napoleon bonaparte, v12-第18部分

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promptly　received　the　Cross　of　the　Legion　of　Honor。


In　the　beginning　of　the　campaign　of　Tilsit；　the　Emperor；　being　at　Berlin；
one　day　took　a　fancy　to　make　an　excursion　on　foot　to　the　quarter　where
our　soldiers　in　the　public　houses　indulged　in　the　pleasures　of　the　dance。
He　saw　a　quartermaster　of　the　cavalry　of　his　guard　walking　with　a　coarse；
rotund　German　woman；　and　amused　himself　listening　to　the　gallant　remarks
made　by　this　quartermaster　to　his　beautiful　companion。　　〃Let　us　enjoy
ourselves；　my　dear；〃　said　he；　〃it　is　the　'tondu'　who　pays　the　musicians
with　the　'kriches'　of　your　sovereign。　　Let　us　take　our　own　gait；　long
live　joy！　　and　forward〃〃Not　so　fast；〃　said　the　Emperor；　approaching
him。　　〃Certainly　it　must　always　be　forward；　but　wait　till　I　sound　the
charge。〃　　The　quartermaster　turned　and　recognized　the　Emperor；　and；
without　being　at　all　disconcerted；　put　his　hand　to　his　shako；　and　said；
〃That　is　useless　trouble。　　Your　Majesty　does　not　need　to　beat　a　drum　to
make　us　move。〃　　This　repartee　made　the　Emperor　smile；　and　soon　after
gained　epaulets　for　the　sub…officer；　who　perhaps　might　have　waited　a　long
while　except　for　this　fancy　of　his　Majesty。　　But；　at　all　events；　if
chance　sometimes　contributed　thus　to　the　giving　of　rewards；　they　were
never　given　until　after　he　had　ascertained　that　those　on　whom　he　bestowed
them　were　worthy。

At　Eylau　provisions　failed；　for　a　week；　the　bread　supply　being　exhausted；
the　soldiers　fed　themselves　as　they　could。　　The　evening　before　the　first
attack；　the　Emperor；　who　wished　to　examine　everything　himself；　made　a
tour　of　the　bivouacs；　and　reaching　one　where　all　the　men　were　asleep；　saw
some　potatoes　cooking；　took　a　fancy　to　eat　them；　and　undertook　to　draw
them　out　of　the　fire　with　the　point　of　his　sword。　　Instantly　a　soldier
awoke；　and　seeing　some　one　usurping　part　of　his　supper；　〃I　say；　you　are
not　very　ceremonious；　eating　our　potatoes！〃〃My　comrade；　I　am　so　hungry
that　you　must　excuse　me。〃〃Well；　take　one　or　two　then；　if　that　is　the
case；　but　get　off。〃　　But　as　the　Emperor　made　no　haste　in　getting　off；　the
soldier　insisted　more　strongly；　and　soon　a　heated　discussion　arose
between　him　and　the　Emperor。　　From　words　they　were　about　to　come　to
blows；　when　the　Emperor　thought　it　was　time　to　make　himself　known。　　The
soldier's　confusion　was　indescribable。　　He　had　almost　struck　the　Emperor。
He　threw　himself　at　his　Majesty's　feet；　begging　his　pardon；　which　was
most　readily　granted。　　〃It　was　I　who　was　in　the　wrong；〃　said　the　Emperor；
〃I　was　obstinate。　　I　bear　you　no　illwill；　rise　and　let　your　mind　be　at
rest；　both　now　and　in　the　future。〃

The　Emperor；　having　made　inquiries　concerning　this　soldier；　learned　that…
he　was　a　good　fellow；　and　not　unintelligent。　　On　the　next　promotion　he
was　made　sub…lieutenant。　　It　is　impossible　to　give　an　idea　of　the　effect
of　such　occurrences　on　the　army。　　They　were　a　constant　subject　of
conversation　with　the　soldiers；　and　stimulated　them　inexpressibly。　　The
one　who　enjoyed　the　greatest　distinction　in　his　company　was　he　of　whom　it
could　be　said：　〃The　Emperor　has　spoken　to　him。〃


At　the　battle　of　Essling　the　brave　General　Daleim；　commanding　a　division
of　the　fourth　corps；　found　himself　during　the　hottest　part　of　the　action
at　a　spot　swept　by　the　enemy's　artillery。　　The　Emperor；　passing　near　him；
said：　〃It　is　warm　in　your　locality！〃〃Yes；　Sire；　permit　me　to　extinguish
the　fire。〃〃Go。〃　　This　one　word　sufficed；　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye　the
terrible　battery　was　taken。　　In　the　evening　the　Emperor；　seeing　General
Daleim；　approached　him；　and　said；　〃It　seems　you　only　had　to　blow　on　it。〃
His　Majesty　alluded　General　Daleim's　habit　of　incessant　whistling。


Among　the　brave　general　officers　around　the　Emperor；　a　few　were　not
highly　educated；　though　their　other　fine　qualities　recommended　them；　some
were　celebrated　for　other　reasons　than　their　military　merit。　　Thus
General　Junot　and　General　Fournier　were　known　as　the　best　pistol　shots；
General　Lasellette　was　famous　for　his　love　of　music；　which　he　indulged　to
such　an　extent　as　to　have　a　piano　always　in　one　of　his　baggage　wagons。
This　general　drank　only　water；　but；　on　the　contrary；　it　was　very
different　with　General　Bisson。　　Who　has　not　heard　of　the　hardest　drinker
in　all　the　army？　　One　day　the　Emperor；　meeting　him　at　Berlin；　said　to
him；　〃Well；　Bisson；　do　you　still　drink　much？〃〃Moderately；　Sire；　not
more　than　twenty…five　bottles。〃　　This　was；　in　fact；　a　great　improvement；
for　he　had　more　than　once　reached　the　number　of　forty　without　being　made
tipsy。　　Moreover；　with　General　Bisson　it　was　not　a　vice；　but　an　imperious
need。　　The　Emperor　knowing　this；　and　being　much　attached　to　him；　allowed
him　a　pension　of　twelve　thousand　francs　out　of　his　privy　purse；　and　gave
him　besides　frequent　presents。


Among　the　officers　who　were　not　very　well　educated；　we　may　be　permitted
to　mention　General　Gros；　and　the　manner　in　which　he　was　promoted　to　the
grade　of　general　proves　this　fact。　　But　his　bravery　was　equal　to　every
proof；　and　he　was　a　superb　specimen　of　masculine　beauty。　　The　pen　alone
was　an　unaccustomed　weapon　to　him；　and　he　could　hardly　use　it　to　sign　his
name；　and　it　was　said　that　he　was　not　much　more　proficient　in　reading。
Being　colonel　of　the　guard；　he　found　himself　one　day　alone　at　the
Tuileries　in　an　apartment　where　he　waited　until　the　Emperor　could　be
seen。　　There　he　delighted　himself　with　observing　his　image　reflected　in
the　glass；　and　readjusting　his　cravat；　and　the　admiration　he　felt　at　his
own　image　led　him　to　converse　aloud　with　himself　or　rather　with　his
reflection。　　〃Ah！〃　　said　he；　〃if　you　only　knew　'bachebachiques'
（mathematics）；　such　a　man　as　you；　with　a　soldier's　heart　like　yours；　ah！
the　Emperor　would　make　you　a　general！〃〃You　are　one；〃　said　the　Emperor；
striking　him　on　the　shoulder。　　His　Majesty　had　entered　the　saloon　without
being　heard；　and　had　amused　himself　with　listening　to　the　conversation
Colonel　Gros　had　carried　on　with　himself。　　Such　were　the　circumstances　of
his　promotion　to　the　rank　of　general；　and　what　is　more　to　be　a　general　in
the　guard。


I　have　now　arrived　at　the　end　of　my　list　of　military　anecdotes。　　I　have
just　spoken　of　a　general's　promotion；　and　will　close　with　the　story　of　a
simple　drummer；　but　a　drummer　renowned　throughout　the　army　as　a　perfect
buffoon；　in　fact；　the　famous　Rata；　to　whom　General　Gros；　as　we　shall　see；
was　deeply　attached。

The　army　marched　on　Lintz　during　the　campaign　of　1809。　　Rata；　drummer　of
the　grenadiers　of　the　fourth　regiment　of　the　line；　and　famous　as　a
buffoon；　having　learned　that　the　guard　was　to　pass；　and　that　it　was
commanded　by　General　Gros；　desired　to　see　this　officer　who　had　been　his
chief　of　battalion；　and　with　whom　he　had　formerly　taken　all　sorts　of
liberties。　　Rata　thereupon　waged　his　mustache；　and　went　to　salute　the
general；　addressing　him　thus：　〃Ah；　here　you　are；　General。　　How　are　you？〃
〃Very　well；　indeed；　Rata；　and　you？〃〃Always　well；　but　not　so　well　as
you；　it　seems　to　me。　　Since　you　are　doing　so　very　well；　you　no　longer
think　of　poor　Rata；　for　if　he　did　not　come　to　see　you；　you　would　not　even
think　of　sending　him　a　few　sous　to　buy　tobacco。〃　　While　saying；　〃You　do
so　well；〃　Rata　had　quickly　seized　General　Gross　hat；　and　put　it　；on　his
head　in　place　of　his　own。　　At　this　moment　the　Emperor　passed；　and　seeing
a　drummer　wearing　the　hat　of　a　general　of　his　guard；　he　could　hardly
believe　his　eyes。　　He　spurred　up　his　horse；　and　inquired　the　cause。
General　Gros　then　said；　laughing；　and　in　the　frank　speech　he　so　often
used　even　to　the　Emperor；　〃It　is　a　brave　soldier　from　my　old　battalion；
accustomed　to　play　pranks　to　amuse　his　comrades。　　He　is　a　brave　fellow；
Sire；　and　every　inch　a　man；　and　I　recommend　him　to　your　Majesty。
Moreover；　Sire；　he　can　himself　do　more　than　a　whole　park　of　artillery。
Come；　Rata；　give　us　a　broad　side；　and　no　quarter。〃　　The　Emperor　listened；
and　observed　almost　stupefied　what　was　passing　under　his　very　eyes；　when
Rata；　in　no　wise　intimidated　by　the　presence　of　the　Emperor；　prepared　to
execute　the　general's　order；　then；　sticking　his　finger　in　his　mouth；　he
made　a　noise　like　first　the　whistling　and　then　the　bursting　of　a　shell。
The　imitation　was　so　perfect　that　the　Emperor　was　compelled　to　laugh；　and
turning　to　General　Gros；　said；　〃Come；　take　this　man　this　very　evening
into　the　guard；　and　remind　me　of　him　on　the　next　occasion。〃　　In　a　short
while　Rata　had　the　cross；　which　those　who　threw　real　shells　at　the　enemy
often　had　not；　so　largely　does　caprice　enter　into　the　destiny　of　men！




L'ENVOI。

（BY　THE　EDITOR　OF　THE　FRENCH　EDITION　OF　1830。）

The　life　of　any　one　who　has　played　a　distinguished　part　offers　many
points　of　view；　the　number　of　which　increases　in　proportion　to　the
influence　he　has　wielded　upon　the　movement　of　events。　　This　has　been
greater　in　the　case　of　Napoleon　than　of　any　other　personage　in　history。
The　product　of　an　era　of　convulsions；　in　all　of　whose　changes　he　took
part；　and　which　he　at　last　closed　by　subjecting　all　ideas　under　a　rule；
which　at　one　time　promised　to　be　lasting；　he；　like　Catiline；　requires　a
Sallust；　like　Charlemagne；　an　Eginhard；　and　like　Alexander；　a　Quintus
Curtius。　　M。　de　Bourrienne　has；　indeed；　after　the　manner　of　Commines；
shown　him　to　us　undisguised　in　his　political　manipulations　and　in　the
private　life　of　his　Court。　　This　is　a　great　step　towards　a　knowledge　of
his　individuality；　but　it　is　not　enough。　　It　is　in　a　thorough
acquaintance　with　his　private　life　that　this　disillusioned　age　will　find
the　secret　springs　of　the　drama　of　his　marvelous　career。　　The　great　men
of　former　ages　were　veiled　from　us　by　a　cloud　of　prejudice　which　even　the
good　sense　of　Plutarch　scarcely　penetrated。　　Our　age；　more　analytical　and
freer　from　illusions；　in　the　great　man　seeks　to　find　the　individual。　　It
is　by　this　searching　test　that　the　present　puts　aside　all　illusions；　and
that　the　future　will　seek　to　justify　its　judgments。　　In　the　council　of
state；　the　statesman　is　in　his　robe；　on　the　battlefield　the　warrior　is
beneath　his　armor；　but　in　his　bedchamber；　in　his　undress；　we　find　the
man。

It　has　been　said　that　no　man　is；　a　hero　to　his　valet。　　It　would　give　wide
latitude　to　a　witty　remark；　which　has　bec