napoleon bonaparte, v5-第4节

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cavalry；　and　the　Emperor　did　not　even　find　it　necessary　to　use　his
Guards；　while　those　of　the　Emperor　Alexander　was　almost　entirely
destroyed　in　protecting　the　retreat；　or　rather　the　flight；　of　the
Russians；　who　could　escape　from　the　pursuit　of　our　soldiers　only　by　the
bridge　of　Friedland；　a　few　narrow　pontoons；　and　an　almost　impassable
ford。

The　regiments　of　the　line　in　the　French　army　covered　the　plain；　and　the
Emperor；　occupying　a　post　of　observation　on　a　height　whence　he　could
overlook　the　whole　field　of　battle；　was　seated　in　an　armchair　near　a
mill；　surrounded　by　his　staff。　　I　never　saw　him　in　a　gayer　mood；　as　he
conversed　with　the　generals　who　awaited　his　orders；　and　seemed　to　enjoy
eating　the　black　Russian　bread　which　was　baked　in　the　shape　of　bricks。
This　bread；　made　from　inferior　rye　flour　and　full　of　long　straws；　was　the
food　of　all　the　soldiers；　and　they　knew　that　his　Majesty　ate　it　as　well
as　themselves。　　The　beautiful　weather　favored　the　skillful　maneuvers　of
the　army；　and　they　performed　prodigies　of　valor。　　The　cavalry　charges
especially　were　executed　with　so　much　precision　that　the　Emperor　sent　his
congratulations　to　the　regiments。

About　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　when　the　two　armies　were　pressing
each　other　on　every　side；　and　thousands　of　cannon　caused　the　earth　to
tremble；　the　Emperor　exclaimed；　〃If　this　continues　two　hours　longer；　the
French　army　will　be　left　standing　on　the　plain　alone。〃　　A　few　moments
after　he　gave　orders　to　the　Count　Dorsenne；　　general　of　the　foot
grenadiers　of　the　Old　Guard；　to　fire　on　a　brick…yard；　behind　which　masses
of　Russians　and　Prussians　were　intrenched；　and　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye
they　were　compelled　to　abandon　this　position；　and　a　horde　of
sharpshooters　set　out　in　pursuit　of　the　fugitives。

The　Guard　made　this　movement　at　five　o'clock；　and　at　six　the　battle　was
entirely　won。　　The　Emperor　said　to　those　who　were　near　him；　while
admiring　the　splendid　behavior　of　the　Guard；　〃Look　at　those　brave
fellows；　with　a　good…will　they　would　run　over　the　stone…slingers　and　pop…
guns　of　the　line；　in　order　to　teach　them　to　charge　without　waiting　for
them；　but　it　would　have　been　useless；　as　the　work　has　been　well　done
without　them。〃

His　Majesty　went　in　person　to　compliment　several　regiments　which　had
fought　the　whole　day。　　A　few　words；　a　smile；　a　salute　of　the　hand；　even　a
nod；　was　sufficient　recompense　to　these　brave　fellows　who　had　just　been
crowned　with　victory。

The　number　of　the　dead　and　prisoners　was　enormous；　and　seventy　banners；
with　all　the　equipments　of　the　Russian　army；　were　left　in　the　hands　of
the　French。

After　this　decisive　day；　the　Emperor　of　Russia；　who　had　rejected　the
proposals　made　by　his　Majesty　after　the　battle　of　Eylau；　found　himself
much　disposed　to　make　the　game　on　his　own　account；　and　General　Bennigsen
consequently　demanded　an　armistice　in　the　name　of　his　Emperor；　which　his
Majesty　granted；　and　a　short　time　after　a　treaty　of　peace　was　signed；　and
the　famous　interview　between　the　two　sovereigns　held　on　the　banks　of　the
Niemen。　　I　shall　pass　over　rapidly　the　details　of　this　meeting；　which
have　been　published　and　repeated　innumerable　times。　　His　Majesty　and　the
young　Czar　conceived　a　mutual　affection　from　the　first　moment　of　their
meeting；　and　each　gave　fetes　and　amusements　in　honor　of　the　other。　　They
were　in　inseparable　in　public　and　private；　and　passed　hours　together　in
meetings　for　pleasure　only；　from　which　all　intruders　were　carefully
excluded。　　The　town　of　Tilsit　was　declared　neutral；　and　French；　Russians；
and　Prussians　followed　the　example　set　them　by　their　sovereigns；　and
lived　together　in　the　most　intimate　brotherhood。

The　King　and　Queen　of　Prussia　soon　after　joined　their　Imperial　Majesties
at　Tilsit；　though　this　unfortunate　monarch；　to　whom　there　remained　hardly
one　town　of　the　whole　kingdom　he　had　possessed；　was　naturally　little
disposed　to　take　part　in　so　much　festivity。　　The　queen　was　beautiful　and
graceful；　though　perhaps　somewhat　haughty　and　severe；　which　did　not
prevent　her　being　adored　by　all　who　surrounded　her。　　The　Emperor　sought
to　please　her；　and　she　neglected　none　of　the　innocent　coquetries　of　her
sex　in　order　to　soften　the　heart　of　the　conqueror　of　her　husband。　　The
queen　several　times　dined　with　the　sovereigns；　seated　between　the　two
Emperors；　who　vied　with　each　other　in　overwhelming　her　with　attentions
and　gallantries。　　It　is　well　known　that　the　Emperor　Napoleon　offered　her
one　day　a　splendid　rose；　which　after　some　hesitation　she　accepted；　saying
to　his　Majesty　with　a　most　charming　smile；　〃With　Magdeburg；　at　least。〃
And　it　is　well　known　also　that　the　Emperor　did　not　accept　the　condition。

The　princess　had　among　her　ladies　of　honor　a　very　old　woman；　who　was　most
highly　esteemed。　　One　evening　as　the　queen　was　being　escorted　into　the
dining…hall　by　the　two　Emperors；　followed　by　the　King　of　Prussia；　Prince
Murat；　and　the　Grand　Duke　Constantine；　this　old　lady　of　honor　gave　way　to
the　two　latter　princes。　　Grand　Duke　Constantine　would　not　take　precedence
of　her；　but　entirely　spoiled　this　act　of　politeness　by　exclaiming　in　a
rude　tone；　〃Pass；　madame；　pass　on！〃　　And　turning　towards　the　King　of
Naples；　added；　loud　enough　to　be　heard；　this　disgraceful　exclamation；
〃The　old　woodcock！〃

One　may　judge　from　this　that　Prince　Constantine　was　far　from　exhibiting
towards　ladies　that　exquisite　politeness　and　refined　gallantry　which
distinguished　his　august　brother。

The　French　Imperial　Guard　on　one　occasion　gave　a　dinner　to　the　guard　of
the　Emperor　Alexander。　　At　the　end　of　this　exceedingly　gay　and　fraternal
banquet；　each　French　soldier　exchanged　uniforms　with　a　Russian；　and
promenaded　thus　before　the　eyes　of　the　Emperors；　who　were　much　amused　by
this　impromptu　disguise。

Among　the　numerous　attentions　paid　by　the　Russian　Emperor　to　our　own；
I　would　mention　a　concert　by　a　troop　of　Baskir　musicians；　whom　their
sovereign　brought　over　the　Niemen　for　this　purpose；　and　never　certainly
did　more　barbarous　music　resound　in　the　ears　of　his　Majesty；　and　this
strange　harmony；　accompanied　by　gestures　equally　as　savage；　furnished　one
of　the　most　amusing　spectacles　that　can　be　imagined。　　A　few　days　after
this　concert；　I　obtained　permission　to　make　the　musicians　a　visit；　and
went　to　their　camp；　accompanied　by　Roustan；　who　was　to　serve　as
interpreter。　　We　enjoyed　the　pleasure　of　being　present　at　a　repast　of　the
Baskirs；　where　around　immense　wooden　tubs　were　seated　groups　consisting
of　ten　men；　each　holding　in　his　hand　a　piece　of　black　bread　which　he
moistened　with　a　ladleful　of　water；　in　which　had　been　diluted　something
resembling　red　clay。　　After　the　repast；　they　gave　us　an　exhibition　of
shooting　with　the　bow；　and　Roustan；　to　whom　this　exercise　recalled　the
scenes　of　his　youth；　attempted　to　shoot　an　arrow；　but　it　fell　at　a　few
paces；　and　I　saw　a　smile　of　scorn　curl　the　thick　lips　of　our　Baskirs。　　I
then　tried　the　bow　in　my　turn；　and　acquitted　myself　in　such　a　manner　as
to　do　me　honor　in　the　eyes　of　our　hosts；　who　instantly　surrounded　me；
congratulating　me　by　their　gestures　on　my　strength　and　skill；　and　one　of
them；　even　more　enthusiastic　and　more　amicable　than　the　others；　gave　me　a
pat　on　the　shoulder　which　I　long　remembered。

The　day　succeeding　this　famous　concert；　the　treaty　of　peace　between　the
three　sovereigns　was　signed；　and　his　Majesty　made　a　visit　to　the　Emperor
Alexander；　who　received　him　at　the　head　of　his　guard。　　The　Emperor
Napoleon　asked　his　illustrious　ally　to　show　him　the　bravest　grenadier　of
this　handsome　and　valiant　troop；　and　when　he　was　presented　to　his
Majesty；　he　took　from　his　breast　his　own　cross　of　the　Legion　of　Honor；
and　fastened　it　on　the　breast　of　the　Muscovite　soldier；　amid　the
acclamations　and　hurrahs　of　all　his　comrades。　　The　two　Emperors　embraced
each　other　a　last　time　on　the　banks　of　the　Niemen；　and　his　Majesty　set
out　on　the　road　to　Koenigsberg。

At　Bautzen　the　King　of　Saxony　came　out　to　meet　him；　and　their　Majesties
entered　Dresden　together。　　King　Frederick　Augustus　gave　a　most
magnificent　reception　to　the　sovereign　who；　not　content　with　giving　him　a
scepter；　had　also　considerably　increased　the　hereditary　estates　of　the
elector　of　Saxony。　　The　good　people　of　Dresden；　during　the　week　we　passed
there；　treated　the　French　more　as　brothers　and　compatriots　than　as
allies。

But　it　was　nearly　ten　months　since　we　had　left　Paris；　and　in　spite　of　all
the　charms　of　the　simple　and　cordial　hospitality　of　the　Germans；　I　was
very　eager　to　see　again　France　and　my　own　family。




CHAPTER　III。

It　was　during　the　glorious　campaign　of　Prussia　and　Poland　that　the
imperial　family　was　plunged　in　the　deepest　sorrow　by　the　death　of　the
young　Napoleon；　eldest　son　of　King　Louis　of　Holland。　　This　child　bore　a
striking　resemblance　to　his　father；　and　consequently　to　his　uncle。　　His
hair　was　blond；　but　would　probably　have　darkened　as　he　grew　older。　　His
eyes；　which　were　large　and　blue；　shone　with　extraordinary　brilliancy　when
a　deep　impression　was　made　on　his　young　mind。　　Gentle；　lovable；　and　full
of　candor　and　gayety；　he　was　the　delight　of　the　Emperor；　especially　on
account　of　the　firmness　of　his　character；　which　was　so　remarkable