napoleon bonaparte, v12-第4章

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a　letter　which　the　Emperor　had　the　Duke　of　Vicenza　write。　　But　after　a
movement　by　the　French　army　towards　Chaumont；　by　the　road　of　Langres；　the
Emperor　of　Austria；　finding　himself　separated　from　the　Emperor　Alexander；
was　forced　to　fall　back　as　far　as　Dijon。　　I　remember　that　on　his　arrival
at　Doulevent　his　Majesty　received　secret　information　from　his　faithful
director…general　of　the　post；　M。　de　Lavalette。　　This　information；　the
purport　of　which　I　did　not　know；　appeared　to　produce　the　deepest
impression　on　the　Emperor；　but　he　soon　resumed　before　the　eyes　of　those
around　his　accustomed　serenity；　though　for　some　time　past　I　had　seen　that
this　was　only　assumed。　　I　have　learned　since　that　M。　de　Lavalette
informed　the　Emperor　that　there　was　not　a　moment　to　lose　if　he　would　save
the　capital。　　Such　an　opinion　from　such　a　man　could　only　be　an　expression
of　the　real　truth；　and　it　was　this　conviction　which　contributed　to
increase　the　Emperor's　anxiety。　　Until　then　the　news　from　Paris　had　been
favorable；　and　much　had　been　said　of　the　zeal　and　devotion　of　the
National　Guard；　which　nothing　could　dismay。　　At　the　various　theaters
patriotic　pieces　had　been　played；　and　notably　the　'Oriflamme'　at　the
Opera；　a　very　trivial　circumstance　apparently；　but　which　nevertheless
acted　very　powerfully　on　the　minds　of　enthusiasts；　and　for　this　reason
was　not　to　be　disdained。　　Indeed；　the　small　amount　of　news　that　we　had
received　represented　Paris　as　entirely　devoted　to　his　Majesty；　and　ready
to　defend　itself　against　any　attacks。　　And　in　fact；　this　news　was　not
untrue；　and　the　handsome　conduct　of　the　National　Guard　under　the　orders；
of　Marshal　Moncey；　the　enthusiasm　of　the　different　schools；　and　the
bravery　of　the　pupils　of　the　polytechnic　schools；　soon　furnished　proof　of
this。　　But　events　were　stronger　than　men。　　Meanwhile；　time　passed　on；　and
we　were　approaching　the　fatal　conclusion；　each　day；　each　moment；　saw
those　immense　masses　collecting　from　the　extremities　of　Europe；　inclosing
Paris；　and　pressing　it　with　a　thousand　arms；　and　during　these　last　days
it　might　well　be　said　that　the　battle　raged　incessantly。　　On　the　26th　the
Emperor；　led　by　the　noise　of　a　fierce　cannonade；　again　repaired　to　Saint…
Dizier；　where　his　rear…guard　was　attacked　by　very　superior　forces；　and
compelled　to　evacuate　the　town；　but　General　Milhaud　and　General
Sebastiani　repulsed　the　enemy　on　the　Marne　at　the　ford　of　Valcourt；　the
presence　of　the　Emperor　produced　its　accustomed　effect；　and　we　re…entered
Saint…Dizier；　while　the　enemy　fled　in　the　greatest　disorder　over　the　road
to　Vitry…le…Francais　and　that　of　Bar…sur…Ornain。　　The　Emperor　moved
towards　the　latter　town；　thinking　that　he　now　had　the　Prince　of
Schwarzenberg　in　his　power；　but　just　as　he　arrived　there　learned　that　it
was　not　the　Austrian　general…in…chief　whom　he　had　fought；　but　only　one　of
his　lieutenants；　Count　Witzingerode。　　Schwarzenberg　had　deceived　him；　on
the　23d　he　had　made　a　junction　with　General　Blucher；　and　these　two
generals　at　the　head　of　the　coalition　had　rushed　with　their　masses　of
soldiers　upon　the　capital。

However　disastrous　might　be　the　news　brought　to　headquarters；　the　Emperor
wished　to　verify　its　truth　in　person；　and　on　his　return　from　Saint…Dizier
made　a　detour　to　Vitry；　in　order　to　assure　himself　of　the　march　of　the
allies　on　Paris；　and　all　his　doubts　were　dissipated　by　what　he　saw。
Could　Paris　hold　out　long　enough　for　him　to　crush　the　enemy　against　its
walls？　　Thereafter　this　was　his　sole　and　engrossing　thought。　　He
immediately　placed　himself　at　the　head　of　his　army；　and　we　marched　on
Paris　by　the　road　to　Troyes。　　At　Doulencourt　he　received　a　courier　from
King　Joseph；　who　announced　to　him　the　march　of　the　allies　on　Paris。　　That
very　moment　he　sent　General　Dejean　in　haste　to　his　brother　to　inform　him
of　his　speedy　arrival。　　If　he　could　defend　himself　for　two　days；　only　two
days；　the　allied　armies　would　enter　Paris；　only　to　find　there　a　tomb。
In　what　a　state　of　anxiety　the　Emperor　then　was！　　He　set　out　with　his
headquarters　squadrons。　　I　accompanied　him；　and　left　him　for　the　first
time　at　Troyes；　on　the　morning　of　the　30th；　as　will　be　seen　in　the
following　chapter。




CHAPTER　XXVI。

What　a　time　was　this！　　How　sad　the　period　and　events　of　which　I　have　now
to　recall　the　sad　memory　！　　I　have　now　arrived　at　the　fatal　day　when　the
combined　armies　of　Europe　were　to　sully　the　soil　of　Paris；　of　that
capital；　free　for　so　many　years　from　the　presence　of　the　invader。　　What　a
blow　to　the　Emperor！　　And　what　cruel　expiation　his　great　soul　now　made
for　his　triumphant　entries　into　Vienna　and　Berlin！　　It　was；　then；　all　in
vain　that　he　had　displayed　such　incredible　activity　during　the　admirable
campaign　of　France；　in　which　his　genius　had　displayed　itself　as
brilliantly　as　during　his　Italian　campaign。　　The　first　time　I　saw　him　on
the　day　after　a　battle　was　at　Marengo；　and　what　a　contrast　his　attitude
of　dejection　presented　when　I　saw　him　again　on　the　31st　of　March　at
Fontainebleau。

Having　accompanied　His　Majesty　everywhere；　I　was　near　him　at　Troyes　on
the　morning　of　the　30th　of　March。

The　Emperor　set　out　at　ten　o'clock；　accompanied　only　by　the　grand　marshal
and　the　Duke　of　Vicenza。　　It　was　then　known　at　headquarters　that　the
allied　troops　were　advancing　on　Paris；　but　we　were　far　from　suspecting
that　at　the　very　moment　of　the　Emperor's　hurried　departure　the　battle
before　Paris　was　being　most　bitterly　waged。　　At　least　I　had　heard　nothing
to　lead　me　to　believe　it。　　I　received　an　order　to　move　to　Essonne；　and；
as　means　of　transportation　had　become　scarce　and　hard　to　obtain；　did　not
arrive　there　until　the　morning　of　the　31st；　and　had　been　there　only　a
short　time　when　the　courier　brought　me　an　order　to　repair　to
Fontainebleau；　which　I　immediately　did。　　It　was　then　I　learned　that　the
Emperor　had　gone　from　Troyes　to　Montereau　in　two　hours；　having　made　the
journey　of　ten　leagues　in　that　short　space　of　time。　　I　also　learned　that
the　Emperor　and　his　small　suite　had　been　obliged　to　make　use　of　a　chaise
on　the　road　to　Paris；　between　Essonne　and　Villejuif。　　He　advanced　as　far
as　the　Cour　de　France　with　the　intention　of　marching　on　Paris；　but　there；
verifying　the　news　and　the　cruel　certainty　of　the　surrender　of　Paris；　had
sent　to　me　the　courier　whom　I　mentioned　above。

I　had　been　at　Fontainebleau　only　a　short　while　when　the　Emperor　arrived。
His　countenance　was　pale　and　harassed　to　a　greater　degree　than　I　had　ever
seen　it；　and　he　who　knew　so　well　how　to　control　all　the　emotions　of　his
soul　did　not　seem　to　attempt　to　conceal　the　dejection　which　was　so
manifest　both　in　his　attitude　and　in　his　countenance。　　It　was　evident　how
greatly　he　was　suffering　from　all　the　disastrous　events　which　had
accumulated　one　after　the　other　in　terrible　progression。　　The　Emperor
said　nothing　to　any　one；　and　closeted　himself　immediately　in　his　cabinet；
with　the　Dukes　of　Bassano　and　Vicenza　and　the　Prince　of　Neuchatel。　　These
generals　remained　a　long　while　with　the　Emperor；　who　afterwards　received
some　general　officers。　　His　Majesty　retired　very　late；　and　appeared　to　me
entirely　crushed。　　From　time　to　time　I　heard　stifled　sighs　escape　from
his　breast；　with　which　were　mingled　the　name　of　Marmont；　which　I　could
not　then　understand；　as　I　had　heard　nothing　of　the　terms　of　the
surrender；　and　knew　that　the　Duke　of　Ragusa　was　a　marshal　to　whom　the
Emperor　seemed　always　deeply　attached。　　I　saw　that　evening；　at
Fontainebleau；　Marshal　Moncey；　who　the　evening　before　had　bravely
commanded　the　national　guard　at　the　barricade　of　Clichy；　and　also　the
Duke　of　Dantzic。

A　gloomy　and　silent　sadness　which　is　perfectly　indescribable　reigned　at
Fontainebleau　during　the　two　days　which　followed。　　Overcome　by　so　many
repeated　blows；　the　Emperor　seldom　entered　his　cabinet；　where　he　usually
passed　so　many　hours　engaged　in　work。　　He　was　so　absorbed　in　his
conflicting　thoughts；　that　often　he　did　not　notice　the　arrival　of　persons
whom　he　had　summoned；　looked　at　them；　so　to　speak；　without　seeing　them；
and　sometimes　remained　nearly　half　an　hour　without　addressing　them；　then；
as　if　awaking　from　this　state　of　stupefaction；　asked　them　questions
without　seeming　to　hear　the　reply；　and　even　the　presence　of　the　Duke　of
Bassano　and　the　Duke　of　Vicenza；　whom　he　summoned　more　frequently；　did
not　interrupt　this　condition　of　preoccupation　or　lethargy；　so　to　speak。
The　hours　for　meals　were　the　same；　and　they　were　served　as　usual；　but　all
took　place　amid　complete　silence；　broken　only　by　the　necessary　noise　of
the　service。　　At　the　Emperor's　toilet　the　same　silence；　not　a　word　issued
from　his　lips；　and　if　in　the　morning　I　suggested　to　him　one　of　the　drinks
that　he　usually　took；　he　not　only　did　not　reply；　but　nothing　in　his
countenance　which　I　attentively　observed　could　make　me　believe　that　he
had　heard　me。　　This　situation　was　terrible　for　all　the　persons　attached
to　his　Majesty。

Was　the　Emperor　really　so　overwhelmed　by　his　evil　fortune？　　Was　his
genius　as　benumbed　as　his　body？　　I　must　admit；　in　all　candor；　that　seeing
him　so　different　from　what　he　appeared　after　the　disasters　of　Moscow；　and
even　when　I　had　left　him　at　Troyes　a　few　days　before；　I　strongly　believed
it。　　But　this　was　by　no　means　the　case；　his　soul　was　a　prey　to　one　fixed
idea　that　of　taking　the　offensive　and　marching　on　Paris。　　And　though；
indeed；　he　remained　overwhelmed　with　consternation　in　his　intimate
intercourse　with　his　most　faithful　ministers　and　most　skillful　generals；
he　revived　at　sight　of　his　soldiers；　thinking；　doubtless；　that　the　one
would　suggest　only　prudent　counsels　while　the　others　would　never　reply
aught　but　in　shouts　of　〃Vive　l'Empereur！〃　　to　the　most　daring　orders　he
might　give。　　For　instance；　on　the　2d　of　April　he　momentarily；　so　to
speak；　shook　off　his　dejection；　and　in　the　court　of　the　palace　held　a
review　of　his　guard；　who　had　just　rejoined　him　at　Fontainebleau。　　He
addressed　his　soldiers　in　a　firm　voice；　saying：

　　　　　〃Soldiers！　　the　enemy　has　stolen　three　marches　on　us；　and　has　taken
　　　　　possession　of　Paris；　we　must　drive　them　out。　　Unworthy　Frenchmen；
　　　　　emigres　to　whom　we　have　extended　pardon；　have　donned　the　white
　　　　　cockade；　and　gone　over　to　our　enemies。　　The　cowards！　　They　will　reap
　　　　　the　reward　of　this　new　treason。　　Let　us　swear　to　conquer　or　to　die；
　　　　　and　to　have　respect　shown　to　this　tricolored　cockade；　which　for
　　　　　twenty…five　years　we　have　borne　on　the　road　to　glory　and　honor。〃

The　troops　were　roused　to　enthusiasm　at　the　sound　of　their　chief's　voice；
and　shouted　in　unison；　〃Paris！　　Paris！〃　　But　the　Emperor；　nevertheless；
resumed　his　former　dejection　on　crossing　the　threshold　of　the　palace；
which　arose　no　doubt　from　the　fear；　only　too　well　founded；　of　seeing　his
desire　to　march　on　Paris　thwarted　by　his　lieutenants。　　It　is　only　since；
that　reflecting　on　the　events　of　that　time；　I　am　enabled　to　conjecture　as
to　the　struggles　which　passed　in　the　soul　of　the　Emperor；　for　then；　as
during　my　entire　period　of　service；　I　would　not　have　dared　to　think　of
going　outside　the　limits　of　my　ordinary　duties　and　functions。

Meanwhile；　the　situation　became　more　and　more　unfavorable　to　the　wishes
and　plans　of　the　Emperor。　　The　Duke　of　Vicenza　had　been　sent　to