memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v12-第5节

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sure　to　send　for　me。〃　　He　then　put　on　his　coat　and　returned　to　the
Emperor；　saying；　〃Another　time　you　shall　hear　what　I　have　to　tell　you。〃

From　that　time　I　did　not　see　Duroc　until；　the　month　of　January　1813。
He　was　constantly　absent　from　Paris；　and　did　not　return　until　the　end　of
1812。　　He　was　much　affected　at　the；　result　of　the　campaign；　but　his
confidence　in　Napoleon's　genius　kept　up　his　spirits。　　I　turned　the
conversation　from　this　subject　and　reminded　him　of　his　promise　to　tell　me
what　had　passed　between　the　Emperor　and　himself　relative　tome。　　〃You
shall　hear；〃　said　he。　　〃The　Emperor　and　I　had　been　playing　at　billiards；
and；　between　ourselves；　he　plays　very　badly。　　He　is　nothing　at　a　game
which　depends　on　skill。　　While　negligently　rolling　his　balls　about　he
muttered　these　words：　'Do　you　ever　see　Bourrienne　now？''Yes；　Sire；　he
sometimes　dines　with　me　on　diplomatic　reception…days；　and　he　looks　so
droll　in　his　old…fashioned　court…dress；　of　Lyons　manufacture；　that　you
would　laugh　if　you　saw　him。''What　does　he　say　respecting　the　new
regulation　for　the　court…dresses？''I　confess　he　says　it　is　very
ridiculous；　that　it　will　have　no　other　result　than　to　enable　the　Lyons
manufacturers　to　get　rid　of　their　old…fashioned　goods；　that　forced
innovations　on　the　customs　of　a　nation　are　never　successful。''Oh；　that
is　always　the　way　with　Bourrienne；　he　is　never　pleased　with　anything。'
'Certainly；　Sire；　he　is　apt　to　grumble；　but　he　says　what　he　thinks。'
'Do　you　know；　Duroc；　he　served　me　very　well　at　Hamburg。　　He　raised　a　good
deal　of　money　for　me。　　He　is　a　man　who　understands　business。　　I　will　not
leave　him　unemployed。　　Time　must　hang　heavily　on　his　hands。　　I　will　see
what　I　can　do　for　him。　　He　has　many　enemies。'‘And　who　has　not；　Sire？'
'Many　complaints　against　him　were　transmitted　to　me　from　Hamburg；　but　the
letter　which　he　wrote　to　me　in　his　justification　opened　my　eyes；　and　I
begin　to　think　that　Savary　had　good　motives　for　defending　him。
Endeavours　are　made　to　dissuade　me　from　employing　him；　but　I　shall
nevertheless　do　so　at　last。　　I　remember　that　it　was　he　who　first　informed
me　of　the　near　approach　of　the　war　which　we　are　now　engaged　in。　　I　forget
all　that　has　been　said　against　him　for　the　last　two　years；　and　as　soon　as
peace　is　concluded；　and　I　am　at　leisure；　I　will　think　of　him。'〃

After　relating　to　me　this　conversation　Duroc　said；　〃you　must；　of　course；
feel　assured　that　I　said　all　I　think　of　you；　and　I　will　take　an
opportunity　of　reminding　him　of　you。　　But　we　must　we　patient。　　Adieu；　my
dear　friend；　we　must　set　off　speedily；　and　Heaven　knows　when　we　shall　be
back　again！〃　　I　wished　him　a　successful　campaign　and　a　speedy　return。
Alas！　　I　was　doomed　to　see　my　excellent　friend　only　once　again。

Next　to　the　death　of　Duroc　the　loss　most　sincerely　regretted　during　the
campaign　of　1813　was　that　of　Prince　Poniatowski。　　Joseph　Poniatowaki；　a
nephew　of　Stanislas　Augustus；　King　of　Poland；　was　born　at　Warsaw　on　the
7th　of　May　1763：　At　an　early　age　he　was　remarkable　for　his　patriotic
spirit；　but　his　uncle's　influence　gave　him　an　apparent　irresolution；
which　rendered　him　suspected　by　some　of　the　parties　in　Poland。　　After　his
uncle　had　acceded　to　the　Confederation　of　Targowitz；　Poniatowski　left　the
service　accompanied　by　most　of　his　principal　officers。　　But　when；　in
1794；　the　Poles　endeavoured　to　repulse　the　Russians；　he　again　repaired　to
the　Polish　camp　and　entered　the　army　as　a　volunteer。　　His　noble　conduct
obtained　for　him　the　esteem　of　his　countrymen。　　Kosciusko　gave　him　the
command　of　a　division；　with　which　he　rendered　useful　services　during　the
two　sieges　of　Warsaw。　　Immediately　after　the　surrender　of　that　capital
Poniatowski　went　to　Vienna。　　He　refused　the　offers　of　Catherine　and　Paul
to　bear　arms　in　the　service　of　Russia。

Poniatowaki　retired　to　his　estate　year　Warsaw；　where　he　lived　like　a
private　gentleman　until　the　creation　of　the　Grand　Duchy　of　Warsaw　revived
the　hopes　of　the　Polish　patriots。　　He　then　became　War　Minister。　　The
Archduke　Ferdinand　having　come；　in　1809；　with　Austrian　troops　to　take
possession　of　the　Duchy　of　Warsaw；　Poniatowski；　who　commanded　the　Polish
troops；　which　were　very　inferior　in　numbers　to　the　Austrian　force；
obliged　the　latter；　rather　by　dint　of　skillful　maneuvering　than　by
fighting；　to　evacuate　the　Grand　Duchy。　　He　pursued　them　into　Galicia　as
far　as　Cracow。

After　this　honourable　campaign　he　continued　to　exercise　his　functions　as
Minister　until　1812。　　The　war　against　Russia　again　summoned　him　to　the
head　of　the　Polish　army。　　After　taking　part　in　all　the　events　of　that
war；　which　was　attended　by　such　various　chances；　Poniatowaki　was　present
at　the　battle　of　Leipsic。　　That　battle；　which　commenced　on　the　14th　of
October；　the　anniversary　of　the　famous　battles　of　Ulm　and　of　Jena；　lasted
four　days；　and　decided　the　fate　of　Europe。　　Five　hundred　thousand　men
fought　on　a　surface　of　three　square　leagues。

Retreat　having　become　indispensable；　Napoleon　took　leave　at　Leipsic　of
the　King　of　Saxony　and　his　family；　whom　he　had　brought　with　him　from
Dresden。　　The　Emperor　then　exclaimed　in　a　loud　voice；　〃Adieu；　Saxons；〃　to
the　people　who　filled　the　market…place；　where　the　King　of　Saxony　resided。
With　some　difficulty；　and　after　passing　through　many　turnings　and
windings；　he　gained　the　suburb　of　Runstadt　and　left　Leipsic　by　the　outer
gate　of　that　suburb　which　leads　to　the　bridge　of　the　Elster；　and　to
Lindenau。　　The　bridge　was　blown　up　shortly　after　he　had　passed　it；　and
that　event　utterly　prevented　the　retreat　of　the　part　of　the　army　which
was　on　the　left　bank　of　the　Easter；　and　which　fell　into　the　power　of　the
enemy。　　Napoleon　was　at　the　time　accused　of　having　ordered　the
destruction　of　the　bridge　immediately　after　he　had　himself　passed　it　in
order　to　secure　his　own　personal　retreat；　as　he　was　threatened　by　the
active　pursuit　of　the　enemy。　　The　English　journals　were　unanimous　on　this
point；　and　to　counteract　this　opinion；　which　was　very　general；　an　article
was　inserted　in　the　'Moniteur'。

Before　passing　the　bridge　of　the　Elster　Napoleon　had　directed
Poniatowski；　in　concert　with　Marshal　Macdonald；　to　cover　and　protect　the
retreat；　and　to　defend　that　part　of　the　suburb　of　Leipsic　which　is
nearest　to　the　Borne　road。　　For　the　execution　of　these　orders　he　had　only
2000　Polish　infantry。　　He　was　in　this　desperate　situation　when　he　saw　the
French　columns　in　full　retreat　and　the　bridge　so　choked　up　with　their
artillery　and　waggons　that　there　was　no　possibility　of　passing　it。　　Then
drawing　his　sword；　and　turning　to　the　officers　who　were　near　him；　he
said；　〃Here　we　must　fall　with　honour！〃　At　the　head　of　a　small　party　of
cuirassiers　and　Polish　officers　he　rushed　on　the　columns　of　the　Allies。
In　this　action　he　received　a　ball　in　his　left　arm：　he　had　already　been
wounded　on　the　14th　and　16th。　　He　nevertheless　advanced；　but　he　found　the
suburb　filled　with　Allied　troops。

　　　　　＇The　Allies　were　so　numerous　that　they　scarcely　perceived　the
　　　　　losses　they　sustained。　　Their　masses　pressed　down　upon　us　in　every
　　　　　direction；　and　it　was　impossible　that　victory　could　fail　to　be　with
　　　　　them。　　Their　success；　however；　would　have　been　less　decisive　had　it
　　　　　not　been　for　the　defection　of　the　Saxons。　　In　the　midst　of　the
　　　　　battle；　these　troops　having　moved　towards　the　enemy；　as　if　intending
　　　　　to　make　an　attack；　turned　suddenly　around；　and　opened　a　heavy　fire
　　　　　of　artillery　and　musketry　on　the　columns　by　the　aids　of　which　they
　　　　　had　a　few　moments　before　been　fighting。　　I　do　not　know　to　what　page
　　　　　of　history　such　a　transaction　is　recorded。　　This　event　immediately
　　　　　produced　a　great　difference　in　our　affairs；　which　were　before　in　a
　　　　　bad　enough　train。　　I　ought　here　mention　that　before　the　battle　the
　　　　　Emperor　dismissed　a　Bavarian　division　which　still　remained　with　him。
　　　　　He　spoke　to　the　officers　in　terms　which　will　not　soon　be　effaced
　　　　　from　their　memory。　　He　told　them；　that；　〃according　to　the　laws　of
　　　　　war；　they　were　his　prisoners；　since　their　Government　had　taken　part
　　　　　against　him；　but　that　he　could　not　forget　the　services　they　had
　　　　　rendered　him；　and　that　they　were　therefore　at　liberty　to　return
　　　　　home。〃　　These　troops　left　the　army；　where　they　were　much　esteemed；
　　　　　and　marched　for　Bavaria。

He　fought　his　way　through　them　and　received　another　wound。　　He　then　threw
himself　into　the　Pleisse；　which　was　the　first　river　he　came　to。　　Aided　by
his　officers；　he　gained　the　opposite　bank；　leaving　his　horse　in　the
river。　　Though　greatly　exhausted　he　mounted　another；　and　gained　the
Elster；　by　passing　through　　M。　Reichenbach's　garden；　which　was　situated
on　the　side　of　that　river。　　In　spite　of　the　steepness　of　the　banks　of　the
Elster　at　that　part；　the　Prince　plunged　with　his　horse　into　the　river：
both　man　and　horse　were　drowned；　and　the　same　fate　was　shared　by　several
officers　who　followed　Poniatawski's　example。　　Marshal　Macdonald　was；
luckily；　one　of　those　who　escaped。　　Five　days　after　a　fisherman　drew　the
body　of　the　Prince；　out　of　the　water。　　On　the　26th　of　October　it　was
temporarily　interred　at　Leipsic；　with　all　the　honours　due　to　the
illustrious　deceased。　　A　modest　stone　marks　the　spot　w