napoleon bonaparte, v9-第14部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


that　the　army　had　been　thus　deceived；　for　he　knew　how　much　more　quickly
discouragement　ensues　when　hope　has　been　frustrated；　and　consequently
took　great　pains　to　keep　the　rear　of　the　army　informed　as　to　every
incident；　so　that　the　soldiers　should　never　be　left　under　cruel
delusions。　　At　a　little　after　five　the　beams　gave　way；　not　being
sufficiently　strong；　and　as　it　was　necessary　to　wait　until　the　next　day；
the　army　again　abandoned　itself　to　gloomy　forebodings。　　It　was　evident
that　they　must　endure　the　fire　of　the　enemy　all　the　next　day。　　But　there
was　no　longer　any　choice；　for　it　was　only　at　the　end　of　this　night　of
agony　and　suffering　of　every　description　that　the　first　beams　were
secured　in　the　river。　　It　is　hard　to　comprehend　how　men　could　submit　to
stand　up　to　their　mouths　in　water　filled　with　ice；　and　rallying　all　the
strength　which　nature　had　given　them；　with　all　that　the　energy　of
devotion　furnished；　and　drive　piles　several　feet　deep　into　a　miry　bed；
struggling　against　the　most　horrible　fatigue；　pushing　back　with　their
hands　enormous　blocks　of　ice；　which　would　have　submerged　and　sunk　them
with　their　weight；　in　a　word；　warring　even　to　the　death　with　cold；　the
greatest　enemy　of　life。　　This　marvelous　feat　was　accomplished　by　our
French　pontoon　corps。　　Many　perished；　borne　away　by　the　current　or
benumbed　by　the　cold。　　The　glory　of　this　achievement；　in　my　opinion；
exceeds　in　value　many　others。

The　Emperor　awaited　daylight　in　a　poor　hut；　and　in　the　morning　said　to
Prince　Berthier；　〃Well；　Berthier；　how　can　we　get　out　of　this？　　〃He　was
seated　in　his　room；　great　tears　flowing　down　his　cheeks；　which　were　paler
than　usual；　and　the　prince　was　seated　near　him。

They　exchanged　few　words；　and　the　Emperor　appeared　overcome　by　his　grief。
I　leave　to　the　imagination　what　was　passing　in　his　soul。　　At　last　the
King　of　Naples　opened　his　heart　to　his　brother…in…law；　and　entreated　him；
in　the　name　of　the　army；　to　think　of　his　own　safety；　so　imminent　had　the
peril　become。　　Some　brave　Poles　had　offered　themselves　as　escort　for　the
Emperor；　he　could　cross　the　Beresina　higher　up；　and　reach　Wilna　in　five
days。　　The　Emperor　silently　shook　his　head　in　token　of　refusal；　which　the
king　understood；　and　the　matter　was　no　longer　considered。

Amid　overwhelming　disasters；　the　few　blessings　which　reach　us　are　doubly
felt。　　I　observed　this　many　times　in　the　case　of　his　Majesty　and　his
unfortunate　army。　　On　the　banks　of　the　Beresina；　just　as　the　first
supports　of　the　bridge　had　been　thrown　across；　Marshal　Ney　and　the　King
of　Naples　rushed　at　a　gallop　to　the　Emperor；　calling　to　him　that　the
enemy　had　abandoned　his　threatening　position；　and　I　saw　the　Emperor；
beside　himself　with　joy；　not　being　able　to　believe　his　ears；　go　himself
at　a　run　to　throw　a　searching　glance　in　the　direction　they　said　Admiral
Tschitzakoff　　had　taken。　　This　news　was　indeed　true；　and　the　Emperor；
overjoyed　and　out　of　breath　from　his　race；　exclaimed；　〃I　have　deceived
the　admiral。〃　　This　retrograde　movement　of　the　enemy　was　hard　to
understand；　when　the　opportunity　to　overwhelm　us　was　within　his　reach；
and　I　doubt　whether　the　Emperor；　in　spite　of　his　apparent　satisfaction；
was　very　sure　of　the　happy　consequences　which　this　retreat　of　the　enemy
might　bring　to　us。

Before　the　bridge　was　finished；　about　four　hundred　men　were　carried　part
of　the　way　across　the　river　on　two　miserable　rafts；　which　could　hardly
sustain　themselves　against　the　current；　and　we　saw　them　from　the　bank
rudely　shaken　by　the　great　blocks　of　ice　which　encumbered　the　river。
These　blocks　came　to　the　very　edge　of　the　raft；　where；　finding　an
obstacle；　they　remained　stationary　for　some　time；　then　were　suddenly
ingulfed　under　these　frail　planks　with　a　terrible　shock；　though　the
soldiers　stopped　the　largest　with　their　bayonets；　and　turned　their　course
aside　from　the　rafts。

The　impatience　of　the　army　was　at　its　height。　　The　first　who　reached　the
opposite　bank　were　the　brave　Jacqueminot；　aide…de…camp　of　Marshal
Oudinot；　and　Count　Predzieczki；　a　brave　Lithuanian；　of　whom　the　Emperor
was　very　fond；　especially　since　he　had　shared　our　sufferings　with　such
fidelity　and　devotion。　　Both　crossed　the　river　on　horseback；　and　the　army
uttered　shouts　of　admiration　as　they　saw　that　the　chiefs　were　the　first
to　set　the　example　of　intrepidity。　　They　braved　enough　dangers　to　make
the　strongest　brain　reel。　　The　current　forced　their　horses　to　swim
diagonally　across；　which　doubled　the　length　of　the　passage；　and　as　they
swam；　blocks　of　ice　struck　against　their　flanks　and　sides；　making
terrible　gashes。

At　one　o'clock　General　Legrand　and　his　division　were　crossing　the　bridge
constructed　for　the　infantry；　while　the　Emperor　sat　on　the　opposite　bank；
and　some　of　the　cannon　becoming　entangled　had　for　an　instant　delayed　the
march。　　The　Emperor　rushed　on　the　bridge；　put　his　hand　to　the　work；　and
assisted　in　separating　the　pieces。　　The　enthusiasm　of　the　soldiers　was　at
its　height；　and　it　was　amid　cries　of　〃Vive　l'Empereur〃　that　the　infantry
set　foot　on　the　opposite　bank。

A　short　time　after；　the　Emperor；　learning　that　General　Partonneaux　had
laid　down　his　arms；　was　deeply　affected　by　this　news；　and　gave　vent　to
reproaches　which　were　somewhat　unjust　to　the　general。　　Later；　when　he　had
received　more　correct　information；　he　understood　perfectly　the　part　which
necessity　and　despair　had　played　in　this　surrender。

It　is　a　fact　that　the　brave　general　did　not　come　to　this　decision　till　he
had　done　all　that　a　brave　man　could　under　the　circumstances；　for　it　is
permitted　a　man　to　recoil　when　there　is　nothing　left　but　to　let　himself
be　killed　to　no　purpose。

When　the　artillery　and　baggage…wagons　passed；　the　bridge　was　so
overloaded　that　it　fell　in；　and　instantly　a　retrograde　movement　took
place；　which　crowded　together　all　the　multitude　of　stragglers　who　were
advancing；　like　a　flock　being　herded；　in　the　rear　of　the　artillery。
Another　bridge　had　been　constructed；　as　if　the　sad　thought　had　occurred
that　the　first　might　give　way。　　But　the　second　was　narrow　and　without　a
railing；　nevertheless；　it　at　first　seemed　a　very　valuable　makeshift　in
such　a　calamity。　　But　how　disasters　follow　each　other！　　The　stragglers
rushed　there　in　crowds。　　The　artillery；　the　baggage…wagons；　in　a　word；
all　the　army　material；　had　been　in　the　front　on　the　first　bridge　when；
it　was　broken；　and　when；　from　the　sudden　panic　which　seized　on　those　in
the　rear　of　this　multitude；　the　dreadful　catastrophe　was　learned；　the
last　there　found　themselves　first　in　gaining　the　other　bridge。　　It　was
urgent　the　artillery　should　pass　first；　consequently　it　rushed
impetuously　towards　the　only　road　to　safety　which　remained。　　No　pen　can
describe　the　scene　of　horror　which　now　ensued；　for　it　was　literally　over
a　road　of　trampled　human　bodies　that　conveyances　of　all　sorts　reached　the
bridge。　　On　this　occasion　could　be　seen　how　much　brutality；　and　even
cold…blooded　ferocity；　can　be　produced　in　the　human　mind　by　the　instinct
of　self…preservation。　　There　were　some　stragglers　most　frantic　of　all；
who　wounded；　and　even　killed；　with　their　bayonets；　the　unfortunate　horses
which　obeyed　the　lash　of　their　guides；　and　several　caissons　were　left　on
the　road　in　consequence　of　this　slaughter。

As　I　have　said；　the　bridge　had　no　railing；　and　crowds　of　those　who　forced
their　way　across　fell　into　the　river　and　were　ingulfed　beneath　the　ice。
Others　in　their　fall　tried　to　stop　themselves　by　grasping　the　planks　of
the　bridge；　and　remained　suspended　over　the　abyss　until　their　hands；
crushed　by　the　wheels　of　the　vehicles；　lost　their　grasp；　and　they　went　to
join　their　comrades　as　the'　waves　closed　over　them。　　Entire　caissons；
with　drivers　and　horse　were　precipitated　into　the　water。

Poor　women　were　seen　holding　their　children　out　of　the　water　in　the
effort　to　delay　for　a　few　instants　their　death；　and　death　in　such　a
frightful　form；　a　truly　admirable　maternal　incident；　which　the　genius　of
the　painter　has　divined　in　painting　scenes　from　the　Deluge；　and　which　we
saw　in　all　its　heartrending　and　frightful　reality！　　The　Emperor　wished　to
retrace　his　steps；　believing　that　his　presence　might　restore　order；　but
he　was　dissuaded　from　this　project　so　earnestly；　that　he　withstood　the
promptings　of　his　heart　and　remained；　though　certainly　it　was　not　his
elevated　rank　which　kept　him　on　the　bank。　　All　the　suffering　he　endured
could　be　seen　when　he　inquired　every　instant　where　the　crossing　was；　if
they　could　still　hear　cannon　rolling　over　the　bridge；　if　the　cries　had
not　ceased　somewhat　in　that　direction。　　〃The　reckless　creatures！　　Why
could　they　not　wait　a　little？〃　　said　he。

There　were　fine　examples　of　devotion　under　these　distressing
circumstances。　　A　young　artilleryman　threw　himself　into　the　water　to　save
a　poor　mother　with　two　children；　who　was　attempting　to　gain　the　other
shore　in　a　little　canoe。　　The　load　was　too　heavy；　an　enormous　block　of
ice　floated　against　and　sunk　the　little　boat。　　The　cannoneer　seized　one
of　the　children；　and；　swimming　vigorously；　bore　it　to　the　bank；　but　the
mother　and　the　other　child　perished。　　This　kind　young　man　adopted　the
orphan　as　his　son。　　I　do　not　know　if　he　had　the　happiness　of　regaining
France。

Officers　harnessed　themselves　to　sleds　to　carry　some　of　their　companions
who　were　rendered　helpless　by　their　wounds。　　They　wrapped　these
unfortunates　as　warmly　as　possible；　cheered　them　from　time　to　time　with　a
glass　of　brandy　when　they　could　procure　it；　and　lavished　on　them　most
touching　attentions。

There　were　many　who　behaved　in　this　manner；　many　of　whose　names　we　are
ignorant；　and　how　few　returned　to　enjoy　in　their　own　country　the
remembrance　of　the　most　admirable　deeds　of　their　lives。

The　bridge　was　burned　at　eight　o'clock　in　the　morning。

On　the　29th　the。　　Emperor　quitted　the　banks　of　the　Beresina；　and　we　slept
at　Kamen；　where　his　Majesty　occupied　a　poor　wooden　building　which　the　icy
air　penetrated　from　all　sides　through　the　windows；　nearly　all　the　glass
of　which　being　broken；　we　closed　the　openings　as　well　as　we　could　with
bundles　of　hay。　　A　short　distance　from　us；　in　a　large　lot；　were　penned　up
the　wretched　Russian　prisoners　whom　the　army　drove　before　it。　　I　had　much
difficu