napoleon bonaparte, v7-第7节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


was　very　willing；　if　there　were　any　reproaches；　to　share　them　with　him。
I　picked　up　the　remaining　wing；　and　presented　it　to　the　Emperor；　but　he
refused　it；　saying　to　me；　〃Give　me　the　chicken；　I　will　choose　for
myself。〃　　This　time　there　was　no　means　of　saving　ourselves；　for　the
dismembered　chicken　must　pass　under　his　Majesty's　eyes。　　〃See　here；〃　said
he；　〃since　when　did　chickens　begin　to　have　only　one　wing　and　one　leg？
That　is　fine；　it　seems　that　I　must　eat　what　others　leave。　　Who；　then；
eats　half　of　my　supper？〃　　I　looked　at　Roustan；　who　in　confusion　replied；
〃I　was　very　hungry；　Sire；　and　I　ate　a　wing　and　leg。〃〃What；　you　idiot！
so　it　was　you；　was　it？〃

〃Ah；　I　will　punish　you　for　it。〃　　And　without　another　word　the　Emperor　ate
the　remaining　leg　and　wing。

The　next　day　at　his　toilet　he　summoned　the　grand　marshal　for　some
purpose；　and　during　the　conversation　said；　〃I　leave　you　to　guess　what　I
ate　last　night　for　my　supper。　　The　scraps　which　M。　Roustan　left。　　Yes；
the　wretch　took　a　notion　to　eat　half　of　my　chicken。〃　　Roustan　entered　at
that　moment。　　〃Come　here；　you　idiot；〃　continued　the　Emperor；　〃and　the
next　time　this　happens；　be　sure　you　will　pay　for　it。〃　　Saying　this；　he
seized　him　by　the　ears　and　laughed　heartily。




CHAPTER　XVIII。

On　the　22d　of　May；　ten　days　after　the　triumphant　entry　of　the　Emperor
into　the　Austrian　capital；　the　battle　of　Essling　took　place；　a　bloody
combat　lasting　from　four　in　the　morning　till　six　in　the　evening。　　This
battle　was　sadly　memorable　to　all　the　old　soldiers　of　the　Empire；　since
it　cost　the　life　of　perhaps　the　bravest　of　them　all；the　Duke　of
Montebello；　the　devoted　friend　of　the　Emperor；　the　only　one　who　shared
with　Marshal　Augereau　the　right　to　speak　to　him　frankly　face　to　face。

The　evening　before　the　battle　the　marshal　entered　his　Majesty's
residence；　and　found　him　surrounded　by　several　persons。　　The　Duke　of
always　undertook　to　place　himself　between　the　Emperor　and　persons　who
wished　to　speak　with　him。　　The　Duke　of　Montebello；　seeing　him　play　his
usual　game；　took　him　by　the　lappet　of　his　coat；　and；　wheeling　him　around；
said　to　him：　〃Take　yourself　away　from　here！　　The　Emperor　does　not　need
you　to　stand　guard。　　It　is　singular　that　on　the　field　of　battle　you　are
always　so　far　from　us　that　we　cannot　see　you；　while　here　we　can　say
nothing　to　the　Emperor　without　your　being　in　the　way。〃　　The　duke　was
furious。　　He　looked　first　at　the　marshal；　then　at　the　Emperor；　who　simply
said；　〃Gently　Lannes。〃

That　evening　in　the　domestic　apartments　they　were　discussing　this
apostrophe　of　the　marshal's。　　An　officer　of　the　army　of　Egypt　said　that
he　was　not　surprised；　since　the　Duke　of　Montebello　had　never　forgiven　the
Duke　of　　for　the　three　hundred　sick　persons　poisoned　at　Jaffa。

Dr。　Lannefranque；　one　of　those　who　attended　the　unfortunate　Duke　of
Montebello；　said　that　as　he　was　mounting　his　horse　on　starting　to　the
island　of　Lobau；　the　duke　was　possessed　by　gloomy　presentiments。　　He
paused　a　moment；　took　M。　Lannefranque's　hand；　and　pressed　it；　saying　to
him　with　a　sad　smile；　〃Au　revoir；　you　will　soon　see　us　again；　perhaps。
There　will　be　work　for　you　and　for　those　gentlemen　to…day；〃　pointing　to
several　surgeons　and　doctors　standing　near。　　〃M。　le　Duc；〃　replied
Lannefranque；　〃this　day　will　add　yet　more　to　your　glory。〃〃My　glory；〃
interrupted　the　marshal　eagerly；　〃do　you　wish　me　to　speak　frankly？　　I　do
not　approve　very　highly　of　this　affair；　and；　moreover；　whatever　may　be
the　issue；　this　will　be　my　last　battle。〃　　The　doctor　wished　to　ask　the
marshal　his　reasons　for　this　conviction；　but　he　set　off　at　a　gallop；　and
was　soon　out　of　sight。

On　the　morning　of　the　battle；　about　six　or　seven　o'clock；　the　Austrians
had　already　advanced；　when　an　aide…de…camp　came　to　announce　to　his
Majesty　that　a　sudden　rise　in　the　Danube　had　washed　down　a　great　number
of　large　trees　which　had　been　cut　down　when　Vienna　was　taken；　and　that
these　trees　had　driven　against　and　broken　the　bridges　which　served　as
communication　between　Essling　and　the　island　of　Lobau；　and　in　consequence
of　this　the　reserve　corps；　part　of　the　heavy　cavalry；　and　Marshal
Davoust's　entire　corps；　found　themselves　forced　to　remain　inactive　on　the
other　side。　　This　misfortune　arrested　the　movement　which　the　Emperor　was
preparing　to　make；　and　the　enemy　took　courage。

The　Duke　of　Montebello　received　orders　to　hold　the　field　of　battle；　and
took　his　position；　resting　on　the　village　of　Essling；　instead　of
continuing　the　pursuit　of　the　Austrians　which　he　had　already　begun；　and
held　this　position　from　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning　till　the　evening；　and
at　seven　o'clock　in　the　evening　the　battle　was　gained。　　At　six　o'clock
the　unfortunate　marshal；　while　standing　on　an　elevation　to　obtain　a
better　view　of　the　movements；　was　struck　by　a　cannon…ball；　which　broke
his　right　thigh　and　his　left　knee。

He　thought　at　first　that　he　had　only　a　few　moments　to　live；　and　had
himself　carried　on　a　litter　to　the　Emperor；　saying　that　he　wished　to
embrace　him　before　he　died。　　The　Emperor；　seeing　him　thus　weltering　in
his　blood；　had　the　litter　placed　on　the　ground；　and；　throwing　himself　on
his　knees；　took　the　marshal　in　his　arms；　and　said　to　him；　weeping；
〃Lannes；　do　you　know　me？〃〃Yes；　Sire；　you　are　losing　your　best　friend。〃
〃No　！　　no！　　you　will　live。　　Can　you　not　answer　for　his　life；　M。
Larrey？〃　　The　wounded　soldiers　hearing　his　Majesty　speak　thus；　tried　to
rise　on　their　elbows；　and　cried；　〃Vive　l'Empereur！〃

The　surgeons　carried　the　marshal　to　a　little　village　called　Ebersdorf；　on
the　bank　of　the　river；　and　near　the　field　of　battle。　　At　the　house　of　a
brewer　they　found　a　room　over　a　stable　where　the　heat　was　stifling；　and
was　rendered　still　more　unendurable　from　the　odor　of　the　corpses　by　which
the　house　was　surrounded。

But　as　no　other　place　could　be　found；　it　was　necessary　to　make　the　best
of　it。　　The　marshal　bore　the　amputation　of　his　limb　with　heroic　courage；
but　the　fever　which　came　on　immediately　was　so　violent　that；　fearing　he
would　die　under　the　operation；　the　surgeons　postponed　cutting　off　his
other　leg。　　This　fever　was　caused　partly　by　exhaustion；　for　at　the　time
he　was　wounded　the　marshal　had　eaten　nothing　for　twenty…four　hours。
Finally　Messieurs　Larrey；

　　　　　＇Baron　Dominique　Jean　Larrey；　eminent　surgeon；　born　at　Bagneres…de
　　　　　…Bigorre；　1766。　　Accompanied　Napoleon　to　Egypt。　　Surgeon…in…chief　of
　　　　　the　grand　army；　1812。　　Wounded　and　taken　prisoner　at　Waterloo。　　In
　　　　　his　will　the　Emperor　styles　him　the　best　man　he　had　ever　known。
　　　　　Died　1842。＇

Yvan；　Paulet；　and　Lannefranque　decided　on　the　second　amputation；　and
after　this　had　been　performed　the　quiet　condition　of　the　wounded　man　made
them　hopeful　of　saving　his　life。　　But　it　was　not　to　be。　　The　fever
increased；　and　became　of　a　most　alarming　character；　and　in　spite　of　the
attentions　of　these　skillful　surgeons；　and　of　Doctor　Frank；　then　the　most
celebrated　physician　in　Europe；　the　marshal　breathed　his　last　on　the　31st
of　May；　at　five　o'clock　in　the　morning；　barely　forty　years　of　age。

During　his　week　of　agony　（for　his　sufferings　may　be　called　by　that　name）
the　Emperor　came　often　to　see　him；　and　always　left　in　deep　distress。　　I
also　went　to　see　the　marshal　each　day　for　the　Emperor；　and　admired　the
patience　with　which　he　endured　these　sufferings；　although　he　had　no　hope；
for　he　knew　well　that　he　was　dying；　and　saw　these　sad　tidings　reflected
in　every　face。　　It　was　touching　and　terrible　to　see　around　his　house；　his
door；　in　his　chamber　even；　these　old　grenadiers　of　the　guard；　always
stolid　and　unmoved　till　now；　weeping　and　sobbing　like　children。　　What　an
atrocious　thing　war　seems　at　such　moments。

The　evening　before　his　death　the　marshal　said　to　me；　〃I　see　well；　my　dear
Constant；　that　I　must　die。　　I　wish　that　your　master　could　have　ever　near
him　men　as　devoted　as　I。　　Tell　the　Emperor　I　would　like　to　see　him。〃　　As
I　was　going　out　the　Emperor　entered；　a　deep　silence　ensued；　and　every　one
retired；　but　the　door　of　the　room　being　half　open　we　could　hear　a　part　of
the　conversation；　which　was　long　and　painful。　　The　marshal　recalled　his
services　to　the　Emperor；　and　ended　with　these　words；　pronounced　in　tones
still　strong　and　firm：　〃I　do　not　say　this　to　interest　you　in　my　family；　I
do　not　need　to　recommend　to　you　my　wife　and　children。　　Since　I　die　for
you；　your　glory　will　bid　you　protect　them；　and　I　do　not　fear　in
addressing　you　these　last　words；　dictated　by　sincere　affection；　to　change
your　plans　towards　them。　　You　have　just　made　a　great　mistake；　and
although　it　deprives　you　of　your　best　friend　you　will　not　correct　it。
Your　ambition　is　insatiable；　and　will　destroy　you。　　You　sacrifice
unsparingly　and　unnecessarily　those　men　who　serve　you　best；　and　when　they
fall　you　do　not　regret　them。　　You　have　around　you　only　flatterers；　I　see
no　friend　who　dares　to　tell　you　the　truth。　　You　will　be　betrayed　and
abandoned。　　Hasten　to　end　this　war；　it　is　the　general　wish。　　You　will
never　be　more　powerful；　but　you　may　be　more　beloved。　　Pardon　these　truths
in　a　dying　manwho；　dying；　loves　you。〃

The　marshal；　as　he　finished；　held　out　his　hand　to　the　Emperor；　who
embraced　him；　weeping；　and　in　silence。

The　day　of　the　marsha