memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v9-第4部分

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　　　　　p。　　287）　says；　〃Let　us　hold　always　the　sword　in　one　hand　and　the
　　　　　olive　branch　in　the　other；　always　ready　to　negotiate；　but　only
　　　　　negotiating　while　advancing。　　Here　is　Napoleons　system。＇

He　had　always　pretended　a　love　for　peace；　though　be　was　overjoyed　at　the
idea　of　continuing　a　war　so　successfully　commenced；　and　he　directed
General　Giulay　to　assure　the　Emperor　of　Austria　that　he　was　not　less
anxious　for　peace　than　he；　and　that　he　was　ready　to　treat　for　it；　but
without　suspending　the　course　of　his　operations。　　Bonaparte；　indeed；
could　not；　without　a　degree　of　imprudence　of　which　he　was　incapable；
consent　to　an　armistice；　for　M。　de　Giulay；　though　entrusted　with　powers
from　Austria；　had　received　none　from　Russia。　　Russia；　therefore；　might
disavow　the　armistice　and　arrive　in　time　to　defend　Vienna；　the　occupation
of　which　was　so　important　to　the　French　army。　　The　Russians；　indeed；　were
advancing　to　oppose　us；　and　the　corps　of　our　army；　commanded　by　Mortier
on　the　left　bank　of　the　Danube；　experienced　in　the　first　engagement　a
check　at　Dirnstein；　which　not　a　little　vexed　the　Emperor。　　This　was　the
first　reverse　of　fortune　we　had　sustained　throughout　the　campaign。　　It
was　trivial；　to　be　sure；　but　the　capture　by　the　Russians　of　three　French
eagles；　the　first　that　had　fallen　into　the　hands　of　the　enemy；　was　very
mortifying　to　Napoleon；　and　caused　him　to　prolong　for　some　days　his　staff
at　St。　Folten；　where　he　then　was。

The　rapid　occupation　of　Vienna　was　due　to　the　successful　temerity　of
Lannes　and　Murat；　two　men　alike　distinguished　for　courage　and　daring
spirit。　　A　bold　artifice　of　these　generals　prevented　the　destruction　of
the　Thabor　bridge　at　Vienna；　without　which　our　army　would　have
experienced　considerable　difficulty　in　penetrating　into　the　Austrian
capital。　　This　act　of　courage　and　presence　of　mind；　which　had　so　great　an
influence　on　the　events　of　the　campaign；　was　described　to　me　by　Lannes；
who　told　the　story　with　an　air　of　gaiety；　unaccompanied　by　any　self…
complacency；　and　seemed　rather　pleased　with　the　trick　played　upon　the
Austrians　than　proud　of　the　brilliant　action　which　had　been　performed。
Bold　enterprises　were　so　natural　to　Lannes　that　he　was　frequently　the
only　person　who　saw　nothing　extraordinary　in　his　own　exploits。　　Alas！
what　men　were　sacrificed　to　Napoleon's　ambition！

The　following　is　the　story　of　the　Bridge　of　Thabor　as　I　heard　it　from
Lannes：

　　　　　＇I　was　one　day　walking　with　Murat；　on　the　right　bank　of　the
　　　　　Danube；　and　we　observed　on　the　left　bank；　which　was　occupied　by　the
　　　　　Austrians；　some　works　going　on；　the　evident　object　of　which　was　to
　　　　　blow　up　the　bridge　on　the　approach　of　our　troops。　　The　fools　had　the
　　　　　impudence　to　make　these　preparations　under　our　very　noses；　but　we
　　　　　gave　them　a　good　lesson。　　Having　arranged　our　plan；　we　returned　to
　　　　　give　orders；　and　I　entrusted　the　command　of　my　column　of　grenadiers
　　　　　to　an　officer　on　whose　courage　and　intelligence　I　could　rely。　　I
　　　　　then　returned　to　the　bridge；　accompanied　by　Murat　and　two　or　three
　　　　　other　officers。　　We　advanced；　unconcernedly；　and　entered　into
　　　　　conversation　with　the　commander　of　a　post　in　the　middle　of　the
　　　　　bridge。　　We　spoke　to　him　about　an　armistice　which　was　to　be　speedily
　　　　　concluded：　While　conversing　with　the　Austrian　officers　we　contrived
　　　　　to　make　them　turn　their　eyes　towards　the　left　bank；　and　then；
　　　　　agreeably　to　the　orders　we　had　given；　my　column　of　grenadiers
　　　　　advanced　on　the　bridge。　　The　Austrian　cannoneers；　on　the　left　bank；
　　　　　seeing　their　officers　in　the　midst　of　us；　did　not　dare　to　fire；　and
　　　　　my　column　advanced　at　a　quick　step。　　Murat　and　I；　at　the　head　of　it；
　　　　　gained　the　left　bank。　　All　the　combustibles　prepared　for　blowing　up
　　　　　the　bridge　were　thrown　into　the　river；　and　my　men　took　possession　of
　　　　　the　batteries　erected　for　the　defence　of　the　bridge　head。　　The　poor
　　　　　devils　of　Austrian　officers　were　perfectly　astounded　when　I　told
　　　　　them　they　were　my　prisoners。

Such；　as　well　as　I　can　recollect；　was　the　account　given　by　Lannes；　who
laughed　immoderately　in　describing　the　consternation　of　the　Austrian
officers　when　they　discovered　the　trick　that　had　been　played　upon　them。
When　Lannes　performed　this　exploit　he　had　little　idea　of　the；　important
consequences　which　would　attend；　it。　　He　had　not　only　secured　to　the
remainder　of　the　French　army　a　sure　and　easy　entrance　to　Vienna；　but；
without　being　aware　of　it；　he　created　an　insurmountable　impediment　to　the
junction　of　the　Russian　army　with　the　Austrian　corps；　commanded　by　Prince
Charles；　who；　being　pressed　by　Massena；　hastily　advanced　into　the　heart
of　the　Hereditary　States；　where　he　fully　expected　a　great　battle　would
take　place。

As　soon　as　the　corps　of　Murat　and　Lannes　had　taken　possession　of　Vienna
the　Emperor　ordered　all　the　divisions　of　the　army　to　march　upon　that
capital。

　　　　　＇The　story　to　told　in　much　the　same　way　in　Theirs　（tome　vi；　p。
　　　　　260）；　Rupp　（p。　　57）；　and　Savory　（tome　ii。　　p。　　162）；　but　as　Erreurs
　　　　　（tome　i。　　p。　　814）　points　out；　Bourrienne　makes　an　odd　mistake　in
　　　　　believing　the　Thabor　Bridge　gave　the　French　access　to　Vienna。　　The
　　　　　capital　is　on　the　right　bank；　and　was　already　in　their　power。　　The
　　　　　possession　of　the　bridge　enabled　them　to　pass　over　to　the　left　bank；
　　　　　and　to　advance　towards　Austerlitz　before　the　Archduke　Charles；
　　　　　coming　from　Italy；　could　make　his　junction　with　the　allied　army。
　　　　　See　plan　48　of　Thiers'　Atlas；　or　58　of　Alison's。　　The　immediate
　　　　　result　of　the　success　of　this　rather　doubtful　artifice　would　have
　　　　　been　the　destruction　of　the　corps　of　Kutusoff；　but　Murat　in　his　turn
　　　　　was　deceived　by　Bagration　into　belief　in　an　armistice。　　In　fact；
　　　　　both　sides　at　this　time　fell　into　curious　errors。＇

Napoleon　established　his　headquarters　at　Schoenbrunn；　where　he　planned
his　operations　for　compelling　the　corps　of　Prince　Charles　to　retire　to
Hungary；　and　also　for　advancing　his　own　forces　to　meet　the　Russians。
Murat　and　Lannes　always　commanded　the　advanced　guard　during　the　forced
marches　ordered　by　Napoleon；　which　were　executed　in　a　way　truly
miraculous。

To　keep　up　the　appearance　of　wishing　to　conclude　peace　as　soon　as
reasonable　propositions　should　be　made　to　him；　Napoleon　sent　for　his
Minister　for　foreign　Affairs；　who　speedily　arrived　at　Vienna；　and　General
Savary　was　sent　on　a　mission　to　the　Emperor　Alexander。　　The　details　of
this　mission　I　have　learned　only　from　the　account　of　it　given　by　the　Duc
de　Rovigo　in　his　apologetic　Memoirs。　　In　spite　of　the　Duke's　eagerness　to
induce　a　belief　in　Napoleon's　pacific　disposition；　the　very　facts　on
which　he　supports　his　argument　lead　to　the　contrary　conclusion。　　Napoleon
wished　to　dictate　his　conditions　before　the　issue　of　a　battle　the　success
of　which　might　appear　doubtful　to　the　young　Emperor　of　Russia；　and　these
conditions　were　such　as　he　might　impose　when　victory　should　be　declared
in　favour　of　our　eagles。　　It　must　be　clear　to　every　reflecting　person
that　by　always　proposing　what　he　knew　could　not　be　honourably　acceded　to；
he　kept　up　the　appearance　of　being　a　pacificator；　while　at　the　same　time
he　ensured　to　himself　the　pleasure　of　carrying　on　the　war。




CHAPTER　III。

1805。

　　　　　My　functions　at　HamburgThe　King　of　Sweden　at　Stralsund
　　　　　My　bulletin　describing　the　situation　of　the　Russian　armiesDuroc's
　　　　　recall　from　BerlinGeneral　DumouriezRecruiting　of　the　English　in
　　　　　HanoverThe　daughter　of　M。　de　Marbeof　and　NapoleonTreachery　of
　　　　　the　King　of　NaplesThe　Sun　of　AusterlitzPrince　Dolgiorouki
　　　　　Rapp's　account　of　the　battle　of　AusterlitzGerard's　picture
　　　　　Eugene's　marriage。

I　must　now　relate　how；　in　conformity　with　my　instructions；　I　was　employed
in　Hamburg　in　aiding　the　success　of　the　French　army。　　I　had　sent　an　agent
to　observe　the　Russian　troops；　which　were　advancing　by　forced　marches　to
the　banks　of　the　Elbe。　　This　agent　transmitted　to　me　from　Gadbusch　an
account　of　the　routes　taken　by　the　different　columns。　　It　was　then
supposed　that　they　would　march　upon　Holland　by　the　way　of　Bremen　and
Oldenburg。　　On　the　receipt　of　thus　intelligence　the　Electorate　of　Hanover
was　evacuated　by　the　French；　and　General　Barbou；　who　had　commanded　there
concentrated　his　forces　in　Hamelin。

On　the　2d　of　November　1805　the　King　of　Sweden　arrived　at　Stralsund。　　I
immediately　intimated　to　our　Government　that　this　circumstance　would
probably　give　a　new　turn　to　the　operations　of　the　combined　army；　for
hitherto　the　uncertainty　of　its　movements　and　the　successive　counter…
orders　afforded　no　possibility　of　ascertaining　any　determined　plan。　　The
intention　seemed　to　be；　that　all　the　Swedo…Russian　troops　should　cross
the　Elbe　at　the　same　point；　viz。；　Lauenburg；　six　miles　from　Hamburg。

There　was　not　on　the　5th　of　November　a　single　Russian　on　the　southern
bank　of　the　Elbe。

The　first　column　of　the　grand　Russian　army　passed　through　Warsaw　on　the
1st　of　November；　and　on　the　2d　the　Grand…Duke　Constantine　was　expected
with　the　Guards。　　This　column；　which　amounted　to　6000　men；　was　the　first
that　passed　through　Prussian　Poland。

At　this　time　we　momentarily　expected　to　see　the　Hanoverian　army　landed　on
the　banks　of　the　Weser　or　the　Elbe；　augmented　by　some　thousands　of
English。　　Their　design　apparently　was　either　to　attack　Holland；　or　to
attempt　some　operation　on　the　rear　of　our　Grand　Army。

The　French　Government　was　very　anxious　to　receive　accurate　accounts　of
the　march　of　the　Swedo…Russian　troops　through　Hanover；　and　of　the　Russian
army　through　Poland。　　My　agents　at　Warsaw　and　Stralsund；　who　were
exceedingly　active　and　intelligent；　enabled　me　to　send　off　a　bulletin
describing　the　state　of　Hanover；　the　movements　of　the　Russians　and
Swedes；　together　with　information　of　the　arrival　of　English　troops　in　the
Elbe；　and　a　statement　of　the　force　of　the　combined　army　in　Hanover；　which
consisted　of　15；000　Russians；　8000　Swedes；　and　12；000　English；　making　in
all　35；000　men。

It　was　probably　on　account　of　this　bulletin　that　Napoleon　expressed　to
Duroc　his　satisfaction　with　my　services。　　The　Emperor　on　recalling　Duroc
from　Berlin　did　not　manifest　the　least　apprehens