napoleon bonaparte, v10-第16章

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arrival。　　〃The　old　guard　will　precede　me；〃　said　his　Majesty。　　〃I　hope
that　they　will　have　no　more　fear　when　they　see　that。〃

On　the　morning　of　the　26th　the　Emperor　was　seated　on　his　horse　on　the
bridge　of　Dresden；　and　began；　amid　cries　of　joy　from　both　the　young　and
old　guard；　to　make　dispositions　for　the　terrible　battle　which　lasted
three　days。

It　was　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning　when　the　inhabitants　of　Dresden；　now
reduced　to　despair；　and　speaking　freely　of　capitulation；　witnessed　his
Majesty's　arrival。　　The　scene　changed　suddenly；　and　to　the　most　complete
discouragement　succeeded　most　entire　confidence；　especially　when　the
haughty　cuirassiers　of　Latour…Maubourg　defiled　over　the　bridge；　holding
their　heads　high；　and　their　eyes　fixed　on　the　neighboring　hillsides
covered　by　the　enemy's　lines。　　The　Emperor　immediately　alighted　at　the
palace　of　the　king；　who　was　preparing　to　seek　an　asylumn　in　the　new　town；
but　whose　intentions　were　changed　by　the　arrival　of　this　great　man。　　The
interview　was　extremely　touching。

I　cannot　undertake　to　describe　all　the　occurrences　of　those　memorable
days；　in　which　the　Emperor　covered　himself　with　glory；　and　was　more
exposed　to　danger　than　he　had　ever　been　at　any　time。　　Pages；　equerries；
and　aides…decamp　fell　dead　around　him；　balls　pierced　the　stomach　of　his
horse；　but　nothing　could　touch　him。　　The　soldiers　saw　this　and　redoubled
their　ardor；　and　also　their　confidence　and　admiration。　　I　shall　simply
state　that　the　Emperor　did　not　re…enter　the　chateau　until　midnight；　and
then　spent　the　hours　until　daylight　dictating　orders；　while　promenading
up　and　down　the　room　with　great　strides；　until　at　break　of　day　he
remounted　his　horse。　　The　weather　was　horrible；　and　the　rain　lasted　the
whole　day。　　In　the　evening；　the　enemy　being　completely　routed；　the
Emperor　returned　to　the　palace　in　a　frightful　condition。　　From　the　time
he　mounted　his　horse；　at　six　o'clock　in　the　morning；　the　rain　had　not
ceased　a　single　instant；　and　he　was　so　wet　that　it　could　be　said　without
any　figure　of　speech　that　the　water　ran　down　into　his　boots　from　the
collar　of　his　coat；　for　they　were　entirely　filled　with　it。　　His　hat　of
very　fine　beaver　was　so　ruined　that　it　fell　down　over　his　shoulders；　his
buff　belt　was　perfectly　soaked　with　water；　in　fact　a　man　just　drawn　out
of　the　river　would　not　be　wetter　than　the　Emperor。　　The　King　of　Saxony；
who　awaited　him；　met　him　in　this　condition；　and　embraced　him　as　a
cherished　son　who　had　just　escaped　a　great　danger；　and　this　excellent
prince's　eyes　were　full　of　tears　as　he　pressed　the　saviour　of　his　capital
to　his　heart。　　After　a　few　reassuring　and　tender　words　from　the　Emperor；
his　Majesty　entered　his　apartments；　leaving　everywhere　traces　of　the
water　which　dripped　from　every　part　of　his　clothing；　and　I　had　much
difficulty　in　undressing　him。　　Knowing　that　the　Emperor　greatly　enjoyed　a
bath　after　a　fatiguing　day；　I　had　it　prepared；　but　as　he　felt　unusually
fatigued；　and　in　addition　to　this　began　to　shiver　considerably；　his
Majesty　preferred　retiring　to　his　bed；　which　I　hurriedly　warmed。　　Hardly
had　the　Emperor　retired；　however；　than　he　had　Baron　Fain；　one　of　his
secretaries；　summoned　to　read　his　accumulated　correspondence；　which　was
very　voluminous。　　After　this　he　took　his　bath；　but　had　remained　in　it
only　a　few　moments　when　he　was　seized　with　a　sudden　sickness　accompanied
by　vomiting；　which　obliged　him　to　retire　to　bed。

His　Majesty　said　to　me；　〃My　dear　Constant；　a　little　rest　is　absolutely
indispensable　to　me；　see　that　I　am　not　awaked　except　for　matters　of　the
gravest　importance；　say　this　to　Fain。〃　　I　obeyed　the　Emperor's　orders；
after　which　I　took　my　position　in　the　room　in　front　of　his　Majesty's
chamber；　watching　with　the　attention　of　a　sentinel　on　duty　lest　he　should
be　awakened；　or　any　one　should　even　approach　his　apartment。

The　next　morning　the　Emperor　rang　very　early；　and　I　entered　his　room
immediately；　anxious　to　know　how　he　had　passed　the　night。　　I　found　him
almost　entirely　restored；　and　in　fine　spirits。　　He　told　me；　however；　that
he　had　had　a　short　attack　of　fever。　　I　must　here　remark　that　it　was　the
only　time　the　Emperor　had　fever；　and　during　the　whole　time　I　was　with　him
I　never　saw　him　ill　enough　to　keep　his　bed　for　twenty…four　hours。　　He
rose　at　his　usual　hour；　and　when　he　descended　was　intensely　gratified　by
the　fine　appearance　made　by　the　battalion　on　duty。　　Those　brave
grenadiers；　who　the　evening　before　had　served　as　his　escort；　and
reentered　Dresden　with　him　in　a　most　pitiable　condition；　this　morning　he
saw　ranged　in　the　court　of　the　palace　in　splendid　condition；　and　bearing
arms　as　brilliant　as　if　it　were　a　day　of　parade　on　the　Place　du
Carrousel。　　These　brave　fellows　had　spent　the　night　polishing　their　arms；
and　drying　themselves　around　great　fires　which　they　had　kindled　for　the
purpose；　having　thus　preferred　the　satisfaction　of　presenting　themselves
in　faultless　condition　before　their　Emperor's　eyes　to　the　sleep　and　rest
which　they　must　so　greatly　have　needed。

One　word　of　approbation　repaid　them　for　their　fatigue；　and　it　may　be
truly　said　never　was　a　military　chief　so　much　beloved　by　his　soldiers　as
his　Majesty。

The　last　courier　who　had　returned　from　Paris　to　Dresden；　and　whose
dispatches　were　read；　as　I　have　said；　to　the　Emperor；　bore　several
letters　for　me　written　by　my　family　and　two　or　three　of　my　friends；　and
all　who　have　accompanied　his　Majesty　on　his　campaigns；　in　whatever　rank
or　employment；　well　know　how　we　valued　news　received　from　home。　　These
letters　informed　me；　I　remember；　of　a　famous　lawsuit　going　on　in　the
court　of　assizes　between　the　banker　Michel　and　Reynier；　which　scandalous
affair　caused　much　comment　in　the　capital；　and　almost　divided　with　the
news　from　the　army　the　interest　and　attention　of　the　public；　and　also　of
the　journey　the　Empress　was　about　to　make　to　Cherbourg；　to　be　present　at
the　opening　of　the　dikes；　and　filling　the　harbor　with　water　from　the
ocean。　　This　journey；　as　may　well　be　imagined；　had　been　suggested　by　the
Emperor；　who　sought　every　opportunity　of　putting　the　Empress　forward；　and
making　her　perform　the　duties　of　a　sovereign；　as　regent　of　the　Empire。
She　summoned　and　presided　over　the　council　of　ministers；　and　more　than
once　I　heard　the　Emperor　congratulate　himself　after　the　declaration　of
war　with　Austria　that　his　Louise；　as　he　called　her；　acted　solely　for　the
interests　of　France；　and　had　nothing　Austrian　but　her　birth。　　He　also
allowed　her　the　satisfaction　of　herself　publishing　and　in　her　own　name
all　the　official　news　of　the　army。　　The　bulletins　were　no　longer　issued；
but　the　news　was　transmitted　to　her　all　ready　for　publication；　which　was
doubtless　an　attention　on　the　part　of　his　Majesty　in　order　to　render　the
Empress　Regent　more　popular；　by　making　her　the　medium　of　communication
between　the　government　and　the　public。　　Moreover；　it　is　a　fact；　that　we
who　were　on　the　spot；　although　we　knew　at　once　whether　the　battle　was
gained　or　lost；　often　did　not　know　the　entire　operations　of　the　different
corps　maneuvering　on　an　immense　line　of　battle；　except　through　the
journals　of　Paris；　and　our　eagerness　to　read　them　may　well　be　imagined。









End