louisa of prussia and her times-第114节

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such　negotiations；　he　would　have　to　consult　the　Emperor　of　Austria；
and　learn　your　majesty's　views；　so　as　to　be　able　to　see　whether　such
an　interview　would　be　advisable　or　not。　Hence；　he　would　send　one　of
his　confidential　advisers　with　me；　and　intrust　him　with　a　mission　to
your　majesty。　The　reply　which　he　would　bring　to　him　from　your
majesty　would　decide　the　matter。'〃

〃Ah；　and　the　third　day　will　pass　in　this　manner！〃　exclaimed
Napoleon；　joyfully。　〃Where　is　the　emperor's　envoy？　and　who　is　it？〃

〃Sire；　the　emperor　sent　his　first　aide…de…camp；　Prince　Dolgorouki；
with　me。〃

〃Where　is　he？〃

〃Sire；　I　left　him　with　the　grand…guard；　he　is　waiting　there　for　your
majesty's　orders。〃

Napoleon　rose　hastily　from　the　straw；　on　which　he　had　been　sitting
with　folded　arms。

〃My　horse！〃　he　shouted；　and　when　Roustan　had　brought　his　charger；　he
vaulted　into　the　saddle　and　galloped　so　rapidly　forward　that　his
suite　were　scarcely　able　to　overtake　him。　On　arriving　close　to　the
grand…guard；　he　halted　and　alighted；　and　while　he　sent　off　Savary　to
conduct　Prince　Dolgorouki　to　him；　he　muttered：　〃Only　a　third　day！〃

He　received　the　prince　with　the　calmness　and　composure　of　a　proud
imperator；　of　a　chieftain　accustomed　to　victory。　A　wave　of　his　hand
caused　his　suite　to　stand　back；　and　when　the　officers　had　withdrawn；
he　commenced　conversing　with　Prince　Dolgorouki；　while　walking　up　and
down　with　him。

The　emperor　suddenly　approached　the　members　of　his　suite；　and　they
heard　him　say　in　a　loud　and　angry　voice：

〃If　that　is　all　you　wish　to　say　to　me；　hasten　to　inform　your　emperor
that　I　had　not　thought　at　all　of　such　conditions　when　I　applied　for
an　interview　with　him；　I　should　only　have　shown　him　my　army；　and；　as
to　the　conditions；　relied　on　his　honesty。　He　wishes　a　battle；　very
well；　let　us　fight。　I　wash　my　hands　of　it！〃　＇Footnote：　Napoleon's
own　words。Vide　〃Memoires　du　Due　de　Rovigo；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　196。＇

He　turned　his　back　to　Prince　Dolgorouki　with　a　slight　wave　of　his
hand；　and　fixing　his　flaming　eagle…eyes　on　his　generals；　he　said；
shrugging　his　shoulders：

〃Russia　will　make　peace　if　France　will　give　up　Belgium；　and；　first
of　all　things；　cede　the　crown　of　Italy　to　the　King　of　Sardinia。　Oh；
those　men　must　be　crazy！。　They　want　me　to　evacuate　Italy；　and　they
will　find　out　soon　that　they　cannot　even　get　me　out　of　Vienna。　What
would　have　been　their　terms；　and　what　would　they　have　made　of
France；　if　they　had　beaten？　Well；　let　things　turn　out　as　it　may；
please　God；　but　in　less　than　forty…eight　hours　I　will　pay　them　well
for　their　arrogance！〃　＇Footnote：　Ibid；　p。　198。＇

And　instead　of　mounting　again　on　horseback；　he　continued　walking　on
the　highway；　muttering　to　himself；　and　with　his　riding…whip　knocking
off　the　small　grass…blades　he　met　on　the　road。　He　had　now　reached
the　first　infantry　post　of　his　army。　The　sentinel　was　an　old
soldier；　who　was　unconcernedly　filling　his　pipe　while　holding　his
musket　between　his　legs。

The　gloomy　eyes　of　the　emperor　turned　to　him；　and　pointing　over　to
the　position　of　the　enemy；　he　said；　angrily：　〃Those　arrogant　fellows
believe　they　can　swallow　us　without　further　ceremony！〃

The　old　soldier　looked　smilingly　at　the　emperor　with　his　shrewd
eyes；　and　quietly　continued　filling　his　pipe　with　the　small　finger
of　his　right　hand。

〃Oh；　oh；　they　cannot　swallow　us　so　fast！　We　shall　lie　down；　your
majesty！〃

The　emperor　laughed　loudly；　and　his　face　became　radiant。　〃Yes；〃　he
said；　〃you　are　right；　we　will　lie　down　as　soon　as　they　try　to
swallow　us；　and　then　we　will　choke　them！〃

He　nodded　to　the　soldier；　and　vaulting　into　the　saddle　he　returned
to　headquarters。　Night　was　coming　on　already；　and　looking　up　to　the
moonlighted　sky；　the　emperor　murmured：　〃Only　one　more　day；　and　then
I　shall　defeat　them！〃

And　fate　gave　him　that　day。　It　is　true；　the　combined　forces　of　the
Austrians　and　Russians　approached　his　positions；　but　did　not　attack
them。　They　drew　up　in　a　long　line　directly　in　front　of　the　French
camp；　and　so　close　to　it　that　their　movements　could　be　plainly　seen。

Napoleon　was　on　horseback　all　day；　he　inspected　every　regiment　of
his　whole　army；　his　eyes　beamed　with　enthusiasm；　and　a　wondrous
smile　played　on　his　lips。

The　Bohemian　corps　had　arrived：　the　delay　of　three　days　had　borne
fruits；　he　now　felt　strong　enough　to　defeat　his　enemies。　He　spoke　in
a　merry　tone　to　the　soldiers　here　and　there；　and　they　replied　to　him
with　enthusiastic　shouts。　He　inspected　the　artillery　parks　and　light
batteries　with　searching　glances；　and　then　gave　the　necessary
instructions　to　the　officers　and　gunners。

Only　after　inspecting　every　thing　in　person；　after　visiting　the
ambulances　and　wagons　for　the　wounded；　he　returned　to　his　bivouac　in
order　to　take　a　frugal　meal。　He　then　summoned　all　his　marshals　and
generals；　and　spoke　to　them　about　every　thing　they　would　have　to　do
on　the　following　day；　and　about　what　the　enemy　might　do。　To　each　of
them　he　gave　his　instructions　and　assigned　his　position；　and　already
on　the　evening　of　this　day　he　issued　to　his　soldiers　a　proclamation；
admonishing　them　to　perform　deeds　of　heroism　on　the　following　day。

〃Soldiers；〃　he　said　to　them　in　his　proclamation；　〃the　Russian　army
appears　before　you　to　average　the　Austrian　defeat　of　Ulm。　They　are
the　same　battalions　that　you　beat　at　Holabrunn；　and；　that　you　have
since　been　constantly　pursuing　to　this　spot。〃

〃The　positions　which　we　occupy　are　formidable；　and　while　they　are
marching　to　turn　my　right；　they　will　present　their　flank　to　me。〃

〃Soldiers；　I　shall　myself　direct　your　battalions。　I　shall　keep　out
of　the　fire；　if；　with　your　usual　bravery；　you　throw　disorder　and
confusion　into　the　enemy's　ranks。　But；　if　the　victory　should　be　for
a　moment　uncertain；　you　will　see　your　emperor　the　foremost　to　expose
himself　to　danger。　For　victory　must　not　hang　doubtful　on　this　day；
most　particularly；　when　the　honor　of　the　French　infantry；　which　so
deeply　concerns　the　honor　of　the　whole　nation；　is　at　stake。〃

〃Let　not　the　ranks　be　thinned　upon　pretext　of　carrying　away　the
wounded；　and　let　every　one　be　thoroughly　impressed　with　this
thought；　that　it　behooves　us　to　conquer　these　hirelings　of　England；
who　are　animated　with　such　bitter　hatred　against　our　nation。〃

〃This　victory　will　put　an　end　to　the　campaign；　and　we　shall　then　be
able　to　return　to　our　winter　quarters；　where　we　shall　be　joined　by
the　new　armies　which　are　forming　in　France；　and　then　the　peace　which
I　shall　make　will　be　worthy　of　my　people；　of　you；　and　of　myself。〃

The　soldiers　received　this　proclamation　with　jubilant　shouts；　and
when　Napoleon；　after　night　had　set　in；　rode　once　more　through　the
camp；　the　first　soldiers　who　perceived　him；　eager　to　light　him　on
his　way；　picked　up　the　straw　of　their　bivouac　and　made　it　into
torches；　which　they　placed　blazing　on　the　tops　of　their　muskets。　In
a　few　minutes　this　example　was　followed　by　the　whole　army；　and　along
the　vast　front　of　the　French　position　was　displayed　this　singular
illumination。　The　soldiers　accompanied　the　steps　of　Napoleon　with
shouts　of　〃Vive　l'Empereur！〃　promising　to　prove　on　the　morrow　that
they　were　worthy　of　him　and　of　themselves。　Enthusiasm　pervaded　all
the　ranks。　They　went　as　men　ought　to　go　into　danger；　with　hearts
full　of　content　and　confidence。

Napoleon　retired；　to　oblige　his　soldiers；　to　take　some　rest。　With　a
feeling　of　the　most　unbounded　satisfaction；　he　threw　himself　on　the
straw　in　his　tent；　and　smilingly　rejecting　the　services　of　his
valets　de　chambre；　Roustan　and　Constant；　who　implored　him　to　permit
them　to　wrap　him　in　warmer　clothes；　he　said：

〃Kindle　a　good　fire　and　let　me　sleep　as　a　soldier　who　has　a　hot　day
before　him　on　the　morrow　ought　to　sleep。〃

He　pressed　his　head　into　the　straw　and　fell　asleep；　and　he　was　still
sleeping　when　the　marshals　and　generals　at　daybreak　came　to　the
emperor's　tent　to　awaken　him　as　he　had　ordered　them　to　do。

They　surrounded　the　open　tent　in　respectful　silence　and　looked　at
the　chieftain　who　was　to　fight　a　great　battle　to…day；　and　who　was
now　lying　on　the　straw　with　a　calm；　serene　face；　and　with　the　gentle
slumber　of　a　child。

But　they　durst　not　let　him　sleep　any　longer；　for　the　emperor；　who
had　regulated　every　movement　of　the　present　day　by　the　hour　and
minute；　would　have　been　very　angry　if　any　delay　had　occurred。
General　Savary；　therefore；　approached　the　sleeping　emperor　and　bent
over　him。　Then　his　loud　and　earnest　voice　was　heard　to　say：　〃Sire；
the　fixed　hour　has　come。〃

Napoleon；　opened　his　eyes　and　jumped　up。　Sleep　had　suddenly　fallen
from　him　like　a　thin　veil；　as　soon　as　he　rose　to　his　feet　he　was
once　more　the　great　emperor　and　general。　He　cast　a　long；　searching
look　on　the　gray；　moist；　and　wintry　horizon；　and　the　dense　mist
which　shrouded　every　thing　at　a　distance　of　ten　paces　caused　his
eyes　to　sparkle　with　delight；

〃That　mist　is　an　excellent　ally　of　ours；　for　it　will　conceal　our
movements　from　the　enemy。　Issue　your　orders；　gentlemen；　let　the
whole　army　take　up　arms　as　silently　as　possible。〃

The　emperor　then　mounted　on　horseback　and　rode　through　the　camp　to
see　the　infantry　and　cavalry　form　in　column。

It　was　now　seven　o'clock　in　the　morning。　The　mist　b