memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v12-第13部分

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I　was　not　for　a　moment　deceived　by　these　illusions；　as　I　well　knew　the
determination　and　the　resources　of　the　Allied　sovereigns。　　Besides；
events　were　so　rapid　and　various　in　this　war　of　extermination　that　the
guns　of　the　Invalides　announcing　a　victory　were　sometimes　immediately
followed　by　the　distant　rolling　of　artillery；　denoting　the　enemy's　near
approach　to　the　capital。

The　Emperor　left　Paris　on　the　25th　of　January；　at　which　time　the　Emperors
of　Russia　and　Austria　and　the　King　of　Prussia　were　assembled　at　Langres。
Napoleon　rejoined　his　Guard　at　Vitry…le…Francais。　　On　the　second　day
after　his　departure　he　drove　before　him　the　Prussian　army；　which　he　had
forced　to　evacuate　St。　Dizier。　　Two　days　after　this　the　battle　of　Brienne
was　fought；　and　on　the　1st　of　February　between　70；000　and　80；000　French
and　Allied　troops　stood　face　to　face。　　On　this　occasion　the　commanders　on
both　sides　were　exposed　to　personal　danger；　for　Napoleon　had　a　horse
killed　under　him；　and　a　Cossack　fell　dead　by　the　side　of　Marshal　Blucher。

A　few　days　after　this　battle　Napoleon　entered　Troves；　where　he　stayed　but
a　short　time；　and　then　advanced　to　Champaubert。　　At　the　latter　place　was
fought　the　battle　which　bears　its　name。　　The　Russians　were　defeated；
General　Alsufieff　was　made　prisoner；　and　2000　men　and　30　guns　fell　into
the　hands　of　the　French。　　After　this　battle　the　Emperor　was　under　such　a
delusion　as　to　his　situation　that　while　supping　with　Berthier；　Marmont；
and　his　prisoner；　General　Alsufieff；　the　Emperor　said；　〃Another　such
victory　as　this；　gentlemen；　and　I　shall　be　on　the　Vistula。〃

Finding　that　no　one　replied；　and　reading　in　the　countenances　of　his
Marshals　that　they　did　not　share　his　hopes；　〃I　see　how　it　is；〃　he　added；
〃every　one　is　growing　tired　of　war；　there　is　no　more　enthusiasm。　　The
sacred　fire　is　extinct。〃　　Then　rising　from　the　table；　and　stepping　up　to
General　Drouot；　with　the　marked　intention　of　paying　him　a　compliment
which　should　at　the　same　time　convey　a　censure　on　the　Marshals；
〃General；〃　said　he；　patting　him　on　the　shoulder；　〃we　only　want　a　hundred
men　like　you；　and　we　should　succeed。〃　　Drouot　replied；　with　great
presence　of　mind　and　modesty；　〃Rather　say　a　hundred　thousand；　Sire。〃
This　anecdote　was　related　to　me　by　the　two　principal　persons　who　were
present　on　the　occasion。

Napoleon　soon　began　to　have　other　subjects　of　disquietude　besides　the
fate　of　battles。　　He　was　aware　that　since　the　beginning　of　February　the
Duc　d'Angouleme　had　arrived　at　St。　Jean　de　Luz；　whence　he　had　addressed　s
proclamation　to　the　French　armies　in　the　name　of　his　uncle；　Louis　XVIII。；
and　he　speedily　heard　of　the　Comte　d'Artois'　arrival　at　Yesoul；　on　the
21st　of　February；　which　place　he　did　not　leave　until　the　16th　of　March
following。

Meanwhile　hostilities　were　maintained　with　increased　vigor　over　a　vast
line　of　operations。　　How　much　useless　glory　did　not　our　soldiers　gain　in
these　conflicts！　　In　spite　of　prodigies　of　valour　the　enemy's　masses
advanced；　and　gradually　concentrated；　so　that　this　war　might　be　compared
to　the　battles　of　the　ravens　and　the　eagle　in　the　Alps。　　The　eagle　slays
hundreds　of　his　assailantsevery　blow　of　his　beak　is　the　death　of　an
enemy；　but　still　the　vultures　return　to　the　charge；　and　press　upon　the
eagle　until　they　destroy　him。

As　the　month　of　February　drew　to　its　close　the　Allies　were　in　retreat　on
several　points；　but　their　retreat　was　not　a　rout。　　After　experiencing
reverses　they　fell　back　without　disorder；　and　retired　behind　the　Aube；
where　they　rallied　and　obtained　numerous　reinforcements；　which　daily
arrived；　and　which　soon　enabled　them　to　resume　the　offensive。

Still　Napoleon　continued　astonishing　Europe；　leagued　as　it　was　against
him。　　At　Craonne；　on　the　7th　of　March；　he　destroyed　Blucher's　corps　in　a
severe　action；　but　the　victory　was　attended　by　great　loss　to　the
conqueror。　　Marshal　Victor　was　seriously　wounded；　as　well　as　Generals
Grouchy　and　La　Ferriere。

While　Napoleon　was　resisting　the　numerous　enemies　assembled　to　destroy
him　it　might　be　said　that　he　was　also　his　own　enemy；　either　from　false
calculation　or　from　negligence　with　respect　to　his　illustrious　prisoners；
who；　on　his　departure　from　Paris；　had　not　yet　been　sent　to　their　States。
The　Pope　was　then　at　Fontainebleau；　and　the　Princes　of　Spain　at　Valencay。
The　Pope；　however；　was　the　first　to　be　allowed　to　depart。　　Surely
Bonaparte　could　never　have　thought　of　the　service　which　the　Pope　might
have　rendered　him　at　Rome；　into　which　Murat's　troops　would　never　have
dared　to　march　had　his　Holiness　been　present　there。　　With　regard　to　the
Spanish　Princes　Napoleon　must　have　been　greatly　blinded　by　confidence　in
his　fortune　to　have　so　long　believed　it　possible　to　retain　in　France
those　useless　trophies　of　defeated　pretensions。　　It　was；　besides；　so　easy
to　get　rid　of　the　exiles　of　Valencay　by　sending　them　back　to　the　place
from　whence　they　had　been　brought！　　It　was　so　natural　to　recall　with　all
speed　the　troops　from　the　south　when　our　armies　in　Germany　began　to　be
repulsed　on　the　Rhine　and　even　driven　into　France！　　With　the　aid　of　these
veteran　troops　Napoleon　and　his　genius　might　have　again　turned　the　scale
of　fortune。　　But　Napoleon　reckoned　on　the　nation；　and　he　was　wrong；　for
the　nation　was　tired　of　him。　　His　cause　had　ceased　to　be　the　cause　of
France。

The　latter　days　of　March　were　filled　up　by　a　series　of　calamities　to
Napoleon。　　On　the　23d　the　rear…guard　of　the　French　army　suffered
considerable　loss。　　To　hear　of　attacks　on　his　rear…guard　must　indeed　have
been　mortifying　to　Napoleon；　whose　advanced　guards　had　been　so　long
accustomed　to　open　the　path　of　victory！　　Prince　Schwartzenberg　soon
passed　the　Aube　and　marched　upon　Vitry　and　Chalons。　　Napoleon；　counting
on　the　possibility　of　defending　Paris；　threw　himself；　with　the　velocity
of　the　eagle；　on　Schwartzenberg's　rear　by　passing　by　Doulevant　and　Bar…
sur…Aube。　　He　pushed　forward　his　advanced　guards　to　Chaumont；　and　there
saw　the　Austrian　army　make　a　movement　which　he　took　to　be　a　retreat；　but
it　was　no　such　thing。　　The　movement　was　directed　on　Paris；　while　Blucher；
who　had　re…occupied　Chalons…sur…Maine；　marched　to　meet　Prince
Schwartzenberg；　and　Napoleon；　thinking　to　cut　off　their　retreat；　was
himself　cut　off　from　the　possibility　of　returning　to　Paris。　　Everything
then　depended　on　the　defence　of　Paris；　or；　to　speak　more　correctly；　it
seemed　possible；　by　sacrificing　the　capital；　to　prolong　for　a　few　days
the　existence　of　the　phantom　of　the　Empire　which　was　rapidly　vanishing。
On　the　26th　was　fought　the　battle　of　Fere　Champenoise；　where；　valour
yielding　to　numbers；　Marshals　Marmont　and　Mortier　were　obliged　to　retire
upon　Sezanne　after　sustaining　considerable　loss。

It　was　on　the　26th　of　March；　and　I　beg　the　reader　to　bear　this　date　in
mind；　that　Napoleon　suffered　a　loss　which；　in　the　circumstances　in　which
he　stood；　was　irreparable。　　At　the　battle　of　Fere　Champenoise　the　Allies
captured　a　convoy　consisting　of　nearly　all　the　remaining　ammunition　and
stores　of　the　army；　a　vast　quantity　of　arms；　caissons；　and　equipage　of
all　kinds。　　The　whole　became　the　prey　of　the　Allies；　who　published　a
bulletin　announcing　this　important　capture。　　A　copy　of　this　order　of　the
day　fell　into　the　hands　of　Marshal　Macdonald；　who　thought　that　such　news
ought　immediately　to　be　communicated　to　the　Emperor。　　He　therefore
repaired　himself　to　the　headquarters　of　Napoleon；　who　was　then　preparing
to　recover　Vitre…le…Francais；　which　was　occupied　by　the　Prussians。　　The
Marshal；　with　the　view　of　dissuading　the　Emperor　from　what　he　considered
a　vain　attempt；　presented　him　with　the　bulletin。

This　was　on　the　morning　of　the　27th：　Napoleon　would　not　believe　the　news。
〃No！〃　said　he　to　the　Marshal；　〃you　are　deceived；　this　cannot　be　true。〃
Then　perusing　the　bulletin　with　more　attention。　　〃Here；〃　said　he；　〃look
yourself。　　This　is　the　27th；　and　the　bulletin　is　dated　the　29th。　　You　see
the　thing　is　impossible。　　The　bulletin　is　forged！〃　　The　Marshal；　who　had
paid　more　attention　to　the　news　than　to　its　date；　was　astounded。　　But
having　afterwards　shown　the　bulletin　to　Drouot；　that　General　said；　〃Alas！
Marshal；　the　news　is　but　too　true。　　The　error　of　the　date　is　merely　a
misprint；　the　9　is　a　6　inverted！〃　On　what　trifles　sometimes　depend　the
most　important　events。　　An　inverted　cipher　sufficed　to　flatter
Bonaparte's　illusion；　or　at　least　the　illusions　which　he　wished　to
maintain　among　his　most　distinguished　lieutenants；　and　to　delay　the
moment　when　they　should　discover　that　the　loss　they　deplored　was　too
certain。　　On　that　very　day　the　Empress　left　Paris。




CHAPTER　XXXIV。

1814。

　　　　　The　men　of　the　Revolution　and　the　men　of　the　EmpireThe　Council　of
　　　　　RegencyDeparture　of　the　Empress　from　ParisMarmont　and　Mortier
　　　　　Joseph's　flightMeeting　at　Marmont's　hotelCapitulation　of　Paris
　　　　　Marmont's　interview　with　the　Emperor　at　FontainebleauColonels
　　　　　Fabvier　and　DenysThe　Royalist　cavalcadeMeeting　at　the　hotel　of
　　　　　the　Comte　de　MorfontaineM。　de　Chateaubriand　and　his　pamphlet
　　　　　Deputation　to　the　Emperor　AlexanderEntrance　of　the　Allied
　　　　　sovereigns　into　ParisAlexander　lodged　in　M。　Talleyrand's　hotel
　　　　　Meetings　held　thereThe　Emperor　Alexander's　declaration
　　　　　My　appointment　as　Postmaster…GeneralComposition　of　the　Provisional
　　　　　GovernmentMistake　respecting　the　conduct　of　the　Emperor　of
　　　　　AustriaCaulaincourt's　mission　from　NapoleonHis　interview　with
　　　　　the　Emperor　AlexanderAlexander's　address　to　the　deputation　of　the
　　　　　SenateM。　de　Caulaincourt　ordered　to　quit　the　capital。

The　grandees　of　the　Empire　and　the　first　subjects　of　Napoleon　were
divided　into　two　classes　totally　distinct　from　each　other。　　Among　these
patronised　men　were　many　who　had　been　the　first　patrons　of　Bonaparte　and
had　favoured　his　accession　to　Consular　power。　　This　class　was　composed　of
his　old　friends　and　former　companions…in…arms。　　The　others；　who　may　be
called　the　children　of　the　Empire；　did　not　carry　back　their　thoughts　to　a
period　which　they　had　not　seen。　　They　had　never　known　anything　but
Napoleon　and　the　Empire；　beyond　which　the　sphere　of　their　ideas　did　not
extend；　while　among　Napoleon's　old　brothers…in…arms　it　was　still
rem