marie antoinette and her son-第118节

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adored　the　man　who　had　stood　victoriously　at　their　head　at　Lodi　and
Milan；　and　borne　the　banner　forward　amid　the　murderous　shower　of
balls　at　the　bridge　of　Arcoli。　Diplomatists　and　statesmen　wondered
at　him　who　had　taken　Venice；　and　compelled　proud　and　hated　Austria
to　make　peace　with　the　French　republic；　which　had　brought　Marie
Antoinette　to　the　scaffold。　The　republicans　and　the　Directory　of　the
republic　feared　Bonaparte；　because　they　recognized　an　enemy　of　the
republic　in　him；　and　dreaded　his　growing　power　and　increasing
renown。

On　this　account　General　Bonaparte　was　recalled　from　the　Italian　army
after　peace　had　been　made　with　Austria；　and　he　returned　to　Paris。
Still　he　was　so　feared　that　the　Directory　of　the　republic；　in　order
to　remove　him；　and　at　the　same　time　to　give　occupation　to　his　active
spirit　and　his　splendid　abilities；　proposed　to　Bonaparte　to　go　with
an　army　to　Egypt；　and　extend　the　glory　of　France　to　the　distant
East。

Bonaparte　entered　with　all　his　fiery　nature　into　this　idea　which
Barras　and　Talleyrand　had　sought　to　inveigle　him　into；　and　all　his
time；　his　thoughts；　and　his　energies　were　directed　to　the　one
purpose；　to　fit　himself　out　with　every　thing　that　should　be　needful
to　bring　to　a　victorious　end　a　long　and　stubborn　war　in　a　foreign
land。　A　strong　fleet　was　collected；　and　Bonaparte；　as　the　commander
of　the　many　thousands　who　were　to　go　to　Egypt　under　him；　called　to
his　aid　the　most　skilful；　valiant；　and　renowned　generals　of　the
French　army。

It　could　not　fail　that　one　of　the　first　and　most　eminent　of　these
was　General　Kleber；　and；　of　course；　his　young　adjutant　and　nephew
Louis　accompanied　him。

On　the　19th　of　April；　1798；　the　French　fleet　left　the　harbor　of
Toulon；　and　sailed　toward　the　East；　for；　as　Bonaparte　said；　〃Only　in
the　Orient　are　great　realms　and　great　deedsin　the　Orient；　where
six　hundred　millions　of　men　live。〃

But　these　six　hundred　millions　have　no　army　such　as　the　French　is；
no　commander　like　Bonaparte；　no　generals　like　Murat；　Junot；　Desaix；
and；　above　all；　Kleber。

Kleber　was　the　second　in　command。　He　shared　his　perils；　he　shared
his　victories；　and　with　him　was　united　his　nephew　Louis；　a　youth　of
fourteen　years；　who；　from　his　tall；　slim　figure；　his　gravity；　and
his　ready　understanding；　would　have　passed　at　least　for　a　youth　of
eighteen；　and　who；　trained　in　the　school　of　misfortune；　belonged　to
those　early…matured　natures　which　destiny　has　steeled；　that　they　may
courageously　contend　with　and　gain　the　victory　over　destruction。

It　was　on　the　morning　of　the　3d　of　July。　The　French　army　had
disembarked；　and　stood　not　far　from　Alexandria；　on　the　ancient
sacred　soil　of　Egypt。　Whatever　was　done　must　be　done　quickly；　for
Nelson　was　approaching　with　a　fleet；　prepared　to　contend　with　the
French　for　the　possession　of　Alexandria。　Should　the　city　not　be
taken　before　the　arrival　of　the　English　fleet；　the　victory　would　be
doubtful。　Bonaparte　knew　this　well。　〃Fortune　gives　us　three　days'
time　at　the　most；〃　cried　he；　〃and　if　we　do　not　use　them　we　are
lost！〃

But　he　did　use　them！　With　fearful　rapidity　the　disembarkation　of　the
troops　was　effected；　with　fearful　rapidity　the　French　army　arranged
itself　on　Egyptian　soil　in　three　divisions；　under　Morand；　Bon；　and
Kleber。　Above　them　all　was　he　whose　head　had　conceived　the　gigantic
undertaking；　he　whose　heroic　spirit　comprehended　the　whole。　This　was
Bonaparte。

After　inspecting　all　the　army　and　issuing　his　orders；　he　rode　up　the
hill　in　company　with　his　staff　to　the　pillar　of　Pompey；　in　order　to
observe　from　that　point　the　course　of　events。　The　army　was　advancing
impetuously；　and　soon　the　city　built　by　Alexander　the　Great　must
open　its　gates　to　his　successor；　Bonaparte　the　Great。

After　a　short　respite；　the　army　advanced　farther　into　the　land　of
the　pyramids。　〃Remember；〃　cried　Bonaparte　to　his　soldiers；　pointing
to　those　monuments〃remember　that　forty　centuries　look　down　upon
you。〃

And　the　pyramids　of　the　great　plain　of　Cairo　beheld　the　glorious
deeds　and　victories　of　the　French　army；　beheld　the　overthrow　of　the
Egyptian　host。　The　Nile　murmured　with　its　blood…red　waves　the　death…
song　of　the　brave　Mamelukes；　and　the　〃forty　centuries〃　which　looked
down　from　the　pyramids　were　obliterated　by　the　glorious　victories
that　Bonaparte　gained　at　the　foot　of　those　sacred　monuments。　A　new
epoch　was　to　begin。　The　old　epoch　was　buried　for　Egypt；　and　out　of
the　ruins　of　past　centuries　a　new　Egypt　was　to　be　born；　an　Egypt
which　was　to　serve　France　and　be　tributary　to　it　as　a　vassal。

This　was　Bonaparte's　plan；　and　he　did　every　thing　to　bring　it　to
completion。　He　passed　from　battle　to　battle；　from　victory　to
victory；　and　after　conquering　Egypt　and　taking　up　his　residence　in
Cairo；　he　at　once　began　to　organize　the　newly…won　country；　and　to
introduce　to　the　idle　and　listless　East　the　culture　of　the　earnest
and　progressive　West。　But　Egypt　would　not　accept　the　treasures　of
culture　at　the　hand　of　its　conqueror。　It　rose　again　and　again　in
rebellion　against　the　power　that　held　it　down；　and　hurled　its
flaming　torches　of　revenge　against　the　hated　enemy。　A　token　of　this
may　be　seen　in　the　dreadful　revolt　at　Cairo；　which　began　in　the
night　of　the　20th　of　October；　and；　after　days　of　violence；　ended
with　the　cruel　cutting　down　of　six　thousand　Mamelukes。　A　proof　of　it
may　be　seen　in　the　constantly　renewed　attacks　of　swarms　of　Bedouins
and　Mamelukes　on　the　French　army。　These　hordes　advanced　even　to　the
gates　of　Cairo；　and　terrified　the　population；　which　had　at　last
taken　refuge　beneath　the　foot　of　the　conqueror。　But　Bonaparte
succeeded　in　subjugating　the　hostile　Bedouin　tribes；　as　he　had
already　subjugated　the　population　of　the　cities。　He　sent　one　of　his
adjutants；　General　Croisier；　with　a　corps　of　brave　soldiers；　into
the　desert　to　meet　the　emir　of　the　hostile　tribes；　and　Croisier　won
respect　for　the　commands　of　his　general。　He　succeeded　in　taking
captive　the　whole　body。　A　fearful　sentence　was　inflicted　on　them。
Before　the　eyes　of　their　wives；　their　children；　and　their　mothers；
all　the　men　of　the　tribe；　more　than　five　hundred　in　number；　were
killed　and　their　heads　put　into　sacks。　The　howling　and　weeping　women
and　children　were　driven　to　Cairo。　Many　perished　of　hunger　on　the
road；　or　died　beneath　the　sabre…blows　of　their　enemies；　but　more
than　a　thousand　succeeded　in　reaching　Cairo。　They　were　obliged　to
encamp　upon　the　great　square　El　Bekir；　in　the　heart　of　Cairo；　till
the　donkeys　arrived　which　bore　the　dreadful　spoils　of　victory　in
blood…dripping　bags　upon　their　backs。　The　whole　population　of　Cairo
was　summoned　to　this　gigantic　square；　and　was　obliged　to　look　on
while　the　sacks　were　opened　and　the　bloody　heads　rolled　out　upon　the
sacred　soil　of　Egypt。

After　this　time　quiet　reigned　for　a　season。　Horror　had　brought　the
conquered　into　subjection；　and　Bonaparte　could　continue　his
victorious　course。　He　withdrew　to　Syria；　taking　with　him　Kleber　and
Kleber's　young　adjutant；　the　little　Louis。　He　saw　the　horrors　of
war；　he　was　there；　the　son　of　the　Kings　of　France；　when　the　army　of
the　republic　conquered　the　cities　El　Arish　and　Gaza；　he　took　part　by
the　side　of　Kleber　in　the　storming　of　Jaffa。　He　was　there　when　the
captured　Jaffa　had　to　open　its　gates　to　the　victors。　He　was　there
when；　in　the　great　caravansary；　four　thousand　Turkish　soldiers
grounded　their　arms　and　surrendered　themselves　as　prisoners；　after
receiving　the　promise　that　their　lives　should　be　spared。　He　was
there；　too；　the　son　of　Marie　Antoinette；　when　the　unfortunates　were
driven　down　to　the　sea…coast　and　shot；　in　order　that　their　enemies
might　be　rid　of　them。　He　was　there；　the　son　of　Louis　XVI。；　when
Bonaparte　visited　the　pest…house　in　Jaffa；　he　walked　through　the
sick…rooms　at　the　side　of　his　uncle　Kleber；　who　noticed　how　the　face
of　the　young　man；　which　had　so　often　been　calm　in　meeting　death　on
the　battle…field　or　in　the　storm　of　assault；　now　quivered；　and　the
paleness　of　death　swept　over　his　cheeks。

〃What　was　the　matter；　my　son？〃　asked　Kleber；　as　he　returned　home
from　this　celebrated　visit　to　the　pest…house。　〃Why　did　you　turn　pale
all　at　once；　Louis？〃

〃General；〃　responded　Louis；　perplexed；　〃I　know　not　how　to　answer。〃

〃You　ought　not　to　have　gone　with　me　to　the　hospital；〃　said　Kleber；
shaking　his　head。　〃You　know　I　did　not　want　you　to　go　at　first；　but
you　insisted　on　it；　and　begged　and　implored　so　long　that　at　last　I
had　to　yield　and　let　you　accompany　us。　But；　I　confess　it　myself；　it
was　a　dreadful　sight；　these　sick　people　with　their　swollen　bodies
covered　with　blood　and　running　sores。　I　understand　now　why　you
trembled　and　turned　paleyou　were　afraid　of　this　dreadful
sickness？〃

〃No；　general；〃　answered　Louis；　softly〃no；　I　have　no　fear。　Did　you
not　notice　that　I　sprang　forward　and　assisted　General　Bonaparte；
when　he　lifted　up　the　poor　sick　man　who　lay　on　the　floor　before　the
door；　and　that　I　helped　carry　him　into　the　room？〃

〃I　saw　it；　Louis；　and　I　was　much　pleased　with　your　courage；　and　was
therefore　surprised　afterward　when　you　turned　pale　and　trembled；　and
I　saw　tears　in　your　eyes。　What　agitated　you　all　at　once　so　much？〃

The　young　man　slowly　raised　his　head　and　looked　at　Kleber　w