napoleon bonaparte, v11-第18节

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when　a　child；　had　foreshadowed　in　his　engagement　with　the　scholars　his
gigantic　combats。　　The　engagement　at　La　Rothiere　was　hotly　contested；　and
the　enemy　obtained；　only　at　the　price　of　much　blood；　an　advantage　which
they　owed　entirely　to　their　numerical　superiority。　　In　the　night　which
followed　this　unequal　struggle；　the　Emperor　ordered　the　retreat　from
Troves。　　On　returning　to　the　chateau　after　the　battle；　his　Majesty
narrowly　escaped　an　imminent　danger。　　He　found　himself　surrounded　by　a
troop　of　uhlans；　and　drew　his　sword　to　defend　himself。　　M。　Jardin；
junior；　his　equerry；　who　followed　the　Emperor　closely；　received　a　ball　in
his　arm。　　Several　chasseurs　of　the　escort　were　wounded；　but　they　at　last
succeeded　in　extricating　his　Majesty。　　I　can　assert　that　his　Majesty
showed　the　greatest　self…possession　in　all　encounters　of　this　kind。　　On
that　day；　as　I　unbuckled　his　sword…belt；　he　drew　it　half　out　of　the
scabbard；　saying；　〃Do　you　know；　Constant；　the　wretches　have　made　me　cut
the　wind　with　this？　　The　rascals　are　too　impudent。　　It　is　necessary　to
teach　them　a　lesson；　that　they　may　learn　to　hold　themselves　at　a
respectful　distance。〃

It　is　not　my　intention　to　write　the　history　of　this　campaign　in　France；
in　which　the　Emperor　displayed　an　activity　and　energy　which　excited　to
the　highest　point　the　admiration　of　those　who　surrounded　him。
Unfortunately；　the　advantages　which　he　had　obtained　gradually　exhausted
his　own　troops；　while　only　creating　losses　in　the　enemy's；　which　they
easily　repaired。　　It　was；　as　M。　Bourrienne　has　well　said；　a　combat　of　an
Alpine　eagle　with　a　flock　of　ravens：　〃The　eagle　may　kill　them　by
hundreds。　　Each　blow　of　his　beak　is　the　death　of　an　enemy；　but　the　ravens
return　in　still　greater　numbers；　and　continue　their　attack　on　the　eagle
until　they　at　last　overcome　him。〃　　At　Champ…Aubert；　at　Montmirail；　at
Nangis；　at　Montereau；　and　at　Arcis；　and　in　twenty　other　engagements；　the
Emperor　obtained　the　advantage　by　his　genius　and　by　the　courage　of　our
army；　but　it　was　all　in　vain。　　Hardly　had　these　masses　of　the　enemy　been
scattered；　before　fresh　ones　were　formed　again　in　front　of　our　soldiers；
exhausted　by　continuous　battles　and　forced　marches。　　The　army；　especially
that　which　Blucher　commanded；　seemed　to　revive　of　itself；　and　whenever
beaten　reappeared　with　forces　equal；　if　not　superior；　to　those　which　had
been　destroyed　or　dispersed。　　How　can　such　an　immense　superiority　of
numbers　be　indefinitely　resisted？




CHAPTER　XXIII。

The　Emperor　had　never　shown　himself　so　worthy　of　admiration　as　during
this　fatal　campaign　in　France；　when；　struggling　against　misfortunes；　he
performed　over　again　the　prodigies　of　his　first　wars　in　Italy；　when
fortune　smiled　on　him。　　His　career　had　begun　with　an　attack；　and　the　end
was　marked　by　the　most　magnificent　defense　recorded　in　the　annals　of　war。
And　it　may　be　said　with　truth　that　at　all　times　and　everywhere　his
Majesty　showed　himself　both　the　perfect　general　and　the　soldier；　under
all　circumstances　furnishing　an　example　of　personal　courage　to　such　an
extent；　indeed；　that　all　those　who　surrounded　him；　and　whose　existence
was　dependent　on　his　own；　were　seriously　alarmed。　　For　instance；　as　is
well　known；　the　Emperor；　at　the　battle　of　Montereau；　pointed　the　pieces
of　artillery　himself；　recklessly　exposed　himself　to　the　enemy's　fire；　and
said　to　his　soldiers；　who　were　much　alarmed　at　his　danger　and　attempted
to　remove　him；　〃Let　me　alone；　my　friends；　the　bullet　which　is　to　kill　me
has　not　yet　been　molded。〃

At　Arcis　the　Emperor　again　fought　as　a　common　soldier；　and　more　than　once
drew　his　sword　in　order　to　cut　his　way　through　the　midst　of　the　enemy　who
surrounded　him。　　A　shell　fell　a　few　steps　from　his　horse。　　The　animal；
frightened；　jumped　to　one　side；　and　nearly　unhorsed　the　Emperor；　who；
with　his　field…glass　in　his　hand；　was　at　the　moment　occupied　in　examining
the　battlefield。　　His　Majesty　settled　himself　again　firmly　in　his　saddle；
stuck　his　spurs　in　the　horse's　sides；　forced　him　to　approach　and　put　his
nose　to　it。　　Just　then　the　shell　burst；　and；　by　an　almost　incredible
chance；　neither　the　Emperor　nor　his　horse　was　even　wounded。

In　more　than　one　similar　circumstance　the　Emperor　seemed；　during　this
campaign；　to　put　his　life　at　a　venture；　and　yet　it　was　only　in　the　last
extremity　that　he　abandoned　the　hope　of　preserving　his　throne。　　It　was　a
painful　sacrifice　to　him　to　treat　with　the　enemy　so　long　as　they　occupied
French　territory；　for　he　wished　to　purge　the　soil　of　France　of　the
presence　of　foreigners　before　entering　into　any　agreement　with　them
whatever。　　And　this　feeling　was　the　reason　of　his　hesitation　and　refusal
to　accept　the　peace　which　was　offered　him　on　various　occasions。

On　the　8th　of　February；　the　Emperor；　at　the　end　of　a　long　discussion　with
two　or　three　of　his　intimate　advisers；　retired　very　late；　and　in　a　state
of　extreme　preoccupation。　　He　woke　me　often　during　the　night；　complaining
of　being　unable　to　sleep；　and　made　me　extinguish　and　relight　his　lamp
again　and　again。　　About　five　o'clock　in　the　morning　I　was　called　again。
I　was　almost　fainting　with　fatigue；　which　his　Majesty　noticed；　and　said
to　me　kindly；　　〃You　are　worn　out；　my　poor　Constant；　we　are　making　a
severe　campaign；　are　we　not？　　But　hold　out　only　a　little　longer；　you　will
soon　rest。〃

Encouraged　by　the　sympathizing　tones　of　his　Majesty；　I　took　the　liberty
of　replying　that　no　one　could　think　of　complaining　of　the　fatigue　or
privations　he　endured；　since　they　were　shared　by　his　Majesty；　but　that；
nevertheless；　the　desire　and　hope　of　every　one　were　for　peace。　　〃Ah；
yes；〃　replied　the　Emperor；　with　a　kind　of　subdued　violence；　〃they　will
have　peace；　they　will　realize　what　a　dishonorable　peace　is！〃　　I　kept
silence；　his　Majesty's　chagrin　distressed　me　deeply；　and　I　wished　at　this
moment　that　his　army　could　have　been　composed　of　men　of　iron　like
himself；　then　he　would　have　made　peace　only　on　the　frontiers　of　France。

The　tone　of　kindness　and　familiarity　in　which　the　Emperor　spoke　to　me　on
this　occasion　recalls　another　circumstance　which　I　neglected　to　relate　in
its　proper　place；　and　which　I　must　not　pass　over　in　silence；　since　it
furnishes　such　a　fine　example　of　his　Majesty's　conduct　towards　the
persons　of　his　service；　and　especially　myself。　　Roustan　witnessed　the
occurrence；　and　it　was　from　him　I　learned　the　opening　details。

In　one　of　his　campaigns　beyond　the　Rhine　（I　do　not　remember　which）；　I　had
passed　several　nights　in　succession　without　sleep；　and　was　exhausted。
The　Emperor　went　out　at　eleven　o'clock；　and　remained　three　or　four　hours；
and　I　seated　myself　in　his　armchair；　near　his　table；　to　await　his　return；
intending　to　rise　and　retire　as　soon　as　I　heard　him　enter；　but　was　so
exhausted　with　fatigue　that　sleep　suddenly　overtook　me；　and　I　dropped
into　a　deep　slumber；　my　head　resting　on　my　arm；　and　my　arm　on　his
Majesty's　table。　　The　Emperor　returned　at　last　with　Marshal　Berthier；　and
followed　by　Roustan。　　I　heard　nothing。　　The　Prince　de　Neuchatel　wished　to
approach　and　shake　me　that　I　might　awake　and　resign　to　his　Majesty　his
seat　and　table；　but　the　Emperor　stopped　him；　saying；　〃Let　the　poor　fellow
sleep；　he　has　passed　many　nights　with　none。〃　　Then；　as　there　was　no　other
chair　in　the　apartment；　the　Emperor　seated　himself　on　the　edge　of　the
bed；　made　the　marshal　also　seat　himself　there；　and　they　held　a　long
conversation　while　I　continued　to　sleep。　　At　length；　needing　one　of　the
maps　from　the　table　on　which　my　arm　rested；　his　Majesty；　although　he　drew
it　out　most　cautiously；　awoke　me；　and　I　immediately　sprang　to　my　feet；
overwhelmed　with　confusion；　and　excusing　myself　for　the　liberty　I　had　so
involuntarily　taken。　　〃Monsieur　Constant；〃　the　Emperor　then　said　with　an
exceedingly　kind　smile；　〃I　am　distressed　to　have　disturbed　you。　　Pray；
excuse　me。〃　　I　trust　that　this；　in　addition　to　what　I　have　already
related　of　the　same　nature；　may　serve　as　an　answer　to　those　who　have
accused　him　of　harshness　to　his　servants。　　I　resume　my　recital　of　the
events　of　1814。

On　the　night　of　the　8th　the　Emperor　seemed　to　have　decided　on　making
peace；　and　the　whole　night　was　spent　in　preparing　dispatches；　which　on
the　morning　of　the　9th　at　nine　o'clock　were　brought　to　him　to　sign；　but
he　had　changed　his　mind。　　At　seven　o'clock　he　had　received　news　from　the
Russian　and　Prussian　army；　and　when　the　Duke　of　Bassano　entered；　holding
in　his　hand　the　dispatches　to　be　signed；　his　Majesty　was　asleep　over　the
maps　where　he　had　stuck　his　pens。　　〃Ah；　it　is　you；〃　said　he　to　his
minister；　〃we　will　no　longer　need　those。　　We　are　now　laying　plans　to
attack　Blucher；　he　has　taken　the　road　from　Montmirail。　　I　am　about　to
start。　　To…morrow　I　will　fight；　and　again　the　next　day。　　The　aspect　of
affairs　is　on　the　point　of　changing；　as　we　shall　see。　　Let　us　not　be
precipitate；there　is　time　enough　to　make　such　a　peace　as　they　propose。〃
An　hour　after　we　were　on　the　road　to　Sezanne。

For　several　days　in　succession　after　this；　the　heroic　efforts　of　the
Emperor　and　his　brave　soldiers　were　crowned　with　brilliant　success。
Immediately　on　their　arrival　at　Champ…Aubert；　the　army；　finding　itself　in
presence　of　the　Russian　army　corps；　against　which