napoleon bonaparte, v4-第21章

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awaking　was　as　amiable　as　his　manner　was　pleasant。　　The　report　of　an
aide…de…camp　being　finished；　Napoleon　went　to　sleep　again　as　easily　as　if
his　sleep　had　not　been　interrupted。

During　the　three　or　four　hours　preceding　an　engagement；　the　Emperor　spent
most　of　the　time　with　large　maps　spread　out　before　him；　the　places　on
which　he　marked　with　pins　with　heads　of　different　colored　wax。

I　have　already　said　that　all　the　persons　of　the　Emperor's　household
emulated　each　other　in　seeking　the　surest　and　promptest　means　of　carrying
out　his　wishes；　and　everywhere；　whether　in　traveling　or　on　the　campaign；
his　table；　his　coffee；　his　bed；　or　even　his　bath　could　be　prepared　in
five　minutes。　　How　many　times　were　we　obliged　to　remove；　in　still　less
time；　corpses　of　men　and　horses；　to　set　up　his　Majesty's　tent。

In　one　of　the　campaigns　beyond　the　Rhine　we　were　delayed　in　a　poor
village；　and；　in　order　to　prepare　the　Emperor's　lodging；　were　obliged　to
use　a　peasant's　hut；　which　had　served　as　a　field　hospital；　and　we　began
preparations　by　carrying　away　the　dismembered　limbs；　and　washing　up　the
stains　of　blood；　this　labor　being　finished；　and　everything　almost　in
order；　in　less　than…half　an　hour。

The　Emperor；　sometimes　slept　a　quarter　or　half　an　hour　on　the　field　of
battle　when　he　was　fatigued；　or　wished　to　await　more　patiently　the　result
of　the　orders　he　had　given。

While　on　the　road　to　Potsdam；　we　were　overtaken　by　a　violent　storm；　which
became　so　severe；　and　the　rain　so　heavy；　that　we　were　obliged　to　stop　and
take　refuge　in　a　neighboring　house　on　the　road。　　Well　wrapped　in　his　gray
overcoat；　and　not　thinking　that　he　could　be　recognized；　the　Emperor　was
much　surprised　to　see；　as　he　entered　the　house；　a　young　woman　who　seemed
to　tremble　at　his　presence。　　He　ascertained　that　she　was　an　Egyptian；　who
had　retained　for　my　master　the　religious　veneration　which　all　the　Arabs
bore　him；　and　was　the　widow　of　an　officer　of　the　army　of　Egypt；　whom
chance　had　led　to　the　same　house　in　Saxony　where　he　had　been　welcomed。
The　Emperor　granted　her　a　pension　of　twelve　hundred　francs；　and　took　upon
himself　the　education　of　her　son；　the　only　legacy　left　her　by　her
husband。　　〃This　is　the　first　time；〃　said　Napoleon；　that　I　have　alighted
to　avoid　a　storm；　I　had　a　presentiment　that　an　opportunity　of　doing　good
awaited　me　here。〃

The　loss　of　the　battle　of　Jena　had　struck　the　Prussians　with　such　terror；
and　the　court　had　fled　with　such　precipitation；　that　everything　had　been
left　in　the　royal　residences；　and；　consequently；　on　his　arrival　at
Potsdam；　the　Emperor　found　there　the　sword　of　the　great　Frederick；　his
gorget；　the　grand　cordon　of　his　order；　and　his　alarm…clock；　and　had　them
carried　to　Paris；　to　be　preserved　at　the　Hotel　des　Invalides。　　〃I　prefer
these　trophies；〃　said　his　Majesty；　〃to　all　the　treasures　of　the　King　of
Prussia；　I　will　send　them　to　my　old　soldiers　of　the　campaign　of　Hanover；
who　will　guard　them　as　a　trophy　of　the　victories　of　the　grand　army；　and
of　the　revenge　that　it　has　taken　for　the　disaster　of　Rosbach。〃　　The
Emperor　the　same　day　ordered　the　removal　to　his　capital　of　the　column
raised　by　the　great　Frederick　to　perpetuate　the　remembrance　of　the　defeat
of　the　French　at　Rosbach。＇At　Rosbach；　November；　1757；　the　French；　under
Prince　de　Soubise；　had　been　shamefully　defeated　by　Frederick　the　Great＇
He　might　have　contented　himself　with　changing　the　inscription。

Napoleon　remained　at　the　chateau　of　Charlottenburg；　where　he　had
established　his　headquarters；　until　the　regiments　of　the　guard　had
arrived　from　all　points；　and　as　soon　as　they　were　assembled；　orders　were
given　to　put　themselves　in　full　uniform；　which　was　done　in　the　little
wood　before　the　town。　　The　Emperor　made　his　entry　into　the　capital　of
Prussia　between　ten　and　eleven　o'clock　in　the　morning；　surrounded　by　his
aides…de…camp；　and　the　officers　of　his　staff；　all　the　regiments　filing
before　him　in　the　most　perfect　order；　drums　and　music　at　their　head；　and
the　fine　appearance　of　the　troops　excited　the　admiration　of　the
Prussians。

Having　entered　Berlin　in　the　suite　of　the　Emperor；　we　arrived　at　the　town
square；　in　the　midst　of　which　a　bust　of　the　great　Frederick　had　been
placed。　　The　name　of　this　monarch　is　so　popular　at　Berlin；　and；　in　fact；
throughout　all　Prussia；　that　on　many　occasions；　when　any　one　by　chance
pronounced　it；　either　in　a　caf？or　in　any　other　public　place；　or　even　in
private　assemblies；　I　have　seen　every　one　present　rise；　and　lift　his　hat
with　an　air　of　the　most　profound　respect　and　genuine　adoration。

When　the　Emperor　arrived　in　front　of　the　bust；　he　described　a　semicircle
at　a　gallop；　followed　by　his　staff；　and　lowering　the　point　of　his　sword；
while　uncovering　his　head；　was　the　first　to　salute　the　image　of　Frederick
II。　　His　staff　followed　his　example；　and　all　the　general　and　other
officers　who　composed　it　ranged　themselves　in　a　semicircle　around　the
bust；　with　the　Emperor　in　the　center。　　His　Majesty　gave　orders　that　each
regiment　should　present　arms　in　defiling　before　the　bust；　which　maneuver
was　not　to　the　taste　of　some　grumblers　of　the　first　regiment　of　the
Guard；　who；　with　moustaches　scorched；　and　faces　still　blackened　with　the
powder　of　Jena；　would　have　better　liked　an　order　for　lodgings　with　the
bourgeois　than　all　this　parade；　and　took　no　pains　to　conceal　their　ill…
humor。　　There　was　one；　among　others；　who；　as　he　passed　in　front　of　the
bust　and　before　the　Emperor；　exclaimed　between　his　teeth；　without　moving
a　muscle　of　his　face；　but　still　loud　enough　to　be　heard　by　his　Majesty；
〃Damn　the　bust。〃　　His　Majesty　pretended　not　to　hear；　but　that　evening　he
repeated　with　a　laugh　the　words　of　the　old　soldier。

His　Majesty　alighted　at　the　chateau；　where　his　lodging　was　prepared；　and
the　officers　of　his　household　had　preceded　him。　　Having　learned　that　the
electoral　princess　of　Hesse…Cassel；　sister　of　the　king；　was　still　ill　at
the　end　of　her　confinement；　the　Emperor　ascended　to　the　apartment　of　this
princess；　and；　after　quite　a　long　visit；　gave　orders　that　she　should　be
treated　with　all　the　deference　due　to　her　rank　and　unfortunate　situation。







End