napoleon bonaparte, v11-第13章

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Wilna。　　Having　little　physical　strength；　but　gifted　with　a　strong　mind；
M。　Robert　de　Sainte…Croix　owed　it　to　his　moral　courage　not　to　succumb；
and　after　undergoing　the　amputation　of　his　leg；　left　the　sword　for　the
pen；　and　it　was　thus　he　became　auditor　to　the　council　of　state。

The　week　after　the　National　Guard　of　the　city　of　Paris　had　been　called
into　service；　the　chiefs　of　the　twelve　legions　and　the　general　staff　were
admitted　to　take　the　oath　of　fidelity　at　the　Emperor's　hands。　　The
National　Guard　had　already　been　organized　into　legions；　but　the　want　of
arms　was　keenly　felt；　and　many　citizens　could　procure　only　lances；　and
those　who　could　not　obtain　guns　or　buy　them　found　themselves　thereby
chilled　in　their　ardor　to　equip　themselves。　　Nevertheless；　the　Citizen
Guard　soon　enrolled　the　desired　number　of　thirty　thousand　men；　and　by
degrees　it　occupied　the　different　posts　of　the　capital；　and　whilst
fathers　of　families　and　citizens　employed　in　domestic　work　were　enrolled
without　difficulty；　those　who　had　already　paid　their　debts　to　their
country　on　the　battlefield　also　demanded　to　be　allowed　to　serve　her
again；　and　to　shed　for　her　the　last　drop　of　their　blood。　　Invalided
soldiers　begged　to　resume　their　service。　　Hundreds　of　these　brave
soldiers　forgot　their　sufferings；　and　covered　with　honorable　wounds　went
forth　again　to　confront　the　enemy。　　Alas！　　very　few　of　those　who　then
left　the　Hotel　des　Invalides　were　fortunate　enough　to　return。

Meanwhile　the　moment　of　the　Emperor's　departure　approached；　but　before
setting　out　he　bade　a　touching　adieu　to　the　National　Guard；　as　we　shall
see　in　the　next　chapter；　and　confided　the　regency　to　the　Empress　as　he
had　formerly　intrusted　it　to　her　during　the　campaign　in　Dresden。　　Alas
this　time　it　was　not　necessary　to　make　a　long　journey　before　the　Emperor
was　at　the　head　of　his　army。




CHAPTER　XXII。

We　are　now　about　to　begin　the　campaign　of　miracles；　but　before　relating
the　events　which　I　witnessed　on　this　campaign；　during　which　I；　so　to
speak；　never　left　the　Emperor；　it　is　necessary　that　I　here　inscribe　some
souvenirs　which　may　be　considered　as　a　necessary　introduction。　　It　is
well　known　that　the　Swiss　cantons　had　solemnly　declared　to　the　Emperor
that　they　would　not　allow　their　territory　to　be　violated；　and　that　they
would　do　everything　possible　to　oppose　the　passage　of　the　allied　armies
who　were　marching　on　the　frontiers　of　France　by　way　of　the　Breisgau。　　The
Emperor；　in　order　to　stop　them　on　their　march；　relied　upon　the
destruction　of　the　bridge　of　Bale；　but　this　bridge　was　not　destroyed；
and　Switzerland；　instead　of　maintaining　her　promised　neutrality；　entered
into　the　coalition　against　France。　　The　foreign　armies　passed　the　Rhine
at　Bale；　at　Schaffhausen；　and　at　Mannheim。　　Capitulations　made　with　the
generals　of　the　confederated　troops　in　regard　to　the　French　garrisons　of
Dantzic；　Dresden；　and　other　strong　towns　had　been；　as　we　have　seen；
openly　violated。　　Thus　Marshal　Gouvion　Saint…Cyr　and　his　army　corps　had
been；　contrary　to　the　stipulations　contained　in　the　treaties；　surrounded
by　superior　forces；　disarmed；　and　conducted　as　prisoners　to　Austria；　and
twenty　thousand　men；　the　remains　of　the　garrison　of　Dantzic；　were　thus
arrested　by　order　of　the　Emperor　Alexander；　and　conveyed　to　the　Russian
deserts。　　Geneva　opened　its　gates　to　the　enemy　in　the　following　January。
Vesoul；　Epinal；　Nancy；　Langres；　Dijon；　Chalons…sur…Saone；　and　Bar…sur…
Aube　were　occupied　by　the　allies。

The　Emperor；　in　proportion　as　the　danger　became　more　pressing；　displayed
still　more　his　energy　and　indefatigable　activity。　　He　urged　the
organization　of　new　levies；　and　in　order　to　pay　the　most　urgent　expenses
drew　thirty　millions　from　his　secret　treasury　in　the　vaults　of　the
pavilion　Marsan。　　The　levies　of　conscripts　were；　however；　made　with
difficulty；　for　in　the　course　of　the　year　1813　alone；　one　million　forty
thousand　soldiers　had　been　summoned　to　the　field；　and　France　could　no
longer　sustain　such　enormous　drains。　　Meanwhile　veterans　came　from　all
parts　to　be　enrolled；　and　General　Carnot　offered　his　services　to　the
Emperor；　who　was　much　touched　by　this　proceeding；　and　confided　to　him　the
defense　of　Antwerp。　　The　zeal　and　courage　with　which　the　general
acquitted　himself　of　this　important　mission　is　well　known。　　Movable
columns　and　corps　of　partisans　placed　themselves　under　arms　in　the
departments　of　the　east；　and　a　few　rich　proprietors　levied　and　organized
companies　of　volunteers；　while　select　cavalry　formed　themselves　into
corps；　the　cavaliers　of　which　equipped　themselves　at　their　own　expense。

In　the　midst　of　these　preparations　the　Emperor　received　news　which　moved
him　deeply；the　King　of　Naples　had　just　joined　the　enemies　of　the
French。　　On　a　previous　occasion；　when　his　Majesty　had　seen　the　Prince
Royal　of　Sweden；　after　having　been　marshal　and　prince　of　the　Empire；
enter　into　a　coalition　against　his　native　country；　I　heard　him　break
forth　into　reproaches　and　exclamations　of　indignation；　although　the　King
of　Sweden　had　more　than　one　reason　to　offer　in　his　own　defense；　being
alone　in　the　north；　and　shut　in　by　powerful　enemies　against　whom　he　was
entirely　unable　to　struggle；　even　had　the　interests　of　his　new　country
been　inseparable　from　those　of　France。　　By　refusing　to　enter　into　the
coalition　he　would　have　drawn　on　Sweden　the　anger　of　her　formidable
neighbors；　and　with　the　throne　he　would　have　sacrificed　and　fruitlessly
ruined　the　nation　which　had　adopted　him。　　It　was　not　to　the　Emperor　he
owed　his　elevation。　　But　King　Joachim；　on　the　contrary；　owed　everything
to　the　Emperor；　for　it　was　he　who　had　given　him　one　of　his　sisters　as　a
wife；　who　had　given　him　a　throne；　and　had　treated　him　as　well　as；　and
even　better　than；　if　he　had　been　a　brother。　　It　was　consequently　the　duty
of　the　King　of　Naples　as　well　as　his　interest　not　to　separate　his　cause
from　that　of　France；　for　if　the　Emperor　fell；　how　could　the　kings　of　his
own　family；　whom　he　had　made；　hope　to　stand？　　Both　King　Joseph　and　Jerome
had　well　understood　this；　and　also　the　brave　and　loyal　Prince　Eugene；　who
supported　courageously　in　Italy　the　cause　of　his　adopted　father。　　If　the
King　of　Naples　had　united　with　him　they　could　together　have　marched　on
Vienna；　and　this　audacious　but　at　the　same　time　perfectly　practicable
movement　would　have　infallibly　saved　France。

These　are　some　of　the　reflections　I　heard　the　Emperor　make　in　speaking　of
the　treachery　of　the　King　of　Naples；　though　in　the　first　moments；
however；　he　did　not　reason　so　calmly。　　His　anger　was　extreme；　and　with　it
was　mingled　grief　and　emotions　near　akin　to　pity：　〃Murat　！〃　　cried　he；
〃Murat　betray　me！　　Murat　sell　himself　to　the　English！　　The　poor　creature！
He　imagines　that　if　the　allies　succeed　in　overthrowing　me　they　would
leave　him　the　throne　on　which　I　have　seated　him。　　Poor　fool！　　The　worst
fate　that　can　befall　him　is　that　his　treachery　should　succeed；　for　he
would　have　less　pity　to　expect　from　his　new　allies　than　from　me。〃

The　evening　before　his　departure　for　the　army；　the　Emperor　received　the
corps　of　officers　of　the　National　Parisian　Guard；　and　the　reception　was
held　in　the　great　hall　of　the　Tuileries。　　This　ceremony　was　sad　and
imposing。　　His　Majesty　presented　himself　before　the　assembly　with　her
Majesty　the　Empress；　who　held　by　the　hand　the　King　of　Rome；　aged　three
years　lacking　two　months。　　Although　his　speech　on　this　occasion　is
doubtless　already　well　known；　I　repeat　it　here；　as　I　do　not　wish　that
these　beautiful　and　solemn　words　of　my　former　master　should　be　wanting　in
my　Memoirs：

　　　　　〃GENTLEMEN；　Officers　of　the　National　Guard；It　is　with　much
　　　　　pleasure　I　see　you　assembled　around　me。　　I　leave　to…night　to　place
　　　　　myself　at　the　head　of　the　army。　　On　leaving　the　capital　I　place　with
　　　　　confidence　in　your　care　my　wife　and　my　son　on　whom　rests　so　many
　　　　　hopes。　　I　owe　you　this　proof　of　my　confidence；　in　return　for　all　the
　　　　　innumerable　proofs　you　have　repeatedly　given　me　in　the　important
　　　　　events　of　my　life。　　I　shall　depart　with　my　mind　free　from　anxiety；
　　　　　since　they　will　be　under　your　faithful　protection。　　I　leave　with　you
　　　　　what　is　dearest　to　me　in　the　world；　next　to　France；　and　I　freely
　　　　　commit　it　to　your　care。

　　　　　It　may　occur　that　in　consequence　of　the　maneuvers　I　am　about　to
　　　　　make；　the　enemy　may　find　the　opportunity　of　approaching　your　walls。
　　　　　If　this　should　take　place；　remember　that　it　will　be　an　affair　of
　　　　　only　a　few　days；　and　I　will　soon　come　to　your　assistance。　　I
　　　　　recommend　to　you　to　preserve　unity　among　yourselves；　and　to　resist
　　　　　all　the　insinuations　by　which　efforts　will　be　made　to　divide　you。
　　　　　There　will　not　be　wanting　endeavors　to　shake　your　fidelity　to　duty；
　　　　　but　I　rely　upon　you　to　repel　these　perfidious　attempts。〃

At　the　end　of　this　discourse；　the　Emperor　bent　his　looks　on　the　Empress
and　the　King　of　Rome；　whom　his　august　mother　held　in　her　arms；　and
presenting　both　by　his　looks　and　gestures　to　the　assembly　this　child
whose　expressive　countenance　seemed　to　reflect　the　solemnity　of　the
occasion；　he　added　in　an　agitated　voice；　〃I　confide　him　to　you；
Messieurs；　I　confide　him　to　the　love　of　my　faithful　city　of　Paris！〃　　At
these　words　of　his　Majesty　innumerable　shouts　were　heard；　and　innumerable
arms　were　raised　swearing　to　defend　this　priceless　trust。　　The　Empress；
bathed　in　tears　and　pale　with　the　emotion　by　which　she　was　agitated；
would　have　fallen　if　the　Emperor　had　not　supported　her　in　his　arms。　　At
this　sight　the　enthusiasm　reached　its　height；　tears　flowed　from　all　eyes；
and　there　was　not　one　present　who　did　not　seem　willing　as　he　retired　to
shed　his　blood　for　the　Imperial　family。　　On　this　occasion　I　again　saw　for
the　first　time　M。　de　Bourrienne　at　the　palace；　he　wore；　if　I　am　not
mistaken；　the　uniform　of　captain　in　the　National　Guard。

On　the　25th　of　January　the　Emperor　set　out　for　the　army；　after　conferring
the　regency　on　her　Majesty　the　Empress；　and　that　night　we　reached
Chalons…sur…Marne。　　His　arrival　stopped　the　progress　of　the　enemy's　army
and　the　retreat　of　our　troops。　　Two　days　after　he；　in　his　turn；　attacked
the　allies　at　Saint…Dizier。　　His　Majesty's　entrance　into　this　town　was
marked　by　most　touching　manifestations　of　enthusiasm　and　devotion。　　The
very　moment　the　Emperor　alighted；　a　former　colonel；　M。　Bouland；　an　old
man　more　than　seventy　years　old；　threw　himself　at　his　Majesty's　feet；
expressing　to　him　the　deep　grief　which　the　sight　of　foreign　bayonets　had
caused　him；　and　his　confidence　that　the　Emperor　would　drive　them　from　the
soil　of　France。　　His　Majesty　assisted　the　old　veteran　to　rise；　and　said
to　him　cheerfully　that　he　would　spare　nothing　to　accomplish　such　a
favorable　prediction。　　The　allies　conducted　themselves　in　the　most
inhuman　manner　at　Saint…Dizier：　women　and　old　men　died　or　were　made　ill
under　the　cruel　treatment　which　they　received；　and　it　may　be　imagined
what　a　cause　of　rejoicing　his　Majesty's　arrival　was　to　the　country。

The　enemy　having　been　repulsed　at　Saint…Dizier；　the　Emperor　learned　that
the　army　of　Silesia　was　being　concentrated　on　Brienne；　and　immediately
set　out　on　the　march　through　the　forest　of　Deo；　the　brave　soldiers　who
followed　him