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or in the Bois de Boulogne; and it even began to be the fashion to
speak about the dauphin as a miracle of loveliness and beauty; and
to go to the Tuileries to see him working in his garden。
This garden of the dauphin was in the immediate neighborhood of the
palace; at the end of the terrace on the river…side; it was
surrounded with a high wire fence; and close by stood the little
pavilion where dwelt Abbe Davout; the teacher of the dauphin。 The
dauphin had had in Versailles a little garden of his own; which he
himself worked; planted; and digged; and from whose flowers he
picked a bouquet every morning; to bring it with beaming countenance
to his mamma queen。
For this painfully…missed garden of Versailles; the little garden on
the terrace had to compensate。 The child was delighted with it; and
every morning; when his study…hours were over; the dauphin hastened
to his little parterre; to dig and to water his flowers。 The garden
has; since that day; much changed; it is enlarged; laid out on a
different plan; and surrounded with a higher fence; but it still
remains the garden of the Dauphin Louis Charles; the same garden
that Napoleon subsequently gave to the little King of Borne; the
same that Charles X。 gave to the Duke de Bordeaux; and that Louis
Philippe gave to the Count de Paris。 How many recollections cluster
around this little bit of earth; which has always been prematurely
left by its young possessors! One died in prison scarcely ten years
old; another; hurried away by the tempest; still younger; into a
foreign land; only lived to hear the name of his father; and see his
dagger before he died。 The third and fourth were hurled out by the
storm…wind like the first two; and still wear the mantle of exile in
Austria and England。 And many as are the tears with which these
children regard their own fate; there must be many which they must
bestow upon the fate of their fathers。 One died upon the scaffold;
another from the knife of an assassin; a third from a fall upon the
pavement of a highway; and the last; the greatest of them all; was
bound; like Prometheus; to a rock; and fed on bitter recollections
till he met his death。
This little garden; on the river…side terrace of the Tuileries park;
which has come to have a world…wide interest; was then the Eldorado
of the little Dauphin of Prance; and to see him behind the fence was
the delight of the Parisians who used to visit there; and long for
the moment when the glance of his blue eye fell upon them; and for
some days and months had again become enthusiastic royalists。
When the prince went into his little garden; he was usually
accompanied by a detachment of the National Guard; who were on duty
in the Tuileries; and the dauphin; who was now receiving instruction
in the use of weapons; generally wore himself the uniform of a
member of the National Guard。 The Parisians were delighted with this
little guard of six years。 His picture hung in all stores; it was
painted on fans and rings; and it was the fashion; among the most
elegant ladies of the Faubourg St。 Germain; and among the market…
women as well; to decorate themselves with the likeness of the
dauphin。 How his brow beamed; how his eye brightened; when;
accompanied by his escort; of which he was proud; he entered his
garden! When the retinue was not large; the prince took his place in
the ranks。 One day; when all the National Guards on duty were very
desirous of accompanying him; several of them were compelled to
stand outside of the garden。 〃Pardon me; gentlemen;〃 said the
dauphin; 〃it is a great pity that my garden is so small that it
deprives me of the pleasure of receiving you all。〃 Then he hastened
to give flowers to every one who was near the fence; and received
their thanks with great pleasure。
The enthusiasm for the dauphin was so great; that the boys of Paris
envied their elders the honor of being in his service; and longed to
become soldiers; that they might be in his retinue。 There was; in
fact; a regiment of boys formed; which took the name of the
Dauphin's Regiment。 The citizens of Paris were anxious to enroll the
names of their sons in the lists of this regiment; and to pay the
expenses of an equipment。 And when this miniature regiment was
formed; with the king's permission; it marched to the Tuileries; in
order to parade before the dauphin。
The prince was delighted with the little regiment; and invited its
officers to visit his garden; that they might see his flowers; his
finest treasures。 〃Would you do us the pleasure to be the colonel of
our regiment?〃 one of the officers asked the dauphin。
〃Oh! certainly;〃 he answered。
〃Then you must give up getting flowers and bouquets for your mamma!〃
said one of the boys。
〃Oh!〃 answered the dauphin; with a smile; 〃that will not hinder my
taking care of my flowers。 Many of these gentlemen have little
gardens; too; as they have told me。 Very well; they can follow the
example of their colonel; and love the queen; and then mamma will
receive whole regiments of flowers every day。〃
The majority of this regiment consisted; at the outset; of children
of the highest ranks of society; and it was therefore natural that
they; practiced in the most finished courtesy; should pay some
deference to their young colonel。
But they were expressly forbidden showing any thing of this feeling
toward their comrade。 〃For;〃 said the king; 〃I want him to have
companions who will stimulate his ambition; but I do not want him to
have flatterers; who shall lead him to live to himself alone。〃 Soon
the number of little soldiers increased; for every family longed for
the honor of having its sons in the regiment of the royal dauphin。
The people used always to throng in great masses when this regiment
went through its exercises in the Place de la Carrousel。 It was a
miniature representation of the French guards; with their three…
cornered hats and white jackets; and nothing could be more charming
than this regiment of blooming boys in their tasteful uniforms; and
their little chief; the dauphin; looking at his regiment with
beaming eyes and smiling lips。
The enthusiasm of the little soldiers of the Royal Dauphin Regiment
for their colonel was so great; that they longed to give him a proof
of their love。 One day the officers of the regiment came into the
Tuileries and begged the king's permission to make a present to the
dauphin; in the name of the whole regiment。 The king gladly acceded
to their request; and he himself conducted the little officers
into the reception…room; where was the dauphin; standing at the side
of his mother。
The little colonel hastened to greet them。 〃Welcome; my comrades;
welcome!〃 cried he; extending his hand to them。 〃My mamma queen
tells me that you have brought me something which will give me
pleasure。 But it gives me pleasure to see you; and nothing more is
needed。〃
〃But; colonel; you will not refuse our present?〃
〃Oh; certainly not; for my papa king says that a colonel is not
forbidden taking a gift from his regiment。 What is it?〃
〃Colonel; we bring you a set of dominoes;〃 said a little officer;
named Palloy; who was the speaker of th