按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Tutor； whereas of the French party were the Foreign
Minister； the Commander…in…Chief's Lady； who had
served under Napoleon； and the Hof…Marschall and his
wife； who was glad enough to get the fashions from
Pans； and always had them and her caps by M。 de
Macabau's courier。 The Secretary of his Chancery was little
Grignac； a young fellow； as malicious as Satan； and who
made caricatures of Tapeworm in all the…albums of the
place。
Their headquarters and table d'hote were established
at the Pariser Hof； the other inn of the town； and though；
of course； these gentlemen were obliged to be civil in
public； yet they cut at each other with epigrams that
were as sharp as razors； as I have seen a couple of
wrestlers in Devonshire； lashing at each other's shins
and never showing their agony upon a muscle of their
faces。 Neither Tapeworm nor Macabau ever sent home
a dispatch to his government without a most savage
series of attacks upon his rival。 For instance； on our side
we would write； 〃The interests of Great Britain in this
place； and throughout the whole of Germany； are perilled
by the continuance in office of the present French envoy；
this man is of a character so infamous that he will stick
at no falsehood； or hesitate at no crime； to attain his
ends。 He poisons the mind of the Court against the
English minister； represents the conduct of Great Britain in
the most odious and atrocious light； and is unhappily
backed by a minister whose ignorance and necessities
are as notorious as his influence is fatal。〃 On their side
they would。say； 〃M。 de Tapeworm continues his
system of stupid insular arrogance and vulgar falsehood
against the greatest nation in the world。 Yesterday he
was heard to speak lightly of Her Royal Highness Madame
the Duchess of Berri； on a former occasion he insulted
the heroic Duke of Angouleme and dared to insinuate
that H。R。H。 the Duke of Orleans was conspiring against
the august throne of the lilies。 His gold is prodigated in
every direction which his stupid menaces fail to frighten。
By one and the other； he has won over creatures of the
Court hereand； in fine； Pumpernickel will not be
quiet； Germany tranquil； France respected； or Europe
content until this poisonous viper be crushed under
heel〃： and so on。 When one side or the other had written
any particularly spicy dispatch； news of it was sure to
slip out。
Before the winter was far advanced； it is actually on
record that Emmy took a night and received company
with great propriety and modesty。 She had a French
master； who complimented her upon the purity of her
accent and her facility of learning； the fact is she had
learned long ago and grounded herself subsequently in the
grammar so as to be able to teach it to George； and Madam
Strumpff came to give her lessons in singing； which she
performed so well and with such a true voice that the
Major's windows； who had lodgings opposite under the
Prime Minister； were always open to hear the lesson。
Some of the German ladies； who are very sentimental and
simple in their tastes； fell in love with her and began to
call her du at once。 These are trivial details； but they
relate to happy times。 The Major made himself George's
tutor and read Caesar and mathematics with him； and
they had a German master and rode out of evenings by
the side of Emmy's carriageshe was always too timid；
and made a dreadful outcry at the slightest disturbance
on horse…back。 So she drove about with one of her dear
German friends； and Jos asleep on the back…seat of the
barouche。
He was becoming very sweet upon the Grafinn Fanny
de Butterbrod； a very gentle tender…hearted and
unassuming young creature； a Canoness and Countess in her
own right； but with scarcely ten pounds per year to her
fortune； and Fanny for her part declared that to be
Amelia's sister was the greatest delight that Heaven could
bestow on her； and Jos might have put a Countess's shield
and coronet by the side of his own arms on his carriage
and forks； whenwhen events occurred； and those
grand fetes given upon the marriage of the Hereditary
Prince of Pumpernickel with the lovely Princess Amelia
of Humbourg…Schlippenschloppen took place。
At this festival the magnificence displayed was such as
had not been known in the little German place since
the days of the prodigal Victor XIV。 All the neighbouring
Princes； Princesses； and Grandees were invited to the
feast。 Beds rose to half a crown per night in Pumpernickel；
and the Army was exhausted in providing guards
of honour for the Highnesses； Serenities； and Excellencies
who arrived from all quarters。 The Princess was married
by proxy； at her father's residence； by the Count de
Schlusselback。 Snuff…boxes were given away in profusion
（as we learned from the Court jeweller； who sold
and afterwards bought them again）； and bushels of the
Order of Saint Michael of Pumpernickel were sent to
the nobles of the Court； while hampers of the cordons
and decorations of the Wheel of St。 Catherine of
Schlippenschloppen were brought to ours。 The French envoy
got both。 〃He is covered with ribbons like a prize
cart…horse；〃 Tapeworm said； who was not allowed by the rules
of his service to take any decorations： 〃Let him have
the cordons； but with whom is the victory？〃 The fact is；
it was a triumph of British diplomacy； the French party
having proposed and tried their utmost to carry a
marriage with a Princess of the House of
Potztausend…Donnerwetter； whom； as a matter of
course； we opposed。
Everybody was asked to the fetes of the marriage。
Garlands and triumphal arches were hung across the road
to welcome the young bride。 The great Saint Michael's
Fountain ran with uncommonly sour wine； while that
in the Artillery Place frothed with beer。 The great waters
played； and poles were put up in the park and gardens
for the happy peasantry； which they might climb at
their leisure； carrying off watches； silver forks； prize
sausages hung with pink ribbon； &c。； at the top。 Georgy
got one； wrenching it off； having swarmed up the pole to
the delight of the spectators； and sliding down with the
rapidity of a fall of water。 But it was for the glory's
sake merely。 The boy gave the sausage to a peasant；
who had very nearly seized it； and stood at the foot of
the mast； blubbering； because he was unsuccessful。
At the French Chancellerie they had six more lampions
in their illumination than ours had； but our transparency；
which represented the young Couple advancing and
Discord flying away； with the most ludicrous likeness to the
French Ambassador； beat the French picture hollow； and
I have no doubt got Tapeworm the advancement and the
Cross of the Bath which he subsequently attained。
Crowds of foreigners arrived for the fetes； and of
English； of course。 Besides the Court balls； public balls
were given at the Town Hall and the Redoute； and in the
former place there was a room for trente…et…quarante
and roulette established； for the week of the festivities
only； and by one of the great German companies from
Ems or Aix…la…Chapelle。 The officers or inhabitants of the
town were not allowed to play at these games； but
strangers；