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！
little boy； who I dare say does not recollect me； but who
nevertheless played with my sword…knot and the tassels of my
Hessian boots during the whole of our interview with his Imperial
Majesty。
Our names were read out （in a pretty accent； by the way！） by
General Montholon； and the Emperor； as each was pronounced； made a
bow to the owner of it； but did not vouchsafe a word。 At last
Montholon came to mine。 The Emperor looked me at once in the face；
took his hands out of his pockets； put them behind his back； and
coming up to me smiling； pronounced the following words：
〃Assaye； Delhi； Deeg； Futtyghur？〃
I blushed； and taking off my hat with a bow； said〃Sire； c'est
moi。〃
〃Parbleu！ je le savais bien；〃 said the Emperor； holding out his
snuff…box。 〃En usez…vous； Major？〃 I took a large pinch （which；
with the honor of speaking to so great a man； brought the tears
into my eyes）； and he continued as nearly as possible in the
following words：
〃Sir； you are known； you come of an heroic nation。 Your third
brother； the Chef de Bataillon； Count Godfrey Gahagan； was in my
Irish brigade。〃
Gahagan。〃Sire； it is true。 He and my countrymen in your
Majesty's service stood under the green flag in the breach of
Burgos； and beat Wellington back。 It was the only time； as your
Majesty knows； that Irishmen and Englishmen were beaten in that
war。〃
Napoleon （looking as if he would say； 〃D… your candor； Major
Gahagan〃）。〃Well； well； it was so。 Your brother was a Count； and
died a General in my service。〃
Gahagan。〃He was found lying upon the bodies of nine…and…twenty
Cossacks at Borodino。 They were all dead； and bore the Gahagan
mark。〃
Napoleon （to Montholon）。〃C'est vrai； Montholon： je vous donne ma
parole d'honneur la plus sacree； que c'est vrai。 Ils ne sont pas
d'autres； ces terribles Ga'gans。 You must know that Monsieur
gained the battle of Delhi as certainly as I did that of Austerlitz。
In this way：Ce belitre de Lor Lake； after calling up his cavalry；
and placing them in front of Holkar's batteries； qui balayaient la
plaine； was for charging the enemy's batteries with his horse； who
would have been ecrases； mitrailles； foudroyes to a man but for the
cunning of ce grand rogue que vous voyez。〃
Montholon。〃Coquin de Major； va！〃
Napoleon。〃Montholon！ tais…toi。 When Lord Lake； with his great
bull…headed English obstinacy； saw the facheuse position into which
he had brought his troops； he was for dying on the spot； and would
infallibly have done soand the loss of his army would have been
the ruin of the East India Companyand the ruin of the English
East India Company would have established my empire （bah！ it was a
republic then！） in the Eastbut that the man before us； Lieutenant
Goliah Gahagan； was riding at the side of General Lake。〃
Montholon （with an accent of despair and fury）。〃Gredin！ cent
mille tonnerres de Dieu！〃
Napoleon （benignantly）。〃Calme…toi； mon fidele ami。 What will
you？ It was fate。 Gahagan； at the critical period of the battle；
or rather slaughter （for the English had not slain a man of the
enemy）； advised a retreat。〃
Montholon。 〃Le lache！ Un Francais meurt； mais il ne recule
jamais。〃
Napoleon。〃STUPIDE！ Don't you see WHY the retreat was ordered？
don't you know that it was a feint on the part of Gahagan to draw
Holkar from his impregnable intrenchments？ Don't you know that the
ignorant Indian fell into the snare； and issuing from behind the
cover of his guns； came down with his cavalry on the plains in
pursuit of Lake and his dragoons？ Then it was that the Englishmen
turned upon him； the hardy children of the north swept down his
feeble horsemen； bore them back to their guns； which were useless；
entered Holkar's intrenchments along with his troops； sabred the
artillerymen at their pieces； and won the battle of Delhi！〃
As the Emperor spoke； his pale cheek glowed red； his eye flashed
fire； his deep clear voice rung as of old when he pointed out the
enemy from beneath the shadow of the Pyramids； or rallied his
regiments to the charge upon the death…strewn plain of Wagram。 I
have had many a proud moment in my life； but never such a proud one
as this； and I would readily pardon the word 〃coward；〃 as applied
to me by Montholon； in consideration of the testimony which his
master bore in my favor。
〃Major；〃 said the Emperor to me in conclusion； 〃why had I not such
a man as you in my service？ I would have made you a Prince and a
Marshal！〃 and here he fell into a reverie； of which I knew and
respected the purport。 He was thinking； doubtless； that I might
have retrieved his fortunes； and indeed I have very little doubt
that I might。
Very soon after； coffee was brought by Monsieur Marchand；
Napoleon's valet…de…chambre； and after partaking of that beverage；
and talking upon the politics of the day； the Emperor withdrew；
leaving me deeply impressed by the condescension he had shown in
this remarkable interview。
CHAPTER III。
A PEEP INTO SPAINACCOUNT OF THE ORIGIN AND SERVICES OF THE
AHMEDNUGGAR IRREGULARS。
HEAD QUARTERS； MORELLA； Sept。 16； 1838。
I have been here for some months； along with my young friend
Cabrera： and in the hurry and bustle of wardaily on guard and in
the batteries for sixteen hours out of the twenty…four； with
fourteen severe wounds and seven musket…balls in my bodyit may be
imagined that I have had little time to think about the publication
of my memoirs。 Inter arma silent legesin the midst of fighting
be hanged to writing！ as the poet says； and I never would have
bothered myself with a pen； had not common gratitude incited me to
throw off a few pages。
Along with Oraa's troops； who have of late been beleaguering this
place； there was a young Milesian gentleman； Mr。 Toone O'Connor
Emmett Fitzgerald Sheeny； by name； a law student； and member of
Gray's Inn； and what be called Bay Ah of Trinity College； Dublin。
Mr。 Sheeny was with the Queen's people； not in a military capacity；
but as representative of an English journal； to which； for a
trifling weekly remuneration； he was in the habit of transmitting
accounts of the movements of the belligerents； and his own opinion
of the politics of Spain。 Receiving； for the discharge of his
duty； a couple of guineas a week from the proprietors of the
journal in question； he was enabled； as I need scarcely say； to
make such a show in Oraa's camp as only a Christino general
officer； or at the very least a colonel of a regiment； can afford
to keep up。
In the famous sortie which we made upon the twenty…third； I was of
course among the foremost in the melee； and found myself； after a
good deal of slaughtering （which it would be as disagreeable as
useless to describe here）； in the court of a small inn or podesta；
which had been made the head…quarters of several Queenite officers
during the siege。 The pesatero or landlord of the inn had been
despatched by my brave chapel…churies； with his fine family of
childrenthe officers quartered in the podesta had of course
bolted； but one man remained； and my fellows were on the point of
cutting him into ten thousand pieces with their borachios； when I
arrived in the room time enough to prevent the catastrophe。 Seeing
before me an individual in the costume of a civiliana white hat；
a light blue satin cravat； embroidered with butterflies and other
quadrupeds； a green coat and brass buttons； and a pair of blue
plaid trousers； I recognized at once a countryman； and interposed
to save his life。
In an agonized brogue the unhappy young man was saying all that he
could to induce the chapel…churies to give up their intention of
slaughtering him； but it is very little likely that his
protestations would have had any effect upon them； had not I
appeared in the room； and shouted to the ruffians to hold their
hand。
Seeing a general officer before them （I have the honor to hold that
rank in the service of his Catholic Majesty）； and moreover one six
feet four in height； and armed with that terrible cabecilla （a
sword so called； because it is five feet long） which is so well
known among the Spanish armiesseeing； I say； this figure； the
fellows retired； exclaiming； 〃Adios； corpo di bacco； nosotros；〃 and
so on； clearly proving （by their words） that they would； if they
dared； have immolated the victim whom I had thus rescued from their
fury。 〃Villains！〃 shouted I； hearing them grumble； 〃away！ quit the
apartment！〃 Each man； sulkily sheathing his sombrero； obeyed； and
quitted the camarilla。
It was then that Mr。 Sheeny detailed to me the particulars to which
I have briefly adverted； and； informing me at the same time that he
had a family in England who would feel obliged to me for his
release； and that his most intimate friend the English ambassador
would move heaven and earth to revenge his fall； he directed my
attention