napoleon bonaparte, v12-第22章

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consented　to　become　a　Neapolitan　again　until　a　French　prince　had　been
called　to　the　throne　of　Naples。

What　remains　to　be　said　on　the　subject　of　duels　under　the　Empire；　and　the
Emperor's　conduct　regarding　them　which　came　to　my　knowledge；　somewhat
resembles　the　little　piece　which　is　played　on　the　theater　after　a
tragedy。　　I　will　now　relate　how　it　happened　that　the　Emperor　himself
played　the　role　of　peacemaker　between　two　sub…officers　who　were　enamored
of　the　same　beauty。

When　the　French　army　occupied　Vienna；　some　time　after　the　battle　of
Austerlitz；　two　sub…officers　belonging　to　the　forty…sixth　and　fiftieth
regiments　of　the　line；　having　had　a　dispute；　determined　to　fight　a　duel；
and　chose　for　the　place　of　combat　a　spot　situated　at　the　extremity　of　a
plain　which　adjoined　the　palace　of　Schoenbrunn；　the　Emperor's　place　of
residence。　　Our　two　champions　had　already　unsheathed　and　exchanged　blows
with　their　short　swords；　which　happily　each　had　warded　off；　when　the
Emperor　happened　to　pass　near　them；　accompanied　by　several　generals。
Their　stupefaction　at　the　sight　of　the　Emperor　may　be　imagined。　　Their
arms　fell；　so　to　speak；　from　their　hands。

The　Emperor　inquired　the　cause　of　their　quarrel；　and　learned　that　a　woman
who　granted　her　favors　to　both　was　the　real　motive；　each　of　them　desiring
to　have　no　rival。

These　two　champions　found　by　chance　that　they　were　known　to　one　of　the
generals　who　accompanied　his　Majesty；　and　informed　him　that　they　were　two
brave　soldiers　of　Marengo　and　Austerlitz；　belonging　to　such　and　such
regiments；　whose　names　had　already　been　put　on　the　list　for　the　Cross　of
Honor；　whereupon　the　Emperor　addressed　them　after　this　style：　〃My
children；　woman　is　capricious；　as　fortune　is　also；　and　since　you　are
soldiers　of　Marengo　and　Austerlitz；　you　need　to　give　no　new　proofs　of
your　courage。　　Return　to　your　corps；　and　be　friends　henceforth；　like　good
knights。〃　　These　two　soldiers　lost　all　desire　to　fight；　and　soon
perceived　that　their　august　peacemaker　had　not　forgotten　them；　as　they
promptly　received　the　Cross　of　the　Legion　of　Honor。


In　the　beginning　of　the　campaign　of　Tilsit；　the　Emperor；　being　at　Berlin；
one　day　took　a　fancy　to　make　an　excursion　on　foot　to　the　quarter　where
our　soldiers　in　the　public　houses　indulged　in　the　pleasures　of　the　dance。
He　saw　a　quartermaster　of　the　cavalry　of　his　guard　walking　with　a　coarse；
rotund　German　woman；　and　amused　himself　listening　to　the　gallant　remarks
made　by　this　quartermaster　to　his　beautiful　companion。　　〃Let　us　enjoy
ourselves；　my　dear；〃　said　he；　〃it　is　the　'tondu'　who　pays　the　musicians
with　the　'kriches'　of　your　sovereign。　　Let　us　take　our　own　gait；　long
live　joy！　　and　forward〃〃Not　so　fast；〃　said　the　Emperor；　approaching
him。　　〃Certainly　it　must　always　be　forward；　but　wait　till　I　sound　the
charge。〃　　The　quartermaster　turned　and　recognized　the　Emperor；　and；
without　being　at　all　disconcerted；　put　his　hand　to　his　shako；　and　said；
〃That　is　useless　trouble。　　Your　Majesty　does　not　need　to　beat　a　drum　to
make　us　move。〃　　This　repartee　made　the　Emperor　smile；　and　soon　after
gained　epaulets　for　the　sub…officer；　who　perhaps　might　have　waited　a　long
while　except　for　this　fancy　of　his　Majesty。　　But；　at　all　events；　if
chance　sometimes　contributed　thus　to　the　giving　of　rewards；　they　were
never　given　until　after　he　had　ascertained　that　those　on　whom　he　bestowed
them　were　worthy。

At　Eylau　provisions　failed；　for　a　week；　the　bread　supply　being　exhausted；
the　soldiers　fed　themselves　as　they　could。　　The　evening　before　the　first
attack；　the　Emperor；　who　wished　to　examine　everything　himself；　made　a
tour　of　the　bivouacs；　and　reaching　one　where　all　the　men　were　asleep；　saw
some　potatoes　cooking；　took　a　fancy　to　eat　them；　and　undertook　to　draw
them　out　of　the　fire　with　the　point　of　his　sword。　　Instantly　a　soldier
awoke；　and　seeing　some　one　usurping　part　of　his　supper；　〃I　say；　you　are
not　very　ceremonious；　eating　our　potatoes！〃〃My　comrade；　I　am　so　hungry
that　you　must　excuse　me。〃〃Well；　take　one　or　two　then；　if　that　is　the
case；　but　get　off。〃　　But　as　the　Emperor　made　no　haste　in　getting　off；　the
soldier　insisted　more　strongly；　and　soon　a　heated　discussion　arose
between　him　and　the　Emperor。　　From　words　they　were　about　to　come　to
blows；　when　the　Emperor　thought　it　was　time　to　make　himself　known。　　The
soldier's　confusion　was　indescribable。　　He　had　almost　struck　the　Emperor。
He　threw　himself　at　his　Majesty's　feet；　begging　his　pardon；　which　was
most　readily　granted。　　〃It　was　I　who　was　in　the　wrong；〃　said　the　Emperor；
〃I　was　obstinate。　　I　bear　you　no　illwill；　rise　and　let　your　mind　be　at
rest；　both　now　and　in　the　future。〃

The　Emperor；　having　made　inquiries　concerning　this　soldier；　learned　that…
he　was　a　good　fellow；　and　not　unintelligent。　　On　the　next　promotion　he
was　made　sub…lieutenant。　　It　is　impossible　to　give　an　idea　of　the　effect
of　such　occurrences　on　the　army。　　They　were　a　constant　subject　of
conversation　with　the　soldiers；　and　stimulated　them　inexpressibly。　　The
one　who　enjoyed　the　greatest　distinction　in　his　company　was　he　of　whom　it
could　be　said：　〃The　Emperor　has　spoken　to　him。〃


At　the　battle　of　Essling　the　brave　General　Daleim；　commanding　a　division
of　the　fourth　corps；　found　himself　during　the　hottest　part　of　the　action
at　a　spot　swept　by　the　enemy's　artillery。　　The　Emperor；　passing　near　him；
said：　〃It　is　warm　in　your　locality！〃〃Yes；　Sire；　permit　me　to　extinguish
the　fire。〃〃Go。〃　　This　one　word　sufficed；　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye　the
terrible　battery　was　taken。　　In　the　evening　the　Emperor；　seeing　General
Daleim；　approached　him；　and　said；　〃It　seems　you　only　had　to　blow　on　it。〃
His　Majesty　alluded　General　Daleim's　habit　of　incessant　whistling。


Among　the　brave　general　officers　around　the　Emperor；　a　few　were　not
highly　educated；　though　their　other　fine　qualities　recommended　them；　some
were　celebrated　for　other　reasons　than　their　military　merit。　　Thus
General　Junot　and　General　Fournier　were　known　as　the　best　pistol　shots；
General　Lasellette　was　famous　for　his　love　of　music；　which　he　indulged　to
such　an　extent　as　to　have　a　piano　always　in　one　of　his　baggage　wagons。
This　general　drank　only　water；　but；　on　the　contrary；　it　was　very
different　with　General　Bisson。　　Who　has　not　heard　of　the　hardest　drinker
in　all　the　army？　　One　day　the　Emperor；　meeting　him　at　Berlin；　said　to
him；　〃Well；　Bisson；　do　you　still　drink　much？〃〃Moderately；　Sire；　not
more　than　twenty…five　bottles。〃　　This　was；　in　fact；　a　great　improvement；
for　he　had　more　than　once　reached　the　number　of　forty　without　being　made
tipsy。　　Moreover；　with　General　Bisson　it　was　not　a　vice；　but　an　imperious
need。　　The　Emperor　knowing　this；　and　being　much　attached　to　him；　allowed
him　a　pension　of　twelve　thousand　francs　out　of　his　privy　purse；　and　gave
him　besides　frequent　presents。


Among　the　officers　who　were　not　very　well　educated；　we　may　be　permitted
to　mention　General　Gros；　and　the　manner　in　which　he　was　promoted　to　the
grade　of　general　proves　this　fact。　　But　his　bravery　was　equal　to　every
proof；　and　he　was　a　superb　specimen　of　masculine　beauty。　　The　pen　alone
was　an　unaccustomed　weapon　to　him；　and　he　could　hardly　use　it　to　sign　his
name；　and　it　was　said　that　he　was　not　much　more　proficient　in　reading。
Being　colonel　of　the　guard；　he　found　himself　one　day　alone　at　the
Tuileries　in　an　apartment　where　he　waited　until　the　Emperor　could　be
seen。　　There　he　delighted　himself　with　observing　his　image　reflected　in
the　glass；　and　readjusting　his　cravat；　and　the　admiration　he　felt　at　his
own　image　led　him　to　converse　aloud　with　himself　or　rather　with　his
reflection。　　〃Ah！〃　　said　he；　〃if　you　only　knew　'bachebachiques'
（mathematics）；　such　a　man　as　you；　with　a　soldier's　heart　like　yours；　ah！
the　Emperor　would　make　you　a　general！〃〃You　are　one；〃　said　the　Emperor；
striking　him　on　the　shoulder。　　His　Majesty　had　entered　the　saloon　without
being　heard；　and　had　amused　himself　with　listening　to　the　conversation
Colonel　Gros　had　carried　on　with　himself。　　Such　were　the　circumstances　of
his　promotion　to　the　rank　of　general；　and　what　is　more　to　be　a　general　in
the　guard。


I　have　now　arrived　at　the　end　of　my　list　of　military　anecdotes。　　I　have