Part 9 (1/2)
I have spoken already of the storming of Constantine. No French success since the wars of the Great Napoleon had been so brilliant; yet the Chamber of Deputies, in a fit of parsimony, reduced from two thousand to eleven hundred dollars the pension proposed by the ministers to be settled on the widow of General Damremont, the commander-in-chief, who had been killed by a round shot while giving orders to scale the walls. At the same time they voted two hundred and fifty thousand dollars for the year's subsidy to the theatres of Paris for the amus.e.m.e.nt of themselves and their const.i.tuents.
Algeria proved a valuable school for soldiers; there Lamoriciere, Changarnier, Cavaignac, Saint-Arnaud, Pelissier, and Bugeaud had their military education. Louis Philippe's three sons were also with the troops, sharing all the duties, dangers, and hards.h.i.+ps of the campaign.
By the end of 1847 Abdul Kader had retired to a stronghold in the mountains, where, seeing that his cause was lost, he tendered his submission to the Duc d'Aumale, then governor of Algeria. The offer was accepted. Abdul Kader surrendered on an understanding that he should be conducted to some Mohammedan place of refuge,--Alexandria or St. Jean d'Acre. But this stipulation was disregarded by the French Government, whose breach of faith has always been considered a stain on the honor of Louis Philippe and his ministers. The Duc d'Aumale vehemently remonstrated, believing his own word pledged to the Arab chieftain. Abdul Kader, his wives, children, servants, and princ.i.p.al officers were taken to France, and for five years lived at Amboise, where some of the subordinate attendants, overcome by homesickness, committed suicide. In 1852 Louis Napoleon, who possibly had a fellow-feeling for captives, restored Abdul Kader to liberty, who thereupon took up his residence at Damascus. There he subsequently protected a large number of Christians from ma.s.sacre, sheltering them in his house, and giving them food and clothing. He afterwards removed to the island of Ceylon, where, as everywhere else, he won ”golden opinions” by his generous behavior.
Meantime, while France was in some respects in the full tide of prosperity, great discontent was growing up among the working-cla.s.ses, reinforced by the worthless cla.s.s, always ready for disturbances. In May, 1839, Barbes led an _emeute_ in Paris which might have proved formidable. His attempt opened with a deliberate murder, and there was considerable fighting in the streets for about twenty-four hours. Barbes was condemned to death. The king was desirous to spare him, and yielded readily to the prayers of his sister, for whom an opportunity of interceding for him was obtained by the good offices of Lamartine.
The _emeute_ of Barbes was regarded with disfavor by more experienced conspirators, but secret societies had introduced organization among the workmen. Moreover, they were led by the _bourgeoisie_ with a cry for parliamentary reform, which at that period was the supposed panacea for every kind of evil.
The king was not popular. He was not the ideal Frenchman. He was a Frenchman of the _epicier_, or small grocer, type. As a _bon pere de famille_ he was anxious to settle his sons well in life.
They were admirable young men, they deserved good wives, and as far as grace, beauty, and amiability went, they all obtained them; but up to 1846 not one of them had made a brilliant marriage. This good fortune Louis Philippe hoped was reserved for his two younger sons,--D'Aumale and Montpensier.
The Duke of Orleans was the most popular of the king's sons. Handsome, elegant, accomplished, and always careful in his toilet, he was a thorough Frenchman,--the approved type of an aristocrat with liberal sympathies and ideas. He was born at Palermo in 1810, and did not come to France till he was four years old. He had an excellent tutor, who prepared him for his _college_. There he took his place entirely on a par with other boys, and gained several prizes. All Louis Philippe's sons were sent to public schools.
The duke afterwards prepared for and entered the Polytechnic, which is said to demand more hard study than any other school in the world.
He made his first campaign in Africa in 1835, and afterwards served with distinction in the early part of that one which resulted in the retreat from Constantine; but before Constantine was reached, a severe illness invalided him. He was a liberal in politics, the sincere friend of the working-cla.s.ses, and was on intimate terms with men of letters, even with Victor Hugo, in spite of his advanced opinions. He was a patron of art and artists. Some beautiful table-pieces that he had ordered, by Barye, are now in the gallery of Mr. W. S. Walters, of Baltimore, they not having been completed when he died. His wife charmed every one by her good sense, grace, and goodness. They had had four years of happy married life, and had two little sons, when, in July, 1842, the d.u.c.h.ess went for her health to the baths of Plombieres, in the mountains of the Vosges. Her husband escorted her thither, and then returned to Paris, on his way to attend some military manoeuvres near Boulogne.
As he was driving out to Neuilly to make his _adieux_ to his family, the horses of his carriage were startled by an organ-grinder on the Avenue de Neuilly. The duke, who was alone, tried apparently to jump out of the carriage. Had he remained seated, all would have been well. He fell on his head on the _pave_ of the broad avenue, breaking the vertebral column.
He was carried into a small grocer's shop by the way-side, where afterwards a little chapel was erected by his family. Messengers were sent to the Chateau de Neuilly, and his father, mother, and sisters, without bonnets or hats, came rus.h.i.+ng to the spot. He lived, unconscious, for four hours. A messenger was despatched at once to bring his wife from Plombieres. She had just finished dressing for dinner, in full toilet, when the news reached her.
Without changing her dress, she started instantly for Paris, but when she reached it, her husband was in his coffin.
When his will was opened, it was found to contain an earnest exhortation to his son that, whether he proved ”one of those tools that Heaven fits for work, but does not use,” or ascended the French throne, he ”should always hold in his heart, above all things, love to France, and fidelity to the principles of the French Revolution.”
Here is the poor Queen Amelie's account of the death of her son, written to a dear friend four days after:--
”My Chartres,[1] my beloved son, he whose birth made all my happiness, whose infancy and growing years were all my occupation, whose youth was my pride and consolation, and who would, as I hoped, be the prop of my old age, no longer lives. He has been taken from us in the midst of completed happiness, and of the happiest prospects of the future, whilst each day he gained in virtue, in understanding, in wisdom, following the footsteps of his n.o.ble and excellent father.
He was more than a son to me,--he was my best friend. And G.o.d has taken him from me!... On the 2d of July he and Helene left for Plombieres, where the latter was to take the baths. He was, after establis.h.i.+ng her there, to come back and spend a few days at the camp of St.-Omer, there to take command of an army corps, which was intended to execute great military manoeuvres on the Marne, and which had been the object of his thoughts and employments for a year past. Accordingly, on the 9th he returned from Plombieres, and came to dine with us at Neuilly, full of the subject of the elections, and talking of them with that warmth of heart and intellect which was apparent in all he did. Next day--my _fete_ day--he came, contrary to his usual custom, with an enormous bouquet, telling me it was given in the name of the whole family. He heard ma.s.s, and breakfasted with us. He was so cheerful. He sat beside me at dinner. He got up, drank my health with much vivacity, and made the band play a particular tune,--in my honor, as he said. Who would have thought that this was the last time this dear child was to show me so much affection! On the 11th he again returned to dinner with us, much occupied all the time with the camp and the elections....
[Footnote 1: It was his first t.i.tle before his father came to the throne. His mother always continued to use it.]
”On the 12th he arrived about four o'clock in his country suit. We conversed together about the health of Helene, which was a subject of anxiety, about Clementine's marriage, which he earnestly desired; about the elections and many other subjects, the discussion of which he always ended with the refrain: 'In short, dear Majesty, we finish as usual by agreeing in all important particulars.' And it was very true.
”After dinner we took a turn in the park, he and Victoire, Clementine, D'Aumale, and I. Never had he been so gay, so brilliant, so affectionate. He spoke to me of his arrangements for the troops, of the time when the king was to go with us to Ste.-Menehoulde, of the time that he would spend there, and of his own daily occupations.
He looked forward to giving his father a representation of the battle of Valmy. I gave him my arm, saying: 'Come, dear prop of my old age!' And the next day he was to be alive no longer!
”We returned to the drawing-room a little late. A great many people had arrived. He remained with us talking until ten o'clock, when on going away he came to bid me good-night. I gave him my hand, and said: 'You will come and see us tomorrow before going away?'
He replied: 'Perhaps so.'
”On the next day, July 13, about eleven o'clock, we were about to get into the carriage to go to the Tuileries. As I followed the king to the red drawing-room, I saw Troussart, the commissary of police, with a terrified countenance whispering something to General Gourgaud, who made a gesture of horror, and went to speak in a low voice to the king. The king cried out: 'Oh, my G.o.d!'
Then I cried: 'Something has happened to one of my children! Let nothing be kept from me!' The king replied: 'Yes, my dear; Chartres has had a fall on his way here, and has been carried into a house at Sablonville.' Hearing this, I began to run like a madwoman, in spite of the cries of the king and the remonstrances of M. de Chabannes, who followed me. But my strength was not equal to my impulses, and on getting as far as the farm, I was exhausted. Happily the king came up in the carriage with my sister, and I got in with them. Our carriage stopped. We got out in haste, and went into the _cabaret_, where in a small room, stretched upon a mattress on the floor, we found Chartres, who was at that moment being bled....
The death-rattle had begun. 'What is that?' said the king to me. I replied: '_Mon ami_, this is death. For pity's sake let some one fetch a priest, that my poor child may not die like a dog!' and I went for a moment into a little side room, where I fell on my knees and implored G.o.d from my inmost soul, if He needed a victim, to take me and spare so dear a child....
”Dr. Pasquier arrived soon after. I said to him: 'Sir, you are a man of honor; if you think the danger imminent, I beseech you tell me so, that my child may receive extreme unction.' He hung his head, and said: 'Madame, it is true.'
”The _cure_ of Neuilly came and administered the sacrament while we were all on our knees around the pallet, weeping and praying.
I unloosed from my neck a small cross containing a fragment of the True Cross, and I put it into the hand of my poor child, that G.o.d the Saviour might have pity on him in his pa.s.sage into eternity.
Dr. Pasquier got up and whispered to the king. Then that venerable and unhappy father, his face bathed in tears, knelt by the side of his eldest son, and tenderly embracing him, cried; 'Oh that it were I instead of thee!' I also drew near and kissed him three times,--once for myself, once for Helene, and once for his children.