napoleon bonaparte, v2-第13部分

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　　　　　the　pleasure　of　accompanying　you　in　the　'voyage　a　Cythre'。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（Signed）　　　BONAPARTE


The　pretty　woman　did　not　read　the　note　aloud；　neither　did　she　allow　the
givers　of　forfeits　to　remain　in　ignorance　that　she　had　received　a　visit
from　the　First　Consul。　　At　the　end　of　an　hour　the　company　dispersed；　and
Madame　F　remained　alone；　reflecting　on　the　visit　and　the　note　of　the
great　man。

It　was　during　this　same　visit　that　there　occurred　a　terrible　combat　in
the　roadstead　of　Boulogne　to　secure　the　entrance　into　the　port　of　a
flotilla　composed　of　twenty　or　thirty　vessels；　which　came　from　Ostend；
from　Dunkirk；　and　from　Nieuport；　loaded　with　arms　for　the　national　fleet。

A　magnificent　frigate；　carrying　thirty…six　pounders；　a　cutter；　and　a
brig；　detached　themselves　from　the　English　fleet；　in　order　to　intercept
the　route　of　the　Dutch　flotilla；　but　they　were　received　in　a　manner　which
took　away　all　desire　to　return。

The　port　of　Boulogne　was　defended　by　five　forts；　the　Fort　de　la　Creche；
the　Fort　en　Bois；　Fort　Musoir；　Castle　Croi；　and　the　Castle　d'Ordre；　all
fortified　with　large　numbers　of　cannon　and　howitzers。　　The　line　of
vessels　which　barred　the　entrance　was　composed　of　two　hundred　and　fifty
gunboats　and　other　vessels；　the　division　of　imperial　gunboats　formed　a
part　of　this。

Each　sloop　bore　three　pieces　of　cannon；　twenty…four　pounders；two　pieces
for　pursuit；　and　one　for　retreat；　and　five　hundred　mouths　of　fire　were
thus　opened　on　the　enemy；　independently　of　all　the　batteries　of　the
forts；　every　cannon　being　fired　more　than　three　times　a　minute。

The　combat　began　at　one　o'clock　in　the　afternoon。　　The　weather　was
beautiful。　　At　the　first　report　of　the　cannon　the　First　Consul　left　the
headquarters　at　the　Pont　de　Brique；　and　came　at　a　gallop；　followed　by　his
staff；　to　give　orders　to　Admiral　Bruix；　but　soon　wishing　to　examine　for
himself　the　operations　of　the　defense；　and　to　share　in　directing　them；　he
threw　himself；　followed　by　the　admiral　and　a　few　officers；　into　a　launch
which　was　rowed　by　sailors　of　the　Guard。　　Thus　the　First　Consul　was　borne
into　the　midst　of　the　vessels　which　formed　the　line　of　defense；　through　a
thousand　dangers；　amid　a　tempest　of　shells；　bombs；　and　cannon…balls。
With　the　intention　of　landing　at　Wimereux；　after　having　passed　along　the
line；　he　ordered　them　to　steer　for　the　castle　of　Croi；　saying　that　he
must　double　it。　　Admiral　Bruix；　alarmed　at　the　danger　he　was　about　to
incur；　in　vain　represented　to　the　First　Consul　the　imprudence　of　doing
this。　　〃What　shall　we　gain；〃　said　he；　〃by　doubling　this　fort？　　Nothing；
except　to　expose　ourselves　to　the　cannon…balls。　　General；　by　flanking　it
we　will　arrive　as　soon。〃　　The　First　Consul　was　not　of　the　admiral's
opinion；　and　insisted　on　doubling　the　fort。　　The　admiral；　at　the　risk　of
being　reprimanded；　gave　contrary　orders　to　the　sailors；　and　the　First
Consul　saw　himself　obliged　to　pass　behind　the　fort；　though　much　irritated
and　reproaching　the　admiral。

This　soon　ceased；　however；　for；　hardly　had　the　launch　passed；　when　a
transport；　which　had　doubled　the　castle　of　Croi；　was　crashed　into　and
sunk　by　three　or　four　shells。

The　First　Consul　became　silent；　on　seeing　how　correct　the　admiral's
judgment　had　been；　and　the　rest　of　the　journey；　as　far　as　the　little　port
of　Wimereux；　was　made　without　hindrance　from　him。　　Arriving　there；　he
climbed　upon　the　cliff　to　encourage　the　cannoneers；　spoke　to　all　of　them；
patted　them　on　the　shoulder；　and　urged　them　to　aim　well。　　〃Courage；　my
friends；〃　said　he；　〃remember　you　are　not　fighting　fellows　who　will　hold
out　a　long　time。　　Drive　them　back　with　the　honors　of　war。〃　　And　noticing
the　fine　resistance　and　majestic　maneuvers　of　a　frigate；　he　asked；　〃Can
you　believe；　my　children；　that　captain　is　English？　　I　do　not　think　so。〃

The　artillerymen；　animated　by　the　words　of　the　First　Consul；　redoubled
their　zeal　and　the　rapidity　of　their　fire。　　One　of　them　said；　〃Look　at
the　frigate；　General；　her　bowsprit　is　going　to　fall。〃　　He　spoke　truly；
the　bowsprit　was　cut　in　two　by　his　ball。　　〃Give　twenty　francs　to　that
brave　man；〃　said　the　First　Consul　to　the　officers　who　were　with　him。
Near　the　batteries　of　Wimereux　there　was　a　furnace　to　heat　the　cannon…
balls；　and　the　First　Consul　noticed　them　operating　the　furnaces；　and　gave
instructions。　　〃That　is　not　red　enough；　boys；　they　must　be　sent　redder
than　that；　come；　come。〃　　One　of　them　had　known　him；　when　a　lieutenant　of
artillery；　and　said　to　his　comrades；　〃He　understands　these　little　matters
perfectly；　as　well　as　greater　ones；　you　see。〃

That　day　two　soldiers　without　arms　were　on　the　cliff　noticing　the
maneuvers。　　They　began　a　quarrel　in　this　singular　manner。　　〃Look；〃　said
one；　〃do　you　see　the　Little　Corporal　down　there？〃　（they　were　both
Picards）。　　〃No；　I　don't　see　him。〃〃Do　you　not　see　him　in　his　launch？〃
〃Oh；　yes；　now　I　do；　but　surely　he　does　not　remember；　that　if　anything
should　strike　him；　it　would　make　the　whole　army　weepwhy　does　he　expose
himself　like　that？〃

〃Indeed；　it　is　his　place！〃〃No；　it's　not　〃〃It　is　〃It　isn't。　　Look
here；　what　would　you　do　to…morrow　if　the　Little　Corporal　was　killed？〃
〃But　I　tell　you　it　is　his　place！〃　　And　having　no　other　argument　on　either
side；　they　commenced　to　fight　with　their　fists。　　They　were　separated　with
much　difficulty。

The　battle　had　commenced　at　one　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　and　about　ten
o'clock　in　the　evening　the　Dutch　flotilla　entered　the　port　under　the　most
terrible　fire　that　I　have　ever　witnessed。　　In　the　darkness　the　bombs；
which　crossed　each　other　in　every　direction；　formed　above　the　port　and
the　town　a　vault　of　fire；　while　the　constant　discharge　of　all　this
artillery　was　repeated　by　echoes　from　the　cliffs；　making　a　frightful　din；
and；　a　most　singular　fact；　no　one　in　the　city　was　alarmed。　　The　people　of
Boulogne　had　become　accustomed　to　danger；　and　expected　something　terrible
each　day。　　They　had　constantly　going　on；　under　their　eyes；　preparations
for　attack　or　defense；　and　had　become　soldiers　by　dint　of　seeing　this　so
constantly。　　On　that　day　the　noise　of　cannon　was　heard　at　dinner…time；
and　still　every　one　dined；　the　hour　for　the　repast　being　neither　advanced
nor　delayed。　　Men　went　about　their　business；　women　occupied　themselves
with　household　affairs；　young　girls　played　the　piano；　all　saw　with
indifference　the　cannonballs　pass　over　their　heads；　and　the　curious；　whom
a　desire　to　witness　the　combat　had　attracted　to　the　cliffs；　showed　hardly
any　more　emotion　than　is　ordinarily　the　case　on　seeing　a　military　piece
played　at　Franconi's。

I　still　ask　myself　how　three　vessels　could　have　endured　for　nine　hours　so
violent　a　shock；　for　when　at　length　the　flotilla　entered　the　fort；　the
English　cutter　had　foundered；　the　brig　had　been　burnt　by　the　red…hot
cannon…balls；　and　there　was　left　only　the　frigate；　with　her　masts
shivered　and　her　sails　torn；　but　she　still　remained　there　immovable　as　a
rock；　and　so　near　to　our　line　of　defense　that　the　sailors　on　either　side
could　be　seen　and　counted。　　Behind　her；　at　a　modest　distance；　were　more
than　a　hundred　English　ships。

At　length；　after　ten　o'clock；　a　signal　from　the　English　admiral　caused
the　frigate　to　withdraw；　and　the　firing　ceased。　　Our　line　of　ships　was
not　greatly　damaged　in　this　long　and　terrible　combat；　because　the
broadsides　from　the　frigate　simply　cut　into　our　rigging；　and　did　not
enter　the　body　of　our　vessels。　　The　brig　and　the　cutter；　however；　did
more　harm。








End