战争与和平(上)-第235节

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room　to　report　to　the　Emperor　the　number　of　prisoners　taken　in　the　last　engagement；　was　standing　at　the　door；　after　giving　his　message；　awaiting　permission　to　withdraw。　Napoleon；　frowning；　glanced　up　from　under　his　brows　at　the　adjutant。　“No　prisoners；”　he　repeated　the　adjutant’s　words。　“They　are　working　their　own　destruction。　So　much　the　worse　for　the　Russian　army；”　said　he。　“Harder；　brush　harder；”　he　said；　hunching　his　fat　shoulders　before　the　valet。　“Good。　Let　Beausset　come　in　and　Fabvier　too；”　he　said　to　the　adjutant；　nodding。
“I　obey；　sire；”　and　the　adjutant　disappeared。
The　two　valets　rapidly　dressed　his　majesty；　and　in　the　blue　uniform　of　the　guards　he　walked　into　the　reception…room　with　firm；　rapid　steps。
Beausset　meanwhile　was　in　great　haste　setting　up　the　present　he　had　brought　from　the　Empress　on　two　chairs　just　before　the　Emperor　as　he　entered。　But　the　Emperor　had　been　so　unaccountably　rapid　over　getting　dressed　and　coming　in　that　he　had　not　time　to　have　the　surprise　ready　for　him。
Napoleon　at　once　noticed　what　they　were　about；　and　guessed　they　were　not　ready。　He　did　not　want　to　deprive　them　of　the　pleasure　of　preparing　an　agreeable　surprise　for　him。　He　pretended　not　to　see　M。　de　Beausset；　and　beckoned　Fabvier　to　him。　Napoleon；　frowning　sternly；　listened　in　silence　to　what　Fabvier　was　saying　of　the　gallantry　and　devotion　of　his　army；　fighting　before　Salamanca；　at　the　other　end　of　Europe；　they　had；　he　said；　but　one　dream—to　be　worthy　of　their　Emperor；　and　one　fear—to　displease　him。　The　result　of　the　battle　had　been　disastrous。　Napoleon　made　ironical　remarks　during　Fabvier’s　account　of　it；　as　though　he　had　not　expected　it　to　be　otherwise　in　his　absence。
“I　must　make　up　for　it　at　Moscow；”　said　Napoleon。　“A　tant？t；”　he　added；　and　summoned　Beausset；　who　had　by　this　time　succeeded　in　preparing　his　effect；　had　stood　something　on　the　chairs　and　thrown　a　cover　over　it。
Beausset　made　a　courtier’s　low　bow；　such　as　only　the　old　retainers　of　the　Bourbons　knew　how　to　make；　and　approached　him；　handing　him　a　letter。
Napoleon　addressed　him　gaily　and　pinched　him　by　the　ear。
“You　have　been　quick；　delighted　to　see　you。　Well；　what　is　Paris　saying？”　he　said；　his　look　of　sternness　suddenly　changing　to　the　most　cordial　expression。
“Sire；　all　Paris　is　regretting　your　absence；”　answered　Beausset；　as　in　duty　bound。　But　though　Napoleon　knew　Beausset　was　bound　to　say　this　or　something　like　it；　though　at　his　lucid　moments　he　knew　it　was　all　false；　he　was　glad　to　hear　this　from　him。　He　condescended　to　pinch　his　ear　again。
“I　am　very　sorry　to　have　made　you　to　travel　so　far；”　he　said。
“Sire；　I　expected　to　find　you　at　least　at　the　gates　of　Moscow；”　said　Beausset。
Napoleon　smiled；　and　lifting　his　head　absently　looked　round　to　the　right。　An　adjutant　approached　obsequiously　with　a　gold　snuffbox　and　offered　it。　Napoleon　took　it。
“Yes；　it’s　a　happy　chance　for　you；”　he　said；　putting　the　open　snuffbox　to　his　nose。　“You　are　fond　of　travelling；　and　in　three　days　you　will　see　Moscow。　You　probably　did　not　expect　to　see　the　Asiatic　capital。　You　will　have　a　delightful　journey。”
Beausset　bowed　with　gratitude　for　this　interest　in　his　tastes　for　travel　（of　which　he　had　till　that　moment　been　unaware）。
“Ah！　what’s　this？”　said　Napoleon；　observing　that　all　the　courtiers　were　gazing　at　something　concealed　under　a　covering。　Beausset　with　courtier…like　agility　retired　two　steps　with　a　half　turn；　not　showing　his　back；　and　at　the　same　moment　twitched　off　the　covering；　saying：　“A　present　to　your　majesty　from　the　Empress。”
It　was　a　portrait；　painted　in　brilliant　colours　by　Gérard；　of　the　child　of　Napoleon　and　the　daughter　of　the　Austrian　Emperor；　the　little　boy　whom　every　one　for　some　unknown　reason　called　the　King　of　Rome。
The　very　pretty；　curly…headed　child；　with　eyes　like　the　Christ　with　the　Sistine　Madonna；　had　been　portrayed　playing　cup　and　ball。　The　ball　represented　the　terrestrial　globe　and　the　cup　in　the　other　hand　was　a　sceptre。
Though　it　was　not　altogether　clear　what　the　painter　had　intended　to　express　by　representing　the　so…called　King　of　Rome　tossing　the　terrestrial　globe　on　a　sceptre；　the　allegory　apparently　seemed　to　Napoleon；　as　it　had　to　every　one　who　had　seen　it　in　Paris；　quite　clear　and　extremely　pleasing。
“The　King　of　Rome！”　he　said；　pointing　with　a　graceful　gesture　to　the　portrait。　“Admirable！”　With　the　characteristic　Italian　facility　for　changing　his　expression　at　will；　he　went　up　to　the　portrait　and　assumed　an　air　of　pensive　tenderness。　He　felt　that　what　he　might　say　or　do　at　that　moment　would　be　historical。　And　it　struck　him　that　the　best　line　he　could　take　at　that　moment；　at　the　height　of　his　grandeur—so　great　that　his　child　was　playing　cup　and　ball　with　the　earth—would　be　to　display；　in　contrast　with　that　grandeur；　the　simplest；　fatherly　tenderness。　His　eyes　were　veiled　by　emotion；　he　moved　up；　looked　round　for　a　chair　（a　chair　seemed　to　spring　up　under　him）；　and　sat　down；　facing　the　portrait。　At　a　single　gesture　from　him　all　withdrew　on　tip…toe；　leaving　the　great　man　to　himself　and　his　feelings。　After　sitting　there　a　little　while　and　passing　his　fingers；　he　could　not　have　said　why；　over　the　rough　surface　of　the　painting；　he　got　up　and　again　sent　for　Beausset　and　the　officer　on　duty。　He　gave　orders　for　the　portrait　to　be　carried　out　in　front　of　his　tent；　so　that　the　Old　Guard；　standing　about　his　tent；　might　not　be　deprived　of　the　happiness　of　seeing　the　King　of　Rome；　the　son　and　heir　of　their　adored　Emperor。
While　he　sat　at　breakfast　with　M。　de　Beausset—whom　he　had　honoured　by　an　invitation　to　join　him—he　heard；　as　he　had　expected；　enthusiastic　shouts　from　the　soldiers　and　officers　of　the　Old　Guard；　who　had　run　up　to　see　the　portrait。
“Vive　l’Empereur！　Vive　le　roi　de　Rome！　Vive　l’Empereur！”　shouted　enthusiastic　voices。
After　breakfast；　in　Beausset’s　presence；　Napoleon　dictated　his　proclamation　to　the　army。
“Courte　et　énergique！”　Napoleon　pronounced　it；　when　he　had　read　over　the　proclamation　that　he　had　dictated　straight　off　without　corrections。　It　was　as　follows：
“Soldiers！　This　is　the　battle　you　have　so　greatly　desired。　Victory　is　in　your　hands。　It　is　essential　for　us；　it　will　give　us　everything　we　need：　comfortable　quarters　and　a　speedy　return　to　our　own　country。　Behave　as　you　behaved　at　Austerlitz；　Friedland；　Vitebsk；　and　Smolensk。　May　posterity　recall　with　pride　your　achievement　on　this　day！　And　may　they　say　of　each　of　you：　he　was　at　the　great　battle　before　Moscow！”
“Before　Moscow；”　repeated　Napoleon；　and　inviting　M。　de　Beausset；　so　fond　of　travel；　to　accompany　him　on　his　ride；　he　went　out　of　the　tent　to　the　saddled　horses　awaiting　them　outside。
“Your　majesty　is　too　kind；”　said　Beausset；　in　response　to　the　invitation　to　accompany　the　Emperor。　He　was　very　sleepy。　He　could　not　ride　well；　and　was　afraid　of　horses。
But　Napoleon　nodded　to　the　traveller；　and　Beausset　had　to　mount。　When　Napoleon　came　out　of　the　tent　the　shouts　of　the　Guards　before　his　son’s　portrait　were　redoubled。　Napoleon　frowned。
“Take　him　away；”　he　said；　with　a　gracefully　majestic　gesture；　pointing　to　the　portrait。　“It　is　too　early　yet　for　him　to　look　upon　the　field　of　battle。”
Beausset；　dropping　his　eyelids；　and　bowing　his　head；　heaved　a　deep　sigh；　to　testify　how　well　he　was　able　to　appreciate　and　comprehend　the　Emperor’s　words。


Chapter　27
THE　WHOLE　of　that　day；　the　25th　of　August；　Napoleon　spent；　so　his　historians　relate；　on　horseback；　inspecting　the　locality；　criticising　the　plans　submitted　to　him　by　his　marshals；　and　giving　commands　in　person　to　his　generals。
The　original　line　of　the　Russian　disposition；　along　the　Kolotcha；　had　been　broken　through；　and；　in　consequence　of　the　taking　of　the　Shevardino　redoubt　on　the　previous　day；　part　of　that　line—the　left　flank—had　been　drawn　further　back。　That　part　of　the　line　had　not　been　strengthened；　was　no　longer　protected　by　the　river；　and　more　open　and　level　ground　lay　before　it。　It　was　obvious　to　any　man；　military　or　non…military；　that　it　was　that　part　of　the　line　that　the　French　should　attack。　One　would　have　thought　that　no　great　deliberation　would　be　necessary　to　reach　this　conclusion；　that　all　the　care　and　anxiety　of　the　Emperor　and　his　marshals　were　unnecessary；　and　that　there　was　absolutely　no　need　of　that　peculiar　high　degree　of　talent　called　genius；　which　they　are　so　fond　of　ascribing　to　Napoleon。　But　the　historians；　who　described　the　battle　afterwards；　and　the　men　surrounding　Napoleon　at　the　time；　and　he　himself；　thought　otherwise。
Napoleon　rode　about　the　field；　gazing　with　a　profound　air　at　the　country；　wagging　his　head　approvingly　or　dubiously　to　himself；　and　without　communicating　to　the　generals　around　him　the　profound　chain　of　reasoning　that　guided　him　in　his　decisions；　conveyed　to　them　merely　the　final　conclusions　in　the　form　of　commands。　Upon　the　suggestion　being　made　by　Davoust；　now　styled　Duke　of　Eckmühl；　for　turning　the　Russian　left　flank；　Napoleon　said　there　was　no　need　to　do　this；　without　explaining　why　there　was　no　need。　But　to　the　proposal　of　General　Compans　（who　was　to　attack　the　advanced　earthworks）；　to　lead　his　division　through　the　forest；　Napoleon　signified　his　assent；　although　the　so…called　Duke　of　Elchingen；　that　is；　Ne