napoleon bonaparte, v10-第7章

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have　been　very　complicated　intrigues　which　had　thus　led　to　the　rupture　of
all　their　treaties　of　friendship。　　〃Sovereigns　are　most　unfortunate；〃
said　his　Majesty；　〃always　deceived；　always　surrounded　by　flatterers　or
treacherous　counselors；　whose　greatest　desire　is　to　prevent　the　truth
from　reaching　the　ears　of　their　masters；　who　have　so　much　interest　in
knowing　it。〃

The　two　sovereigns　next　spoke　of　the　Emperor　of　Austria。　　His　Majesty
appeared　profoundly　grieved　that　his　union　with　the　Archduchess　Marie
Louise；　whom　he　did　all　in　his　power　to　render　the　happiest　of　women；
should　have　failed　in　producing　the　result　he　had　anticipated；　of
obtaining　for　him　the　confidence　and　friendship　of　her　father。　　〃It　is
perhaps　because　I　was　not　born　a　sovereign；〃　said　the　Emperor；　〃and
nevertheless；　I　should　think　that　this　would　be　an　additional　inducement
to　the　friendship　of　my　father…in…law。　　I　shall　never　be　convinced　that
such　ties　are　not　strong　enough　to　obtain　the　alliance　of　the　Emperor　of
Austria；　for；　in　fact；　I　am　his　son…in…law；　my　son　is　his　grandson；　he
loves　his　daughter；　and　she　is　happy；　how；　then；　can　he　be　my　enemy？〃

On　learning　of　the　victory　of　Lutzen；and　the　entrance　of　the　Emperor　into
Dresden；　the　Emperor　of　Austria　hastened　to　send　M。　de　Bubna　to　his　son…
in…law。　　He　arrived　on　the　evening　of　the　16th；　and　the　interview；　which
his　Majesty　immediately　granted；　lasted　until　two　hours　after　midnight。
This　led　us　to　hope　that　peace　was　about　to　be　concluded；　and　we
consequently　formed　a　thousand　conjectures；　each　more　encouraging　than
the　other；　but　when　two　or　three　days　had　passed　away；　and　we　still
witnessed　only　preparations　for　war；　we　saw　that　our　hopes　were　cruelly
deceived。　　Then　it　was　I　heard　the　unfortunate　Marshal　Duroc　exclaim；
〃This　is　lasting　too　long！　　We　will　none　of　us　outlive　it！〃　　He　had　a
presentiment　of　his　own　death。

During　the　whole　of　this　campaign　the　Emperor　had　not　a　moment　of　repose。
The　days　passed　away　in　combats　or　marches；　always　on　horseback；　the
nights　in　labors　in　the　cabinet。　　I　never　comprehended　how　his　body　could
endure　such　fatigue；　and　yet　he　enjoyed　almost　continuously　the　most
perfect　health。　　The　evening　before　the　battle　of　Bautzen　he　retired　very
late；　after　visiting　all　the　military　posts；　and；　having　given　all
necessary　orders；　slept　profoundly。　　Early　next　morning；　the　20th　of　May；
movements　began；　and　we　awaited　at　headquarters　with　eager　impatience　the
results　of　this　day。　　But　the　battle　was　not　over　even　then；　and　after　a
succession　of　encounters；　always　ending　in　our　favor；　although　hotly
contested；　the　Emperor；　at　nine　o'clock　in　the　evening；　returned　to
headquarters；　took　a　light　repast；　and　remained　with　Prince　Berthier
until　midnight。　　The　remainder　of　the　night　was　passed　in　work；　and　at
five　o'clock　in　the　morning　he　was　on　his　feet　and　ready　to　return　to　the
combat。　　Three　or　four　hours　after　his　arrival　on　the　battlefield　the
Emperor　was　overcome　by　an　irresistible　desire　for　sleep；　and；　foreseeing
the　issue　of　the　day；　slept　on　the　side　of　a　ravine；　in　the　midst　of　the
batteries　of　the　Duke　of　Ragusa；　until　he　was　awaked　with　the　information
that　the　battle　was　gained。

This　fact；　which　was　related　to　me　in　the　evening；　did　not　astonish　me　in
the　least；　for　I　have　already　remarked　that　when　he　was　compelled　to
yield　to　the　necessity　of　sleep；　that　imperious　want　of　nature；　the
Emperor　took　the　repose　which　was　so　necessary　to　him　when　and　where　he
could；　like　a　true　soldier。

Although　the　result　was　decided；　the　battle　was　continued　until　five
o'clock　in　the　evening。　　At　six　o'clock　the　Emperor　had　his　tent　erected
near　a　solitary　inn；　which　had　served　as　headquarters　for　the　Emperor
Alexander　during　the　two　preceding　days。　　I　received　orders　to　attend　him
there；　and　did　so　with　all　speed；　but　his　Majesty；　nevertheless；　passed
the　whole　night　receiving　and　congratulating　the　chief　generals；　and
working　with　his　secretaries。

All　the　wounded　who　were　able　to　march　were　already　on　the　road　to
Dresden；　where　all　necessary　help　awaited　them。　　But　on　the　field　of
battle　were　stretched　more　than　ten　thousand　men；　Frenchmen；　Russians；
Prussians；　etc。；hardly　able　to　breathe；　mutilated；　and　in　a　most
pitiable　condition。　　The　unremitting　labors　of　the　kind　and　indefatigable
Baron　Larrey　and　the　multitude　of　surgeons　encouraged　by　his　heroic
example　did　not　suffice　even　to　dress　their　wounds。　　And　what　means　could
be　found　to　remove　the　wounded　in　this　desolate　country；　where　all　the
villages　had　been　sacked　and　burned；　and　where　it　was　no　longer　possible
to　find　either　horses　or　conveyances？　　Must　they　then　let　all　these　men
perish　after　most　horrible　sufferings；　for　lack　of　means　to　convey　them
to　Dresden？

It　was　then　that　this　population　of　Saxon　villagers；　who　it　might　have
been　thought　must　be　embittered　by　the　horrors　of　war；in　seeing　their
dwellings　burned；　their　fields　ravaged；furnished　to　the　army　an　example
of　the　sublime　sentiments　which　pity　can　inspire　in　the　heart　of　man。
They　perceived　the　cruel　anxiety　which　M。　Larrey　and　his　companions
suffered　concerning　the　fate　of　so　many　unfortunate　wounded；　and
immediately　men；　women；　children；　and　even　old　men；　hastily　brought
wheelbarrows。　　The　wounded　were　lifted；　and　placed　on　these　frail
conveyances。　　Two　or　three　persons　accompanied　each　wheelbarrow　all　the
way　to　Dresden；　halting　if　by　a　cry　or　gesture　even；　the　wounded
indicated　a　desire　to　rest；　stopping　to　replace　the　bandages　which　the
motion　had　displaced；　or　near　a　spring　to　give　them　water　to　allay　the
fever　which　devoured　them。　　I　have　never　seen　a　more　touching　sight。

Baron　Larrey　had　an　animated　discussion　with　the　Emperor。　　Among　the
wounded；　there　were　found　a　large　number　of　young　soldiers　with　two
fingers　of　their　right　hand　torn　off；　and　his　Majesty　thought　that　these
poor　young　fellows　had　done　it　purposely　to　keep　from　serving。　　Having
said　this　to　M。　Larrey；　the　latter　vehemently　exclaimed　that　it　was　an
impossibility；　and　that　such　baseness　was　not　in　keeping　with　the
character　of　these　brave　young　conscripts。　　As　the　Emperor　still
maintained　his　position；　Larrey　at　length　became　so　angry　that　he　went　so
far　as　to　tax　the　Emperor　with　injustice。　　Things　were　in　this　condition
when　it　was　positively　proved　that　these　uniform　wounds　came　from　the
haste　with　which　these　young　soldiers　loaded　and　discharged　their　guns；
not　being　accustomed　to　handling　them。　　Whereupon　his　Majesty　saw　that　M。
de　Larrey　was　right；　and　praised　him　for　his　firmness　in　maintaining　what
he；　knew　to　be　the　truth。　　〃You　are　a　thoroughly　good　man；　M。　de　Larrey；〃
said　the　Emperor。　　〃I　wish　I　could　be　surrounded　only　with　men　like　you；
but　such　men　are　very　rare。〃




CHAPTER　XII。

We　had　now　reached　the　eve　of　the　day　on　which　the　Emperor；　still　deeply
affected　by　the　loss　he　had　sustained　in　the　death　of　the　Duke　of　Istria；
was　to　receive　a　blow　which　he　felt　perhaps　most　keenly　of　all　those
which　struck　deep　into　his　heart　as　he　saw　his　old　companions　in　arms
fall　around　him。　　The　day　following　that　on　which　the　Emperor　had；　with
Baron　Larrey；　the　discussion　which　I　related　at　the　end　of　the　preceding
chapter　was　made　memorable　by　the　irreparable　loss　of　Marshal　Duroc。　　The
Emperor's　heart　was　crushed；　and　indeed　not　one　of　us　failed　to　shed
sincere　tearsso　just　and　good　was　he；　although　grave　and　severe　in　his
manner　towards　persons　whom　the　nature　of　their　duties　brought　into
contact　with　him。　　It　was　a　loss　not　only　to　the　Emperor；　who　possessed
in　him　a　true　friend；　but；　I　dare　to　assert；　also　to　the　whole　of　France。
He　loved　the　Emperor　with　a　passionate　devotion；　and　never　failed　to
bestow　on　him　his　faithful　admonitions；　although　they　were　not　always
heeded。　　The　death　of　Marshal　Duroc　was　an　event　so　grievous　and　so
totally　unexpected；　that　we　remained　for　some　time　uncertain　whether　to
believe　it；　even　when　the　only　too　evident　reality　no　longer　permitted　us
to　remain　under　any　delusion。

These　are　the　circumstances　under　which　this　fatal　event　occurred　which
spread　consternation　throughout　the　army：　The　Emperor　was　pursuing　the
rear　guard　of　the　Russians；　who　continually　eluded　him；　and　had　just
escaped　for　the　tenth　time　since　the　morning；　after　having　killed　and
taken　prisoners　large　numbers　of　our　brave　soldiers；　when　two　or　three
shells　dug　up　the　ground　at　the　Emperor's　feet；　and　caused　him　to
exclaim；　〃What！　after　such　butchery　no　result！　　no　prisoners！　　those　men
there　will　not　leave　me　a　nail。〃　　Hardly　had　he　finished　speaking　when　a
shell　passed；　and　threw　a　chasseur　of　the　cavalry　escort　almost　under　the
legs　of　his　Majesty's　horse。　　〃Ah；　Duroc；〃　added　he；　turning　towards　the
grand　marshal；　〃fortune　protects　us　to…day。〃〃Sire；〃　said　an　aide…
decamp；　rushing；　up　at　a　gallop；　〃General　Bruyeres　has　just　been　killed。〃
〃My　poor　comrade　of　Italy！　　Is　it　possible？　　Ah！　it　is　necessary　to　push
on；　nevertheless。〃　　And　noticing　on　the　left　an　elevation　from　which　he
could　better　observe　what　was　passing；　the　Emperor　started　in　that
direction　amidst　a　cloud　of　dust。　　The　Duke　of　Vicenza；　the　Duke　of
Treviso；　Marshal　Duroc；　and　general　of　engineers　Kirgener　followed　his
Majesty　closely；　but　the　wind　raised　such　a　cloud　of　dust　and　smoke　that
they　could　hardly　see　each　other。　　Suddenly　a　tree　near　which　the　Emperor
passed　was　struck　by　a　shell　and　cut　in　half。　　His　Majesty；　on　reaching
the　plateau；　turned　to　ask　for　his　field…glass；　and　saw　no　one　near　him
except　the　Duke　of　Vicenza。　　Duke　Charles　de　Plaisance　came　up；　his　face
showing　a　mortal　pallor；　leaned　towards　the　grand　equerry；　and　said　a　few
words　in　his　ear。　　〃What　is　it？〃　　vehemently　inquired　the　Emperor；　；what
has　happened？〃〃Sire；〃　said　the　Duke　of　Plaisance；　weeping；　〃the　grand
marshal　is　dead！〃〃Duroc？　　But　you　must　be　mistaken。　　He　was　here　a
moment　ago　by　my　side。〃　　Several　aides…de…camp　arrived；　and　a　page　with
his　Majesty's　field…glass。　　The　fatal　news　was　confirmed；　in　part　at
least。　　The　Grand　Duke　of　Frioul　was　not　yet　dead；　but　the　shell　had
wounded　him　in　the　stomach；　and　all　surgical　aid　would　be　useless。　　The
shell　after　breaking　the　tree　had　glanced；　first　striking　General
Kirgener；　who　was　instantly　killed；　and　then　the　Duke　of　Frioul。
Monsieurs　Yvan　and　Larrey　were　with　the　wounded　marshal；　who　had　been
carried　into　a　house　at　Markersdorf。　　There　was　no　hope　of　saving　him。

The　consternation　of　the　army　and　his　Majesty's　grief　on　this　deplorable
event　were　indescribable。　　He　mechanically　gave　a　few　orders　and　returned
to　camp；　and　when　he　had　reached　the　encampment　of　the　guard；　seated
himself　on　a　bench　in　front　of　his　tent；　with　lowered　head　and　clasped
hands；　and　remained　thus　for　nearly　an　hour　without　uttering　a　word。
Since　it　was　nevertheless　essential　that　orders　should　be　given　for　the
next　day；　General　Drouot　approached；

　　　　　＇Count　Antoine　Drouot；　chief　of　artillery　of　the　guard；　born　at
　　　　　Nancy；　1774；　fought　as　captain　at　Hohenlinden；1800；　distinguished
　　　　　himself　at　Wagram　（1809）　and　Borodino　（1812）；　made　general　of
　　　　　division　at　Bautzen；　1813；　went　to　Elba　as　commander　of　the　guard；
　　　　　and　was　by