napoleon bonaparte, v4-第13部分

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A　year　later　Napoleon　also　made　a　visit　to　the　tomb　of　the　great
Frederick。

The　taking　of　Ulm　had　finished　the　conquest　of　the　Austrians；　and　opened
to　the　Emperor　the　gates　of　Vienna：　but　meanwhile　the　Russians　were
advancing　by　forced　marches　to　the　help　of　their　allies；　his　Majesty
hastened　to　meet　them；　and　the　1st　of　December　the　two　hostile　armies
found　themselves　face　to　face。　　By　one　of　those　happy　coincidences　made
only　for　the　Emperor；　the　day　of　the　battle　of　Austerlitz　was　also　the
anniversary　of　the　coronation。

I　do　not　remember　why　there　was　no　tent　for　the　Emperor　at　Austerlitz；
but　the　soldiers　made　a　kind　of　barrack　of　limbs　of　trees；　with　an
opening　in　the　top　for　the　passage　of　the　smoke。　　His　Majesty；　though　he
had　only　straw　for　his　bed；　was　so　exhausted　after　having　passed　the　day
on　horseback　on　the　heights　of　Santon；　that　on　the　eve　of　the　battle　he
was　sleeping　soundly；　when　General　Savary；　one　of　his　aides…de…camp；
entered；　to　give　an　account　of　the　mission　with　which　he　had　been
charged；　and　the　general　was　obliged　to　touch　his　shoulder；　and　shake
him；　in　order　to　rouse　him。　　He　then　rose；　and　mounted　his　horse　to　visit
his　advance　posts。　　The　night　was　dark；　but　the　whole　camp　was　lighted　up
as　if　by　enchantment；　for　each　soldier　put　a　bundle　of　straw　on　the　end
of　his　bayonet；　and　all　these　firebrands　were　kindled　in　less　time　than
it　takes　to　describe　it。　　The　Emperor　rode　along　the　whole　line；　speaking
to　those　soldiers　whom　he　recognized。　　〃Be　to…morrow　what　you　have　always
been；　my　brave　fellows；〃　said　he；　〃and　the　Russians　are　ours；　we　have
them！〃　　The　air　resounded　with　cries　of　'Vive　l'Empereur'；　and　there　was
neither　officer　nor　soldier　who　did　not　count　on　a　victory　next　day。

His　Majesty；　on　visiting　the　line　of　battle；　where　there　had　been　no
provisions　for　forty…eight　hours　（for　that　day　there　had　been　distributed
only　one　loaf　of　ammunition　bread　for　every　eight　men）；　saw；　while
passing　from　bivouac　to　bivouac；　soldiers　roasting　potatoes　in　the　ashes。
Finding　himself　before　the　Fourth　Regiment　of　the　line；　of　which　his
brother　was　colonel；　the　Emperor　said　to　a　grenadier　of　the　second
battalion；　as　he　took　from　the　fire　and　ate　one　of　the　potatoes　of　the
squad；　〃Are　you　satisfied　with　these　pigeons？〃〃Humph！　They　are　at　least
better　than　nothing；　though　they　are　very　much　like　Lenten　food。〃〃Well；
old　fellow；〃　replied　his　Majesty　to　the　soldier；　pointing　to　the　fires　of
the　enemy；　〃help　me　to　dislodge　those　rascals　over　there；　and　we　will
have　a　Mardi　Gras　at　Vienna。〃

The　Emperor　returned　to　his　quarters；　went　to　bed　again；　and　slept　until
three　o'clock　in　the　morning；　while　his　suite　collected　around　a　bivouac
fire　near　his　Majesty's　barracks；　and　slept　on　the　ground；　wrapped　in
their　cloaks；　for　the　night　was　extremely　cold。　　For　four　days　I　had　not
closed　my　eyes；　and　I　was　just　falling　asleep；　when　about　three　o'clock
the　Emperor　asked　me　for　punch。　　I　would　have　given　the　whole　empire　of
Austria　to　have　rested　another　hour；　but　notwithstanding　this；　I　carried
his　Majesty　the　punch；　which　I　made　by　the　bivouac　fire；　and　the　Emperor
insisted　that　Marshal　Berthier　should　also　partake　of　it；　the　remainder　I
divided　with　the　attendants。　　Between　four　and　five　o'clock　the　Emperor
ordered　the　first　movements　of　his　army；　and　all　were　on　foot　in　a　few
moments；　and　each　at　his　post；　aides…de…camp　and　orderly　officers　were
seen　galloping　in　all　directions；　and　the　battle　was　begun。

I　will　not　enter　into　the　details　of　this　glorious　day；　which；　according
to　the　expression　of　the　Emperor　himself；　terminated　the　campaign　by　a
thunderbolt。　　Not　one　of　the　plans　of　the　Emperor　failed　in　execution；
and　in　a　few　hours　the　French　were　masters　of　the　field　of　battle　and　of
the　whole　of　Germany。

The　brave　General　Rapp　was　wounded　at　Austerlitz；　as　he　was　in　every
battle　in　which　he　took　part；　and　was　carried　to　the　chateau　of
Austerlitz；　where　the　Emperor　visited　him　in　the　evening；　and　returned　to
pass　the　night　in　the　chateau。

Two　days　after；　the　Emperor　Francis　sought　an　audience　of　his　Majesty；　to
demand　peace；　and　before　the　end　of　December　a　treaty　was　concluded；　by
which；　the　Elector　of　Bavaria　and　the　Duke　of　Wurtemburg；　faithful　allies
of　the　Emperor　Napoleon；　were　made　kings。　　In　return　for　this　elevation；
of　which　he　alone　was　the　author；　his　Majesty　demanded　and　obtained　for
Prince　Eugene；　viceroy　of　Italy；　the　hand　of　the　Princess　Augusta　Amelia
of　Bavaria。

During　his　sojourn　at　Vienna；　the　Emperor　had　established　his
headquarters　at　Schoenbrunn；　the　name　of　which　has　become　celebrated　by
the　numerous　sojourns　of　his　Majesty　there；　and　is　to…day；　by　a　singular
coincidence；　the　residence　of　his　son。　＇The　Duke　de　Reichstadt；　born
King　of　Rome；　died　July；　1832；　soon　after　Constant　wrote。＇

I　am　not　certain　whether　it　was　during　this　first　sojourn　at　Schoenbrunn
that　his　Majesty　had　the　extraordinary　encounter　that　I　shall　now　relate。
His　Majesty；　in　the　uniform　of　colonel　of　the　chasseurs　of　the　guard；
rode　every　day　on　horseback；　and　one　morning；　while　on　the　road　to
Vienna；　saw　approaching　a　clergyman；　accompanied　by　a　woman　weeping
bitterly；　who　did　not　recognize　him。　　Napoleon　approached　the　carriage；
and　inquired　the　cause　of　her　grief；　and　the　object　and　end　of　her
journey。　　〃Monsieur；〃　replied　she；　〃I　live　at　a　village　two　leagues　from
here；　in　a　house　which　has　been　pillaged　by　soldiers；　and　my　gardener　has
been　killed。　　I　am　now　on　my　way　to　demand　a　safeguard　from　your　Emperor；
who　knew　my　family　well；　and　is　under　great　obligations　to　them。〃〃What
is　your　name；　Madame？〃〃De　Bunny。　　I　am　the　daughter　of　Monsieur　de
Marbeuf；　former　governor　of　Corsica。〃〃I　am　charmed；　Madame；〃　replied
Napoleon；　〃to　find　an　opportunity　of　serving　you。　　I　am　the　Emperor。〃
Madame　de　Bunny　remained　speechless　with　astonishment；　but　Napoleon
reassured　her；　and　continuing　his　route；　requested　her　to　go　on　and　await
him　at　his　headquarters。　　On　his　return　he　received　her；　and　treated　her
with　remarkable　kindness；　gave　her　an　escort　of　the　chasseurs　of　the
guard；　and　dismissed　her　happy　and　satisfied。

As　soon　as　the　day　of　Austerlitz　was　gained；　the　Emperor　hastened　to　send
the　courier　Moustache　to　France　to　announce　the　news　to　the　Empress；　who
was　then　at　the　chateau　of　Saint…Cloud。　　It　was　nine　o'clock　in　the
evening　when　loud　cries　of　joy　were　suddenly　heard；　and　the　galloping　of
a　horse　at　full　speed；　accompanied　by　the　sound　of　bells；　and　repeated
blows　of　the　whip　which　announced　a　courier。　　The　Empress；　who　was
awaiting　with　the　greatest　impatience　news　from　the　army；　rushed　to　the
window；　opened　it　hurriedly；　and　the　words　victory　and　Austerlitz　fell　on
her　ears。　　Eager　to　know　the　details；　she　ran　down　the　steps；　followed　by
her　ladies；　and　Moustache　in　the　most　excited　manner　related　the
marvelous　news；　and　handed　her　Majesty　the　Emperor's　letter；　which
Josephine　read；　and　then　drawing　a　handsome　diamond　ring　from　her　finger；
gave　it　to　the　courier。　　Poor　Moustache　had　galloped　more　than　fifty
leagues　that　day；　and　was　so　exhausted　that　he　had　to　be　lifted　from　his
horse　and　placed　in　bed；　which　it　required　four　persons　to　accomplish。
His　last　horse；　which　he　had　doubtless　spared　less　than　the　others；　fell
dead　in　the　court　of　the　chateau。




CHAPTER　XXIX。

The　Emperor　having　left　Stuttgard；　stopped　only　twenty…four　hours　at
Carlsruhe；　and　forty…eight　hours　at　Strasburg；　and　between　that　place　and
Paris　made　only　short　halts；　without　manifesting　his　customary　haste；
however；　or　requiring　of　the　postilions　the　break…neck　speed　he　usually
demanded。

As　we　were　ascending　the　hill　of　Meaux；　and　while　the　Emperor　was　so
engrossed　in　reading　a　book　that　he　paid　no　attention　to　what　was　passing
on　the　road；　a　young　girl　threw　herself　against　the　door　of　his　Majesty's
carriage；　and　clung　there　in　spite　of　the　efforts　to　remove　her；　not　very
vigorous　in　truth；　made　by　the　cavaliers　of　the　escort。　　At　last　she
succeeded　in　opening　the　door；　and　threw　herself　at　the　Emperor's　feet。
The　Emperor；　much　surprised；　exclaimed；　〃What　the　devil　does　this　foolish
creature　want　with　me？〃　　Then　recognizing　the　young　lady；　after　having
scrutinized　her　features　more　closely；　he　added　in　very　evident　anger；
〃Ah；　is　it　you　again？　　will　you　never　let　me　alone？〃　　The　young　girl；
without　being　intimidated　by　this　rude　welcome；　said　through　her　sobs
that　the　only　favor　she　now　came　to　ask　for　her　father　was　that　his
prison　might　be　changed；　and　that　he　might　be　removed　from　the　Chateau
d'If；　the　dampness　of　which　was　ruining　his　health；　to　the　citadel　of
Strasburg。　　〃No；　no；〃　cried　the　Emperor；　〃don't　count　on　that。　　I　have
many　other　things　to　do　beside　receiving　visits　from　you。　　If　I　granted
you　this　demand；　in　eight　days　you　would　think　of　something　else　you
wished。〃　　The　poor　girl　insisted；　with　a　firmness　worthy　of　better
success；　but　the　Emperor　was　inflexible；　and　on　arriving　at　the　top　of
the　hill　he　said　to　her；　〃I　hope　you　will　now　alight　and　let　me　proceed
on　my　journey。　　I　regret　it　exceedingly；　but　what　you　demand　of　me　is
impossible。〃　　And　he　thus　dismissed　her；　refus