napoleon bonaparte, v5-第2部分

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Valevska；　the　tender　and　modest　woman；　rearing　in　retirement　the　son　she
bore　to　the　Emperor；　and　the　favorites　of　the　conqueror　of　Austerlitz。




CHAPTER　II。

The　Russians；　being　incited　to　this　campaign　by　the　remembrance　of　the
defeat　of　Austerlitz；　and　by　the　fear　of　seeing　Poland　snatched　from
their　grasp；　were　not　deterred　by　the　winter　season；　and　resolved　to　open
the　attack　on　the　Emperor　at　once；　and　as　the　latter　was　not　the　man　to
allow　himself　to　be　forestalled；　he　consequently　abandoned　his　winter
quarters；　and　quitted　Warsaw　at　the　end　of　January。　　On　the　8th　of
February　the　two　armies　met　at　Eylau；　and　there　took　place；　as　is　well
known；　a　bloody　battle；　in　which　both　sides　showed　equal　courage；　and
nearly　fifteen　thousand　were　left　dead　on　the　field　of　battle；　equally
divided　in　number　between　the　French　and　Russians。　　The　gain；　or　rather
the　loss；　was　the　same　to　both　armies；　and　a　'Te　Deum'　was　chanted　at　St。
Petersburg　as　well　as　at　Paris；　instead　of　the　'De　Profundis'；　which
would　have　been　much　more　appropriate。　　His　Majesty　complained　bitterly
on　returning　to　his　headquarters　that　the　order　he　had　sent　to　General
Bernadotte　had　not　been　executed；　and　in　consequence　of　this　his　corps
had　taken　no　part　in　the　battle；　and　expressed　his　firm　conviction　that
the　victory；　which　remained　in　doubt　between　the　Emperor　and　General
Benningsen；　　would　have　been　decided　in　favor　of　the　former　had　a　fresh
army…corps　arrived　during　the　battle；　according　to　the　Emperor's
calculations。　　Most　unfortunately　the　aide…de…camp　bearing　the　Emperor's
orders　to　the　Prince　of　Ponte…Corvo　had　fallen　into　the　hands　of　a　party
of　Cossacks；　and　when　the　Emperor　was　informed　of　this　circumstance　the
day　after　the　battle；　his　resentment　was　appeased；　though　not　his
disappointment。　　Our　troops　bivouacked　on　the　field　of　battle；　which　his
Majesty　visited　three　times；　for　the　purpose　of　directing　the　assistance
of　the　wounded；　and　removal　of　the　dead。

Generals　d'Hautpoult；　Corbineau；　and　Boursier　were　mortally　wounded　at
Eylau；　and　it　seems　to　me　I　can　still　hear　the　brave　d'Hautpoult　saying
to　his　Majesty；　just　as　he　dashed　off　at　a　gallop　to　charge　the　enemy：
〃Sire；　you　will　now　see　my　great　claws；　they　will　pierce　through　the
enemy's　squares　as　if　they　were　butter〃　　An　hour　after　he　was　no　more。
One　of　his　regiments；　being　engaged　in　the　interval　with　the　Russian
army；　was　mowed　down　with　grape…shot；　and　hacked　to　pieces　by　the
Cossacks；　only　eighteen　men　being　left。　　General　d'Hautpoult；　forced　to
fall　back　three　times　with　his　division；　led　it　back　twice　to　the　charge；
and　as　he　threw　himself　against　the　enemy　the　third　time　shouted　loudly；
〃Forward；　cuirassiers；　in　God's　name！　　forward；　my　brave　cuirassiers？〃
But　the　grapeshot　had　mowed　down　too　many　of　these　brave　fellows；　very
few　were　left　to　follow　their　chief；　and　he　soon　fell　pierced　with　wounds
in　the　midst　of　a　square　of　Russians　into　which　he　had　rushed　almost
alone。

I　think　it　was　in　this　battle　also　that　General　Ordenerl　killed　with　his
own　hands　a　general　officer　of　the　enemy。　　The　Emperor　asked　if　he　could
not　have　taken　him　alive。　　〃Sire；〃　replied　the　general　with　his　strong
German　accent；　〃I　gave　him　only　one　blow；　but　I　tried　to　make　it　a　good
one。〃　　　On　the　very　morning　of　the　battle；　General　Corbineau；　the
Emperor's　aide…de…camp；　while　at　breakfast　with　the　officers　on　duty；
declared　to　them　that　he　was　oppressed　by　the　saddest　presentiments；　but
these　gentlemen；　attempting　to　divert　his　mind；　turned　the　affair　into　a
joke。　　General　Corbineau　a　few　moments　after　received　an　order　from　his
Majesty；　and　not　finding　some　money　he　wished　at　Monsieur　de　Meneval's
quarters；　came　to　me；　and　I　gave　it　to　him　from　the　Emperor's　private
purse；　at　the　end　of　a　few　hours　I　met　Monsieur　de　Meneval；　to　whom　I
rendered　an　account　of　General　Corbineau's　request；　and　the　sum　I　had
lent　him。　　I　was　still　speaking　to　Monsieur　de　Meneval；　when　an　officer
passing　at　a　gallop　gave　us　the　sad　news　of　the　general's　death。　　I　have
never　forgotten　the　impression　made　on　me　by　this　sad　news；　and　I　still
find　no　explanation　of　the　strange　mental　distress　which　gave　warning　to
this　brave　soldier　of　his　approaching　end。

Poland　was　relying　upon　the　Emperor　to　re…establish　her　independence；　and
consequently　the　Poles　were　filled　with　hope　and　enthusiasm　on　witnessing
the　arrival　of　the　French　army。　　As　for　our　soldiers；　this　winter
campaign　was　most　distasteful　to　them；　for　cold　and　wretchedness；　bad
weather　and　bad　roads；　had　inspired　them　with　an　extreme　aversion　to　this
country。

In　a　review　at　Warsaw；　at　which　the　inhabitants　crowded　around　our
troops；　a　soldier　began　to　swear　roundly　against　the　snow　and　mud；　and；
as　a　consequence；　against　Poland　and　the　Poles。　　〃You　are　wrong；　Monsieur
soldier；〃　replied　a　young　lady　of　a　good　bourgeois　family　of　the　town；　〃
not　to　love　our　country；　for　we　love　the　French　very　much。〃〃You　are
doubtless　very　lovable；　mademoiselle；〃　replied　the　soldier；　〃but　if　you
wish　to　persuade　me　of　the　truth　of　what　you　say；　you　will　prepare　us　a
good　dinner；　my　comrade　and　I。〃〃Come；　then；　messieurs；〃　said　the
parents　of　the　young　Pole　now　advancing；　〃and　we　will　drink　together　to
the　health　of　your　Emperor。〃　　　And　they　really　carried　off　with　them　the
two　soldiers；　who　partook　of　the　best　dinner　the　country　afforded。

The　soldiers　were　accustomed　to　say　that　four　words　formed　the　basis　of
the　Polish　language；　kleba？　　niema；　〃bread？　　there　is　none；〃　voia？
sara；　〃water？　　they　have　gone　to　draw　it。〃

As　the　Emperor　was　one　day　passing　through　a　column　of　infantry　in　the
suburbs　of　Mysigniez；　where　the　troops　endured　great　privations　since　the
bad　roads　prevented　the　arrival　of　supplies；　〃Papa；　kleba；〃　cried　a
soldier。　　　〃Niema；〃　immediately　replied　the　Emperor。　　The　whole　column
burst　into　shouts　of　laughter；　and　no　further　request　was　made。

During　the　Emperor's　somewhat　extended　stay　at　Finkenstein；　he　received　a
visit　from　the　Persian　ambassador；　and　a　few　grand　reviews　were　held　in
his　honor。　　His　Majesty　sent　in　return　an　embassy　to　the　Shah；　at　the
head　of　which　he　placed　General　Gardanne；　who　it　was　then　said　had　an
especial　reason　for　wishing　to　visit　Persia。　　It　was　rumored　that　one　of
his　relations；　after　a　long　residence　at　Teheran；　had　been　compelled；
having　taken　part　in　an　insurrection　against　the　Franks；　to　quit　this
capital；　and　before　his　flight　had　buried　a　considerable　treasure　in　a
certain　spot；　the　description　of　which　he　had　carried　to　France。　　I　will
add；　as　a　finale　to　this　story；　some　facts　which　I　have　since　learned。
General　Gardanne　found　the　capital　in　a　state　of　confusion；　and　being
able　neither　to　locate　the　spot　nor　discover　the　treasure；　returned　from
his　embassy　with　empty　hands。

Our　stay　at　Finkenstein　became　very　tiresome；　and　in　order　to　while　away
the　time；　his　Majesty　sometimes　played　with　his　generals　and　aides…de…
camp。　　The　game　was　usually　vingt…et…un；　and　the　Great　Captain　took　much
pleasure　in　cheating；　holding　through　several　deals　the　cards　necessary
to　complete　the　required　number；　and　was　much　amused　when　he　won　the　game
by　this　finesse。　　I　furnished　the　sum　necessary　for　his　game；　and　as　soon
as　he　returned　to　his　quarters　received　orders　to　make　out　his　account。
He　always　gave　me　half　of　his　gains；　and　I　divided　the　remainder　between
the　ordinary　valets　de　chambre。

I　have　no　intention；　in　this　journal；　of　conforming　to　a　very　exact　order
of　dates；　and　whenever　there　recurs　to　my　memory　a　fact　or　an　anecdote
which　seems　to　me　deserving　of　mention；　I　shall　jot　it　down；　at　whatever
point　of　my　narrative　I　may　have　then　reached；　fearing　lest；　should　I
defer　it　to　its　proper　epoch；　it　might　be　forgotten。　　In　pursuance　of
this　plan　I　shall　here　relate；　in　passing；　some　souvenirs　of　Saint…Cloud
or　the　Tuileries；　although　we　are　now　in　camp　at　Finkenstein。　　The
pastimes　in　which　his　Majesty　and　his　general　officers　indulged　recalled
these　anecdotes　to　my　recollection。　　These　gentlemen　often　made　wagers　or
bets　among　themselves；　and　I　heard　the　Duke　of　Vicenza　one　day　bet　that
Monsieur　Jardin；　junior；　equerry　of　his　Majesty；　mounted　backwards　on　his
horse；　could　reach　the　end　of　the　avenue　in　front　of　the　chateau　in　the
space　of　a　few　moments；　which　bet　the　equerry　won。

Messieurs　Fain；　Meneval；　and　Ivan　once　played　a　singular　joke　on　Monsieur
B。　　d'A　；　who；　they　knew；　was　subject　to　frequent　attacks　of
gallantry。　　They　dressed　a　young　man　in　woman's　clothes；　and　sent　him　to
promenade；　thus　disguised；　in　an　avenue　near　the　chateau。　　Monsieur
B。　　d'A　was　very　near…sighted；　and　generally　used　an　eyeglass。　　These
gentlemen　invited　him　to　take　a　walk；　and　as　soon　as　he　was　outside　the
door；　he　perceived　the　beautiful　promenader；　and　could　not　restrain　an
exclamation　of　surprise　and　joy　at　the　sight。

His　friends　feigned　to　share　his　delight；　and　urged　him；　as　the　most
enterprising；　to　make　the　first　advances；　whereupon；　in　great　excitement；
he　hastened　after　the　pretended　young　lady；　whom　they　had　taught　his　role
perfectly。　　Monsieur　d'A　outdid　himself　in　politeness；　in　attentions；
in　offers　of　service；　insisting　eagerly　on　doing　the　honors　of　the
chateau　to　his　new　conquest。　　The　other　acted　his　part　perfectly；　and
after　many　coquettish　airs　on　his　side；　and　many　protestations　on　the
part　of　Monsieur　d'A　；　a　rendezvous　was　made　for　that　very　evening；　and
the　lover；　radiant　with　hope；　returned　to　his　friends；　maintaining　much
discretion　and　reserve　as　to　his　good　fortune；　while　he　really　would　have
liked　to　devour　the　time　which　must　pass　before　the　day　was　over。　　At
last　the　evening　arrived　which　was　to　put　an　end　to　his　impatience；　and
bring　the　time　of　his　interview；　and　his　disappointment　and　rage　may　be
imagined　when　he　discovered　the　deception　which　had　been　practiced　on
him。　　Monsieur　d'A　wished　at　first　to　challenge　the　authors　and
actors　in　this　hoax；　and　could　with　great　difficulty　be　appeased。

It　was；　I　think；　on　the　return　from　this　campaign；　that　Prince　Jerome　saw
at　Breslau；　at　the　theater　of　that　town；　a　young　and　very　pretty　actress；
who　played　her　part　badly；　but　sang