napoleon bonaparte, v7-第13节

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very　young　conscript　who　was　rejoining　his　corps。　　He　stopped　him；　asked
his　name；　his　age；　regiment；　and　country。　　〃Monsieur；〃　said　the　soldier；
who　did　not　know　him；　〃my　name　is　Martin；　I　am　seventeen　years　old；　and
from　the　Upper　Pyrenees。〃〃you　are　a　Frenchman；　then？〃〃yes；　Monsieur。〃
〃Ah；　you　are　a　miserable'　Frenchman。　　Disarm　this　man；　and　hang　him！〃
〃Yes；　you　fool；　I　am　French；〃　repeated　the　conscript；　〃and　Vive
l'Empereur！〃　　His　Majesty　was　much　amused；　the　conscript　was　undeceived；
congratulated；　and　hastened　to　rejoin　his　comrades；　with　the　promise　of　a
reward；a　promise　which　the　Emperor　was　not　slow　to　perform。

Two　or　three　days　before　his　departure　from　Schoenbrunn；　the　Emperor
again　came　near　being　assassinated。　　This　time　the　attack　was　to　have
been　made　by　a　woman。

The　Countess　at　this　time　was　well　known；　both　on　account　of　her
astonishing　beauty　and　the　scandal　of　her　liaisons　with　Lord　Paget；　the
English　ambassador。

It　would　be　hard　to　find　words　which　would　truthfully　describe　the　grace
and　charms　of　this　lady；　whom　the　best　society　of　Vienna　admitted　only
with　the　greatest　repugnance；　but　who　consoled　herself　for　their　scorn　by
receiving　at　her　own　house　the　most　brilliant　part　of　the　French　army。

An　army　contractor　conceived　the　idea　of　procuring　this　lady　for　the
Emperor；　and；　without　informing　his　Majesty；　made　propositions　to　the
countess　through　one　of　his　friends；　a　cavalry　officer　attached　to　the
military　police　of　the　town　of　Vienna。

The　cavalry　officer　thought　he　was　representing　his　Majesty；　and　in　good
faith　said　to　the　countess　that　his　Majesty　was　exceedingly　anxious　to
see　her　at　Schoenbrunn。　　One　morning；　accordingly；　he　made　propositions
for　that　evening；　which；　appearing　somewhat　abrupt　to　the　countess；　she
did　not　decide　at　once；　but　demanded　a　day　for　reflection；　adding　that
she　must　have　good　proof　that　the　Emperor　was　really　sincere　in　this
matter。　　The　officer　protested　his　sincerity；　promised；　moreover；　to　give
every　proof　she　required；　and　made　an　appointment　for　that　evening。
Having　given　the　contractor　an　account　of　his　negotiation；　the　latter
gave　orders　that　a　carriage；　escorted　by　the　cavalry　officer；　should　be
ready　for　the　countess　on　the　evening　indicated。　　At　the　appointed　hour
the　officer　returned　to　the　countess；　expecting　her　to　accompany　him；　but
she　begged　him　to　return　next　day；　saying　that　she　had　not　yet　decided；
and　needed　the　night　for　longer　reflection。　　At　the　officer's
solicitations　she　decided；　however；　and　appointed　the　next　day；　giving
her　word　of　honor　to　be　ready　at　the　appointed　hour。

The　carriage　was　then　sent　away；　and　ordered　for　the　next　evening　at　the
same　hour。　　This　time　the　contractor's　envoy　found　the　countess　well
disposed；　she　received　him　gayly；　eagerly　even；　and　told　him　that　she　had
given　orders　in　regard　to　her　affairs　as　if　she　were　going　on　a　journey；
then；　regarding　him　fixedly；　said；　tutoying　him；　〃You　may　return　in　an
hour　and　I　will　be　ready；　I　will　go　to　him；　you　may　rely　upon　it。
Yesterday　I　had　business　to　finish；　but　to…day　I　am　free。　　If　you　are　a
good　Austrian；　you　will　prove　it　to　me；　you　know　how　much　harm　he　has
done　our　country！　　This　evening　our　country　will　be　avenged！　　Come　for
me；　do　not　fail！〃

The　cavalry　officer；　frightened　at　such　a　confidence　as　this；　was
unwilling　to　accept　the　responsibility；　and　repeated　everything　at　the
chateau；　in　return　for　which　the　Emperor　rewarded　him　generously；　urged
him　for　his　own　sake　not　to　see　the　countess　again；　and　expressly　forbade
his　having　anything　more　to　do　with　the　matter。　　All　these　dangers　in　no
wise…depressed　the　Emperor；　and　he　had　a　habit　of　saying；　〃What　have　I　to
fear？　　I　cannot　be　assassinated；　I　can　die　only　on　the　field　of　battle。〃
But　even　on　the　field　of　battle　he　took　no　care　of　himself；　and　at
Essling；　for　example；　exposed　himself　like　a　chief　of　battalion　who　wants
to　be　a　colonel；　bullets　slew　those　in　front；　behind；　beside　him；　but　he
did　not　budge。　　It　was　then　that　a　terrified　general　cried；　〃Sire；　if
your　Majesty　does　not　retire；　it　will　be　necessary　for　me　to　have　you
carried　off　by　my　grenadiers。〃　　This　anecdote　proves　took　any　precautions
in　regard　to　himself。　　The　signs　of　exasperation　manifested　by　the
inhabitants　of　Vienna　made　him　very　watchful；　however；　for　the　safety　of
his　troops；　and　he　expressly　forbade　their　leaving　their　cantonments　in
the　evening。　　His　Majesty　was　afraid　for　them。

The　chateau　of　Schoenbrunn　was　the　rendezvous　of　all　the　illustrious
savants　of　Germany；　and　no　new　work；　no　curious　invention；　appeared；　but
the　Emperor　immediately　gave　orders　to　have　the　author　presented　to　him。
It　was　thus　that　M。　Maelzel；　the　famous　inventor　of　metronomy；　was
allowed　the　honor　of　exhibiting　before　his　Majesty　several　of　his　own
inventions。　　The　Emperor　admired　the　artificial　limbs　intended　to　replace
more　comfortably　and　satisfactorily　than　wooden　ones　those　carried　off　by
balls；　and　gave　him　orders　to　have　a　wagon　constructed　to　convey　the
wounded　from　the　field　of　battle。　　This　wagon　was　to　be　of　such　a　kind
that　it　could　be　folded　up　and　easily　carried　behind　men　on　horseback；
who　accompanied　the　army；　such　as　surgeons；　aides；　servants；　etc。　　M。
Maelzel　had　also　built　an　automaton　known　throughout　Europe　under　the
name　of　the　chess　player；　which　he　brought　to　Schoenbrunn　to　show　to　his
Majesty；　and　set　it　up　in　the　apartments　of　the　Prince　de　Neuchatel。　　The
Emperor　visited　the　Prince；　and　I；　in　company　with　several　other　persons；
accompanied　him；　and　found　this　automaton　seated　before　a　table　on　which
the　chessmen　were　arranged。　His　Majesty　took　a　chair；　and　seating　himself
in　front　of　the　automaton；　said；　with　a　laugh；　〃Come；　my　comrade；　we　are
ready。〃　　The　automaton　bowed　and　made　a　sign　with　his　hand　to　the
Emperor；　as　if　to　tell　him　to　begin；　upon　which　the　game　commenced。　　The
Emperor　made　two　or　three　moves；　and　intentionally　made　a　wrong　one。　The
automaton　bowed；　took　the　piece；　and　put　it　in　its　proper　place。　　His
Majesty　cheated　a　second　time；　the　automaton　bowed　again；　and　took　the
piece。　　〃That　is　right；〃　said　the　Emperor；　and　when　he　cheated　a　third
time；　the　automaton；　passing　his　hand　over　the　chess…board；　spoiled　the
game。

The　Emperor　complimented　the　inventor　highly。　　As　we　left　the　room；
accompanied　by　the　Prince　de　Neuchatel　we　found　in　the　antechamber　two
young　girls；　who　presented　to　the　prince；　in　the　name　of　their　mother；　a
basket　of　beautiful　fruit。　　As　the　prince　welcomed　them　with　an　air　of
familiarity；　the　Emperor；　curious　to　find　out　who　they　were；　drew　near
and　questioned　them；　but　they　did　not　understand　French：　Some　one　then
told　his　Majesty　that　these　two　pretty　girls　were　daughters　of　a　good
woman；　whose　life　Marshal　Berthier　had　saved　in　1805。　　On　this　occasion
he　was　alone　on　horseback；　the　cold　was　terrible；　and　the　ground　covered
with　snow；　when　he　perceived；　lying　at　the　foot　of　a　tree；　a　woman　who
appeared　to　be　dying；　and　had　been　seized　with　a　stupor。　　The　marshal
took　her　in　his　arms；　and　placed　her　on　his　horse　with　his　cloak　wrapped
around　her；　and　thus　conveyed　her　to　her　home；　where　her　daughters　were
mourning　her　absence。　　He　left　without　making　himself　known；　but　they
recognized　him　at　the　capture　of　Vienna；　and　every　week　the　two　sisters
came　to　see　their　benefactor；　bringing　him　flowers　or　fruit　as　a　token　of
their　gratitude。









End