the adventures of gerard(吉拉德历险记)-第29章
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the field for that campaign。 In 1813 France was exhausted。 For every
veteran there were five childrenMarie Louises； as we called them； for the
Empress had busied herself in raising levies while the Emperor took the
field。 But it was very different in 1815。 The prisoners had all come
back the men from the snows of Russia； the men from the dungeons of
Spain； the men from the hulks in England。
These were the dangerous men； veterans of twenty battles； longing for
their old trade； and with hearts filled with hatred and revenge。 The ranks
were full of soldiers who wore two and three chevrons； every chevron
meaning five years' service。 And the spirit of these men was terrible。
They were raging； furious； fanatical； adoring the Emperor as a Mameluke
does his prophet； ready to fall upon their own bayonets if their blood could
serve him。 If you had seen these fierce old veterans going into battle；
with their flushed faces； their savage eyes； their furious yells； you would
wonder that anything could stand against them。 So high was the spirit of
France at that time that every other spirit would have quailed before it； but
these people； these English； had neither spirit nor soul； but only solid；
immovable beef； against which we broke ourselves in vain。 That was it；
my friends！ On the one side； poetry； gallantry； self… sacrificeall that is
beautiful and heroic。 On the other side； beef。 Our hopes； our ideals； our
dreamsall were shattered on that terrible beef of Old England。
You have read how the Emperor gathered his forces； and then how he
and I； with a hundred and thirty thousand veterans； hurried to the northern
frontier and fell upon the Prussians and the English。 On the 16th of June；
Ney held the English in play at Quatre…Bras while we beat the Prussians at
Ligny。 It is not for me to say how far I contributed to that victory； but it
is well known that the Hussars of Conflans covered themselves with glory。
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They fought well； these Prussians； and eight thousand of them were left
upon the field。 The Emperor thought that he had done with them； as he
sent Marshal Grouchy with thirty…two thousand men to follow them up
and to prevent their interfering with his plans。 Then with nearly eighty
thousand men； he turned upon these 〃Goddam〃 Englishmen。 How much
we had to avenge upon them； we Frenchmenthe guineas of Pitt； the hulks
of Portsmouth； the invasion of Wellington； the perfidious victories of
Nelson！ At last the day of punishment seemed to have arisen。
Wellington had with him sixty…seven thousand men； but many of them
were known to be Dutch and Belgian； who had no great desire to fight
against us。 Of good troops he had not fifty thousand。 Finding himself
in the presence of the Emperor in person with eighty thousand men； this
Englishman was so paralysed with fear that he could neither move himself
nor his army。 You have seen the rabbit when the snake approaches。 So
stood the English upon the ridge of Waterloo。 The night before； the
Emperor； who had lost an aide…de… camp at Ligny； ordered me to join his
staff； and I had left my Hussars to the charge of Major Victor。 I know not
which of us was the most grieved； they or I； that I should be called away
upon the eve of battle； but an order is an order； and a good soldier can but
shrug his shoulders and obey。 With the Emperor I rode across the front
of the enemy's position on the morning of the 18th； he looking at them
through his glass and planning which was the shortest way to destroy them。
Soult was at his elbow； and Ney and Foy and others who had fought the
English in Portugal and Spain。 〃Have a care； Sire；〃 said Soult。 〃The
English infantry is very solid。〃
〃You think them good soldiers because they have beaten you；〃 said the
Emperor； and we younger men turned away our faces and smiled。 But
Ney and Foy were grave and serious。 All the time the English line；
chequered with red and blue and dotted with batteries； was drawn up silent
and watchful within a long musket… shot of us。 On the other side of the
shallow valley our own people； having finished their soup； were
assembling for the battle。 It had rained very heavily； but at this moment
the sun shone out and beat upon the French army； turning our brigades of
cavalry into so many dazzling rivers of steel； and twinkling and sparkling
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on the innumerable bayonets of the infantry。 At the sight of that splendid
army； and the beauty and majesty of its appearance； I could contain myself
no longer； but； rising in my stirrups； I waved my busby and cried； 〃Vive
l'Empereur！〃 a shout which growled and roared and clattered from one end
of the line to the other； while the horsemen waved their swords and the
footmen held up their shakos upon their bayonets。 The English remained
petrified upon their ridge。 They knew that their hour had come。
And so it would have come if at that moment the word had been given
and the whole army had been permitted to advance。 We had but to fall
upon them and to sweep them from the face of the earth。 To put aside all
question of courage； we were the more numerous； the older soldiers； and
the better led。 But the Emperor desired to do all things in order； and he
waited until the ground should be drier and harder； so that his artillery
could manoeuvre。 So three hours were wasted； and it was eleven o'clock
before we saw Jerome Buonaparte's columns advance upon our left and
heard the crash of the guns which told that the battle had begun。 The loss
of those three hours was our destruction。 The attack upon the left was
directed upon a farm…house which was held by the English Guards； and we
heard the three loud shouts of apprehension which the defenders were
compelled to utter。 They were still holding out； and D'Erlon's corps was
advancing upon the right to engage another portion of the English line；
when our attention was called away from the battle beneath our noses to a
distant portion of the field of action。
The Emperor had been looking through his glass to the extreme left of
the English line； and now he turned suddenly to the Duke of Dalmatia； or
Soult； as we soldiers preferred to call him。
〃What is it； Marshal？〃 said he。
We all followed the direction of his gaze； some raising our glasses；
some shading our eyes。 There was a thick wood over yonder； then a long；
bare slope； and another wood beyond。 Over this bare strip between the
two woods there lay something dark； like the shadow of a moving cloud。
〃I think that they are cattle； Sire；〃 said Soult。
At that instant there came a quick twinkle from amid the dark shadow。
〃It is Grouchy；〃 said the Emperor； and he lowered his glass。 〃They
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are doubly lost； these English。 I hold them in the hollow of my hand。
They cannot escape me。〃
He looked round； and his eyes fell upon me。
〃Ah！ here is the prince of messengers；〃 said he。 〃Are you well
mounted； Colonel Gerard？〃
I was riding my little Violette； the pride of the brigade。
I said so。
〃Then ride hard to Marshal Grouchy； whose troops you see over
yonder。 Tell him that he is to fall upon the left flank and rear of the
English while I attack them in front。 Together we should crush them and
not a man escape。〃
I saluted and rode off without a word； my heart dancing with joy that
such a mission should be mine。 I looked at that long； solid line of red
and blue looming through the smoke of the guns； and I shook my fist at it
as I went。 〃We shall crush them and not a man escape。〃
They were the Emperor's words； and it was I； Etienne Gerard； who was
to turn them into deeds。 I burned to reach the Marshal； and for an instant
I thought of riding through the English left wing； as being the shortest cut。
I have done bolder deeds and come out safely； but I reflected that if things
went badly with me and I was taken or shot the message would be lost and
the plans of the Emperor miscarry。 I passed in front of the cavalry；
therefore； past the Chasseurs； the Lancers of the Guard； the Carabineers；
the Horse Grenadiers； and； lastly； my own little rascals； who followed me
wistfully with their eyes。 Beyond the cavalry the Old Guard was
standing； twelve regiments of them； all veterans of many battles； sombre
and severe； in long blue overcoats and high bearskins from which the
plumes had been removed。 Each bore within the goatskin knapsack upon
his back the blue and white parade uniform which they would use for their
entry into Brussels next day。 As I rode past them I reflected that these
men had never been beaten； and as I looked at their weather…beaten faces
and their stern and silent bearing； I said to myself that they never would be
beaten。 Great heavens； how little could I foresee what a few more hours
would bring！
On the right of the Old Guard were the Young Guard and the 6th Corps
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of Lobau； and then I passed Jacquinot's Lancers and Marbot's Hussars；
who held the extreme flank of the line。 All these troops knew nothing of
the corps which was coming toward them through the wood； and their
attention was taken up in watching the battle which raged upon their left。
More than a hundred guns were thu
