an historical mystery-第44部分

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alone　with　one　old　man　tossed　about　in　an　ocean　of　a　hundred　and　fifty
thousand　armed　men　facing　a　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　more。　Weary　of
watching　the　river　through　the　hedges　of　the　muddy　road　which　she　was
following　along　a　hillside；　she　asked　its　name　of　a　passing　soldier。

〃That's　the　Saale；〃　he　said；　showing　her　the　Prussian　army；　grouped　in
great　masses　on　the　other　side　of　the　stream。

Night　came　on。　Laurence　beheld　the　camp…fires　lighted　and　the　glitter
of　stacked　arms。　The　old　marquis；　whose　courage　was　chivalric；　drove
the　horses　himself　（two　strong　beasts　bought　the　evening　before）；　his
servant　sitting　beside　him。　He　knew　very　well　he　should　find　neither
horses　nor　postilions　within　the　lines　of　the　army。　Suddenly　the　bold
equipage；　an　object　of　great　astonishment　to　the　soldiers；　was　stopped
by　a　gendarme　of　the　military　gendarmerie；　who　galloped　up　to　the
carriage；　calling　out　to　the　marquis：　〃Who　are　you？　where　are　you
going？　what　do　you　want？〃

〃The　Emperor；〃　replied　the　Marquis　de　Chargeboeuf；　〃I　have　an
important　dispatch　for　the　Grand…marechal　Duroc。〃

〃Well；　you　can't　stay　here；〃　said　the　gendarme。

Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne　and　the　marquis　were；　however；　compelled　to
remain　where　they　were　on　account　of　the　darkness。

〃Where　are　we？〃　she　asked；　stopping　two　officers　whom　she　saw　passing；
whose　uniforms　were　concealed　by　cloth　overcoats。

〃You　are　among　the　advanced　guard　of　the　French　army；〃　answered　one　of
the　officers。　〃You　cannot　stay　here；　for　if　the　enemy　makes　a　movement
and　the　artillery　opens　you　will　be　between　two　fires。〃

〃Ah！〃　she　said；　with　an　indifferent　air。

Hearing　that　〃Ah！〃　the　other　officer　turned　and　said：　〃How　did　that
woman　come　here？〃

〃We　are　waiting；〃　said　Laurence；　〃for　a　gendarme　who　has　gone　to　find
General　Duroc；　a　protector　who　will　enable　us　to　speak　to　the
Emperor。〃

〃Speak　to　the　Emperor！〃　exclaimed　the　first　officer；　〃how　can　you
think　of　such　a　thingon　the　eve　of　a　decisive　battle？〃

〃True；〃　she　said；　〃I　ought　to　speak　to　him　on　the　morrowvictory
would　make　him　kind。〃

The　two　officers　stationed　themselves　at　a　little　distance　and　sat
motionless　on　their　horses。　The　carriage　was　now　surrounded　by　a　mass
of　generals；　marshals；　and　other　officers；　all　extremely　brilliant　in
appearance；　who　appeared　to　pay　deference　to　the　carriage　merely
because　it　was　there。

〃Good　God！〃　said　the　marquis　to　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne；　〃I　am
afraid　you　spoke　to　the　Emperor。〃

〃The　Emperor？〃　said　a　colonel；　beside　them；　〃why　there　he　is！〃
pointing　to　the　officer　who　had　said；　〃How　did　that　woman　get　here？〃
He　was　mounted　on　a　white　horse；　richly　caparisoned；　and　wore　the
celebrated　gray　top…coat　over　his　green　uniform。　He　was　scanning　with
a　field…glass　the　Prussian　army　massed　beyond　the　Saale。　Laurence
understood　then　why　the　carriage　remained　there；　and　why　the　Emperor's
escort　respected　it。　She　was　seized　with　a　convulsive　tremorthe　hour
had　come！　She　heard　the　heavy　sound　of　the　tramp　of　men　and　the　clang
of　their　arms　as　they　arrived　at　a　quick　step　on　the　plateau。　The
batteries　had　a　language；　the　caissons　thundered；　the　brass　glittered。

〃Marechal　Lannes　will　take　position　with　his　whole　corps　in　the
advance；　Marechal　Lefebvre　and　the　Guard　will　occupy　this　hill；〃　said
the　other　officer；　who　was　Major…general　Berthier。

The　Emperor　dismounted。　At　his　first　motion　Roustan；　his　famous
mameluke；　hastened　to　hold　his　horse。　Laurence　was　stupefied　with
amazement；　she　had　never　dreamed　of　such　simplicity。

〃I　shall　pass　the　night　on　the　plateau；〃　said　the　Emperor。

Just　then　the　Grand…marechal　Duroc；　whom　the　gendarme　had　finally
found；　came　up　to　the　Marquis　de　Chargeboeuf　and　asked　the　reason　of
his　coming。　The　marquis　replied　that　a　letter　from　the　Prince　de
Talleyrand；　of　which　he　was　the　bearer；　would　explain　to　the　marshal
how　urgent　it　was　that　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne　and　himself　should
obtain　an　audience　of　the　Emperor。

〃His　Majesty　will　no　doubt　dine　at　his　bivouac；〃　said　Duroc；　taking
the　letter；　〃and　when　I　find　out　what　your　object　is；　I　will　let　you
know　if　you　can　see　him。　Corporal；〃　he　said　to　the　gendarme；
〃accompany　this　carriage；　and　take　it　close　to　that　hut　at　the　rear。〃

Monsieur　de　Chargeboeuf　followed　the　gendarme　and　stopped　his　horses
behind　a　miserable　cabin；　built　of　mud　and　branches；　surrounded　by　a
few　fruit…trees；　and　guarded　by　pickets　of　infantry　and　cavalry。

It　may　be　said　that　the　majesty　of　war　appeared　here　in　all　its
grandeur。　From　this　height　the　lines　of　the　two　armies　were　visible　in
the　moonlight。　After　an　hour's　waiting；　the　time　being　occupied　by　the
incessant　coming　and　going　of　the　aides…de…camp；　Duroc　himself　came
for　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne　and　the　marquis；　and　made　them　enter
the　hut；　the　floor　of　which　was　of　battened　earth　like　that　of　a
stable。

Before　a　table　with　the　remains　of　dinner；　and　before　a　fire　made　of
green　wood　which　smoked；　Napoleon　was　seated　in　a　clumsy　chair。　His
muddy　boots　gave　evidence　of　a　long　tramp　across　country。　He　had　taken
off　the　famous　top…coat；　and　his　equally　famous　green　uniform；　crossed
by　the　red　cordon　of　the　Legion　of　honor　and　heightened　by　the　white
of　his　kerseymere　breeches　and　of　his　waistcoat；　brought　out　vividly
his　pale　and　terrible　Caesarian　face。　One　hand　was　on　a　map　which　lay
unfolded　on　his　knees。　Berthier　stood　near　him　in　the　brilliant
uniform　of　the　vice…constable　of　the　Empire。　Constant；　the　valet；　was
offering　the　Emperor　his　coffee　from　a　tray。

〃What　do　you　want？〃　said　Napoleon；　with　a　show　of　roughness；　darting
his　eye　like　a　flash　through　Laurence's　head。　〃You　are　no　longer
afraid　to　speak　to　me　before　the　battle？　What　is　it　about？〃

〃Sire；〃　she　said；　looking　at　him　with　as　firm　an　eye；　〃I　am
Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne。〃

〃Well？〃　he　replied；　in　an　angry　voice；　thinking　her　look　braved　him。

〃Do　you　not　understand？　I　am　the　Comtesse　de　Cinq…Cygne；　come　to　ask
mercy；〃　she　said；　falling　on　her　knees　and　holding　out　to　him　the
petition　drawn　up　by　Talleyrand；　endorsed　by　the　Empress；　by
Cambaceres　and　by　Malin。

The　Emperor　raised　her　graciously；　and　said　with　a　keen　look：　〃Have
you　come　to　your　senses？　Do　you　now　understand　what　the　French　Empire
is　and　must　be？〃

〃Ah！　at　this　moment　I　understand　only　the　Emperor；〃　she　said；
vanquished　by　the　kindly　manner　with　which　the　man　of　destiny　had　said
the　words　that　foretold　to　her　ears　success。

〃Are　they　innocent？〃　asked　the　Emperor。

〃Yes；　all　of　them；〃　she　said　with　enthusiasm。

〃All？　No；　that　bailiff　is　a　dangerous　man；　who　would　have　killed　my
senator　without　taking　your　advice。〃

〃Ah；　Sire；〃　she　said；　〃if　you　had　a　friend　devoted　to　you；　would　you
abandon　him？　Would　you　not　rather〃

〃You　are　a　woman；〃　he　said；　interrupting　her　in　a　faint　tone　of
ridicule。

〃And　you；　a　man　of　iron！〃　she　replied　with　a　passionate　sternness
which　pleased　him。

〃That　man　has　been　condemned　to　death　by　the　laws　of　his　country；〃　he
continued。

〃But　he　is　innocent！〃

〃Child！〃　he　said。

He　took　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne　by　the　hand　and　led　her　from　the
hut　to　the　plateau。

〃See；〃　he　continued；　with　that　eloquence　of　his　which　changed　even
cowards　to　brave　men；　〃see　those　three　hundred　thousand　menall
innocent。　And　yet　to…morrow　thirty　thousand　of　them　will　be　lying
dead；　dead　for　their　country！　Among　those　Prussians　there　is；　perhaps；
some　great　mathematician；　a　man　of　genius；　an　idealist；　who　will　be
mown　down。　On　our　side　we　shall　assuredly　lose　many　a　great　man　never
known　to　fame。　Perhaps　even　I　shall　see　my　best　friend　die。　Shall　I
blame　God？　No。　I　shall　bear　it　silently。　Learn　from　this；
mademoiselle；　that　a　man　must　die　for　the　laws　of　his　country　just　as
men　die　here　for　her　glory。〃　So　saying；　he　led　her　back　into　the　hut。
〃Return　to　France；〃　he　said；　looking　at　the　marquis；　〃my　orders　shall
follow　you。〃

Laurence　believed　in　a　commutation　of　Michu's　punishment；　and　in　her
gratitude　she　knelt　again　before　the　Emperor　and　kissed　his　hand。

〃You　are　the　Marquis　de　Chargeboeuf？〃　said　Napoleon；　addressing　the
marquis。

〃Yes；　Sire。〃

〃You　have　children？〃

〃Many　children。〃

〃Why　not　give　me　one　of　your　grandsons？　he　shall　be　my　page。〃

〃Ah！〃　thought　Laurence；　〃there's　the　sub…lieutenant　after　all；　he
wants　to　be　paid　for　his　mercy。〃

The　marquis　bowed　without　replying。　Happily　at　this　moment　General
Rapp　rushed　into　the　hut。

〃Sire；　the　cavalry　of　the　Guard；　and　that　of　the　Grand…duc　de　Berg
cannot　be　set　up　before　midday　to…morrow。〃

〃Never　mind；〃　said　Napoleon；　turning　to　Berthier；　〃we；　too；　get　our
reprieves；　let　us　profit　by　them。〃

At　a　sign　of　his　hand　the　marquis　and　Laurence　retired　and　again
entered　their　carriage；　the　corporal　showed　them　their　road　and
accompanied　them　to　a　village　where　they　passed　the　night。　The　next
day　they　left　the　field　of　battle　behind　them；　followed　by　the　thunder
of　the　cannon；eight　hundred　pieces；which　pursued　them　for　ten
hours。　While　still　on　their　way　they　learned　of　the　amazing　victory　of
Jena。

Eight　days　later；　they　were　driving　through　the　faubourg　of　Troyes；
where　they　learned　that　an　order　of　the　chief　jus