napoleon bonaparte, v11-第19节

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Immediately　on　their　arrival　at　Champ…Aubert；　the　army；　finding　itself　in
presence　of　the　Russian　army　corps；　against　which　they　had　already　fought
at　Brienne；　fell　on　it　without　even　waiting　to　take　repose；　separated　it
from　the　Prussian　army；　and　took　the　general…in…chief　and　several　general
officers　prisoners。　　His　Majesty；　whose　conduct　towards　his　conquered
foes　was　always　honorable　and　generous；　made　them　dine　at　his　table；　and
treated　them　with　the　greatest　consideration。

The　enemy　were　again　beaten　at　the　Farm　des　Frenaux　by　Marshals　Ney　and
Mortier；　and　by　the　Duke　of　Ragusa　at　Vaux…Champs；　where　Blucher　again
narrowly　escaped　being　made　prisoner。　　At　Nangis　the　Emperor　dispersed
one　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　men　commanded　by　the　Prince　von
Schwarzenberg；　and　ordered　in　pursuit　of　them　Marshals　Oudinot；
Kellermann；　Macdonald；　and　Generals　Treilhard　and　Gerard。

The　eve　of　the　battle　of　Wry；　the　Emperor　inspected　all　the　surroundings
of　this　little　town；　and　his　observing　glasses　rested　on　an　immense
extent　of　marshy　ground　in　the　midst　of　which　is　the　village　of　Bagneux；
and　at　a　short　distance　the　village　of　Anglure；　past　which　the　Aube
flows。　　After　rapidly　passing　over　the　unsafe　ground　of　these　dangerous
marshes；　he　set　foot　on　solid　ground；　and　seated　himself　on　a　bundle　of
reeds；　and　there；　leaning　against　the　wall　of　a　night…hunter's　hut；　he
unrolled　his　map　of　the　campaign；　and；　after　examining　it　a　few　moments；
remounted　his　horse　and　set　off　at　a　gallop。

At　this　moment　a　flock　of　teal　and　snipe　flew　up　before　his　Majesty；　and
he　exclaimed　laughingly：　〃Go；　go；　my　beauties；　make　room　for　other　game。〃
His　Majesty　said　to　those　around　him；　〃This　time　we　have　them！〃

The　Emperor　was　galloping　towards　Anglure；　in　order　to　see　if　the　hill　of
Baudemont；　which　is　near　this　village；　was　occupied　by　the　artillery；
when　the　noise　of　cannon　heard　in　the　direction　of　Wry　compelled　him　to
retrace　his　steps；　and　he　accordingly　returned　to　Wry；　saying　to　the
officers　who　accompanied　him；　〃Let　us　gallop；　gentlemen；　our　enemies　are
in　a　hurry；　we　should　not　keep　them　waiting。〃　　A　half　hour　after　he　was
on　the　battlefield。　　Enormous　clouds　of　smoke　from　the　burning　of　Wry
were　driven　in　the　faces　of　the　Russian　and　Prussian　columns；　and　partly
hid　the　maneuvers　of　the　French　army。　　At　that　moment　everything
indicated　the　success　of　the　plans　the　Emperor　had　formed　that　morning　in
the　marshes　of　Bagneux；　for　all　went　well。　　His　Majesty　foresaw　the
defeat　of　the　allies；　and　France　saved；　while　at　Anglure　all　were　given
up　to　despair。　　The　population　of　many　villages　shuddered　at　the　approach
of　the　enemy；　for　not　a　piece　of　cannon　was　there　to　cut　off　their
retreat；　not　a　soldier　to　prevent　them　from　crossing　the　river。

The　position　of　the　allies　was　so　exceedingly　critical　that　the　whole
French　army　believed　them　destroyed；　as　they　had　plunged　with　all　their
artillery　into　the　marshes；　and　would　have　been　mowed　down　by　the　shower
of　balls　from　our　cannon　if　they　had　remained　there。　　But　suddenly　they
were　seen　to　make　a　new　effort；　place　themselves　in　line　of　battle；　and
prepare　to　pass　the　Aube。　　The　Emperor；　who　could　pursue　them　no　farther
without　exposing　his　army　to　the　danger　of　being　swallowed　up　in　the
marshes；　arrested　the　impetuosity　of　his　soldiers；　believing　that　the
heights　of　Baudemont　were　covered　with　artillery　ready　to　overwhelm　the
enemy；　but　hearing　not　a　single　shot　in　this　direction；　he　hurried　to
Sezanne　to　hasten　the　advance　of　the　troops；　only　to　learn　that　those　he
expected　to　find　there　had　been　sent　toward　Fere　Champenoise。

During　this　interval；　a　man　named　Ansart；　a　land　owner　at　Anglure；
mounted　his　horse；　and　hurried　at　the　utmost　speed　to　Sezanne　in　order　to
inform　the　marshal　that　the　enemy　were　pursued　by　the　Emperor；　and　about
to　cross　the　Aube。　　Having　reached　the　Duke；　and　seeing　that　the　corps　he
commanded　was　not　taking　the　road　to　Anglure；　he　hastened　to　speak。
Apparently　the　Emperor's；　orders　had　not　been　received；　for　the　marshal
would　not　listen　to　him；　treated　him　as　a　spy；　and　it　was　with　much
difficulty　this　brave　man　escaped　being　shot。

While　this　scene　was　taking　place；　his　Majesty　had　already　reached
Sezanne；　and　seeing　many　inhabitants　of　this　village　around　him；　he
requested　some　one　to　guide　him　to　Fere　Champenoise；　whereupon　a　bailiff
presented　himself。　　The　Emperor　immediately　set　out；　escorted　by　the
officers　who　had　accompanied　him　to　Sezanne；　and　left　the　town；　saying　to
his　guide；　〃Go　in　front；　monsieur；　and　take　the　shortest　road。〃　　Arrived
at　a　short　distance　from　the　battlefield　of　Fere　Champenoise；　his　Majesty
saw　that　every　report　of　the　artillery　made　the　poor　bailiff　start。　　〃You
are　afraid；〃　said　the　Emperor　to　him。　　〃No；　Sire。〃〃Then；　what　makes　you
dodge　your　head？〃〃It　is　because　I　am　not　accustomed　like　your　Majesty
to　hearing　all　this　uproar。〃〃One　should　accustom　himself　to　everything。
Fear　nothing；　keep　on。〃　　But　the　guide；　more　dead　than　alive；　reined　in
his　horse；　and　trembled　in　every　limb。　　〃Come；　come；　I　see　you　are　really
afraid。　　Go　behind　me。〃　　He　obeyed；　turned　his　horse's　head；　and　galloped
as　far　as　Sezanne　without　stopping；　promising　himself　most　faithfully
never　again　to　serve　as　guide　to　the　Emperor　on　such　an　occasion。

At　the　battle　of　Mery；　the　Emperor；　under　the　very　fire　of　the　enemy；　had
a　little　bridge　thrown　over　the　river　which　flows　near　the　town。　　This
bridge　was　constructed　in　an　hour　by　means　of　ladders　fastened　together；
and　supported　by　wooden　beams；　but　as　this　was　not　sufficient；　it　was
necessary　that　planks　should　be　placed　on　this。　　None　could　be　found；
however；　for　those　who　might　have　been　able　to　procure　them　did　not　dare
to　approach　the　exposed　spot　his　Majesty　occupied　at　this　moment。
Impatient；　and　even　angry；　because　he　could　not　obtain　the　planks　for
this　bridge；　his　Majesty　had　the　shutters　of　several　large　houses　a　short
distance　from　the　river　taken　down；　and　had　them　placed　and　nailed　down
under　his　own　eyes。　　During　this　work　he　was　tormented　by　intense　thirst；
and　was　about　to　dip　water　up　in　his　hand　to　slake　it；　when　a　young　girl；
who　had　braved　danger　in　order　to　draw　near　the　Emperor；　ran　to　a
neighboring　house；　and　brought　him　a　glass　of　water　and　some　wine；　which
he　eagerly　drank。

Astonished　to　see　this　young　girl　in　so　perilous　a　place；　the　Emperor
said　to　her；　smiling；　〃You　would　make　a　brave　soldier；　Mademoiselle；　and
if　you　are　willing　to　wear　epaulets　you　shall　be　one　of　my　aides…de…
camp。〃　　The　young　girl　blushed；　and　made　a　courtesy　to　the　Emperor；　and
was　going　away；　when　he　held　out　his　hand　to　her；　and　she　kissed　it。
〃Later；〃　he　said；　〃come　to　Paris；　and　remind　me　of　the　service　you　have
rendered　me　to…day。　　You　will　be　satisfied　of　my　gratitude。〃　　She　thanked
the　Emperor　and　withdrew；　very　proud　of　his　words　of　commendation。

The　day　of　the　battle　of　Nangis　an　Austrian　officer　came　in　the　evening
to　headquarters；　and　had　a　long；　secret　conference　with　his　Majesty。
Forty…eight　hours　after；　at　the　close　of　the　engagement　at　Mery；　appeared
a　new　envoy　from　the　Prince　von　Schwarzenberg；　with　a　reply　from　the
Emperor　of　Austria　to　the　confidential　letter　which　his　Majesty　had
written　two　days　before　to　his　father…in…law。　　We　had　left　Mery　in
flames；　and　in　the　little　hammock　of　Chatres；　where　headquarters　had　been
established；　there　could　no　shelter　be　found　for　his　Majesty　except　in
the　shop　of　a　wheelwright；　and　the　Emperor　passed　the　night　there；
working；　or　lying　on　the　bed　all　dressed；　without　sleeping。　　It　was　there
also　he　received　the　Austrian　envoy；　the　Prince　of　Lichtenstein。　　The
prince　long　remained　in　conversation　with　his　Majesty；　and　though　nothing
was　known　of　the　subject　of　their　conversation；　no　one　doubted　that　it
related　to　peace。　　After　the　departure　of　the　prince；　the　Emperor　was　in
extraordinarily　high　spirits；　which　affected　all　those　around　him。

Our　army　had　taken　from　the　enemy　thousands　of　prisoners；　Paris　had　just
received　the　Russian　and　Prussian　banners　taken　at　Nangis　and　Montereau；
the　Emperor　had　put　to　flight　the　foreign　sovereigns；　who　even　feared　for
a　time　that　they　might　not　be　able　to　regain　the　frontiers；　and　the
effect　of　so　much　success　had　been　to　restore　to　his　Majesty　his　former
confidence　in　his　good　fortune；　though　this　was　unfortunately　only　a
dangerous　illusion。

The　Prince　of　Lichtenstein　had　hardly　left　headquarters　when　M。　de　Saint…
Aignan；　the　brother…in…law　of　the　Duke　of　Vicenza；　and　equerry　of　the
Emperor；　arrived。　　M。　de　Saint…Aignan　went；　I　think；　to　his　brother…in…
law；　who　was　at　the　Congress　of　Chatillon；　or　at　least　had　been；　for　the
sessions　of　this　congress　had　been　suspended　for　several　days。　　It　seems
that　before　leaving　Paris　M。　de　Saint…Aignan　held　an　interview　with　the
Duke　of　Rovigo　and　another；　minister；　and　they　had　given　him　a　verbal
message　to　the　Emperor。　　This　mission　was　both　delicate　and　difficult。
He　would　have　much　preferred　that　these　gentlemen　should　have　sent　in
writing　the　communications　which　they　insisted　he　should　bear　to　his
Majesty；　but　they　refused；　and　as　a　faithful　servant　M。