napoleon bonaparte, v1-第10节

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immediately　had　a　good　post…chaise　made　ready　for　me；　and　Thibaut　（for
that　was　the　name　of　the　courier　I　was　to　accompany）　was　directed　to
obtain　horses　for　me　along　the　route。　　Maret　gave　me　eight　hundred　francs
for　the　expenses　of　my　trip；　which　sum；　entirely　unexpected　by　me；　filled
me　with　wonder；　for　I　had　never　been　so　rich。　　At　four　o'clock　in　the
morning；　having　heard　from　Thibaut　that　everything　was　ready；　I　went　to
his　house；　where　the　post…chaise　awaited　me；　and　we　set　out。

I　traveled　very　comfortably；　sometimes　in　the　postchaise；　sometimes　on
horseback；　I　taking　Thibaut's　place；　and　he　mine。　　I　expected　to　overtake
the　First　Consul　at　Martigny；　but　his　traveling　had　been　so　rapid；　that　I
caught　up　with　him　only　at　the　convent　of　Mt。　St。　Bernard。　　Upon　our
route　we　constantly　passed　regiments　on　the　march；　composed　of　officers
and　soldiers　who　were　hastening　to　rejoin　their　different　corps。　　Their
enthusiasm　was　irrepressible；those　who　had　made　the　campaign　of　Italy
rejoiced　at　returning　to　so　fine　a　country；　those　who　had　not　yet　done　so
were　burning　with　impatience　to　see　the　battlefields　immortalized　by
French　valor；　and　by　the　genius　of　the　hero　who　still　marched　at　their
head。　　All　went　as　if　to　a　festival；　and　singing　songs　they　climbed　the
mountains　of　Valais。　　It　was　eight　o'clock　in　the　morning　when　I　arrived
at　headquarters。　　Pfister　announced　me；　and　I　found　the　general…in…chief
in　the　great　hall；　in　the　basement　of　the　Hospice。　　He　was　taking
breakfast；　standing；　with　his　staff。　　As　soon　as　he　saw　me；　he　said；
〃Here　you　are；　you　queer　fellow！　why　didn't　you　come　with　me？〃　　I　excused
myself　by　saying　that　to　my　great　regret　I　had　received　a　counter　order；
or；　at　least；　they　had　left　me　behind　at　the　moment　of　departure。　　〃Lose
no　time；　my　friend；　eat　quickly；　we　are　about　to　start。〃　　From　this
moment　I　was　attached　to　the　personal　service　of　the　First　Consul；　in　the
quality　of　ordinary　valet；　that　is　to　say；　in　my　turn。　　This　duty　gave　me
little　to　do；　Hambard；　the　head　valet　of　the　First　Consul；　being　in　the
habit　of　dressing　him　from　head　to　foot。

Immediately　after　breakfast　we　began　to　descend　the　mountain；　many
sliding　down　on　the　snow；　very　much　as　they　coast　at　the　garden　Beaujon；
from　top　to　bottom　of　the　Montagnes　Russes；　and　I　followed　their　example。
This　they　called　〃sledding。〃　　The　general…in…chief　also　descended　in　this
manner　an　almost　perpendicular　glacier。　　His　guide　was　a　young
countryman；　active　and　courageous；　to　whom　the　First　Consul　promised　a
sufficiency　for　the　rest　of　his　days。　　Some　young　soldiers　who　had
wandered　off　into　the　snow　were　found；　almost　dead　with　cold；　by　the
dogs　sent　out　by　the　monks；　and　carried　to　the　Hospice；　where　they
received　every　possible　attention；　and　their　lives　were　saved。　　The　First
Consul　gave　substantial　proof　of　his　gratitude　to　the　good　fathers　for　a
charity　so　useful　and　generous。　　Before　leaving　the　Hospice；　where　he　had
found　tables　loaded　with　food　already　prepared　awaiting　the　soldiers　as
soon　as　they　reached　the　summit　of　the　mountain；　he　gave　to　the　good
monks　a　considerable　sum　of　money；　in　reward　for　the　hospitality　he　and
his　companions　in　arms　had　received；　and　an　order　on　the　treasury　for　an
annuity　in　support　of　the　convent。

The　same　day　we　climbed　Mount　Albaredo；　but　as　this　passage　was
impracticable　for　cavalry　and　artillery；　he　ordered　them　to　pass　outside
the　town　of　Bard；　under　the　batteries　of　the　fort。　　The　First　Consul　had
ordered　that　they　should　pass　it　at　night；　and　on　a　gallop；　and　he　had
straw　tied　around　the　wheels　of　the　caissons　and　on　the　feet　of　the
horses；　but　even　these　precautions　were　not　altogether　sufficient　to
prevent　the　Austrians　hearing　our　troops。　　The　cannon　of　the　fort　rained
grape…shot　incessantly；　but　fortunately　the　houses　of　the　town　sheltered
our　soldiers　from　the　enemy's　guns；　and　more　than　half　the　army　passed
without　much　loss。　　I　was　with　the　household　of　the　First　Consul；　which
under　the　care　of　General　Gardanne　flanked　the　fort。

The　23d　of　May　we　forded　a　torrent　which　flowed　between　the　town　and　the
fort；　with　the　First　Consul　at　our　head；　and　then；　followed　by　General
Berthier　and　some　other　officers；　took　the　path　over　the　Albaredo；　which
overlooked　the　fort　and　the　town　of　Bard。　　Directing　his　field…glass
towards　the　hostile　batteries；　from　the　fire　of　which　he　was　protected
only　by　a　few　bushes；　he　criticised　the　dispositions　which　had　been　made
by　the　officer　in　charge　of　the　siege　of　the　fort；　and　ordered　changes；
which　he　said　would　cause　the　place　to　fall　into　our　hands　in　a　short
time。　　Freed　now　from　the　anxiety　which　this　fort　had　caused　him；　and
which　he　said　had　prevented　his　sleeping　the　two　days　he　had　passed　in
the　convent　of　Maurice；　he　stretched　himself　at　the　foot　of　a　fir…tree
and　took　a　refreshing　nap；　while　the　army　was　making　good　its　passage。
Rising　from　this　brief　interval　of　repose；　he　descended　the　mountain　and
continued　his　march　to　Ivree；　where　we　passed　the　night。

The　brave　General　Lannes；　who　commanded　the　advance　guard；　acted　somewhat
in　the　capacity　of　quartermaster；　taking　possession　of　all　the　places
which　barred　the　road。　　Only　a　few　hours　before　we　entered　he　had　forced
the　passage　of　Ivree。

Such　was　this　miraculous　passage　of　St。　Bernard。　　Horses；　cannon；
caissons；　and　an　immense　quantity　of　army　stores　of　all　kinds；
everything；　in　fact；　was　drawn　or　carried　over　glaciers　which　appeared
inaccessible；　and　by　paths　which　seemed　impracticable　even　for　a　single
man。　　The　Austrian　cannon　were　not　more　successful　than　the　snow　in
stopping　the　French　army。　　So　true　is　it　that　the　genius　and　perseverance
of　the　First　Consul　were　communicated；　so　to　speak；　to　the　humblest　of
his　soldiers；　and　inspired　them　with　a　courage　and　a　strength；　the
results　of　which　will　appear　fabulous　to　posterity。

On　the　2d　of　June；　which　was　the　day　after　the　passage　of　the　Ticino；　and
the　day　of　our　entrance　into　Milan；　the　First　Consul　learned　that　the
fort　of　Bard　had　been　taken　the　evening　before；　showing　that　his
dispositions　had　led　to　a　quick　result；　and　the　road　of　communication　by
the　St。　Bernard　was　now　free　from　all　obstructions。　　The　First　Consul
entered　Milan　without　having　met　much　resistance；　the　whole　population
turned　out　on　his　entrance；　and　he　was　received　with　a　thousand
acclamations。　　The　confidence　of　the　Milanese　redoubled　when　they　learned
that　he　had　promised　the　members　of　the　assembled　clergy　to　maintain　the
catholic　worship　and　clergy　as　already　established；　and　had　compelled
them　to　take　the　oath　of　fidelity　to　the　cisalpine　republic。

The　First　Consul　remained　several　days　in　this　capital；　and　I　had　time　to
form　a　more　intimate　acquaintance　with　my　colleagues；　who　were；　as　I　have
said；　Hambard；　Roustan；　and　Hebert。　　We　relieved　each　other　every　twenty…
four　hours；　at　noon　precisely。　　As　has　always　been　my　rule　when　thrown
into　association　with　strangers；　I　observed；　as　closely　as　circumstances
permitted；　the　character　and　temper　of　my　comrades；　so　that　I　could
regulate　my　conduct　in　regard　to　them；　and　know　in　advance　what　I　might
have　to　fear　or　hope　from　association　with　them。

Hambard　had　an　unbounded　devotion　for　the　First　Consul；　whom　he　had
followed　to　Egypt；　but　unfortunately　his　temper　was　gloomy　and
misanthropic；　which　made　him　extremely　sullen　and　disagreeable；　and　the
favor　which　Roustan　enjoyed　perhaps　contributed　to　increase　this　gloomy
disposition。　　In　a　kind　of　mania　he　imagined　himself　to　be　the　object　of
a　special　espionage；　and　when　his　hours　of　service　were　over；　he　would
shut　himself　up　in　his　room；　and　pass　in　mournful　solitude　the　whole　time
he　was　not　on　duty。　　The　First　Consul；　when　in　good　humor；　would　joke
with　him　upon　this　savage　disposition；　calling　him　Mademoiselle　Hambard。
〃Ah；　well；　what　were　you　doing　there　in　your　room　all　by　yourself？
Doubtless　you　were　reading　some　poor　romances；　or　some　old　books　about
princesses　carried　off　and　kept　under　guard　by　a　barbarous　giant。〃　　To
which　Hambard　would　sullenly　reply；　〃General；　you　no　doubt　know　better
than　I　what　I　was　doing；〃　referring　in　this　way　to　the　spies　by　which　he
believed　himself　to　be　always　surrounded。　　Notwithstanding　this
unfortunate　disposition；　the　First　Consul　felt　very　kindly　to　him。　　When
the　Emperor　went　to　camp　at　Boulogne；　Hambard　refused　to　accompany　him；
and　the　Emperor　gave　him；　as　a　place　of　retreat；　the　charge　of　the　palace
of　Meudon。　　There　he　showed　unmistakable　symptoms　of　insanity；　and　his
end　was　lamentable。　　During　the　Hundred　Days；　after　a　conversation　with
the　Emperor；　he　threw　himself　against　a　carving…knife　with　such　violence
that　the　blade　came　out　two　inches　behind　his　back。　　As　it　was　believed
at　this　time　that　I　had　incurred　the　anger　of　the　Emperor；　the　rumor　went
abroad　that　it　was　I　who　had　committed　suicide；　and　this　tragic　death　was
announced　in　several　papers　as　mine。

Hebert；　ordinary　valet；　was　a　very　agreeable　young　fellow；　but　very
timid；　and　was；　like　all　the　rest　of　the　household；　devotedly　attached　to
the　First　Consul。　　It　happened　one　day　in　Egypt　that　the　latter；　who　had
never　been　able　to　s