napoleon bonaparte, v11-第2章

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Vandamme。　　But　this　defeat；　the　first　we　had　sustained　since　the
resumption　of　hostilities；　became　the　forerunner　of　the　long　series　of
reverses　which　awaited　us。　　It　might　have　been　said　that　victory；　having
made　one　last　effort　in　our　favor　at　Dresden；　had　finally　grown　weary；
for　the　remainder　of　the　campaign　was　but　a　succession　of　disasters；
aggravated　by　treachery　of　every　description；　and　ending　in　the　horrible
catastrophe　at　Leipzig。　　Before　leaving　Dresden　we　had　learned　of　the
desertion　to　the　enemy　of　a　Westphalian　regiment；　with　arms　and　baggage。

The　Emperor　left　Marshal　Saint…Cyr　in　Dresden　with　thirty　thousand　men；
with　orders　to　hold　it　to　the　last　extremity；　since　the　Emperor　wished　to
preserve　this　capital　at　any　price。　　The　month　of　September　was　spent　in
marches　and　countermarches　around　this　city；　with　no　events　of　decided
importance。　　Alas！　　the　Emperor　was　never　again　to　see　the　garrison　of
Dresden。　　Circumstances　becoming　still　more　embarrassed；　imperiously
demanded　that　his　Majesty　should　promptly　oppose　some　obstacle　to　the
progress　of　the　allies。　　The　King　of　Saxony；　furnishing　an　example　of
fidelity　rare　among　kings；　determined　to　accompany　the　Emperor；　and
entered　his　carriage　in　company　with　the　queen　and　the　Princess　Augusta；
having　the　headquarters'　staff　as　escort。　　Two　days　after　his　departure
the　Saxon　troops　joined　the　French　army　at　Eilenburg；　on　the　banks　of　the
Mulda。　　The　Emperor　exhorted　these　allies；　whom　he　believed　faithful；　to
maintain　the　independence　of　their　country；　pointed　out　to　them　how
Prussia　was　threatening　Saxony；　and　endeavoring　to　acquire　her　most
beautiful　provinces；　and　reminded　them　of　the　proclamation　of　their
sovereign；　his　worthy　and　faithful　ally；　finally　he　spoke　to　them　in　the
name　of　military　honor；　urging　them；　in　closing；　to　take　it　always　as
their　guide；　and　to　show　themselves　worthy　rivals　of　the　soldiers　of　the
grand　army　with　whom　they　had　made　common　cause；　and　beside　whom　they
were　now　about　to　fight。　　The　words　of　the　Emperor　were　translated　and
repeated　to　the　Saxons　by　the　Duke　of　Vicenza；　and　this　language　from　the
lips　of　one　whom　they　regarded　as　the　friend　of　their　sovereign　and　the
saviour　of　their　capital　seemed　to　produce　a　profound　impression。　　The
march　was　then　begun　in　confidence；　with　no　premonition　of　the
approaching　defection　of　these　very　men　who　had　so　often　greeted　the
Emperor　with　their　cries　of　enthusiasm；　swearing　to　fight　to　the　death
rather　than　abandon　him。

His　Majesty's　plan　then　was　to　fall　on　Blucher　and　the　Prince　Royal　of
Sweden；　from　whom　the　French　army　was　separated　only　by　a　river。　　We
therefore　left　Eilenburg；　where　the　Emperor　parted　with　the　King　of
Saxony　and　his　family；　the　Duke　of　Bassano；　the　grand　park　of　artillery；
and　all　the　conveyances；　and　directed　our　course　towards　Duben。　　Blucher
and　Bernadotte　had　retired；　leaving　Berlin　uncovered。　　Then　the　Emperor's
plans　became　known；　and　it　was　seen　that　he　was　marching　on　Berlin；　and
not　on　Leipzig；　and　that　Diiben　was　only　the　meetingplace　for　the　various
corps；　who；　when　united；　were　to　march　on　the　capital　of　Prussia；　which
the　Emperor　had　already　seized　twice。

The　time　was　unfortunately　past　when　a　simple　indication　of　the　Emperor's
plans　was　regarded　as　a　signal　of　victory。　　The　chiefs　of　the　army；　who
had　until　now　been　perfectly　submissive；　began　to　reflect；　and　even　took
the　liberty　of　disapproving　of　plans　which　they　were　afraid　to　execute。
When　the　army　became　aware　of　the　Emperor's　intention　to　march　on　Berlin；
it　was　the　signal　for　almost　unanimous　discontent。　　The　generals　who　had
escaped　the　disasters　of　Moscow；　and　the　dangers　of　the　double　campaign
in　Germany；　were　fatigued；　and　perhaps　eager　to　reap　the　benefits　of
their　good　fortune；　and　at　last　to　enjoy　repose　in　the　bosom　of　their
families。　　A　few　went　so　far　as　to　accuse　the　Emperor　of　being　anxious　to
still　extend　the　war。　　〃Have　there　not　been　enough　killed？〃　　said　they。
〃Must　we　all　share　the　same　fate？　　〃　And　these　complaints　were　not　kept
for　secret　confidences；　but　were　uttered　publicly；　and　often　even　loud
enough　to　reach　the　ears　of　the　Emperor；　but　in　that　case　his　Majesty
seemed　not　to　hear。

Amidst　this　disaffection　of　a　large　number　of　the　chiefs　of　the　army；　the
defection　of　Bavaria　was　learned；　and　gave　an　added　strength　to　the
anxiety　and　discontent　inspired　by　the　Emperor's　resolution；　and　then
occurred　what　had　never　taken　place　before：　his　staff　united　their
entreaties　that　he　should　abandon　his　plans　in　regard　to　Berlin；　and
march　on　Leipzig。　　I　saw　how　much　the　Emperor　suffered　from　the　necessity
of　listening　to　such　remonstrances；　notwithstanding　the　respectful
language　in　which　they　were　couched。　　For　two　entire　days　his　Majesty
remained　undecided；　and　how　long　these　forty…eight　hours　were！　　Never　did
abandoned　cabin　or　bivouac　present　a　more　mournful　sight　than　the　sad
chateau　of　Duben。　　In　this　doleful　residence　I　saw　the　Emperor　for　the
first　time　entirely　unemployed；　the　indecision　to　which　he　was　a　prey
absorbed　him　so　entirely　that　his　character　seemed　entirely　changed。　　Who
could　believe　it？　　To　the　activity　which　drove　him　on；　and；　so　to　speak；
incessantly　devoured　him；　had　succeeded　a　seeming　indifference　which　is
perfectly　indescribable。　　I　saw　him　lie　on　the　sofa　nearly　a　whole　day；
the　table　before　him　covered　with　maps　and　papers　at　which　he　did　not
even　glance；　and　with　no　other　occupation　for　hours　than　slowly　tracing
large　letters　on　sheets　of　white　paper。　　This　was　while　he　was
vacillating　between　his　own　will　and　the　entreaties　of　his　generals。
At　the　end　of　two　days　of　most　painful　suspense　he　yielded；　and　from　that
time　all　was　lost。　　How　much　better　it　would　have　been　had　he　not
listened　to　their　complaints；　but　had　again　allowed　himself　to　be　guided
by　the　presentiments　which　possessed　him！　　He　repeated　often；　with　grief；
while　recalling　the　concessions　he　made　at　that　time；　〃I　should　have
avoided　many　disasters　by　continuing　to　follow　my　own　impulses；　I　failed
only　by　yielding　to　those　of　others。〃

The　order　for　departure　was　given；　and　as　if　the　army　felt　as　much　pride
in　triumphing　over　the　will　of　its　Emperor　as　they　would　have　felt　in
beating　the　enemy　by　obeying　the　dictates　of　his　genius；　they　abandoned
themselves　to　outbursts　of　joy　which　were　almost　beyond　reason。　　Every
countenance　was　radiant。　　〃We　shall　now；〃　they　repeated　on　all　sides；　〃we
shall　now　see　France　again；　embrace　our　children；　our　parents；　and　our
friends！　　The　Emperor　and　Marshal　Augereau　alone　did　not　share　the
general　light…heartedness。　　The　Duke　of　Castiglione　had　just　arrived　at
headquarters；　after　having　in　some　measure　avenged　on　the　army　of
Bohemia；　Vandamme's　defeat。　　He；　like　the　Emperor；　had　dark　presentiments
as　to　the　consequences　of　this　retrograde　movement；　and　knew　that
desertions　on　the　way　would　add　to　the　number　of　the　enemy；　and　were　so
much　the　more　dangerous　since　these　deserters　had　so　recently　been　our
allies　and　knew　our　positions。　　His　Majesty　yielded　with　a　full
conviction　of　the　evil　which　would　result；　and　I　heard　him　at　the　end　of
a　conversation　with　the　marshal　which　had　lasted　more　than　an　hour；　utter
these　words；　〃They　would　have　it　so。〃

The　Emperor　on　his　march　to　Duben　was　at　the　head　of　a　force　which　might
be　estimated　at　one　hundred　and　twenty…five　thousand　men。　　He　had　taken
this　direction　with　the　hope　of　finding　Blucher　again　on　the　Mulda；　but
the　Prussian　general　had　recrossed　the　river；　which　contributed　much　to
give　credit　to　a　rumor　which　had　been　circulated　for　some　time。　　It　was
said　that　in　a　council　of　the　allied　sovereigns　held　recently　at　Prague；
and　at　which　Moreau　and　the　Prince　Royal　of　Sweden　were　present；　it　had
been　agreed　that　as　far　as　possible　they　should　avoid　engaging　in　a
battle　whenever　the　Emperor　commanded　his　army　in　person；　and　that
operations　should　be　directed　only　against　smaller　bodies　commanded　by
his　lieutenants。　　It　is　impossible；　certainly；　to　render　more　striking
homage　to　the　superiority　of　the　Emperor's　genius；　but　it　was　at　the　same
time　stopping　him　in　his　glorious　career；　and　paralyzing　his　usually　all…
powerful　action。

However　that　may　be；　the　evil　genius　of　France　having　obtained　the
ascendency　over　the　good　genius　of　the　Emperor；　we　took　the　road　to
Leipzig；　and　reached　it　early　on　the　morning　of　the　15th　of　October。　　At
that　very　moment　the　King　of　Naples　was　in　the　midst　of　an　engagement
with　the　Prince　von　Schwarzenberg；　and　his　Majesty；　on　hearing　the　sound
of　cannon；　crossed　the　town；　and　visited　the　plain　where　the　engagement
was　taking　place。　　On　his　return　he　received　the　royal　family　of　Saxony；
who　had　come　to　join　him。　　During　his　short　stay　at　Leipzig；　the　Emperor
performed　an　act　of　clemency　which　must　undoubtedly　be　considered　most
meritorious　if　we　take　into　consideration　the　gravity　of　the
circumstances　in　which　we　were　placed。　　A　merchant　of　this　city　named
Moldrecht　was　accused　and　convicted　of　having　distributed　among　the
inhabitants；　and　even　in　the　army；　several　thousand　copies　of　a
proclamation　in　which　the　Prince　Royal　of　Sweden　invited　the　Saxons　to
desert　the　cause　of　the　Emperor。　　When　arraigned　before　a　tribunal　of
war；　M。　Moldrecht　could　not　exculpate　himself；　and；　indeed；　this　was　an
impossibility；　since　several　packages　of　the　fatal　proclamation　had　been
found　at　his　residence。　　He　was　condemned　to　death；　and　his　family　in
deep　distress　threw　themselves　at　the　feet　of　the　King　of　Saxony；　but；
the　facts　being　so　evident　and　of　such　a　nature　that　no　excuse　was
possible；　the　faithful　king　did　not　dare　to　grant　indulgence　for　a　crime
committed　even　more　against　his　ally　than　against　himself。　　Only　one
recourse　remained　for　this　unhappy　family；　which　was　to　address　the
Emperor；　but　as　it　was　difficult　to　reach　him；　M。　Leborgne　D'Ideville；
interpreting　secretary；　was　kind　enough　to　undertake　to　place　a　note　on
the　Emperor's　desk；　who　after　reading　it　ordered　a　postponement　which　was
equivalent　to　a　full　pardon。　　Events　followed　in　their　course；　and　the
life　of　M。　Moldrecht　was　saved。

Leipzig；　at　this　period；　was　the　center　of　a　circle　in　which　engagements
took　place　at　numerous　points　and　almost　incessantly。　　Engagements　lasted
during　the　days　of　the　16th；　17th；　and　18th；　and　his　Majesty；　as　a　poor
return　for　his　clemency　towards　M。　Moldrecht；　reaped　the　bitter　fruits　of
the　proclamation　which　had　been　scattered　in　every　direction　through　the
efforts　of　this　merchant。　　On　that　day　the　Saxon　army　deserted　our　cause；
and　reported　to　Bernadotte。　　This　left　the　Emperor　a　force　of　only　one
hundred　and　ten　thousand　men；　with　an　opposing　force　of　three　hundred　and
thirty　thousand；　so　that　if　when　hostilities　were　resumed　we　were　only　as
one　to　two；　we　were　now　only　one　to　three。　　The　day　of　the　18th　was；　as
is　well　known；　the　fatal　day。　　In　the　evening　the　Emperor；　seated　on　a
folding　stool　of　red　morocco　in　the　midst　of　the　bivouac　fires；　was
dictating　to　the　Prince　of　Neuchatel　his　orders　for　the　night；　when　two
commanders　of　artillery　were　presented　to　his　Majesty；　and　gave　him　an
account　of　the　exhausted　condition　of　the