napoleon bonaparte, v2-第15章

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brave　man；〃　said　the　First　Consul　to　the　officers　who　were　with　him。
Near　the　batteries　of　Wimereux　there　was　a　furnace　to　heat　the　cannon…
balls；　and　the　First　Consul　noticed　them　operating　the　furnaces；　and　gave
instructions。　　〃That　is　not　red　enough；　boys；　they　must　be　sent　redder
than　that；　come；　come。〃　　One　of　them　had　known　him；　when　a　lieutenant　of
artillery；　and　said　to　his　comrades；　〃He　understands　these　little　matters
perfectly；　as　well　as　greater　ones；　you　see。〃

That　day　two　soldiers　without　arms　were　on　the　cliff　noticing　the
maneuvers。　　They　began　a　quarrel　in　this　singular　manner。　　〃Look；〃　said
one；　〃do　you　see　the　Little　Corporal　down　there？〃　（they　were　both
Picards）。　　〃No；　I　don't　see　him。〃〃Do　you　not　see　him　in　his　launch？〃
〃Oh；　yes；　now　I　do；　but　surely　he　does　not　remember；　that　if　anything
should　strike　him；　it　would　make　the　whole　army　weepwhy　does　he　expose
himself　like　that？〃

〃Indeed；　it　is　his　place！〃〃No；　it's　not　〃〃It　is　〃It　isn't。　　Look
here；　what　would　you　do　to…morrow　if　the　Little　Corporal　was　killed？〃
〃But　I　tell　you　it　is　his　place！〃　　And　having　no　other　argument　on　either
side；　they　commenced　to　fight　with　their　fists。　　They　were　separated　with
much　difficulty。

The　battle　had　commenced　at　one　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　and　about　ten
o'clock　in　the　evening　the　Dutch　flotilla　entered　the　port　under　the　most
terrible　fire　that　I　have　ever　witnessed。　　In　the　darkness　the　bombs；
which　crossed　each　other　in　every　direction；　formed　above　the　port　and
the　town　a　vault　of　fire；　while　the　constant　discharge　of　all　this
artillery　was　repeated　by　echoes　from　the　cliffs；　making　a　frightful　din；
and；　a　most　singular　fact；　no　one　in　the　city　was　alarmed。　　The　people　of
Boulogne　had　become　accustomed　to　danger；　and　expected　something　terrible
each　day。　　They　had　constantly　going　on；　under　their　eyes；　preparations
for　attack　or　defense；　and　had　become　soldiers　by　dint　of　seeing　this　so
constantly。　　On　that　day　the　noise　of　cannon　was　heard　at　dinner…time；
and　still　every　one　dined；　the　hour　for　the　repast　being　neither　advanced
nor　delayed。　　Men　went　about　their　business；　women　occupied　themselves
with　household　affairs；　young　girls　played　the　piano；　all　saw　with
indifference　the　cannonballs　pass　over　their　heads；　and　the　curious；　whom
a　desire　to　witness　the　combat　had　attracted　to　the　cliffs；　showed　hardly
any　more　emotion　than　is　ordinarily　the　case　on　seeing　a　military　piece
played　at　Franconi's。

I　still　ask　myself　how　three　vessels　could　have　endured　for　nine　hours　so
violent　a　shock；　for　when　at　length　the　flotilla　entered　the　fort；　the
English　cutter　had　foundered；　the　brig　had　been　burnt　by　the　red…hot
cannon…balls；　and　there　was　left　only　the　frigate；　with　her　masts
shivered　and　her　sails　torn；　but　she　still　remained　there　immovable　as　a
rock；　and　so　near　to　our　line　of　defense　that　the　sailors　on　either　side
could　be　seen　and　counted。　　Behind　her；　at　a　modest　distance；　were　more
than　a　hundred　English　ships。

At　length；　after　ten　o'clock；　a　signal　from　the　English　admiral　caused
the　frigate　to　withdraw；　and　the　firing　ceased。　　Our　line　of　ships　was
not　greatly　damaged　in　this　long　and　terrible　combat；　because　the
broadsides　from　the　frigate　simply　cut　into　our　rigging；　and　did　not
enter　the　body　of　our　vessels。　　The　brig　and　the　cutter；　however；　did
more　harm。








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