louisa of prussia and her times-第146节

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the　alliance　with　Russia。

Arriving　at　the　foot　of　the　hill　of　Jena；　the　emperor　stopped　and
alighted；　in　order　to　ascend　it　on　foot。　When　he　reached　the　summit；
he　stood　for　a　long　while　absorbed　in　his　reflections。　The　two
torch…bearers　were　at　his　side；　the　two　marshals　stood　a　little
behind　them。　The　emperor's　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　mountains；
especially　on　the　Dornberg　which　he　had　previously　passed。

The　mountain　lay　dark　and　silent　before　hima　lonely；　sleeping
giant。

The　emperor　raised　his　arm　and　pointed　at　the　Dornberg。　〃The
Prussians　have　left　the　heights；〃　he　said；　turning　slowly　to　Marshal
Lannes；　〃they　were　probably　afraid　of　the　cold　night…air；　and　have
descended　into　the　valley　to　sleep。　They　believe　we　shall　not　take
advantage　of　their　slumber。　But　they　will　be　dreadfully　mistaken；
those　old　wigs！　＇Napoleon　said：　〃Ils　se　tromperent　formidablement
ces　vieux　perruques。〃＇　As　soon　as　the　fog　has　descended　a　little
post　your　sharpshooters　on　the　heights　of　the　Dornberg；　that　they
may　bid　the　Prussians　good…morning　when　they　want　to　march　up
again！〃

He　turned　his　eyes　again　to　the　gorge；　suddenly　his　eyes　flashed
fire　and　seemed　to　pierce　the　darkness。

〃What　is　going　on　in　the　gorge　below？〃　he　asked；　hastily。

The　torch…bearers　lowered　their　torches；　the　emperor　and　the
marshals　looked　anxiously　at　a　long　black　line　moving　forward　in　the
middle　of　the　gorge；　illuminated　here　and　there　by　a　yellow　pale
light　which　seemed　to　burn　in　large　lanterns。

Napoleon　turned　with　an　angry　glance　to　Marshal　Lannes。　His　face　was
palehis　right　shoulder　was　quivering；　a　symptom　that　he　was　highly
incensed。　〃It　is　the　artillery　of　your　corps；〃　he　said。　〃It　has
stuck　in　the　gorge！　If　we　cannot　get　it　off；　we　shall　lose
tomorrow's　battle！　Come！〃

And　he　hastened　down…hill　in　so　rapid　and　impetuous　a　manner　that
the　torch…bearers　and　marshals　were　scarcely　able　to　follow　him。

Like　an　apparition；　with　flashing　eyes；　with　an　angry；　pale　face；
his　form　suddenly　emerged　from　the　darkness　before　the　artillerists
who　vainly　tried　to　move　the　field…pieces；　the　wheels　of　which　sank
deeply　into　the　sand。　The　whole　column　of　cannon　and　caissons　behind
them　had　been　obliged　to　halt；　and　an　inextricable　confusion　would
have　ensued　unless　immediate　and　energetic　steps　had　been　taken　to
open　a　passage。

This　was　to　be　done　immediately；　for　Napoleon　was　there。

He　called　in　a　loud　voice　for　the　general　commanding　the　artillery；
he　repeated　this　call　three　times；　and　every　time　his　voice　became
more　threatening；　and　his　face　turned　paler。

But　the　officers　he　called　for　did　not　appear。　The　emperor　did　not
say　a　word；　his　right　shoulder　was　quivering；　and　his　eyes　flashed
fire。

He　commanded　all　the　gunners　in　a　loud　voice　to　come　to　him；　and
ordered　them　to　get　their　tools　and　light　their　large　lanterns。

The　emperor　had　himself　seized　the　first　lantern　that　was　lighted。

〃Now　take　your　pick…axes　and　spades；〃　he　shouted。　〃We　must　widen　the
gorge　in　order　to　get　the　field…pieces　off　again。〃

It　was　hard　and　exhausting　work。　Large　drops　of　perspiration　ran
down　from　the　foreheads　of　the　gunners；　and　their　breath　issued
painfully　from　their　breasts。　But　they　worked　on　courageously　and
untiringly；　for　the　emperor　stood　at　their　side；　lantern　in　hand；
and　lighted　them　during　their　toilsome　task。

At　times　the　gunners　would　pause　and　lean　on　their　spadesnot；
however；　for　the　purpose　of　resting；　but　of　looking　with　wondering
eyes　at　this　strange　spectacle；　this　man　with　his　pale　marble　face
and　flaming　eyes；　this　emperor　who　had　transformed　himself　into　an
artillery　officer；　and；　lantern　in　hand；　lighted　his　gunners。
＇〃Memoires　du　Duc　de　Rovigo；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　278。＇

Only　when　the　wagons　and　field…pieces；　thanks　to　the　energy　of　the
gunners；　had　commenced　moving　again；　the　emperor　left　the　gorge　and
returned　to　his　bivouac。　He　took　his　supper　hastily　and
thoughtfully；　then　he　summoned　all　his　generals　and　gave　them　their
instructions　for　to…morrow's　battle　as　lucidly　and　calmly　as　ever。

〃And　now　let　us　sleep；　for　we　must　be　up　and　doing　to…morrow　morning
at　four　o'clock！〃　said　the　emperor；　dismissing　his　generals　with　a
winning　smile。

A　few　minutes　later　profound　silence　reigned　all　around；　the　emperor
lay　on　his　straw　and　slept。　Roustan　sat　at　some　distance　from　him；
and　his　dark　eyes　were　fixed　on　his　master　with　the　expression　of　a
faithful　and　vigilant　St。　Bernard's　dog。　The　flames　of　the　bivouac…
fire　enveloped　at　times；　when　they　rose　higher；　the　whole　form　of
the　emperor　in　a　strange　halo；　and　when　they　sank　down　again　the
shades　of　the　night　shrouded　it　once　more。　Four　sentinels　were
walking　up　and　down　in　front　of　the　emperor's　bivouac。

Morning　was　dawning；　it　was　the　morning　of　the　14th　of　October；
1806。

The　Prussians　were　still　asleep　in　their　tents。　But　the　French　were
awake；　and　the　emperor　was　at　their　head。

At　four　o'clock；　according　to　the　orders　Napoleon　had　given；　the
divisions　that　were　to　make　the　first　attack　were　under　arms。

The　emperor　on　his　white　horse　galloped　up；　an　outburst　of　the　most
rapturous　enthusiasm　hailed　his　appearance。

〃Long　live　our　little　corporal！　Long　live　the　emperor！〃　shouted
thousands　of　voices。

The　emperor　raised　his　hat　a　little　and　thanked　the　soldiers　with　a
smile　which　penetrated　like　a　warm　sunbeam　into　all　hearts。　He　waved
his　right　hand；　commanding　them　to　be　silent；　and　then　his　powerful；
sonorous　voice　resounded　through　the　stillness　of　the　autumnal
morning。

〃Soldiers；〃　he　shouted　in　his　usual　imperious　tone；　〃soldiers；　the
Prussian　army　is　cut　off；　like　that　of　General　Mack　a　year　ago　at
Ulm。　That　army　will　only　fight　to　secure　a　retreat　and　to　regain　its
communications。　The　French　corps；　which　suffers　itself　to　be
defeated　under　such　circumstances；　disgraces　itself。　Fear　not　that
celebrated　cavalry；　meet　it　in　square　and　with　the　bayonet！〃

〃Long　live　the　emperor！　Long　live　the　little　corporal！〃　shouted　the
soldiers　jubilantly；　on　all　sides。　The　emperor　nodded　smilingly；　and
galloped　on　to　give　his　orders　here　and　there；　and　to　address　the
soldiers。

It　was　six　o'clock　in　the　morning；　the　Prussians　were　still　asleep！
But　now　the　first　guns　thundered；　they　awakened　the　sleeping
Prussians。




CHAPTER　LXIII。

THE　GERMAN　PHILOSOPHER。


Profound　silence　reigned　in　the　small　room；　books　were　to　be　seen
everywhere　on　the　shelves；　on　the　tables；　and　on　the　floor；　they
formed　almost　the　only　decoration　of　this　room　which　contained　only
the　most　indispensable　furniture。

It　was　the　room　of　a　German　SAVANT；　a　professor　at　the　far…famed
University　of　Jena。

He　was　sitting　at　the　large　oaken　table　where　he　was　engaged　in
writing。　His　form；　which　was　of　middle　height；　was　wrapped　in　a
comfortable　dressing…gown　of　green　silk；　trimmed　with　black　fur；
which　showed　here　and　there　a　few　worn…out；　defective　spots。　A　small
green　velvet　cap；　the　shape　of　which　reminded　the　beholder　of　the
cap　of　the　learned　Melancthon；　covered　his　expansive；　intellectual
forehead；　which　was　shaded　by　sparse　light…brown　hair。

A　number　of　closely…written　sheets　of　paper　lay　on　the　table　before
him；　on　which　the　eyes　of　the　SAVANT；　of　the　philosopher；　were
fixed。

This　SAVANT　in　the　lonely　small　room；　this　philosopher　was　George
Frederick　William　Hegel。

For　two　days　he　had　not　left　his　room；　for　two　days　nobody　had　been
permitted　to　enter　it　except　the　old　waitress　who　silently　and
softly　laid　the　cloth　on　his　table；　and　placed　on　it　the　meals　she
had　brought　for　him　from　a　neighboring　restaurant。

Averting　his　thoughts　from　all　worldly　affairs；　the　philosopher　had
worked　and　reflected；　and　heard　nothing　but　the　intellectual　voices
that　spoke　to　him　from　the　depths　of　his　mind。　Without；　history　had
walked　across　the　battle…field　with　mighty　strides　and　performed
immortal　deeds；　and　here；　in　the　philosopher's　room；　the　mind　had
unveiled　its　grand　ideas　and　problems。

On　the　14th　of　October；　and　in　the　night　of　the　14th　and　15th；　Hegel
finished　his　〃Phenomenology　of　the　Mind；〃　a　work　by　which　he
intended　to　prepare　the　world　for　his　bold　philosophical　system；　and
in　which；　with　the　ringing　steps　of　a　prophet；　he　had　accomplished
his　first　walk　through　the　catacombs　of　the　creative　intellect。

All　the　power　and　strength　of　reality；　in　his　eyes；　sprang　from　this
system；　which　he　strove　to　found　in　the　sweat　of　his　intellectual
brow；and　his　system　had　caused　him　to　forget　the　great　events　that
had　occurred　in　his　immediate　neighborhood。

Now　he　had　finished　his　work；　now　he　had　written　the　last　word。　The
pen　dropped　from　his　hands；　which　he　folded　over　his　manuscript　as
if　to　bless　it　silently。

He　raised　his　head；　which；　up　to　this　time；　he　had　bent　over　the
paper；　and　his　blue　eyes；　so　gentle　and　lustrous；　turned　toward
heaven　with　a　silent　prayer　for　the　success　of　his　work。　His　fine；
intellectual　face　beamed　with　energy　and　determination；　the
philosopher　was　conscious　of　the　struggle　to　which　his　work　would
give　rise　in　the　realm　of　thought；　but　he　felt　ready　and　prepared　to
meet　his　assailants。

〃The　work　is　furnished；〃　he　exclaimed；　loudly　a