napoleon bonaparte, v4-第14章

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such　speed　that　his　household　could　not　keep　up　with　him；　and
consequently　he　passed　the　night；　without　attendants　or　baggage；　in　the
best　house　of　a　very　poor　village。　　When　we　reached　his　Majesty　next　day；
he　received　us　laughing；　and　threatened　to　have　us　taken　up　as　stragglers
by　the　provost　guard。

From　Augsburg　the　Emperor　went　to　the　camp　before　Ulm；　and　made
preparations　to　besiege　that　place。

A　short　distance　from　the　town　a　fierce　and　obstinate　engagement　took
place　between　the　French　and　Austrians；　and　had　lasted　two　hours；　when
cries　of　'Vive　l'Empereur！'　　were　suddenly　heard。　　This　name；　which
invariably　carried　terror　into　the　enemy's　ranks；　and　always　imparted
fresh　courage　to　our　soldiers；　now　electrified　them　to　such　an　extent
that　they　put　the　Austrians　to　flight；　while　the　Emperor　showed　himself
in　the　front　ranks；　crying　〃Forward；〃　and　making　signs　to　the　soldiers　to
advance；　his　Majesty's　horse　disappearing　from　time　to　time　in　the　smoke
of　the　cannon。　　During　this　furious　charge；　the　Emperor　found　himself
near　a　grenadier　who　was　terribly　wounded；　and　yet　this　brave　fellow
still　shouted　with　the　others；　〃Forward！　　forward！〃

The　Emperor　drew　near　him；　and　threw　his　military　cloak　over　him；　saying；
〃Try　to　bring　it　back　to　me；　and　I　will　give　you　in　exchange　the　cross
that　you　have　just　won。〃　　The　grenadier；　who　knew　that　he　was　mortally
wounded；　replied　that　the　shroud　he　had　just　received　was　worth　as　much
as　the　decoration；　and　expired；　wrapped　in　the　imperial　mantle。

At　the　close　of　the　battle；　the　Emperor　had　this　grenadier；　who　was　also
a　veteran　of　the　army　of　Egypt；　borne　from　the　field；　and　ordered　that　he
should　be　interred　in　the　cloak。

Another　soldier；　not　less　courageous　than　the　one　of　whom　I　have　just
spoken；　also　received　from　his　Majesty　marks　of　distinction。　　The　day
after　the　combat　before　Ulm；　the　Emperor；　in　visiting　the　ambulances；　had
his　attention　attracted　by　a；　cannoneer　of　light　artillery；　who　had　lost
one　leg；　but　in　spite　of　this　was　still　shouting　with　all　his　might；
'Vive　l'Empereur！'　　He　approached　the　soldier　and　said　to　him；　〃Is　this；
then；　all　that　you　have　to　say　to　me？〃〃No；　Sire；　I　can　also　tell　you
that　I；　I　alone；　have　dismounted　four　pieces　of　the　Austrian　cannon；　and
it　is　the　pleasure　of　seeing　them　silenced　which　makes　me　forget　that　I
must　soon　close　my　eyes　forever。〃　　The　Emperor；　moved　by　such　fortitude；
gave　his　cross　to　the　cannoneer；　noted　the　names　of　his　parents；　and　said
to　him；　〃If　you　recover；　the　Hotel　des　Invalides　is　at　your　service。〃
〃Thanks；　Sire；　but　the　loss　of　blood　has　been　too　great；　my　pension　will
not　cost　you　very　dear；　I　know　well　that　I　must　soon　be　off　duty；　but
long　live　the　Emperor　all　the　same！〃　　Unfortunately　this　brave　man
realized　his　real　condition　only　too　well；　for　he　did　not　survive　the
amputation　of　his　leg。

We　followed　the　Emperor　into　Ulm　after　the　occupation　of　that　place；　and
saw　a　hostile　army　of　more　than　thirty　thousand　men　lay　down　their　arms
at　the　feet　of　his　Majesty；　as　they　defiled　before　him；　and　I　have　never
beheld　a　more　imposing　sight。　　The　Emperor　was　seated　on　his　horse；　a　few
steps　in　front　of　his　staff；　his　countenance　wearing　a　calm　and　grave
expression；　in　spite　of　which　the　joy　which　filled　his　heart　was　apparent
in　his　glance。

He　raised　his　hat　every　moment　to　return　the　salutes　of　the　superior
officers　of　the　Austrian　troops。　　When　the　Imperial　Guard　entered
Augsburg；　eighty　grenadiers　marched　at　the　head　of　the　columns；　each
bearing　a　banner　of　the　enemy。

The　Emperor；　on　his　arrival　at　Munich；　was　welcomed　with　the　greatest
respect　by　his　ally；　the　Elector　of　Bavaria。　　His　Majesty　went　several
times　to　the　theater　and　the　hunt；　and　gave　a　concert　to　the　ladies　of
the　court。　　It　was；　as　has　been　since　ascertained；　during　this　stay　of
the　Emperor　at　Munich　that　the　Emperor　Alexander　and　the　King　of　Prussia
pledged　themselves　at　Potsdam；　on　the　tomb　of　Frederick　the　Great；　to
unite　their　efforts　against　his　Majesty。

A　year　later　Napoleon　also　made　a　visit　to　the　tomb　of　the　great
Frederick。

The　taking　of　Ulm　had　finished　the　conquest　of　the　Austrians；　and　opened
to　the　Emperor　the　gates　of　Vienna：　but　meanwhile　the　Russians　were
advancing　by　forced　marches　to　the　help　of　their　allies；　his　Majesty
hastened　to　meet　them；　and　the　1st　of　December　the　two　hostile　armies
found　themselves　face　to　face。　　By　one　of　those　happy　coincidences　made
only　for　the　Emperor；　the　day　of　the　battle　of　Austerlitz　was　also　the
anniversary　of　the　coronation。

I　do　not　remember　why　there　was　no　tent　for　the　Emperor　at　Austerlitz；
but　the　soldiers　made　a　kind　of　barrack　of　limbs　of　trees；　with　an
opening　in　the　top　for　the　passage　of　the　smoke。　　His　Majesty；　though　he
had　only　straw　for　his　bed；　was　so　exhausted　after　having　passed　the　day
on　horseback　on　the　heights　of　Santon；　that　on　the　eve　of　the　battle　he
was　sleeping　soundly；　when　General　Savary；　one　of　his　aides…de…camp；
entered；　to　give　an　account　of　the　mission　with　which　he　had　been
charged；　and　the　general　was　obliged　to　touch　his　shoulder；　and　shake
him；　in　order　to　rouse　him。　　He　then　rose；　and　mounted　his　horse　to　visit
his　advance　posts。　　The　night　was　dark；　but　the　whole　camp　was　lighted　up
as　if　by　enchantment；　for　each　soldier　put　a　bundle　of　straw　on　the　end
of　his　bayonet；　and　all　these　firebrands　were　kindled　in　less　time　than
it　takes　to　describe　it。　　The　Emperor　rode　along　the　whole　line；　speaking
to　those　soldiers　whom　he　recognized。　　〃Be　to…morrow　what　you　have　always
been；　my　brave　fellows；〃　said　he；　〃and　the　Russians　are　ours；　we　have
them！〃　　The　air　resounded　with　cries　of　'Vive　l'Empereur'；　and　there　was
neither　officer　nor　soldier　who　did　not　count　on　a　victory　next　day。

His　Majesty；　on　visiting　the　line　of　battle；　where　there　had　been　no
provisions　for　forty…eight　hours　（for　that　day　there　had　been　distributed
only　one　loaf　of　ammunition　bread　for　every　eight　men）；　saw；　while
passing　from　bivouac　to　bivouac；　soldiers　roasting　potatoes　in　the　ashes。
Finding　himself　before　the　Fourth　Regiment　of　the　line；　of　which　his
brother　was　colonel；　the　Emperor　said　to　a　grenadier　of　the　second
battalion；　as　he　took　from　the　fire　and　ate　one　of　the　potatoes　of　the
squad；　〃Are　you　satisfied　with　these　pigeons？〃〃Humph！　They　are　at　least
better　than　nothing；　though　they　are　very　much　like　Lenten　food。〃〃Well；
old　fellow；〃　replied　his　Majesty　to　the　soldier；　pointing　to　the　fires　of
the　enemy；　〃help　me　to　dislodge　those　rascals　over　there；　and　we　will
have　a　Mardi　Gras　at　Vienna。〃

The　Emperor　returned　to　his　quarters；　went　to　bed　again；　and　slept　until
three　o'clock　in　the　morning；　while　his　suite　collected　around　a　bivouac
fire　near　his　Majesty's　barracks；　and　slept　on　the　ground；　wrapped　in
their　cloaks；　for　the　night　was　extremely　cold。　　For　four　days　I　had　not
closed　my　eyes；　and　I　was　just　falling　asleep；　when　about　three　o'clock
the　Emperor　asked　me　for　punch。　　I　would　have　given　the　whole　empire　of
Austria　to　have　rested　another　hour；　but　notwithstanding　this；　I　carried
his　Majesty　the　punch；　which　I　made　by　the　bivouac　fire；　and　the　Emperor
insisted　that　Marshal　Berthier　should　also　partake　of　it；　the　remainder　I
divided　with　the　attendants。　　Between　four　and　five　o'clock　the　Emperor
ordered　the　first　movements　of　his　army；　and　all　were　on　foot　in　a　few
moments；　and　each　at　his　post；　aides…de…camp　and　orderly　officers　were
seen　galloping　in　all　directions；　and　the　battle　was　begun。

I　will　not　enter　into　the　details　of　this　glorious　day；　which；　according
to　the　expression　of　the　Emperor　himself；　terminated　the　campaign　by　a
thunderbolt。　　Not　one　of　the　plans　of　the　Emperor　failed　in　execution；
and　in　a　few　hours　the　French　were　masters　of　the　field　of　battle　and　of
the　whole　of　Germany。

The　brave　General　Rapp　was　wounded　at　Austerlitz；　as　he　was　in　every
battle　in　which　he　took　part；　and　was　carried　to　the　chateau　of
Austerlitz；　where　the　Emperor　visited　him　in　the　evening；　and　returned　to
pass　the　night　in　the　chateau。

Two　days　after；　the　Emperor　Francis　sought　an　audience　of　his　Majesty；　to
demand　peace；　and　before　t