The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy
page 26 of 336 (07%)
page 26 of 336 (07%)
![]() | ![]() |
|
their king and all his family, subjected the queen and the royal
children to every species of indignity, and were even now loudly demanding the blood of the whole Bourbon family and of every one of its adherents. The execution of the Princesse de Lamballe, Marie Antoinette's young and charming friend, had filled every one in England with unspeakable horror, the daily execution of scores of royalists of good family, whose only sin was their aristocratic name, seemed to cry for vengeance to the whole of civilised Europe. Yet, with all that, no one dared to interfere. Burke had exhausted all his eloquence in trying to induce the British Government to fight the revolutionary government of France, but Mr. Pitt, with characteristic prudence, did not feel that this country was fit yet to embark on another arduous and costly war. It was for Austria to take the initiative; Austria, whose fairest daughter was even now a dethroned queen, imprisoned and insulted by a howling mob; surely 'twas not--so argued Mr. Fox--for the whole of England to take up arms, because one set of Frenchmen chose to murder another. As for Mr. Jellyband and his fellow John Bulls, though they looked upon all foreigners with withering contempt, they were royalist and anti-revolutionists to a man, and at this present moment were furious with Pitt for his caution and moderation, although they naturally understood nothing of the diplomatic reasons which guided that great man's policy. By now Sally came running back, very excited and very eager. The joyous company in the coffee-room had heard nothing of the noise outside, but |
|