FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   1472   1473   1474   1475   1476   1477   1478   1479   1480   1481   1482   1483   1484   1485   1486   1487   1488   1489   1490   1491   1492   1493   1494   1495   1496  
1497   1498   1499   1500   1501   1502   1503   1504   1505   1506   1507   1508   1509   1510   1511   1512   1513   1514   1515   1516   1517   1518   1519   1520   1521   >>   >|  
o books, and no communication with the outside world; and that when he came out of his dungeon to be sent to Colonel Marts, he presented a horrible appearance, with his long beard, and emaciated frame, the result of mental distress and insufficient food. He had worn the same shirt for a month, as he had never been able to prevail on his captors to give him others; and his eyes had been so long unaccustomed to the light that he was obliged to close them, and felt oppressed in the open air. On the road from Bayonne, there was handed to the prince a letter from the king and queen which was stained with tears. The prince said to his valet de chambre after reading it, "These are the first consoling words I have received in a month, for every one has abandoned me except my excellent masters. The body guards, who have betrayed and sold their king, will also betray and sell his son; and as for myself, I hope for nothing, except to be permitted to find an asylum in France for my children and myself." M. Marts having shown him newspapers in which it was stated that the prince possessed a fortune of five hundred million, he exclaimed vehemently that it was an atrocious calumny, and he defied his most cruel enemies to prove that. As we have seen, their Majesties had not a numerous suite; but they were, notwithstanding, followed by baggage-wagons filled with furniture, goods, and valuable articles, and though their carriages were old-fashioned, they found them very comfortable--especially the king, who was much embarrassed the day after his arrival at Bayonne, when, having been invited to dine with the Emperor, it was necessary to enter a modern carriage with two steps. He did not dare to put his foot on the frail things, which he feared would break under his weight; and the oscillating movement of the body of the carriage made him terribly afraid that it would upset. At the table I had an opportunity of observing at my leisure the king and queen. The king was of medium height, and though not strictly handsome had a pleasant face. His nose was very long, his voice high-pitched and disagreeable; and he walked with a mincing air in which there was no majesty, but this, however, I attributed to the gout. He ate heartily of everything offered him, except vegetables, which he never ate, saying that grass was good only for cattle; and drank only water, having it served in two carafes, one containing ice, and poured from both at the
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   1472   1473   1474   1475   1476   1477   1478   1479   1480   1481   1482   1483   1484   1485   1486   1487   1488   1489   1490   1491   1492   1493   1494   1495   1496  
1497   1498   1499   1500   1501   1502   1503   1504   1505   1506   1507   1508   1509   1510   1511   1512   1513   1514   1515   1516   1517   1518   1519   1520   1521   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
prince
 

carriage

 
Bayonne
 

carafes

 
modern
 

Emperor

 

invited

 
wagons
 

baggage

 

filled


furniture
 

numerous

 

notwithstanding

 

valuable

 

articles

 
embarrassed
 

comfortable

 
carriages
 
fashioned
 

poured


arrival

 

pleasant

 

height

 

strictly

 

handsome

 

pitched

 

disagreeable

 

attributed

 

offered

 

walked


vegetables
 

mincing

 

majesty

 
medium
 

weight

 

oscillating

 

heartily

 

feared

 
served
 
things

movement

 

opportunity

 
observing
 

leisure

 

Majesties

 

terribly

 

afraid

 

cattle

 

asylum

 

unaccustomed