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had been much impaired； and consequently required the most incessant care
and attention。 M。 Larrey hardly ever left his bedside； and was assisted
by two medical students； who watched by turns； and assisted him in
dressing the wound。 The treatment was long and painful； but a complete
cure was the result； and when almost entirely recovered； the general took
leave of the Emperor to return to France。 A pension and decorations
canceled the debt of the head of the state to him； but the manner in
which he acquitted his own towards the man who had saved his life is
worthy of consideration。
As he entered his carriage he handed to one of his friends a letter and a
little box； saying to this general； 〃I cannot leave Vienna without
thanking M。 Larrey； do me the favor of handing to him for me this mark of
my gratitude。 Good Larrey； I will never forget the services he has
rendered me。〃 Next day the friend performed his commission； and a
soldier was sent with the letter and the present； and； as he reached
Schoenbrunn during the parade； sought M。 Larrey in the line。 〃Here is a
letter and a box which I bring from General A。〃 M。 Larrey put both
in his pocket； but after the parade examined them； and showed the package
to Cadet de Gassicourt； saying； 〃Look at it； and tell me what you think
of it。〃 The letter was very prettily written； as for the box； it
contained a diamond worth about sixty francs。
This pitiful recompense recalls one both glorious and well…earned which
M。 Larrey received from the Emperor during the campaign in Egypt。 At the
battle of Aboukir； General Fugieres was operated on by M。 Larrey under
the enemies' fire for a dangerous wound on the shoulder； and thinking
himself about to die； offered his sword to General Bonaparte； saying to
him； 〃General； perhaps one day you may envy my fate。〃 The general…in…
chief presented this sword to M。 Larrey； after having engraved on it the
name of M。 Larrey and that of the battle。 However； General Fugieres did
not die； his life was saved by the skillful operation he had undergone；
and for seventeen years he commanded the Invalids at Avignon。
CHAPTER XX。
It is not in the presence of the enemy that differences in the manner and
bearing of soldiers can be remarked； for the requirements of the service
completely engross both the ideas and time of officers； whatever their
grade； and uniformity of occupation produces also a kind of uniformity of
habit and character； but； in the monotonous life of the camp； differences
due to nature and education reassert themselves。 I noted this many times
after the truces and treaties of peace which crowned the most glorious
campaigns of the Emperor； and had occasion to renew my observations on
this point during the long sojourn which we made at Schoenbrunn with the
army。 Military tone in the army is a most difficult thing to define； and
differs according to rank； time of service； and kind of service； and
there are no genuine soldiers except those who form part of the line； or
who command it。 In the soldiers' opinion； the Prince de Neuchatel and
his brilliant staff； the grand marshal； Generals Bertrand； Bacler d'Albe；
etc。； were only men of the cabinet council； whose experience might be of
some use in such deliberations； but to whom bravery was not
indispensable。
The chief generals； such as Prince Eugene； Marshals Oudinot； Davoust；
Bessieres； and his Majesty's aides…decamp； Rapp； Lebrun； Lauriston；
Mouton； etc。； were exceedingly affable； and every one was most politely
received by them； their dignity never became haughtiness； nor their ease
an excessive familiarity； though their manners were at all times slightly
tinged by the austerity inseparable from the character of a warrior。
This was not the idea held in the army in regard to a few of the ordnance
and staff officers （aides…de…camp）； for； while according them all the
consideration due both to their education and their courage； they called
them the jay…birds of the army； receiving favors which others deserved；
obtaining cordons and promotions for carrying a few letters into camp；
often without having even seen the enemy； insulting by their luxury the
modest temperance of the braver officers； and more foppish in the midst
of their battalions than in the boudoirs of their mistresses。 The
silver…gilt box of one of these gentlemen was a complete portable
dressing…case； and contained； instead of cartridges； essence bottles；
brushes； a mirror； a tongue…scraper； a shell…comb； andI do not know
that it lacked even a pot of rouge。 It could not be said that they were
not brave； for they would allow themselves to be killed for a glance；
but they were very； rarely exposed to danger。 Foreigners would be right
in maintaining the assertion that the French soldier is frivolous；
presumptuous； impertinent； and immoral； if they formed their judgment
alone from these officers by courtesy； who； in place of study and
faithful service； had often no other title to their rank than the merit
of having emigrated。
The officers of the line； who had served in several campaigns and had
gained their epaulettes on the field of battle； held a very different
position in the army。 Always grave； polite； and considerate； there was a
kind of fraternity among them； and having known suffering and misery
themselves； they were always ready to help others； and their
conversation； though not distinguished by brilliant information； was
often full of interest。 In nearly every case boasting quitted them with
their youth； and the bravest were always the most modest。 Influenced by
no imaginary points of honor； they estimated themselves at their real
worth； and all fear of being suspected of cowardice was beneath them。
With these brave soldiers； who often united to the greatest kindness of
heart a mettle no less great； a flat contradiction or even a little hasty
abuse from one of their brothers in arms was not obliged to be washed out
in blood； and examples of the moderation which true courage alone has a
right to show were not rare in the army。 Those who cared least for
money； and were most generous； were most exposed； the artillerymen and
the hussars； for instance。 At Wagram I saw a lieutenant pay a louis for
a bottle of brandy； and immediately divide it among the soldiers of his
company； and brave officers often formed such an attachment to their
regiment； especially if it had distinguished itself； that they sometimes
refused promotion rather than be separated from their children； as they
called them。 In them we behold the true model of the French soldier； and
it is this kindness； mingled with the austerity of a warrior； this
attachment of the chief to the soldier； which the latter is so capable of
appreciating； and an impregnable honor； which serve to distinguish our
soldiers from all others； and not； as foreigners think； presumption；
braggadocio； and libertinage； which latter are ever the characteristics
of the parasites of glory alone。
In the camp of Lobau on the evening before the battle of Wagram； the
Emperor； as he was walking outside his tent； stopped a moment watching
the grenadiers of his guard who were breakfasting。 〃Well； my children；
what do you think of the wine？〃〃It will not make us tipsy； Sire； there
is our cellar；〃 said a soldier pointing to the Danube。 The Emperor； who
had ordered a bottle of good wine to be distributed to each soldier； was
surprised to see that they were so abstemious the evening before a
battle。 He inquired of the Prince de Neuchatel the cause of this； and
upon investigation； it was learned that two storekeepers and an employee
in the commissary department had sold forty thousand bottles of the wine
which the Emperor had ordered to be distributed； and had replaced it with
some of inferior quality。 This wine had been seized by the Imperial
Guard in a rich abbey； and was valued at thirty thousand florins。 The
culprits were arrested； tried； and condemned to death。
There was in the camp at Lobau a dog which I think all the army knew by
the name of corps…de…garde。 He was old； emaciated； and ugly； but his
moral qualities caused his exterior defects to be quickly lost sight of。
He was sometimes called the brave dog of the Empire； since he had
received a bayonet stroke at Marengo； and had a paw broken by a gun at
Austerlitz； being at that time attached to a regiment of dragoons。 He
had no master。 He was in the habit of attaching himself to a corps； and
continuing faithful so long as they fed him well and did not beat him。
A kick or a blow with the flat of a sword would cause him to desert this
regiment； and pass on to another。 He was unusually intelligent； and
whatever position of the corps in which he might be the was serving； he
did not abandon it； or confound it with any other； and in the thickest of
the fight was always near the banner he had chosen； and if in the camp he
met a soldier from the regiment he had deserted； he would droop his ears；
drop his tail between his legs； and scamper off quickly to rejoin his new
brothers in arms。 When his regiment was on the march he circled as a
scout all around it； and gave warning by a bark if he found anything
unusu