napoleon bonaparte, v11-第15部分

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　　　　　since　they　will　be　under　your　faithful　protection。　　I　leave　with　you
　　　　　what　is　dearest　to　me　in　the　world；　next　to　France；　and　I　freely
　　　　　commit　it　to　your　care。

　　　　　It　may　occur　that　in　consequence　of　the　maneuvers　I　am　about　to
　　　　　make；　the　enemy　may　find　the　opportunity　of　approaching　your　walls。
　　　　　If　this　should　take　place；　remember　that　it　will　be　an　affair　of
　　　　　only　a　few　days；　and　I　will　soon　come　to　your　assistance。　　I
　　　　　recommend　to　you　to　preserve　unity　among　yourselves；　and　to　resist
　　　　　all　the　insinuations　by　which　efforts　will　be　made　to　divide　you。
　　　　　There　will　not　be　wanting　endeavors　to　shake　your　fidelity　to　duty；
　　　　　but　I　rely　upon　you　to　repel　these　perfidious　attempts。〃

At　the　end　of　this　discourse；　the　Emperor　bent　his　looks　on　the　Empress
and　the　King　of　Rome；　whom　his　august　mother　held　in　her　arms；　and
presenting　both　by　his　looks　and　gestures　to　the　assembly　this　child
whose　expressive　countenance　seemed　to　reflect　the　solemnity　of　the
occasion；　he　added　in　an　agitated　voice；　〃I　confide　him　to　you；
Messieurs；　I　confide　him　to　the　love　of　my　faithful　city　of　Paris！〃　　At
these　words　of　his　Majesty　innumerable　shouts　were　heard；　and　innumerable
arms　were　raised　swearing　to　defend　this　priceless　trust。　　The　Empress；
bathed　in　tears　and　pale　with　the　emotion　by　which　she　was　agitated；
would　have　fallen　if　the　Emperor　had　not　supported　her　in　his　arms。　　At
this　sight　the　enthusiasm　reached　its　height；　tears　flowed　from　all　eyes；
and　there　was　not　one　present　who　did　not　seem　willing　as　he　retired　to
shed　his　blood　for　the　Imperial　family。　　On　this　occasion　I　again　saw　for
the　first　time　M。　de　Bourrienne　at　the　palace；　he　wore；　if　I　am　not
mistaken；　the　uniform　of　captain　in　the　National　Guard。

On　the　25th　of　January　the　Emperor　set　out　for　the　army；　after　conferring
the　regency　on　her　Majesty　the　Empress；　and　that　night　we　reached
Chalons…sur…Marne。　　His　arrival　stopped　the　progress　of　the　enemy's　army
and　the　retreat　of　our　troops。　　Two　days　after　he；　in　his　turn；　attacked
the　allies　at　Saint…Dizier。　　His　Majesty's　entrance　into　this　town　was
marked　by　most　touching　manifestations　of　enthusiasm　and　devotion。　　The
very　moment　the　Emperor　alighted；　a　former　colonel；　M。　Bouland；　an　old
man　more　than　seventy　years　old；　threw　himself　at　his　Majesty's　feet；
expressing　to　him　the　deep　grief　which　the　sight　of　foreign　bayonets　had
caused　him；　and　his　confidence　that　the　Emperor　would　drive　them　from　the
soil　of　France。　　His　Majesty　assisted　the　old　veteran　to　rise；　and　said
to　him　cheerfully　that　he　would　spare　nothing　to　accomplish　such　a
favorable　prediction。　　The　allies　conducted　themselves　in　the　most
inhuman　manner　at　Saint…Dizier：　women　and　old　men　died　or　were　made　ill
under　the　cruel　treatment　which　they　received；　and　it　may　be　imagined
what　a　cause　of　rejoicing　his　Majesty's　arrival　was　to　the　country。

The　enemy　having　been　repulsed　at　Saint…Dizier；　the　Emperor　learned　that
the　army　of　Silesia　was　being　concentrated　on　Brienne；　and　immediately
set　out　on　the　march　through　the　forest　of　Deo；　the　brave　soldiers　who
followed　him　appearing　as　indefatigable　as　he。　　He　halted　at　the　village
of　Eclaron；　where　his　Majesty　paid　a　certain　sum　to　the　inhabitants　to
repair　their　church；　which　the　enemy　had　destroyed。　　The　surgeon　of　this
town　advanced　to　thank　the　Emperor；　and　his　Majesty　examining　him
attentively　said　to　him；　〃You　have　served　in　the　army；　Monsieur？〃〃Yes；
Sire；　I　was　in　the　army　of　Egypt。〃〃Why　have　you　no　cross？〃〃Sire；
because　I　have　never　asked　for　it。〃〃Monsieur；　you　are　only　the　more
worthy　of　it。　　I　hope　you　will　wear　the　one　I　shall　give　you。〃　　And　in　a
few　moments　his　certificate　was　signed　by　the　Emperor；　and　handed　to　the
new　chevalier；　whom　the　Emperor　recommended　to　give　the　most　careful
attention　to　the　sick　and　wounded　of　our　army　who　might　be　committed　to
his　care。

　　　　　＇It　is　known　that　the　Emperor　was　not　lavish　in　the　distribution
　　　　　of　the　Cross　of　Honor。　　Of　this　fact　I　here　give　an　additional
　　　　　proof。　　He　was　much　pleased　with　the　services　of　M。　Veyrat；
　　　　　inspector　general　of　police；　and　he　desired　the　Cross。　　I　presented
　　　　　petitions　to　this　effect　to　his　Majesty；　who　said　to　me　one　day；
　　　　　〃I　am　well　satisfied　with　Veyrat。　　He　serves　me　well；　and　I　will
　　　　　give　him　as　much　money　as　he　wishes；　but　the　Cross；　never！〃
　　　　　CONSTANT。＇

On　entering　Mezieres　his　Majesty　was　received　by　the　authorities　of　the
city；　the　clergy；　and　the　National　Guard。　　〃Messieurs；〃　said　the　Emperor
to　the　National　Guard　who　pressed　around　him；　〃we　fight　to　day　for　our
firesides；　let　us　defend　them　in　such　a　manner　that　the　Cossacks　may　not
come　to　warm　themselves　beside　them。　　They　are　bad　guests；　who　will　leave
no　place　for　you。　　Let　us　show　them　that　every　Frenchman　is　born　a
soldier；　and　a　brave　one！〃　　His　Majesty　on　receiving　the　homage　of　the
curate；　perceiving　that　this　ecclesiastic　regarded　him　with　extreme
interest　and　agitation；　consequently　considered　the　good　priest　more
attentively；　and　soon　recognized　in　him　one　of　the　former　regents　of　the
college　of　Brienne。　　〃What！　is　it　you；　my　dear　master？〃　cried　the
Emperor。　　〃You　have；　then；　never　left　your　retirement！　　So　much　the
better；　since　for　that　reason　you　will　be　only　the　better　able　to　serve
the　cause　of　your　native　land。　　I　need　not　ask　if　you　know　the　country
around　here。〃〃Sire；〃　replied　the　curate；　〃I　could　find　my　way　with　my
eyes　shut。〃〃Come　with　us；　then；　you　will　be　our　guide；　and　we　will
converse。〃　　The　worthy　priest　immediately　saddled　his　well…broken　horse；
and　placed　himself　in　the　center　of　the　Imperial　staff。

The　same　day　we　arrived　before　Brienne。　　The　Emperor's　march　had　been　so
secret　and　so　rapid　that　the　Prussians　had　heard　nothing　of　it　until　he
suddenly　appeared　before　their　eyes。　　A　few　general　officers　were　made
prisoners；　and　Blucher　himself；　who　was　quietly　coming　out　of　the
chateau；　had　only　time　to　turn　and　fly　as　quickly　as　he　could；　under　a
shower　of　balls　from　our　advance　guard。　　The　Emperor　thought　for　a　moment
that　the　Prussian　general　had　been　taken；　and　exclaimed；　〃We　have　got
that　old　swash…buckler。　　Now　the　campaign　will　not　be　long。〃　　The
Russians　who　were　established　in　the　village　set　it　on　fire；　and　an
engagement　took　place　in　the　midst　of　the　flames。　　Night　arrived；　but　the
combat　still　continued；　and　in　the　space　of　twelve　hours　the　village　was
taken　and　retaken　many　times。　　The　Emperor　was　furious　that　Blucher
should　have　escaped。　　As　he　returned　to　headquarters；　which　had　been
established　at　Mezieres；　his　Majesty　narrowly　escaped　being　pierced
through　with　the　lance　of　a　Cossack；　but　before　the　Emperor　perceived　the
movement　of　the　wretch；　the　brave　Colonel　Gourgaud；　who　was　marching
behind　his　Majesty；　shot　the　Cossack　dead　with　his　pistol。

The　Emperor　had　with　him　only　fifteen　thousand　men；　and　they　had　waged　an
equal　struggle　with　eighty　thousand　foreign　soldiers。　　At　the　close　of
the　combat　the　Prussians　retreated　to　Bar…sur…Aube；　and　his　Majesty
established　himself　in　the　chateau　of　Brienne；　where　he　passed　two
nights。　　I　recalled　during　this　stay　the　one　that　I　had　made　ten　years
before　in　this　same　chateau　of　Brienne；　when　the　Emperor　was　on　his　way
to　Milan　with　the　intention　of　adding　the　title　of　King　of　Italy　to　that
of　Emperor　of　the　French。　　〃To…day；〃　I　said　to　myself；　〃not　only　is　Italy
lost　to　him；　but　here　in　the　center　of　the　French　Empire；　and　a　few
leagues　from　his　capital；　the　Emperor　is　defending　himself　against
innumerable　enemies！〃　　The　first　time　I　saw　Brienne；　the　Emperor　was
received　as　a　sovereign　by　a　noble　family　who　fifteen　years　before　had
welcomed　him　as　a　protege。　　He　had　there　revived　the　happiest
remembrances　of　his　childhood　and　youth；　and　in　comparing　himself　in　1805
with　what　he　had　been　at　the　Ecole　Militaire　had　spoken　with　pride　of　the
path　he　had　trod。　　In　1814；　on　the　31st　of　January；　the　end　to　which　this
path　was　tending　began　to　be　seen。　　It　is　not　that　I　wish　to　announce
myself　as　having　foreseen　the　Emperor's　fall；　for　I　did　not　go　so　far　as
that。　　Accustomed　to　see　him　trust　to　his　star；　the　greater　part　of　those
who　surrounded　him　trusted　it　no　less　than　he；　but　nevertheless　we　could
not　conceal　from　ourselves　that　great　changes　had　taken　place。　　To　delude
ourselves　in　this　respect　it　would　have　been　necessary　to　close　our　eyes
that　we　might　neither　see　nor　hear　this　multitude　of　foreigners；　whom　we
had　until　now　seen　only　in　their　own　country；　and　who；　in　their　turn；
were　now　in　our　midst。

At　each　step；　in　fact；　we　found　terrible　proofs　of　the　enemy's　presence。
After　taking　possession　of　the　towns　and　villages；　they　had　arrested　the
inhabitants；　maltreated　them　with　saber…strokes　and　the　butt　ends　of
their　guns；　stripping　them　of　their　clothing；　and　compelling　those　to
follow　them　whom　they　thought　capable　of　serving　as　guides　on　their
march；　and　if　they　were　not　guided　as　they　expected　they　killed　with　the
sword　or　shot　their　unfortunate　prisoners。　　Everywhere　the　inhabitants
were　made　to　furnish　provisions；　drink；　cattle；　forage；　in　a　word；
everything　that　could　be　useful　to　an　army　making　enormous　requisitions；
and　when　they　had　exhausted　all　the　resources　of　their　victims；　they
finished　their　work　of　destruction　by　pillage　and　burning。　　The
Prussians；　and　above　all　the　Cossacks；　were　remarkable　for　their　brutal
ferocity。　　Sometimes　these　hideous　savages　entered　the　houses　by　main
force；　shared　among　themselves　everything　that　fell　into　their　hands；
loaded　their　horses　with　the　plunder；　and　broke　to　pieces　what　they　could
not　carry　away。　　Sometimes；　not　finding　sufficient　to　satisfy　their
greed；　they　broke　down　the　doors　and　windows；　demolished　the　ceiling　in
order　to　tear　out　the　beams；　and　made　of　these　pieces　and　the　furniture；
which　was　too　heavy　to　be　carried　away；　a　fire；　which　being　communicated
to　the　roofs　of　neighboring　houses　consumed　in　a　moment　the　dwellings　of
the　unhappy　inhabitants；　and　forced　them　to　take　refuge　in　the　woods。

Sometimes　the　more　wealthy　inhabitants　gave　them　what　they　demanded；
especially　brandy；　of　which　they　drank　eagerly；