napoleon bonaparte, v12-第3部分

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hands　of　the　Russians。　　His　Majesty　confided　the　defense　of　Soissons　to
the　Marshal　Duke　of　Treviso；　and　himself　set　out　for　Rheims　by　forced
marches；　and　we　arrived　the　same　evening　at　the　gates　of　the　city；　where
the　Russians　were　not　expecting　his　Majesty。　　Our　soldiers　entered　this
battle　without　having　taken　any　repose；　but　fought　with　the　resolution
which　the　presence　and　example　of　the　Emperor　never　failed　to　inspire。
The　combat　lasted　the　whole　evening；　and　was　prolonged　far　into　the
night；　but　after　General　Saint…Priest　had　been　grievously　wounded　the
resistance　of　his　troops　became　less　vigorous；　and　at　two　o'clock　in　the
morning　they　abandoned　the　town。　　The　Emperor　and　his　army　entered　by　one
gate　while　the　Russians　were　emerging　from　the　other；　and　as　the
inhabitants　pressed　in　crowds　around　his　Majesty；　he　inquired　before
alighting　from　his　horse　what　havoc　the　enemy　was　supposed　to　have　made。
It　was　answered　that　the　town　had　suffered　only　the　amount　of　injury
which　was　the　inevitable　result　of　a　bloody　nocturnal　struggle；　and　that
moreover　the　enemy　had　maintained　severe　discipline　among　the　troops
during　their　stay　and　up　to　the　moment　of　retreat。　　Among　those　who
pressed　around　his　Majesty　at　this　moment　was　the　brave　General
Corbineau。　　He　wore　a　citizen's　coat；　and　had　remained　disguised　and
concealed　in　a　private　house　of　the　town。　　On　the　morning　of　the　next　day
he　again　presented　himself　before　the　Emperor；　who　welcomed　him
cordially；　and　complimented　him　on　the　courage　he　had　displayed　under
such　trying　circumstances。　　The　Duke　of　Ragusa　had　rejoined　his　Majesty
under　the　walls　of　Rheims；　and　had　contributed　with　his　army　corps　to　the
capture　of　the　town。　　When　he　appeared　before　the　Emperor；　the　latter
burst　out　in　harsh　and　severe　reproaches　regarding　the　affair　at　Laon；
but　his　anger　was　not　of　long　duration；　and　his　Majesty　soon　resumed
towards　the　marshal　the　tone　of　friendship　with　which　he　habitually
honored　him。　　They　held　a　long　conference；　and　the　Duke　of　Ragusa
remained　to　dine　with　the　Emperor。

His　Majesty　spent　three　days　at　Rheims　in　order　to　give　his　troops　time
to　rest　and　recuperate　before　continuing　this　arduous　campaign。　　They
were　in　sore　need　of　this；　for　even　old　soldiers　would　have　had　great
difficulty　in　enduring　such　continued　forced　marches；　which　often　ended
only　in　a　bloody　battle；　nevertheless；　the　greater　part　of　the　brave　men
who　obeyed　with　such　unwearied　ardor　the　Emperor's　orders；　and　who　never
refused　to　endure　any　fatigue　or　any　danger；　were　conscripts　who　had　been
levied　in　haste；　and　fought　against　the　most　warlike　and　best　disciplined
troops　in　Europo。　　The　greater　part　had　not　had　even　sufficient　time　to
learn　the　drill；　and　took　their　first　lessons　in　the　presence　of　the
enemy；　brave　young　fellows　who　sacrificed　themselves　without　a　murmur；
and　to　whom　the　Emperor　once　only　did　injustice；in　the　circumstance
which　I　have　formerly　related；　and　in　which　M。　Larrey　played　such　a
heroic　part。　　It　is　a　well…known　fact　that　the　wonderful　campaign　of　1814
was　made　almost　entirely　with　conscripts　newly　levied。

During　the　halt　of　three　days　which　we　made　at　Rheims；　the　Emperor　saw
with　intense　joy；　which　he　openly　manifested；　the　arrival　of　an　army
corps　of　six　thousand　men；　whom　the　brave　Dutch　General　Janssens　brought
to　his　aid。　　This　re…enforcement　of　experienced　troops　could　not　have
come　more　opportunely。　　While　our　soldiers　were　taking　breath　before
recommencing　a　desperate　struggle；　his　Majesty　was　giving　himself　up　to
the　most　varied　labors　with　his　accustomed　ardor。　　In　the　midst　of　the
cares　and　dangers　of　war　the　Emperor　neglected　none　of　the　affairs　of　the
Empire；　but　worked　for　several　hours　each　day　with　the　Duke　of　Bassano；
received　couriers　from　Paris；　dictated　his　replies；　and　fatigued　his
secretaries　almost　as　much　as　his　generals　and　soldiers。　　As　for　himself；
he　was　indefatiable　as　of　yore。



CHAPTER　XXV。

Affairs　had　reached　a　point　where　the　great　question　of　triumph　or　defeat
could　not　long　remain　undecided。　　According　to　one　of　the　habitual
expressions　of　the　Emperor；　the　pear　was　ripe；　but　who　was　to　gather　it？
The　Emperor　while　at　Rheims　appeared　to　have　no　doubt　that　the　result
would　be　in　his　favor。　　By　one　of　those　bold　combinations　which　astonish
the　world；　and　change　in　a　single　battle　the　face　of　affairs；　although
the　enemy　had　approached　the　capital；　his　Majesty　being　unable　to　prevent
it；　he　nevertheless　resolved　to　attack　them　in　the　rear；　compel　them　to
wheel　about；　and　place　themselves　in　opposition　to　the　army　which　he
commanded　in　person；　and　thus　save　Paris　from　their　invasion。　　With　the
intention　of　executing　this　bold　combination　the　Emperor　left　Rheims。
Meanwhile；　being　anxious　concerning　his　wife　and　son；　the　Emperor；　before
attempting　this　great　enterprise；　wrote　in　the　greatest　secrecy　to　his
brother；　Prince　Joseph；　lieutenantgeneral　of　the　Empire；　to　have　them
conveyed　to　a　place　of　safety　in　case　the　danger　became　imminent。　　I　knew
nothing　of　this　order　the　day　it　was　sent；　as　the　Emperor　kept　it　a
secret　from　every　one；　but　when　I　learned　afterwards　that　it　was　from
Rheims　that　this　command　had　been　addressed　to　Prince　Joseph；　I　thought
that　I　could　without　fear　of　being　mistaken　fix　the　date　at　March　15th。
That　evening；　in　fact；　his　Majesty　had　talked　to　me　as　he　retired　of　the
Empress　and　the　King　of　Rome；　and　as　usual；　whenever　he　had　during　the
day　been　deeply　impressed　with　any　idea；　it　always　recurred　to　him　in　the
evening；　and　for　that　reason　I　conclude　that　this　was　the　day　on　which
his　mind　had　been　occupied　with　putting　in　a　place　of　shelter　from　the
dangers　of　the　war　the　two　objects　of　his　most　devoted　affection。

From　Rheims　we　directed　our　course　to　Epernay；　the　garrison　and
inhabitants　of　which　had　just　repulsed　the　enemy；　who　the　evening　before
had　attempted　to　capture　it。　　There　the　Emperor　learned　of　the　arrival　at
Troyes　of　the　Emperor　Alexander　and　the　King　of　Prussia。　　His　Majesty；　in
order　to　testify　to　the　inhabitants　of　Epernay　his　satisfaction　with
their　admirable　conduct；　rewarded　them　in　the　person　of　their　mayor　by
giving　him　the　cross　of　the　Legion　of　Honor。　　This　was　M。　Moet；　whose
reputation　has　become　almost　as　European　as　that　of　Champagne　wine。

During　this　campaign；　without　being　too　lavish　of　the　cross　of　honor；　his
Majesty　presented　it　on　several　occasions　to　those　of　the　inhabitants　who
were　foremost　in　resisting　the　enemy。　　Thus；　for　example；　I　remember　that
before　leaving　Rheims　he　gave　one　to　a　simple　farmer　of　the　village　of
Selles　whose　name　I　have　forgotten。　　This　brave　man；　on　learning　that　a
detachment　of　Prussians　was　approaching　his　commune；　put　himself　at　the
head　of　the　National　Guard；　whom　he　encouraged　both　by　word　and　example；
and　the　result　of　his　enterprise　was　forty…five　prisoners；　among　them
three　officers；　whom　he　brought　into　the　town。

How　many　deeds　similar　to　this　occurred　which　it　is　impossible　to
remember！　　However　all　that　may　be；　the　Emperor　on　leaving　Epernay
marched　towards　Fere…Champenoise；　I　will　not　say　in　all　haste；　for　that
is　a　term　which　might　be　used　concerning　all　his　Majesty's　movements；　who
sprang　with　the　rapidity　of　an　eagle　on　the　point　where　his　presence
seemed　most　necessary。　　Nevertheless；　the　enemy's　army；　which　had　crossed
the　Seine　at　Pont　and　Nogent；　having　learned　of　the　re…occupation　of
Rheims　by　the　Emperor；　and　understanding　the　movement　he　wished　to　make
on　their　rear；　began　their　retreat　on　the　17th；　and　retook　successively
the　bridges　which　he　had　constructed　at　Pont；　Nogent；　and　Arcis…sur…Aube。
On　the　18th　occurred　the　battle　of　Fere…Champenoise；　which　his　Majesty
fought　to　clear　the　road　intervening　between　him　and　Arcis…sur…Aube；
where　were　the　Emperor　Alexander　and　the　King　of　Prussia；　who；　on
learning　of　this　new　success　of　the　Emperor；　quickly　fell　back　to　Troyes。
The　pronounced　intention　of　his　Majesty　was　then　to　go　as　far　as　Bar…sur…
Aube。　　We　had　already　passed　the　Aube　at　Plancy；　and　the　Seine　at　Mery；
but　it　was　necessary　to　return　to　Plancy。　　This　was　on　the　19th；　the　same
day　on　which　the　Count　d'Artois　arrived　at　Nancy；　and　on　which　the
rupture　of　the　Congress　of　Chatillon　occurred；　which　I　mentioned　in　the
preceding　chapter；　following　the　order　in　which　my　souvenirs　recurred　to
my　mind。

The　20th　March　was；　as　I　have　said；　an　eventful　date　in　the　Emperor's
life；　and　was　to　become　still　more　so　one　year　later。　　The　20th　March；
1814；　the　King　of　Rome　completed　his　third　year；　while　the　Emperor　was
exposing　himself；　if　it　were　possible；　even　more　than　was　his　usual
custom。　　At　the　battle　of　Arcis…sur…Aube；　which　took　place　on　that　day；
his　Majesty　saw　that　at　last　he　would　have　new　enemies　to　encounter。　　The
Austrians　themselves　entered　the　line　of　battle；　and　an　immense　army；
under　the　command　of　the　Prince　von　Schwarzenberg；　spread　itself　out
before　him；　when　he　supposed　he　had　only　an　advance　guard　to　resist。　　The
coincidence　may　not　perhaps　appear　unimportant　that　the　Austrian　army　did
not　begin　to　fight　seriously　or　attack　the　Emperor　in　person　until　the
day　after　the　rupture　of　the　Congress　of　Chatillon。　　Was　this　the　result
of　chance；　or　did　the　Emperor　of　Austria　indeed　prefer　to　remain　in　the
second　line；　and　spare　the　person　of　his　son…in…law；　so　long　as　peace
appeared　possible　to　him？　　This　is　a　question　which　it　is　not　my　province
to　answer。

The　battle　of　Arcis…sur…Aube　was　terrible；　and　ended　only　with　the　close
of　day。　　The　Emperor　still　occupied　the　city　in　spite　of　the　combined
efforts　of　an　army　of　one　hundred　and　thirty　thousand　fresh　troops；　who
attacked　thirty　thousand　worn　out　by　fatigue。　　The　battle　still　continued
during　the　night；　while　the　fire　of　the　faubourgs　lighted　our　defenses
and　the　works　of　the　besieging…party。　　It　was　at　last　found　impossible　to
hold　our　position　longer；　and　only　one　bridge　remained　by　which　the　army
could　effect　its　retreat。　　The　Emperor　had　another　constructed；　and　the
retreat　commenced；　but　in　good　order；　in　spite　of　the　numerous　masses
which　closely　threatened　us。　　This　unfortunate　affair　was　the　most
disastrous　his　Maje