As for the Princes of Ballybunion, Donegal, and Connemara, they wrote
off despatches to their Government, saying, “The Duke of Nemours is
beaten, and a prisoner! The Irish Brigade has done it all!” On which
his Majesty the King of the Irish, convoking his Parliament at the
Corn Exchange Palace, Dublin, made a speech, in which he called Louis
Philippe an “old miscreant,” and paid the highest compliments to his son
and his troops. The King on this occasion knighted Sir Henry Sheehan,
Sir Gavan Duffy (whose journals had published the news), and was so
delighted with the valor of his son, that he despatched him his order
of the Pig and Whistle (1st class), and a munificent present of five
hundred thousand pounds--in a bill at three months. All Dublin was
illuminated; and at a ball at the Castle the Lord Chancellor Smith
(Earl of Smithereens) getting extremely intoxicated, called out the Lord
Bishop of Galway (the Dove), and they fought in the Phoenix Park. Having
shot the Right Reverend Bishop through the body, Smithereens apologized.
He was the same practitioner who had rendered himself so celebrated in
the memorable trial of the King--before the Act of Independence.
Meanwhile, the army of Prince Henri advanced with rapid strides towards
Paris, whither the History likewise must hasten; for extraordinary were
the events preparing in that capital.
CHAPTER VII.
THE LEAGUER OF PARIS.
By a singular coincidence, on the very same day when the armies of Henri
V. appeared before Paris from the Western Road, those of the Emperor
John Thomas Napoleon arrived from the North. Skirmishes took place
between the advanced-guards of the two parties, and much slaughter
ensued.
“Bon!” thought King Louis Philippe, who examined them from his tower;
“they will kill each other. This is by far the most economical way of
getting rid of them.” The astute monarch's calculations were admirably
exposed by a clever remark of the Prince of Ballybunion. “Faix, Harry,”
says he (with a familiarity which the punctilious son of Saint Louis
resented), “you and him yandther--the Emperor, I mane--are like the
Kilkenny cats, dear.”
“Et que font-ils ces chats de Kilkigny, Monsieur le Prince de
Ballybunion?” asked the Most Christian King haughtily.
Prince Daniel replied by narrating the well-known apologue of the
animals “ating each other all up but their TEELS; and that's what you
and Imparial Pop yondther will do, blazing away as ye are,” added the
jocose and royal boy.
“Je prie votre Altesse Royale de vaguer a ses propres affaires,”
answered Prince Henri sternly: for he was an enemy to anything like a
joke; but there is always wisdom in real wit, and it would have been
well for his Most Christian Majesty had he followed the facetious
counsels of his Irish ally.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account