napoleon bonaparte, v9-第8部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


subjects。

I　love　your　nation。　　For　sixteen　years　I　have　seen　your　soldiers　by　my
side　on　the　fields　of　Italy　as　on　those　of　Spain。

I　applaud　all　that　you　have　done；　I　authorize　the　efforts　you　wish　to
make；　and　all　that　depends　on　me　to　carry　out　your　resolutions　shall　be
done。

If　your　efforts　are　unanimous；　you　may　indulge　the　hope　of　forcing　your
enemies　to　recognize　your　rights。　　But　in　these　countries；　so　distant　and
so　extensive；　any　hope　of　success　can　be　founded　only　on　the　unanimous
efforts　of　the　population　which　occupies　them。

I　have　maintained　the　same　position　since　my　first　appearance　in　Poland。
I　should　add　here　that　I　have　guaranteed　to　the　Emperor　of　Austria　the
integrity　of　his　States；　and　I　could　authorize　no　movement　tending　to
disturb　him　in　the　peaceful　possession　of　what　remains　to　him　of　the
Polish　provinces。　　Let　Lithuania；　Samogitia；　Witepsk；　Polotsk；　Mohilow；
Wolhynia；　Ukraine；　and　Podolia　be　animated　by　the　same　spirit　I　have　seen
in　great　Poland；　and　Providence　will　crown　with　success　the　holiness　of
your　cause；　it　will　recompense　this　devotion　to　your　native　country　which
has　made　you　such　an　object　of　interest；　and　has　obtained　for　you　the
right　to　my　esteem　and　protection；　on　which　you　may　rely　under　all
circumstances。〃

I　have　thought　it　best　to　give　here　the　entire　reply　of　the　Emperor　to
the　deputies　of　the　Polish　confederation；　as　I　was　a　witness　of　the
effect　it　produced　at　Wilna。　　A　few　Poles　with　whom　I　was　associated
spoke　to　me　of　it　with　sorrow；　but　their　consternation　was　not　loudly
expressed；　and　the　air　did　not　the　less　resound　with　cries　of　〃Vive
l'Empereur！〃　　each　time　the　Emperor　showed　himself　in　public；　which　is　to
say　almost　every　day。

During　our　stay　at　Wilna　some　hopes　were　entertained　that　a　new　peace　was
about　to　be　concluded；　as　an　envoy　had　arrived　from　the　Emperor
Alexander。　　But　these　hopes　were　of　short　duration；　and　I　have　since
ascertained　that　the　Russian　officer；　M。　Balochoff；　fearing；　like　almost
all　of　his　nation；　a　reconciliation　between　the　two　emperors；　delivered
his　message　in　such　a　manner　as　to　rouse　the　pride　of　his　Majesty；　who
sent　him　back　after　a　cool　reception。　　Everything　smiled　on　the　Emperor。
He　was　then　at　the　head　of　the　most　numerous　as　well　as　most　formidable
army　he　had　ever　commanded。　　On　M。　Balachoff's　departure　everything　was
set　in　order　for　the　execution　of　his　Majesty's　plans。

When　on　the　point　of　penetrating　into　the　Russian　territory；　his　Majesty
no　longer　maintained　his　customary　serenity；　at　least；　I　had　occasion　to
remark　that　he　was　unusually　silent　at　the　hours　I　had　the　honor　to
approach　him；　and；　nevertheless；　as　soon　as　his　plans　were　made；　and　he
had　brought　his　troops　from　the　other　side　of　the　Vilia；　the　river　on
which　Wilna　is　situated；　the　Emperor　took　possession　of　the　Russian
territory　with　the　enthusiastic　ardor　one　would　expect　in　a　young　man。
One　of　the　escort　which　accompanied　him　related　to　me　that　the　Emperor
spurred　his　horse　to　the　front；　and　made　him　run　at　his　utmost　speed
nearly　a　league　through　the　woods　alone；　and　notwithstanding　the　numerous
Cossacks　scattered　through　these　woods　which　lie　along　the　right　bank　of
the　Vilia。

I　have　more　than　once　seen　the　Emperor　much　annoyed　because　there　was　no
enemy　to　fight。　　For　instance；　the　Russians　had　abandoned　Wilna；　which　we
had　entered　without　resistance；　and　again；　on　leaving　this　town　scouts
announced　the　absence　of　hostile　troops；　with　the　exception　of　those
Cossacks　of　whom　I　have　spoken。　　I　remember　one　day　we　thought　we　heard
the　distant　noise　of　cannon；　and　the　Emperor　almost　shuddered　with　joy；
but　we　were　soon　undeceived；　the　noise　was　the　sound　of　thunder；　and
suddenly　the　most　frightful　storm　I　have　ever　seen　burst　over　the　army。
The　land　for　a　space　of　more　than　four　leagues　was　so　covered　with　water
that　the　road　could　not　be　seen；　and　this　storm；　as　fatal　as　a　battle
could　have　been；　cost　us　a　large　number　of　men；　several　thousand　horses；
and　a　part　of　the　immense　equipments　of　the　expedition。

It　was　known　in　the　army　that　the　Russians　had　done　an　immense　amount　of
work　at　Drissa；　where　they　had　constructed　an　enormous　intrenched　camp；
and　the　number　of　troops　collected　there；　the　considerable　sums　expended
in　the　works；　all　gave　reason　to　believe　that　the　Russian　army　would
await　the　French　at　this　point；　and　this　belief　was　all　the　more
reasonable　since　the　Emperor　Alexander；　in　his　numerous　proclamations
disseminated　through　the　army；　and　several　of　which　fell　into　our　hands；
boasted　of　conquering　the　French　at　Drissa；　where　（said　these
proclamations）　we　should　find　our　grave。　　It　was　otherwise　ordained　by
destiny；　for　the　Russians；　constantly　falling　back　towards　the　heart　of
Russia；　abandoned　this　famous　camp　of　Drissa　on　the　approach　of　the
Emperor：　I　heard　it　said　by　many　general　officers　that　a　great　battle
would　have　been　at　that　time　a　salutary　event　for　the　French　army；　in
which　discontent　was　beginning　to　increase；　first；　for　want　of　enemies　to
fight；　and　second；　because　privations　of　every　kind　became　each　day　more
unendurable。　　Whole　divisions　lived；　so　to　speak；　by　pillage。　　The
soldiers　devastated　the　dwellings　and　cottages　found　at　rare　intervals　in
the　country；　and；　in　spite　of　the　severe　orders　of　the　Emperor　against
marauding　and　pillaging；　these　orders　could　not　be　executed；　for　the
officers　themselves　lived　for　the　most　part　on　the　booty　which　the
soldiers　obtained　and　shared　with　them。

The　Emperor　affected　before　his　soldiers　a　serenity　which　he　was　far　from
feeling；　and　from　a　few　detached　words　which　I　heard　him　pronounce　in
this　grave　situation；　I　am　authorized　to　believe　that　the　Emperor　desired
a　battle　so　ardently；　only　in　the　hope　that　the　Emperor　Alexander　would
make　him　new　overtures　leading　to　peace。　　I　think　that　he　would　then　have
accepted　it　after　the　first　victory；　but　he　would　never　have　consented　to
retrace　his　steps　after　such　immense　preparations　without　having　waged
one　of　those　great　battles　which　furnish　sufficient　glory　for　a　campaign；
at　least；　that　is　what　I　heard　him　say　repeatedly。　　The　Emperor　also
often　spoke　of　the　enemies　he　had　to　combat　with　an　affected　disdain
which　he　did　not　really　feel；　his　object　being　to　cheer　the　officers　and
soldiers；　many　of　whom　made　no　concealment　of　their　discouragement。

Before　leaving　Wilna；　the　Emperor　established　there　a　kind　of　central
government；　at　the　head　of　which　he　had　placed　the　Duke　of　Bassano；　with
the　object　of　having　an　intermediate　point　between　France　and　the　line　of
operations　he　intended　to　carry　on　in　the　interior　of　Russia。
Disappointed；　as　I　have　said；　by　the　abandonment　of　the　camp　of　Drissa　by
the　Russian　army；　he　marched　rapidly　towards　Witepsk；　where　the　greater
part　of　the　French　forces　were　then　collected：　but　here　the　ire　of　the
Emperor　was　again　aroused　by　a　new　retreat　of　the　Russians；　for　the
encounters　of　Ostrovno　and　Mohilev；　although　important；　could　not　be
considered　as　the　kind　of　battle　the　Emperor　so　ardently　desired。　　On
entering　Witepsk；　the　Emperor　learned　that　the　Emperor　Alexander；　who　a
few　days　before　had　his　headquarters　there；　and　also　the　Grand　Duke
Constantine；　had　quitted　the　army；　and　returned　to　St。　Petersburg。

At　this　period；　that　is　to　say；　on　our　arrival　at　Witepsk；　the　report　was
spread　abroad　that　the　Emperor　would　content　himself　with　taking　position
there；　and　organizing　means　of　subsistence　for　his　army；　and　that　he
would　postpone　till　the　next　year　the　execution　of　his　vast　designs　on
Russia。　　I　could　not　undertake　to　say　what　his　inmost　thoughts　were　on
this　subject；　but　what　I　can　certify　is　that；　being　in　a　room　adjoining
his；　I　one　day　heard　him　say　to　the　King　of　Naples；　that　the　first
campaign　of　Russia　was　ended；　and　that　he　would　be　the　following　year　at
Moscow；　the　next　at　St。　Petersburg；　and　that　the　Russian　war　was　a　three
years'　campaign。　　Had　it　pleased　Providence　that　his　Majesty　had　executed
this　plan；　which　he　outlined　to　the　King　of　Naples　so　earnestly；　so　many
of　the　brave　would　not　have　laid　down　their　lives　a　few　months　after　in
the　frightful　retreat；　the　horrors　of　which　I　shall　hereafter　describe。

During　our　stay　at　Witepsk；　the　heat　was　so　excessive　that　the　Emperor
was　much　exhausted；　and　complained　of　it　incessantly；　and　I　have　never
seen　him　under　any　circumstances　so　oppressed　by　the　weight　of　his
clothing。　　In　his　room　he　rarely　wore　his　coat；　and　frequently　threw
himself　on　his　bed　to　rest。　　This　is　a　fact　which　many　persons　can　attest
as　well　as　I；　for　he　often　received　his　general　officers　thus；　though　it
had　been　his　custom　never　to　appear　before　them　without　the　uniform　which
he　habitually　wore。　　Nevertheless；　the　influence　which　the　heat　had　on
his　physical　condition　had　not　affected　his　great　soul；　and　his　genius
ever　on　the　alert　embraced　every　branch　of　the　administration。　　But　it
was　easily　seen　by　those　whose　positions　enabled　them　best　to　know　his
character　that　the　source　of　his　greatest　suffering　at　Witepsk　was　the
uncertainty　whether　he　should　remain　in　Poland；　or　should　advance　without
delay　into　the　heart　of　Russia。　　While　he　was　hesitating　between　these
two　decisions　he　was　nearly　always　sad　and　taciturn。

In　this　state　of　vacillation　between　repose　and　motion；　the　Emperor's
preference　was　not　doubtful；　and　at　the　end　of　a　council　where　I　heard　it
said　that　his　Majesty　met　with　much　opposition；　I　learned　that　we　were　to
move　forward　and　advance　on　Moscow；　from　which　it　was　said　that　we　were
only　twenty　days'　march　distant。　　Among　those　who　opposed　most　vehemently
this　immediate　march　on　Moscow；　I　heard　the　names　cited　of　the　Duke　of
Vicenza　and　the　Count　of　Lobau；　　but　what　I　can　assert　of　my　own
knowledge；　and　which　I　learned　in　a　manner　to　leave　no　room　for　doubt；　is
that　the　grand　marshal　of　the　palace　　tried　on　numerous　occasions　to
dissuade　the　Emperor　from　this　project。　　But　all　these　endeavors　were　of
no　avail　against　his　will。

We　then　directed　our　course　towards　the　second　capital　of　Russia；　and
arrived　after　a　few　days　march　at　Smolensk；　a　large　and　beautiful　city。
The　Russians；　whom　he　thought