雨果 悲惨世界 英文版1-第68章

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n。
　　〃I　prefer　to　overthrow　them　rather　than　to　drive　them　back。〃
　　In　the　morning　he　dismounted　in　the　mud　on　the　slope　which　forms　an　angle　with　the　Plancenoit　road；　had　a　kitchen　table　and　a　peasant's　chair　brought　to　him　from　the　farm　of　Rossomme；　seated　himself；　with　a　truss　of　straw　for　a　carpet；　and　spread　out　on　the　table　the　chart　of　the　battle…field；　saying　to　Soult　as　he　did　so；　〃A　pretty　checker…board。〃
　　In　consequence　of　the　rains　during　the　night；　the　transports　of　provisions；　embedded　in　the　soft　roads；　had　not　been　able　to　arrive　by　morning；　the　soldiers　had　had　no　sleep；　they　were　wet　and　fasting。
　　This　did　not　prevent　Napoleon　from　exclaiming　cheerfully　to　Ney；　〃We　have　ninety　chances　out　of　a　hundred。〃　At　eight　o'clock　the　Emperor's　breakfast　was　brought　to　him。　He　invited　many　generals　to　it。
　　During　breakfast；　it　was　said　that　Wellington　had　been　to　a　ball　two　nights　before；　in　Brussels；　at　the　Duchess　of　Richmond's；　and　Soult；　a　rough　man　of　war；　with　a　face　of　an　archbishop；　said；　〃The　ball　takes　place　to…day。〃　The　Emperor　jested　with　Ney；　who　said；　〃Wellington　will　not　be　so　simple　as　to　wait　for　Your　Majesty。〃
　　That　was　his　way；　however。　〃He　was　fond　of　jesting；〃　says　Fleury　de　Chaboulon。
　　〃A　merry　humor　was　at　the　foundation　of　his　character；〃　says　Gourgaud。　〃He　abounded　in　pleasantries；　which　were　more　peculiar　than　witty；〃　says　Benjamin　Constant。
　　These　gayeties　of　a　giant　are　worthy　of　insistence。
　　It　was　he　who　called　his　grenadiers　〃his　grumblers〃；　he　pinched　their　ears；　he　pulled　their　mustaches。
　　〃The　Emperor　did　nothing　but　play　pranks　on　us；〃　is　the　remark　of　one　of　them。　During　the　mysterious　trip　from　the　island　of　Elba　to　France；　on　the　27th　of　February；　on　the　open　sea；　the　French　brig　of　war；　Le　Zephyr；　having　encountered　the　brig　L'Inconstant；　on　which　Napoleon　was　concealed；　and　having　asked　the　news　of　Napoleon　from　L'Inconstant；　the　Emperor；　who　still　wore　in　his　hat　the　white　and　amaranthine　cockade　sown　with　bees；　which　he　had　adopted　at　the　isle　of　Elba；　laughingly　seized　the　speaking…trumpet；　and　answered　for　himself；　〃The　Emperor　is　well。〃
　　A　man　who　laughs　like　that　is　on　familiar　terms　with　events。
　　Napoleon　indulged　in　many　fits　of　this　laughter　during　the　breakfast　at　Waterloo。
　　After　breakfast　he　meditated　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　then　two　generals　seated　themselves　on　the　truss　of　straw；　pen　in　hand　and　their　paper　on　their　knees；　and　the　Emperor　dictated　to　them　the　order　of　battle。
　　At　nine　o'clock；　at　the　instant　when　the　French　army；　ranged　in　echelons　and　set　in　motion　in　five　columns；　had　deployed　the　divisions　in　two　lines；　the　artillery　between　the　brigades；　the　music　at　their　head；　as　they　beat　the　march；　with　rolls　on　the　drums　and　the　blasts　of　trumpets；　mighty；　vast；　joyous；　a　sea　of　casques；　of　sabres；　and　of　bayonets　on　the　horizon；　the　Emperor　was　touched；　and　twice　exclaimed；　〃Magnificent！
　　Magnificent！〃
　　Between　nine　o'clock　and　half…past　ten　the　whole　army；　incredible　as　it　may　appear；　had　taken　up　its　position　and　ranged　itself　in　six　lines；　forming；　to　repeat　the　Emperor's　expression；　〃the　figure　of　six　V's。〃　A　few　moments　after　the　formation　of　the　battle…array；　in　the　midst　of　that　profound　silence；　like　that　which　heralds　the　beginning　of　a　storm；　which　precedes　engagements；　the　Emperor　tapped　Haxo　on　the　shoulder；　as　he　beheld　the　three　batteries　of　twelve…pounders；　detached　by　his　orders　from　the　corps　of　Erlon；　Reille；　and　Lobau；　and　destined　to　begin　the　action　by　taking　Mont…Saint…Jean；　which　was　situated　at　the　intersection　of　the　Nivelles　and　the　Genappe　roads；　and　said　to　him；　〃There　are　four　and　twenty　handsome　maids；　General。〃
　　Sure　of　the　issue；　he　encouraged　with　a　smile；　as　they　passed　before　him；　the　pany　of　sappers　of　the　first　corps；　which　he　had　appointed　to　barricade　Mont…Saint…Jean　as　soon　as　the　village　should　be　carried。
　　All　this　serenity　had　been　traversed　by　but　a　single　word　of　haughty　pity；　perceiving　on　his　left；　at　a　spot　where　there　now　stands　a　large　tomb；　those　admirable　Scotch　Grays；　with　their　superb　horses；　massing　themselves；　he　said；　〃It　is　a　pity。〃
　　Then　he　mounted　his　horse；　advanced　beyond　Rossomme；　and　selected　for　his　post　of　observation　a　contracted　elevation　of　turf　to　the　right　of　the　road　from　Genappe　to　Brussels；　which　was　his　second　station　during　the　battle。
　　The　third　station；　the　one　adopted　at　seven　o'clock　in　the　evening；　between　La　Belle…Alliance　and　La　Haie…Sainte；　is　formidable；　it　is　a　rather　elevated　knoll；　which　still　exists；　and　behind　which　the　guard　was　massed　on　a　slope　of　the　plain。　Around　this　knoll　the　balls　rebounded　from　the　pavements　of　the　road；　up　to　Napoleon　himself。
　　As　at　Brienne；　he　had　over　his　head　the　shriek　of　the　bullets　and　of　the　heavy　artillery。　Mouldy　cannon…balls；　old　sword…blades；　and　shapeless　projectiles；　eaten　up　with　rust；　were　picked　up　at　the　spot　where　his　horse'　feet　stood。
　　Scabra　rubigine。
　　A　few　years　ago；　a　shell　of　sixty　pounds；　still　charged；　and　with　its　fuse　broken　off　level　with　the　bomb；　was　unearthed。
　　It　was　at　this　last　post　that　the　Emperor　said　to　his　guide；　Lacoste；　a　hostile　and　terrified　peasant；　who　was　attached　to　the　saddle　of　a　hussar；　and　who　turned　round　at　every　discharge　of　canister　and　tried　to　hide　behind　Napoleon：
　　〃Fool；　it　is　shameful！
　　You'll　get　yourself　killed　with　a　ball　in　the　back。〃　He　who　writes　these　lines　has　himself　found；　in　the　friable　soil　of　this　knoll；　on　turning　over　the　sand；　the　remains　of　the　neck　of　a　bomb；　disintegrated；　by　the　oxidization　of　six　and　forty　years；　and　old　fragments　of　iron　which　parted　like　elder…twigs　between　the　fingers。
　　Every　one　is　aware　that　the　variously　inclined　undulations　of　the　plains；　where　the　engagement　between　Napoleon　and　Wellington　took　place；　are　no　longer　what　they　were　on　June　18；　1815。
　　By　taking　from　this　mournful　field　the　wherewithal　to　make　a　monument　to　it；　its　real　relief　has　been　taken　away；　and　history；　disconcerted；　no　longer　finds　her　bearings　there。
　　It　has　been　disfigured　for　the　sake　of　glorifying　it。
　　Wellington；　when　he　beheld　Waterloo　once　more；　two　years　later；　exclaimed；　〃They　have　altered　my　field　of　battle！〃　Where　the　great　pyramid　of　earth；　surmounted　by　the　lion；　rises　to…day；　there　was　a　hillock　which　descended　in　an　easy　slope　towards　the　Nivelles　road；　but　which　was　almost　an　escarpment　on　the　side　of　the　highway　to　Genappe。
　　The　elevation　of　this　escarpment　can　still　be　measured　by　the　height　of　the　two　knolls　of　the　two　great　sepulchres　which　enclose　the　road　from　Genappe　to　Brussels：
　　one；　the　English　tomb；　is　on　the　left；　the　other；　the　German　tomb；　is　on　the　right。
　　There　is　no　French　tomb。
　　The　whole　of　that　plain　is　a　sepulchre　for　France。
　　Thanks　to　the　thousands　upon　thousands　of　cartloads　of　earth　employed　in　the　hillock　one　hundred　and　fifty　feet　in　height　and　half　a　mile　in　circumference；　the　plateau　of　Mont…Saint…Jean　is　now　accessible　by　an　easy　slope。　On　the　day　of　battle；　particularly　on　the　side　of　La　Haie…Sainte；　it　was　abrupt　and　difficult　of　approach。
　　The　slope　there　is　so　steep　that　the　English　cannon　could　not　see　the　farm；　situated　in　the　bottom　of　the　valley；　which　was　the　centre　of　the　bat。　On　the　18th　of　June；　1815；　the　rains　had　still　farther　increased　this　acclivity；　the　mud　plicated　the　problem　of　the　ascent；　and　the　men　not　only　slipped　back；　but　stuck　fast　in　the　mire。　Along　the　crest　of　the　plateau　ran　a　sort　of　trench　whose　presence　it　was　impossible　for　the　distant　observer　to　divine。
　　What　was　this　trench？
　　Let　us　explain。
　　Braine…l'Alleud　is　a　Belgian　village；　Ohain　is　another。
　　These　villages；　both　of　them　concealed　in　curves　of　the　landscape；　are　connected　by　a　road　about　a　league　and　a　half　in　length；　which　traverses　the　plain　along　its　undulating　level；　and　often　enters　and　buries　itself　in　the　hills　like　a　furrow；　which　makes　a　ravine　of　this　road　in　some　places。　In　1815；　as　at　the　present　day；　this　road　cut　the　crest　of　the　plateau　of　Mont…Saint…Jean　between　the　two　highways　from　Genappe　and　Nivelles；　only；　it　is　now　on　a　level　with　the　plain；　it　was　then　a　hollow　way。　Its　two　slopes　have　been　appropriated　for　the　monumental　hillock。　This　road　was；　and　still　is；　a　trench　throughout　the　greater　portion　of　its　course；　a　hollow　trench；　sometimes　a　dozen　feet　in　depth；　and　whose　banks；　being　too　steep；　crumbled　away　here　and　there；　particularly　in　winter；　under　driving　rains。
　　Accidents　happened　here。　The　road　was　so　narrow　at　the　Braine…l'Alleud　entrance　that　a　passer…by　was　crushed　by　a　cart；　as　is　proved　by　a　stone　cross　which　stands　near　the　cemetery；　and　which　gives　the　name　of　the　dead；　Monsieur　Bernard　Debrye；　Merchant　of　Brussels；　and　the　date　of　the　accident；　February；　1637。＇8＇　It　was　so　deep　on　the　table…land　of　Mont…Saint…Jean　that　a　peasant；　Mathieu　Nicaise；　was　crushed　there；　in　1783；　by　a　slide　from　the　slope；　as　is　stated　on　another　stone　cross；　the　top　of　which　has　disappeared　in　the　process　of　clearing　the　ground；　but　whose　overturned　pedestal　is　still　visible　on　the　grassy　slope　to　the　left　of　the　highway　between　La　Haie…Sainte　and　the　farm　of　Mont…Saint…Jean。
＇8＇　This　is　the　inscription：
D。　O。　M。　
CY　A　ETE　ECRASE
PAR　MALHEUR
SOUS　UN　CHARIOT；　
MONSIEUR　BERNARD
DE　BRYE　MARCHAND　
A　BRUXELLE　LE　＇Illegible＇　
FEVRIER　1637。
　　On　the　day　of　battle；　this　hollow　road　whose　existence　was　in　no　way　indicated；　bordering　the　crest　of　Mont…Saint…Jean；　a　trench　at　the　summit　of　the　escarpment；　a　rut　concealed　in　the　soil；　was　invisible；　that　is　to　say；　terrible。


BOOK　FIRST。…WATERLOO
CHAPTER　VIII　
　　THE　EMPEROR　PUTS　A　QUESTION　TO　THE　GUIDE　LACOSTE
　　So；　on　the　morning　of　Waterloo；　Napoleon　was　content。
　　He　was　right；　the　plan　of　battle　conceived　by　him　was；　as　we　have　seen；　really　admirable。
　　The　battle　once　begun；　its　very　various　changes；the　resistance　of　Hougomont；　the　tenacity　of　La　Haie…Sainte；　the　killing　of　Bauduin；　the　disabling　of　Foy；　the　unexpected　wall　against　which　Soye's　brigade　was　shattered；　Guilleminot's　fatal　heedlessness　when　he　had　neither　petard　nor　powder　sacks；　the　miring　of　the　batteries；　the　fifteen　unescorted　pieces　overwhelmed　in　a　hollow　way　by　Uxbridge；　the　small　effect　of　the　bombs　falling　in　the　English　lines；　and　there　embedding　themselves　in　the　rain…soaked　soil；　and　only　succeeding　in　producing　volcanoes　of　mud；　so　that　the　canister　was　turned　into　a　splash；　the　uselessness　of　Pire's　demonstration　on　Braine…l'Alleud；　all　that　cavalry；　fifteen　squadrons；　almost　exterminated；　the　right　wing　of　the　English　badly　alarmed；　the　left　wing　badly　cut　into；　Ney's　strange　mistake　in　massing；　instead　of　echelonning　the　four　divisions　of　the　first　corps；　men　delivered　over　to　grape…shot；　arranged　in　ranks　twenty…seven　deep　and　with　a　frontage　of　two　hundred；　the　frightful　holes　made　in　these　masses　by　the　cannon…balls；　attacking　columns　disorganized；　the　side…battery　suddenly　unmasked　on　their　flank；　Bourgeois；　Donzelot；　and　Durutte　promised；　Quiot　repulsed；　Lieutenant　Vieux；　that　Hercules　graduated　at　the　Polytechnic　School；　wounded　at　the　moment　when　he　was　beating　in　with　an　axe　the　door　of　La　Haie…Sainte　under