86

HISTORY OF ENGLAND,

CHAP.

XIX.

1092 .

mitted: the privileges of the municipality were respected: the- magistrates were not changed. Yet the people could not see aconqueror enter their hitherto unconquered castle without tearsof rage and shame. Even the barefooted Carmelites, who hadrenounced all pleasures, all property, all society, all domesticaffection, whose days were all fast days, who passed monthafter month without uttering a word, were strangely moved. Itwas in vain that Lewis attempted to sooth them by marks ofrespect and by munificent bounty. Whenever they meta French uniform they turned their heads away with alook which showed that a life of prayer, of abstinenceand of silence had left one earthly feeling still unsubdued.*

This was perhaps the moment at which the arrogance ofLewis reached the highest point. He had achieved the lastand the most splendid military exploit of his life. Ilis con-federated foes, English, Dutch and German, had, in theirown despite, swelled his triumph, and had been witnesses ofthe glory which made their hearts sick. His exultation wasboundless. The inscriptions on the medals which he struck tocommemorate his success, the letters by which he enjoined theprelates of his kingdom to sing the Te Deum, v r ere boastfuland sarcastic. His people, a people among whose many finequalities moderation in prosperity cannot be reckoned, seemedfor a time to be drunk with pride. Even Boileau, hurriedalong by thh prevailing enthusiasm, forgot the good sense andgood taste to W'hich he ow r ed his reputation. He fancied him-self a lyric poet, and gave vent to his feelings in a hundredand sixty lines of frigid bombast about Alcides, Mars, Bacchus,Ceres, the lyre of Orpheus, the Thracian oaks and the Per-messian nymphs. He wondered whether Namur had, likeTroy, been built by Apollo and Neptune. He asked whatpower could subdue a city stronger than that before which the* Mdmoires dc Saint Simon.