napoleon bonaparte, v11-第14章

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set　out　on　the　march　through　the　forest　of　Deo；　the　brave　soldiers　who
followed　him　appearing　as　indefatigable　as　he。　　He　halted　at　the　village
of　Eclaron；　where　his　Majesty　paid　a　certain　sum　to　the　inhabitants　to
repair　their　church；　which　the　enemy　had　destroyed。　　The　surgeon　of　this
town　advanced　to　thank　the　Emperor；　and　his　Majesty　examining　him
attentively　said　to　him；　〃You　have　served　in　the　army；　Monsieur？〃〃Yes；
Sire；　I　was　in　the　army　of　Egypt。〃〃Why　have　you　no　cross？〃〃Sire；
because　I　have　never　asked　for　it。〃〃Monsieur；　you　are　only　the　more
worthy　of　it。　　I　hope　you　will　wear　the　one　I　shall　give　you。〃　　And　in　a
few　moments　his　certificate　was　signed　by　the　Emperor；　and　handed　to　the
new　chevalier；　whom　the　Emperor　recommended　to　give　the　most　careful
attention　to　the　sick　and　wounded　of　our　army　who　might　be　committed　to
his　care。

　　　　　＇It　is　known　that　the　Emperor　was　not　lavish　in　the　distribution
　　　　　of　the　Cross　of　Honor。　　Of　this　fact　I　here　give　an　additional
　　　　　proof。　　He　was　much　pleased　with　the　services　of　M。　Veyrat；
　　　　　inspector　general　of　police；　and　he　desired　the　Cross。　　I　presented
　　　　　petitions　to　this　effect　to　his　Majesty；　who　said　to　me　one　day；
　　　　　〃I　am　well　satisfied　with　Veyrat。　　He　serves　me　well；　and　I　will
　　　　　give　him　as　much　money　as　he　wishes；　but　the　Cross；　never！〃
　　　　　CONSTANT。＇

On　entering　Mezieres　his　Majesty　was　received　by　the　authorities　of　the
city；　the　clergy；　and　the　National　Guard。　　〃Messieurs；〃　said　the　Emperor
to　the　National　Guard　who　pressed　around　him；　〃we　fight　to　day　for　our
firesides；　let　us　defend　them　in　such　a　manner　that　the　Cossacks　may　not
come　to　warm　themselves　beside　them。　　They　are　bad　guests；　who　will　leave
no　place　for　you。　　Let　us　show　them　that　every　Frenchman　is　born　a
soldier；　and　a　brave　one！〃　　His　Majesty　on　receiving　the　homage　of　the
curate；　perceiving　that　this　ecclesiastic　regarded　him　with　extreme
interest　and　agitation；　consequently　considered　the　good　priest　more
attentively；　and　soon　recognized　in　him　one　of　the　former　regents　of　the
college　of　Brienne。　　〃What！　is　it　you；　my　dear　master？〃　cried　the
Emperor。　　〃You　have；　then；　never　left　your　retirement！　　So　much　the
better；　since　for　that　reason　you　will　be　only　the　better　able　to　serve
the　cause　of　your　native　land。　　I　need　not　ask　if　you　know　the　country
around　here。〃〃Sire；〃　replied　the　curate；　〃I　could　find　my　way　with　my
eyes　shut。〃〃Come　with　us；　then；　you　will　be　our　guide；　and　we　will
converse。〃　　The　worthy　priest　immediately　saddled　his　well…broken　horse；
and　placed　himself　in　the　center　of　the　Imperial　staff。

The　same　day　we　arrived　before　Brienne。　　The　Emperor's　march　had　been　so
secret　and　so　rapid　that　the　Prussians　had　heard　nothing　of　it　until　he
suddenly　appeared　before　their　eyes。　　A　few　general　officers　were　made
prisoners；　and　Blucher　himself；　who　was　quietly　coming　out　of　the
chateau；　had　only　time　to　turn　and　fly　as　quickly　as　he　could；　under　a
shower　of　balls　from　our　advance　guard。　　The　Emperor　thought　for　a　moment
that　the　Prussian　general　had　been　taken；　and　exclaimed；　〃We　have　got
that　old　swash…buckler。　　Now　the　campaign　will　not　be　long。〃　　The
Russians　who　were　established　in　the　village　set　it　on　fire；　and　an
engagement　took　place　in　the　midst　of　the　flames。　　Night　arrived；　but　the
combat　still　continued；　and　in　the　space　of　twelve　hours　the　village　was
taken　and　retaken　many　times。　　The　Emperor　was　furious　that　Blucher
should　have　escaped。　　As　he　returned　to　headquarters；　which　had　been
established　at　Mezieres；　his　Majesty　narrowly　escaped　being　pierced
through　with　the　lance　of　a　Cossack；　but　before　the　Emperor　perceived　the
movement　of　the　wretch；　the　brave　Colonel　Gourgaud；　who　was　marching
behind　his　Majesty；　shot　the　Cossack　dead　with　his　pistol。

The　Emperor　had　with　him　only　fifteen　thousand　men；　and　they　had　waged　an
equal　struggle　with　eighty　thousand　foreign　soldiers。　　At　the　close　of
the　combat　the　Prussians　retreated　to　Bar…sur…Aube；　and　his　Majesty
established　himself　in　the　chateau　of　Brienne；　where　he　passed　two
nights。　　I　recalled　during　this　stay　the　one　that　I　had　made　ten　years
before　in　this　same　chateau　of　Brienne；　when　the　Emperor　was　on　his　way
to　Milan　with　the　intention　of　adding　the　title　of　King　of　Italy　to　that
of　Emperor　of　the　French。　　〃To…day；〃　I　said　to　myself；　〃not　only　is　Italy
lost　to　him；　but　here　in　the　center　of　the　French　Empire；　and　a　few
leagues　from　his　capital；　the　Emperor　is　defending　himself　against
innumerable　enemies！〃　　The　first　time　I　saw　Brienne；　the　Emperor　was
received　as　a　sovereign　by　a　noble　family　who　fifteen　years　before　had
welcomed　him　as　a　protege。　　He　had　there　revived　the　happiest
remembrances　of　his　childhood　and　youth；　and　in　comparing　himself　in　1805
with　what　he　had　been　at　the　Ecole　Militaire　had　spoken　with　pride　of　the
path　he　had　trod。　　In　1814；　on　the　31st　of　January；　the　end　to　which　this
path　was　tending　began　to　be　seen。　　It　is　not　that　I　wish　to　announce
myself　as　having　foreseen　the　Emperor's　fall；　for　I　did　not　go　so　far　as
that。　　Accustomed　to　see　him　trust　to　his　star；　the　greater　part　of　those
who　surrounded　him　trusted　it　no　less　than　he；　but　nevertheless　we　could
not　conceal　from　ourselves　that　great　changes　had　taken　place。　　To　delude
ourselves　in　this　respect　it　would　have　been　necessary　to　close　our　eyes
that　we　might　neither　see　nor　hear　this　multitude　of　foreigners；　whom　we
had　until　now　seen　only　in　their　own　country；　and　who；　in　their　turn；
were　now　in　our　midst。

At　each　step；　in　fact；　we　found　terrible　proofs　of　the　enemy's　presence。
After　taking　possession　of　the　towns　and　villages；　they　had　arrested　the
inhabitants；　maltreated　them　with　saber…strokes　and　the　butt　ends　of
their　guns；　stripping　them　of　their　clothing；　and　compelling　those　to
follow　them　whom　they　thought　capable　of　serving　as　guides　on　their
march；　and　if　they　were　not　guided　as　they　expected　they　killed　with　the
sword　or　shot　their　unfortunate　prisoners。　　Everywhere　the　inhabitants
were　made　to　furnish　provisions；　drink；　cattle；　forage；　in　a　word；
everything　that　could　be　useful　to　an　army　making　enormous　requisitions；
and　when　they　had　exhausted　all　the　resources　of　their　victims；　they
finished　their　work　of　destruction　by　pillage　and　burning。　　The
Prussians；　and　above　all　the　Cossacks；　were　remarkable　for　their　brutal
ferocity。　　Sometimes　these　hideous　savages　entered　the　houses　by　main
force；　shared　among　themselves　everything　that　fell　into　their　hands；
loaded　their　horses　with　the　plunder；　and　broke　to　pieces　what　they　could
not　carry　away。　　Sometimes；　not　finding　sufficient　to　satisfy　their
greed；　they　broke　down　the　doors　and　windows；　demolished　the　ceiling　in
order　to　tear　out　the　beams；　and　made　of　these　pieces　and　the　furniture；
which　was　too　heavy　to　be　carried　away；　a　fire；　which　being　communicated
to　the　roofs　of　neighboring　houses　consumed　in　a　moment　the　dwellings　of
the　unhappy　inhabitants；　and　forced　them　to　take　refuge　in　the　woods。

Sometimes　the　more　wealthy　inhabitants　gave　them　what　they　demanded；
especially　brandy；　of　which　they　drank　eagerly；　thinking　by　this
compliance　to　escape　their　ferocity；　but　these　barbarians；　heated　by
drink；　then　carried　their　excesses　to　the　last　degree。　　They　seized
girls；　women；　and　servants；　and　beat　them　unmercifully；　in　order　to
compel　them　to　drink　brandy　until　they　fell　in　a　complete　state　of
intoxication。　　Many　women　and　young　girls　had　courage　and　strength　to
defend　themselves　against　these　brigands；　but　they　united　three　or　four
against　one；　and　often　to　avenge　themselves　for　the　resistance　of　these
poor　creatures　mutilated　and　slew　them；　after　having　first　violated　them；
or　threw　them　into　the　midst　of　the　bivouac　fires。　　Farms　were　burned　up；
and　families　recently　opulent　or　in　comfortable　circumstances　were
reduced　in　an　instant　to　despair　and　poverty。　　Husbands　and　old　men　were
slain　with　the　sword　while　attempting　to　defend　the　honor　of　their　wives
and　daughters；　and　when　poor　mothers　attempted　to　approach　the　fires　to
warm　the　children　at　their　breasts；　they　were　burned　or　killed　by　the
explosion　of　packages　of　cartridges；　which　the　Cossacks　threw
intentionally　into　the　fire；　and　the　cries　of　pain　and　agony　were　stifled
by　the　bursts　of　laughter　from　these　monsters。

I　should　never　end　if　I　attempted　to　relate　all　the　atrocities　committed
by　these　foreign　hordes。　　It　was　the　custom　at　the　time　of　the
Restoration　to　say　that　the　complaints　and　narrations　of　those　who　were
exposed　to　these　excesses　were　exaggerated　by　fear　or　hatred。　　I　have
even　heard　very　dignified　persons　jest　pleasantly　over　the　pretty　ways　of
the　Cossacks。　　But　these　wits　always　kept　themselves　at　a　distance　from
the　theater　of　war；　and　had　the　good　fortune　to　inhabit　departments　which
suffered　neither　from　the　first　nor　second　invasion。　　I　would　not　advise
them　to　address　their　pleasantries　to　the　unfortunate　inhabitants　of
Champagne；　or　of　the　departments　of　the　east　in　general。　　It　has　been
maintained　also　that　the　allied　sovereigns　and　the　general　officers　of
the　Russian　and　Prussian　army　severely　forbade　all　violence　in　their
regular　troops；　and　that　the　atrocities　were　committed　by　undisciplined
and　ungovernable　bands　of　Cossacks。　　I　have　been　in　a　position　to　learn；
on　many　occasions；　especially　at　Troves；　proofs　to　the　contrary。　　This
town　has　not　forgotten；　doubtless；　how　the　Princes　of　Wurtemberg　and
Hohenlohe　and　the　Emperor　Alexander　himself　justified　the　burnings；
pillage；　violations；　and　numerous　assassinations　committed　under　their
very　eyes；　not　only　by　the　Cossacks；　but　also　by　regularly　enlisted　and
disciplined　soldiers。　　No　measures　were　taken　by　the　sovereigns　or　by
their　generals　to　put　an　end　to　such　atrocities；　and　nevertheless　when
they　left　a　town　there　was　needed　only　an　order　from　them　to　remove　at
once　the　hordes　of　Cossacks　who　devastated　the　country。

The　field　of　the　La　Rothiere　was；　as　I　have　said；　the　rendezvous　of　the
pupils　of　the　military　school　of　Brienne。　　It　was　there　that　the　Emperor；
when　a　child；　had　foreshadowed　in　his　engagement　with　the　scholars　his
gigantic　combats。　　The　engagement　at　La　Rothiere　was　hotly　contested；　and
the　enemy　obtained；　only　at　the　price　of　much　blood；　an　advantage　which
they　owed　entirely　to　their　numerical　superiority。　　In　the　night　which
followed　this　unequal　struggle；　the　Emperor　ordered　the　retreat　from
Troves。　　On　returning　to　the　chateau　after　the　battle；　his　Majesty
narrowly　escaped　an　imminent　danger。　　He　found　himself　surrounded　by　a
troop　of　uhlans；　and　drew　his　sword　to　defend　himself。　　M。　Jardin；
junior；　his　equerry；　who　followed　the　Emperor　closely；　received　a　ball　in
his　arm。　　Several　chasseurs　of　the　escort　were　wounded；　but　they　at　last
succeeded　in　extricating　his　Majesty。　　I　can　assert　that　his　Majesty
showed　the　greatest　self…possession　in　all　encounters　of　this　kind。　　On
that　day；　as　I　unbuckled　his　sword…belt；　he　drew　it　half　out　of　the
scabbard；　saying；　〃Do　you　know；　Constant；　the　wretches　have　made　me　cut
the　wind　with　this？　　The　rascals　are　too　impudent。　　It　is　necessary　to
teach　them　a　lesson；　that　they　may　learn　to　hold　the