napoleon bonaparte, v11-第16部分

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Sometimes　the　more　wealthy　inhabitants　gave　them　what　they　demanded；
especially　brandy；　of　which　they　drank　eagerly；　thinking　by　this
compliance　to　escape　their　ferocity；　but　these　barbarians；　heated　by
drink；　then　carried　their　excesses　to　the　last　degree。　　They　seized
girls；　women；　and　servants；　and　beat　them　unmercifully；　in　order　to
compel　them　to　drink　brandy　until　they　fell　in　a　complete　state　of
intoxication。　　Many　women　and　young　girls　had　courage　and　strength　to
defend　themselves　against　these　brigands；　but　they　united　three　or　four
against　one；　and　often　to　avenge　themselves　for　the　resistance　of　these
poor　creatures　mutilated　and　slew　them；　after　having　first　violated　them；
or　threw　them　into　the　midst　of　the　bivouac　fires。　　Farms　were　burned　up；
and　families　recently　opulent　or　in　comfortable　circumstances　were
reduced　in　an　instant　to　despair　and　poverty。　　Husbands　and　old　men　were
slain　with　the　sword　while　attempting　to　defend　the　honor　of　their　wives
and　daughters；　and　when　poor　mothers　attempted　to　approach　the　fires　to
warm　the　children　at　their　breasts；　they　were　burned　or　killed　by　the
explosion　of　packages　of　cartridges；　which　the　Cossacks　threw
intentionally　into　the　fire；　and　the　cries　of　pain　and　agony　were　stifled
by　the　bursts　of　laughter　from　these　monsters。

I　should　never　end　if　I　attempted　to　relate　all　the　atrocities　committed
by　these　foreign　hordes。　　It　was　the　custom　at　the　time　of　the
Restoration　to　say　that　the　complaints　and　narrations　of　those　who　were
exposed　to　these　excesses　were　exaggerated　by　fear　or　hatred。　　I　have
even　heard　very　dignified　persons　jest　pleasantly　over　the　pretty　ways　of
the　Cossacks。　　But　these　wits　always　kept　themselves　at　a　distance　from
the　theater　of　war；　and　had　the　good　fortune　to　inhabit　departments　which
suffered　neither　from　the　first　nor　second　invasion。　　I　would　not　advise
them　to　address　their　pleasantries　to　the　unfortunate　inhabitants　of
Champagne；　or　of　the　departments　of　the　east　in　general。　　It　has　been
maintained　also　that　the　allied　sovereigns　and　the　general　officers　of
the　Russian　and　Prussian　army　severely　forbade　all　violence　in　their
regular　troops；　and　that　the　atrocities　were　committed　by　undisciplined
and　ungovernable　bands　of　Cossacks。　　I　have　been　in　a　position　to　learn；
on　many　occasions；　especially　at　Troves；　proofs　to　the　contrary。　　This
town　has　not　forgotten；　doubtless；　how　the　Princes　of　Wurtemberg　and
Hohenlohe　and　the　Emperor　Alexander　himself　justified　the　burnings；
pillage；　violations；　and　numerous　assassinations　committed　under　their
very　eyes；　not　only　by　the　Cossacks；　but　also　by　regularly　enlisted　and
disciplined　soldiers。　　No　measures　were　taken　by　the　sovereigns　or　by
their　generals　to　put　an　end　to　such　atrocities；　and　nevertheless　when
they　left　a　town　there　was　needed　only　an　order　from　them　to　remove　at
once　the　hordes　of　Cossacks　who　devastated　the　country。

The　field　of　the　La　Rothiere　was；　as　I　have　said；　the　rendezvous　of　the
pupils　of　the　military　school　of　Brienne。　　It　was　there　that　the　Emperor；
when　a　child；　had　foreshadowed　in　his　engagement　with　the　scholars　his
gigantic　combats。　　The　engagement　at　La　Rothiere　was　hotly　contested；　and
the　enemy　obtained；　only　at　the　price　of　much　blood；　an　advantage　which
they　owed　entirely　to　their　numerical　superiority。　　In　the　night　which
followed　this　unequal　struggle；　the　Emperor　ordered　the　retreat　from
Troves。　　On　returning　to　the　chateau　after　the　battle；　his　Majesty
narrowly　escaped　an　imminent　danger。　　He　found　himself　surrounded　by　a
troop　of　uhlans；　and　drew　his　sword　to　defend　himself。　　M。　Jardin；
junior；　his　equerry；　who　followed　the　Emperor　closely；　received　a　ball　in
his　arm。　　Several　chasseurs　of　the　escort　were　wounded；　but　they　at　last
succeeded　in　extricating　his　Majesty。　　I　can　assert　that　his　Majesty
showed　the　greatest　self…possession　in　all　encounters　of　this　kind。　　On
that　day；　as　I　unbuckled　his　sword…belt；　he　drew　it　half　out　of　the
scabbard；　saying；　〃Do　you　know；　Constant；　the　wretches　have　made　me　cut
the　wind　with　this？　　The　rascals　are　too　impudent。　　It　is　necessary　to
teach　them　a　lesson；　that　they　may　learn　to　hold　themselves　at　a
respectful　distance。〃

It　is　not　my　intention　to　write　the　history　of　this　campaign　in　France；
in　which　the　Emperor　displayed　an　activity　and　energy　which　excited　to
the　highest　point　the　admiration　of　those　who　surrounded　him。
Unfortunately；　the　advantages　which　he　had　obtained　gradually　exhausted
his　own　troops；　while　only　creating　losses　in　the　enemy's；　which　they
easily　repaired。　　It　was；　as　M。　Bourrienne　has　well　said；　a　combat　of　an
Alpine　eagle　with　a　flock　of　ravens：　〃The　eagle　may　kill　them　by
hundreds。　　Each　blow　of　his　beak　is　the　death　of　an　enemy；　but　the　ravens
return　in　still　greater　numbers；　and　continue　their　attack　on　the　eagle
until　they　at　last　overcome　him。〃　　At　Champ…Aubert；　at　Montmirail；　at
Nangis；　at　Montereau；　and　at　Arcis；　and　in　twenty　other　engagements；　the
Emperor　obtained　the　advantage　by　his　genius　and　by　the　courage　of　our
army；　but　it　was　all　in　vain。　　Hardly　had　these　masses　of　the　enemy　been
scattered；　before　fresh　ones　were　formed　again　in　front　of　our　soldiers；
exhausted　by　continuous　battles　and　forced　marches。　　The　army；　especially
that　which　Blucher　commanded；　seemed　to　revive　of　itself；　and　whenever
beaten　reappeared　with　forces　equal；　if　not　superior；　to　those　which　had
been　destroyed　or　dispersed。　　How　can　such　an　immense　superiority　of
numbers　be　indefinitely　resisted？




CHAPTER　XXIII。

The　Emperor　had　never　shown　himself　so　worthy　of　admiration　as　during
this　fatal　campaign　in　France；　when；　struggling　against　misfortunes；　he
performed　over　again　the　prodigies　of　his　first　wars　in　Italy；　when
fortune　smiled　on　him。　　His　career　had　begun　with　an　attack；　and　the　end
was　marked　by　the　most　magnificent　defense　recorded　in　the　annals　of　war。
And　it　may　be　said　with　truth　that　at　all　times　and　everywhere　his
Majesty　showed　himself　both　the　perfect　general　and　the　soldier；　under
all　circumstances　furnishing　an　example　of　personal　courage　to　such　an
extent；　indeed；　that　all　those　who　surrounded　him；　and　whose　existence
was　dependent　on　his　own；　were　seriously　alarmed。　　For　instance；　as　is
well　known；　the　Emperor；　at　the　battle　of　Montereau；　pointed　the　pieces
of　artillery　himself；　recklessly　exposed　himself　to　the　enemy's　fire；　and
said　to　his　soldiers；　who　were　much　alarmed　at　his　danger　and　attempted
to　remove　him；　〃Let　me　alone；　my　friends；　the　bullet　which　is　to　kill　me
has　not　yet　been　molded。〃

At　Arcis　the　Emperor　again　fought　as　a　common　soldier；　and　more　than　once
drew　his　sword　in　order　to　cut　his　way　through　the　midst　of　the　enemy　who
surrounded　him。　　A　shell　fell　a　few　steps　from　his　horse。　　The　animal；
frightened；　jumped　to　one　side；　and　nearly　unhorsed　the　Emperor；　who；
with　his　field…glass　in　his　hand；　was　at　the　moment　occupied　in　examining
the　battlefield。　　His　Majesty　settled　himself　again　firmly　in　his　saddle；
stuck　his　spurs　in　the　horse's　sides；　forced　him　to　approach　and　put　his
nose　to　it。　　Just　then　the　shell　burst；　and；　by　an　almost　incredible
chance；　neither　the　Emperor　nor　his　horse　was　even　wounded。

In　more　than　one　similar　circumstance　the　Emperor　seemed；　during　this
campaign；　to　put　his　life　at　a　venture；　and　yet　it　was　only　in　the　last
extremity　that　he　abandoned　the　hope　of　preserving　his　throne。　　It　was　a
painful　sacrifice　to　him　to　treat　with　the　enemy　so　long　as　they　occupied
French　territory；　for　he　wished　to　purge　the　soil　of　France　of　the
presence　of　foreigners　before　entering　into　any　agreement　with　them
whatever。　　And　this　feeling　was　the　reason　of　his　hesitation　and　refusal
to　accept　the　peace　which　was　offered　him　on　various　occasions。

On　the　8th　of　February；　the　Emperor；　at　the　end　of　a　long　discussion　with
two　or　three　of　his　intimate　advisers；　retired　very　late；　and　in　a　state
of　extreme　preoccupation。　　He　woke　me　often　during　the　night；　complaining
of　being　unable　to　sleep；　and　made　me　extinguish　and　relight　his　lamp
again　and　again。　　About　five　o'clock　in　the　morning　I　was　called　again。
I　was　almost　fainting　with　fatigue；　which　his　Majesty　noticed；　and　said
to　me　kindly；　　〃You　are　worn　out；　my　poor　Constant；　we　are　making　a
severe　campaign；　are　we　not？　　But　hold　out　only　a　little　longer；　you　will
soon　rest。〃

Encouraged　by　the　sympathizing　tones　of　his　Majesty；　I　took　the　liberty
of　replying　that　no　one　could　think　of　complaining　of　the　fatigue　or
privations　he　endured；　since　they　were　shared　by　his　Majesty；　but　that；
nevertheless；　the　desire　and　hope　of　every　one　were　for　peace。　　〃Ah；
yes；〃　replied　the　Emperor；　with　a　kind　of　subdued　violence；　〃they　will
have　peace；　they　will　realize　what　a　dishonorable　peace　is！〃　　I　kept
silence；　his　Majesty's　chagrin　distressed　me　deeply；　and　I　wished　at　this
moment　that　his　army　could　have　been　composed　of　men　of　iron　like
himself；　then　he　would　have　made　peace　only　on　the　frontiers　of　France。

The　tone　of　kindness　and　familiarity　in　which　the　Emperor　spoke　to　me　on
this　occasion　recalls　another　circumstance　which　I　neglected　to　relate　in
its　proper　place；　and　which　I　must　not　pass　over　in　silence；　since　it
furnishes　such　a　fine　example　of　his　Majesty's　conduct　towards　the
persons　of　his　service；　and　especially　myself。　　Roustan　witnessed　the
occurrence；　and　it　was　from　him　I　learned　the　opening　details。

In　one　of　his　campaigns　beyond　the　Rhine　（I　do　not　remember　which）；　I　had
passed　several　nights　in　succession　without　sleep；　and　was　exhausted。
The　Emperor　went　out　at　eleven　o'clock；　and　remained　three　or　four　hours；
and　I　seated　myself　in　his　armchair；　near　his　table；　to　await　his　return；
intending　to　rise　and　retire　as　soon　as　I　heard　him　enter；　but　was　so
exhausted　with　fatigue　that　sleep　suddenly　overtook　me；　and　I　dropped
into　a　deep　slumber；　my　head　resting　on　my　arm；　and　my　arm　on　his
Majesty's　table。　　The　Emperor　returned　at　last　with　Marshal　Berthier；　and
followed　by　Roustan。　　I　heard　nothing。　　The　Prince　de　Neuchatel　wished　to
approach　and　shake　me　that　I　might　awake　and　resign　to　his　Majesty　his
seat　and　table；　but　the　Emperor　stopped　hi