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napoleon bonaparte, v4-第13章

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A year later Napoleon also made a visit to the tomb of the great
Frederick。

The taking of Ulm had finished the conquest of the Austrians; and opened
to the Emperor the gates of Vienna: but meanwhile the Russians were
advancing by forced marches to the help of their allies; his Majesty
hastened to meet them; and the 1st of December the two hostile armies
found themselves face to face。  By one of those happy coincidences made
only for the Emperor; the day of the battle of Austerlitz was also the
anniversary of the coronation。

I do not remember why there was no tent for the Emperor at Austerlitz;
but the soldiers made a kind of barrack of limbs of trees; with an
opening in the top for the passage of the smoke。  His Majesty; though he
had only straw for his bed; was so exhausted after having passed the day
on horseback on the heights of Santon; that on the eve of the battle he
was sleeping soundly; when General Savary; one of his aides…de…camp;
entered; to give an account of the mission with which he had been
charged; and the general was obliged to touch his shoulder; and shake
him; in order to rouse him。  He then rose; and mounted his horse to visit
his advance posts。  The night was dark; but the whole camp was lighted up
as if by enchantment; for each soldier put a bundle of straw on the end
of his bayonet; and all these firebrands were kindled in less time than
it takes to describe it。  The Emperor rode along the whole line; speaking
to those soldiers whom he recognized。  〃Be to…morrow what you have always
been; my brave fellows;〃 said he; 〃and the Russians are ours; we have
them!〃  The air resounded with cries of 'Vive l'Empereur'; and there was
neither officer nor soldier who did not count on a victory next day。

His Majesty; on visiting the line of battle; where there had been no
provisions for forty…eight hours (for that day there had been distributed
only one loaf of ammunition bread for every eight men); saw; while
passing from bivouac to bivouac; soldiers roasting potatoes in the ashes。
Finding himself before the Fourth Regiment of the line; of which his
brother was colonel; the Emperor said to a grenadier of the second
battalion; as he took from the fire and ate one of the potatoes of the
squad; 〃Are you satisfied with these pigeons?〃〃Humph! They are at least
better than nothing; though they are very much like Lenten food。〃〃Well;
old fellow;〃 replied his Majesty to the soldier; pointing to the fires of
the enemy; 〃help me to dislodge those rascals over there; and we will
have a Mardi Gras at Vienna。〃

The Emperor returned to his quarters; went to bed again; and slept until
three o'clock in the morning; while his suite collected around a bivouac
fire near his Majesty's barracks; and slept on the ground; wrapped in
their cloaks; for the night was extremely cold。  For four days I had not
closed my eyes; and I was just falling asleep; when about three o'clock
the Emperor asked me for punch。  I would have given the whole empire of
Austria to have rested another hour; but notwithstanding this; I carried
his Majesty the punch; which I made by the bivouac fire; and the Emperor
insisted that Marshal Berthier should also partake of it; the remainder I
divided with the attendants。  Between four and five o'clock the Emperor
ordered the first movements of his army; and all were on foot in a few
moments; and each at his post; aides…de…camp and orderly officers were
seen galloping in all directions; and the battle was begun。

I will not enter into the details of this glorious day; which; according
to the expression of the Emperor himself; terminated the campaign by a
thunderbolt。  Not one of the plans of the Emperor failed in execution;
and in a few hours the French were masters of the field of battle and of
the whole of Germany。

The brave General Rapp was wounded at Austerlitz; as he was in every
battle in which he took part; and was carried to the chateau of
Austerlitz; where the Emperor visited him in the evening; and returned to
pass the night in the chateau。

Two days after; the Emperor Francis sought an audience of his Majesty; to
demand peace; and before the end of December a treaty was concluded; by
which; the Elector of Bavaria and the Duke of Wurtemburg; faithful allies
of the Emperor Napoleon; were made kings。  In return for this elevation;
of which he alone was the author; his Majesty demanded and obtained for
Prince Eugene; viceroy of Italy; the hand of the Princess Augusta Amelia
of Bavaria。

During his sojourn at Vienna; the Emperor had established his
headquarters at Schoenbrunn; the name of which has become celebrated by
the numerous sojourns of his Majesty there; and is to…day; by a singular
coincidence; the residence of his son。 'The Duke de Reichstadt; born
King of Rome; died July; 1832; soon after Constant wrote。'

I am not certain whether it was during this first sojourn at Schoenbrunn
that his Majesty had the extraordinary encounter that I shall now relate。
His Majesty; in the uniform of colonel of the chasseurs of the guard;
rode every day on horseback; and one morning; while on the road to
Vienna; saw approaching a clergyman; accompanied by a woman weeping
bitterly; who did not recognize him。  Napoleon approached the carriage;
and inquired the cause of her grief; and the object and end of her
journey。  〃Monsieur;〃 replied she; 〃I live at a village two leagues from
here; in a house which has been pillaged by soldiers; and my gardener has
been killed。  I am now on my way to demand a safeguard from your Emperor;
who knew my family well; and is under great obligations to them。〃〃What
is your name; Madame?〃〃De Bunny。  I am the daughter of Monsieur de
Marbeuf; former governor of Corsica。〃〃I am charmed; Madame;〃 replied
Napoleon; 〃to find an opportunity of serving you。  I am the Emperor。〃
Madame de Bunny remained speechless with astonishment; but Napoleon
reassured her; and continuing his route; requested her to go on and await
him at his headquarters。  On his return he received her; and treated her
with remarkable kindness; gave her an escort of the chasseurs of the
guard; and dismissed her happy and satisfied。

As soon as the day of Austerlitz was gained; the Emperor hastened to send
the courier Moustache to France to announce the news to the Empress; who
was then at the chateau of Saint…Cloud。  It was nine o'clock in the
evening when loud cries of joy were suddenly heard; and the galloping of
a horse at full speed; accompanied by the sound of bells; and repeated
blows of the whip which announced a courier。  The Empress; who was
awaiting with the greatest impatience news from the army; rushed to the
window; opened it hurriedly; and the words victory and Austerlitz fell on
her ears。  Eager to know the details; she ran down the steps; followed by
her ladies; and Moustache in the most excited manner related the
marvelous news; and handed her Majesty the Emperor's letter; which
Josephine read; and then drawing a handsome diamond ring from her finger;
gave it to the courier。  Poor Moustache had galloped more than fifty
leagues that day; and was so exhausted that he had to be lifted from his
horse and placed in bed; which it required four persons to accomplish。
His last horse; which he had doubtless spared less than the others; fell
dead in the court of the chateau。




CHAPTER XXIX。

The Emperor having left Stuttgard; stopped only twenty…four hours at
Carlsruhe; and forty…eight hours at Strasburg; and between that place and
Paris made only short halts; without manifesting his customary haste;
however; or requiring of the postilions the break…neck speed he usually
demanded。

As we were ascending the hill of Meaux; and while the Emperor was so
engrossed in reading a book that he paid no attention to what was passing
on the road; a young girl threw herself against the door of his Majesty's
carriage; and clung there in spite of the efforts to remove her; not very
vigorous in truth; made by the cavaliers of the escort。  At last she
succeeded in opening the door; and threw herself at the Emperor's feet。
The Emperor; much surprised; exclaimed; 〃What the devil does this foolish
creature want with me?〃  Then recognizing the young lady; after having
scrutinized her features more closely; he added in very evident anger;
〃Ah; is it you again?  will you never let me alone?〃  The young girl;
without being intimidated by this rude welcome; said through her sobs
that the only favor she now came to ask for her father was that his
prison might be changed; and that he might be removed from the Chateau
d'If; the dampness of which was ruining his health; to the citadel of
Strasburg。  〃No; no;〃 cried the Emperor; 〃don't count on that。  I have
many other things to do beside receiving visits from you。  If I granted
you this demand; in eight days you would think of something else you
wished。〃  The poor girl insisted; with a firmness worthy of better
success; but the Emperor was inflexible; and on arriving at the top of
the hill he said to her; 〃I hope you will now alight and let me proceed
on my journey。  I regret it exceedingly; but what you demand of me is
impossible。〃  And he thus dismissed her; refus
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