go ashore--although these fellows +charged us a guinea a-head for thus carrying us about 200 yards. + +After an early dinner at the York Hotel, Smith set off post for +Blackheath, where his family was residing. + +_26th._--To Canterbury. F. and Angélique in a post-chaise, to which +I and Milward (carrying his lance) served as an escort, for I had no +men to march with. + +So ended the memorable campaign of 1815. + + +THE END. + + +PRINTED BY WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS, EDINBURGH. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] There was a species of Malmsey Madeira, the most delicious +wine imaginable. The cellar seemed well stocked, and our table +consequently was well supplied. + +[2] These people were deputies sent from the Provisional Government +to treat with the Duke, but I have never made out yet who he of the +decoration might have been. + +[3] The close Prussian collar, now so well known to the British +army, was a novelty to us then: our collars were low, and cut down +in front. The cavalry and horse-artillery particularly affected very +narrow sloping collars. + +[4] This must have been a mistake, for the Duke dates his despatches +from Loures on the 30th June, and the headquarters would hardly +have been established in a place so utterly destroyed as is here +described. Perhaps the place was La Chapelle, which I find in the +map. My recollection of the scene here portrayed is quite perfect +even now, although not of the name. + +[5] This makes it appear that my notes are right, answering with the +map as they do. + +[6] We did this to be enabled to march more expeditiously and freely, +observing this road to be quite clear of troops. + +[7] Bourget. + +[8] Mistake. They passed at St Germain on the 30th June, and were +in position between Plessis Picquet and St Cloud, with reserve at +Versailles, on 2d July.--See Duke’s despatch. + +[9] Several regiments from America marched through Garges this +evening, and took up their station in front--fine corps of veterans, +all having served in the Peninsula, and subsequently in America. +Many a cheer from old comrades greeted their arrival. It was a +soul-stirring sight, the proud march of these well-tried troops into +our camp. + +[10] Amongst these parties some were of the _haut-ton_, and I saw +many very elegant women. Indeed, amongst the bourgeoise there was no +lack of beauty, and in manner much to admire, since they infinitely +surpass our countrywomen of the same class in gracefulness of +carriage and gentility of address. + +[11] Three windmills and an obelisk stand upon the summit next +the gap, and a single mill on the isolated hill beyond it. The +neighbourhood of Paris may be said to be characterised by the +windmills which occupy every height, and thus testify to the sluggish +nature of the streams watering the plains by the want of water-power. + +[12] The Prussians seize all forage not under escort and for our own +use. Had they known this last was not the case, our non-commissioned +officer would have availed little. + +[13] In English we have no word which will translate. + +[14] The _cornette_. + +[15] Le Nôtre had five feet (French) difference of level between one +side and the other to remove. There is no accounting for taste. + +[16] It once was a garden, but was destroyed by the great fire. + +[17] These _bergeries_ are very numerous in the neighbourhood of +Paris, where it seems the fashion among the great proprietors to +keep flocks of merinos. Almost every chateau has its _bergerie_ and +_vacherie_. We have one here in Stain belonging to M. le Marquis de +Livry, as I know to my cost. The _bergerie_ consists of low sheds, +forming a square. Within, they are fitted up with low racks for hay. +The sheep are kept in these all the winter, and at night during the +summer. + +[18] I cannot FEEL in public, especially when a _showman_ is telling +me in a garbled manner that which would spontaneously flash across +the memory if left to one’s self. When we do not _feel_, we _can’t +write_. + +[19] Angélique told me since that Mademoiselle Rose fled to the woods +with the rest of the villagers, and only returned when they did. + +[20] I suspect a fact I have since remembered must have suggested the +idea of charging us with the lead. Finding the horses very ragged +when I first joined the troop, I ordered all their manes to be +plaited and loaded with lead, of which a sufficiency could have been +picked up about the chateau or lawn, or off the ends or remnants of +the _already_ cut pipes. + +[21] The two reserve troops. + +[22] Under the cliffs at the other extremity, near the Barrière de +Clichy, is a similar mound, originating, no doubt, in the same way. +It is now covered with fine trees, and forms an agreeable object as +one approaches the Barrière. Its name (_Monceau_) perhaps points to +its origin. + +[23] Early riser as I am, my neighbour here beat me considerably, +for I always used to hear him harnessing his horses for work before +daylight, which he did with a pretty annoying quantity of noise and +chattering. + +[24] To me the most interesting part of this mound was its history, +rising abruptly as it does so much above the surrounding ground. Is +it an enormous barrow, like Silbury, or is it a natural accumulation +of alluvium? + +[25] It must be remembered that in those days these, as well as many +other things quite common in England, were novelties to Englishmen. + +[26] The rough journal from which I have with much trouble compiled +this copy is here so confused and imperfect as to be of little or no +use; and my great auxiliaries--letters to my wife, from which I was +enabled to correct or confirm dates, and to make more circumstantial +many subjects only mentioned in the journal--I have unwittingly +destroyed. During my stay at Stain, too, I wrote by fits and starts. +Amongst new scenes of every kind, and new people, the excitement was +too great to admit of shutting one’s self up for study or writing. +Thus, from the period I have now reached, my means are so few, that +it is quite impossible to bring my journal (as I wished) down to our +final departure from France--as complete as it might have been. + +[27] At three in the morning, when Lord Charles and his companion +immediately landed and tried to persuade me to do the same, but I +remained on board until daylight. + +[28] She cooked for us here. + + + + + TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE + + Footnote [21] is referenced twice from page 197. + + Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been + corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within + the text and consultation of external sources. + + Some hyphens in words have been silently removed, some added, + when a predominant preference was found in the original book. + + Except for those changes noted below, all misspellings in the text, + and inconsistent or archaic usage, have been retained. + + Pg 15: ‘sout de vrais brigands’ replaced by ‘sont de vrais brigands’. + Pg 62: ‘the poperty of’ replaced by ‘the property of’. + Pg 71: ‘Inhabiants there’ replaced by ‘Inhabitants there’. + Pg 87: ‘cornetts’ replaced by ‘cornettes’. + Pg 115: ‘Cossac’s wounds’ replaced by ‘Cossack’s wounds’. + Pg 183: ‘M. le Berger de’ replaced by ‘M. le Berger and’. + Pg 197: ‘Garges, Arnonville’ replaced by ‘Garges, Arnouville’. + Pg 244: ‘pleasing undulalation’ replaced by ‘pleasing undulation’. + Pg 278: ‘the slighest moment’ replaced by ‘the slightest moment’. + Pg 286: ‘a a delicate pink’ replaced by ‘a delicate pink’. + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 75873 *** |