napoleon bonaparte, v12-第2章

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modest　and　skillful　General　Drouot；　forced　the　enemy's　artillery　to　yield
their　ground　foot　by　foot。　　This　was　a　terribly　bloody　struggle；　for　the
sides　of　the　heights　were　too　steep　to　allow　of　attacking　the　Russians　on
the　flank；　and　the　retreat　was　consequently　slow　and　murderous。　　They
fell　back　at　length；　however；　and　abandoned　the　field　of　battle　to　our
troops；　who　pursued　them　as　far　as　the　inn　of　the　Guardian　Angel；
situated　on　the　highroad　from　Soissons　to　Laon；　when　they　wheeled　about；
and　held　their　position　in　this　spot　for　several　hours。

The　Emperor；　who　in　this　battle　as　in　every　other　of　this　campaign；　had
exposed　his　person　and　incurred　as　many　dangers　as　the　most　daring
soldiers；　now　transferred　his　headquarters　to　the　village　of　Bray。　　As
soon　as　he　entered　the　room　which　served　as　his　cabinet；　he　had　me
summoned；　and　I　pulled　off　his　boots；　while　he　leaned　on　my　shoulder
without　uttering　a　word；　threw　his　hat　and　sword　on　the　table；　and　threw
himself　on　his　bed；　uttering　a　deep　sigh；　or　rather　one　of　those
exclamations　which　we　cannot　tell　whether　they　arise　from　discouragement
or　simply　from　fatigue。　　His　Majesty's　countenance　was　sad　and　careworn；
nevertheless　he　slept　from　sheer　weariness　for　many　hours。　　I　awoke　him
to　announce　the　arrival　of　M。　de　Rumigny；　who　was　the　bearer　of
dispatches　from　Chatillon。　　In　the　condition　of　the　Emperor's　mind　at
this　moment　he　seemed　ready　to　accept　any　reasonable　conditions　which
might　be　offered　him；　therefore　I　admit　I　hoped　（in　which　many　joined　me）
that　we　were　approaching　the　moment　when　we　should　obtain　the　peace　which
we　so　ardently　desired。　　The　Emperor　received　M。　de　Rumigny　without
witnesses；　and　the　interview　lasted　a　long　while。　　Nothing　transpired　of
what　had　been　said；　and　it　occurred　to　me　that　this　mystery　argued
nothing　good。　　The　next　day　early　M。　de　Rumigny　returned　to　Chatillon；
where　the　Duke　of　Vicenza　awaited　him；　and　from　the　few　words　his　Majesty
uttered　as　he　mounted　his　horse　to　return　to　his　advance　posts；　it　was
easy　to　see　that　he　had　not　yet　resigned　himself　to　the　idea　of　making　a
peace　which　he　regarded　as　dishonorable。

While　the　Duke　of　Vicenza　was　at　Chatillon　or　Lusigny　for　the　purpose　of
treating　for　a　peace；　the　orders　of　the　Emperor　delayed　or　hastened　the
conclusion　of　the　treaty　according　to　his　successes　or　repulses。　　On　the
appearance　of　a　ray　of　hope　he　demanded　more　than　they　were　willing　to
grant；　imitating　in　this　respect　the　example　which　the　allied　sovereigns
had　set　him；　whose　requirements　since　the　armistice　of　Dresden　increased
in　proportion　as　they　advanced　towards　France。　　At　last　everything　was
finally　broken　off；　and　the　Duke　of　Vicenza　rejoined　his　Majesty　at
Saint…Dizier。　　I　was　in　a　small　room　so　near　his　sleeping…room　that　I
could　not　avoid　hearing　their　conversation。　　The　Duke　of　Vicenza
earnestly　besought　the　Emperor　to　accede　to　the　proposed　conditions；
saying　that　they　were　reasonable　now；　but　later　would　no　longer　be　so。
As　the　Duke　of　Vicenza　still　returned　to　the　charge；　arguing　against　the
Emperor's　postponing　his　positive　decision；　his　Majesty　burst　out
vehemently；　〃You　are　a　Russian；　Caulaincourt！〃〃No；　Sire；〃　replied　the
duke　with　spirit；　no；　I　am　a　Frenchman！　　I　think　that　I　have　proved　this
by　urging　your　Majesty　to　make　peace。〃

The　discussion　thus　continued　with　much　warmth　in　terms　which
unfortunately　I　cannot　recall。　　But　I　remember　well　that　every　time　the
Duke　of　Vicenza　insisted　and　endeavored　to　make　his　Majesty　appreciate
the　reasons　on　account　of　which　peace　had　become　indispensable；　the
Emperor　replied；　〃If　I　gain　a　battle；　as　I　am　sure　of　doing；　I　will　be　in
a　situation　to　exact　the　most　favorable　conditions。　　The　grave　of　the
Russians　is　under　the　walls　of　Paris！　　My　measures　are　all　taken；　and
victory　cannot　fail。〃

After　this　conversation；　which　lasted　more　than　an　hour；　and　in　which　the
Duke　of　Vicenza　was　entirely　unsuccessful；　he　left　his　Majesty's　room；
and　rapidly　crossed　the　saloon　where　I　was；　and　I　remarked　as　he　passed
that　his　countenance　showed　marks　of　agitation；　and　that；　overcome　by　his
deep　emotion；　great　tears　rolled　from　his　eyes。　　Doubtless　he　was　deeply
wounded　by　what　the　Emperor　had　said　to　him　of　his　partiality　for　Russia；
and　whatever　may　have　been　the　cause；　from　that　day　I　never　saw　the　Duke
of　Vicenza　except　at　Fontainebleau。

The　Emperor；　meanwhile；　marched　with　the　advance　guard；　and　wished　to
reach　Laon　on　the　evening　of　the　8th；　but　in　order　to　gain　this　town　it
was　necessary　to　pass　on　a　narrow　causeway　through　marshy　land。　　The
enemy　was　in　possession　of　this　road；　and　opposed　our　passage。　　After　a
few　cannon…shots　were　exchanged　his　Majesty　deferred　till　next　day　the
attempt　to　force　a　passage；　and　returned；　not　to　sleep　（for　at　this
critical　time　he　rarely　slept）；　but　to　pass　the　night　in　the　village　of
Chavignon。

In　the　middle　of　this　night　General　Flahaut

　　　　　＇Count　Auguste　Charles　Joseph　Flahaut　de　la　Billarderie；　born　in
　　　　　Paris；　1785；　colonel　in　1809；　aide…de…camp　to　the　Emperor；　1812；　and
　　　　　made　a　general　of　division　for　conduct　at　Leipzig；　was　at　Waterloo。
　　　　　Ambassador　to　Vienna；　1841…1848；　and　senator；　1853；　died　1870。　　He
　　　　　was　one　of　the　lovers　of　Queen　Hortense；　and　father　by　her　of　the
　　　　　late　Duc　de　Morny。…TRANS。＇

came　to　announce　to　the　Emperor　that　the　commissioners　of　the　allied
powers　had　broken　the　conferences　at　Lusigny。　　The　army　was　not　informed
of　this；　although　the　news　would　probably　have　surprised　no　one。　　Before
daylight　General　Gourgaud　set　out　at　the　head　of　a　detachment　selected
from　the　bravest　soldiers　of　the　army；　and　following　a　cross　road　which
turned　to　the　left　through　the　marshes；　fell　unexpectedly　on　the　enemy；
slew　many　of　them　in　the　darkness；　and　drew　the　attention　and　efforts　of
the　allied　generals　upon　himself；　while　Marshal　Ney；　still　at　the　head　of
the　advance　guard；　profited　by　this　bold　maneuver　to　force　a　passage　of
the　causeway。　　The　whole　army　hastened　to　follow　this　movement；　and　on
the　evening　of　the　9th　was　in　sight　of　Laon；　and　ranged　in　line　of　battle
before　the　enemy　who　occupied　the　town　and　its　heights。　　The　army　corps
of　the　Duke　of　Ragusa　had　arrived　by　another　road；　and　also　formed　in
line　of　battle　before　the　Russian　and　Prussian　armies。　　His　Majesty
passed　the　night　expediting　his　orders；　and　preparing　everything　for　the
grand　attack　which　was　to　take　place　next　morning　at　daylight。

The　appointed　hour　having　arrived；　I　had　just　finished　in　haste　the
toilet　of　the　Emperor；　which　was　very　short；　and　he　had　already　put　his
foot　in　the　stirrup；　when　we　saw　running　towards　us　on　foot；　with　the
utmost　speed　and　all　out　of　breath；　some　cavalrymen　belonging　to　the　army
corps　of　the　Duke　of　Ragusa。　　His　Majesty　had　them　brought　before　him；
and　inquired　angrily　the　meaning　of　this　disorder。　　They　replied　that
their　bivouacs　had　been　attacked　unexpectedly　by　the　enemy；　that　they　and
their　comrades　had　resisted　to　the　utmost　these　overwhelming　forces；
although　they　had　barely　time　to　seize　their　arms；　that　they　had　at　last
been　compelled　to　yield　to　numbers；　and　it　was　only　by　a　miracle　they　had
escaped　the　massacre。　　〃Yes；〃　said　the　Emperor　knitting　his　brow；　〃by　a
miracle　of　agility；　as　we　have　just　seen。　　What　has　become　of　the
marshal？〃　　One　of　the　soldiers　replied　that　he　saw　the　Duke　of　Ragusa
fall　dead；　another　that　he　had　been　taken　prisoner。　　His　Majesty　sent　his
aide…de…camp　and　orderly　officers　to　ascertain；　and　found　that　the　report
of　the　cavalrymen　was　only　too　true。　　The　enemy　had　not　waited　to　be
attacked；　but　had　fallen　on　the　army　corps　of　the　Duke　of　Ragusa；
surrounded　it；　and　taken　a　part　of　his　artillery。　　The　marshal；　however；
had　been　neither　wounded　nor　taken　prisoner；　but　was　on　the　road　to
Rheims；　endeavoring　to　arrest　and　bring　back　the　remains　of　his　army
corps。

The　news　of　this　disaster　greatly　increased　his　Majesty's　chagrin；　but
nevertheless　the　enemy　was　driven　back　to　the　gates　of　Laon；　though　the
recapture　of　the　city　was　impossible。　　After　a　few　fruitless　attempts；　or
rather　after　some　false　attacks；　the　object　of　which　was　to　conceal　his
retreat　from　the　enemy；　the　Emperor　returned　to　Chavignon　and　passed　the
night。　　The　next　day；　the　11th；　we　left　this　village；　and　the　army　fell
back　to　Soissons。　　His　Majesty　alighted　at　the　bishopric；　and　immediately
commanded　Marshal　Mortier；　together　with　the　principal　officials　of　the
place；　to　take　measures　to　put　the　town　in　a　state　of　defense。　　For　two
days　the　Emperor　shut　himself　up　at　work　in　his　cabinet；　and　left　it　only
to　examine　the　locality；　visit　the　fortifications；　and　everywhere　give
orders　and　see　that　they　were　executed。　　In　the　midst　of　these
preparations　for　defense；　his　Majesty　learned　that　the　town　of　Rheims　had
been　taken　by　the　Russian　general；　Saint…Priest；　　notwithstanding　the
vigorous　resistance　of　General　Corbineau；　　of　whose　fate　we　were
ignorant；　but　it　was　believed　that　he　was　dead　or　had　fallen　into　the
hands　of　the　Russians。　　His　Majesty　confided　the　defense　of　Soissons　to
the　Marshal　Duke　of　Treviso；　and　himself　set　out　for　Rheims　by　forced
marches；　and　we　arrived　the　same　evening　at　the　gates　of　the　city；　where
the　Russians　were　not　expecting　his　Majesty。　　Our　soldiers　entered　this
battle　without　having　taken　any　repose；　but　fought　with　the　resolution
which　the　presence　and　example　of　the　Emperor　never　failed　to　inspire。
The　combat　lasted　the　whole　evening；　and　was　prolonged　far　into　the
night；　but　after　General　Saint…Priest　had　been　grievously　wounded　the
resistance　of　his　troops　became　less　vigorous；　and　at　two　o'clock　in　the
morning　they　abandoned　the　town。　　The　Emperor　and　his　army　entered　by　one
gate　while　the　Russians　were　emerging　from　the　other；　and　as　the
inhabitants　pressed　in　crowds　around　his　Majesty；　he　inquired　before
alighting　from　his　horse　what　havoc　the　enemy　was　supposed　to　have　made。
It　was　answered　that　the　town　had　suffered　only　the　amount　of　injury
which　was　the　inevitable　result　of　a　bloody　nocturnal　struggle；　and　that
moreover　the　enemy　had　maintained　severe　discipline　among　the　troops
during　their　stay　and　up　to　the　moment　of　retreat。　　Among　those　who
pressed　around　his　Majesty　at　this　moment　was　the　brave　General
Corbineau。　　He　wore　a　citizen's　coat；　and　had　remained　disguised　and
concealed　in　a　private　house　of　the　town。　　On　the　morning　of　the　next　day
he　again　presented　himself　before　the　Emperor；　who　welcomed　him
cordially；　and　complimented　him　on　the　courage　he　had　displayed　under
such　trying　circumstances。　　The　Duke　of　Ragusa　had　rejoined　his　Majesty
under　the　walls　of　Rheims；　and　had　contributed　with　his　army　corps　to　the
capture　of　the　town。　　When　he　appeared　before　the　Emperor；　the　latter
burst　out　in　harsh　and　severe　reproaches　regarding　the　affair　at　Laon；
but　his　anger　was　not　of　long　duration；　and　his　Majesty　soon　resumed
towards　the　marshal　the　tone　of　friendship　with　which　he　habitually
honored　him。　　They　held　a　long　conference；　and　the　Duke　of　Ragusa
remained　to　dine　with　the　Emperor。

His　Majesty　spent　three　days　at　Rheims　in　order　to　give　his　troops　time
to　rest　and　recuperate