napoleon bonaparte, v3-第11章

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At　midnight　a　splendid　supper　was　served；　the　preparation　of　which
General　Bisson　had　superintended；　which　is　equivalent　to　saying　that
nothing　was　wanting　thereto。

The　ladies　of　Boulogne；　who　had　never　attended　such　a　fete；　were　filled
with　amazement；　and　when　supper　was　served　advised　each　other　to　fill　up
their　reticules　with　dainties　and　sweets。　　They　would　have　carried　away；
I　think；　the　hall；　with　the　musicians　and　dancers；　and　for　more　than　a
month　this　ball　was　the　only　subject　of　their　conversation。

About　this　time　his　Majesty　was　riding　on　horseback　near　his　barracks；
when　a　pretty　young　girl　of　fifteen　or　sixteen；　dressed　in　white；　her
face　bathed　in　tears；　threw　herself　on　her　knees　in　his　path。　　The
Emperor　immediately　alighted　from　his　horse；　and　assisted　her　to　rise；
asking　most　compassionately　what　he　could　do　for　her。　　The　poor　girl　had
come　to　entreat　the　pardon　of　her　father；　a　storekeeper　in　the　commissary
department；　who　had　been　condemned　to　the　galleys　for　grave　crimes。　　His
Majesty　could　not　resist　the　many　charms　of　the　youthful　suppliant；　and
the　pardon　was　granted。




CHAPTER　XVIII。

At　Boulogne；　as　everywhere　else；　the　Emperor　well　knew　how　to　win　all
hearts　by　his　moderation；　his　justice；　and　the　generous　grace　with　which
he　acknowledged　the　least　service。　　All　the　inhabitants　of　Boulogne；　even
all　the　peasants　of　the　suburbs；　would　have　died　for　him；　and　the
smallest　particulars　relating　to　him　were　constantly　repeated。　　One　day；
however；　his　conduct　gave　rise　to　serious　complaints；　and　he　was
unanimously　blamed；　for　his　injustice　was　the　cause　of　a　terrible
tragedy。　　I　will　now　relate　this　sad　event；　an　authentic　account　of　which
I　have　never　seen　in　print。

One　morning；　as　he　mounted　his　horse；　the　Emperor　announced　that　he　would
that　day　review　the　naval　forces；　and　gave　orders　that　the　boats　which
occupied　the　line　of　defense　should　leave　their　position；　as　he　intended
to　hold　the　review　in　the　open　sea。　　He　set　out　with　Roustan　for　his
morning　ride；　and　expressed　a　wish　that　all　should　be　ready　on　his
return；　the　hour　of　which　he　designated。　　Every　one　knew　that　the
slightest　wish　of　the　Emperor　was　law；　and　the　order　was　transmitted；
during　his　absence；　to　Admiral　Bruix；　who　replied　with　imperturbable
'sang　froid'；　that　he　much　regretted　it；　but　the　review　would　not　take
place　that　day；　and　in　consequence　no　boat　stirred。

On　his　return　from　his　ride；　the　Emperor　asked　if　everything　was　ready；
and　the　admiral's　answer　was　reported　to　him。　　Astonished　by　its　tone；　so
different　from　what　he　was　accustomed　to；　he　had　it　repeated　to　him
twice；　and　then；　with　a　violent　stamp　of　his　foot；　ordered　the　admiral　to
be　summoned。　　He　obeyed　instantly；　but　the　Emperor；　thinking　he　did　not
come　quickly　enough；　met　him　half…way　from　his　barracks。　　The　staff
followed　his　Majesty；　and　placed　themselves　silently　around　him；　while
his　eyes　shot　lightning。

〃Admiral　Bruix；〃　said　the　Emperor　in　a　tone　showing　great　excitement；
〃why　have　you　not　obeyed　my　orders？〃

〃Sire；〃　responded　Bruix　with　respectful　firmness；　〃a　terrible　storm　is
gathering。　　Your　Majesty　can　see　this　as　well　as　I；　are　you　willing　to
uselessly　risk　the　lives　of　so　many　brave　men？〃　　In　truth；　the　heaviness
of　the　atmosphere；　and　the　low　rumbling　which　could　be　heard　in　the
distance；　justified　only　too　well　the　admiral's　fears。　　〃Monsieur；〃
replied　the　Emperor；　more　and　more　irritated；　〃I　gave　the　orders；　once
again；　why　have　you　not　executed　them？　　The　consequences　concern　me
alone。　　Obey！〃〃Sire；　I　will　not　obey！〃〃Monsieur；　you　are　insolent！〃
And　the　Emperor；　who　still　held　his　riding…whip　in　his　hand；　advanced　on
the　admiral；　making　a　threatening　gesture。　　Admiral　Bruix　retreated　a
step；　and　placed　his　hand　on　the　hilt　of　his　sword：　〃Sire；〃　said　he；
growing　pale；　〃take　care！〃　　All　those　present　were　paralyzed　with　terror。
The　Emperor　remained　for　some　time　immovable；　with　his　hand　raised；　and
his　eyes　fixed　on　the　admiral；　who　still　maintained　his　defiant　attitude。
At　last　the　Emperor　threw　his　whip　on　the　ground。　　Admiral　Bruix　relaxed
his　hold　on　his　sword；　and；　with　uncovered　head；　awaited　in　silence　the
result　of　this　terrible　scene。

〃Rear…admiral　Magon！〃　said　the　Emperor；　〃you　will　see　that　the　orders
which　I　have　given　are　executed　instantly。　　As　for　you；　sir；〃　continued
he；　turning　to　Admiral　Bruix；　〃you　will　leave　Boulogne　within。　　twenty…
four　hours；　and　retire　to　Holland。　　Go！〃　His　Majesty　returned　at　once　to
headquarters；　some　of　the　officers；　only　a　small　number；　however；　pressed
in　parting　the　hand　that　the　admiral　held　out　to　them。

Rear…admiral　Magon　immediately　ordered　the　fatal　movement　commanded　by
the　Emperor；　but　hardly　had　the　first　dispositions　been　made　when　the　sea
became　frightful　to　behold；　the　sky；　covered　with　black　clouds；　was
furrowed　with　lightning；　the　thunder　roared　incessantly；　and　the　wind
increased　to　a　gale。　　In　fact；　what　Admiral　Bruix　had　foreseen　occurred；
a　frightful　tempest　scattered　the　boats　in　every　direction；　and　rendered
their　condition　desperate。　　The　Emperor；　anxious　and　uneasy；　with　lowered
head　and　crossed　arms；　was　striding　up　and　down　the　shore；　when　suddenly
terrible　cries　were　heard。　　More　than　twenty　gunboats；　filled　with
soldiers　and　sailors；　had　just　been　driven　on　the　shore；　and　the　poor
unfortunates　who　manned　them；　struggling　against　furious　waves；　were
imploring　help　which　none　could　venture　to　render。　　The　Emperor　was
deeply　touched　by　this　sight；　while　his　heart　was　torn　by　the
lamentations　of　an　immense　crowd　which　the　tempest　had　collected　on　the
shore　and　the　adjoining　cliffs。　　He　beheld　his　generals　and　officers
stand　in　shuddering　horror　around　him；　and　wishing　to　set　an　example　of
self…sacrifice；　in　spite　of　all　efforts　made　to　restrain　him；　threw
himself　into　a　lifeboat；　saying；　〃Let　me　alone；　let　me　alone！　　They　must
be　gotten　out　of　there。〃　　In　an　instant　the　boat　filled　with　water；　the
waves　dashed　over　it；　and　the　Emperor　was　submerged；　one　wave　stronger
than　the　others　threw　his　Majesty　on　the　shore；　and　his　hat　was　swept
off。

Electrified　by　such　courage；　officers；　soldiers；　sailors；　and　citizens
now　began　to　lend　their　aid；　some　swimming；　others　in　boats；　but；　alas！
they　succeeded　in　savingonly　a　very　small　number　of　the　unfortunate　men
who　composed　the　crews　of　the　gunboats；　and　the　next　day　the　sea　cast
upon　the　shore　more　than　two　hundred　men；　and　with　them　the　hat　of　the
conqueror　of　Marengo。

The　next　was　a　day　of　mourning　and　of　grief；　both　in　Boulogne　and　the
camp。　　The　inhabitants　and　soldiers　covered　the　beach；　searching
anxiously　among　the　bodies　which　the　waves　incessantly　cast　upon　the
shore；　and　the　Emperor　groaned　over　this　terrible　calamity；　which　in　his
inmost　heart　he　could　not　fail　to　attribute　to　his　own　obstinacy。　　By　his
orders　agents　entrusted　with　gold　went　through　the　city　and　camp；
stopping　the　murmurs　which　were　ready　to　break　forth。

That　day　I　saw　a　drummer；　who　had　been　among　the　crew　of　the　shipwrecked
vessels；　washed　upon　the　shore　upon　his　drum；　which　lie　had　used　as　a
raft。　　The　poor　fellow　had　his　thigh　broken；　and　had　remained　more　than
twenty　hours　in　that　horrible　condition。

In　order　to　complete　in　this　place　my　recollections　of　the　camp　of
Boulogne；　I　will　relate　the　following；　which　did　not　take　place；　however；
until　the　month　of　August；　1805；　after　the　return　of　the　Emperor　from　his
journey　to　Italy；　where　he　had　been　crowned。

Soldiers　and　sailors　were　burning　with　impatience　to　embark　for　England；
but　the　moment　so　ardently　desired　was　still　delayed。　　Every　evening　they
said　to　themselves；　〃Tomorrow　there　will　be　a　good　wind；　there　will　also
be　a　fog；　and　we　shall　start；〃　and　lay　down　with　that　hope；　but　arose
each　day　to　find　either　an　unclouded　sky　or　rain。

One　evening；　however；　when　a　favorable　wind　was　blowing；　I　heard　two
sailors　conversing　together　on　the　wharf；　and　making　conjectures　as　to
the　future。　　〃The　Emperor　would　do　well　to　start　tomorrow　morning；〃　said
one；　〃he　will　never　have　better　weather；　and　there　will　surely　be　a　fog。〃
〃Bah！〃　　said　the　other；　〃only　he　does　not　thin