napoleon bonaparte, v11-第15节

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Meanwhile　on　the　8th　of　January　appeared　the　decree　which　called　out　for
active　duty　thirty　thousand　men　of　the　National　Guard　of　Paris　on　the
very　day　when　by　a　singular　and　fatal　coincidence　the　King　of　Naples
signed　a　treaty　of　alliance　with　Great　Britain。　　The　Emperor　reserved　for
himself　the　chief　command　of　the　National　Parisian　Guard；　and　constituted
the　staff　as　follows：　a　vice…commander…in…chief；　four　aides　who　were
major…generals；　four　adjutant　commandants；　and　eight　assistant　captains。
A　legion　was　formed　in　each　district；　and　each　legion　was　divided　into
four　battalions　subdivided　into　five　companies。　Next　the　Emperor
appointed　the　following　to　superior　grades：

General　vice…commander…in…chief。　Marshal　de　Moncey；　Duke　of　Conegliano。

Aidesmajor…generals。　General　of　division；　Count　Hullin；　Count
Bertrand；　grand　marshal　of　the。　　palace；　Count　of　Montesquieu；　grand
chamberlain；　Count　de　Montmorency；　chamberlain　of　the　Emperor。

Adjutant…commandants。　Baron　Laborde；　adjutant…commandant　of　the　post　of
Paris；　Count　Albert　de　Brancas；　chamberlain　of　the　Emperor；　　Count
Germain；　chamberlain　of　the　Emperor；　M。　Tourton。

Assistant　captains。　Count　Lariboisiere；　Chevalier　Adolphe　de　Maussion；
Messieurs　Jules　de　Montbreton；　son　of　the　equerry　of　the　Princess
Borghese；　Collin；　junior；　the　younger；　Lecordier；　junior；　Lemoine；
junior；　Cardon；　junior；　Malet；　junior。

Chiefs　of　the　twelve　Legions。　First　legion；　Count　de　Gontaut；　senior；
second　legion；　Count　Regnault　de　Saint　Jean　d'Angely；　third　legion；　Baron
Hottinguer；　banker；　fourth　legion；　Count　Jaubert；　governor　of　the　bank　of
France；　fifth　legion；　M。　Dauberjon　de　Murinais；　sixth　legion；　M。　de
Fraguier；　seventh　legion；　M。　Lepileur　de　Brevannes；　eighth　legion；　M。
Richard　Lenoir；　ninth　legion；　M。　Devins　de　Gaville；　tenth　legion；　the
Duke　of　Cadore；　eleventh　legion；　Count　de　Choiseul…Praslin；　chamberlain
of　the　Emperor；　twelfth　legion；　M。　Salleron。

From　the　names　we　have　just　read；　we　may　judge　of　the　incredible　insight
by　which　his　Majesty　was　enabled　to　choose；　among　the　most　distinguished
persons　of　the　different　classes　of　society；　those　most　popular　and　most
influential　from　their　positions。　　By　the　side　of　the　names　which　had
gained　glory　under　the　eyes　of　the　Emperor；　and　by　seconding　him　in　his
great　undertakings；　could　be　found　those　whose　claim　to　distinction　was
more　ancient　and　recalled　noble　memories；　and　finally　the　heads　of　the
principal　industries　in　the　capital。　　This　species　of　amalgamation
delighted　the　Emperor　greatly；　and　he　must　have　attached　to　it　great
political　importance；　for　this　idea　occupied　his　attention　to　such　an
extent　that　I　have　often　heard　him　say；　〃I　wish　to　confound　all　classes；
all　periods；　all　glories。　　I　desire　that　no　title　may　be　more　glorious
than　the　title　of　Frenchman。〃　　Why　is　it　fate　decreed　that　the　Emperor
should　not　be　allowed　time　to　carry　out　his　extensive　plans　for　the　glory
and　happiness　of　France　of　which　he　so　often　spoke？　　The　staff　of　the
National　Guard　and　the　chiefs　of　the　twelve　legions　being　appointed；　the
Emperor　left　the　nomination　of　the　other　officers；　as　well　as　the
formation　of　the　legions；　to　the　selection　of　M。　de　Chabrol；　prefect　of
the　Seine。　　This　worthy　magistrate；　to　whom　the　Emperor　was　much
attached；　displayed　under　these　circumstances　the　greatest　zeal　and
activity；　and　in　a　short　time　the　National　Guard　presented　an　imposing
appearance。　　They　were　armed；　equipped；　and　clothed　in　the　best　possible
manner；　and　this　ardor；　which　might　be　called　general；　was　in　these　last
days　one　of　the　consolations　which　most　deeply　touched　the　heart　of　the
Emperor；　since　he　saw　in　it　a　proof　of　the　attachment　of　the　Parisians　to
his　person；　and　an　additional　motive　for　feeling　secure　as　to　the
tranquillity　of　the　capital　during　his　approaching　absence。　　Be　that　as
it　may；　the　bureau　of　the　National　Guard　was　soon　formed；　and　established
in　the　residence　which　Marshal　Moncey　inhabited　on　the　Rue　du　Faubourg
Saint…Honore；　near　the　square　Beauveau；　and　one　master　of　requests　and
two　auditors　of　the　council　of　state　were　attached　to　it。　　The　master　of
requests；　a　superior　officer　of　engineers；　the　Chevalier　Allent；　soon　be
came　the　soul　of　the　whole　administration　of　the　National　Guard；　no　one
being　more　capable　than　he　of　giving　a　lively　impulse　to　an　organization
which　required　great　promptness。　　The　person　from　whom　I　obtained　this
information；　which　I　intermingle　with　my　personal　souvenirs；　has　assured
me　that　following　upon；　that　is　to　say；　after　our　departure　for　Chalons…
sur…Marne；　M。　Allent　became　still　more　influential　in　the　National　Guard；
of　which　he　was　the　real　head。　　In　fact；　when　King　Joseph　had　received
the　title　of　lieutenant…general　to　the　Emperor；　which　his　Majesty
conferred　on　him　during　the　time　of　his　absence；　M。　Allent　found　himself
attached　on　one　hand　to　the　staff　of　King　Joseph　as　officer　of　engineers；
and　on　the　other　to　the　vice…general…in…chief　in　his　quality　of　master　of
requests。　　It　resulted　that　he　was　the　mediator　and　counselor　in　all
communications　which　were　necessarily　established　between　the　lieutenant…
general　of　the　Emperor　and　Marshal　Moncey；　and　the　promptness　of　his
decisions　was　a　source　of　great　benefit　to　that　good　and　grave　marshal。
He　signed　all　letters；　〃The　Marshal；　Duke　de　Conegliano；　〃　and　wrote　so
slowly　that　M。　Allent　had；　so　to　speak；　　time　to　write　the　correspondence
while　the　marshal　was　signing　his　name。　　The　auditors　to　the　council　of
state　duties　of　the　two　were　nothing；　or　nearly　so；　but　these　men　were　by
no　means　nobodies；　as　has　been　asserted；　though　a　few　of　that　character
of　course　slipped　into　the　council；　since　the　first　condition　for　holding
this　office　was　simply　to　prove　an　income　of　at　least　six　thousand
francs。　　These　were　Messieurs　Ducancel；　the　dean　of　the　auditors；　and　M。
Robert　de　Sainte…Croix。　　A　shell　had　broken　the　latter's　leg　during　the
return　from　Moscow；　and　this　brave　young　man；　a　captain　of　cavalry；　had
returned；　seated　astride　a　cannon；　from　the　banks　of　the　Beresina　to
Wilna。　　Having　little　physical　strength；　but　gifted　with　a　strong　mind；
M。　Robert　de　Sainte…Croix　owed　it　to　his　moral　courage　not　to　succumb；
and　after　undergoing　the　amputation　of　his　leg；　left　the　sword　for　the
pen；　and　it　was　thus　he　became　auditor　to　the　council　of　state。

The　week　after　the　National　Guard　of　the　city　of　Paris　had　been　called
into　service；　the　chiefs　of　the　twelve　legions　and　the　general　staff　were
admitted　to　take　the　oath　of　fidelity　at　the　Emperor's　hands。　　The
National　Guard　had　already　been　organized　into　legions；　but　the　want　of
arms　was　keenly　felt；　and　many　citizens　could　procure　only　lances；　and
those　who　could　not　obtain　guns　or　buy　them　found　themselves　thereby
chilled　in　their　ardor　to　equip　themselves。　　Nevertheless；　the　Citizen
Guard　soon　enrolled　the　desired　number　of　thirty　thousand　men；　and　by
degrees　it　occupied　the　different　posts　of　the　capital；　and　whilst
fathers　of　families　and　citizens　employed　in　domestic　work　were　enrolled
without　difficulty；　those　who　had　already　paid　their　debts　to　their
country　on　the　battlefield　also　demanded　to　be　allowed　to　serve　her
again；　and　to　shed　for　her　the　last　drop　of　their　blood。　　Invalided
soldiers　begged　to　resume　their　service。　　Hundreds　of　these　brave
soldiers　forgot　their　sufferings；　and　covered　with　honorable　wounds　went
forth　again　to　confront　the　enemy。　　Alas！　　very　few　of　those　who　then
left　the　Hotel　des　Invalides　were　fortunate　enough　to　return。

Meanwhile　the　moment　of　the　Emperor's　departure　approached；　but　before
setting　out　he　bade　a　touching　adieu　to　the　National　Guard；　as　we　shall
see　in　the　next　chapter；　and　confided　the　regency　to　the　Empress　as　he
had　formerly　intrusted　it　to　her　during　the　campaign　in　Dresden。　　Alas
this　time　it　was　not　necessary　to　make　a　long　journey　before　the　Emperor
was　at　the　head　of　his　army。




CHAPTER　XXII。

We　are　now　about　to　begin　the　campaign　of　miracles；　but　before　relating
the　events　which　I　witnessed　on　this　campaign；　during　which　I；　so　to
speak；　never　left　the　Emperor；　it　is　necessary　that　I　here　inscribe　some
souvenirs　which　may　be　considered　as　a　necessary　introduction。　　It　is
well　known　that　the　Swiss　cantons　had　solemnly　declared　to　the　Emperor
that　they　would　not　allow　their　territory　to　be　violated；　and　that　they
would　do　everything　possible　to　oppose　the　passage　of　the　allied　armies
who　were　marching　on　the　frontiers　of　France　by　way　of　the　Breisgau。　　The
Emperor；　in　order　to　stop　them　on　their　march；　relied　upon　the
destruction　of　the　bridge　of　Bale；　but　this　bridge　was　not　destroyed；
and　Switzerland；　instead　of　maintaining　her　promised　neutrality；　entered
into　the　coalition　against　France。　　The　foreign　armies　passed　the　Rhine
at　Bale；　at　Schaffhausen；　and　at　Mannheim。　　Capitulations　made　with　the
generals　of　the　confederated　troops　in　regard　to　the　French　garrisons　of
Dantzic；　Dresden；　and　other　strong　towns　had　been；　as　we　have　seen；
openly　violated。　　Thus　Marshal　Gouvion　Saint…Cyr　and　his　army　corps　had
been；　contrary　to　the　stipulations　contained　in　the　treaties；　surrounded
by　superior　forces；　d