napoleon bonaparte, v12-第20章

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mother　his　mustache；　which　he　had　mounted　in　a　medallion　with　a　chain。
One　day　the　Princess　of　Aremberg　arrived　at　SaintCloud　and　demanded　a
private　audience　of　the　Emperor。

〃My　son；〃　said　she；　〃demands　your　Majesty's　permission　to　attempt　his
escape　from　England。〃〃Madame；〃　said　the　Emperor；　〃your　request　is　most
embarrassing！　　I　do　not　forbid　your　son；　but　I　can　by　no　means　authorize
him。〃

It　was　at　the　time　I　had　the　honor　of　saving　the　Prince　of　Aremberg's
life　that　I　learned　from　him　these　particulars。　　As　for　my　poor　friend
Herz；　his　liberty　became　fatal　to　him；　owing　to　an　inexplicable
succession　of　events。　　Having　been　sent　by　Marshal　Augereau　to　Stralsund
to　perform　a　secret　mission；　he　died　there；　suffocated　by　the　fire　of　a
brass　stove　in　the　room　in　which　he　slept。　　His　secretary　and　his　servant
nearly　fell　victims　to　the　same　accident；　but；　more　fortunate　than　he；
their　lives　were　saved。　　The　Prince　of　Aremberg　spoke　to　me　of　the　death
of　M。　Herz　with　real　feeling；　and　it　was　easy　to　see　that；　prince　as　he
was　and　allied　to　the　Emperor；　he　entertained　a　most　sincere　friendship
for　his　companion　in　captivity。




CHAPTER；　XXXI。

MILITARY　ANECDOTES。

I　have　collected　under　the　title　of　Military　Anecdotes　some　facts　which
came　to　my　knowledge　while　I　accompanied　the　Emperor　on　his　campaigns；
and　the　authenticity　of　which　I　guarantee。　　I　might　have　scattered　them
through　my　memoirs；　and　placed　them　in　their　proper　periods；　my　not
having　done　so　is　not　owing　to　forgetfulness　on　my　part；　but　because　I
thought　that　these　incidents　would　have　an　added　interest　by　being
collected　together；　since　in　them　we　see　the　direct　influence　of　the
Emperor　upon　his　soldiers；　and　thus　can　more　easily　form　an　exact　idea　of
the　manner　in　which　his　Majesty　treated　them；　his　consideration　for　them；
and　their　attachment　to　his　person。

During　the　autumn　of　1804；　between　the　time　of　the　creation　of　the　empire
and　the　coronation　of　the　Emperor；　his　Majesty　made　several　journeys　to
the　camp　of　Boulogne；　and　from　this　fact　rumors　arose　that　the　expedition
against　England　would　soon　set　sail。　　In　one　of　his　frequent　tours　of
inspection；　the　Emperor；　stopping　one　day　near　the　end　of　the　camp　on　the
left；　spoke　to　a　cannoneer　from　a　guard　ship；　and　while　conversing　with
him；　asked　him　several　questions；　among　others；　the　following；　〃What　is
thought　here　of　the　Emperor？〃〃That　'sacre　tondu'　puts　us　out　of　breath
as　soon　as　he　arrives。　　Each　time　he　comes　we　have　not　a　moment's　repose
while　he　is　here。　　It　might　be　thought　he　was　enraged　against　those　dogs
of　English　who　are　always　beating　us；　not　much　to　our　own　credit。〃

〃You　believe　in　glory；　then？〃　　said　the　Emperor。　　The　cannoneer　then
looked　at　him　fixedly：　〃Somewhat；　I　think。　　Do　you　doubt　it？〃　〃No；　I　do
not　doubt　it；　but　money；　do　you　believe　in　that　also？〃〃Ah！　whatI　see
do　you　mean　to　insult　me；　you　questioner？　　I　know　no　other　interest
than　that　of　the　state。〃〃No；　no；　my　brave　soldier；　I　do　not　intend　to
insult　you；　but　I　bet　that　a　twenty…franc　piece　would　not　be　disagreeable
to　you　in　drinking　a　cup　to　my　health。〃　　While　speaking　thus　the　Emperor
had　drawn　a　Napoleon　from　his　pocket；　which　he　presented　to　the
cannoneer；　whereupon　the　latter　uttered　a　shout　loud　enough　to　be　heard
by　the　sentinel　at　the　west　post　some　distance　off；　and　even　threw
himself　on　the　Emperor；　whom　he　took　for　a　spy；　and　was　about　to　seize
him　by　the　throat　when　the　Emperor　suddenly　opened　his　gray　overcoat　and
revealed　his　identity。　　The　soldier's　astonishment　may　be　imagined！　　He
prostrated　himself　at　the　feet　of　the　Emperor；　overcome　with　confusion　at
his　mistake；　but　the　latter；　extending　his　hand；　said；　〃Rise；　my　brave
fellow；　you　have　done　your　duty；　but　you　will　not　keep　your　word；　I　am
very　sure；　you　will　accept　this　piece；　and　drink　to　the　health　of　the
'sacre　tondo'；　will　you　not？　　〃The　Emperor　then　continued　his　rounds　as
if　nothing　had　occurred。


Every　one　admits　to…day　that　never；　perhaps；　has　any　man　been　gifted　to
the　same　degree　as　the　Emperor　with　the　art　of　addressing　soldiers。　　He
appreciated　this　talent　highly　in　others；　but　it　was　not　fine　phrases
which　pleased　him；　and　accordingly　he　held　that　a　master…piece　of　this
kind　was　the　very　short　harangue　of　General　Vandamme　to　the　soldiers　he
commanded　the　day　of　the　battle　of　Austerlitz。　　When　day　began　to　break
General　Vandamme　said　to　the　troops；　〃My　brave　fellows！　　There　are　the
Russians！　　Load　your　pieces；　pick　your　flints；　put　powder　in　the　pan；　fix
bayonets；　ready　andforward！〃　　I　remember　one　day　the　Emperor　spoke　of
this　oration　before　Marshal　Berthier；　who　laughed　at　it。　　〃That　is　like
you；〃　he　said。　　〃Well；　all　the　advocates　of　Paris　would　not　have　said　it
so　well；　the　soldier　understands　this；　and　that　is　the　way　battles　are
won。〃


When　after　the　first　campaign　of　Vienna；　so　happily　terminated　by　the
peace　of　Presburg；　the　Emperor　was　returning　to　Paris；　many　complaints
reached　him　against　the　exactions　of　certain　generals；　notably　General
Vandamme。　　Complaint　was　made；　amongst　other　grievances；　that　in　the
little　village　of　Lantza　this　general　had　allowed　himself　five　hundred
florins　per　day；　that　is　to　say；　eleven　hundred　and　twenty…five　francs；
simply　for　the　daily　expenses　of　his　table。　　It　was　on　this　occasion　the
Emperor　said　of　him：　〃Pillages　like　a　madman；　but　brave　as　Caesar。〃
Nevertheless；　the　Emperor；　indignant　at　such　exactions；　and　determined　to
put　an　end　to　them；　summoned　the　general　to　Paris　to　reprimand　him；　but
the　latter；　as　soon　as　he　entered　the　Emperor's　presence；　began　to　speak
before　his　Majesty　had　time　to　address　him；　saying；　〃Sire；　I　know　why　you
have　summoned　me；　but　as　you　know　my　devotion　and　my　bravery　I　trust　you
will　excuse　some　slight　altercations　as　to　the　furnishing　of　my　table；
matters　too　petty；　at　any　rate；　to　occupy　your　Majesty。〃　　The　Emperor
smiled　at　the　oratorical　skillfulness　of　General　Vandamme；　and　contented
himself　with　saying；　〃Well；　well！　　say　no　more；　but　be　more　circumspect
in　future。〃

General　Vandamme；　happy　to　have　escaped　with　so　gentle　an　admonition；
returned　to　Lantza　to　resume　his　command。　　He　was　indeed　more　circumspect
than　in　the　past；　but　he　found　and　seized　the　occasion　to　revenge　himself
on　the　town　for　the　compulsory　self…denial　the　Emperor　had　imposed　on
him。　　On　his　arrival　he　found　in　the　suburbs　a　large　number　of　recruits
who　had　come　from　Paris　in　his　absence；　and　it　occurred　to　him　to　make
them　all　enter　the　town；　alleging　that　it　was　indispensable　they　should
be　drilled　under　his　own　eyes。　　This　was　an　enormous　expense　to　the　town；
which　would　have　been　very　willing　to　recall　its　complaints；　and　continue
his　expenses　at　the　rate　of　five　hundred　florins　per　day。


The　Emperor　does　not　figure　in　the　following　anecdote。　　I　will　relate　it；
however；　as　a　good　instance　of　the　manners　and　the　astuteness　of　our
soldiers　on　the　campaign。

During　the　year　1806；　a　part　of　our　troops　having　their　quarters　in
Bavaria；　a　soldier　of　the　fourth　regiment　of　the　line；　named　Varengo；　was
lodged　at　Indersdorff　with　a　joiner。　　Varengo　wished　to　compel　his　host
to　pay　him　two　florins；　or　four　livres　ten　sous；　per　day　for　his
pleasures。　　He　had　no　right　to　exact　this。　　To　succeed　in　making　it　to
his　interest　to　comply　　he　set　himself　to　make　a　continual　racket　in　the
house。　　The　poor　carpenter；　not　being　able　to　endure　it　longer；　resolved
to　complain；　but　thought　it　prudent　not　to　carry　his　complaints　to　the
officers　of　the　company　in　which　Varengo　served。　　He　knew　by　his　own
experience；　at　least　by　that　of　his　neighbors；　that　these　gentlemen　were
by　no　means　accessible　to　complaints　of　this　kind。　　He　decided　to　address
himself　to　the　general　commanding；　and　set　out　on　the　road　to　Augsburg；
the　chief　place　of　the　arrondissement。

On　his　arrival　at　the　bureau　of　the　town；　he　was　met　by　the　general；　and
began　to　submit　to　him　an　account　of　his　misfortunes；　but　unfortunately
the　general　did　not　know　the　German　language；　so　he　sent　for　his
interpreter；　told　the　carpenter　to　explain　himself；　and　inquired　of　what
he　complained。　　Now；　the　general's　interpreting