napoleon bonaparte, v10-第9部分

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　　　　　with　this　mission；　and　consequently　will　go　at　once　to　Dlarkersdorf；
　　　　　and；　as　an　evidence　of　his　authority；　will　present　to　Minister
　　　　　Hermann　the　accompanying　order；　and　take　possession　of　the　above
　　　　　mentioned　sum　of　two　hundred　gold　napoleons。　　The　secretary
　　　　　Meyerheim　will　account　to　me　alone　for　the　execution　of　this　order。
　　　　　At　Dresden　this　20th　of　March　llst　of　April）；　1814。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　（Signed）　BARON　DE　ROSEN。〃


This　order　needs　no　comment。　　After　the　battles　of　Bautzen　and　Wurschen；
the　Emperor　entered　Silesia。　　He　saw　on　every　occasion　combined　armies　of
the　allies　put　to　flight　before　his　own　in　every　encounter；　and　this
sight；　while　flattering　his　vanity　exceedingly；　also　greatly　strengthened
him　in　the　belief　that　he　would　soon　find　himself　master　of　a　rich　and
fertile　country；　where　the　abundant　means　of　subsistence　would　be　of　much
advantage　in　all　his　undertakings。　　Many　times　a　day　he　exclaimed；　〃How
far　are　we　from　such　a　town？　　When　do　we　arrive　at　Breslau？　　〃His
impatience　did　not　prevent　him　meanwhile　from　occupying　his　mind　with
every　object　which　struck　his　attention；　as　if　he　were　free　from　all
care。　　He　examined　the　houses；　one　by　one；　as　he　passed　through　each
village；　remarked　the　direction　of　rivers　and　mountain　ranges；　and
collected　the　most　minute　information　which　the　inhabitants　could　or
would　give　him。　　On　the　27th　of　May；　his　Majesty；　when　not　more　than
three　days　march　from　Breslau；　met　in　front　of　a　little　town　called
Michelsdorf　several　regiments　of　Russian　cavalry　who　held　the　road。　　They
were　quite　near　the　Emperor　and　his　staff　before　his　Majesty　had　even
perceived　them。　　The　Prince　de　Neuchatel；　seeing　the　enemy　so　near；
hastened　to　the　Emperor；　and　said；　〃Sire；　they　are　still　advancing。〃
〃Well；　we　will　advance　also；〃　replied　his　Majesty；　smiling。　　〃Look　behind
you…〃　And　he　showed　the　prince　the　French　infantry　approaching　in　close
columns。　　A　few　discharges　soon　drove　the　Russians　from　this　position；
but　half　a　league　or　a　league　farther　we　found　them　again；　and　this
maneuver　was　again　and　again　repeated。　　The　Emperor；　perceiving　this；
maneuvered　accordingly；　and　in　person　directed　with　the　greatest
precision　the　troops　as　they　advanced。　　He　went　from　one　height　to
another；　and　thoroughly　inspected　the　towns　and　villages　on　the　route　in
order　to　reconnoiter　their　position；　and　ascertain　what　resources　he
could　obtain　from　the　country；　and；　as　a　result　of　his　attentive　care　and
indefatigable　oversight；　the　scene　changed　ten　times　a　day。　　If　a　column
emerged　from　a　deep　ravine；　a　wood；　or　a　village；　it　could　take　immediate
possession　of　a　height；　since　a　battery　was　found　already　in　position　to
defend　it。　　The　Emperor　indicated　every　movement　with　admirable　tact；　and
in　such　a　manner　that　it　was　impossible　to　be　taken　at　a　disadvantage。
He　commanded　only　the　troops　as　a　whole；　transmitting　either　personally；
or　through　his　staff　officers；　his　orders　to　the　commander　of　the　corps
and　divisions；　who　in　their　turn　transmitted　or　had　them　transmitted　to
the　chiefs　of　battalions。　　All　orders　given　by　his　Majesty　were　short；
precise；　and　so　clear　that　it　was　never　necessary　to　ask　explanations。

On　the　29th　of　May；　not　knowing　how　far　on　the　road　to　Breslau　it　was
prudent　to　advance；　his　Majesty　established　himself　on　a　little　farm
called　Rosnig；　which　had　been　pillaged；　and　presented　a　most　miserable
aspect。　　As　there　could　be　found　in　the　house　only　a　small　apartment　with
a　closet　suitable　for　the　Emperor's　use；　the　Prince　de　Neuchatel　and　his
suite　established　themselves　as　well　as　they　could　in　the　surrounding
cottages；　barns；　and　even　in　the　gardens；　since　there　was　not　sufficient
shelter　for　all。　　The　next　day　a　fire　broke　out　in　a　stable　near　the
lodging　of　the　Emperor。　　There　were　fourteen　or　fifteen　wagons　in　this
barn；　which　were　all　burned。　　One　of　these　wagons　contained　the　traveling
treasury　chest；　in　another　were　the　clothes　and　linen　belonging　to　the
Emperor；　as　well　as　jewelry；　rings；　tobacco　boxes；　and　other　valuable
objects。　　We　saved　very　few　things　from　this　fire；　and　if　the　reserve
corps　had　not　arrived　promptly；　his　Majesty　would　have　been　obliged　to
change　his　customary　toilet　rules　for　want　of　stockings　and　shirts。　　The
Saxon　Major　d'Odeleben；　who　has　written　some　interesting　articles　on　this
campaign；　states　that　everything　belonging　to　his　Majesty　was　burned；　and
that　it　was　necessary　to　have　him　some　pantaloons　made　in　the　greatest
haste　at　Breslau。　　This　is　a　mistake。　　I　do　not　think　that　the　baggage…
wagon　was　burned；　but　even　if　it　had　been；　the　Emperor　would　not　on　that
account　have　needed　clothing；　since　there　were　always　four　or　five
complete　suits　either　in　advance　or　in　the　rear　of　the　headquarters。
In　Russia；　when　the　order　was　given　to　burn　all　carriages　which　lacked
horses；　this　order　was　rigorously　executed　in　regard　to　the　persons　of
the　household；　and　they　were　consequently　left　with　almost　nothing；　but
everything　was　reserved　which　might　be　considered　indispensable　to　his
Majesty。

At　length　on　the　1st　of　June；　at　six　o'clock　in　the　morning；　the　advance
guard　entered　Breslau；　having　at　its　head　General　Lauriston；　and　General
Hogendorp；　whom　his　Majesty　had　invested　in　advance　with　the　functions　of
governor　of　this　town；　which　was　the　capital　of　Silesia。　　Thus　was
fulfilled　in　part　the　promise　the　Emperor　had　made　in　passing　through
Warsaw　on　his　return　from　Russia：　〃I　go　to　seek　three　hundred　thousand
men。　　Success　will　render　the　Russians　bold。　　I　will　deliver　two　battles
between　the　Elbe　and　the　Oder；　and　in　six　months　I　will　be　again　on　the
Niemen。〃

These　two　battles　fought　and　gained　by　conscripts；　and　without　cavalry；
had　re…established　the　reputation　of　the　French　army。　　The　King　of　Saxony
had　been　brought　back　in　triumph　to　his　capital。　　The　headquarters　of　the
Emperor　were　at　Breslau；　one　of　the　corps　of　the　grand　army　was　at　the
gates　of　Berlin；　and　the　enemy　driven　from　Hamburg。　　Russia　was　about　to
be　forced　to　withdraw　into　its　own　boundaries；　when　the　Emperor　of
Austria；　acting　as　mediator　in　the　affairs　of　the　two　allied　sovereigns；
advised　them　to　propose　an　armistice。　　They　followed　this　advice；　and　as
the　Emperor　had　the　weakness　to　consent　to　their　demands；　the　armistice
was　granted　and　signed　on　the　fourth　of　June；　and　his　Majesty　at　once　set
out　on　his　return　to　Dresden。　　An　hour　after　his　departure　he　said；　〃If
the　allies　do　not　in　good　faith　desire　peace；　this　armistice　may　become
very　fatal　to　us。〃

On　the　evening　of　the　8th　of　June；　his　Majesty　reached　Gorlitz。　　On　that
night　fire　broke　out　in　the　faubourg　where　the　guard　had　established　its
quarters；　and　at　one　o'clock　one　of　the　officials　of　the　town　came　to　the
headquarters　of　the　Emperor　to　give　the　alarm；　saying　that　all　was　lost。
The　troops　extinguished　the　fire；　and　an　account　was　rendered　the　Emperor
of　what　had　occurred。　　I　dressed　him　in　all　haste；　as　he　wished　to　set
out　at　break　of　day。　　〃To　how　much　does　the　loss　amount？〃　demanded　the
Emperor。　　〃Sire；　to　seven　or　eight　thousand　francs　at　least　for　the　cases
of　greatest　need。〃〃Let　ten　thousand　be　given；　and　let　it　be　distributed
immediately。〃　　The　inhabitants　were　immediately　informed　of　the
generosity　of　the　Emperor；　and　as　he　left　the　village　an　hour　or　two
after；　he　was　saluted　with　unanimous　acclamations。

On　the　morning　of　the　10th　we　returned　from　Dresden。　　The　Emperor's
arrival　put　an　end　to　most　singular　rumors　which　had　been　circulated
there　since　the　remains　of　Grand　Marshal　Duroc　had　passed　through　the
city。　　It　was　asserted　that　the　coffin　contained　the　body　of　the　Emperor；
that　he　had　been　killed　in　the　last　battle；　and　his　body　mysteriously
concealed　in　a　room　of　the　chateau；　through　the　windows　of　which　lights
could　be　seen　burning　all　night。　　When　he　arrived；　some　persons　perfectly
infatuated　with　this　idea　went　so　far　as　to　repeat　what　had　already　been
reported；　with　the　added　circumstance　that　it　was　not　the　Emperor　who　was
seen　in　his　carriage；　but　a　figure　made　of　wax。　　Nevertheless；　when　next
day　he　appeared　before　the　eyes　of　all　on　horseback　in　a　meadow　in　front
of　the　gates　of　the　city；　they　were　compelled　to　admit　that　he　still
lived。

The　Emperor　alighted　at　the　Marcolini　palace；　a　charming　summer　residence
situated　in　the　faubourg　of　Friedrichstadt。　　An　immense　garden；　the
beautiful　meadows　of　Osterwise　on　the　banks　of　the　Elbe；　in　addition　to
an　extremely　fine　landscape；　rendered　this　sojourn　much　more　attractive
than　that　of　the　winter　palace；　and　consequently　the　Emperor　was　most
grateful　to　the　King　of　Saxony　for　having　prepared　it　for　him。　　There　he
led　the　same　life　as　at　Schoenbrunn；　reviews　every　morning；　much　work
during　the　day；　and　few　distractions　in　the　evening；　in　fact；　more
simplicity　than　display。　　The　middle　of　the　day　was　spent　in　cabinet
labors；　and　during　that　time　such　perfect　tranquillity　reigned　in　the
palace；　that　except　for　the　presence　of　two　sentinels　on　horseback　and
videttes；　which　showed　that　it　was　the　dwelling　of　a　sovereign；　it　would
have　been　difficult　to　imagine　that　this　beautiful　residence　was
inhabited　even　by　the　simplest　private　citizen。

The　Emperor　had　chosen　for　his　apartments　the　right　wing　of　the　palace；
the　left　was　occupied　by　the　Prince　de　Neuchatel。　　In　the　center　of　the
building　were　a　large　saloon　and　two　smaller　ones　which　served　as
reception　rooms。

Two　days　after　his　return；　his　Majesty　sent　orders　to　Paris　that　the
actors　of　the　〃Comedy〃　Theater　from　Paris　should　spend　the　time　of　the
armistice　at　Dresden。　　The　Duke　of　Vicenza；　charged　in　the　interim　with
the　duties　of　grand　marshal　of　the　palace；　was　ordered　to　make　all
necessary　preparations　to　receive　them。　　He　committed　this　duty　to　the
care　of　Messieurs　de　Beausset　and　de　Turenne；　to　whom　the　Emperor　gave
the　superintendence　of　the　theater；　and　a　hall　to　be　used　for　this
purpose　was　erected　in　the　orangery　of　the　Marcolini　palace。　　This　hall
communicated　with　the　apartments；　and　could　seat　about　two　hundred
persons。　　It　was　erected　as　if　by　magic；　and　was　opened；　while　awaiting
the　arrival　of　t