personal memoirs-2-第51章

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to　run　the　gauntlet；　for　in　passing　between　the　stand　and　the　fence；

the　innocent　creatures　were　not　more　than　ten　to　fifteen　paces　from

me。　　At　the　fourth　I　stopped；　but　the　gamekeepers　insisted　on　more

butchery；　saying；　〃No　one　but　the　King　ever　did　the　like〃　（I　guess　no

one　else　had　ever　had　the　chance）；　so；　thus　urged；　I　continued　firing

till　I　had　slaughtered　eleven　with　eleven　shotsan　easy　task　with　a

shot…gun　and　buckshot　cartridges。



The　〃hunt〃　being　endedfor　with　this　I　had　had　enough；　and　no　one

else　was　permitted　to　do　any　shootingthe　aide…decamp　directed　the

game　to　be　sent　to　me　in　Florence；　and　we　started　for　the　chateau。

On　the　way　back　I　saw　a　wild　boar　the　first　and　only　one　I　ever　saw

my　attention　being　drawn　to　him　by　cries　from　some　of　the　game…

keepers。　　There　was　much　commotion；　the　men　pointing　out　the　game　and

shouting　excitedly；　〃See　the　wild　boar！〃　otherwise　I　should　not　have

known　what　was　up；　but　now；　looking　in　the　indicated　direction；　I　saw

scudding　over　the　plain　what　appeared　to　me　to　be　nothing　but　a

halfgrown　black　pig；　or　shoat。　　He　was　not　in　much　of　a　hurry　either；

and　gave　no　evidence　of　ferocity；　yet　it　is　said　that　this

insignificant　looking　animal　is　dangerous　when　hunted　with　the　spear

the　customary　way。　　After　an　early　dinner　at　the　chateau　we

returned　to　Florence；　and　my　venison　next　day　arriving；　it　was

distributed　among　my　American　friends　in　the　city。



Shortly　after　the　hunt　the　King　returned　from　Milan；　and　then　honored

me　with　a　military　dinner；　his　Majesty　and　all　the　guests；　numbering

eighty；　appearing　in　full　uniform。　　The　banqueting　hall　was　lighted

with　hundreds　of　wax　candles；　there　was　a　profusion　of　beautiful

flowers；　and　to　me　the　scene　altogether　was　one　of　unusual

magnificence。　　The　table　service　was　entirely　of　goldthe　celebrated

set　of　the　house　of　Savoyand　behind　the　chair　of　each　guest　stood　a

servant　in　powdered　wig　and　gorgeous　livery　of　red　plush。　　I　sat　at

the　right　of　the　King；　whohis　hands　resting　on　his　sword；　the　hilt

of　which　glittered　with　jewelssat　through　the　hour　and　a　half　at

table　without　once　tasting　food　or　drink；　for　it　was　his　rule　to　eat

but　two　meals　in　twenty…four　hoursbreakfast　at　noon；　and　dinner　at

midnight。　　The　King　remained　silent　most　of　the　time；　but　when　he　did

speak；　no　matter　on　what　subject；　he　inevitably　drifted　back　to

hunting。　　He　never　once　referred　to　the　Franco…Prussian　war；　nor　to

the　political　situation　in　his　own　country；　then　passing　through　a

crisis。　　In　taking　leave　of　his　Majesty　I　thanked　him　with　deep

gratitude　for　honoring　me　so　highly；　and　his　response　was　that　if

ever　he　came　to　America　to　hunt　buffalo；　he　should　demand　my

assistance。



》From　Florence　I　went　to　Milan　and　Geneva；　then　to　Nice；　Marseilles；

and　Bordeaux。　　Assembled　at　Bordeaux　was　a　convention　which　had　been

called　together　by　the　government　of　the　National　Defense　for　the

purpose　of　confirming　or　rejecting　the　terms　of　an　armistice　of

twenty…one　days；　arranged　between　Jules　Favre　and　Count　Bismarck　in

negotiations　begun　at　Versailles　the　latter　part　of　January。　　The

convention　was　a　large　body；　chosen　from　all　parts　of　France；　and　was

unquestionably　the　most　noisy；　unruly　and　unreasonable　set　of　beings

that　I　ever　saw　in　a　legislative　assembly。　　The　frequent　efforts　of

Thiers；　Jules　Favre；　and　other　leading　men　to　restrain　the　more

impetuous　were　of　little　avail。　　When　at　the　sittings　a　delegate

arose　to　speak　on　some　question；　he　was　often　violently　pulled　to　his

seat　and　then　surrounded　by　a　mob　of　his　colleagues；　who　would　throw

off　their　coats　and　gesticulate　wildly；　as　though　about　to　fight。



But　the　bitter　pill　of　defeat　had　to　be　swallowed　in　some　way；　so　the

convention　delegated　M。　Thiers　to　represent　the　executive　power　of

the　country；　with　authority　to　construct　a　ministry　three

commissioners　were　appointed　by　the　Executive；　to　enter　into　further

negotiations　with　Count　Bismarck　at　Versailles　and　arrange　a　peace；

the　terms　of　which；　however；　were　to　be　submitted　to　the　convention

for　final　action。　　Though　there　had　been　so　much　discussion；　it　took

but　a　few　days　to　draw　up　and　sign　a　treaty　at　Versailles；　the

principal　negotiators　being　Thiers　and　Jules　Favre　for　France；　and

Bismarck　on　the　part　of　the　Germans。　　The　terms　agreed　upon　provided

for　the　occupation　of　Paris　till　ratification　should　be　had　by　the

convention　at　Bordeaux；　learning　of　which　stipulation　from　our

Minister；　Mr。　Washburn；　I　hurried　off　to　Paris　to　see　the　conquerors

make　their　triumphal　entry。



In　the　city　the　excitement　was　at　fever　heat；　of　course；　the　entire

population　protesting　with　one　voice　that　they　would　never；　never

look　upon　the　hated　Germans　marching　through　their　beloved　city。　　No！

when　the　day　arrived　they　would　hide　themselves　in　their　houses；　or

shut　their　eyes　to　such　a　hateful　sight。　　But　by　the　1st　of　March　a

change　had　come　over　the　fickle　Parisians；　for　at　an　early　hour　the

sidewalks　were　jammed　with　people；　and　the　windows　and　doors　of　the

houses　filled　with　men；　women；　and　children　eager　to　get　a　look　at

the　conquerors。　　Only　a　few　came　in　the　morning；　howeveran　advance…

…guard　of　perhaps　a　thousand　cavalry　and　infantry。　　The　main　column

marched　from　the　Arc…de…Triomphe　toward　the　middle　of　the　afternoon。

In　its　composition　it　represented　United　GermanySaxons；　Bavarians；

and　the　Royal　Guard　of　Prussiaand；　to　the　strains　of　martial　music；

moving　down　the　Champ　Elysees　to　the　Place　de　la　Concorde；　was

distributed　thence　over　certain　sections　of　the　city　agreed　upon

beforehand。　　Nothing　that　could　be　called　a　disturbance　took　place

during　the　march；　and　though　there　was　a　hiss　now　and　then　and

murmurings　of　discontent；　yet　the　most　noteworthy　mutterings　were

directed　against　the　defunct　Empire。　　Indeed；　I　found　everywhere　that

the　national　misfortunes　were　laid　at　Napoleon's　doorhe；　by　this

time；　having　become　a　scapegoat　for　every　blunder　of　the　war。



The　Emperor　William　（he　had　been　proclaimed　German　Emperor　at

Versailles　the　18th　of　January）　did　not　accompany　his　troops　into

Paris；　though　he　reviewed　them　at　Long　Champs　before　they　started。

After　the　occupation　of　the　city　he　still　remained　at　Versailles；　and

as　soon　as　circumstances　would　permit；　I　repaired　to　the　Imperial

headquarters　to　pay　my　respects　to　his　Majesty　under　his　new　title

and　dignities；　and　to　say　good…bye。



Besides　the　Emperor；　the　only　persons　I　me　at　Versailles　were　General

von　Moltke　and　Bismarck。　　His　Majesty　was　in　a　very　agreeable　frame

of　mind；　and　as　bluff　and　hearty　as　usual。　　His　increased　rank　and

power　had　effected　no　noticeable　change　of　any　kind　in　him；　and　by

his　genial　and　cordial　ways　he　made　me　think　that　my　presence　with

the　German　army　had　contributed　to　his　pleasure。　　Whether　this　was

really　so　or　not；　I　shall　always　believe　it　true；　for　his　kind　words

and　sincere　manner　could　leave　no　other　conclusion。



General　von　Moltke　was；　as　usual；　quiet　and　reserved；　betraying　not

the　slightest　consciousness　of　his　great　ability；　nor　the　least

indication　of　pride　on　account　of　his　mighty　work。　　I　say　this

advisedly；　for　it　is　an　undoubted　fact　that　it　was。　　his　marvelous

mind　that　perfected　the　military　system　by　which　800；000　men　were

mobilized　with　unparalleled　celerity　and　moved　with　such　certainty　of

combination　that；　in　a　campaign　of　seven　months；　the　military　power

of　France　was　destroyed　and　her　vast　resources　sorely　crippled。



I　said　good…bye　to　Count　Bismarck；　also；　for　at　that　busy　time　the

chances　of　seeing　him　again　were　very　remote。　　The　great　Chancellor

manifested　more　joy　over　the　success　of　the　Germans　than　did　anyone

else　at　the　Imperial　headquarters。　　Along　with　his　towering　strength

of　mind　and　body；　his　character　partook　of　much　of　the　enthusiasm　and

impulsiveness　commonly　restricted　to　younger　men；　and　now　in　his

frank；　free　way　be　plainly　showed　his　light…heartedness　and

gratification　at　success。　　That　which　for　years　his　genius　had　been

planning　and　striving　forpermanent　unification　of　the　German

States；　had　been　accomplished　by　the　war。　　It　had　welded　them

together　in　a　compact　Empire　which　no　power　in　Europe　could　disrupt；

and　as　such　a　union　was　the　aim　of　Bismarck's　life；　he　surely　had　a

right　to　feel　jubilant。



Thanks　to　the　courtesies　extended　me；　I　had　been　able　to　observe　the

principal　battles；　and　study　many　of　the　minor　details　of　a　war

between　two　of　the　greatest　military　nations　of　the　world；　and　to

examine　critically　the　methods　followed　abroad　for　subsisting；

equipping；　and　manoeuvring　vast　bodies　of　men　during　a　stupendous；

campaign。　　Of　course　I　found　a　great　deal　to　interest　and　instruct

me；　yet　nowadays　war　is　pretty　much　the　same　everywhere；　and　this　one

offered　no　marked　exception　to　my　previous　experiences。　　The　methods

pursued　on　the　march　were　the　same　as　we　would　employ；　with　one　most

important　exception。　　Owing　to　the　density　of　population　throughout

France　it　was　always　practicable　for　the　Germans　to　quarter　their

troops　in　villages；　requiring　the　inhabitants　to　subsist　both

officers　and　men。　　Hence　there　was　no　necessity　for　camp　and　garrison

equipage；　nor　enormous　provision　trains；　and　the　armies　were

unencumbered　by　these　impedimenta；　indispensable　when　operating　in　a

poor　and　sparsely　settled　country。　　As　I　have　said　before；　the　only

trains　were　those　for　ammunition；　pontoon…boats；　and　the　field

telegraph；　and　all　these　were　managed　by　special　corps。　　If

transportation　was　needed　for　other　purposes；　it　was　obtained　by

requisition　from　the　invaded　country；　just　as　food　and　forage　were

secured。　　Great　celerity　of　combination　was　therefore　possible；　the

columns　moving　in　compact　order；　and　as　all　the　roads　were　broad　and

macadamized；　there　was　little　or　nothing　to　delay　or　obstruct　the

march　of　the　Germans；　except　when　their　enemy　offered　resistance；　but

even　this　was　generally　slight　and　not　very　frequent；　for　the　French

were　discouraged　by　disaster　from　the　very　outset　of　the　campaign



The　earlier　advantages　gained　bythe　Germans　may　be　ascribed　to　the

strikingly　prompt　mobilization　of　their　armies；　one　of　the　most

noticeable　features　of　their　perfect　military　system；　devised　by

almost　autocratic　power；　their　later　successes　were　greatly　aided　by

the　blunders　of　the　French；　whose　stupendous　errors　materially

shortened　the　war；　though　even　if　prolonged　it　could；　in　my　opinion；

have　had　ultimately　no　other　termination。



As　I　have　previously　stated；　the　first　of　these　blunders　was　the

acceptance　of　battle　by　MacMahon　at　Worth；　the　second　in　attaching

too　much　importance　to　the　fortified　position　of　Metz；　resulting　in

three　battles　Colombey；　Mars…la…Tour；　and　Gravelotteall　of　which

were　lost；　and　the　third；　the　absurd　movement　of　MacMahon　along　the

Belgian　frontier　to　relieve　Metz；　the　responsibility　for　which；　I　am