napoleon bonaparte, v10-第8节

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　　　　　pardon　everything。　　Thank　your　king　for　this；　it　is　he　who　saves
　　　　　you；　and　I　pardon　you　only　from　love　of　him。　　Send　a　deputation　to
　　　　　entreat　him　to　return　to　you。　　My　aide…de…camp；　General　Durosnel；
　　　　　will　be　your　governor。　　Your　good　king　himself　could　not　make　a
　　　　　better　selection。〃

As　soon　as　he　entered　the　city　the　Emperor　was　informed　that　a　part　of
the　Russian　rear…guard　sought　to　hold　its　ground　in　the　new　town；
separated　from　the　old　by　the　river　Elbe；　and　had　fallen　into　the　power
of　our　army。

His　Majesty　immediately　ordered　that　everything　should　be　done　in　order
to　drive　out　this　remnant　of　the　enemy；　and　during　an　entire　day　there
was　a　continued　cannonading　and　shooting　in　the　town　from　one　bank　to　the
other。　　Bullets　and　shell　fell　like　hail　on　the　spot　occupied　by　the
Emperor。　　A　shell　struck　the　walls　of　a　powder…magazine　not　far　from　him；
and　scattered　the　pieces　around　his　head；　but　fortunately　the　powder　did
not　ignite。　　A　few　moments　after　another　shell　fell　between　his　Majesty
and　several　Italians；　they　bent　to　avoid　the　explosion。　　The　Emperor　saw
this　movement；　and　laughingly　said　to　them；　〃Ah；　coglioni！　non　fa　male。〃
＇Ah；　scamps！　don't　behave　badly。〃＇

On　the　11th　of　May；　in　the　morning；　the　Russians　were　put　to　flight　and
pursued；　the　French　army　entering　the　city　from　all　sides。　　The　Emperor
remained　on　the　bridge　the　whole　day；　watching　his　troops　as　they　filed
in。　　The　next　day　at　ten　o'clock　the　Imperial　Guard　under　arms　were
placed　in　line　of　battle　on　the　road　from　Pirna　to　Gross　Garten。　　The
Emperor　reviewed　it；　and　ordered　General　Flahaut　to　advance。

The　King　of　Saxony　arrived　about　noon。　　On　meeting　again；　the　two
sovereigns　alighted　from　their　horses　and　embraced　each　other；　and　then
entered　Dresden　amid　general　acclamations。

General　Flahaut；　who　had　gone　to　meet　the　King　of　Saxony　with　a　part　of
the　imperial　Guard；　received　from　this　good　king　the　most　flattering
testimonials　of　appreciation　and　gratitude。　　It　is　impossible　to　show
more　cordiality　and　friendliness　than　the　King　of　Saxony　displayed。　　The
Emperor　said　of　him　and　his　family　that　they　were　a　patriarchal　family；
and　that　all　who　comprised　it　joined　to　striking　virtues　an　expansive
kindness　of　manner　which　made　them　adored　by　their　subjects。　　His　Majesty
paid　this　royal　personage　the　most　affectionate　attentions；　and　as　long
as　the　war　lasted　sent　couriers　each　day　to　keep　the　king　informed　of　the
least　circumstance：　　He　came　himself　as　often　as　possible；　and；　in　fact；
constantly　treated　him　with　that　cordiality　he　so　well　knew　how　to
display　and　to　render　irresistible　when　he　chose。

A　few　days　after　his　arrival　at　Dresden　his　Majesty　held　a　long
conversation　with　the　King　of　Saxony；　in　which　the　Emperor　Alexander　was
the　principal　subject　of　conversation。

The　characteristics　and　faults　of　this　prince　were　fully　analyzed；　and
the　conclusion　drawn　from　this　conversation　was　that　the　Emperor
Alexander　had　been　sincere　in　the　interview　at　Erfurt；　and　that　it　must
have　been　very　complicated　intrigues　which　had　thus　led　to　the　rupture　of
all　their　treaties　of　friendship。　　〃Sovereigns　are　most　unfortunate；〃
said　his　Majesty；　〃always　deceived；　always　surrounded　by　flatterers　or
treacherous　counselors；　whose　greatest　desire　is　to　prevent　the　truth
from　reaching　the　ears　of　their　masters；　who　have　so　much　interest　in
knowing　it。〃

The　two　sovereigns　next　spoke　of　the　Emperor　of　Austria。　　His　Majesty
appeared　profoundly　grieved　that　his　union　with　the　Archduchess　Marie
Louise；　whom　he　did　all　in　his　power　to　render　the　happiest　of　women；
should　have　failed　in　producing　the　result　he　had　anticipated；　of
obtaining　for　him　the　confidence　and　friendship　of　her　father。　　〃It　is
perhaps　because　I　was　not　born　a　sovereign；〃　said　the　Emperor；　〃and
nevertheless；　I　should　think　that　this　would　be　an　additional　inducement
to　the　friendship　of　my　father…in…law。　　I　shall　never　be　convinced　that
such　ties　are　not　strong　enough　to　obtain　the　alliance　of　the　Emperor　of
Austria；　for；　in　fact；　I　am　his　son…in…law；　my　son　is　his　grandson；　he
loves　his　daughter；　and　she　is　happy；　how；　then；　can　he　be　my　enemy？〃

On　learning　of　the　victory　of　Lutzen；and　the　entrance　of　the　Emperor　into
Dresden；　the　Emperor　of　Austria　hastened　to　send　M。　de　Bubna　to　his　son…
in…law。　　He　arrived　on　the　evening　of　the　16th；　and　the　interview；　which
his　Majesty　immediately　granted；　lasted　until　two　hours　after　midnight。
This　led　us　to　hope　that　peace　was　about　to　be　concluded；　and　we
consequently　formed　a　thousand　conjectures；　each　more　encouraging　than
the　other；　but　when　two　or　three　days　had　passed　away；　and　we　still
witnessed　only　preparations　for　war；　we　saw　that　our　hopes　were　cruelly
deceived。　　Then　it　was　I　heard　the　unfortunate　Marshal　Duroc　exclaim；
〃This　is　lasting　too　long！　　We　will　none　of　us　outlive　it！〃　　He　had　a
presentiment　of　his　own　death。

During　the　whole　of　this　campaign　the　Emperor　had　not　a　moment　of　repose。
The　days　passed　away　in　combats　or　marches；　always　on　horseback；　the
nights　in　labors　in　the　cabinet。　　I　never　comprehended　how　his　body　could
endure　such　fatigue；　and　yet　he　enjoyed　almost　continuously　the　most
perfect　health。　　The　evening　before　the　battle　of　Bautzen　he　retired　very
late；　after　visiting　all　the　military　posts；　and；　having　given　all
necessary　orders；　slept　profoundly。　　Early　next　morning；　the　20th　of　May；
movements　began；　and　we　awaited　at　headquarters　with　eager　impatience　the
results　of　this　day。　　But　the　battle　was　not　over　even　then；　and　after　a
succession　of　encounters；　always　ending　in　our　favor；　although　hotly
contested；　the　Emperor；　at　nine　o'clock　in　the　evening；　returned　to
headquarters；　took　a　light　repast；　and　remained　with　Prince　Berthier
until　midnight。　　The　remainder　of　the　night　was　passed　in　work；　and　at
five　o'clock　in　the　morning　he　was　on　his　feet　and　ready　to　return　to　the
combat。　　Three　or　four　hours　after　his　arrival　on　the　battlefield　the
Emperor　was　overcome　by　an　irresistible　desire　for　sleep；　and；　foreseeing
the　issue　of　the　day；　slept　on　the　side　of　a　ravine；　in　the　midst　of　the
batteries　of　the　Duke　of　Ragusa；　until　he　was　awaked　with　the　information
that　the　battle　was　gained。

This　fact；　which　was　related　to　me　in　the　evening；　did　not　astonish　me　in
the　least；　for　I　have　already　remarked　that　when　he　was　compelled　to
yield　to　the　necessity　of　sleep；　that　imperious　want　of　nature；　the
Emperor　took　the　repose　which　was　so　necessary　to　him　when　and　where　he
could；　like　a　true　soldier。

Although　the　result　was　decided；　the　battle　was　continued　until　five
o'clock　in　the　evening。　　At　six　o'clock　the　Emperor　had　his　tent　erected
near　a　solitary　inn；　which　had　served　as　headquarters　for　the　Emperor
Alexander　during　the　two　preceding　days。　　I　received　orders　to　attend　him
there；　and　did　so　with　all　speed；　but　his　Majesty；　nevertheless；　passed
the　whole　night　receiving　and　congratulating　the　chief　generals；　and
working　with　his　secretaries。

All　the　wounded　who　were　able　to　march　were　already　on　the　road　to
Dresden；　where　all　necessary　help　awaited　them。　　But　on　the　field　of
battle　were　stretched　more　than　ten　thousand　men；　Frenchmen；　Russians；
Prussians；　etc。；hardly　able　to　breathe；　mutilated；　and　in　a　most
pitiable　condition。　　The　unremitting　labors　of　the　kind　and　indefatigable
Baron　Larrey　and　the　multitude　of　surgeons　encouraged　by　his　heroic
example　did　not　suffice　even　to　dress　their　wounds。　　And　what　means　could
be　found　to　remove　the　wounded　in　this　desolate　country；　where　all　the
villages　had　been　sacked　and　burned；　and　where　it　was　no　longer　possible
to　find　either　horses　or　conveyances？　　Must　they　then　let　all　these　men
perish　after　most　horrible　sufferings；　for　lack　of　means　to　convey　them
to　Dresden？

It　was　then　that　this　population　of　Saxon　villagers；　who　it　might　have
been　thought　must　be　embittered　by　the　horrors　of　war；in　seeing　their
dwellings　burned；　their　fields　ravaged；furnished　to　the　army　an　example
of　the　sublime　sentiments　which　pity　can　inspire　in　the　heart　of　man。
They　perceived　the　cruel　anxiety　which　M。　Larrey　and　his　companions
suffered　concerning　the　fate　of　so　many　unfortunate　wounded；　and
immediately　men；　women；　children；　and　even　old　men；　hastily　brought
wheelbarrows。　　The　wounded　were　lifted；　and　placed　on　these　frail
conveyances。　　Two　or　three　persons　accompanied　each　wheelbarrow　all　the
way　to　Dresden；　halting　if　by　a　cry　or　gesture　even；　the　wounded
indicated　a　desire　to　rest；　stopping　to　replace　the　bandages　which　the
motion　had　displaced；　or　near　a　spring　to　give　them　water　to　allay　the
fever　which　devoured　them。　　I　have　never　seen　a　more　touching　sight。

Baron　Larrey　had　an　animated　discussion　with　the　Emperor。　　Among　the
wounded；　there　were　found　a　large　number　of　young　soldiers　with　two
fingers　of　their　right　hand　torn　off；　and　his　Majesty　thought　that　these
poor　young　fellows　had　done　it　purposely　to　keep　from　serving。　　Having
said　this　to　M。　Larrey；　the　latter　vehemently　exclaimed　that　it　was　an
impossibility；　and　that　such　baseness　was　not　in　keeping　with　the
character　of　these　brave　young　conscripts。　　As　th