napoleon bonaparte, v9-第15部分

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the　wretched　Russian　prisoners　whom　the　army　drove　before　it。　　I　had　much
difficulty　in　comprehending　this　delusion　of　victory　which　our　poor
soldiers　still　kept　up　by　dragging　after　them　this　wretched　luxury　of
prisoners；　who　could　only　be　an　added　burden；　as　they　required　their
constant　surveillance。

When　the　conquerors　are　dying　of　famine；　what　becomes　of　the　conquered？
These　poor　Russians；　exhausted　by　marches　and　famine；　nearly　all　perished
this　night。　　In　the　morning　they　were　found　huddled　pell…mell　against
each　other；　striving　thus　to　obtain　a　little　warmth。　　The　weakest　had
succumbed；　and　their　stiffened　bodies　were　propped　the　whole　night
against　the　living　without　their　even　being　aware　of　it。　　Some　in　their
hunger　ate　their　dead　companions。　　The　hardihood　with　which　the　Russians
endure　pain　has　often　been　remarked。　　I　can　cite　one　instance　which
surpasses　belief。　　One　of　these　fellows；　after　being　separated　from　his
corps；　had　been　struck　by　a　cannonball　which　had　cut　off　both　his　legs
and　killed　his　horse。　　A　French　officer　on　a　reconnoitering　tour　on　the
bank　of　the　river　where　this　Russian　had　fallen；　perceived　at　some
distance　an　object　which　appeared　to　be　a　dead　horse；　and　yet　he　could
see　that　it　moved。

He　approached；　and　saw　the　bust　of　a　man　whose　extremities　were　concealed
in　the　stomach　of　the　horse。

This　poor　creature　had　been　there　four　days；　inclosing　himself　in　his
horse　as　a　shelter　against　the　cold；　and　feeding　upon　infected　morsels
torn　from　this　horrible　retreat。

On　the　3d　of　December　we　arrived　at　Malodeczno。　　During　the　whole　day　the
Emperor　appeared　thoughtful。　　and　anxious。　　He　had　frequent　confidential
conversations　with　the　grand　equerry；　M。　de　Caulaincourt；　and　I　suspected
some　extraordinary　measure。　　I　was　not　deceived　in　my　conjectures。　　At
two　leagues　from　Smorghoni；　the　Duke　of　Vicenza　summoned　me；　and　told　me
to　go　on　in　front　and　give　orders　to　have　the　six　best　horses　harnessed
to　my　carriage；　which　was　the　lightest　of　all；　and　keep　them　in　constant
readiness。　　I　reached　Smorghoni　before　the　Emperor；　who　did　not　arrive
till　the　following　night。　　The　cold　was　excessive；　and　the　Emperor
alighted　in　a　poor　house　on　a　square；　where　he　established　his
headquarters。　　He　took　a　light　repast；　wrote　with　his　own　hand　the
twenty…ninth　bulletin　of　the　army；　and　ordered　all　the　marshals　to　be
summoned。

Nothing　had　yet　transpired　as　to　the　Emperor's　plans；　but　in　great　and
desperate　measures　there　is　always　something　unusual　which　does　not
escape　the　most　clear…sighted。　　The　Emperor　was　never　so　amiable　nor　so
communicative；　and　one　felt　that　he　was　endeavoring　to　prepare　his　most
devoted　friends　for　some　overwhelming　news。　　He　talked　for　some　time　on
indifferent　subjects；　then　spoke　of　the　great　deeds　performed　during　the
campaign；　referring　with　pleasure　to　the　retreat　of　General　Ney　whom　they
had　at　last　found。

Marshal　Davoust　appeared　abstracted；　and　the　Emperor　said　to　him；　〃At
least　say　something；　Marshal。〃　　There　had　been　for　some　time　a　little
coolness　between　him　and　the　Emperor；　and　his　Majesty　reproached　him　with
the　rarity　of　his　visits；　but　he　could　not　dissipate　the　cloud　which
darkened　every　brow；　for　the　Emperor's　secret　had　not　been　as　well　kept
as　he　had　hoped。　　After　supper　the　Emperor　ordered　Prince　Eugene　to　read
the　twenty…ninth　bulletin；　and　spoke　freely　of　his　plan；　saying　that　his
departure　was　essential　in　order　to　send　help　to　the　army。　　He　gave　his
orders　to　the　marshals；　all　of　whom　appeared　sad　and　discouraged。　　It　was
ten　o'clock　when　the　Emperor；　saying　it　was　time　to　take　some　repose；
embraced　all　the　marshals　and　retired。　　He　felt　the　need　of　withdrawing；
for　he　had　been　oppressed　by　the　constraint　of　this　interview；　as　could
easily　be　seen　by　the　extreme　agitation　his　countenance　manifested　at　its
close。　　About　half　an　hour　after；　the　Emperor　called　me　into　his　room　and
said；　〃Constant；　I　am　about　to　leave；　I　thought　I　should　be　able　to　take
you　with　me；　but　I　have　taken　into　consideration　the　fact　that　several
carriages　would　attract　attention；　it　is　essential　that　I　experience　no
delay；　and　I　have　given　orders　that　you　are　to　set　out　immediately　upon
the　return　of　my　horses；　and　you　will　consequently　follow　me　at　a　short
distance。〃　　I　was　suffering　greatly　from　my　old　malady；　hence　the　Emperor
would　not　allow　me　to　go　with　him　on　the　boot　as　I　requested；　in　order
that　he　should　receive　his　customary　attentions　from　me。　　He　said；　〃No；
Constant；　you　will　follow　me　in　a　carriage；　and　I　hope　that　you　will　be
able　to　arrive　not　more　than　a　day　behind　me。〃　　He　departed　with　the　Duke
of　Vicenza；　and　Roustan　on　the　box；　my　carriage　was　unharnessed；　and　I
remained　to　my　great　regret。　　The　Emperor　left　in　the　night。

By　daybreak　the　army　had　learned　the　news；　and　the　impression　it　made
cannot　be　depicted。　　Discouragement　was　at　its　height；　and　many　soldiers
cursed　the　Emperor；　and　reproached　him　for　abandoning　them。　　There　was
universal　indignation。　　The　Prince　of　Neuchatel　was　very　uneasy；　and
asked　news　of　every　one；　though　he　would　naturally　have　been　the　first　to
receive　any　information。　　He　feared　lest　Napoleon；　who　had　a　feeble
escort；　should　be　made　prisoner　by　the　Cossacks；　who；　if　they　had　learned
his　departure；　would　make　the　greatest　efforts　to　carry　him　off。

This　night；　the　6th；　the　cold　increased　greatly；　and　its　severity　may　be
imagined；　as　birds　were　found　on　the　ground　frozen　stiff　with　the　cold。
Soldiers　who　had　seated　themselves　with　their　head　in　their　hands；　and
bodies　bent　forward　in　order　to　thus　feel　less　the　emptiness　of　their
stomachs；　were　found　dead　in　this　position。　　As　we　breathed；　the　vapor
from　our　lips　froze　on　our　eyebrows；　little　white　icicles　formed　on　the
mustaches　and　beards　of　the　soldiers；　and　in　order　to　melt　them　they
warmed　their　chins　by　the　bivouac　fire；　and　as　may　be　imagined　a　large
number　did　not　do　this　with　impunity。　　Artillerymen　held　their　hands　to
the　horses'　nostrils　to　get　a　little　warmth　from　the　strong　breathing　of
these　animals。　　Their　flesh　was　the　usual　food　of　the　soldiers。　　Large
slices　of　this　meat　were　thrown　on　the　coals；　and　when　frozen　by　the
cold；　it　was　carried　without　spoiling；　like　salted　bacon；　the　powder　from
the　cartridge…boxes　taking　the　place　of　salt。

This　same　night　we　had　with　us　a　young　Parisian　belonging　to　a　very
wealthy　family；　who　had　endeavored　to　obtain　employment　in　the　Emperor's
household。　　He　was　very　young；　and　had　been　received　among　the　boys　of
the　apartments；　and　the　poor　child　was　taking　his　first　journey。　　He　was
seized　with　the　fever　as　we　left　Moscow；　and　was　so　ill　this　evening　that
we　could　not　remove　him　from　the　wagon　belonging　to　the　wardrobe　service
in　which　he　had　been　made　as　comfortable　as　possible。　　He　died　there　in
the　night；　much　to　be　regretted　by　all　who　knew　him。　　Poor　Lapouriel　was
a　youth　of　charming　character；　fine　education；　the　hope　of　his　family；；
and　an　only　son。　　The　ground　was　so　hard　that　we　could　not　dig　a　grave；
and　experienced　the　chagrin　of　leaving　his　remains　unburied。

I　set　out　next　day　armed　with　an　order　from　the　Prince　de　Neuchatel　that
all　on　the　road　should　furnish　me　horses　in　preference　to　all　others。
At　the　first　post　after　leaving　Smorghoni；　whence　the　Emperor　had　set　out
with　the　Duke　of　Vicenza；　this　order　was　of　invaluable　aid　to　me；　for
there　were　horses　for　only　one　carriage。　　I　found　myself　a　rival　to　M。
the　Count　Daru；　who　arrived　at　the　same　time。　　It　is　useless　to　say　that
without　the　Emperor's　orders　to　rejoin　him　as　quickly　as　possible　I　would
not　have　exercised　my　right　to　take　precedence　over　the　intendant　general
of　the　army；　but　impelled　by　my　duty　I　showed　the　order　of　the　Prince　de
Neuchatel　to　M。　the　Count　Daru；　and　the　latter；　after　examining　it；　said
to　me；　〃You　are　right；　M。　Constant；　take　the　horses；　but　I　beg　you　send
them　back　as　quickly　as　possible。〃　　How　crowded　with　disasters　was　this
retreat。

After　much　suffering　and　privation　we　arrived　at　Wilna；　where　it　was
necessary　to　pass　a　long；　narrow　bridge　before　entering　the　town。　　The
artillery　and　wagons　occupied　the　whole　bridge　so　entirely　that　no　other
carriage　could　pass；　and　it　was　useless　to　say　〃His　Majesty's　service；〃
as　we　received　only　maledictions。　　Seeing　the　impossibility　of　advancing；
I　alighted　from　my　carriage；　and　found　there　the　Prince　of　Aremberg；
ordnance　officer　of　the　Emperor；　in　a　pitiable　condition；　his　face；　nose；
ears；　and　feet　having　been　frozen。　　He　was　seated　behind　my　carriage。　　I
was　cut　to　the　heart；　and　said　to　the　prince　that　if　he　had　informed　me
of　his　condition　I　would　have　given　him　my　place。　　He　could　hardly　answer
me。　　I　helped　him　for　some　time；　but　seeing　how　necessary　it　was　that　we
should　both　advance；　I　undertook　to　carry　him。　　He　was　delicate；　slender；
and　about　medium　height。　　I　took　him　in　my　arms；　and　with　this　burden；
elbowing；　pushing；　hurting　some；　being　hurt　by　others；　I　at　last　reached
the　headquarters　of　the　King　of　Naples；　and　deposited　the　prince　there；
recommending　that　he　should　receive　every　attention　which　his　condition
required。　　After　this　I　resumed　my　carriage。

Everything　had　failed　us。　　Long　before　reaching　Wilna；　the　horses　being
dead；　we　had　received　orders　to　burn　our　carriages　with　all　the　contents。
I　lost　heavily　in　this　journey；　as　I　had　purchased　several　valuable
articles　which　were　burned　with　my　baggage　of　which　I　always　had　a　large
quantity　on　our　journeys。　　A　large　part　of　the　Emperor's　baggage　was　lost
in　the　same　manner。

A　very　handsome　carriage　of　Prince　Berthier；　which　had　just　arrived　and
had　not　been　used；　was　also　burned。　　At　these　fires；　four　grenadiers　were
stationed；　who　with　fixed　bayonet　prevented　any　one　from　taking　from　the
fire　what　had　been　ordered　to　be　sacrificed。

The　next　day　the　carriages　which　had　been　spared　were　visited　in　order　to
be　assured　that　nothing　had　been　kept　back。　　I　was　allowed　to　keep　only
two　shirts。　　We　slept　at　Wilna；　but　the　next　day　very　early　the　alarm　was
given　that　the　Russians　were　at　the　gates　of　the　town。　　Men　rushed　in；
beside　themselves　with　terror；　crying；　〃We　are　lost！〃　　The　King　of