the memoirs of louis xiv-03-第5部分

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him　no　private　audience；　nor　did　he　ask　for　one。

Prince　Eugene；　who　was　more　knowing　than　the　Marechal　de　Villeroy；　had
obliged　him　to　winter　in　the　midst　of　the　Milanese；　and　kept　him　closely
pressed　there；　while　his　own　troops　enjoyed　perfect　liberty；　by　means　of
which　they　much　disturbed　ours。　　In　this　advantageous　situation；　Prince
Eugene　conceived　the　design　of　surprising　the　centre　of　our　quarters；　and
by　that　blow　to　make　himself　master　of　our　positions；　and　afterwards　of
Milan；　and　other　places　of　the　country；　all　in　very　bad　order；　thus
finishing　effectively　and　suddenly　his　conquest。

Cremona　was　our　centre；　and　it　was　defended　by　a　strong　garrison。　　Prince
Eugene　ascertained　that　there　was　at　Cremona　an　ancient　aqueduct　which
extended　far　out　into　the　country；　and　which　started　from　the　town　in　the
vault　of　a　house　occupied　by　a　priest。　　He　also　learnt　that　this　aqueduct
had　been　recently　cleaned；　but　that　it　carried　very　little　water；　and
that　in　former　times　the　town　had　been　surprised　by　means　of　it。　　He
caused　the　entrance　of　the　aqueduct；　in　the　country；　to　be　reconnoitred；
he　gained　over　the　priest　in　whose　vault　it　ended；　and　who　lived　close　to
one　of　the　gates　of　the　city；　which　was　walled　up　and　but　little　guarded；
he　sent　into　Cremona　as　many　chosen　soldiers　as　he　could；　disguised　as
priests　or　peasants；　and　these　hiding　themselves　in　the　house　of　the
friendly　priest；　obtained　secretly　as　many　axes　as　they　could。　　Then　the
Prince　despatched　five　hundred　picked　men　and　officers　to　march　by　the
aqueduct　to　the　priest's　vault；　he　put　Thomas　de　Vaudemont；　son　of　the
Governor　General　of　the　Milanese；　at　the　head　of　a　large　detachment　of
troops；　with　orders　to　occupy　a　redoubt　that　defended　the　Po；　and　to　come
by　the　bridge　to　his　assistance；　when　the　struggle　commenced　in　the　town；
and　he　charged　the　soldiers　secreted　in　the　priest's　house　to　break　down
the　walled…up　gate；　so　as　to　admit　the　troops　whom　he　would　lead　there。

Everything；　thus　concerted　with　exactness；　was　executed　with　precision；
and　with　all　possible　secrecy　and　success。　　It　was　on　the　1st　of
February；　1702；　at　break　of　day；　that　the　surprise　was　attempted。　　The
Marechal　de　Villeroy　had　only　arrived　in　the　town　on　the　previous　night。
The　first　person　who　got　scent　of　what　was　going　forward　was　the　cook　of
the　Lieutenant…General　Crenan；　who　going　out　in　the　early　morning　to　buy
provisions；　saw　the　streets　full　of　soldiers；　whose　uniforms　were　unknown
to　him。　　He　ran　back　and　awakened　his　master。　　Neither　he　nor　his　valets
would　believe　what　the　cook　said；　but　nevertheless　Crenan　hurriedly
dressed　himself；　went　out；　and　was　only　too　soon　convinced　that　it　was
true。

At　the　same　time；　by　a　piece　of　good　luck；　which　proved　the　saving　of
Cremona；　a　regiment　under　the　command　of　D'Entragues；　drew　up　in　battle
array　in　one　of　the　public　places。　　D'Entragues　was　a　bold　and　skilful
soldier；　with　a　great　desire　to　distinguish　himself。　　He　wished　to　review
this　regiment；　and　had　commenced　business　before　the　dawn。　　While　the
light　was　still　uncertain　and　feeble；　and　his　battalions　were　under　arms；
he　indistinctly　perceived　infantry　troops　forming　at　the　end　of　the
street；　in　front　of　him。　　He　knew　by　the　order's　given　on　the　previous
evening　that　no　other　review　was　to　take　place　except　his　own。　　He
immediately　feared；　therefore；　some　surprise；　marched　at　once　to　these
troops；　whom　he　found　to　be　Imperialists；　charged　them；　overthrew　them；
sustained　the　shock　of　the　fresh　troops　which　arrived；　and　kept　up　a
defence　so　obstinate；　that　he　gave　time　to　all　the　town　to　awake；　and　to
the　majority　of　the　troops　to　take　up　arms。　　Without　him；　all　would　have
been　slaughtered　as　they　slept。

Just　at　dawn　the　Marechal　de　Villeroy；　already　up　and　dressed；　was
writing　in　his　chamber。　　He　heard　a　noise；　called　for　a　horse；　and
followed　by　a　single　aide…de…camp　and　a　page；　threaded　his　way　through
the　streets　to　the　grand　place；　which　is　always　the　rendezvous　in　case　of
alarm。　　At　the　turning　of　one　of　the　streets　he　fell　into　the　midst　of　an
Imperialist　corps　de　garde；　who　surrounded　him　and　arrested　him。　　Feeling
that　it　was　impossible　to　defend　himself；　the　Marechal　de　Villeroy
whispered　his　name　to　the　officer；　and　promised　him　ten　thousand
pistoles；　a　regiment；　and　the　grandest　recompenses　from　the　King；　to　be
allowed　to　escape。　　The　officer　was；　however；　above　all　bribes；　said　he
had　not　served　the　Emperor　so　long　in　order　to　end　by　betraying　him；　and
conducted　the　Marechal　de　Villeroy　to　Prince　Eugene；　who　did　not　receive
him　so　well　as　he　himself　would　have　been　received；　under　similar
circumstances；　by　the　Marechal。　　While　in　the　suite　of　Prince　Eugene；
Villeroy　saw　Crenan　led　in　prisoner；　and　wounded　to　the　death；　and
exclaimed　that　he　should　like　to　be　in　his　place。　　A　moment　after　they
were　both　sent　out　of　the　town；　and　passed　the　day；　guarded；　in　the　coach
of　Prince　Eugene。

Revel；　become　commander…in…chief　by　the　capture　of　the　Marechal　de
Villeroy；　tried　to　rally　the　troops。　　There　was　a　fight　in　every　street；
the　troops　dispersed　about；　some　in　detachments；　several　scarcely　armed；
some　only　in　their　shirts　fought　with　the　greatest　bravery。　　They　were
driven　at　last　to　the　ramparts；　where　they　had　time　to　look　about　them；
to　rally　and　form　themselves。　　If　the　enemy　had　not　allowed　our　troops
time　to　gain　the　ramparts；　or　if　they　had　driven　them　beyond　this
position；　when　they　reached　it；　the　town　could　never　have　held　out。　　But
the　imperialists　kept　themselves　entirely　towards　the　centre　of　the　town；
and　made　no　effort　to　fall　upon　our　men；　or　to　drive　them　from　the
ramparts。

Praslin；　who　had　the　command　of　our　cavalry；　put　himself　at　the　head　of
some　Irish　battalions　which　under　him　did　wonders。　　Although　continually
occupied　in　defending　and　attacking；　Praslin　conceived　the　idea　that　the
safety　of　Cremona　depended　upon　the　destruction　of　the　bridge　of　the　Po；
so　that　the　Imperialists　could　not　receive　reinforcements　from　that
point。　　He　repeated　this　so　many　times；　that　Revel　was　informed　of　it；
and　ordered　Praslin　to　do　what　he　thought　most　advisable　in　the　matter。
Thereupon；　Praslin　instantly　commanded　the　bridge　to　be　broken　down：
There　was　not　a　moment　to　lose。　　Thomas　de　Vaudemont　was　already
approaching　the　bridge　at　the　head　of　his　troops。　　But　the　bridge；
nevertheless；　was　destroyed　before　his　eyes；　and　with　all　his　musketeers
he　was　not　able　to　prevent　it。

It　was　now　three　o'clock　in　the　afternoon。　　Prince　Eugene　was　at　the
Hotel　de　Ville；　swearing　in　the　magistrates。　　Leaving　that　place；　and
finding　that　his　troops　were　giving　way；　he　ascended　the　cathedral
steeple　to　see　what　was　passing　in　different　parts　of　the　town；　and　to
discover　why　the　troops　of　Thomas　de　Vaudemont　did　not　arrive。　　He　had
scarcely　reached　the　top　of　the　steeple；　when　he　saw　his　detachments　on
the　banks　of　the　Po；　and　the　bridge　broken；　thus　rendering　their
assistance　useless。　　He　was　not　more　satisfied　with　what　he　discovered　in
every　other　direction。　　Furious　at　seeing　his　enterprise　in　such　bad
case；　after　having　been　so　nearly　successful；　he　descended；　tearing　his
hair　and　yelling。　　From　that　time；　although　superior　in　force；　he　thought
of　nothing　but　retreat。

Revel；　who　saw　that　his　troops　were　overwhelmed　by　hunger；　fatigue；　and
wounds；　for　since　the　break　of　day　they　had　had　no　repose　or　leisure；
thought　on　his　side　of　withdrawing　his　men　into　the　castle　of　Cremona；
in　order；　at　least；　to　defend　himself　under　cover；　and　to　obtain　a
capitulation。　　So　that　the　two　opposing　chiefs　each　thought　at　one　and
the　same　time　of　retreat。

Towards　the　evening　therefore　the　combat　slackened　on　both　sides；　until
our　troops　made　a　last　effort　to　drive　the　enemy　from　one　of　the　gates　of
the　town；　so　as　to　have　that　gate　free　and　open　during　the　night　to　let
in　assistance。　　The　Irish　seconded　so　well　this　attack；　that　it　was　at
length　successful。　　A　tolerably　long　calm　succeeded　this　last　struggle。
Revel；　nevertheless；　thought　of　withdrawing　his　troops　to　the　castle；
when　Mahony；　an　Irish　officer　who　had　fought　bravely　as　a　lion　all　day；
proposed　to　go　and　see　what　was　passing　all　around。　　It　was　already
growing　dark；　the　reconnoiterers　profited　by　this。　　They　saw　that
everything　was　tranquil；　and　understood　that　the　enemy　had　retreated。
This　grand　news　was　carried　to　Revel；　who；　with　many　around　him；　was　a
long　time　in　believing　it。　　Persuaded　at　last；　he　left　everything　as　it
was　then；　until　broad　daylight；　when　he　found　that　the　enemy　had　gone；
and　that　the　streets　and　public　places　were　filled　with　the　wounded；　the
dying；　and　the　dead。　　He　made　arrangements　for　everything；　and　dispatched
Mahony　to　the　King。

Prince　Eugene　retreated　all　that　night　with　the　detachment　he　had　led；
and　made　the　Marechal　de　Villeroy；　disarmed　and　badly　mounted；　follow
him；　very　indecently。　　The　Marechal　was　afterwards　sent　to　Gratz　in
Styria。　　Crenan　died　in　the　coach　of　the　Marechal　de　Villeroy。
D'Entragues；　to　whose　valour　the　safety　of　Cremona　was　owing；　did　not
survive　this　glorious　day。　　Our　loss　was　great；　that　of　the　enemy
greater。

The　news　of　this；　the　most　surprising　event　that　has　been　heard　of　in
recent　ages；　was　brought　to　the　King　at　Marly　on　the　9th　of　February；
1702；　by　Mahony。　　Soon　after　it　arrived　I　heard　of　it；　and　at　once
hastened　to　the　chateau；　where　I　found　a　great　buzzing　and　several　groups
of　people　talking。　　Mahony　was　closeted　a　long　time　with　the　King。　　At
the　end　of　an　hour　the　King　came　out　of　his　cabinet；　and　spoke　strongly
in　praise　of　what　had　occurred。　　He　took　pleasure　in　dwelling　at　great
length　upon　Mahony；　and　declared　that　he　had　never　heard　anybody　give
such　a　clear　and　good　account　of　an　occurrence　as　he。　　The　King　kindly
added　that　he　should　bestow　a　thousand　francs　a　year　upon　Mahony；　and　a
brevet　of　Colonel。

In　the　evening　M。　le　Prince　de　Conti　told　me　that　the　King　had　decorated
Revel；　and　made　Praslin　Lieutenant…General。　　As　the　latter　was　one　of　my
particular　friends；　this　intelligence　gave　me　much　joy。　　I　asked　again　to
be　more　sure　of　the　news。　　The　other　principal　officers　were　advanced　in
propo