napoleon bonaparte, v7-第11节

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scout　all　around　it；　and　gave　warning　by　a　bark　if　he　found　anything
unusual；　thus　on　more　than　one　occasion　saving　his　comrades　from　ambush。

Among　the　officers　who　perished　at　the　battle　of　Wagram；　or　rather　in　a
small　engagement　which　took　place　after　the　battle　had　ended；　one　of
those　most　regretted　by　the　soldiers　was　General　Oudet。　　He　was　one　of
the　bravest　generals　of　the　army；　but　what　brings　his　name　especially　to
mind；　among　all　those　whom　the　army　lost　on　that　memorable　day；　is　a　note
which　I　have　preserved　of　a　conversation　I　held　several　years　after　this
battle　with　an　excellent　officer　who　was　one　of　my　sincerest　friends。

In　a　conversation　with　Lieutenant…colonel　B　in　1812；　he　remarked；　〃I
must　tell　you；　my　dear　Constant；　of　a　strange　adventure　which　happened　to
me　at　Wagram。　　I　did　not　tell　you　at　the　time；　because　I　had　promised　to
be　silent；　but　since　at　the　present　time　no　one　can　be　compromised　by　my
indiscretion；　and　since　those　who　then　had　most　to　fear　if　their　singular
ideas　（for　I　can　call　them　by　no　other　name）　had　been　revealed；　would　now
be　first　to　laugh　at　them；　I　can　well　inform　you　of　the　mysterious
discovery　I　made　at　that　period。

〃You　well　know　that　I　was　much　attached　to　poor　F　whom　we　so　much
regretted；　and　he　was　one　of　our　most　popular　and　attractive　officers；
his　good　qualities　winning　the　hearts　of　all；　especially　of　those　who
like　himself　had　an　unfailing　fund　of　frankness　and　good　humor。　　All　at
once　I　noticed　a　great　change　in　his　manner；　as　well　as　in　that　of　his
habitual　companions；　they　appeared　gloomy；　and　met　together　no　more　for
gay　conversation；　but　on　the　contrary　spoke　in　low　tones　and　with　an　air
of　mystery。　　More　than　once　this　sudden　change　had　struck　me；　and　if　by
chance　I　met　them　in　retired　places；　instead　of　receiving　me　cordially　as
had　always　been　their　custom；　they　seemed　as　if　trying　to　avoid　me。　　At
last；　weary　of　this　inexplicable　mystery；　I　took　F　aside；　and　asked
him　what　this　strange　conduct　meant。　　'You　have　forestalled　me；　my　dear
friend；'　said　he。　　'I　was　on　the　point　of　making　an　important　disclosure；
I　trust　you　will　not　accuse　me　of　want　of　confidence；　but　swear　to　me
before　I　confide　in　you　that　you　will　tell　no　living　soul　what　I　am　now
going　to　reveal。'　　When　I　had　taken　this　oath；　which　he　demanded　of　me　in
a　tone　of　gravity　which　surprised　me　inexpressibly；　he　continued；　'If　I
have　not　already　told　you　of　the　'Philadelphi'；　it　is　only　because　I　knew
that　reasons　which　I　respect　would　prevent　your　ever　joining　them；　but
since　you　have　asked　this　secret；　it　would　be　a　want　of　confidence　in
you；　and　at　the　same　time　perhaps　an　imprudence；　not　to　reveal　it。　　Some
patriots　have　united　themselves　under　the　title　of　'Philadelphi'；　in
order　to　save　our　country　from　the　dangers　to　which　it　is　exposed。　　The
Emperor　Napoleon　has　tarnished　the　glory　of　the　First　Consul　Bonaparte；
he　had　saved　our　liberty；　but　he　has　since　destroyed　it　by　the
reestablishment　of　the　nobility　and　by　the　Concordat。　　The　society　of　the
'Philadelphi'　has　as　yet　no　well…defined　plans　for　preventing　the　evils
with　which　ambition　will　continue　to　overwhelm　France；　but　when　peace　is
restored　we　shall　see　if　it　is　impossible　to　force　Bonaparte　to　restore
republican　institutions；　and　meanwhile　we　are　overcome　by　grief　and
despair。　　The　brave　chief　of　the　'Philadelphi'；　the　pure　Oudet；　has　been
assassinated；　and　who　is　worthy　to　take　his　place？　　Poor　Oudet！　　never
was　one　braver　or　more　eloquent　than　he！　　With　a　noble　haughtiness　and　an
immovable　firmness　of　character；　he　possessed　an　excellent　heart。　　His
first　battle　showed　his　intrepid　spirit。　　When　cut　down　at　Saint
Bartholomew　by　a　ball；　his　comrades　wished　to　bear　him　away；　〃No；　no；〃
cried　he；　〃don't　waste　time　over　me。　　The　Spaniards！　　the　Spaniards！〃
〃Shall　we　leave　you　to　the　enemy？〃　　said　one　of　those　who　had　advanced
towards　him。　　〃Well；　drive　them　back　if　you　do　not　wish　me　to　be　left
with　them。〃　　At　the　beginning　of　the　campaign　of　Wagram；　he　was　colonel
of　the　Ninth　regiment　of　the　line；　and　was　made　general　of　brigade　on　the
evening　before　the　battle；　his　corps　forming　part　of　the　left　wing
commanded　by　Massena。　　Our　line　was　broken　on　this　side　for　a　moment；　and
Oudet　made　heroic　efforts　to　reform　it；　and　after　he　had　been　wounded　by
three　bayonet　strokes；　with　the　loss　of　much　blood；　and　dragged　away　by
those　of　us　who　were　forced　to　fall　back；　still　had　himself　fastened　on
his　horse　in　order　that　he　might　not　be　forced　to　leave　the　battlefield。

〃'After　the　battle；　he　received　orders　to　advance　to　the　front；　and　to
place　himself　with　his　regiment　in　an　advantageous　position　for
observation；　and　then　return　immediately　to　headquarters；　with　a　certain
number　of　his　officers；　to　receive　new　orders。　　He　executed　these　orders；
and　was　returning　in　the　night；　when　a　discharge　of　musketry　was　suddenly
heard；　and　he　fell　into　an　ambush；　he　fought　furiously　in　the　darkness；
knowing　neither　the　number　nor　character　of　his　adversaries；　and　at　break
of　day　was　found；　covered　with　wounds；　in　the　midst　of　twenty　officers
who　had　been　slain　around　him。　　He　was　still　breathing；　and　lived　three
days；　but　the　only　words　he　pronounced　were　those　of　commiseration　for
the　fate　of　his　country。　　When　his　body　was　taken　from　the　hospital　to
prepare　it　for　burial；　several　of　the　wounded　in　their　despair　tore　the
bandages　from　their　wounds；　a　sergeant…major　threw　himself　on　his　sword
near　the　grave；　and　a　lieutenant　there　blew　out　his　brains。　　Behold；'
said　F；　'a　death　that　plunges　us　into　the　deepest　despair！'　　I　tried
to　prove　to　him　that　he　was　mistaken；　and　that　the　plans　of　the
'Philadelphi'　were　mad；　but　succeeded　very　imperfectly；　and　though　he
listened　to　my　advice；　he　again　earnestly　recommended　secrecy。〃

The　day　after　the　battle　of　Wagram；　I　think；　a　large　number　of　officers
were　breakfasting　near　the　Emperor's　tent；　the　generals　seated　on　the
grass；　and　the　officers　standing　around　them。　　They　discussed　the　battle
at　length；　and　related　numerous　remarkable　anecdotes；　some　of　which
remain　engraven　on　my　memory。　　A　staff…officer　of　his　Majesty　said；　〃I
thought　I　had　lost　my　finest　horse。　　As　I　had　ridden　him　on　the　5th　and
wished　him　to　rest；　I　gave　him　to　my　servant　to　hold　by　the　bridle；　and
when　he　left　him　one　moment　to　attend　to　his　own；　the　horse　was　stolen　in
a　flash　by　a　dragoon；　who　instantly　sold　him　to　a　dismounted　captain；
telling　him　he　was　a　captured　horse。　　I　recognized　him　in　the　ranks；　and
claimed　him；　proving　by　my　saddle…bags　and　their　contents　that　he　was　not
a　horse　taken　from　the　Austrians；　and　had　to　repay　the　captain　the　five
louis　which　he　had　paid　to　the　dragoon　for　this　horse　which　had　cost　me
sixty。〃

The　best　anecdote；　perhaps；　of　the　day　was　this：　M。　Salsdorf；　a　Saxon；
and　surgeon　in　Prince　Christian's　regiment；　in　the　beginning　of　the
battle　had　his　leg　fractured　by　a　shell。　　Lying　on　the　ground；　he　saw；
fifteen　paces　from　him；　M。　Amedee　de　Kerbourg；　who　was　wounded　by　a
bullet；　and　vomiting　blood。　　He　saw　that　this　officer　would　die　of
apoplexy　if　something　was　not　done　for　him；　and　collecting　all　his
strength；　dragged　himself　along　in　the　dust；　bled　him；　and　saved　his
life。

M。　de　Kerbourg　had　no　opportunity　to　embrace　the　one　who　had　saved　his
life；　for　M。　de　Salsdorf　was　carried　to　Vienna；　and　only　survived　the
amputation　four　days。




CHAPTER　XXI。

At　Schoenbrunn；　as　elsewhere；　his　Majesty　marked　his　presence　by　his
benefactions。　　I　still　retain　vivid　recollections　of　an　occurrence　which
long　continued　to　be　the　subject　of　conversation　at　this　period；　and　the
singular　details　of　which　render　it　worthy　of　narration。

A　little　girl　nine　years　old；　belonging　to　a　very　wealthy　and　highly
esteemed　family　of　Constantinople；　was　carried　away　by　bandits　as　she　was
promenading　one　day　with　her　attendant　outside　the　city。　　The　bandits
carried　their　two　captives　to　Anatolia；　and　there　sold　them。　　The　little
girl；　who　gave　promise　of　great　beauty；　fell　to　the　lot　of　a　rich
merchant　of　Broussa；　the　harshest；　most　severe；　and　intractable　man　of
the　town；　but　the　artless　grace　of　this　child　touched　even　his　ferocious
heart。　　He　conceived　a　great　affection　for　her；　and　distinguished　her
from　his　other　slaves　by　giving　her　only　light　employment；　such　as　the
care　of　flowers；　etc。　　A　European　gentleman　who　lived　with　this　merchant
offered　to　take　charge　of　her　education；　to　which　the　man　consented；　all
the　more　willingly　since　she　had　gained　his　heart；　and　he　wished　to　make
her　his　wife　as　soon　as　she　reached　a　marriageable　age。　　But　the　European
had　the　same　idea；　and　as　he　was　young；　with　an　agreeable　and　intelligent
countenance；　and　very　rich；　he　succeeded　in　winning　the　young　slave's
affection；　and　she　escaped　one　day　from　her　master；　and；　like　another
Heloise；　followed　her　Abelard　to　Kutahie；　where　they　remained　concealed
for　six　months。

She　was　then　ten　years　old。　　Her　preceptor；　who　became　more　devoted　to
her　each　day；　carried　her　to　Constantinople；　and　confided　her　to　the　care
of　a　Greek　bishop；　charging　him　to　make　her　a　good　Christian；　and　then
returned　to　Vienna；　with　the　in