memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v14-第4节

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acknowledged；　in　fact；　　continued　the　Emperor；　'that　he　had　received　such
a　letter；　but　that　it　was　not　signed　and　that　he　had　looked　upon　it　as　a
mystification。　　He　showed　it　me。　　Now　that　letter　was　evidently　an
answer；　in　which　the　writer　again　declared　that　he　would　listen　to
nothing　more　concerning　the　Emperor；　but　that；　his　person　excepted；　it
would　be　easy　to　agree　to　all　the　rest。　　I　expected　that　the　Emperor
would　conclude　his　narrative　by　expressing　his　anger　against　Fouche；　but
our　conversation　turned　on　some　other　subject；　and　he　talked　no　more　of
him。

〃Two　days　afterwards　I　went　to　Fouche　to　solicit　the　return　to　Paris　of
an　officer　of　musqueteers　who　had　been　banished　far　from　his　family。　　I
found　him　at　breakfast；　and　sat　down　next　to　him。　　Facing　him　sat　a
stranger。　　'Do　you　see　this　man？'　he　said　to　me；　pointing　with　his　spoon
to　the　stranger；　'he　is　an　aristocrat；　a　Bourbonist；　a　Chouan；　it　is　the
Abbe　…；　one　of　the　editors　of　the　Journal　des　Debatsa　sworn　enemy
to　Napoleon；　a　fanatic　partisan　of　the　Bourbons；　he　is　one　of　our　men。
I　looked；　at　him。　　At　every　fresh　epithet　of　the　Minister　the　Abbe　bowed
his　head　down　to　his　plate　with　a　smile　of　cheerfulness　and　self…
complacency；　and　with　a　sort　of　leer。　　I　never　saw　a　more　ignoble
countenance。　　Fouche　explained　to　me；　on　leaving　the　breakfast　table；
in　what　manner　all　these　valets　of　literature　were　men　of　his；　and　while
I　acknowledged　to　myself　that　the　system　might　be　necessary；　I　scarcely
knew　who　were　really　more　despicablethe　wretches　who　thus　sold
themselves　to　the　highest　bidder；　or　the　minister　who　boasted　of　having
bought　them；　as　if　their　acquisition　were　a　glorious　conquest。　　Judging
that　the　Emperor　had　spoken　to　me　of　the　scene　I　have　described　above；
Fouche　said　to　me；　'The　Emperor's　temper　is　soured　by　the　resistance　he
finds；　and　he　thinks　it　is　my　fault。　　He　does　not　know　that　I　have　no
power　but　by　public　opinion。　　To　morrow　I　might　hang　before　my　door
twenty　persons　obnoxious　to　public　opinion；　though　I　should　not　be　able
to　imprison　for　four…and…twenty　hours　any　individual　favoured　by　it。
As　I　am　never　in　a　hurry　to　speak　I　remained　silent；　but　reflecting　on
what　the　Emperor　had　said　concerning　Fouche　I　found　the　comparison　of
their　two　speeches　remarkable。　　The　master　could　have　his　minister　hanged
with　public　applause；　and　the　minister　could　hangwhom？　　Perhaps　the
master　himself；　and　with　the　same　approbation。　　What　a　singular
situation！and　I　believe　they　were　both　in　the　right；　so　far　public
opinion；　equitable　in　regard　to　Fouche；　had　swerved　concerning　the
Emperor。〃

The　wrath　of　Napoleon　was　confined　to　the　Lower　House；　the　Peers；　from
the　nature　of　their　composition；　being　complacent　and　passive　enough。
The　vast　majority　of　them　were　in　fact　mere　shadows　gathered　round　the
solid　persons　of　Joseph；　Lucien；　Louis；　and　Jerome　Bonaparte；　and　Sieyes；
Carnot；　and　the　military　men　of　the　Revolution。　　As　a　political　body
Napoleon　despised　them　himself；　and　yet　he　wanted　the　nation　to　respect
them。　　But　respect　was　impossible；　and　the　volatile　Parisians　made　the
Peers　a　constant　object　of　their　witticisms。　　The　punsters　of　Paris　made
the　following　somewhat　ingenious　play　upon　words。　　Lallemand；　Labedogure；
Drouot；　and　Ney　they　called　Las　Quatre　Pairs　fides　（perfides）；　which　in
pronunciation　may　equally　mean　the　four　faithful　peers　or　the　four
perfidious　men。　　The　infamous　Vandamme　and　another　were　called　Pair…
siffles；　the　biased　peers；　or　the　biased　pair；　or　（persiffles）　men　made
objects　of　derision。　　It　was　thus　the　lower　orders　behaved　while　the；
existence　of　France　was　at　stake。

By　this　time　the　thunder…cloud　of　war　had　gathered　and　was　ready　to
burst。　　Short　as　the　time　at　his　disposal　was　Napoleon　prepared　to　meet
it　with　his　accustomed　energy。　　Firearms　formed　one　of　the　most　important
objects　of　attention。　　There　were　sufficient　sabres；　but　muskets　were
wanting。　　The　Imperial　factories　could；　in　ordinary　times；　furnish
monthly　20；000　stands　of　new　arms；　by　the　extraordinary　activity　and
inducements　offered　this　number　was　doubled。　　Workmen　were　also　employed
in　repairing　the　old　muskets。　　There　was　displayed　at　this　momentous
period　the　same　activity　in　the　capital　as　in　1793；　and　better　directed；
though　without　the　same　ultimate　success。　　The　clothing　of　the　army　was
another　difficulty；　and　this　was　got　over　by　advancing　large　sums　of
money　to　the　cloth　manufacturers　beforehand。　　The　contractors　delivered
20；000　cavalry　horses　before　the　1st　of　June；　10；000　trained　horses　had
been　furnished　by　the　dismounted　gendarmerie。　　Twelve　thousand　artillery
horses　were　also　delivered　by　the　1st　of　June；　in　addition　to　6000　which
the　army　already　had。

The　facility　with　which　the　Ministers　of　Finance　and　of　the　Treasury
provided　for　all　these　expenses　astonished　everybody；　as　it　was　necessary
to　pay　for　everything　in　ready　money。　　The　system　of　public　works　was　at
the　same　time　resumed　throughout　France。　　〃It　is　easy　to　see；〃　said　the
workmen；　〃that　'the　great　contractor'　is　returned；　all　was　dead；　now
everything　revives。〃

〃We　have　just　learnt；〃　says　a　writer　who　was　at　Brussels　at　this　time；
〃that　Napoleon　had　left　the　capital　of　France　on　the　12th；　on　the　15th
the　frequent　arrival　of　couriers　excited　extreme　anxiety；　and　towards
evening　General　Muffing　presented　himself　at　the　hotel　of　the　Duke　of
Wellington　with　despatches　from　Blucher。　　We　were　all　aware　that　the
enemy　was　in　movement；　and　the　ignorant　could　not　solve　the　enigma　of　the
Duke　going　tranquilly　to　the　ball　at　the　Duke　of　Richmond'shis　coolness
was　above　their　comprehension。　　Had　he　remained　at　his　own　hotel　a　panic
would　have　probably　ensued　amongst　the　inhabitants；　which　would　have
embarrassed　the　intended　movement　of　the　British　division　of　the　army。

〃I　returned　home　late；　and　we　were　still　talking　over　our　uneasiness　when
we　heard　the　trumpets　sound。　　Before　the　sun　had　risen　in　full　splendour
I　heard　martial　music　approaching；　and　soon　beheld　from　my　windows　the
5th　reserve　of　the　British　army　passing；　the　Highland　brigade　were　the
first　in　advance；　led　by　their　noble　thanes；　the　bagpipes　playing　their
several　pibrochs；　they　were　succeeded　by　the　28th；　their　bugles'　note
falling　more　blithely　upon　the　ear。　　Each　regiment　passed　in　succession
with　its　band　playing。〃

The　gallant　Duke　of　Brunswick　was　at　a　ball　at　the　assembly…rooms　in　the
Rue　Ducale　on　the　night　of　the　15th　of　June　when　the　French　guns；　which
he　was　one　of　the　first　to　hear；　were　clearly　distinguished　at　Brussels。
〃Upon　receiving　the　information　that　a　powerful　French　force　was
advancing　in　the　direction　of　Charleroi。　　'Then　it　is　high　time　for　me　to
be　off；'　he　exclaimed；　and　immediately　quitted；　the　ball…room。〃

〃At　four　the　whole　disposable　force　under　the　Duke　off　Wellington　was
collected　together；　but　in　such　haste　that　many　of　the　officers　had　no
time　to　change　their　silk　stockings　and　dancing…shoes；　and　some；　quite
overcome　by　drowsiness；　were　seen　lying　asleep　about　the　ramparts；　still
holding；　however；　with　a　firm　hand；　the　reins　of　their　horses；　which　were
grazing　by　their　sides。

〃About　five　o'clock　the　word　march'　was　heard　in　ail　directions；　and
instantly　the　whole　mass　appeared　to　move　simultaneously。　　I　conversed
with　several　of　the　officers　previous　to　their　departure；　and　not　one
appeared　to　have　the　slightest　idea　of　an　approaching　engagement。

〃The　Duke　of　Wellington　and　his　staff　did　not　quit　Brussels　till　past
eleven　o'clock；　and　it　was　not　till　some　time　after　they　were　gone　that
it　was　generally　known　the　whole　French　army；　including　a　strong　corps　of
cavalry；　was　within　a　few　miles　of　Quatre　Bras。〃




CHAPTER　VIII。

　　　　　＇Like　the　preceding；　this　chapter　first　appeared　in　the　1836
　　　　　edition；　and　is　not　from　the　pen　of　M。　de　Bourrienne。＇

1815。

THE　BATTLES　OF　LIGNY　AND　QUATRE　BRAS。

The　moment　for　striking　a　decisive　blow　had　now　come；　and　accordingly；
early　on　the　morning　of　the　15th；　the　whole　of　the　French　army　was　in
motion。　　The　2d　corps　proceeded　to　Marchiennes　to　attack　the　Prussian
outposts　at　Thuin　and　Lobes；　in　order　to　secure　the　communication　across
the　Sambre　between　those　places。　　The　3d　corps；　covered　by　General
Pajol's　cavalry；　advanced　upon　Charleroi；　followed　by　the　Imperial　Guard
and　the　6th　corps；　with　the　necessary　detachments　of　pontoniers。　　The
remainder　of　the　cavalry；　under　Grouchy；　also　advanced　upon　Charleroi；　on
the　flanks　of　the　3d　and　6th　corps。　　The　4th　corps　was　ordered　to　march
upon　the　bridge　of　Chatelet。

On　the　approach　of　the　French　advanced　guards　an　incessant　skirmish　was
maintained　during　the　whole　morning　with　the　Prussians；　who；　after　losing
many　men；　were　compelled　to　yield　to　superior　numbers。　　General　Zieten；
finding　it　impossible；　from　the　extent　of　frontier　he　had　to　cover；　to
cheek　the　advance　of　the　French；　fell　back　towards　Fleurus　by　the　road　to
Charleroi；　resolutely　contesting　the　advance　of　the　enemy　wherever　it　was
possible。　　In　the　repeated　attacks　sustained　by　him　he　suffered
considerable　loss。　　It　was　nearly　mid…day　before　a　passage　through
Charleroi　was　secured　by　the　French　a