bcornwell.sharpescompany-第50部分

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　I　have　tried　to　be　exact；　with　the　above　exceptions；　to　the　real　events。　The　letters　and　diaries　of　the　campaign　are；　as　ever；　a　trove　of　information。　Thus；　for　instance；　the　details　in　the　book　of　the　daily　weather　conditions　are　taken　from　the　diaries　and　I　feel　a　constant　debt　to　those　long…dead　soldiers　whose　memories　I　plunder。　One　myth　should　be　put　to　rest。　Badajoz　was　not　assaulted　on　Easter　Sunday。　6　April　was　the　second　Monday　after　Easter　in　1812；　and　no　amount　of　imagination　can　change　that　fact。
　
　The　castle　walls　at　Badajoz　are　unchanged；　the　only　addition　to　the　scenery　is　a　road　that　passes　at　the　foot　of　the　casde　hill。　The　breaches　in　the　two　bastions　have　been　repaired　and　the　giant　ditch　is　now　a　municipal　garden。　The　glacis　is　entirely　gone。　The　approaches　to　the　breaches；　like　the　San　Miguel　Hill；　have　been　built　over。　The　approach　to　the　Trinidad　is　hidden　by　nondescript　buildings；　and　that　to　the　Santa　Maria　by　a　modern　and　remarkably　ugly　bull…ring。　The　area　of　the　central　breach　is　still　a　passage　through　the　walls；　the　defences　between　the　two　bastions　being　largely　destroyed；　but　it　is　possible　to　climb　to　the　bastions'　parapets　and　into　the　embrasures；　and　marvel　at　the　courage　of　men　who　would　attack　such　a　place。　Ciudad　Rodrigo's　defences　are　better　preserved；　the　breach　repairs　are　visible　above　the　glacis；　and　the　marks　of　British　cannon　balls　are　still　chipped　into　the　church　tower。　The　Fort　of　San　Cristobal；　across　the　river　from　Badajoz；　is　in　almost　perfect　repair。　The　South　Essex　could　march　in　tomorrow　and　have　it　set　up　for　defence　within　hour。　Best　preserved　of　all　are　the　defences　of　Elvas；　just　across　the　border；　and　all　are　worth　visiting。
　
　The　memorial　plaques　in　the　Trinidad　bastion　（where　the　Madrid　road　enters　Badajoz）　recall　the　assault　and　sack　of　the　city；　but　not　that　of　6　April　1812。　They　remember　August　1936；　and　some　inhabitants　still　remember　the　massacre　which　followed　the　assault　by　Franco's　troops。　History　has　a　sad　way　of　repeating　itself　in　Badajoz。　It　is　not　a　pretty　city；　some　people　have　described　it　as　gloomy；　as　if　the　ghosts　of　too　many　battles　stalk　the　streets；　but　I　did　not　find　it　so。　As　in　other　places　in　Portugal　and　Spain；　I　met　with　much　kindness　and　courtesy；　and　was　given　every　help　with　my　researches。　The　last　words　in　this　book　can　be　left　with　a　man　who　became　accustomed　to　having　the　last　word：　Wellington。　Writing　to　the　War　Minister；　and　talking　of　his　5000　casualties；　he　said：　'The　capture　of　Badajoz　affords　as　strong　an　instance　of　the　gallantry　of　our　troops　as　has　ever　been　displayed。　But　I　greatly　hope　that　I　shall　never　again　be　the　instrument　of　putting　them　to　such　a　test。'



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