louisa of prussia and her times-第131部分

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〃Yes；　we　should　be　glad；〃　they　exclaimed；　〃it　would　be　a　holiday　for
us。〃

〃Well；　it　may　happen　very　soon；〃　said　the　prince；　smiling；　and
continued　his　walk。

〃Long　live　the　Prince　von　Hohenlohe！〃　shouted　the　soldiers。　The
prince　walked　on；　everywhere　greeting　the　soldiers　and　receiving
their　salutations；　everywhere　filling　the　men　with　exultation　by
promising　them　that　they　would　soon　have　a　battle　and　defeat　the
French。

Now　he　stopped　in　front　of　the　grenadiers；　who　were　drawn　up　in　line
before　him。

〃Boys；〃　he　said；　loudly　and　joyously；　〃you　will　have　to　perform　the
heaviest　part　of　the　work。　If　need　be；　you　must　make　a　bayonet
charge；　and　I　know　you　will　rout　the　enemy　wherever　you　meet　with
him。　I　am　sure　you　will　do　so！〃

〃Yes；　we　will！〃　shouted　the　grenadiers；　〃most　assuredly　we　will！
Would　we　had　already　got　hold　of　the　French！〃

〃We　will　soon　enough；〃　exclaimed　the　prince；　and　when　he　then　walked
along　the　ranks；　he　asked　a　tall；　broad…shouldered　grenadier。　〃Well；
how　many　French　soldiers　will　you　take？〃

〃Five；〃　said　the　grenadier。

〃And　you？〃　said　the　prince；　to　another　grenadier。

〃Three；〃　he　replied。

〃I　shall　not　take　less　than　seven！〃　shouted　another。

〃I　shall　not　take　less　than　ten！〃　said　still　another。

The　prince　laughed　and　passed　on。

When　the　night　had　further　advanced；　he　rode　with　his　staff　to　a
hill　near　Kapellendorf；　where　he　had　established　his　headquarters。

From　this　hill　he　closely　scanned　the　position　of　the　enemy；　whose
camp　was　marked　only　by　a　few　lights　and　bivouac…fires。

〃We　shall　have　nothing　to　do　to…morrow；〃　said　the　prince；　turning　to
his　officers。　〃It　seems　the　principal　army　of　the　French　is　moving
toward　Leipsic　and　Naumburg。　At　the　best；　we　shall　have　a　few
skirmishes　of　no　consequence　to…morrow。　We　may；　therefore；　calmly　go
to　bed；　and　so　may　our　soldiers。　Good…night；　gentlemen。〃

And　the　prince　rode　with　his　adjutants　down　to　his　headquarters　at
Kapellendorf；　to　go　to　bed　and　sleep。　An　hour　later；　profound
silence　reigned　in　the　Prussian　camp　near　Jena。　The　soldiers　were
sleeping；　and　so　was　their　general。

And　profound　silence　reigned　also　in　the　Prussian　camp　at　Auerstadt。
The　king　had　held　a　council　of　war　late　in　the　evening；　and
conferred　with　the　Duke　of　Brunswick；　Field…Marshal　von　Mullendorf；
and　the　other　generals　about　the　operations　of　the　following　day。
The　result　of　this　consultation　had　been　that　nobody　believed　in　the
possibility　of　a　battle　on　the　following　day；　and　hence；　it　had　been
decided　that　the　army　was　quietly　to　advance；　follow　the　enemy；　who
seemed　to　retreat；　and　prevent　him　from　crossing　the　Saale。

The　council　of　war　had　then　adjourned；　and　the　Duke　of　Brunswick
hastened　to　his　quarters；　in　order；　like　the　Prince　von　Hohenlohe；
to　go　to　bed　and　sleep。

An　hour　lafer；　profound　silence　reigned　also　in　the　Prussian　camp　at
Auerstadt。　The　Duke　of　Brunswick　slept；　and　so　did　his　soldiers。

The　king　alone　was　awake。

With　a　heavy　heart　and　a　gloomy　face；　he　was　walking　up　and　down　in
his　tent。　He　felt　indescribably　lonesome；　for　his　wife　was　no　longer
with　him。　Yielding；　with　bitter　tears；　to　the　supplications　of　her
husband；　she　had　left　the　camp　to…day　and　gone　toward　Naumburg。

The　king　had　implored　her　to　go；　but　his　heart　was　heavy；　and　when
he　at　last；　late　at　night；　repaired　to　his　couch；　slumber　kept　aloof
from　his　eyes。

At　the　same　time；　while　the　Prussian　army　and　its　generals　were
sleeping；　a　wondrous　scene　took　place　not　far　from　them；　and　a
singular　procession　moved　across　the　fields　at　no　great　distance
from　Jena。

Silence；　darkness；　and　fog　reigned　all　around。　But　suddenly　the　fog
parted；　and　two　torch…bearers；　with　grave　faces；　appeared
accompanying　a　man　clad　in　a　green　overcoat；　with　white　facings；
with　a　small　three…cornered　hat　on　his　head；　and　mounted　on　a　white
horse。　The　blaze　of　the　torches　illuminated　his　pale　face；　his　eyes
were　as　keen　as　those　of　an　eagle；　and　seemed　to　command　the　fog　to
disappear；　so　that　he　might　see　what　it　was　concealing　from　him。　At
his　side；　whenever　the　torches　blazed　up；　two　other　horsemen；　in
brilliant　uniforms；　were　to　be　seen；　but　their　eyes　did　not　try　to
pierce　the　fog；　but　to　fathom　the　face　of　the　proud　man　at　their
side；　their　eyes　were　fixed　on　him；　on　his　pale　face；　on　which；　even
at　this　hour　of　the　night；　the　sun　of　Austerlitz　was　shedding　his
golden　rays。

While　the　Prussian　army　and　its　generals　were　sleeping；　Napoleon　was
awake　and　was　arranging　the　plans　for　the　impending　battle。　The
postmaster　of　Jena　and　General　Denzel　were　his　torch…bearers；
Marshal　Lannes　and　Marshal　Soult　were　his　companions。

The　Emperor　Napoleon　was　reconnoitering；　in　the　dead　of　night；　the
ground　on　which　he　was　to　gain　a　battle　over　the　Prussians　on　the
morrow；　as　he　had　recently　gained　a　battle　over　the　Austrians。

Austria　had　had　her　Austerlitz；　Prussia　was　to　have　her　Auerstadt
and　Jena。

Napoleon　had　fixed　his　plan；　to…morrow　was　the　day　when　he　would
take　revenge　on　the　King　of　Prussia　for　the　treaty　of　Potsdam　and
the　alliance　with　Russia。

Arriving　at　the　foot　of　the　hill　of　Jena；　the　emperor　stopped　and
alighted；　in　order　to　ascend　it　on　foot。　When　he　reached　the　summit；
he　stood　for　a　long　while　absorbed　in　his　reflections。　The　two
torch…bearers　were　at　his　side；　the　two　marshals　stood　a　little
behind　them。　The　emperor's　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　mountains；
especially　on　the　Dornberg　which　he　had　previously　passed。

The　mountain　lay　dark　and　silent　before　hima　lonely；　sleeping
giant。

The　emperor　raised　his　arm　and　pointed　at　the　Dornberg。　〃The
Prussians　have　left　the　heights；〃　he　said；　turning　slowly　to　Marshal
Lannes；　〃they　were　probably　afraid　of　the　cold　night…air；　and　have
descended　into　the　valley　to　sleep。　They　believe　we　shall　not　take
advantage　of　their　slumber。　But　they　will　be　dreadfully　mistaken；
those　old　wigs！　＇Napoleon　said：　〃Ils　se　tromperent　formidablement
ces　vieux　perruques。〃＇　As　soon　as　the　fog　has　descended　a　little
post　your　sharpshooters　on　the　heights　of　the　Dornberg；　that　they
may　bid　the　Prussians　good…morning　when　they　want　to　march　up
again！〃

He　turned　his　eyes　again　to　the　gorge；　suddenly　his　eyes　flashed
fire　and　seemed　to　pierce　the　darkness。

〃What　is　going　on　in　the　gorge　below？〃　he　asked；　hastily。

The　torch…bearers　lowered　their　torches；　the　emperor　and　the
marshals　looked　anxiously　at　a　long　black　line　moving　forward　in　the
middle　of　the　gorge；　illuminated　here　and　there　by　a　yellow　pale
light　which　seemed　to　burn　in　large　lanterns。

Napoleon　turned　with　an　angry　glance　to　Marshal　Lannes。　His　face　was
palehis　right　shoulder　was　quivering；　a　symptom　that　he　was　highly
incensed。　〃It　is　the　artillery　of　your　corps；〃　he　said。　〃It　has
stuck　in　the　gorge！　If　we　cannot　get　it　off；　we　shall　lose
tomorrow's　battle！　Come！〃

And　he　hastened　down…hill　in　so　rapid　and　impetuous　a　manner　that
the　torch…bearers　and　marshals　were　scarcely　able　to　follow　him。

Like　an　apparition；　with　flashing　eyes；　with　an　angry；　pale　face；
his　form　suddenly　emerged　from　the　darkness　before　the　artillerists
who　vainly　tried　to　move　the　field…pieces；　the　wheels　of　which　sank
deeply　into　the　sand。　The　whole　column　of　cannon　and　caissons　behind
them　had　been　obliged　to　halt；　and　an　inextricable　confusion　would
have　ensued　unless　immediate　and　energetic　steps　had　been　taken　to
open　a　passage。

This　was　to　be　done　immediately；　for　Napoleon　was　there。

He　called　in　a　loud　voice　for　the　general　commanding　the　artillery；
he　repeated　this　call　three　times；　and　every　time　his　voice　became
more　threatening；　and　his　face　turned　paler。

But　the　officers　he　called　for　did　not　appear。　The　emperor　did　not
say　a　word；　his　right　shoulder　was　quivering；　and　his　eyes　flashed
fire。

He　commanded　all　the　gunners　in　a　loud　voice　to　come　to　him；　and
ordered　them　to　get　their　tools　and　light　their　large　lanterns。

The　emperor　had　himself　seized　the　first　lantern　that　was　lighted。

〃Now　take　your　pick…axes　and　spades；〃　he　shouted。　〃We　must　widen　the
gorge　in　order　to　get　the　field…pieces　off　again。〃

It　was　hard　and　exhausting　work。　Large　drops　of　perspiration　ran
down　from　the　foreheads　of　the　gunners；　and　their　breath　issued
painfully　from　their　breasts。　But　they　worked　on　courageously　and
untiringly；　for　the　emperor　stood　at　their　side；　lantern　in　hand；
and　lighted　them　during　their　toilsome　task。

At　times　the　gunners　would　pause　and　lean　on　their　spadesnot；
however；　for　the　purpose　of　resting；　but　of　looking　with　wondering
eyes　at　this　strange　spectacle；　this　man　with　his　pale　marble　face
and　flaming　eyes；　this　emperor　who　had　transformed　himself　into　an
artillery　officer；　and；　lantern　in　hand；　lighted　his　gunners。
＇〃Memoires　du　Duc　de　Rovigo；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　278。＇

Only　when　the　wagons　and　field…pieces；　thanks　to　the　energy　of　the
gunners；　had　commenced　moving　again；　the　emperor　left　the　gorge　and
returned　to　his　bivouac。　He　took　his　supper　hastily　and
thoughtfully；　then　he　summoned　all　his　generals　and　gave　them　their
instructions　for　to…morrow's　battle　as　lucidly　and　calmly　as　ever。

〃And　now　let　us　sleep；　for　we　must　be　up　and　doing　to…morrow　morning
at　four　o'clock！〃　said　the　emperor；　dismissing　his　generals　with　a
winning　smile。

A　few　minutes　later　profound　silence　reigned　all　around；　the　emperor
lay　on　his　straw　and　slept。　Roustan　sat　at　some　distance　from　him；
and　his　dark　eyes　were　fixed　on　his　master　with　the　expression　of　a
faithful　and　vigilant　St。　Bernard's　dog。　The　flames　of　the　bivouac…
fire　enveloped　at　times；　when　they　rose　higher；　the　whole　form　of
the　emperor　in　a　strange　halo；　and　when　they　sank　down　again　the
shades　of　the　night　shrouded　it　once　more。　Four　sentinels　were
walking　up　and　down　in　front　of　the　emperor's　bivouac。

Morning　was　dawning；　it　was　the　morning　of　the　14th　of　October；
1806。

The　Prussians　were　still　asleep　in　their　tents。　But　the　French　were
awake；　and　the　emperor　was　at　their　head。

At　four　o'clock；　according　to　the　orders　Napoleon　had　given；　the
divisions　that　were　to　make　the　first　attack　were　under　arms。

The　emperor　on　his　white　horse　galloped　up；　an　outburst　of　the　most