napoleon bonaparte, v12-第15章

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the　camp　of　Boulogne；　and　from　this　fact　rumors　arose　that　the　expedition
against　England　would　soon　set　sail。　　In　one　of　his　frequent　tours　of
inspection；　the　Emperor；　stopping　one　day　near　the　end　of　the　camp　on　the
left；　spoke　to　a　cannoneer　from　a　guard　ship；　and　while　conversing　with
him；　asked　him　several　questions；　among　others；　the　following；　〃What　is
thought　here　of　the　Emperor？〃〃That　'sacre　tondu'　puts　us　out　of　breath
as　soon　as　he　arrives。　　Each　time　he　comes　we　have　not　a　moment's　repose
while　he　is　here。　　It　might　be　thought　he　was　enraged　against　those　dogs
of　English　who　are　always　beating　us；　not　much　to　our　own　credit。〃

〃You　believe　in　glory；　then？〃　　said　the　Emperor。　　The　cannoneer　then
looked　at　him　fixedly：　〃Somewhat；　I　think。　　Do　you　doubt　it？〃　〃No；　I　do
not　doubt　it；　but　money；　do　you　believe　in　that　also？〃〃Ah！　whatI　see
do　you　mean　to　insult　me；　you　questioner？　　I　know　no　other　interest
than　that　of　the　state。〃〃No；　no；　my　brave　soldier；　I　do　not　intend　to
insult　you；　but　I　bet　that　a　twenty…franc　piece　would　not　be　disagreeable
to　you　in　drinking　a　cup　to　my　health。〃　　While　speaking　thus　the　Emperor
had　drawn　a　Napoleon　from　his　pocket；　which　he　presented　to　the
cannoneer；　whereupon　the　latter　uttered　a　shout　loud　enough　to　be　heard
by　the　sentinel　at　the　west　post　some　distance　off；　and　even　threw
himself　on　the　Emperor；　whom　he　took　for　a　spy；　and　was　about　to　seize
him　by　the　throat　when　the　Emperor　suddenly　opened　his　gray　overcoat　and
revealed　his　identity。　　The　soldier's　astonishment　may　be　imagined！　　He
prostrated　himself　at　the　feet　of　the　Emperor；　overcome　with　confusion　at
his　mistake；　but　the　latter；　extending　his　hand；　said；　〃Rise；　my　brave
fellow；　you　have　done　your　duty；　but　you　will　not　keep　your　word；　I　am
very　sure；　you　will　accept　this　piece；　and　drink　to　the　health　of　the
'sacre　tondo'；　will　you　not？　　〃The　Emperor　then　continued　his　rounds　as
if　nothing　had　occurred。


Every　one　admits　to…day　that　never；　perhaps；　has　any　man　been　gifted　to
the　same　degree　as　the　Emperor　with　the　art　of　addressing　soldiers。　　He
appreciated　this　talent　highly　in　others；　but　it　was　not　fine　phrases
which　pleased　him；　and　accordingly　he　held　that　a　master…piece　of　this
kind　was　the　very　short　harangue　of　General　Vandamme　to　the　soldiers　he
commanded　the　day　of　the　battle　of　Austerlitz。　　When　day　began　to　break
General　Vandamme　said　to　the　troops；　〃My　brave　fellows！　　There　are　the
Russians！　　Load　your　pieces；　pick　your　flints；　put　powder　in　the　pan；　fix
bayonets；　ready　andforward！〃　　I　remember　one　day　the　Emperor　spoke　of
this　oration　before　Marshal　Berthier；　who　laughed　at　it。　　〃That　is　like
you；〃　he　said。　　〃Well；　all　the　advocates　of　Paris　would　not　have　said　it
so　well；　the　soldier　understands　this；　and　that　is　the　way　battles　are
won。〃


When　after　the　first　campaign　of　Vienna；　so　happily　terminated　by　the
peace　of　Presburg；　the　Emperor　was　returning　to　Paris；　many　complaints
reached　him　against　the　exactions　of　certain　generals；　notably　General
Vandamme。　　Complaint　was　made；　amongst　other　grievances；　that　in　the
little　village　of　Lantza　this　general　had　allowed　himself　five　hundred
florins　per　day；　that　is　to　say；　eleven　hundred　and　twenty…five　francs；
simply　for　the　daily　expenses　of　his　table。　　It　was　on　this　occasion　the
Emperor　said　of　him：　〃Pillages　like　a　madman；　but　brave　as　Caesar。〃
Nevertheless；　the　Emperor；　indignant　at　such　exactions；　and　determined　to
put　an　end　to　them；　summoned　the　general　to　Paris　to　reprimand　him；　but
the　latter；　as　soon　as　he　entered　the　Emperor's　presence；　began　to　speak
before　his　Majesty　had　time　to　address　him；　saying；　〃Sire；　I　know　why　you
have　summoned　me；　but　as　you　know　my　devotion　and　my　bravery　I　trust　you
will　excuse　some　slight　altercations　as　to　the　furnishing　of　my　table；
matters　too　petty；　at　any　rate；　to　occupy　your　Majesty。〃　　The　Emperor
smiled　at　the　oratorical　skillfulness　of　General　Vandamme；　and　contented
himself　with　saying；　〃Well；　well！　　say　no　more；　but　be　more　circumspect
in　future。〃

General　Vandamme；　happy　to　have　escaped　with　so　gentle　an　admonition；
returned　to　Lantza　to　resume　his　command。　　He　was　indeed　more　circumspect
than　in　the　past；　but　he　found　and　seized　the　occasion　to　revenge　himself
on　the　town　for　the　compulsory　self…denial　the　Emperor　had　imposed　on
him。　　On　his　arrival　he　found　in　the　suburbs　a　large　number　of　recruits
who　had　come　from　Paris　in　his　absence；　and　it　occurred　to　him　to　make
them　all　enter　the　town；　alleging　that　it　was　indispensable　they　should
be　drilled　under　his　own　eyes。　　This　was　an　enormous　expense　to　the　town；
which　would　have　been　very　willing　to　recall　its　complaints；　and　continue
his　expenses　at　the　rate　of　five　hundred　florins　per　day。


The　Emperor　does　not　figure　in　the　following　anecdote。　　I　will　relate　it；
however；　as　a　good　instance　of　the　manners　and　the　astuteness　of　our
soldiers　on　the　campaign。

During　the　year　1806；　a　part　of　our　troops　having　their　quarters　in
Bavaria；　a　soldier　of　the　fourth　regiment　of　the　line；　named　Varengo；　was
lodged　at　Indersdorff　with　a　joiner。　　Varengo　wished　to　compel　his　host
to　pay　him　two　florins；　or　four　livres　ten　sous；　per　day　for　his
pleasures。　　He　had　no　right　to　exact　this。　　To　succeed　in　making　it　to
his　interest　to　comply　　he　set　himself　to　make　a　continual　racket　in　the
house。　　The　poor　carpenter；　not　being　able　to　endure　it　longer；　resolved
to　complain；　but　thought　it　prudent　not　to　carry　his　complaints　to　the
officers　of　the　company　in　which　Varengo　served。　　He　knew　by　his　own
experience；　at　least　by　that　of　his　neighbors；　that　these　gentlemen　were
by　no　means　accessible　to　complaints　of　this　kind。　　He　decided　to　address
himself　to　the　general　commanding；　and　set　out　on　the　road　to　Augsburg；
the　chief　place　of　the　arrondissement。

On　his　arrival　at　the　bureau　of　the　town；　he　was　met　by　the　general；　and
began　to　submit　to　him　an　account　of　his　misfortunes；　but　unfortunately
the　general　did　not　know　the　German　language；　so　he　sent　for　his
interpreter；　told　the　carpenter　to　explain　himself；　and　inquired　of　what
he　complained。　　Now；　the　general's　interpreting　secretary　was　a
quartermaster　who　had　been　attached　to　the　general's　staff　since　the
Peace　of　Presburg；　and　happened　to　be；　as　luck　would　have　it；　the　first
cousin　of　this　Varengo　against　whom　the　complaint　was　made。　　Without
hesitation　the　quartermaster；　as　soon　as　he　heard　his　cousin's　name；　gave
an　entirely　incorrect　translation　of　the　report；　assuring　the　general
that　this　peasant；　although　in　very　comfortable　circumstances；　disobeyed
the　order　of　the　day；　in　refusing　to　furnish　fresh　meat　for　the　brave
soldier　who　lodged　with　him；　and　this　was　the　origin　of　the　disagreement
on　which　the　complaint　was　based；　no　other　motive　being　alleged　for
demanding　a　change。　　The　general　was　much　irritated；　and　gave　orders　to
his　secretary　to　require　the　peasant；　under　severe　penalties；　to　furnish
fresh　meat　for　his　guest。　　The　order　was　written；　but　instead　of
submitting　it　to　the　supervision　of　the　general；　the　interpreting
secretary　wrote　out　at　length　that　the　carpenter　should　pay　two　florins
per　day　to　Varengo。　　The　poor　fellow；　having　read　this　in　German；　could
not　restrain　a　movement　of　anger；　seeing　which；　the　general；　thinking　he
had　resisted　the　order；　ordered　him　out；　threatening　him　with　his　riding…
whip。　　Thus；　thanks　to　his　cousin；　the　interpreter；　Varengo　regularly
received　two　florins　per　day；　which　enabled　him　to　be　one　of　the　jolliest
soldiers　in　his　company。


The　Emperor　did　not　like　duelling。　　He　often　pretended　to　be　ignorant　of
duels；　but　when　he　had　to　admit　his　knowledge　of　one；　loudly　expressed
his　dissatisfaction。　　I　recall　in　this　connection　two　or　three
circumstances　which　I　shall　attempt　to　relate。

A　short　time　after　the　foundation　of　the　Empire；　a　duel　occurred；　which
created　much　stir　in　Paris；　on　account　of　the　rank　of　the　two
adversaries。　　The　Emperor　had　just　authorized　the　formation　of　the　first
foreign　regiment　which　he　wished　to　admit　into　the　service　of　France；
the　regiment　of　Aremberg。　　Notwithstanding　the　title　of　this　corps；　most
of　the　officers　who　were　admitted　were　French；　and　this　was　a　good
opening；　discreetly　made；　for　rich　and　titled　young　men；　who；　in
purchasing　companies　by　the　authority　of　the　minister　of　war；　could　thus
pass　more　rapidly　through　the　first　grades。　　Among　the　officers　of　the
Aremberg　regiment；　were　M。　Charles　de　Sainte…Croix；　who　had　recently
served　in　the　ministry　of　foreign　affairs；　and　a　charming　young　man　whom
I　saw　often　at　Malmaison；　M。　de　Mariolles；　who　was　nearly　related　to　the
Empress　Josephine。　　It　seems　that　the　same　position　had　been　promised
both；　and　they　resolved　to　settle　the　dispute　by　private　combat。　　M。　de
Mariolles　fell；　and　died　on　the　spot；　and　his　death　created　consternation
among　the　ladies　of　the　salon　at　Malmaison。

His　family　and　relations　united　in　making　complaint　to　the　Emperor；　who
was　very　indignant；　and　spoke　of　sending　M。　de　Sainte…Croix　to　the　Temple
prison　and　having　him　tried　for　murder。　　He　prudently　concealed　himself
during　the　first　outburst　over　this　affair；　and　the　police；　who　were　put
on　his　track；　would　have　had　much　difficulty　in　finding　him；　as　he　was
especially　protected　by　M。　Fouche；　who　had　recently　re…entered　the
ministry；　and　was　intimately　connected　with　his　mother；　Madame　de　Sainte…
Croix。　　Everything　ended　with　the　threats　of　his　Majesty；　since　M。　Fouche
had　remarked　to　him　that　by　such　unaccustomed　severity　the　malevolent
would　not　fail　to　say　that　he　was　performing　less　an　act　of　sovereignty
than　one　of　personal　vengeance；　as　the　victim　had　the　honor　of　being
connected　with　himself。

The　affair　was　thus　suffered　to　drop；　and　I　am　here　struck　with　the
manner　in　which　one　recollection　leads　on　to　another；　for　I　remember　that
in　process　of　time　the　Emperor　became　much　attached　to　M。　de　Sainte…
Croix；　whose　advancement　in　the　army　was　both　brilliant　and　rapid；　since；
although　he　entered　the　service　when　twenty…two　years　of　age；　he　was　only
twenty…eight　when　he　was　killed　in　Spain；　being　already　then　general　of
division。　　I　often　saw　M。　de　Sainte…Croix　at　the　Emperor's　headquarters。
I　think　I　see　him　still；　small；　delicate；　with　an　attractive　countenance；
and　very　little　beard。　　He　might　have　been　taken　for　a　young　woman；
rather　than　the　brave　young　soldier　he　was；　and；　in　fact；　his　features
were　so　delicate；　his　cheeks　so　rosy；　his　blond　hair　curled　in　such
natural　ringlets；　that　when　the　Emperor　was　in　a　good　humor　he　called　him
nothing　but　Mademoiselle　de　Sainte…Croix！

Another　circumstance　which　I　should　not　omit　is　a　duel　which　took　place
at　Burgos；　in　1808；　between　General　Franceschi；　aide…de…camp　to　King
Joseph；　and　Colonel　Filangieri；　colonel　of　his　guard；　both　of　whom　were
equerries　of　his　Majesty。　　The　subject　of　the　quarrel　was　almost　the　same
as　that　between　M。　de　Mariolles　and　de　Sainte…Croix；　since　both　disputed
for　the　position　of　first　equerry　to　King　Joseph；　both　maintaining　that
it　had　been　promised　them。

We　had　hardly　been　in　the　palace　of　Burgos　five　minutes　when　the　Emperor
was　informed　of　this　duel；　which　had