napoleon bonaparte, v12-第1节

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RECOLLECTIONS　OF　THE　PRIVATE　LIFE　OF　NAPOLEON；　V12

BY　CONSTANT

PREMIER　VALET　DE　CHAMBRE




TRANSLATED　BY　WALTER　CLARK

1895




CONTENTS：
CHAPTER　XXIV。　　to　　CHAPTER　XXXI。




CHAPTER　XXIV。

After　the　brilliant　successes　obtained　by　the　Emperor　in　such　a　short
time；　and　with　forces　so　exceedingly　inferior　to　the　great　masses　of　the
enemy；　his　Majesty；　realizing　the　necessity　of　allowing　his　troops　to
take　a　rest　of　some　days　at　Troyes；　entered　into　negotiations　for　an
armistice　with　the　Prince　von　Schwarzenberg。

At　this　juncture　it　was　announced　to　the　Emperor　that　General　Blucher；
who　had　been　wounded　at　Mery；　was　descending　along　both　banks　of　the
Maine；　at　the　head　of　an　army　of　fresh　troops；　estimated　at　not　less　than
one　hundred　thousand　men；　and　that　he　was　marching　on　Meaux。　　The　Prince
von　Schwarzenberg；　having　been　informed　of　this　movement　of　Blucher's；
immediately　cut　short　the　negotiations；　and　assumed　the　offensive　at　Bar…
sur…Seine。　　The　Emperor；　whose　genius　followed　by　a　single　glance　all　the
marches　and；　operations　of　the　enemy；　though　he　could　not　be　everywhere
at　once；　resolved　to　confront　Blucher　in　person；　while　by　means　of　a
stratagem　he　made　it　appear　that　he　was　present　opposite　Schwarzenberg；
and　two　army　corps；　commanded；　one　by　Marshal　Oudinot；　the　other　by
Marshal　Macdonald；　were　then　sent　to　meet　the　Austrians。　　As　soon　as　the
troops　approached　the　enemy's　camp　they　made　the　air　resound　with　the
shouts　of　confidence　and　cheers　with　which　they　usually　announced　the
presence　of　his　Majesty；　though　at　this　very　moment　he　was　repairing　in
all　haste　to　meet　General　Blucher。

We　halted　at　the　little　village　of　Herbisse；　where　we　passed　the　night　in
the　manse；　and　the　curate；　seeing　the　Emperor　arrive　with　his　marshals；
aides…de…camp；　ordnance　officers；　service　of　honor；　and　the　other
services；　almost　lost　his　wits。　　His　Majesty　on　alighting　said　to　him；
〃Monsieur　le　Cure；　we　come　to　ask　your　hospitality　for　a　night。　　Do　not
be　frightened　by　this　visit；　we　shall　disturb　you　as　little　as　possible。〃
The　Emperor；　conducted　by　the　good　curate；　beside　himself　with　eagerness
and　embarrassment；　established　himself　in　the　only　apartment　the　house
contained；　which　served　at　the　same　time　as　kitchen；　diningroom；　bedroom；
cabinet；　and　reception…room。　　In　an　instant　his　Majesty　had　his　maps　and
papers　spread　out　before　him；　and　prepared　himself　for　work　with　as　much
ease　as　in　his　cabinet　at　the　Tuileries。　　But　the　persons　of　his　suite
needed　somewhat　more　time　to　install　themselves；　for　it　was　no　easy　thing
for　so　many　persons　to　find　a　place　in　a　bakehouse　which；　with　the　room
occupied　by　his　Majesty；　composed　the　entire　manse　of　Herbisse；　but　these
gentlemen；　although　there　were　among　them　more　than　one　dignitary　and
prince　of　the　Empire；　were　uncomplaining；　and　readily　disposed　to
accommodate　themselves　to　circumstances。　　The　gay　good　humor　of　these
gallant　soldiers；　in　spite　of　all　the　combats　they　had　to　sustain　each
day；　while　events　every　instant　took　a　more　alarming　turn；　was　most
noteworthy；　and　depicts　well　the　French　character。

The　youngest　officers　formed　a　circle　around　the　curate's　niece；　who　sang
to　them　the　songs　of　the　country。　　The　good　curate；　in　the　midst　of
continual　comings　and　goings；　and　the　efforts　he　made　to　play　worthily
his　role　of　master　of　the　mansion；　found　himself　attacked　on　his　own
territory；　that　is　to　say；　on　his　breviary；　by　Marshal　Lefebvre；　who　had
studied　in　his　youth　to　be　a　priest；　and　said　that　he　had　preserved
nothing　from　his　first　vocation　except　the　shaven　head；　because　it　was　so
easy　to　comb。　　The　worthy　marshal　intermingled　his　Latin　quotations　with
those　military　expressions　he　so　freely　used；　causing　those　present　to
indulge　in　bursts　of　laughter；　in　which　even　the　curate　himself　joined；
and　said；　〃Monseigneur；　if　you　had　continued　your　studies　for　the
priesthood　you　would　have　become　a　cardinal　at　least。〃〃Very　likely；〃
observed　one　of　the　officers；　and　if　the　Abbe　Maury　had　been　a　sergeant…
major　in　'89；　he　might　to…day　be　marshal　of　France。〃〃Or　dead；〃　added
the　Duke　of　Dantzic；　using　a　much　more　energetic　expression；　〃and　so　much
the　better　for　him；　since　in　that　case　he　would　not　see　the　Cossacks
twenty　leagues　from　Paris。〃〃Oh；　bah！　　Monseigneur；　we　will　drive　them
away；〃　said　the　same　officer。　　〃Yes；〃　the　marshal　muttered　between　his
clinched　teeth；　〃we　shall　see　what　we　shall　see。〃

At　this　moment　the　mule　arrived　bearing　the　sutler's　supplies；　which　had
been　long　and　impatiently　expected。　　There　was　no　table；　but　one　was　made
of　a　door　placed　on　casks；　and　seats　were　improvised　with　planks。　　The
chief　officers　seated　themselves；　and　the　others　ate　standing。　　The
curate　took　his　place　at　this　military　table　on　which　he　had　himself
placed　his　best　bottles　of　wine；　and　with　his　native　bonhomie　continued
to　entertain　the　guests。　　At　length　the　conversation　turned　on　Herbisse
and　its　surroundings；　and　the　host　was　overcome　with　astonishment　on
finding　that　his　guests　knew　the　country　so　thoroughly。

〃Ah；　I　have　it！〃　exclaimed　he；　considering　them　attentively　one　after　the
other；　〃you　are　Champenois！〃　　And　in　order　to　complete　his　surprise　these
gentlemen　drew　from　their　pockets　plans　on　which　they　made　him　read　the
names　of　the　very　smallest　localities。　　Then　his　astonishment　only
changed　its　object；　for　he　had　never　dreamed　that　military　science
required　such　exact　study。　　〃What　labor！〃　replied　the　good　curate；　〃what
pains！　and　all　this　in　order　the　better　to　shoot　cannon…balls　at　each
other！　　〃The　supper　over；　the　next　thought　was　the　arrangements　for
sleeping；　and　for　this　purpose　we　found　in　the　neighboring　barns　a
shelter　and　some　straw。　　There　remained　outside；　and　near　the　door　of　the
room　occupied　by　the　Emperor；　only　the　officers　on　duty；　Roustan　and
myself；　each　of　whom　had　a　bundle　of　straw　for　his　bed。　　Our　worthy　host；
having　given　up　his　bed　to　his　Majesty；　remained　with　us；　and　rested　like
us　from　the　fatigues　of　the　day；　and　was　still　sleeping　soundly　when　the
staff　left　the　manse；　for　the　Emperor　arose；　and　set　off　at　break　of　day。
The　curate　when　he　awoke　expressed　the　deepest　chagrin　that　he　had　not
been　able　to　make　his　adieux　to　his　Majesty。　　A　purse　was　handed　him
containing　the　sum　the　Emperor　was　accustomed　to　leave　private
individuals　of　limited　means　at　whose　residences　he　halted　as　indemnity
for　their　expense　and　trouble；　and　we　resumed　our　march　in　the　steps　of
the　Emperor；　who　hastened　to　meet　the　Prussians。

The　Emperor　wished　to　reach　Soissons　before　the　allies；　but　although　they
had　been　obliged　to　traverse　roads　which　were　practically　impassable；
they　had　arrived　before　our　troops；　and　as　he　entered　La　Ferte　his
Majesty　saw　them　retiring　to　Soissons。　　The　Emperor　was　rejoiced　at　this
sight。　　Soissons　was　defended　by　a　formidable　garrison；　and　could　delay
the　enemy；　while　Marshals　Marmont　and　Mortier　and　his　Majesty　in　person
attacked　Blucher　in　the　rear　and　on　both　flanks；　and　would　have　inclosed
him　as　in　a　net。　　But　this　time　again　the　enemy　escaped　from　the　snare
the　Emperor　had　laid　for　him　at　the　very　moment　he　thought　he　had　seized
him；　for　Blucher　had　hardly　presented　himself　in　front　of　Soissons　before
the　gates　were　opened。　　General　Moreau；　commandant　of　the　place；　had
already　surrendered　the　town　to　Billow；　and　thus　assured　to　the　allies
the　passage　of　the　Aisne。　　On　receiving　this　depressing　news　the　Emperor
exclaimed；　〃The　name　of　Moreau　has　always　been　fatal　to　me！〃

Meanwhile　his　Majesty；　continuing　his　pursuit　of　the　Prussians；　was
occupied　in　delaying　the　passage　of　the　Aisne。　　On　the　5th　of　March　he
sent　General　Nansouty　in　advance；　who　with　his　cavalry　took　the　bridge；
drove　the　enemy　back　as　far　as　Corbeny；　and　made　a　Russian　colonel
prisoner。　　After　passing　the　night　at　Bery…au…Bac；　the　Emperor　was
marching　towards　Laon　when　it　was　announced　to　him　that　the　enemy　was
coming　to　meet　us；　these　were　not　Prussians；　but　an　army　corps　of
Russians　commanded　by　Sacken。　　On　advancing　farther；　we　found　the
Russians　established　on　the　heights　of　Craonne；　and　covering　the　road　to
Laon　in　what　appeared　to　be　an　impregnable　position；　but　nevertheless　the
advance　guard　of　our　army；　commanded　by　Marshal　Ney；　rushed　forward　and
succeeded　in　taking　Craonne。　　That　was　enough　glory　for　this　time；　and
both　sides　then　passed　the　night　preparing　for　the　battle　of　next　day。
The　Emperor　spent　it　at　the　village　of　Corbeny；　but　without　sleeping；
as　inhabitants　of　the　neighboring　villages　arrived　at　all　hours　to　give
information　as　to　the　position　of　the　enemy　and　the　geography　of　the
country。　　His　Majesty　questioned　them　himself；　praised　them　or
recompensed　their　zeal；　and　profited　by　their　information　and　services。
Thus；　having　recognized　in　the　mayor　of　one　of　the　communes　in　the
suburbs　of　Craonne　one　of　his　former　comrades　in　the　regiment　of　La　Fere；
he　placed　him　in　the　number　of　his　aides…de…camp；　and　arranged　that　he
should　serve　as　guide　through　this　country；　which　no　one　knew　better　than
he。　　M。　de　Bussy　（that　was　the　officer's　name）　had　left　France　during　the
reign　of　ter