napoleon bonaparte, v2-第10章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



One　day；　having　especially　noticed　the　excellent　bearing　of　the　Thirty…
sixth　and　Fifty…seventh　regiments　of　the　line；　and　Tenth　of　light
infantry；　he　made　all　the　officers；　from　corporal　to　colonel；　come
forward；　and；　placing　himself　in　their　midst；　evinced　his　satisfaction　by
recalling　to　them　occasions　when；　in　the　past　under　the　fire　of　cannon；
he　had　remarked　the　bearing　of　these　three　brave；　regiments。　　He
complimented　the　sub…officers　on　the　good　drilling　of　the　soldiers；　and
the　captains　and　chiefs　of　battalion　on　the　harmony　and　precision　of
their　evolutions。　　In　fine；　each　had　his　share　of　praise。

This　flattering　distinction　did　not　excite　the　jealousy　of　the　other
corps　of　the　army；　for　each　regiment　had　on　that　day　its　own　share　of
compliments；　whether　small　or　great；　and　when　the　review　was　over；　they
went　quietly　back　to　their　quarters。　　But　the　soldiers　of　the　Thirty…
sixth；　Fifty…seventh；　and　Tenth；　much　elated　by　having　been　so　specially
favored；　went　in　the　afternoon　to　drink　to　their　triumph　in　a　public
house　frequented　by　the　grenadiers　of　the　cavalry　of　the　Guard。　　They
began　to　drink　quietly；　speaking　of　campaigns；　of　cities　taken；　of　the
First　Consul；　and　finally　of　that　morning's　review。　　It　then　occurred　to
the　young　men　of　Boulogne；　who　were　among　the　drinkers；　to　sing　couplets
of　very　recent　composition；　in　which　were　extolled　to　the　clouds　the
bravery　and　the　exploits　of　the　three　regiments；　without　one　word　of
praise　for　the　rest　of　the　army；　not　even　for　the　Guard；　and　it　was　in
the　favorite　resort　of　the　grenadiers　of　the　Guard　that　these　couplets
were　sung！　　These　latter　maintained　at　first　a　gloomy　silence；　but　soon
finding　it　unendurable；　they　protested　loudly　against　these　couplets；
which　they　said　were　detestable。　　The　quarrel　became　very　bitter；　they
shouted；　heaped　insults　on　each　other；　taking　care　not　to　make　too　much
noise；　however；　and　appointed　a　meeting　for　the　next　day；　at　four　o'clock
in　the　morning；　in　the　suburbs　of　Marquise；　a　little　village　about　two
leagues　from　Boulogne。　　It　was　very　late　in　the　evening　when　these
soldiers　left　the　public　house。

More　than　two　hundred　grenadiers　of　the　Guard　went　separately　to　the
place　of　meeting；　and　found　the　ground　occupied　by　an　almost　equal　number
of　their　adversaries　of　the　Thirty…sixth；　Fifty…seventh；　and　Tenth。
Wasting　no　time　in　explanations；　hardly　a　sound　being　heard；　each　soldier
drew　his　sword；　and　for　more　than　an　hour　they　fought　in　a　cool；
deliberate　manner　which　was　frightful　to　behold。　　A　man　named　Martin；
grenadier　of　the　Guard；　and　of　gigantic　stature；　killed　with　his　own　hand
seven　or　eight　soldiers　of　the　Tenth。　　They　would　probably　have　continued
till　all　were　massacred　if　General　Saint…Hilaire；　　informed　too　late　of
this　bloody　quarrel；　had　not　sent　out　in　all　haste　a　regiment　of　cavalry；
who　put　an　end　to　the　combat。　　The　grenadiers　had　lost　two　men；　and　the
soldiers　of　the　line　thirteen；　with　a　large　number　of　wounded　on　both
sides。

The　First　Consul　visited　the　camp　next　day；　and　had　brought　before　him
those　who　had　caused　this　terrible　scene；　and　said　to　them　in　a　severe
tone：　〃I　know　why　you　fought　each　other；　many　brave　men　have　fallen　in　a
struggle　unworthy　of　them　and　of　you。　　You　shall　be　punished。　　I　have
given　orders　that　the　verses　which　have　been　the　cause　of　so　much　trouble
shall　be　printed。　　I　hope　that；　in　learning　your　punishment；　the　ladies
of　Boulogne　will　know　that　you　have　deserved　the　blame　of　your　comrades
in　arms。〃

However；　the　troops；　and　above　all　the　officers；　began　to　grow　weary　of
their　sojourn　at　Boulogne；　a　town　less　likely；　perhaps；　than　any　other　to
render　such　an　inactive　existence　endurable。　　They　did　not　murmur；
however；　because　never　where　the　First　Consul　was　did　murmuring　find　a
place；　but　they　fumed　nevertheless　under　their　breath　at　seeing
themselves　held　in　camp　or　in　fort；　with　England　just　in　sight；　only　nine
or　ten　leagues　distant。　　Pleasures　were　rare　at　Boulogne；　the　women；
generally　pretty；　but　extremely　timid；　did　not　dare　to　hold　receptions　at
their　own　houses；　for　fear　of　displeasing　their　husbands；　very　jealous
men；　as　are　all　those　of　Picardy。　　There　was；　however；　a　handsome　hall　in
which　balls　and　soirees　could　easily　have　been　given；　but；　although　very
anxious　to　do　this；　these　ladies　dared　not　make　use　of　it。　　At　last　a
considerable　number　of　Parisian　beauties；　touched　by　the　sad　fate　of　so
many　brave　and　handsome　officers；　came　to　Boulogne　to　charm　away　the
ennui　of　so　long　a　peace。　　The　example　of　the　Parisian　women　piqued　those
of　Abbeville；　Dunkirk；　Amiens；　and　soon　Boulogne　was　filled　with
strangers；　male　and　female；　who　came　to　do　the　honors　of　the　city。　　Among
all　these　ladies　the　one　most　conspicuous　for　style；　intellect；　and
beauty　was　a　Dunkirk　lady；　named　Madame　F；　an　excellent　musician；
full　of　gayety；　grace；　and　youth；　it　was　impossible　for　Madame　Fnot
to　turn　many　heads。　　Colonel　Joseph；　　brother　of　the　First　Consul；
General　Soult；　who　was　afterwards　Marshal；　Generals　Saint…Hilaire　and
Andre　Ossy；　and　a　few　other　great　personages；　were　at　her　feet；　though
two　alone；　it　is　said；　succeeded　in　gaining　her　affections；　and　of　those
two；　one　was　Colonel　Joseph；　who　soon　had　the　reputation　of　being　the
preferred　lover　of　Madame　F。　　The　beautiful　lady　from　Dunkirk　often
gave　soirees；　at　which　Colonel　Joseph　never　failed　to　be　present。　　Among
all　his　rivals；　and　certainly　they　were　very　numerous；　one　alone　bore　him
ill…will；　this　was　the　general…in…chief；　Soult。　　This　rivalry　did　no
injury　to　the　interests　of　Madame　F；　but　like　a　skillful　tactician；
she　adroitly　provoked　the　jealousy　of　her　two　suitors；　while　accepting
from　each　of　them　compliments；　bouquets；　and　more　than　that　sometimes。

The　First　Consul；　informed　of　the　amours　of　his　brother；　concluded　one
evening　to　go　and　make　himself　merry　in　the　little　salon　of　Madame　F；
who　was　very　plainly　domesticated　in　a　room　on　the　first　floor　in　the
house　of　a　joiner；　in　the　Rue　des　Minimes。　　In　order　not　to　be
recognized；　he　was　dressed　as　a　citizen；　and　wore　a　wig　and　spectacles。
He　took　into　his　confidence　General　Bertrand；　who　was　already　in　great
favor　with　him；　and　who　did　all　in　his　power　to　render　his　disguise
complete。

Thus　disguised；　the　First　Consul　and　his　companion　presented　themselves
at　Madame　F's；　and　asked　for　Monsieur　the　Superintendent　Arcambal。
The　most　perfect　incognito　was　impressed　on　Arcambal　by　the　First　Consul；
who　would　not　for　all　the　world　have　been　recognized；　and　M。　Arcambal
promising　to　keep　the　secret；　the　two　visitors　were　announced　under　the
title　of　commissaries　of　war。

They　were　playing　bouillotte；　gold　covered　the　tables；　and　the　game　and
punch　absorbed　the　attention　of　the　happy　inmates　to　such　a　degree；　that
none　of　them　took　note　of　the　persons　who　had　just　entered。　　As　for　the
mistress　of　the　lodging；　she　had　never　seen　the　First　Consul　except　at　a
distance；　nor　General　Bertrand；　consequently；　there　was　nothing　to　be
feared　from　her。　　I　myself　think　that　Colonel　Joseph　recognized　his
brother；　but　he　gave　no　evidence　of　this。

The　First　Consul；　avoiding　as　best　he　could　all　glances；　spied　those　of
his　brother　and　of　Madame　F。　　Thinking　signals　were　passing　between
them；　he　was　preparing　to　quit　the　salon　of　the　pretty　Dunkirkess；　when
she；　very　anxious　that　the　number　of　her　guests　should　not　yet　be
diminished；　ran　to　the　two　false　commissaries　of　war；　and　detained　them
gracefully；　saying　that　all　were　going　to　play　forfeits；　and　they　must
not　go　away　without　having　given　pledges。　　The　First　Consul　having　first
consulted　General　Bertrand　by　a　glance；　found　it　agreeable　to　remain　and
play　those　innocent　games。

Indeed；　at　the　end　of　a　few　moments；　at　the　request　of　Madame　F；　the
players　deserted　the　bouillotte；　and　placed　themselves　in　a　circle　around
her。　　They　began　by　dancing　the　Boulangere；　then　the　young　innocents　kept
the　ball　in　motion。　　The　turn　of　the　First　Consul　came　to　give　a　forfeit。
He　was　at　first　very　much　embarrassed；　having　with　him　only　a　piece　of
paper；　on　which　he　had　written　the　names　of　a　few　colonels；　he　gave；
however；　this　paper　to　Madame　F；　begging　her　not　to　open　it。

The　wish　of　the　First　Consul　was　respected；　and　the　paper　remained　folded
on　the　lap　of　the　beautiful　woman　until　the　time　came　to　redeem　the
forfeits。　　Then　the　queer　penalty　was　imposed　on　the　great　captain　of
making　him　doorkeeper；　while　Madame　F；　with　Colonel　Joseph；　made　the
'voyage　a　Cythere'　in　a　neighboring　room。　　The　First　Consul　acquitted
himself　with　a　good　grace　of　the　role　given　him；　and　after　the　forfeits
had　been　redeemed；　made　a　sign　to　General　Bertrand　to　follow　him；　and
they　went　out。　　The　joiner　who　lived　on　the　ground　floor　soon　came　up　to
bring　a　little　note　to　Madame　F。

This　was　the　note：

　　　　　I　thank　you；　Madame；　for　the　kind　welcome　you　have　given　me。　　If　you
　　　　　will　come　some　day　to　my　barracks；　I　will　act　as　doorkeeper；　if　it
　　　　　seems　good　to　you；　but　on　that　occasion　I　will　resign　to　no；　other
　　　　　the　pleasure　of　accompanying　you　in　the　'voyage　a　Cythre'。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（Signed）　　　BONAPARTE


The　pretty　woman　did　not　read　the　note　aloud；　neither　did　she　allow　the
givers　of　forfeits　to　remain　in　ignorance　that　she　had　received　a　visit
from　the　First　Consul。　　At　the　end　of　an　hour　the　company　dispersed；　and
Madame　F　remained　alone；　reflecting　on　the　visit　and　the　note　of　the
great　man。

It　was　during　this　same　visit　that　there　occurred　a　terrible　combat　in
the　roadstead　of　Boulogne　to　secure　the　entrance　into　the　port　of　a
flotilla　composed　of　twenty　or　thirty　vessels；　which　came　from　Ostend；
from　Dunkirk；　and　from　Nieuport；　loaded　with　arms　for　the　national　fleet。

A　magnificent　frigate；　carrying　thirty…six　pounders；　a　cutter；　and　a
brig；　detached　themselves　from　the　English　fleet；　in　order　to　intercept
the　route　of　the　Dutch　flotilla；　but　they　were　received　in　a　manner　which
took　away　all　desire　to　return。

The　port　of　Boulogne　was　defended　by　five　forts；　the　Fort　de　la　Creche；
the　Fort　en　Bois；　Fort　Musoir；　Castle　Croi；　and　the　Castle　d'Ordre；　all
fortified　with　large　numbers　of　cannon　and　howitzers。　　The　line　of
vessels　which　barred　the　entrance　was　composed　of　two　hundred　and　fifty
gunboats　and　other　vessels；　the　division　of　imperial　gunboats　formed　a
part　of　this。

Each　sloop　bore　three　pieces　of　cannon；　twenty…four　pounders；two　pieces
for　pursuit；　and　one　for　retreat；　and　five　hundred　mouths　of　fire　were
thus　opened　on　the　enemy；　independently　of　all　the　batteries　of　the
forts；　every　cannon　being　fired　more　than　three　times　a　minute。

The　combat　began　at　one　o'clock　in　the　afternoon。　　The　weather　was
beautiful。　　At　the　first　report　of　the　cannon　the　First　Consul　left　the
headquarters　at　the　Pont　de　Brique；　and　came　at　a　gallop；　followed　by　his
staff；　to　give　orders　to　Admiral　Bruix；　but　soon　wishing　to　examine　for
himself　the　operations　of　the　defense；　and　to　share　in　directing　them；　he
threw　himself；　followed　by　the　admiral　and　a　few　officers；　into　a　launch
which　was　rowed　by　sailors　of　the　Guard。　　Thus　the　First　Consul　was　borne
into　the　midst　of　the　vessels　whi