louisa of prussia and her times-第102节

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majesty　in　relation　to　this　one　bill。〃

〃I　suppose　it　is　very　high　and　fraudulent？〃　asked　the　emperor；
hastily。　With　these　words　he　rose　and　approached　the　grand…marshal。

〃Sire；〃　said　the　latter；　〃I　do　not　know　whether　it　is　fraudulent　or
not；　but　it　is　very　high。　It　is　the　bill　of　Military　Intendant
Sordi；　who　built　this　barrack；　and　to　whom　its　fitting　up　had　been
intrusted。〃

〃Well；　how　much　does　he　charge　for　it？〃　asked　Napoleon。

〃Sire；　he　asks　fifty　thousand　francs。〃

〃Fifty　thousand　francs！〃　exclaimed　Napoleon；　almost　in　terror。　〃I
hope　you　have　not　paid　this　impudent　bill？〃

〃No；　sire；　I　have　not；　on　the　contrary；　I　requested　M。　Sordi　to
reduce　the　sum。〃

〃And　he　has　done　so；　of　course？〃　exclaimed　Napoleon；　gloomily。　〃Just
like　these　men。　They　ask　us　to　confide　in　them；　and　yet　they　try　on
every　occasion　to　cheat　us。　How　much　did　he　deduct　from　his　bill？〃

〃Nothing　at　all；　sire。　M。　Sordi　asserts　that　he　did　not　charge　too
much　for　a　single　article；　he　was　unable；　therefore；　to　make　even
the　slightest　deduction。〃

〃And　so　you　have　paid　the　bill？〃

〃No；　sire；　I　said　that　I　could　not　pay　it　until　your　majesty　had
given　me　express　orders　to　do　so。〃

〃Well　done；〃　said　the　emperor；　nodding　to　him。　〃Send　word　to　the
military　intendant　that　I　want　to　see　him　immediately。　I　wish　to
talk　to　him　myself。〃

The　grand…marshal　withdrew；　and　Napoleon　returned　to　his　maps。　He
continued　to　mark　them　with　long　rows　of　pins；　and　to　draw　circles
and　straight　lines　on　them。

〃If　the　Austrians　are　bold　enough　to　advance；〃　he　said　to　himself；
in　a　low　voice；　〃I　shall　beat　them　in　the　open　field；　should　they
remain　stationary　and　wait　for　me　to　attack　them；　I　shall　inflict
upon　them　a　crushing　defeat　at　Ulm。　It　is　time　for　me　to　make　these
overbearing　Germans　feel　the　whole　weight　of　my　wrath。　and；　as　they
have　spurned　my　friendship；　to　crush　them　by　my　enmity。　That　little
Emperor　of　Austria　dares　to　menace　me；　I　shall　prove　to　him　that
menacing　me　is　bringing　about　one's　own　ruin。　I　shall　assemble　my
forces　here　in　this　plain；　and　here〃

〃Sire；　the　military　intendant；　M。　de　Sordi；　whom　your　majesty　has
ordered　to　appear　before　you；〃　said　the　emperor's　aide…de…camp；
opening　the　door　of　the　council…chamber。

〃Let　him　come　in；〃　ejaculated　Napoleon；　without　averting　his　eyes
from　the　map。

The　aide…de…camp　retired；　and　the　tall；　powerful　form　of　Intendant
Sordi　appeared　in　the　door。　His　face　was　pale；　but　calm；　his
features　indicated　boldness　and　a　fixed　purpose；　he　was　evidently
conscious　of　the　importance　of　the　present　moment；　and　felt　that　it
would　decide　his　whole　future。

The　emperor　continued　scanning　his　maps。　M。　de　Sordi　stood　at　the
door；　waiting　for　the　emperor　to　address　him。　When　he　saw　that　the
latter　tarried　very　long；　he　advanced　a　step；　and；　as　if
accidentally；　pushed　against　the　chair　standing　at　his　side。

The　noise　aroused　Napoleon　from　his　meditation；　and　reminded　him　of
the　person　he　had　sent　for。

He　therefore　hastily　turned　around　to　him。　〃Sir；〃　he　said；　〃you　have
spent　a　great　deal　too　much　money　for　the　decoration　of　this
miserable　barrack；　yes；　indeed；　a　great　deal　too　much。　Fifty
thousand　francs！　What　do　you　mean；　sir？　That　is　frightful；　I　shall
not　pay　that　sum！〃

M。　de　Sordi　met　the　flaming　glances　of　the　emperor　with　smiling
calmness。

〃Sire；〃　he　said；　lifting　up　his　hand　and　pointing　at　the　ceiling；　〃I
may　truthfully　say　that　the　clouds　of　gold　brocade　adorning　the
ceiling　of　this　room；　and　surrounding　the　propitious　star　of　your
majesty；　have　cost　alone　not　less　than　twenty…five　thousand　francs。
Had　I　consulted；　however；　the　hearts　of　your　subjects；　the　imperial
eagle；　which　now　again　will　crush　the　enemies　of　France　and　of　your
throne；　would　have　spread　out　its　wings　amidst　the　most　magnificent
and　precious　diamonds。〃　＇Footnote：　The　ceiling　of　the　room　was
decorated　with　golden　clouds；　amidst　which；　on　a　blue　ground；　was　an
eagle；　holding　a　thunderbolt；　and　pointing　it　at　a　star；　the　star　of
the　emperor。Constant；　vol。　i。；　p。　246。＇

Napoleon　smiled。　〃Very　well；〃　he　said；　〃you　believe　the　hearts　of　my
subjects　to　be　very　prodigal。　I　am　not；　however；　and　I　repeat　to　you
I　shall　not　pay　that　sum　now。　But　as　you　tell　me　that　this　eagle；
which　costs　so　much　money；　will　crush　the　Austrians；　you　will
doubtless　wait　until　it　has　done　so；　and　then　I　will　pay　your　bill
with　the　rix…dollars　of　the　Emperor　of　Germany　and　the　Fredericks
d'or　of　the　King　of　Prussia。〃　＇Footnote：　Napoleon's　own　words。
Constant；　vol。　i。；　p。　246。＇

He　dismissed　him　smilingly　with　a　wave　of　his　hand；　and　returned　to
his　maps。

A　few　hours　later　Napoleon；　followed　by　all　his　generals　and
adjutants；　repaired　to　the　camp。　Ascending　a　small　mound；　specially
prepared　for　the　occasion；　he　surveyed　with　radiant　eyes　the
surging；　motley；　and　brilliant　sea　of　soldiers　who　surrounded　him　on
all　sides；　and　who　greeted　his　appearance　with　thundering　shouts　of
exultation。

A　wave　of　his　hand　commanded　them　to　be　still；　and；　as　if　fascinated
by　a　magician's　wand；　the　roaring　masses　grew　dumb；　and　profound
silence　ensued。　Amidst　this　silence；　Napoleon　raised　his　clear；
ringing…voice；　and　its　sonorous　notes　swept　like　eagle…wings　over
the　sea　of　soldiers。

〃Brave　soldiers　of　the　camp　of　Boulogne；〃　he　said；　〃you　will　not　go
to　England。　The　gold　of　the　English　government　has　seduced　the
Emperor　of　Austria；　and　he　has　again　declared　war　against　France。
His　army　has　crossed　the　line　of　demarcation　assigned　to　it；　and
inundated　Bavaria。　Soldiers；　fresh　laurels　are　awaiting　you　beyond
the　Rhine；　let　us　hasten　to　vanquish　once　more　enemies　whom　we　have
already　vanquished。　On　to　Germany！〃　＇Footnote：　Napoleon's　own
words。Constant；　vol。　i。；　p。　282。＇

〃On　to　Germany！〃　shouted　the　soldiers；　jubilantly。　〃On　to　Germany！〃
was　repeated　from　mouth　to　mouth；　and　even　the　sea　seemed　to　roar
with　delight　and　its　waves；　thundering　against　the　beach；　to　shout；
〃On　to　Germany！〃




CHAPTER　XLIII。

NAPOLEON　AND　THE　GERMAN　PRINCES。


The　Emperor　of　France　with　his　army　had　crossed　the　boundaries　of
Germany。　He　had　come　to　assist　his　ally；　the　Elector　of　Bavaria；
against　the　Austrians　who　had　invaded　Bavaria；　not；　however；　in
order　to　menace　Bavaria；　but；　as　an　autograph　letter　from　the
Emperor　Francis　to　the　elector　expressly　stated；　to　secure　a　more
extended　and　better　protected　position。

The　Elector　of　Bavaria；　Maximilian　Joseph；　had　declared；　in　a
submissive　letter　to　the　Austrian　emperor；　that　he　was　perfectly
willing　to　let　the　Austrian　regiments　encamp　within　his　dominions。
〃I　pledge　my　word　as　a　sovereign　to　your　majesty。〃　he　had　written　to
the　Emperor　of　Germany；　〃that　I　shall　not　hinder　the　operations　of
your　army　in　any　manner　whatever；　and　if；　what　is　improbable；
however；　your　majesty　should　be　obliged　to　retreat　with　your　army；　I
promise　and　swear　that　I　shall　remain　quiet　and　support　your
projects　in　every　respect。　But　I　implore　your　majesty　on　my　knees　to
permit　me　graciously　to　maintain　the　strictest　neutrality。　It　is　a
father；　driven　to　despair　by　anguish　and　care；　who　implores　your
majesty's　mercy　in　favor　of　his　child。　My　son　is　just　now　travelling
in　southern　France。　If　I　should　be　obliged　to　send　my　troops　into
the　field　against　France　my　son　would　be　lost；　and　the　fate　of　the
Duke　d'Enghien　would　be　in　store　for　him；　too；　if　I　should；　however；
remain　quietly　and　peaceably　in　my　states；　I　should　gain　time　for　my
son　to　return　from　France。〃　＇Footnote：　〃Memoires　sur　l'Intereor　du
Palais　de　Napoleon；〃　by　De　Bausset；　vol。　i。；　p。　59。＇

But　on　the　same　day；　and　with　the　same　pen；　on　which　the　ink　with
which　he　had　written　to　the　Emperor　of　Germany　was　not　yet　dry；　the
elector　had　also　written　to　the　Emperor　of　France　and　informed　him
〃that　he　was　ready　to　place　himself　under　his　protection；　that　he
would　be　proud　to　become　the　ally　of　France；　and　that　he　would
thenceforward　lay　himself　and　his　army　at　the　feet　of　the　great　and
august　Emperor　of　France。〃

And　the　courier　who　was　to　deliver　the　letter　with　the　sacred
pledges　of　neutrality　to　the　Emperor　of　Germany；　had　not　yet　reached
Vienna　when　the　Elector　of　Bavaria　secretly　fled　from　Munich　to
Wurzburg；　where　his　army　of　twenty…five　thousand　men　was　waiting　for
him。

He　sent　his　army；　commanded　by　General　Deroy；　to　meet　the　Emperor　of
the　French；　it　was　not　to　attack　him　as　the　enemy　of　Germany；　but　to
hail　him　as　an　ally　and　to　place　itself　under　his　direction。　He　then
issued　a　proclamation。

〃We　have　separated　from　Austria；〃　he　said；　〃from　Austria；　who　wanted
to　ensnare　and　annihilate　us　by　her　perfidious　schemes；　and　to
compel　us　to　fight　at　her　side　for　foreign　interests；　from　Austria；
the　hereditary　foe　of　our　house　and　of　our　independence；　who　is　just
now　going　to　make　another　attempt　to　devour　Bavaria；　and　degrade　her
to　the　position　of　an　Austrian　province。　But　the　Emperor　of　the
French；　Bavaria's　natural　ally；　hastened　to　the　rescue　with　his
brave　warriors；　in　order　to　avenge　you；　your　sons　will　soon　fight　at
the　side　of　men　accustomed　to　victory；　soon；　soon　the　day　of
retribution　will　be　at　hand。〃　＇Footnote：　Hausser's　〃History　of
Ge