napoleon bonaparte, v4-第15章

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encountered　in　her　flight。　　Her　head　was　covered　with　a　helmet　of
polished　steel；　above　which　waved　a　magnificent　plume；　her　cuirass
glittered　with　gold　and　silver；　while　a　tunic　of　silver　cloth　completed
her　costume　and　fell　to　her　feet；　which　were　shod　in　red　boots　with　gold
spurs。　　This　dress　heightened　the　charms　of　the　beautiful　queen。

When　the　Prussian　army　was　put　to　flight；　the　queen　was　left　alone　with
three　or　four　young　men　of　Berlin；　who　defended　her　until　two　hussars；
who　had　covered　themselves　with　glory　during　the　battle；　rushed　at　a
gallop　with　drawn　sabers　on　this　little　group；　and　they　were　instantly
dispersed。　　Frightened　by　this　sudden　onset；　the　horse　which　her　Majesty
rode　fled　with　all　the　strength　of　his　limbs；　and　well　was　it　for　the
fugitive　queen　that　he　was　swift　as　a　stag；　else　the　two　hussars　would
infallibly　have　made　her　a　prisoner；　for　more　than　once　they　pressed　so
close　that　she　heard　their　rude　speeches　and　coarse　jests；　which　were　of
such　a　nature　as　to　shock　her　ears。

The　queen；　thus　pursued；　had　arrived　in　sight　of　the　gate　of　Weimar；　when
a　strong　detachment　of　Klein's　dragoons　were　perceived　coming　at　full
speed；　the　chief　having　orders　to　capture　the　queen　at　any　cost；　but；　the
instant　she　entered　the　city；　the　gates　swung　to　behind　her；　and　the
hussars　and　the　detachment　of　dragoons　returned　disappointed　to　the
battle…field。

The　particulars　of　this　singular　pursuit　soon　reached　the　Emperor's　ears；
and　he　summoned　the　hussars　to　his　presence；　and　having　in　strong　terms
testified　his　disapproval　of　the　improper　jests　that　they　had　dared　to
make　regarding　the　queen；　at　a　time　when　her　misfortunes　should　have
increased　the　respect　due　both　to　her　rank　and　her　sex；　the　Emperor　then
performed　the　duty　of　rewarding　these　two　brave　fellows　for　the　manner　in
which　they　had　borne　themselves　on　the　field　of　battle。　　Knowing　that
they　had　dons　prodigies　of　valor；　his　Majesty　gave　them　the　cross；　and
ordered　three　hundred　francs　to　be　given　each　one　as　gratuity。

The　Emperor　exercised　his　clemency　toward　the　Duke　of　Weimar；　who　had
commanded　a　Prussian　division。　　The　day　after　the　battle　of　Jena；　his
Majesty；　having　reached　Weimar；　lodged　at　the　ducal　palace；　where　he　was
received　by　the　duchess　regent；　to　whom　he　said；　〃Madame；　I　owe　you
something　for　having　awaited　me；　and　in　appreciation　of　the　confidence
you　have　manifested　in　me；　I　pardon　your　husband。〃

While　we　were　in　the　army　I　slept　in　the　Emperor's　tent；　either　on　a
little　rug；　or　on　the　bearskin　which　he　used　in　his　carriage；　or　when　it
happened　that　I　could　not　make　use　of　these　articles；　I　tried　to　procure
a　bed…of　straw；　and　remember　one　evening　having　rendered　a　great　service
to　the　King　of　Naples；　by　sharing　with　him　the　bundle　of　straw　which　was
to　have　served　as　my　bed。

I　here　give　a　few　details　from　which　the　reader　can　form　an　idea　of　the
manner　in　which　I　passed　the　nights　on　the　campaign。

The　Emperor　slept　on　his　little　iron　bedstead；　and　I　slept　where　I　could。
Hardly　did　I　fall　asleep　before　the　Emperor　called　me；　〃Constant。〃
〃Sire。〃〃See　who　is　on　duty〃　（it　was　the　aides…de…camp　to　whom　he
referred）。〃Sire；　it。　　is　M。〃〃Tell　him　to　come　to　me。〃　　I　then
went　out　of　the　tent　to　summon　the　officer；　and　brought　him　back　with　me。
On　his　entrance　the　Emperor　said　to　him；　〃Report　to　such　a　corps；
commanded　by　such　a　marshal；　you　will　request　him　to　send　such　a　regiment
to　such　a　position；　you　will　ascertain　the　position　of　the　enemy；　then
you　will　return　to　report。〃　　The　aide…de…camp；　having　left　on　horseback
to　execute　these　orders；　I　lay　down　again；　and　the　Emperor　now　seemed　to
be　going　to　sleep；　but；　at　the　end　of　a　few　moments；　I　heard　him　call
again；　〃Constant。〃　〃Sire。〃　〃Have　the　Prince　de　Neuchatel　summoned。
〃I　sent　for　the　prince；　who　came　at　once；　and　during　the　conversation　I
must　remain　at　the　door　of　the　tent；　until　the　prince　wrote　several
orders　and　withdrew。　　These　interruptions　took　place　many　times　during
the　night；　and　at　last　towards　morning　his　Majesty　slept；　when　I　also　had
a　few　moments　of　repose。

When　aides…de…camp　arrived；　bringing　any　news　to　the　Emperor；　I　awoke
him；　by　shaking　him　gently。

〃What　is　it？〃　said　his　Majesty；　waking　with　a　start；　〃what　o'clock　is　it？
Let　him　enter。〃　　The　aide…de…camp　made　his　report；　and　if　it　was
necessary；　his　Majesty　rose　immediately；　and　left　the　tent；　his　toilet
never　occupying　much　time。　　If　a　battle　was　in　contemplation　the　Emperor
scanned　the　sky　and　the　horizon　carefully；　and　often　remarked；　〃We　are
going　to　have　a　beautiful　day。〃

Breakfast　was　prepared　and　served　in　five　minutes；　and　at　the　end　of　a
quarter　of　an　hour　the　cloth　was　removed。　　The　Prince　de　Neuchatel
breakfasted　and　dined　every　day　with　his　Majesty；　and；　in　eight　or　ten
minutes；　the　longest　meal　was　over。　　〃To　horse；〃　then　exclaimed　the
Emperor；　and　set　out；　accompanied　by　the　Prince　de　Neuchatel；　and　an
aide…de…camp　or　two；　with　Roustan；　who　always　carried　a　silver　flask　of
brandy；　which；　however；　the　Emperor　rarely　ever　used。　　His　Majesty　passed
from　one　corps　to　the　other；　spoke　to　the　officers　and　soldiers；
questioned　them；　and　saw　with　his　own　eyes　all　that　it　was　possible　to
see。

If　a　battle　was　on　hand；　dinner　was　forgotten；　and　the　Emperor　ate　only
after　his　return；　but；　if　the　engagement　lasted　too　long；　there　was
carried　to　him；　without　his　ordering　it；　a　crust　of　bread　and　a　little
wine。

M。　Colin；　chief　of　the　culinary　department；　many　times　braved　the　cannon
to　carry　a　light　repast　to　the　Emperor。

At　the　close　of　the　combat；　his　Majesty　never　failed　to　visit　the　battle…
field；　where　he　had　aid　given　the　wounded；　and　encouraged　them　with
cheering　words。

The　Emperor　sometimes　returned　overcome　by　fatigue；　he　then　took　a　light
repast；　and　lay　down　again　to　begin　his　interrupted　sleep。

It　was　remarkable；　that；　each　time　that　unexpected　circumstances　forced
the　aides…de…camp　to　have　the　Emperor　waked；　he　was　as　ready　for　work　as
he　would　have　been　at　the　beginning　or　in　the　middle　of　the　day；　and　his
awaking　was　as　amiable　as　his　manner　was　pleasant。　　The　report　of　an
aide…de…camp　being　finished；　Napoleon　went　to　sleep　again　as　easily　as　if
his　sleep　had　not　been　interrupted。

During　the　three　or　four　hours　preceding　an　engagement；　the　Emperor　spent
most　of　the　time　with　large　maps　spread　out　before　him；　the　places　on
which　he　marked　with　pins　with　heads　of　different　colored　wax。

I　have　already　said　that　all　the　persons　of　the　Emperor's　household
emulated　each　other　in　seeking　the　surest　and　promptest　means　of　carrying
out　his　wishes；　and　everywhere；　whether　in　traveling　or　on　the　campaign；
his　table；　his　coffee；　his　bed；　or　even　his　bath　could　be　prepared　in
five　minutes。　　How　many　times　were　we　obliged　to　remove；　in　still　less
time；　corpses　of　men　and　horses；　to　set　up　his　Majesty's　tent。

In　one　of　the　campaigns　beyond　the　Rhine　we　were　delayed　in　a　poor
village；　and；　in　order　to　prepare　the　Emperor's　lodging；　were　obliged　to
use　a　peasant's　hut；　which　had　served　as　a　field　hospital；　and　we　began
preparations　by　carrying　away　the　dismembered　limbs；　and　washing　up　the
stains　of　blood；　this　labor　being　finished；　and　everything　almost　in
order；　in　less　than…half　an　hour。

The　Emperor；　sometimes　slept　a　quarter　or　half　an　hour　on　the　field　of
battle　when　he　was　fatigued；　or　wished　to　await　more　patiently　the　result
of　the　orders　he　had　given。

While　on　the　road　to　Potsdam；　we　were　overtaken　by　a　violent　storm；　which
became　so　severe；　and　the　rain　so　heavy；　that　we　were　obliged　to　stop　and
take　refuge　in　a　neighboring　house　on　the　road。　　Well　wrapped　in　his　gray
overcoat；　and　not　thinking　that　he　could　be　recognized；　the　Emperor　was
much　surprised　to　see；　as　he　entered　the　house；　a　young　woman　who　seemed
to　tremble　at　his　presence。　　He　ascertained　that　she　was　an　Egyptian；　who
had　retained　for　my　master　the　religious　veneration　which　all　the　Arabs
bore　him；　and　was　the　widow　of　an　officer　of　the　army　of　Egypt；　whom
chance　had　led　to　the　same　house　in　Saxony　where　he　had　been　welcomed。
The　Emperor　granted　her　a　pension　of　twelve　hundred　francs；　and　took　upon
himself　the　education　of　her　son；　the　only　legacy　left　her　by　her
husband。　　〃This　is　the　first　time；〃　said　Napoleon；　that　I　have　alighted
to　avoid　a　storm；　I　had　a　presentiment　that　an　opportunity　of　doing　good
awaited　me　here。〃

The　loss　of　the　battle　of　Jena　had　struck　the　Prussians　with　such　terror；
and　the　court　had　fled　with　such　precipitation；　that　everything　had　been
left　in　the　royal　residences；　and；　consequently；　on　his　arrival　at
Potsdam；　the　Emperor　found　there　the　sword　of　the　great　Frederick；　his
gorget；　the　grand　cordon　of　his　order；　and　his　alarm…clock；　and　had　them
carried　to　Paris；　to　be　preserved　at　the　Hotel　des　Invalides。　　〃I　prefer
these　trophies；〃　said　his　Majesty；　〃to　all　the　treasures　of　the　King　of
Prussia；　I　will　send　them　to　my　old　soldiers　of　the　campaign　of　Hanover；
who　will　guard　them　as　a　trophy　of　the　victories　of　the　grand　army；　and
of　the　revenge　that　it　has　taken　for　the　disaster　of　Rosbach。〃　　The
Emperor　the　same　day　ordered　the　removal　to　his　capital　of　the　column
raised　by　the　great　Frederick　to　perpetuate　the　remembrance　of　the　defeat
of　the　French　at　Rosbach。＇At　Rosbach；　November；　1757；　the　French；　under
Prince　de　Soubise；　had　been　shamefully　defeated　by　Frederick　the　Great＇
He　might　have　contented　himself　with　changing　the　inscription。

Napoleon　remained　at　the　chateau　of　Charlottenburg；　where　he　had
established　his　headquarters；　until　the　regiments　of　the　guard　had
arrived　from　all　points；　and　as　soon　as　they　were　assembled；　orders　were
given　to　put　themselves　in　full　uniform；　which　was　done　in　the　little
wood　before　the　town。　　The　Emperor　made　his　entry　into　the　capital　of
Prussia　between　ten　and　eleven　o'clock　in　the　morning；　surrounded　by　his
aides…de…camp；　and　the　officers　of　his　staff；　all　the　regiments　filing
before　him　in　the　most　perfect　order；　drums　and　music　at　their　head；　and
the　fine　appearance　of　the　troops　excited　the　admiration　of　the
Prussians。

Having　entered　Berlin　in　the　suite　of　the　Emperor；　we　arrived　at　the　town
square；　in　the　midst　of　which　a　bust　of　the　great　Frederick　had　been
placed。　　The　name　of　this　monarch　is　so　popular　at　Berlin；　and；　in　fact；
throughout　all　Prussia；　that　on　many　occasions；　when　any　one　by　chance
pronounced　it；　either　in　a　caf？or　in　any　other　public　place；　or　even　in
private　assemblies；　I　have　seen　every　one　present　rise；　and　lift　his　hat
with　an　air　of　the　most　profound　respect　and　genuine　adoration。

When　the　Emperor　arrived　in　front　of　the　bust；　he　described　a　semicircle
at　a　gallop；　followed　by　his　staff；　and　lowering　the　point　of　his　sword；
while　uncovering　his　head；　was　the　first　to　salute　the　image　of　Frederick
II。　　His　staff　followed　his　example；　and　all　the　general　and　other
officers　who　composed　it　ranged　themselves　in　a　semicircle　around　the
bust；　with　the　Emperor　in　the　center。　　His　Majesty　gave　orders　that　each
regiment　should　present　arms　in　defiling　before　the　bust；　which　maneuver
was　not　to　the　taste　of　some　grumblers　of　the　first　regiment　of　the
Guard；　who；　wi