napoleon bonaparte, v7-第6章

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like　a　lion；　horns　rather　short　and　somewhat　curved；　and　enormously　large
at　the　base。

Every　morning；　at　six　o'clock；　the　drums　beat；　and　two　or　three　hours
after　the　troops　were　ordered　to　parade　in　the　court　of　honor；　and　at
precisely　ten　o'clock　his　Majesty　descended；　and　put　himself　at　the　head
of　his　generals。

It　is　impossible　to　give　an　idea　of　these　parades；　which　in　no　particular
resembled　reviews　in　Paris。　　The　Emperor；　during　these　reviews；
investigated　the　smallest　details；　and　examined　the　soldiers　one　by　one；
so　to　speak；　looked　into　the　eyes　of　each　to　see　whether　there　was
pleasure　or　work　in　his　head；　questioned　the　officers；　sometimes　also　the
soldiers　themselves；　and　it　was　usually　on　these　occasions　that　the
Emperor　made　his　promotions。　　During　one　of　these　reviews；　if　he　asked　a
colonel　who　was　the　bravest　officer　in　his　regiment；　there　was　no
hesitation　in　his　answer；　and　it　was　always　prompt；　for　he　knew　that　the
Emperor　was　already　well　informed　on　this　point。　　After　the　colonel　had
replied；　he　addressed　himself　to　all　the　other　officers；　saying；　〃Who　is
the　bravest　among　you？〃〃Sire；　it　is　such　an　one；　〃and　the　two　answers
were　almost　always　the　same。　　〃Then；〃　said　the　Emperor；　〃I　make　him　a
baron；　and　I　reward　in　him；　not　only　his　own　personal　bravery；　but　that
of　the　corps　of　which　he　forms　a　part。　　He　does　not　owe　this　favor　to　me
alone；　but　also　to　the　esteem　of　his　comrades。〃　　It　was　the　same　case
with　the　soldiers；　and　those　most　distinguished　for　courage　or　good
conduct　were　promoted　or　received　rewards；　and　sometimes　pensions；　the
Emperor　giving　one　of　twelve　hundred　francs　to　a　soldier；　who；　on　his
first　campaign；　had　passed　through　the　enemy's　squadron；　bearing　on　his
shoulders　his　wounded　general；　protecting　him　as　he　would　his　own　father。

On　these　reviews　the　Emperor　could　be　seen　personally　inspecting　the
haversacks　of　the　soldiers；　examining　their　certificates；　or　taking　a　gun
from　the　shoulders　of　a　young　man　who　was　weak；　pale；　and　suffering；　and
saying　to　him；　in　a　sympathetic　tone；　〃That　is　too　heavy　for　you。〃　　He
often　drilled　them　himself；　and　when　he　did　not；　the　drilling　was
directed　by　Generals　Dorsenne；　Curial；　or　Mouton。　　Sometimes　he　was
seized　with　a　sudden　whim；　for　example；　one　morning；　after　reviewing　a
regiment　of　the　Confederation；　he　turned　to　the　ordnance　officers；　and
addressing　Prince　Salm；　who　was　among　them；　remarked　〃M。　de　Salm；　the
soldiers　ought　to　get　acquainted　with　you；　approach；　and　order　them　to
make　a　charge　in　twelve　movements。〃　　The　young　prince　turned　crimson；
without　being　disconcerted；　however；　bowed；　and　drawing　his　sword　most
gracefully；　executed　the　orders　of　the　Emperor　with　an　ease　and　precision
which　charmed　him。

Another　day；　as　the　engineer　corps　passed　with　about　forty　wagons；　the
Emperor　cried；　〃Halt！〃　and　pointing　out　a　wagon　to　General　Bertrand；
ordered　him　to　summon　one　of　the　officers。　　〃What　does　that　wagon
contain？〃〃Sire；　bolts；　bags　of　nails；　ropes；　hatchets；　and　saws。〃
〃How　much　of　each？〃　　The　officer　gave　the　exact　account。　　His　Majesty；　to
verify　this　report；　had　the　wagon　emptied；　counted　the　pieces；　and　found
the　number　correct；　and　in　order　to　assure　himself　that　nothing　was　left
in　the　wagon；　climbed　up　into　it　by　means　of　the　wheel；　holding　on　to　the
spokes。　　There　was　a　murmur　of　approbation　and　cries　of　joy　all　along　the
line。　　〃Bravo！〃　they　said；　〃well　and　good！　　that　is　the　way　to　make　sure
of　not　being　deceived。〃　　All　these　things　conspired　to　make　the　soldiers
adore　the　Emperor。




CHAPTER　XVI。

At　one　of　the　reviews　which　I　have　just　described；　and　which　usually
attracted　a　crowd　of　curious　people　from　Vienna　and　its　suburbs；　the
Emperor　came　near　being　assassinated。　　It　was　on　the　13th　of　October；
his　Majesty　had　just　alighted　from　his　horse；　and　was　crossing　the　court
on　foot　with　the　Prince　de　Neuchatel　and　General　Rapp　beside　him；　when　a
young　man　with　a　passably　good　countenance　pushed　his　way　rudely　through
the　crowd；　and　asked　in　bad　French　if　he　could　speak　to　the　Emperor。　　His
Majesty　received　him　kindly；　but　not　understanding　his　language；　asked
General　Rapp　to　see　what　the　young　man　wanted；　and　the　general　asked　him
a　few　questions；　and　not　satisfied　apparently　with　his　answers；　ordered
the　police…officer　on　duty　to　remove　him。　　A　sub…officer　conducted　the
young　man　out　of　the　circle　formed　by　the　staff；　and　drove　him　back　into
the　crowd。　　This　circumstance　had　been　forgotten；　when　suddenly　the
Emperor；　on　turning；　found　again　near　him　the　pretended　suppliant；　who
had　returned　holding　his　right　hand　in　his　breast；　as　if　to　draw　a
petition　from　the　pocket　of　his　coat。　　General　Rapp　seized　the　man　by　the
arm；　and　said　to　him；　〃Monsieur；　you　have　already　been　ordered　away；　what
do　you　want？〃　　As　he　was　about　to　retire　a　second　time　the　general；
thinking　his　appearance　suspicious；　gave　orders　to　the　police…officer　to
arrest　him；　and　he　accordingly　made　a　sign　to　his　subalterns。　　One　of
them　seizing　him　by　the　collar　shook　him　slightly；　when　his　coat　became
partly　unbuttoned；　and　something　fell　out　resembling　a　package　of　papers；
on　examination　it　was　found　to　be　a　large　carving　knife；　with　several
folds　of　gray　paper　wrapped　around　it　as　a　sheath；　thereupon　he　was
conducted　to　General　Savary。

This　young　man　was　a　student；　and　the　son　of　a　Protestant　minister　of
Naumbourg；　he　was　called　Frederic　Stabs；　and　was　about　eighteen　or
nineteen　years　old；　with　a　pallid　face　and　effeminate　features。　　He　did
not　deny　for　an　instant　that　it　was　his　intention　to　kill　the　Emperor；
but　on　the　contrary　boasted　of　it；　and　expressed　his　intense　regret　that
circumstances　had　prevented　the　accomplishment　of　his　design。

He　had　left　his　father's　house　on　a　horse　which　the　want　of　money　had
compelled　him　to　sell　on　the　way；　and　none　of　his　relatives　or　friends
had　any　knowledge　of　his　plan。　　The　day　after　his　departure　he　had
written　to　his　father　that　he　need　not　be　anxious　about　him　nor　the
horse；　that　he　had　long　since　promised　some　one　to　visit　Vienna；　and　his
family　would　soon　hear　of　him　with　pride。　　He　had　arrived　at　Vienna　only
two　days　before；　and　had　occupied　himself　first　in　obtaining　information
as　to　the　Emperor's　habits；　and　finding　that　he　held　a　review　every
morning　in　the　court　of　the　chateau；　had　been　there　once　in　order　to
acquaint　himself　with　the　locality。　　The　next　day　he　had　undertaken　to
make　the　attack；　and　had　been　arrested。

The　Duke　of　Rovigo；　after　questioning　Stabs；　sought　the　Emperor；　who　had
returned　to　his　apartments；　and　acquainted　him　with　the　danger　he　had
just　escaped。　　The　Emperor　at　first　shrugged　his　shoulders；　but　having
been　shown　the　knife　which　had　been　taken　from　Stabs；　said；　〃Ah；　ha！
send　for　the　young　man；　I　should　like　very　much　to　talk　with　him。〃　　The
duke　went　out；　and　returned　in　a　few　moments　with　Stabs。　　When　the　latter
entered；　the　Emperor　made　a　gesture　of　pity；　and　said　to　the　Prince　de
Neuchatel；　〃Why；　really；　he　is　nothing　more　than　a　child！
〃An　interpreter　was　summoned　and　the　interrogation　begun。

His　Majesty　first　asked　the　assassin　if　he　had　seen　him；　anywhere　before
this。　　〃Yes；　I　saw　you；〃　replied　Stabbs；　〃at　Erfurt　last　year。〃〃It
seems　that　a　crime　is　nothing　in　your　eyes。　　Why　did　you　wish　to　kill
me？〃〃To　kill　you　is　not　a　crime；　on　the　contrary；　it　is　the　duty　of
every　good　German。　　I　wished　to　kill　you　because　you　are　the　oppressor　of
Germany。〃〃It　is　not　I　who　commenced　the　war；　it　is　your　nation。　　Whose
picture　is　this？〃　　（the　Emperor　held　in　his　hands　the　picture　of　a　woman
that　had　been　found　on　Stabs）。　　〃It　is　that　of　my　best　friend；　my
father's　adopted　daughter。〃〃　What！　　and　you　are　an　assassin！　　and　have
no　fear　of　afflicting　and　destroying　beings　who　are　so　dear　to　you？〃〃I
wished　to　do　my　duty；　and　nothing　could　have　deterred　me　from　it。〃〃But
how　would　you　have　succeeded　in；　striking　me？　〃〃I　would　first　have
asked　you　if　we　were　soon　to　have　peace；　and　if　you　had　answered　no；　I
should　have　stabbed　you。〃〃He　is　mad！〃　　said　the　Emperor；　〃he　is
evidently　mad！　　And　how　could　you　have　hoped　to　escape；　after　you　had
struck　me　thus　in　the　mids