the surprising adventures of baron munchausen- 第30部分

At　that　moment　I　perceived　a　party　of　the　National　Assembly；　who　had　rallied　with　the　National　Guards；　and　a　vast　procession　of　fishwomen；　advancing　against　me。　I　deposited　their　Majesties　in　a　place　of　safety；　and　with　my　drawn　sword　advanced　against　my　foes。　Three　hundred　fishwomen；　with　bushes　dressed　with　ribbons　in　their　hands；　came　hallooing　and　roaring　against　me　like　so　many　furies。　I　scorned　to　defile　my　sword　with　their　blood；　but　seized　the　first　that　came　up；　and　making　her　kneel　down　I　knighted　her　with　my　sword；　which　so　terrified　the　rest　that　they　all　set　up　a　frightful　yell　and　ran　away　as　fast　as　they　could　for　fear　of　being　aristocrated　by　knighthood。

As　to　the　National　Guards　and　the　rest　of　the　Assembly；　I　soon　put　them　to　flight；　and　having　made　prisoners　of　some　of　them；　compelled　them　to　take　down　their　national；　and　put　the　old　royal　cockade　in　its　place。

I　then　pursued　the　enemy　to　the　top　of　a　hill；　where　a　most　noble　edifice　dazzled　my　sight；　noble　and　sacred　it　was　but　now　converted　to　the　vilest　purposes；　their　monument　/de　grands　hommes/；　a　Christian　church　that　these　Saracens　had　perverted　into　abomination。　I　burst　open　the　doors；　and　entered　sword　in　hand。　Here　I　observed　all　the　National　Assembly　marching　round　a　great　altar　erected　to　Voltaire；　there　was　his　statue　in　triumph；　and　the　fishwomen　with　garlands　decking　it；　and　singing　〃Ca　ira！〃　I　could　bear　the　sight　no　longer；　but　rushed　upon　these　pagans；　and　sacrificed　them　by　dozens　on　the　spot。　The　members　of　the　Assembly；　and　the　fishwomen；　continued　to　invoke　their　great　Voltaire；　and　all　their　masters　in　this　monument　/de　grands　hommes/；　imploring　them　to　come　down　and　succour　them　against　the　Aristocrats　and　the　sword　of　Munchausen。　Their　cries　were　horrible；　like　the　shrieks　of　witches　and　enchanters　versed　in　magic　and　the　black　art；　while　the　thunder　growled；　and　storms　shook　the　battlements；　and　Rousseau；　Voltaire；　and　Beelzebub　appeared；　three　horrible　spectres；　one　all　meagre；　mere　skin　and　bone；　and　cadaverous；　seemed　death；　that　hideous　skeleton；　it　was　Voltaire；　and　in　his　hand　were　a　lyre　and　a　dagger。　On　the　other　side　was　Rousseau；　with　a　chalice　of　sweet　poison　in　his　hand；　and　between　them　was　their　father　Beelzebub！

I　shuddered　at　the　sight；　and　with　all　the　enthusiasm　of　rage；　horror；　and　piety；　rushed　in　among　them。　I　seized　that　cursed　skeleton　Voltaire；　and　soon　compelled　him　to　renounce　all　the　errors　he　had　advanced；　and　while　he　spoke　the　words；　as　if　by　magic　charm；　the　whole　assembly　shrieked；　and　the　pandemonium　began　to　tumble　in　hideous　ruin　on　their　heads。

I　returned　in　triumph　to　the　palace；　where　the　Queen　rushed　into　my　arms；　weeping　tenderly。　〃Ah；　thou　flower　of　nobility；〃　cried　she；　〃were　all　the　nobles　of　France　like　thee；　we　should　never　have　been　brought　to　this！〃

I　bade　the　lovely　creature　dry　her　eyes；　and　with　the　King　and　Dauphin　ascend　my　carriage；　and　drive　post　to　Mont…Medi；　as　not　an　instant　was　to　be　lost。　They　took　my　advice　and　drove　away。　I　conveyed　them　within　a　few　miles　of　Mont…Medi；　when　the　King；　thanking　me　for　my　assistance；　hoped　I　would　not　trouble　myself　any　farther；　as　he　was　then；　he　presumed；　out　of　danger；　and　the　Queen　also；　with　tears　in　her　eyes；　thanked　me　on　her　knees；　and　presented　the　Dauphin　for　my　blessing。　In　short；　I　left　the　King　eating　a　mutton　chop。　I　advised　him　not　to　delay；　or　he　would　certainly　be　taken；　and　setting　spurs　to　my　horse；　wished　them　a　good　evening；　and　returned　to　England。　If　the　King　remained　too　long　at　table；　and　was　taken；　it　was　not　my　fault。





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