The Book of Three Hundred Anecdotes | Page 2

immediately done. The boy was patronised
by the duke, and became one of the best officers in the service of
France.
Racine.--The celebrated French poet, Racine, having one day returned
from Versailles, where he had been on a visit, was waited upon by a
gentleman with an invitation to dine at the Hotel de Condé. "I cannot
possibly do myself that honour," said the poet; "it is some time since I
have been with my family; they are overjoyed to see me again, and
have provided a fine carp; so that I must dine with my dear wife and
children." "But my good sir," replied the gentleman, "several of the
most distinguished characters in the kingdom expect your company,
and will be anxious to see you." On this, Racine brought out the carp
and showed it to his visitor, saying, "Here, sir, is our little meal; then
say, having provided such a treat for me, what apology could I make
for not dining with my poor children? Neither they nor my wife could

have any pleasure in eating a bit of it without me; then pray be so
obliging as to mention my excuse to the Prince of Condé and my other
illustrious friends." The gentleman did so; and not only His Serene
Highness, but all the company present, professed themselves infinitely
more charmed with this proof of the poet's affection as a husband and a
father, than they possibly could have been with his delightful
conversation.
Touching Recognition.--Some years ago, in making a new
communication between two shafts of a mine at Fahkin, the capital of
Delecarlia, the body of a miner was discovered by the workmen in a
state of perfect preservation, and impregnated with vitriolic water. It
was quite soft, but hardened on being exposed to the air. No one could
identify the body: it was merely remembered that the accident, by
which he had thus been buried in the bosom of the earth, had taken
place above fifty years ago. All enquiries about the name of the sufferer
had already ceased, when a decrepid old woman, supported on crutches,
slowly advanced towards the corpse, and knew it to be that of a young
man to whom she had been promised in marriage more than half a
century ago. She threw herself on the corpse, which had all the
appearance of a bronze statue, bathed it with her tears, and fainted with
joy at having once more beheld the object of her affections. One can
with difficulty realize the singular contrast afforded by that couple--the
one buried above fifty years ago, still retaining the appearance of youth;
while the other, weighed down by age, evinced all the fervency of
youthful affections.
Family Sacrifice.--During the French revolution, Madame Saintmaraule,
with her daughter, and a youth, her son, not yet of age, were confined
in prison and brought to trial. The mother and daughter behaved with
resolution, and were sentenced to die; but of the youth no notice was
taken, and he was remanded to prison. "What!" exclaimed the boy, "am
I then to be separated from my mother? It cannot be!" and immediately
he cried out, "_Vive le Roi!_" In consequence of this, he was
condemned to death, and, with his mother and his sister, was led out to
execution.
Expedient of Conjugal Affection.--Napoleon used to relate an anecdote
shewing the conjugal affection of some women who accompanied his
troops when he was at Col de Tende. To enter this mountainous and

difficult country, it was necessary for the soldiers to pass over a narrow
bridge, and, as the enterprise was a hazardous one, Napoleon had given
orders that no women should be permitted to cross it with them. To
enforce this order, two captains were stationed on the bridge with
instructions, on pain of death, not to suffer a woman to pass. The
passage was effected, and the troops continued their march. When
some miles beyond the bridge, the Emperor was greatly astonished at
the appearance of a considerable number of women with the soldiers.
He immediately ordered the two captains to be put under arrest,
intending to have them tried for a breach of duty. The prisoners
protested their innocence, and stoutly asserted that no women had
crossed the bridge. Napoleon, on hearing this, commanded that some of
the women should be brought before him, when he interrogated them
on the subject. To his utter surprise they readily acknowledged that the
captains had not betrayed their trust, but that a contrivance of their own
had brought them into their present situation. They informed Napoleon,
that having taken the provisions, which had been prepared for the
support of the army, out of some of the casks, they had concealed
themselves in them, and by this stratagem succeeded in passing