The Queen's Fillet (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1911 edition. Excerpt: ...domestics, dressed up like the seigneurs and grandes dames, and dancing away to their hearts' content. Did'nt they fraternize, those children of the country? You never saw the like. Such dancing, such gaming, such pantomime, such imitating the antics of the great folks whom the people had driven out. Ah, Citizen you should have been there But Dubuisson became impatient. They'd have continued the orgy for days. But old Dubuisson wanted his bonfire. So, in the midst of the Carnival, we were ordered out. And no wonder Because the whole chateau was ablaze from cellar to minaret; and it was a glorious sight At first, there was only a yellow illumination, such as we had seen night after night for fifty years, as if a hundred chandeliers were blazing. But, then, it became red, Citizen red as the blood of the aristocrats shed up yonder. And then there was a sound of breaking glass; and a great yellow streamer of fire leaped out, and climbed up the wall, and then another and another. A frightful crash The first floor had fallen in; and a vast cloud of smoke broke through the shattered window. Then hiss and hiss, and rumble and rumble, and the second floor fell, and we cheered for the Republic, and cried: A bas les Aristocrats A bas les Pritres Then hiss and hiss, and rumble and rumble, and thunder-clap after thunder-clap; and down came the third floor, whilst the whole firmament was filled with sparks. At last, towards morning, the roof fell in, --the roof of lead and iron; and we thought the sky would be set on fire and the very saints burned on their thrones We could hardly tear ourselves away; but old Dubuisson ordered us off, saying: 'Get away to bed, little children, you are tired Ha, old Lebreuil, ' he said to me, 'no more beating...