personal memoirs-2-第48部分

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boxes。　　With　much　anxiety　and　not　a　little　depression　of　spirits　news

from　the　battle…field　was　now　awaited；　but　the　suspense　did　not　last

long；　for　presently　came　the　cheering　intelligence　that　the　French

were　retiring；　being　forced　back　by　the　Pomeranian　corps；　and　some　of

the　lately　broken　right　wing　organizations；　that　had　been　rallied　on

the　heights　of　Gravelotte。　　The　lost　ground　being　thus　regained；　and

the　French　having　been　beaten　on　their　right；　it　was　not　long　before

word　came　that　Bazaine's　army　was　falling　back　to　Metz；　leaving　the

entire　battle…field　in　possession　of　the　Germans。



During　the　excitement　of　the　day　I　had　not　much　felt　the　want　of

either　food　or　water；　but　now　that　all　was　over　I　was　nearly

exhausted；　having　had　neither　since　early　morning。　　Indeed；　all　of

the　party　were　in　like　straits；　the　immense　armies　had　not　only　eaten

up　nearly　everything　in　the　country；　but　had　drunk　all　the　wells　dry；

too；　and　there　seemed　no　relief　for　us　till；　luckily；　a　squad　of

soldiers　came　along　the　road　with　a　small　cask　of　wine　in　a　cart。

One　of　the　staff…officers　instantly　appropriated　the　keg；　and

proceeded　to　share　his　prize　most　generously。　　Never　had　I　tasted

anything　so　refreshing　and　delicious；　but　as　the　wine　was　the

ordinary　sour　stuff　drunk　by　the　peasantry　of　northern　France；　my

appreciation　must　be　ascribed　to　my　famished　condition　rather　than　to

any　virtues　of　the　beverage　itself。



After　I　had　thus　quenched　my　thirst　the　King's；　brother　called　me

aside；　and　drawing　from　his　coat…tail　pocket　a　piece　of　stale　black

bread；　divided　it　with　me；　and　while　munching　on　this　the　Prince

began　talking　of　his　sonGeneral　Prince　Frederick　Charles；　popularly

called　the　Red　Princewho　was　in　command　of　the　Second　Army　in　this

battlethe　German　left　wing。　　In　recounting　his　son's　professional

career　the　old　man's　face　was　aglow　with　enthusiasm；　and　not　without

good　cause；　for　in　the　war　between　Prussia　and　Austria　in　1866；　as

well　as　in　the　present　campaign；　the　Red　Prince　had　displayed　the

highest　order　of　military　genius。



The　headquarters　now　became　the　scene　of　much　bustle；　despatches

announcing　the　victory　being　sent　in　all　directions。　　The　first　one

transmitted　was　to　the　Queen；　the　King　directing　Count　Bismarck　to

prepare　it　for　his　signature；　then　followed　others　of　a　more　official

character；　and　while　these　matters　were　being　attended　to　I　thought　I

would　ride　into　the　village　to　find；　if　possible；　some　water　for　my

horse。　　Just　as　I　entered　the　chief　street；　however；　I　was　suddenly

halted　by　a　squad　of　soldiers；　who；　taking　me　for　a　French　officer

（my　coat　and　forage　cap　resembling　those　of　the　French）；　leveled

their　pieces　at　me。　　They　were　greatly　excited；　so　much　so；　indeed；

that　I　thought　my　hour　had　come；　for　they　could　not　understand

English；　and　I　could　not　speak　German；　and　dare　not　utter

explanations　in　French。　　Fortunately　a　few　disconnected　German　words

came　to　me　in　the　emergency。　　With　these　I　managed　to　delay　my

execution；　and　one　of　the　party　ventured　to　come　up　to　examine　the

〃suspect〃　more　closely。　　The　first　thing　he　did　was　to　take　off　my

cap；　and　looking　it　over　carefully；　his　eyes　rested　on　the　three

stars　above　the　visor；　and；　pointing　to　them；　he　emphatically

pronounced　me　French。　　Then　of　course　they　all　became　excited　again；

more　so　than　before；　even；　for　they　thought　I　was　trying　to　practice

a　ruse；　and　I　question　whether　I　should　have　lived　to　recount　the

adventure　had　not　an　officer　belonging　to　the　King's　headquarters

been　passing　by　just　then；　when；　hearing　the　threatenings　and

imprecations；　he　rode　up　to　learn　the　cause　of　the　hubbub；　and

immediately　recognized　and　released　me。　　When　he　told　my　wrathy

captors　who　I　was；　they　were　much　mortified　of　course；　and　made　the

most　profuse　apologies；　promising　that　no　such　mistake　should　occur

again；　and　so　on；　but　not　feeling　wholly　reassured；　for　my　uniform

was　still　liable　to　mislead；　I　was　careful　to　return　to　headquarters

in　company　with　my　deliverer。　　There　I　related　what　had　occurred；　and

after　a　good　laugh　all　round；　the　King　provided　me　with　a　pass　which

he　said　would　preclude　any　such　mishap　in　the　future；　and　would　also

permit　me　to　go　wherever　I　pleaseda　favor　rarely　bestowed。









CHAPTER　XVII



SEARCHING　FOR　QUARTERSHUNTING　UP　PROVISIONSA　SLENDER　BREAKFAST

GOING　OVER　THE　BATTLEFIELDTHE　GERMAN　ARTILLERYA　GROUP　OF　WOUNDED…

…DINING　WITH　THE　KINGON　THE　MARCHTHE　BAVARIANSKIRSCHWASSER

URGING　ON　THE　TROOPS。



While　I　was　absent；　as　related　in　the　preceding　chapter；　it　had　been

decided　that　the　King's　quarters　should　be　established　for　the　night

in　the　village　of　Rezonville；　and　as　it　would　be　very　difficult；　at

such　a　late　hour；　to　billet　the　whole　party　regularly；　Count　Bismarck

and　I　went　off　to　look　for　shelter　for　ourselves。　　Remembering　that　I

had　seen；　when　seeking　to　water　my　horse；　a　partly　burned　barn　with

some　fresh…looking　hay　in　it；　I　suggested　that　we　lodge　there。　　He

too　thought　it　would　answer　our　purpose；　but　on　reaching　it　we　found

the　unburned　part　of　the　barn　filled　with　wounded；　and　this

necessitating　a　further　search　we　continued　on　through　the　village　in

quest　of　some　house　not　yet　converted　into　a　hospital。　　Such；

however；　seemed　impossible　to　come　upon；　so　at　last　the　Count　fixed

on　one　whose　upper　floor；　we　learned；　was　unoccupied；　though　the

lower　one　was　covered　with　wounded。



Mounting　a　creaky　ladderthere　was　no　stairwayto　the　upper　story；

we　found　a　good…sized　room　with　three　large　beds；　one　of　which　the

Chancellor　assigned　to　the　Duke　of　Mecklenburg　and　aide；　and　another

to　Count　Bismarck…Bohlen　and　me；　reserving　the　remaining　one　for

himself。　　Each　bed；　as　is　common　in　Germany　and　northern　France；　was

provided　with　a　feather　tick；　but　the　night　being　warm；　these　spreads

were　thrown　off；　and　discovering　that　they　would　make　a　comfortable

shakedown　on　the　floor；　I　slept　there　leaving　Bismarck…Bohlen

unembarrassed　by　companionshipat　least　of　a　human　kind。



At　daylight　I　awoke；　and　seeing　that　Count　Bismarck　was　already

dressed　and　about　to　go　down　the　ladder；　I　felt　obliged　to　follow　his

example；　so　I　too　turned　out；　and　shortly　descended　to　the　ground

floor；　the　only　delays　of　the　toilet　being　those　incident　to

dressing；　for　there　were　no　conveniences　for　morning　ablutions。　　Just

outside　the　door　I　met　the　Count；　who；　proudly　exhibiting　a　couple　of

eggs　he　had　bought　from　the　woman　of　the　house；　invited　me　to

breakfast　with　him；　provided　we　could　beg　some　coffee　from　the　king's

escort。　　Putting　the　eggs　under　my　charge；　with　many　injunctions　as

to　their　safe…keeping；　he　went　off　to　forage　for　the　coffee；　and

presently　returned；　having　been　moderately　successful。　　One　egg

apiece　was　hardly　enough；　however；　to　appease　the　craving　of　two

strong　men　ravenous　from　long　fasting。　　Indeed；　it　seemed　only　to

whet　the　appetite；　and　we　both　set　out　on　an　eager　expedition　for

more　food。　　Before　going　far　I　had　the　good　luck　to　meet　a　sutler's

wagon；　and　though　its　stock　was　about　all　sold；　there　were　still　left

four　large　bologna　sausages；　which　I　promptly　purchasedpaying　a

round　sum　for　them　tooand　hastening　back　found　the　Count　already

returned；　though　without　bringing　anything　at　all　to　eat；　but　he　had

secured　a　couple　of　bottles　of　brandy；　and　with　a　little　of　thisit

was　excellent；　tooand　the　sausages；　the　slim　ration　of　eggs　and

coffee　was　amply　reinforced。



Breakfast　over；　the　Chancellor　invited　me　to　accompany　him　in　a　ride

to　the　battle…field；　and　I　gladly　accepted；　as　I　very　much　desired　to

pass　over　the　ground　in　front　of　Gravelotte；　particularly　so　to　see

whether　the　Krupp　guns　had　really　done　the　execution　that　was　claimed

for　them　by　the　German　artillery　officers。　　Going　directly　through

the　village　of　Gravelotte；　following　the　causeway　over　which　the

German　cavalry　had　passed　to　make　its　courageous　but　futile　charge；

we　soon　reached　the　ground　where　the　fighting　had　been　the　most

severe。　　Here　the　field　was　literally　covered　with　evidences　of　the

terrible　strife；　the　dead　and　wounded　strewn　thick　on　every　side。



In　the　sunken　road　the　carnage　had　been　awful；　men　and　horses　having

been　slaughtered　there　by　hundreds；　helpless　before　the　murderous

fire　delivered　from　behind　a　high　stone　wall　impracticable　to　mounted

troops。　　The　sight　was　sickening　to　an　extreme；　and　we　were　not　slow

to　direct　our　course　elsewhere；　going　up　the　glacis　toward　the　French

line；　the　open　ground　over　which　we　crossed　being　covered　with

thousands　of　helmets；　that　had　been　thrown　off　by　the　Germans　during

the　fight　and　were　still　dotting　the　field；　though　details　of

soldiers　from　the　organizations　which　had　been　engaged　here　were

about　to　begin　to　gather　up　their　abandoned　headgear。



When　we　got　inside　the　French　works；　I　was　astonished　to　observe　how

little　harm　had　been　done　the　defenses　by　the　German　artillery；　for

although　I　had　not　that　serene　faith　in　the　effectiveness　of　their

guns　held　by　German　artillerists　generally；　yet　I　thought　their

terrific　cannonade　must　have　left　marked　results。　　All　I　could

perceive；　however；　was　a　disabled　gun；　a　broken　mitrailleuse；　and　two

badly　damaged　caissons。



Everything　else；　except　a　little　ammunition　in　the　trenches；　had　been

carried　away；　and　it　was　plain　to　see；　from　the　good　shape　in　which

the　French　left　wing　had　retired　to　Metz；　that　its　retreat　had　been

predetermined　by　the　disasters　to　the　right　wing。



By　this　hour　the　German　cavalry　having　been　thrown　out　to　the　front

well　over　toward　Metz；　we；　following　it　to　get　a　look　at　the　city；

rode　to　a　neighboring　summit；　supposing　it　would　be　a　safe　point　of

observation；　but　we　shortly　realized　the　contrary；　for　scarcely　had

we　reached　the　crest　when　some　of　the　French　pickets；　lying　concealed

about　six　hundred　yards　off；　opened　fire；　making　it　so　very　hot　for