napoleon bonaparte, v3-第3章

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this　was　done　quicker　than　I　can　write　it；　the　general　was　highly
flattered　by　this　proof　of　friendship；　and　thanked　the　First　Consul
warmly。

The　name　and　trial　of　General　Moreau　recall　to　me　the　story　of　a　brave
officer　who　was　compromised　in　this　unfortunate　affair；　and　who　after
many　years　of　disgrace　was　pardoned　only　on　account　of　the　courage　with
which　he　dared　expose　himself　to　the　anger　of　the　Emperor。　　The
authenticity　of　the　details　which　I　shall　relate　can　be　attested；　if
necessary；　by　living　persons；　whom　I　shall　have　occasion　to　name　in　my
narrative；　and　whose　testimony　no　reader　would　dream　of　impeaching。

The　disgrace　of　General　Moreau　extended　at　first　to　all　those　who
surrounded　him；　and　as　the　affection　and　devotion　felt　for　him　by　all　the
officers　and　soldiers　who　had　served　under　him　was　well　known；　his　aides…
de…camp　were　arrested；　even　those　who　were　not　then　in　Paris。　　One　of
them；　Colonel　Delelee；　had　been　many　months　on　furlough　at　Besancon；
resting　after　his　campaigns　in　the　bosom　of　his　family；　and　with　a　young
wife　whom　he　had　recently　married。　　Besides；　he　was　at　that　time
concerning　himself　very　little　with　political　matters；　very　much　with　his
pleasures；　and　not　at　all　with　conspiracies。　　Comrade　and　brother　in　arms
of　Colonels　Guilleminot；　Hugo；　Foy；all　three　of　whom　became　generals
afterwards；he　was　spending　his　evenings　gayly　with　them　at　the
garrison；　or　in　the　quiet　pleasures　of　his　family　circle。　　Suddenly
Colonel　Delelee　was　arrested；　placed　in　a　postchaise；　and　it　was　not
until　he　was　rolling　along　in　a　gallop　on　the　road　to　Paris；　that　he
learned　from　the　officer　of　the　gendarmes　who　accompanied　him；　that
General　Moreau　had　conspired；　and　that　in　his　quality　as　aide…de…camp　he
was　counted　among　the　conspirators。

Arrived　at　Paris；　the　colonel　was　put　in　close　confinement；　in　La　Force
I　believe。　　His　wife；　much　alarmed；　followed　his　footsteps；　but　it　was
several　days　before　she　obtained　permission　to　communicate　with　the
prisoner；　and　then　could　do　so　only　by　signs　from　the　courtyard　of　the
prison　while　he　showed　himself；　for　a　few　moments；　and　put　his　hands
through　the　bars　of　the　window。　　However；　the　rigor　of　these　orders　was
relaxed　for　the　colonel's　young　child　three　or　four　years　of　age；　and　his
father　obtained　the　favor　of　embracing　him。　　He　came　each　morning　in　his
mother's　arms；　and　a　turnkey　carried　him　in　to　the　prisoner；　before　which
inconvenient　witness　the　poor　little　thing　played　his　role　with　all　the
skill　of　a　consummate　actor。　　He　would　pretend　to　be　lame；　and　complain
of　having　sand　in　his　shoes　which　hurt　him　and　the　colonel；　turning　his
back　on　the　jailer；　and　taking　the　child　in　his　lap　to　remove　the　cause
of　the　trouble；　would　find　in　his　son's　shoe　a　note　from　his　wife；
informing　him　in　a　few　words　of　the　state　of　the　trial；　and　what　he　had
to　hope　or　fear　for　himself。　　At　length；　after　many　months　of　captivity；
sentence　having　been　pronounced　against　the　conspirators；　Colonel
Delelee；　against　whom　no　charge　had　been　made；　was　not　absolved　as　he　had
a　right　to　expect；　but　was　struck　off　the　army　list；　arbitrarily　put
under　surveillance；　and　prohibited　from　coming　within　forty　leagues　of
Paris。　　He　was　also　forbidden　to　return　to　Besancon；　and　it　was　more　than
a　year　after　leaving　prison　before　he　was　permitted　to　do　so。

Young　and　full　of　courage；　the　Colonel　saw；　from　the　depths　of　his
retirement；　his　friends　and　comrades　make　their　way；　and　gain　upon　the
battlefield　fame；　rank；　and　glory；　while　he　himself　was　condemned　to
inaction　and　obscurity；　and　to　pass　his　days　in　following　on　the　map　the
triumphant　march　of　those　armies　in　which　he　felt　himself　worthy　to
resume　his　rank。　　Innumerable　applications　were　addressed　by　him　and　his
friends　to　the　head　of　the　Empire；　that　he　might　be　allowed　to　go　even　as
a　common　volunteer；　and　rejoin　his　former　comrades　with　his　knapsack　on
his　shoulder；　but　these　petitions　were　refused；　the　will　of　the　Emperor
was　inflexible；　and　to　each　new　application　he　only　replied；　〃Let　him
wait。〃　　The　inhabitants　of　Besancon；　who　considered　Colonel　Delelee　as
their　fellow…citizen；　interested　themselves　warmly　in　the　unmerited
misfortunes　of　this　brave　officer；　and　when　an　occasion　presented　itself
of　recommending　him　anew　to　the　clemency；　or　rather　to　the　justice；　of
the　Emperor；　they　availed　themselves　of　it。

It　was；　I　believe；　on　the　return　from　Prussia　and　Poland　that　from　all
parts　of　France　there　came　deputations　charged　with　congratulating　the
Emperor　upon　his　several　victories。　　Colonel　Delelee　was　unanimously
elected　member　of　the　deputation　of　Doubs；　of　which　the　mayor　and　prefect
of　Besancon　were　also　members；　and　of　which　the　respectable　Marshal
Moncey　was　president；　and　an　opportunity　was　thus　at　last　offered　Colonel
Delelee　of　procuring　the　removal　of　the　long　sentence　which　had　weighed
him　down　and　kept　his　sword　idle。　　He　could　speak　to　the　Emperor；　and
complain　respectfully；　but　with　dignity；　of　the　disgrace　in　which　he　had
been　so　long　kept　without　reason。　　He　could　render　thanks；　from　the
bottom　of　his　heart；　for　the　generous　affection　of　his　fellow…citizens；
whose　wishes；　he　hoped　would　plead　for　him　with　his　Majesty。

The　deputies　of　Besancon；　upon　their　arrival　at　Paris；　presented
themselves　to　the　different　ministers。　　The　minister　of　police　took　the
president　of　the　deputation　aside；　and　asked　him　the　meaning　of　the
presence　among　the　deputies　of　a　man　publicly　known　to　be　in　disgrace；
and　the　sight　of　whom　could　not　fail　to　be　disagreeable　to　the　chief　of
the　Empire。

Marshal　Moncey；　on　coming　out　from　this　private　interview；　pale　and
frightened；　entered　the　room　of　Colonel　Delelee：

〃My　friend；〃　said　he；　〃all　is　lost；　for　I　have　ascertained　at　the　bureau
that　they　are　still　hostile　to　you。　　If　the　Emperor　sees　you　among　us；　he
will　take　it　as　an　open　avowal　of　disregard　for　his　orders；　and　will　be
furious。〃

〃Ah；　well；　what　have　I　to　do　with　that？〃

〃But　in　order　to　avoid　compromising　the　department；　the　deputation；　and；
indeed；　in　order　to　avoid　compromising　yourself；　you　would　perhaps　do
well　〃the　Marshal　hesitated。　　〃I　will　do　well？〃　demanded　the　Colonel。

〃Perhaps　to　withdraw　without　making　any　display〃

Here　the　colonel　interrupted　the　president　of　the　deputation：　〃Marshal；
permit　me　to　decline　this　advice；　I　have　not　come　so　far　to　be
discouraged；　like　a　child；　before　the　first　obstacle。　　I　am　weary　of　a
disgrace　which　I　have　not　deserved；　and　still　more　weary　of　enforced
idleness。　　Let　the　Emperor　be　irritated　or　pleased；　he　shall　see　me；　let
him　order　me　to　be　shot；　if　he　wishes。　　I　do　not　count　worth　having　such
a　life　as　I　have　led　for　the　last　four　years。　　Nevertheless；　I　will　be
satisfied　with　whatever　my　colleagues；　the　deputies　of　Besancon；　shall
decide。〃

These　latter　did　not　disapprove　of　the　colonel's　resolution；　and　he
accompanied　them　to　the　Tuileries　on　the　day　of　the　solemn　reception　of
all　the　deputations　of　the　Empire。　　All　the　halls　of　the　Tuileries　were
packed　with　a　crowd　in　richly　embroidered　coats　and　brilliant　uniforms。
The　military　household　of　the　Emperor；　his　civil　household；　the　generals
present　at　Paris；　the　diplomatic　corps；　ministers　and　chiefs　of　the
different　administrations；　the　deputies　of　the　departments　with　their
prefects；　and　mayors　decorated　with　tricolored　scarfs；　were　all　assembled
in　numerous　groups；　and　conversed　in　a　low　tone　while　awaiting　the
arrival　of　his　Majesty。

In　one　of　these　groups　was　seen　a　tall　officer　dressed　in　a　very　simple
uniform；　cut　in　the　fashion　of　several　years　past。　　He　wore　neither　on
his　collar；　nor　even　on　his　breast　the　decoration　which　no　officer　of　his
grade　then　lacked。　　This　was　Colonel　Delelee。　　The　president　of　the
deputation　of　which　he　was　a　member　appeared　embarrassed　and　almost
distressed。　　Of　the　former　comrades　of　the　colonel；　very　few　dared　to
recognize　him；　and　the　boldest　gave　him　a　distant　nod　which　expressed　at
the　same　time　anxiety　and　pity；　while　the　more　prudent　did　not　even
glance　at　him。

As　for　him；　he　remained　unconcerned　and　resolute。

At　last　the　folding　doors　were　opened；　and　an　us