The Chapel Of This
Establishment Where Were Displayed The Banners And Trophies Taken At
Different Epochs From The Enemies Of France, And Which Were Much Mutilated
By The Wars Since The Revolution, Is Now Stripped Of All The Ensigns Of
Glory.
They were all burned by the French themselves previous to the
capitulation of Paris in 1814, in order to prevent their falling into the
hands of the enemy.
An old soldier who was my guide related this with tears
in his eyes, but suddenly checking himself said: "Mais telle est
l'histoire."
The only things now in this Chapel that interest the eye of the traveller
are the monuments of Vauban and Turenne. Of the rest nought remains but the
brilliant souvenirs.
Fuit Ilium, et ingens
Gloria Teucrorum!...[39]
I had a great deal of difficulty in inducing this old soldier to accept of
three franks; I told him at last that, as he did not want it himself, to
take it and give it to somebody that did. I then visited the rest of the
establishment. There is a whole range of rooms which contains models or
plans in relief of all the fortresses of France; they are admirably and
most minutely executed; not only the fortifications and public buildings,
but the private houses, the gardens, orchards, meadows, mountains, hill and
dale, bridges, trees, every feature of the ground in fine and of the
surrounding country are given in miniature. In fact it gives you the same
idea of the places themselves and of the environing country as if you were
held up in the air over them to inspect them; or as if you viewed them from
a balloon at the distance of 800 yards from the earth.
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