horses bolt, and cart upsets—reach blois after six days’ travelling—miserable condition of french troops after return from moscow—ordered to gueret on the creuse—a miserable journey of five days—poor accommodation—allowed to move to country quarters at masignon—an earthquake shock—news of napoleon’s abdication—start for paris—reach fontainebleau in nine days—proceed to paris—lodgings dear and scarce—state entrance of louis xviii. into paris.
at the time appointed we had our machine ready. the gendarmes were literally driving some of the officers out of the town. to save them the trouble of doing us the same favour we departed early. on the first stage from verdun, in descending a steep, long hill, a hailstorm overtook us, and as the hailstones fell they froze. the horses could not keep their feet, nor could our sailor coachman keep his seat. the animals slid down part of the way very comfortably. at length, after much struggling, they once more gained a footing, and in so doing, the fore wheels came in contact with their hinder feet, which unfortunately frightened and set them off at full speed. i got hold of the reins with the coachman, and endeavoured to pull them into a ditch to the left—on the right was a precipice—the reins broke, and we had no longer command over them. we were in this state of anxiety for a few [pg 322]minutes, when the fore wheels detached themselves from the carriage, and over it went on its larboard broadside. i was, with the coachman, thrown head foremost into the ditch, which, being half filled with snow, broke the violence of our launch. i soon floundered out of it, without being much hurt. my falling companion, being a much stouter man than myself did not fare so well, as his right shoulder received a severe contusion. the noble man-of-war captain inside had his face much cut with the bottles of wine that were in the pockets of the vehicle, and he would have made an excellent phantasmagoria. his nephew had one of his legs very much injured. here we were in a most pitiable condition, not knowing what to do, as we could not move our travelling machine without assistance. as we were scratching our wise heads, and looking at each other with forlorn faces, a party of french soldiers approached, and for a five-franc piece they assisted us in righting the carriage and catching the horses, which had been stopped at the bottom of the hill. on an examination of our cart we found that, fortunately for us, the traverse pin of the fore-wheels had jumped out, which freed them and the horses, and occasioned our turning turtle. had not this taken place, we most likely should have gone over the precipice. we, after some sailor-like contrivances, got under weigh. as we were grown wiser by this mishap, we took care to lock the hinder wheels when going down hill in future. we reached clermont in the [pg 323]dusk of the evening, and glad i was to turn into a bed replete with hoppers, crawlers, and wisdom, for it was very hard. being much fatigued, i slept soundly, notwithstanding my numerous biting companions.
after a most suffering, cold, and uncomfortable journey of six days we reached blois. a number of our soldiers and sailors perished with cold on the road. we assisted some few of them with money and something to eat. poor fellows! some were so worn out that they threw themselves down on the stubble in the fields, where the severe frost soon put an end to their sufferings. the day we quitted verdun the retreating french army from moscow, with numerous waggons full of their frostbitten and wounded men, entered it. that and the allied army advancing on the french borders were the cause of our being sent away with so much speed. when this division of the enemy’s army marched through verdun for the purpose of conquering russia, it was the general remark amongst the english that the appearance of the men and their appointments could not be better in any country; but to see them return in the extreme of wretchedness and suffering was truly pitiable. oh, bonaparte! i charge thee fling away ambition; it is, unfortunately for the world, thy besetting sin. it cannot continue for ever, and you will be brought up with a severe round turn before you are many years older—such is my prophecy.
we had not been settled at blois a month before [pg 324]we had orders to quit it and to proceed to gueret on the river creuse. we understood the allied army having entered france was the cause of our removal.
as i had never heard of gueret before, i requested my landlord to give me some information respecting it. “why,” said he, with a most awful shrug of his shoulders, “it is where louis the fourteenth banished his petite noblesse, and is now filled with lawyers, who, as the town is small and the inhabitants are not numerous, go to law with each other to keep themselves, i suppose, in practice. oh, you will find the roads rough and much out of order; we call it ‘un chemin perdu,’ and as the town is insignificant, and produces nothing, we call it ‘un endroit inconnu.’ i do not think,” added he, “there are more than cinquante cheminées à feu in the whole town.”
this information did not raise my spirits. however, there was no alternative, and it was of little use to be downhearted. the weather continued very severe, and we had again to encounter frost, snow, and intense cold. we prayed for the humane emperor of france, and wished him elevated on haman’s gibbet. our journey was most horrible and fatiguing; the roads in some places were literally lost, and we were obliged to drive over ploughed fields in order to avoid the deep ruts. i thought we should have had all our bones dislocated. the five days we were on this wretched road will never be effaced from my memory. we [pg 325]slept where we could. inns there were very few, and those few the abodes of poverty, filth, and rags. the small farms sometimes took us in, where, whilst eating the coarse brown bread and tough fowls they put before us, and for which they made us pay most extravagantly, the pigs and poultry kept us company during our repast.
one night, at one of these abominable places, i was obliged to lie on a table, as they had not a bed to give me. i was awakened early by a most horrible smell. i thought i should be suffocated. i procured a light and inspected the room. on opening an old press i found several half-putrid cheeses, full of jumping gentlemen, and probably ladies, for there was a large assembly of them. i made my escape from this savoury, not sweet-smelling den, and threw myself into what they called a chair, which, from its form and ease must have been fabricated before the time of adam. i found i had seated myself before a kind of crib, something like a corn-bin, in which was lying, fast asleep and snoring, the landlady, who was a coarse, dingy beauty of about forty. “lead me not into temptation and deliver me from evil,” ejaculated i to myself. at this time a huge cock that had been roosting in some part of the kitchen gave a loud crow. she started up and called out “oh, mon dieu, je ne puis pas dormir à cause de cette bête là!” i pretended to be asleep, although i made a loop-hole with my left eye. a short time afterwards she was snoring as loud as before.
[pg 326]
when daylight began to break i went out into the yard, and was saluted by the barking of a very large dog, who was chained to a small shed. this roused all the inmates of the house. we had some milk and eggs, and once more assumed our most agreeable journey. on entering gueret, i verily believe all the men, women, children and dogs came to meet us. i do not know what they thought of us. we appeared, i thought, like a set of wild men in search of a more civilised country than that whence they came. it was soon understood we wanted lodgings, and the importunity of the females was most embarrassing. i took up my abode over a small grocer’s shop. the only room i could obtain, which contained a small bed, a minikin table, and two common chairs, cost me fifty francs a month, (about two pounds sterling), and i was considered fortunate in having such good lodgings. i sometimes dined at the principal inn, where i met the élite of the town, such as bankers and half broken-down noblemen who had been pigeoned by their dearly-beloved napoleon. one day at dinner i overheard a conversation between two of these last, one of whom wished, if he could find two officers among us who preferred living in the country, to have them as lodgers. i seized the opportunity of introducing myself to them when we rose from table. an officer in one of our regiments offered himself as the other inmate.
we were mutually satisfied with each other, and two days afterwards i obtained leave from the [pg 327]french commandant to remove to masignon, about four leagues from gueret. on reaching the village i was directed to a large chateau with two embattled towers. i was much pleased with its romantic appearance, but more so with its amiable inmates, which consisted of the dowager countess de barton, the count, her son, and the two young countesses, her daughters, the eldest in her twenty-fourth and the youngest in her twenty-second year.
there were seven saddle horses and a carriage, all of which were at our service, and i had a chamberlain to attend on me. the domain was very extensive. we had the privilege of shooting and fishing, and i found myself as comfortable as i could possibly wish, and i much regretted i was deprived of the happiness of seeing my wife and dear children in such distinguished and amiable society.
one evening as we were all sitting in the large drawing room, it suddenly appeared to be going on one side, and immediately after we were much alarmed by a roaring noise like the flame in a chimney when on fire. i attempted to move and nearly fell.
this was occasioned by the shock of an earthquake. during the anxious suspense we were in, the servants had rushed into the room with horror in their countenances, exclaiming, “oh, mesdames, le chateau va tomber, et nous serons écrasées!”
“peace,” said the elder countess; “remain where you are.” by the time she had spoken the [pg 328]trembling ceased, nor had we another shock. after a short interval we resumed our conversation as if nothing had occurred.
this part of france is much infested with wolves, and i frequently in the night heard them near the house, but i only saw one of them in the day. i fired at him, but as he was at some distance, he escaped without injury.
i had resided with this amiable family nearly a month, when one of the servants who had been to gueret entered nearly out of breath to say that, “la belle france était prise!” at the same time he handed a small printed paper to the mother countess.
she smiled at the idea of the servant’s report, and turning to me she said, “i am rejoiced to be the first to announce to you that you are no longer in captivity. the allied armies have taken paris and bonaparte has abdicated. this is the ‘gazette,’ i am happy to see once more decorated with the fleur de lys.”
i kissed her hand for the intelligence, and assured her although the joyful news was everything i wished, i should much regret quitting her family, where, during my short stay, i could not have experienced more affection and kindness from my own relations than she had shown to me.
on the second day after this delightful intelligence, i took an affectionate leave of the ladies. the count was absent.
at gueret i joined the same party who had been [pg 329]my companions in misery and fatigue. our nags had been well taken care of, and the nine hundred and ninety-ninth cousin of the brave, but unfortunate, bruce deserved praise.
i will not describe our tiresome and wretched journey of nine days. at length we reached fontainebleau, where we remained two days to rest ourselves as well as the horses. in passing through its forest, which is very fine, we were almost poisoned by the stench occasioned by dead men and horses. we saw the palace, and the ink on the table where bonaparte had signed his abdication was so fresh that it came off by rubbing it a little with the finger.
two days after we entered paris, which we found in possession of the allied armies, and it was with the greatest difficulty that we procured lodgings even in the faubourg st. antoine. they were at the top of the house, only five stories and an entresol to mount! and alarmingly dear as well as dirty and small. we sold our stud and carriage for a little more than we gave for them.
during the three days we remained in paris, i visited the louvre and its stolen goods. it was a brilliant treat; never was any palace so decorated with such gems of art, nor, i hope, under the same circumstances, ever will be again. on the day louis le désiré entered, i paid a napoleon for half a window in the rue st. denis to view the procession.
nearly opposite the window the king halted to [pg 330]receive the address from the moulins and poissardes, some of whom appeared to me drunk. a child dressed like a cupid, with a chaplet of flowers in its hand, was handed to the duchess d’angoulême, who sat on the left hand of the king. i remarked she was much confused and scarcely knew what to do with the child, who was about five years of age, and who put the chaplet on her head. at length she kissed it and returned it to its mother.
the windows of the houses were dressed with pieces of tapestry and white flags, which appeared to my view nothing more than sheets and table-cloths. the garde nationale lined the streets, and by the acclamations of, “vive louis le dix-huit, louis le désiré, les bourbons!” and other cries, all foreigners who had never visited france or conversed with its natives, would have exclaimed, “look at these loyal people; how they love the bourbon dynasty!”
the mounted national guard who came after the royal carriage out-heroded herod by their deafening cries of loyalty. who would have imagined these gentlemen would have played the harlequin and receive their dethroned emperor as they did when he entered paris again? “put not your trust in men, particularly frenchmen in 1814, o ye house of bourbon, for they made ye march out of france without beat of drum.”
entry of the allies into paris by the porte st. martin, march 31, 1814.
the entry of the allies into paris by the porte st. martin,
march 31, 1814.
i was much amused with the conduct of the imperial guard who followed the national heroes. the poissardes cried out, “vive le garde impériale!” [pg 331]all they uttered was “vive les poissardes!” they looked as black as thunder.
i understood there was a cause of dissatisfaction among them in consequence of a mark of distinction having been given to the shop-keeping soldiers and not any to them. this was the comte d’artois’ clever policy; at least, so i was informed by my companion who had taken the other half of the window where we stood. my thoughts were seven fathoms deep.
