Paris and the Parisians in 1835 (Vol. 1)Trollope, Frances Milton
History
Paris and the Parisians in 1835 (Vol. 1)
Trollope, Frances Milton
Paris (France) -- Description and travel; Paris (France) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
Having reached the Luxembourg and obtained admission to the gardens,
we again rested ourselves, that we might look about at our ease upon a
scene that was not only quite novel, but certainly very singular to
those who were accustomed to the ordinary aspect of the place.
In the midst of lilacs and roses an encampment of small white tents
showed their warlike fronts. Arms, drums, and all sorts of military
accoutrements were visible among them; while loitering troops, some
smoking, some reading, some sleeping, completed the unwonted
appearance of the scene.
It would have been impossible, I believe, in all France to have fixed
ourselves on a spot where our two French friends would have found so
many incitements to unity of opinion and feeling as this. Our
conversation, therefore, was not only very amicable, but ran some risk
of being dull from the mere want of contradiction; for to a hearty
conscientious condemnation of the proceedings which led to this trial
of the _prévenus d'Avril_ there was an unanimous sentence passed _nem.
con._ throughout the whole party.
M. de L---- gave us some anecdotes of one or two of the persons best
known among the prisoners; but upon being questioned respecting the
others, he burst out indignantly in the words of Corneille--
----"Le reste ne vaut pas l'honneur d'être nommé:
Un tas d'hommes perdus de dettes et de crimes,
Que pressent de nos loix les ordres légitimes,
Et qui désespérant de les plus éviter,
Si tout n'est renversé, ne sauraient subsister."
"Ben trovato!" exclaimed P----; "you could not have described them
better--but...."
This "but" would very probably have led to observations that might
have put our _belle harmonie_ out of tune, or at least have produced
the renewal of our peaceable sparring, had not a little bustle among
the trees at a short distance behind us cut short our session.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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