napoleon bonaparte, v3-第6部分

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Caesar's　had　been　discovered　there。　　The　Pont　de　Briques；　as　I　have　said
above；　is　about　half　a　league　from　Boulogne；　and　the　headquarters　of　his
Majesty　were　established　in　the　only　house　of　the　place　which　was　then
habitable；　and　guarded　by　a　detachment　of　the　cavalry　of　the　Imperial
Guard。

The　four　camps　were　on　a　very　high　cliff　overlooking　the　sea；　so　situated
that　in　fine　weather　the　coast　of　England　could　be　seen。

In　the　camp　on　the　right　they　had　established　barracks　for　the　Emperor；
Admiral　Bruix；　Marshal　Soult；　and　Decres；　who　was　then　minister　of　the
navy。

The　Emperor's　barrack　was　constructed　under　the　direction　of　Sordi；
engineer；　performing　the　functions　of　engineer…in…chief　of　military
roads；　and　his　nephew；　Lecat　de　Rue；　attached　at　that　time　to　the　staff
of　Marshal　Soult　as　aide…de…camp；　has　been　kind　enough　to　furnish　me　with
information　which　did　not　come　within　my　province。

The　Emperor's　barrack　was　built　of　plank；　like　the　booths　of　a　country
fair；　with　this　difference；　that　the　planks　were　neatly　planed；　and
painted　a　grayish　white。　　In　form　it　was　a　long　square；　having　at　each
end　two　pavilions　of　semicircular　shape。　　A　fence　formed　of　wooden
lattice　inclosed　this　barrack；　which　was　lighted　on　the　outside　by　lamps
placed　four　feet　apart；　and　the　windows　were　placed　laterally。　　The
pavilion　next　to　the　sea　consisted　of　three　rooms　and　a　hall；　the
principal　room；　used　as　a　council…chamber；　being　decorated　with　silver…
gray　paper。　　On　the　ceiling　were　painted　golden　clouds；　in　the　midst　of
which　appeared；　upon　the　blue　vault　of　the　sky；　an　eagle　holding　the
lightning；　and　guided　towards　England　by　a　star；　the　guardian　star　of　the
Emperor。　　In　the　middle　of　this　chamber　was　a　large　oval　table　with　a
plain　cover　of　green　cloth；　and　before　this　table　was　placed　only　his
Majesty's　armchair；　which　could　be　taken　to　pieces；　and　was　made　of
natural　wood；　unpainted；　and　covered　with　green　morocco　stuffed　with
hair；　while　upon　the　table　was　a　boxwood　writing…desk。　　This　was　the
entire　furniture　of　the　council…chamber；　in　which　his　Majesty　alone　could
be　seated。　　The　generals　stood　before　him；　and　had　during　these　councils；
which　sometimes　lasted　three　or　four　hours；　no　other　support　than　the
handles　of　their　sabers。

The　council…chamber　was　entered　from　a　hall。　　On　the　right　of　this　hall
was　his　Majesty's　bedroom；　which　had　a　glass　door；　and　was　lighted　by　a
window　which　looked　out　upon　the　camp　of　the　right　wing；　while　the　sea
could　be　seen　on　the　left。　　In　this　room　was　the　Emperor's　iron　bed；　with
a　large　curtain　of　plain　green　sarsenet　fastened　to　the　ceiling　by　a
gilded　copper　ring；　and　upon　this　bed　were　two　mattresses；　one　made　of
hair；　two　bolsters；　one　at　the　head；　the　other　at　the　foot；　no　pillow；
and　two　coverlets；　one　of　white　cotton；　the　other　of　green　sarsenet；
wadded　and　quilted；　by　the　side　of　the　bed　two　very　simple　folding…seats；
and　at　the　window　short　curtains　of　green　sarsenet。

This　room　was　papered　with　rose…colored　paper；　stamped　with　a　pattern　in
lace…work；　with　an　Etruscan　border。

Opposite　the…bedroom　was　a　similar　chamber；　in　which　was　a　peculiar　kind
of　telescope　which　had　cost　twelve　thousand　francs。　　This　instrument　was
about　four　feet　long；　and　about　a　foot　in　diameter；　and　was　mounted　on　a
mahogany　support；　with　three　feet；　the　box　in　which　it　was　kept　being
almost　in　the　shape　of　a　piano。　　In　the　same　room；　upon　two　stools；　was　a
little　square　chest；　which　contained　three　complete　suits　and　the　linen
which　formed　the　campaign　wardrobe　of　his　Majesty。　　Above　this　was　a
single　extra　hat；　lined　with　white　satin；　and　much　the　worse　for　wear；
for　the　Emperor；　as　I　shall　say　later　in　speaking　of　his　personal
peculiarities；　having　a　very　tender　scalp；　did　not　like　new　hats；　and
wore　the　same　a　long　time。

The　main　body　of　the　imperial　barrack　was　divided　into　three　rooms；　a
saloon；　a　vestibule；　and　a　grand　dining…room；　which　communicated　with　the
kitchens　by　a　passage　parallel　to　that　I　have　just　mentioned。　　Outside
the　barrack；　and　connected　with　the　kitchen；　was　a　little　shed；　covered
with　thatch；　which　served　as　a　washroom；　and　which　was　also　used　as　a
butler's　pantry。

The　barrack　of　Admiral　Bruix　was　arranged　like　that　of　the　Emperor；　but
on　a　smaller　scale。

Near　this　barrack　was　the　semaphore　of　the　signals；　a　sort　of　marine
telegraph　by　which　the　fleet　was　maneuvered。　　A　little　farther　on　was　the
Tour　d'Ordre；　with　a　powerful　battery　composed　of　six　mortars；　six
howitzers；　and　twelve　twenty…four　pounders。

These　six　mortars；　the　largest　that　had　ever　been　made；　were　six　inches
thick；　used　forty…five　pounds　of　powder　at　a　charge；　and　threw　bombs
fifteen　hundred　toises　＇A　toise　is　six　feet；　and　a　league　is　three
miles＇　in　the　air；　and　a　league　and　a　half　out　to　sea；　each　bomb　thrown
costing　the　state　three　hundred　francs。　　To　fire　one　of　these　fearful
machines　they　used　port…fires　twelve　feet　long；　and　the　cannoneer
protected　himself　as　best　he　could　by　bowing　his　head　between　his　legs；
and；　not　rising　until　after　the　shot　was　fired。　　The　Emperor　decided　to
fire　the　first　bomb　himself。

To　the　right　of　the　headquarters　battery　was　the　barrack　of　Marshal
Soult；　which　was　constructed　in　imitation　of　the　but　of　a　savage；　and
covered　with　thatch　down　to　the　ground；　with　glass　in　the　top；　and　a　door
through　which。　　you　descended　into　the　rooms；　which　were　dug　out　like
cellars。　　The　principal　chamber　was　round；　and　in　it　was　a　large　work…
table　covered　with　green　cloth；　and　surrounded　with　small　leather
folding…chairs。

The　last　barrack　was　that　of　Decres；　minister　of　the　navy；　which　was
furnished　like　that　of　Marshal　Soult。　　From　his　barrack　the　Emperor　could
observe　all　the　maneuvers　at　sea；　and　the　telescope；　of　which　I　have
spoken；　was　so　good　that　Dover　Castle；　with　its　garrison；　was；　so　to
speak；　under　the　very　eyes　of　his　Majesty。　　The　camp　of　the　right　wing；
situated　upon　the　cliff；　was　divided　into　streets；　each　of　which　bore　the
name　of　some　distinguished　general；　and　this　cliff　bristled　with
batteries　from　Cologne　to　Ambleteuse；　a　distance　of　more　than　two
leagues。

In　order　to　go　from　Boulogne　to　the　camp　of　the　right　wing；　there　was
only　one　road；　which　began　in　the　Rue　des　Vieillards；　and　passed　over　the
cliff；　between　the　barrack　of　his　Majesty　and　those　of　Bruix；　Soult；　and
Decres；　so　that　if　at　low　tide　the　Emperor　wished　to　go　down　upon　the
beach；　a　long　detour　was　necessary。　　One　day　when　he　was　complaining
greatly　of　this；　it　occurred　to　Bonnefoux；　maritime　prefect　of　Boulogne；
to　apply　to　Sordi；　engineer　of　military　roads；　and　ascertain　if　it　was
not　possible　to　remedy　this　great　inconvenience。

The　engineer　replied　that　it　was　feasible　to　provide　a　road　for　his
Majesty　directly　from　his　barrack　to　the　beach；　but　that　in　view　of　the
great　height　of　the　cliff　it　would　be　necessary　to　moderate　the　rapidity
of　the　descent　by　making　the　road　zigzag。　　〃Make　it　as　you　wish；〃　said
the　Emperor；　〃only　let　it　be　ready　for　use　in　three　days。〃　　The　skillful
engineer　went　to　work；　and　in　three　days　and　three　nights　the　road　was
constructed　of　stone；　bound　together　with　iron　clamps；　and　the　Emperor；
charmed　with　so　much　diligence　and　ingenuity；　had　the　name　of　Sordi
placed　on　the　list　for　the　next　distribution　of　the　cross　of　the　Legion
of　Honor；　but；　owing　to　the　shameful　negligence　of　some　one；　the　name　of
this　man　of　talent　was　overlooked。　　The　port　of　Boulogne　contained　about
seventeen　hundred　vessels；　such　as　flatboats；　sloops；　turkish　boats；
gunboats；　prairies；　mortar…boats；　etc。；　and　the　entrance　to　the　port　was
defended　by　an　enormous　chain；　and　by　four　forts；　two　on　the　right；　and
two　on　the　left。

Fort　Husoir；　placed　on　the　left；　was　armed　with　three　formidable
batteries　ranged　one　above　the　other；　the　lower　row　bearing　twenty…four
pounders；　the　second　and　third；　thirty…six　pounders。　　On　the　right　of
this　fort　was　the　revolving　bridge；　and　behind　this　bridge　an　old　tower
called　Castle　Croi；　ornamented　with　batteries　which　were　both　handsome
and　effective。　　To　the　left；　about　a　quarter　of　a　league　from　Fort
Musoir；　was　Fort　La　Creche；　projecting　boldly　into　the　sea；　constructed
of　cut　stone；　and　crowned　by　a　terrible　battery；　and　finally；　on　the
right　of　Fort　La　Creche；　was　the　Fort　en　Bois；　perfectly　manned；　and
pierced　by　a　large　opening　which　was　uncovered　at　low　tide。

Upon　the　cliff　to　the　left　of　the　town；　at　nearly　the　same　elevation　as
the　other；　was　the　camp　of　the　left　wing。　　Here　was　situated　the　barrack
of　Prince　Joseph；　at　that　time　colonel　of　the　Fourth　Regiment　of　the
line；　this　barrack　was　covered　with　thatch。　　Below　the　camp；　at　the　foot
of　the　cliff；　the　Emperor　had　a　basin　hollowed　out；　in　which　work　a　part
of　the　troops　were　employed。

It　was　in　this　basin　that　one　day　a　young　soldier　of　the　Guard；　who　had
stuck　in　the　mud　up　to　his　knees；　tried　with　all　his　strength　to　pull　out
his　wheelbarrow；　which　was　even　worse　mired　than　himself；　but　he　could
not　succeed；　and　covered　with　sweat；　swore　and　stormed　like　an　angry
grenadier。　　By　chance　lifting　his　eyes；　he　suddenly　perceived　the
Emperor；　who　was　passing　by　the　works　on　his　way　to　visit　his　brother
Joseph　in　the　camp　on　the　left。　　The　soldier　looked　at　him　with　a
beseeching　air　and　gesture；　singing　in　a　most　sentimental　tone；　〃Come；
oh；　come；　to　my　aid。〃　　His　Majesty　could　not　help　smiling；　and　made　signs
to　the　soldier　to　approach；　which　the　poor　fellow　did；　after　extricating
himself　with　great　difficulty。　　〃What　is　your　regiment〃〃Sire；　the　First
of　the　Guard。〃〃How　long　have　you　been　a　soldier？〃〃Since　you　have　been
Emperor；　Sire。〃〃Indeed；　that　is　not　a　long　time！　　It　is　not　long　enough
for　me　to　make　you　an　officer；　is　it？　　But　conduct　yourself　well；　and　I
will　have　you　made　sergeant…major。　　After　that；　the　cross　and　epaulets　on
the　first　battlefield。　　Are　you　content？〃〃Yes；　Sire。〃〃Chief　of
Staff；〃　continued　the　Emperor；　addressing　General　Berthier；　〃take　the
name　of　this　young　man。　　You　will　give　him　three　hundred　francs　to　clean
his　pantaloons　and　repair　his　wheelbarrow。〃　　And　his　Majesty　rode　on　in
the　midst　of　the　acclamations　of　the　soldiers