战争与和平(上)-第205章

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free　at　all；　but　in　bondage　to　the　whole　course　of　previous　history；　and　predestined　from　all　eternity。


Chapter　2
ON　THE　28TH　of　May　Napoleon　left　Dresden；　where　he　had　been　spending　three　weeks　surrounded　by　a　court　that　included　princes；　dukes；　kings；　and　even　one　emperor。　Before　his　departure；　Napoleon　took　a　gracious　leave　of　the　princes；　kings；　and　emperor　deserving　of　his　favour；　and　sternly　upbraided　the　kings　and　princes　with　whom　he　was　displeased。　He　made　a　present　of　his　own　diamonds　and　pearls—　those；　that　is；　that　he　had　taken　from　other　kings—to　the　Empress　of　Austria。　He　tenderly　embraced　the　Empress　Marie　Louise—who　considered　herself　his　wife；　though　he　had　another　wife　still　living　in　Paris—　and　left　her；　so　his　historian　relates；　deeply　distressed　and　hardly　able　to　support　the　separation。　Although　diplomatists　still　firmly　believed　in　the　possibility　of　peace；　and　were　zealously　working　with　that　object；　although　the　Emperor　Napoleon；　with　his　own　hand；　wrote　a　letter　to　the　Emperor　Alexander　calling　him　“Monsieur　mon　frère；”　and　assuring　him　with　sincerity　that　he　had　no　desire　of　war；　and　would　always　love　and　honour　him；　he　set　off　to　join　the　army；　and　at　every　station　gave　fresh　commands；　hastening　the　progress　of　his　army　from　west　to　east。　He　drove　a　travelling　carriage；　drawn　by　six　horses　and　surrounded　by　pages；　adjutants；　and　an　armed　escort；　along　the　route　by　Posen；　Thorn；　Danzig；　and　K？nigsberg。　In　each　of　these　towns　he　was　welcomed　with　enthusiasm　and　trepidation　by　thousands　of　people。
The　army　was　moving　from　west　to　east；　and　he　was　driven　after　it　by　continual　relays　of　six　horses。　On　the　10th　of　June　he　overtook　the　army　and　spent　the　night　in　the　Vilkovik　forest；　in　quarters　prepared　for　him　on　the　property　of　a　Polish　count。
The　following　day　Napoleon　drove　on　ahead　of　the　army；　reached　the　Niemen；　put　on　a　Polish　uniform　in　order　to　inspect　the　crossing　of　the　river；　and　rode　out　on　the　river　bank。
When　he　saw　the　Cossacks　posted　on　the　further　bank　and　the　expanse　of　the　steppes—in　the　midst　of　which；　far　away；　was　the　holy　city；　Moscow；　capital　of　an　empire；　like　the　Scythian　empire　invaded　by　Alexander　of　Macedon—Napoleon　surprised　the　diplomatists　and　contravened　all　rules　of　strategy　by　ordering　an　immediate　advance；　and　his　troops　began　crossing　the　Niemen　next　day。
Early　on　the　morning　of　the　12th　of　June　he　came　out　of　his　tent；　which　had　been　pitched　that　day　on　the　steep　left　bank　of　the　Niemen；　and　looked　through　a　field…glass　at　his　troops　pouring　out　of　the　Vilkovik　forest；　and　dividing　into　three　streams　at　the　three　bridges　across　the　river。　The　troops　knew　of　the　Emperor’s　presence；　and　were　on　the　lookout　for　him。　When　they　caught　sight　of　his　figure　in　his　greatcoat　and　hat　standing　apart　from　his　suite　in　front　of　his　tent　on　the　hill　opposite；　they　threw　up　their　caps　and　shouted；　“Vive　l’Empereur！”　And　one　regiment　after　another；　in　a　continuous　stream；　flowed　out　of　the　immense　forest　that　had　concealed　them；　and　split　up　to　cross　the　river　by　the　three　bridges。　“We　shall　make　some　way　this　time。　Oh；　when　he　takes　a　hand　himself　things　begin　to　get　warm！…Name　of　God！…　There　he　is！…　Hurrah　for　the　Emperor！　So　those　are　the　Steppes　of　Asia！　A　nasty　country　it　is；　though。　Good…bye；　Beauché；　I’ll　keep　the　finest　palace　in　Moscow　for　you。　Good…bye！　good…luck！…　Have　you　seen　the　Emperor？　Hurrah　for　the　Emperor！　If　they　make　me　Governor　of　the　Indies；　Gérard；　I’ll　make　you　Minister　of　Cashmere；　that’s　settled。　Hurrah　for　the　Emperor！　Hurrah！　hurrah！　hurrah！　The　rascally　Cossacks；　how　they　are　running。　Hurrah　for　the　Emperor！　There　he　is！　Do　you　see　him？　I　have　seen　him　twice　as　I　am　seeing　you。　The　little　corporal…I　saw　him　give　the　cross　to　one　of　the　veterans。…Hurrah　for　the　emperor！”　Such　was　the　talk　of　old　men　and　young；　of　the　most　diverse　characters　and　positions　in　society。　All　the　faces　of　those　men　wore　one　common　expression　of　joy　at　the　commencement　of　a　long…expected　campaign；　and　enthusiasm　and　devotion　to　the　man　in　the　grey　coat　standing　on　the　hill　opposite。
On　the　13th　of　June　Napoleon　mounted　a　small　thoroughbred　Arab　horse　and　galloped　towards　one　of　the　bridges　over　the　Niemen；　deafened　all　the　while　by　shouts　of　enthusiasm；　which　he　obviously　endured　simply　because　they　could　not　be　prevented　from　expressing　in　such　shouts　their　love　for　him。　But　those　shouts；　invariably　accompanying　him　everywhere；　wearied　him　and　hindered　his　attending　to　the　military　problems　which　beset　him　from　the　time　he　joined　the　army。　He　rode　over　a　swaying　bridge　of　boats　to　the　other　side　of　the　river；　turned　sharply　to　the　left；　and　galloped　in　the　direction　of　Kovno；　preceded　by　horse　guards；　who　were　breathless　with　delight　and　enthusiasm；　as　they　cleared　the　way　before　him。　On　reaching　the　broad　river　Niemen；　he　pulled　up　beside　a　regiment　of　Polish　Uhlans　on　the　bank。
“Vive　l’Empereur！”　the　Poles　shouted　with　the　same　enthusiasm；　breaking　their　line　and　squeezing　against　each　other　to　get　a　view　of　him。　Napoleon　looked　up　and　down　the　river；　got　off　his　horse；　and　sat　down　on　a　log　that　lay　on　the　bank。　At　a　mute　sign　from　him；　they　handed　him　the　field…glass。　He　propped　it　on　the　back　of　a　page　who　ran　up　delighted。　He　began　looking　at　the　other　side；　then；　with　absorbed　attention；　scrutinised　the　map　that　was　unfolded　on　the　logs。　Without　raising　his　head　he　said　something；　and　two　of　his　adjutants　galloped　off　to　the　Polish　Uhlans。
“What？　what　did　he　say？”　was　heard　in　the　ranks　of　the　Polish　Uhlans　as　an　adjutant　galloped　up　to　them。　They　were　commanded　to　look　for　a　fording…place　and　to　cross　to　the　other　side。　The　colonel　of　the　Polish　Uhlans；　a　handsome　old　man；　flushing　red　and　stammering　from　excitement；　asked　the　adjutant　whether　he　would　be　permitted　to　swim　across　the　river　with　his　men　instead　of　seeking　for　a　ford。　In　obvious　dread　of　a　refusal；　like　a　boy　asking　permission　to　get　on　a　horse；　he　asked　to　be　allowed　to　swim　across　the　river　before　the　Emperor’s　eyes。　The　adjutant　replied　that　probably　the　Emperor　would　not　be　displeased　at　this　excess　of　zeal。
No　sooner　had　the　adjutant　said　this　than　the　old　whiskered　officer；　with　happy　face　and　sparkling　eyes；　brandished　his　sabre　in　the　air　shouting　“Vive　l’Empereur！”　and　commanding　his　men　to　follow　him；　he　set　spurs　to　his　horse　and　galloped　down　to　the　river。　He　gave　a　vicious　thrust　to　his　horse；　that　floundered　under　him；　and　plunged　into　the　water；　making　for　the　most　rapid　part　of　the　current。　Hundreds　of　Uhlans　galloped　in　after　him。　It　was　cold　and　dangerous　in　the　middle　in　the　rapid　current。　The　Uhlans　clung　to　one　another；　falling　off　their　horses。　Some　of　the　horses　were　drowned；　some；　too；　of　the　men；　the　others　struggled　to　swim　across；　some　in　the　saddle；　others　clinging　to　their　horse’s　manes。　They　tried　to　swim　straight　across；　and　although　there　was　a　ford　half　a　verst　away　they　were　proud　to　be　swimming　and　drowning　in　the　river　before　the　eyes　of　that　man　sitting　on　the　log　and　not　even　looking　at　what　they　were　doing。　When　the　adjutant；　on　going　back；　chose　a　favourable　moment　and　ventured　to　call　the　Emperor’s　attention　to　the　devotion　of　the　Poles　to　his　person；　the　little　man　in　the　grey　overcoat　got　up；　and　summoning　Berthier；　he　began　walking　up　and　down　the　bank　with　him；　giving　him　instructions；　and　casting　now　and　then　a　glance　of　displeasure　at　the　drowning　Uhlans　who　had　interrupted　his　thoughts。
It　was　no　new　conviction　for　him　that　his　presence　in　any　quarter　of　the　earth；　from　Africa　to　the　steppes　of　Moscow；　was　enough　to　impress　men　and　impel　them　to　senseless　acts　of　self…sacrifice。　He　sent　for　his　horse　and　rode　back　to　his　bivouac。
Forty　Uhlans　were　drowned　in　the　river　in　spite　of　the　boats　sent　to　their　assistance。　The　majority　struggled　back　to　the　bank　from　which　they　had　started。　The　colonel；　with　several　of　his　men；　swam　across　the　river　and　with　difficulty　clambered　up　the　other　bank。　But　as　soon　as　they　clambered　out　in　drenched　and　streaming　clothes　they　shouted　“Vive　l’Empereur！”　looking　ecstatically　at　the　place　where　Napoleon　had　stood；　though　he　was　no　longer　there；　and　at　that　moment　thought　thems