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diff --git a/3576.txt b/3576.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c0d2fea --- /dev/null +++ b/3576.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2847 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of Private Life of Napoleon, by Constant, v9 +NB#26 in our Napoleon series + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the laws for your country before redistributing these files!!!!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. + +Please do not remove this. + +This should be the first thing seen when anyone opens the book. +Do not change or edit it without written permission. 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I have read in O'Meara's +Memorial that M. Marchand was at that time in the service of Napoleon. +This is incorrect; for M. Marchand did not enter the Emperor's private +service until 1814, at Fontainebleau. His Majesty at that time ordered +me to select from the domestics of the service an intelligent young man +to assist me in my duties near his person, since none of the ordinary +'valets de chambre' were to remain on the island of Elba. I mentioned +the name of M. Marchand, son of a nurse of the King of Rome, as a +suitable person for the place. He was accepted by his Majesty, and from +that time M. Marchand formed a part of the private service of the +Emperor. He may have been on this journey to Holland; but Napoleon was +not aware of it, as his duties did not bring him near his Majesty's +person. + +I will now relate some of the circumstances which occurred on this +journey, and are not generally known to the public, and at the same time +take advantage of the opportunity to refute other assertions similar to +those I have just mentioned, and which I have read with surprise, +sometimes mixed with indignation, in the Contemporary Memoirs. I deem +it important that the public should have correct information as to +everything pertaining to this journey, in order that light may thus be +thrown on certain incidents, by means of which calumny has attacked the +honor of Napoleon, and even my own. A devoted though humble servant of +the Emperor, it is natural that I should be deeply interested in +explaining all that seems doubtful, in refuting all falsehoods, and in +giving minute corrections of many incorrect statements which might +influence the judgment of the public concerning my master and myself. +I shall fulfil this duty with perfect frankness, as I have sufficiently +proved in the foregoing volumes of these Memoirs. + +A little incident occurred at Montreuil, which I take pleasure in +narrating, since it proves how carefully Napoleon examined both the +fortifications and improvements being made in the towns, either by his +personal orders, or from the impulse given by him to these important +departments of public service. After investigating the work done in the +past year on the fortifications of Montreuil, and having made a tour of +all the ramparts, the Emperor returned to the citadel, whence he again +emerged to visit the exterior works. An arm of the river Canche, which +lies at the foot of the wall on one side of the city, intercepted his +route. The whole suite set to work to construct a temporary bridge of +planks and logs; but the Emperor, impatient at the delay, walked through +the stream in water up to his knees. The owner of a mill on the opposite +shore took his Majesty by the arm to assist him in mounting the bank, and +profited by this opportunity to explain to the Emperor that his mill, +being in the line of the projected fortifications, would necessarily be +torn down; whereupon the Emperor turned to the engineers and said, "This +brave man must be indemnified for any loss he may sustain." He then +continued his rounds, and did not re-enter his carriage until he had +examined everything at leisure, and held a long interview with the civil +and military authorities of Montreuil. On the route a soldier who had +been wounded at Ratisbon was presented to him; and his Majesty ordered +that a present should be made him on the spot, and that his petition +should be presented to him on his arrival at Boulogne on the 20th. + +This was the second time Boulogne had received the Emperor within its +walls. Immediately on his arrival he went on board the flotilla and held +a review. As an English frigate was evidently preparing to approach in +order to observe more closely what was taking place in the roadstead, his +Majesty immediately sent out a French frigate under full sail against the +hostile ship, whereupon the latter, taking the alarm, at once +disappeared. On the 29th of September his Majesty reached Flushing, and +from Flushing went to visit the fortifications at Tervueren. As he was +overlooking the various works at that place, a young woman threw herself +at his feet, her cheeks wet with tears, .and extended a petition to the +Emperor with a trembling hand. Napoleon most graciously assisted her to +rise, and inquired the object of her petition. "Sire," said the poor +woman between her sobs, "I am the mother of three children, whose father +is conscripted by your Majesty; the children and the mother are in the +deepest distress."--"Monsieur," said his Majesty to some one of his +suite, "make a note of this man's name; I will make him an officer." The +young woman tried to express her gratitude, but her emotion and tears +prevented the utterance of a word, and the Emperor went on his way. + +Another kind act marked his departure from Ostend. On leaving that town +he followed the course of the Estrau, and as he did not care to pass +through the locks, in order to cross the Swine, entered a fishing-boat in +company with the Duke of Vicenza, his grand equerry, Count Lobau, one of +his aides-de-camp, and two chasseurs of the guard. This boat, which was +owned by two poor fishermen, was worth only about one hundred and fifty +florins, including its equipment, and was their only source of wealth. +The crossing required about half an hour, and his Majesty alighted at +Fort Orange, on the island of Cadsand, where the prefect with his suite +awaited him; and as he was wet and suffering with the cold, a large fire +was kindled, by which he warmed himself with evident enjoyment. The +fishermen were then asked how much they charged for the passage, and upon +their replying a florin for each passenger, Napoleon ordered that a +hundred napoleons should be counted out to them, and they should be +granted a pension of three hundred francs for life. It is impossible to +give an idea of the joyful surprise of these poor men, who had not in the +least suspected the exalted rank of their passenger; but no sooner were +they informed than the whole country was told, and thus many hearts were +won for Napoleon; while at the same time the Empress Marie Louise was +being welcomed on his account at the theater, and whenever she appeared +on the streets, with sincere and vociferous applause. + +Preparations had been made everywhere in Holland two months before the +arrival of their Majesties, in order that they might be suitably +received; and there was no village on the Emperor's route so small that +it was not eager to earn his approbation by the proportional magnificence +of the welcome accorded his Majesty. Almost the whole court of France +accompanied him on this journey, and grand dignitaries, ladies of honor, +superior officers, aides-de-camp, chamberlains, equerries, ladies of +attire, quartermasters, valets de chambre, regulators of soldiers' +quarters, the kitchen service--nothing was wanting. Napoleon intended to +dazzle the eyes of the good Dutchmen by the magnificence of his court; +and, in truth, his gracious manner, his affability, and the recital of +the numerous benefits he scattered around his path, had already had their +effect in conquering this population, in spite of the frowning brows of a +few, who, as they smoked their pipes, murmured against the impediments to +commerce caused by the Continental system. + +The city of Amsterdam, where the Emperor had decided to remain some time, +found itself suddenly in a condition of peculiar embarrassment, owing to +the following circumstance: This town had a very extensive palace, but no +coaches nor stables attached to them, which for the suite of Napoleon was +a prime necessity; and the stables of King Louis, besides their +insufficiency, were placed too far from the palace to be occupied by even +a portion of the Emperor's service. Consequently there was great +embarrassment in the city, and much difficulty was experienced in +quartering the Emperor's horses; since to improvise stables in a few +days, almost in a moment, was impossible, and to build carriage-houses in +the midst of courts would have had a ludicrous effect. But fortunately +this difficult situation was ended by one of the quartermasters of the +palace named M. Emery, a man of great intelligence, and an old soldier, +who, having learned from Napoleon and the force of circumstances never to +be overcome by difficulties, conceived the happy thought of converting +the flower-market into stables and coach-houses, and placing the +equipages of the Emperor there under immense tents. + +The Emperor at last rejoined his august spouse at Brussels, where the +enthusiasm excited by his presence was unanimous. On a suggestion from +him, which was as delicate as politic, Marie Louise during her stay +bought laces to the value of one hundred and fifty thousand francs, in +order to encourage the manufacturers. The introduction into France of +English merchandise was at that time severely prohibited, and all that +was found was indiscriminately burned. + +Of the whole system of offensive policy maintained by Napoleon against +the maritime tyranny of England, nothing more nearly aroused open +opposition than the vigorous observance of prohibitory decrees. Belgium +then contained a quantity of English merchandise, which was most +carefully concealed, and which every one was anxious to obtain, as is +ever the case with forbidden fruit. All the ladies in the suite of the +Empress made large purchases of these articles; and one even filled +several carriages with them, not without fear, however, that Napoleon +might be informed of this, and might seize everything on its arrival in +France. These carriages, bearing the arms of the Emperor, passed the +Rhine filled with this precious luggage, and arrived at the gates of +Coblentz, which furnished an occasion of painful uncertainty to the +officers of the custom-house, while they deliberated whether they should +arrest and examine the carriages, or should permit a convoy to pass +unmolested because it professed to belong to the Emperor. After mature +deliberation, the majority adopted this alternative; and the carriages +successfully passed the first line of French custom-houses, and reached +port in safety,--that is to say, Paris,--with its cargo of prohibited +merchandise. If the carriages had been stopped, it is probable that +Napoleon would have highly applauded the courage of the inspectors of +customs, and would have pitilessly burned the confiscated articles. + +Their Majesties arrived at Utrecht the 6th of October, and found every +house on the quays as well as the streets decorated with ribbons and +garlands. The rain was falling in torrents; but this did not prevent the +authorities being on foot from early in the morning, and the population +filling the streets. As soon as he alighted from his carriage, Napoleon, +in spite of the weather, mounted his horse, and went to hold a review of +several regiments stationed at the gates of Utrecht, accompanied by a +numerous staff, and a large number of curious persons, most of them wet +to the skin. After the review Napoleon entered the palace, where the +entire deputation awaited him in an immense hall, still unfurnished, +though it had been built by King Louis, and without changing his clothing +gave audience to all who were eager to congratulate him, and listened +with most exemplary patience to the harangues addressed to him. + +The entrance of their Majesties into Amsterdam was most brilliant. +The Empress, in a chariot drawn by splendid horses, was a few hours in +advance of the Emperor, who made his entry on horseback, surrounded by +a brilliant staff, glittering with gold and embroideries, who advanced +at a slow pace amid shouts of admiration and astonishment from the good +Hollanders. Through his simple and unaffected bearing there shone a +profound satisfaction, and perhaps even a natural sentiment of pride, in +seeing the welcome accorded to his glory here as elsewhere, and the +universal sympathy aroused in the masses by his presence alone. Drapery +in three colors, which produced a very fine effect, hung from posts +erected at regular intervals and formed the decoration of the streets +through which his Majesty was to pass; and he who three years later was +to enter the palace of the Tuileries by night, and as a fugitive, after +having with much difficulty gained admission through the gates of the +chateau, passed then under arches of triumph, with a glory yet unsullied +by defeat, and a fortune still faithful. These reminiscences are painful +to me, but they recur to my mind even against my will; for no year of the +Empire was marked by more fetes, more triumphant entries, or more popular +rejoicings, than that which preceded the disastrous year of 1812. + +Some of the actors of the French Theater at Paris had accompanied the +court to Holland, and Talma there played the roles of Bayard and +d'Orosmane; and M. Alissan de Chazet directed at Amsterdam the +performance by French comedians of a vaudeville in honor of their +Majesties, the title of which I have forgotten. Here, again, I wish to +refute another assertion no less false made by the author of these +'Contemporary Memoirs', concerning a fictitious liaison between the +Emperor and Mademoiselle Bourgoin. I cite the passage in question: +"Mademoiselle Bourgoin, one of the delegates from the court of Thalia, +in order to be permitted to accompany the party on this journey, had +thoughtlessly succumbed to the temptation of making indiscreet +revelations; even boasting aloud that she attracted the Emperor to the +theater in which she played; and these boasts, which were by no means +virtuous, having reached the Emperor's ears, he would no longer attend +the theater. He charged Talma, for whom he had much consideration, to +urge the pretty actress to be silent; and to inform her that on the +slightest indiscretion she would be reconducted to France under good +escort." + +This by no means agrees with what his Majesty said one day in regard to +this actress while at Erfurt. These words, which the author of the +Memoirs would do well to recall, prove that the Emperor had no views in +regard to her; and the most important proof of all, is the great +discretion which the Emperor always exercised in regard to his amours. + +During the entire passage through Holland, the Emperor showed himself +cordial and affable, welcoming every one most kindly, and accosting each +in a suitable manner, and at no time was he ever more amiable or anxious +to please. He visited the manufactures, inspected dock-yards, reviewed +troops, addressed the sailors, and attended the ball's given in his honor +in all the towns through which he passed; and amid this life of seeming +pleasure and distraction, he exerted himself almost more than in the +quiet, monotonous life of the camp, and was affable, gracious, and +accessible to all his subjects. But in these processions, in the very +midst of these fetes, amid all this acclamation of whole cities rushing +out to meet him, eager to serve as his escort, under these arches of +triumph which were erected to him sometimes even at the entrance of an +obscure village, his abstraction was deeper than ever, and his heart more +oppressed with care; for his thoughts were from this time filled with the +expedition to Russia. And perhaps into this amenity of manner, this +friendliness, and these acts of benevolence, most of which were foreign +to his character, there entered the design of lessening in advance the +discontent which this expedition would produce; and perhaps in attaching +all hearts to himself, in exhausting every means of pleasing, he imagined +he was obtaining pardon in advance, by means of the enthusiasm of his +subjects, for a war which, whatever might be the result, was to cost the +Empire so much blood and so many tears. + +During their Majesties' stay at Amsterdam, there was placed in the +apartments of the Empress a piano so constructed as to appear like a desk +with a division in the middle, and in this space was placed a small bust +of the Emperor of Russia. Soon after, the Emperor wished to see if the +apartments of the Empress were suitable, and while visiting them +perceived this bust, which he placed under his arm without a word. +He afterwards said to one of the ladies of the Empress, that he wished +this bust removed; and he was obeyed, though this caused considerable +astonishment, as it was not then known that any coolness had arisen +between the two Emperors. + +A few days after his arrival at Amsterdam, the Emperor made several +excursions into the country, accompanied by a somewhat numerous suite. +He visited at Saardam the thatched cottage which sheltered Peter the +Great when he came to Holland under the name of Pierre Michaeloff to +study ship-building; and after remaining there half an hour, the Emperor, +as he left, remarked to the grand marshal of the palace. "That is the +finest monument in Holland." The evening before, her Majesty the Empress +had visited the village of Broek, which is the pride of the whole north +of Holland. Almost all the houses of the village are built of wood, and +are of one story, the fronts ornamented with numerous paintings in +accordance with the caprice of the owners. These paintings are cared for +most zealously, and preserved in a state of perfect freshness. Through +the windows of clearest glass are seen curtains of embroidered China +silk, and of painted muslin and beautiful India stuffs. The streets are +paved with brick and very clean, and are washed and rubbed daily, and +covered with fine white sand, in which various figures are imitated, +especially flowers. Placards at the end of each street forbid the +entrance of carriages into the village, the houses of which resemble +children's toys. The cattle are cared for by hirelings at some distance +from the town; and there is, outside the village, an inn for strangers, +for they are not permitted to lodge inside. In front of some houses I +remarked either a grass plot or an arrangement of colored sand and +shells, sometimes little painted wooden statues, sometimes hedges oddly +cut. Even the vessels and broom-handles were painted various colors, and +cared for like the remainder of the establishment; the inhabitants +carrying their love of cleanliness so far as to compel those who entered +to take off their shoes, and replace them with slippers, which stood at +the door for this singular purpose. I am reminded on this subject of an +anecdote relating to the Emperor Joseph the Second. That prince, having +presented himself in boots at the door of a house in Broek, and being +requested to remove them before entering, exclaimed, "I am the Emperor!" +--"Even if you were the burgomaster of Amsterdam, you should not enter in +boots," replied the master of the dwelling. The good Emperor thereupon +put on the slippers. + +During the journey to Holland their Majesties were informed that the +first tooth of the King of Rome had just made its appearance, and that +the health of this august child was not impaired thereby. + +In one of the little towns in the north of Holland, the authorities +requested the Emperor's permission to present to him an old man aged one +hundred and one years, and he ordered him brought before him. This more +than centenarian was still vigorous, and had served formerly in the +guards of the Stadtholder; he presented a petition entreating the Emperor +to exempt from conscription one of his grandsons, the support of his old +age. His Majesty assured him, through an interpreter, that he would not +deprive him of his grandson, and Marshal Duroc was ordered to leave with +the old man a testimonial of Imperial liberality. In another little town +in Friesland, the authorities made the Emperor this singular address: +"Sire, we were afraid you would come with the whole court; you are almost +alone, and thereby we see you the better, and the more at our ease." The +Emperor applauded this loyal compliment, and honored the orator by most +touching thanks. After this long journey, passed in fetes, reviews, and +displays of all kinds, where the Emperor, under the guise of being +entertained, had made profound observations on the moral, commercial, and +military situation of Holland, observations which bore fruit after his +return to Paris, and even while in the country, in wise and useful +decrees, their Majesties left Holland, passing through Haarlem, The +Hague, and Rotterdam, where they were welcomed, as they had been in the +whole of Holland, by fetes. They crossed the Rhine, visited Cologne and +Aix-la-Chapelle, and arrived at Saint-Cloud early in November, 1811. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +Marie Louis was a very handsome woman. She had a majestic figure and +noble bearing, fresh complexion, blond hair, and blue eyes full of +expression; her hands and feet were the admiration of the court. +Her figure was, perhaps, a trifle too stout; but she lost some of this +superfluous flesh during her stay in France, though thereby she gained as +much in grace and beauty. Such was her appearance. In her intercourse +with those immediately around her she was affable and cordial; and the +enjoyment she felt in the freedom of these conversations was depicted on +her countenance, which grew animated, and took on an infinite grace. +But when she was obliged to appear in public she became extremely timid; +formal society served of itself to isolate her; and as persons who are +not naturally haughty always appear so with a poor grace, Marie Louise, +being always much embarrassed on reception days, was often the subject of +unjust criticism; for, as I have said, her coldness in reality arose from +an excessive timidity. + +Immediately after her arrival in France, Marie Louise suffered from this +embarrassment to a very great degree, which can be easily understood in a +young princess who found herself so suddenly transported into an entirely +new society, to whose habits and tastes she felt obliged to conform, and +in which, although her high position must naturally attract the world to +her, the circumstances of this position rendered it necessary that she +should take the initiative in any advances made, a fact which explains +the awkwardness of her early relations with the ladies of her court. +After intimacies had been formed, and the young Empress had chosen her +friends with all the abandon of her young heart, then haughtiness and +constraint vanished, or reappeared only on occasions of ceremony. +Marie Louise was of a calm, thoughtful character; it took little to +arouse her sensitive spirit; and yet, although easily moved, she was by +no means demonstrative. The Empress had received a very careful +education, her mind was cultivated and her tastes very simple, and she +possessed every accomplishment. + +She detested the insipid hours passed in idleness, and liked occupation +because it suited her tastes, and also because in a proper employment of +her time she found the only means of driving away ennui. I think she +was, in fact, a most congenial wife for the Emperor. She was too much +interested in the concerns of her own private life to ever mingle in +political intrigues, and, although she was both Empress and Queen, very +often was in entire ignorance of public affairs, except what knowledge +she obtained from the journals. The Emperor at the end of days filled +with agitation could find a little relaxation only in a quiet domestic +hearth, which restored to him the happiness of family life; and, +consequently, an intriguing woman or a talkative politician would have +annoyed him exceedingly. + +Nevertheless, the Emperor sometimes complained of the want of affability +the Empress showed to the ladies of her court, and said that this +excessive reserve was injurious to him in a country where the opposite +extreme is most common. + +This was because he was recalling the past somewhat, and thinking of the +Empress Josephine, whose constant gayety was the chief charm of the +court. He was necessarily struck by the contrast; but was there not some +injustice at the foundation of this? The Empress Marie Louise was the +daughter of an Emperor, and had seen and known only courtiers, and, +having no acquaintance with any other class, knew nothing of any world +outside the walls of the palace of Vienna. She arrived one fine day at +the Tuileries, in the midst of a people whom she had never seen except as +soldiers; and on this account the constraint of her manner towards the +persons composing the brilliant society of Paris seems to me to a certain +point excusable. It seems to me, besides, that the Empress was expected +to show a frankness and simplicity which were entirely misplaced; and, +by being cautioned over and over again to be natural, she was prevented +from the observance of that formality also suitable on the part of the +great, who should be approached only when they themselves give the +signal. The Empress Josephine loved the people because she had been one +of them; and in mounting a throne her expansive nature had everything to +gain, for she found it was only extending her friendship among a larger +circle. Inspired by her own kind heart, the Empress Marie Louise sought +to make those around her happy; and her benevolent deeds were long the +subject of conversation, and, above all, the delicate manner in which +they were performed. Each month she took from the sum allotted for her +toilet ten thousand francs for the poor, which was not the limit of her +charities; for she always welcomed with the greatest interest those who +came to tell her of distresses to be alleviated. From the eagerness with +which she listened to those soliciting aid, it would seem that she had +been recalled suddenly to a duty; and yet it was simply an evidence that +the chords of her sensitive heart had been touched. I do not know if any +one ever received from her a refusal of a demand of this sort. The +Emperor was deeply touched each time that he was informed of a benevolent +act of the Empress. At eight o'clock in the morning the curtains and +blinds were half opened in the apartments of the Empress Marie Louise, +and the papers were handed her; after reading which, chocolate or coffee +was served, with a kind of pastry called tongue. This first breakfast +she took in bed. At nine o'clock Marie Louise arose, made her morning +toilet, and received those persons privileged to attend at this hour. +Every day in the Emperor's absence, the Empress ascended to the apartment +of Madame de Montebello, her lady of honor, followed by her service, +composed of the chevalier of honor, and some of the ladies of the palace; +and on her return to her apartments, a light breakfast was served, +consisting of pastry and fruits. After her lessons in drawing, painting, +and music, she commenced her grand toilet. Between six and seven o'clock +she dined with the Emperor, or in his absence with Madame de Montebello, +the dinner comprising only one course. The evening was spent in +receptions, or at concerts, plays, etc.; and the Empress retired at +eleven o'clock. One of her women always slept in the room in front of +her bedroom, and it was through this the Emperor was obliged to pass when +he spent the night in his wife's room. + +This customary routine of the Empress was changed, however, when the +Emperor was at the chateau; but when alone she was punctual in all her +employments, and did exactly the same things at the same hours. Her +personal domestics seemed much attached to her; for though cool and +distant in her manner, they always found her good and just. + +In the Emperor's absence the portrait of the Duchess of Montebello +ornamented the Empress's room with those of the entire Imperial family of +Austria; but when the Emperor returned, the portrait of the duchess was +removed; and during the war between Napoleon and the Emperors of Austria +and Russia, the portrait of Francis II. was removed from his daughter's +room, by order of his Majesty, and was, I think, consigned to some secret +spot. + +The King of Rome was a very fine child; and though he resembled the +Emperor less than the son of Hortense had done, his features were an +agreeable union of those of his father and mother. I never knew him +except in his infancy, and what was most remarkable in him at that age +was the great kindness and affection he showed to those around him. He +was much devoted to a young and pretty person named Fanny Soufflot, +daughter of the first lady of the bedchamber, who was his constant +companion; and, as he liked to see her always well dressed, he begged of +Marie Louise, or his governess, Madame the Countess of Montesquiou, any +finery that struck his fancy, which he wished to give to his young +friend. He made her promise to follow him to the war when he was grown, +and said many charming things which showed his affectionate disposition. + +There was chosen as companion for the little king (as he styled himself) +a young child named Albert Froment, I think, the son of one of the ladies +of honor. One morning as they were playing together in the garden on +which the apartments of the king opened at Saint-Cloud, Mademoiselle +Fanny was watching them without interfering with their games, Albert +tried to take the king's wheelbarrow; and, when the latter resisted, +Albert struck him, whereupon the king exclaimed, "Oh, suppose some one +had seen you! But I will not tell!" I consider this a fine evidence of +character. + +One day he was at the windows of the chateau with his governess, amusing +himself by looking at the passers-by, and pointing out with his finger +those who attracted his attention. While standing there he saw below a +woman in deep mourning, holding by the hand a little boy also dressed in +mourning. The little child carried a petition, which he waved from a +distance to the prince, and seemed to be entreating him to receive. +Their black clothing made a deep impression on the prince, and he asked +why the poor child was dressed all in black. "Doubtless because his papa +is dead," replied the governess, whereupon the child expressed an earnest +desire to speak to the little petitioner. Madame de Montesquiou, who +especially desired to cultivate in her young pupil this disposition to +mercy, gave orders that the mother and child should be brought up. She +proved to be the widow of a brave man who had lost his life in the last +campaign; and by his death she had been reduced to poverty, and compelled +to solicit a pension from the Emperor. The young prince took the +petition, and promised to present it to his papa. And next day when he +went as usual to pay his respects to his father, and handed him all the +petitions presented to him the evening before, one alone was kept apart; +it was that of his little protege. "Papa," said he, "here is a petition +from a little boy whose father was killed on your account; give him a +pension." Napoleon was deeply moved, and embraced his son, and orders +for the pension were given that day. This conduct in so young a child +gives undeniable evidence of an excellent heart. + +His early training was excellent; as Madame de Montesquiou had an +unbounded influence over him, owing to the manner at once gentle and +grave in which she corrected his faults. The child was generally docile, +but, nevertheless, sometimes had violent fits of anger, which his +governess had adopted an excellent means of correcting, which was to +remain perfectly unmoved until he himself controlled his fury. When the +child returned to himself, a few severe and pertinent remarks transformed +him into a little Cato for the remainder of the day. One day as he was +rolling on the floor refusing to listen to the remonstrances of his +governess, she closed tie windows and shutters; and the child, astonished +by this performance, forgot what had enraged him, and asked her why she +did this. "I did it because I was afraid you would be heard; do you +suppose the French people would want you as their prince, if they knew +that you gave way to such fits of anger?"--"Do you think they heard me?" +he inquired; "I would be very sorry if they had. Pardon, Mamma Quiou +[this was his name for her], I will not do it again." + +The Emperor was passionately devoted to his son; took him in his arms +every time he saw him, and jumped him up and down most merrily, and was +delighted with the joy he manifested. He teased him by carrying him in +front of the glass and making grimaces, at which the child laughed till +he cried. While at breakfast he took him on his knee, dipped his finger +in the sauce and made him suck it, and smeared his face with it; and when +the governess scolded, the Emperor laughed still more heartily, and the +child, who enjoyed the sport, begged his father to repeat it. This was +an opportune moment for the arrival of petitions at the chateau; for they +were always well received at such times, thanks to the all-powerful +credit of the little mediator. + +The Emperor in his tender moods was sometimes even more childish than his +son. The young prince was only four months old when his father put his +three-cornered hat on the pretty infant. + +The child usually cried a good deal, and at these times the Emperor +embraced him with an ardor and delight which none but a tender father +could feel, saying to him, + +"What, Sire, you crying! A king weeping; fie, then, how ugly that is!" +He was just a year old when I saw the Emperor, on the lawn in front of +the chateau, place his sword-belt over the shoulders of the king, and his +hat on his head, and holding out his arms to the child, who tottered to +him, his little feet now and then entangled in his father's sword; and it +was beautiful to see the eagerness with which the Emperor extended his +arms to keep him from falling. + +One day in his cabinet the Emperor was lying on the floor, the king +riding horseback on his knee, mounting by jumps up to his father's face, +and kissing him. On another occasion the child entered the council +chamber after the meeting had ended, and ran into his father's arms +without paying attention to any one else, upon which the Emperor said to +him, "Sire, you have not saluted these gentlemen." The child turned, +bowed most gracefully, and his father then took him in his arms. +Sometimes when going to visit the Emperor, he ran so fast that he left +Madame de Montesquiou far behind, and said to the usher, "Open the door +for me, I want to see papa." The usher replied, "Sire, I cannot do it." +--"But I am the little king."--"No, Sire, I cannot open it." At this +moment his governess appeared; and strong in her protection he proudly +repeated, "Open the door, the king desires it." + +Madame de Montesquiou had added to the prayers which the child repeated +morning and evening, these words: "My God, inspire papa to make peace for +the happiness of France." One evening the Emperor was present when his +son was retiring, and he made the same prayer, whereupon the Emperor +embraced him in silence, smiling most kindly on Madame de Montesquiou. + +The Emperor was accustomed to say to the King of Rome when he was +frightened at any noise or at his grimaces, "Come, come! a king should +have no fear." + +I recall another anecdote concerning the young son of the Emperor, which +was related to me by his Majesty himself one evening when I was +undressing him as usual, and at which the Emperor laughed most heartily. +"You would not believe," said he, "the singular reward my son desired of +his governess for being good. Would she not allow him to go and wade in +the mud?" This was, true, and proves, it seems to me, that the greatness +which surrounds the cradle of princes cannot eradicate from their minds +the singular caprices of childhood. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +All the world is familiar with the name of the Abbe Geoffroy of satirical +memory, who drove the most popular actors and authors of the time to +desperation. This pitiless Aristarchus must have been most ardently +enamored of this disagreeable profession; for he sometimes endangered +thereby, not his life, which many persons would have desired earnestly +perhaps, but at any rate his health and his repose. It is well, +doubtless, to attack those who can reply with the pen, as then the +consequences of the encounter do not reach beyond the ridicule which is +often the portion of both adversaries. But Abbe Geoffroy fulfilled only +one of the two conditions by virtue of which one can criticise,--he had +much bitterness in his pen, but he was not a man of the sword; and every +one knows that there are persons whom it is necessary to attack with both +these weapons. + +An actor whom Geoffroy had not exactly flattered in his criticisms +decided to avenge himself in a piquant style, and one at which he could +laugh long and loud. One evening, foreseeing what would appear in the +journal of the next day, he could think of nothing better than to carry +off Geoffroy as he was returning from the theater, and conduct him with +bandaged eyes to a house where a schoolboy's punishment would be +inflicted on this man who considered himself a master in the art of +writing. + +This plan was carried out. Just as the abbe regained his lodging, +rubbing his hands perhaps as he thought of some fine point for tomorrow's +paper, three or four vigorous fellows seized him, and conveyed him +without a word to the place of punishment; and some time later that +evening, the abbe, well flogged, opened his eyes in the middle of the +street, to find himself alone far from his dwelling. The Emperor, when +told of this ludicrous affair, was not at all amused, but, on the +contrary, became very angry, and said that if he knew the authors of this +outrage, he would have them punished. "When a man attacks with the pen," +he added, "he should be answered with the same weapon." The truth is also +that the Emperor was much attached to M. Geoffroy, whose writings he did +not wish submitted to censure like those of other journalist. It was +said in Paris that this predilection of a great man for a caustic critic +came from the fact that these contributions to the Journal of the Empire, +which attracted much attention at this period, were a useful diversion to +the minds of the capital. I know nothing positively in regard to this; +but when I reflect on the character of the Emperor, who wished no one to +occupy themselves with his political affairs, these opinions seem to me +not devoid of foundation. + +Doctor Corvisart was not a courtier, and came rarely to the Emperor, +except on his regular visit each Wednesday and Saturday. He was very +candid with the Emperor, insisted positively that his directions should +be obeyed to the letter, and made full use of the right accorded to +physicians to scold their negligent patient. The Emperor was especially +fond of him, and always detained him, seeming to find much pleasure in +his conversation. + +After the journey to Holland in 1811, M. Corvisart came to see the +Emperor one Saturday, and found him in good health. He left him after +the toilet, and immediately went to enjoy the pleasures of the chase, of +which he was exceedingly fond. He was in the habit of not announcing +where he was going, solely in order that he might not be interrupted for +some slight cause, as had happened to him sometimes, for the doctor was +most obliging and considerate. That day after his breakfast, which, +according to custom, he had devoured rapidly, the Emperor was taken +suddenly with a violent colic, and was quite ill. He asked for M. +Corvisart, and a courier was dispatched for him, who, not finding him in +Paris, hastened to his country house; but the doctor was at the chase, no +one knew where, so the courier was obliged to return without him. The +Emperor was deeply vexed, and as he continued to suffer extremely, at +last went to bed, and Marie Louise came and spent a few moments with him; +at last M. Yvan was summoned, and administered remedies which soon +relieved the Emperor. + +M. Corvisart, somewhat anxious perhaps, came on Monday instead of +Wednesday; and when he entered Napoleon's room, the latter, who was in +his dressing-gown, ran to him, and taking him by both ears, said, "Well, +Monsieur, it seems that if I were seriously ill, I should have to +dispense with your services." M. Corvisart excused himself, asked the +Emperor how he had been affected, what remedies he had used, and promised +always to leave word where he could be found, in order that he might be +summoned immediately on his Majesty's orders, and the Emperor was soon +appeased. This event was really of advantage to the doctor; for he thus +abandoned a bad habit, at which it is probable his patients rejoiced. + +M. Corvisart had a very great influence with the Emperor, so much so that +many persons who knew him gave him the soubriquet of doctor of petitions; +and it was very rarely he failed to obtain a favorable answer to his +requests. Nevertheless, I often heard him speak warmly in favor of M. de +Bourrienne, in order to impress upon the Emperor's mind that he was much +attached to his Majesty; but the latter always replied, "No, Bourrienne +is too much of an Englishman; and besides, he is doing very well; I have +located him at Hamburg. He loves money, and he can make it there." + +It was during the year 1811 that Cardinal Fesch came most frequently to +the Emperor's apartments, and their discussions seemed to me very +animated. The cardinal maintained his opinions most vehemently, speaking +in a very loud tone and with great volubility. These conversations did +not last more than five moments before they became very bitter, and I +heard the Emperor raise his voice to the same pitch; then followed an +exchange of harsh terms, and each time the cardinal arrived I felt +distressed for the Emperor, who was always much agitated at the close of +these interviews. One day as the cardinal was taking leave of the +Emperor, I heard the latter say to him sharply, "Cardinal, you take +advantage of your position." + +A few days before our departure for Russia the Emperor had me summoned +during the day, and ordered me to bring from the treasury the box of +diamonds, and place it in his room, and not to go far away, as he had +some important business for me. About nine o'clock in the evening I was +again summoned, and found M. de Lavalette, director-general of the post, +in the Emperor's room. His Majesty opened the box in my presence, and +examined the contents, saying to me, "Constant, carry this box yourself +to the count's carriage, and remain there till he arrives." The carriage +was standing at the foot of the grand staircase in the court of the +Tuileries; and I opened it, took my seat, and waited until half-past +eleven, when M. de Lavalette arrived, having spent all this time in +conversation with the Emperor. I could not understand these precautions +in delivering the diamonds to M. de Lavalette, but they were certainly +not without a motive. + +The box contained the sword, on the pommel of which was mounted the +regent diamond, the handle also set with diamonds of great value; the +grand collar of the Legion of Honor; the ornaments, hatcord, shoulder- +piece, and buttons of the coronation robes, with the shoe-buckles and +garters, all of which were of immense value. + +A short time before we set out for the Russian campaign, Josephine sent +for me, and I went at once to Malmaison, where this excellent woman +renewed her earnest recommendations to watch most carefully over the +Emperor's health and safety; and made me promise that if any accident, +however slight, happened to him, I would write to her, as she was +exceedingly anxious to know the real truth concerning him. She wept +much; talked to me constantly about the Emperor, and after a conversation +of more than an hour, in which she gave full vent to her emotions, +presented me with her portrait painted by Saint on a gold snuff-box. I +felt much depressed by this interview; for nothing could be more touching +than to see this woman disgraced, but still loving, entreating my care +over the man who had abandoned her, and manifesting the same affectionate +interest in him which the most beloved wife would have done. + +On entering Russia, a thing of which I speak here more according to the +order of my reminiscences than in the order of time, the Emperor sent +out, on three different roads, details of select police to prepare in +advance lodgings, beds, supplies, etc. These officers were Messieurs +Sarrazin, adjutant-lieutenant, Verges, Molene, and Lieutenant Pachot. I +will devote farther on an entire chapter to our itinerary from Paris to +Moscow. + +A short time before the battle of La Moskwa, a man was brought to the +camp dressed in the Russian uniform, but speaking French; at least his +language was a singular mixture of French and Russian. This man had +escaped secretly from the enemy's lines; and when he perceived that our +soldiers were only a short distance from him, had thrown his gun on the +ground, crying in a very strong Russian accent, "I am French," and our +soldiers had at once taken him prisoner. + +Never was prisoner more charmed with his change of abode. This poor +fellow, who seemed to have been forced to take arms against his will in +the service of the enemies of his country, arrived at the French camp, +called himself the happiest of men in finding again his fellow- +countrymen, and pressed the hand of all the soldiers with an ardor which +delighted them. He was brought to the Emperor, and appeared much over- +awed at finding himself in the presence of the King of the French, as he +called his Majesty. The Emperor questioned him closely, and in his reply +he declared that the noise of the French cannon had always made his heart +beat; and that he had feared only one thing, which was that he might be +killed by his compatriots. From what he told the Emperor it appeared +that he belonged to that numerous class of men who find themselves +transplanted by their family to a foreign land, without really knowing +the cause of their emigration. His father had pursued at Moscow an +unremunerative industrial profession, and had died leaving him without +resources for the future, and, in order to earn his bread, he had become +a soldier. He said that the Russian military discipline was one of his +strongest incentives to desert, adding that he had strong arms and a +brave heart, and would serve in the French army if the general permitted. +His frankness pleased the Emperor, and he endeavored to obtain from him +some positive information on the state of the public mind at Moscow; and +ascertained from his revelations, more or less intelligent, that there +was much disturbance in that ancient capital. + +He said that in the street could be heard cries of, "No more of Barclay! + + [Prince Michael Barclay de Tolly, born in Livonia, 1755, of + Scottish extraction; distinguished himself in wars against Sweden, + Turkey, and Poland, 1788 and 1794, and against the French, 1806; + commanded Russian army against Napoleon in 1812, until superseded, + after battle of Smolensk, by Kutusoff, and commanded the right wing + at Borodino; afterwards commanded at Bautzen and Leipsic; died + 1818] + +Down with the traitor! dismiss him! Long live Kutusoff!" The merchant +class, which possessed great influence on account of its wealth, +complained of a system of temporizing which left men in uncertainty, and +compromised the honor of the Russian arms; and it was thought +unpardonable in the Emperor that he had bestowed his confidence on a +foreigner when old Kutusoff, with the blood and the heart of a Russian, +was given a secondary position. The Emperor Alexander had paid little +attention to these energetic complaints, until at last, frightened by the +symptoms of insurrection which began to be manifest in the army, he had +yielded, and Kutusoff had been named generalissimo, over which important +event there had been rejoicings and illuminations at Moscow. A great +battle with the French was talked of; enthusiasm was at its height in the +Russian army, and every soldier had fastened to his cap a green branch. +The prisoner spoke with awe of Kutusoff, and said that he was an old man, +with white hair and great mustaches, and eyes that struck him with +terror; that he lacked much of dressing like the French generals; that he +wore very ordinary clothes--he who could have such fine ones; that he +roared like a lion when he was angry; that he never started on a march +without saying his prayers; and that he crossed himself frequently at +different hours of the day. "The soldiers love him because they say he +so much resembles Suwarrow. I am afraid he will do the French much +harm," said he. The Emperor, satisfied with this information, dismissed +the prisoner, and gave orders that he should be allowed the freedom of +the camp; and afterwards he fought bravely beside our soldiers. The +Emperor made his entrance into Gjatsk with a most singular escort. + +Some Cossacks had been taken in a skirmish; and his Majesty, who was at +this time very eager for information from every quarter, desired to +question these savages, and for this purpose had two or three brought to +his headquarters. These men seemed formed to be always on horseback, and +their appearance when they alighted on the ground was most amusing. +Their legs, which the habit of pressing their horses' sides had driven +far apart, resembled a pair of pincers, and they had a general air of +being out of their element. The Emperor entered Gjatsk, escorted by two +of these barbarians on horseback, who appeared much flattered by this +honor. I remarked that sometimes the Emperor could with difficulty +repress a smile as he witnessed the awkward appearance made by these +cavaliers from the Ukraine, above all when they attempted to put on airs. +Their reports, which the interpreter of the Emperor had some difficulty +in comprehending, seemed a confirmation of all his Majesty had heard +concerning Moscow. These barbarians made the Emperor understand by their +animated gestures, convulsive movements, and warlike postures, that there +would soon be a great battle between the French and the Russians. The +Emperor had brandy given them, which they drank like water, and presented +their glasses anew with a coolness which was very amusing. Their horses +were small, with cropped manes and long tails, such as unfortunately can +be seen without leaving Paris. + +It is a matter of history that the King of Naples made a most favorable +impression on these barbarians. When it was announced to the Emperor one +day that they desired to appoint him their hetman, the Emperor was much +amused by this offer, and said jestingly that he was ready to indorse +this choice of a free people. The King of Naples had something +theatrical in his appearance which fascinated these barbarians, for he +always dressed magnificently. When his steed bore him in front of his +column, his beautiful hair disordered by the wind, as he gave those grand +saber strokes which mowed down men like stubble, I can well comprehend +the deep impression he made on the fancy of these warlike people, among +whom exterior qualities alone can be appreciated. It is said that the +King of Naples by simply raising this powerful sword had put to flight a +horde of these barbarians. I do not know how much truth there is in this +statement, but it is at least possible. + +The Cossacks, in common with all races still in their infancy, believe in +magicians. A very amusing anecdote was told of the great chief of the +Cossacks, the celebrated Platoff. Pursued by the King of Naples, he was +beating a retreat, when a ball reached one of the officers beside him, on +which event the hetman was so much irritated against his magician that he +had him flogged in presence of all his hordes, reproaching him most +bitterly because he had not turned away the balls by his witchcraft. +This was plain evidence of the fact that he had more faith in his art +than the sorcerer himself possessed. + +On the 3d of September, from his headquarters at Gjatsk, the Emperor +ordered his army to prepare for a general engagement. There had been for +some days much laxity in the police of the bivouacs, and he now redoubled +the severity of the regulations in regard to the countersigns. Some +detachments which had been sent for provisions having too greatly +prolonged their expedition, the Emperor charged the colonels to express +to them his dissatisfaction, adding that those who had not returned by +the next day could not take part in the battle. These words needed no +commentary. + +The country surrounding Gjatsk was very fertile, and the fields were now +covered with rye ready for the sickle, through which we saw here and +there broad gaps made by the Cossacks in their, flight. I have often +since compared the aspect of these fields in November and September. +What a horrible thing is war! A few days before the battle, Napoleon, +accompanied by two of his marshals, made a visit of inspection on foot in +the outskirts of the city. + +On the eve of this great event he discussed everything in the calmest +manner, speaking of this country as he would have done of a beautiful, +fertile province of France. In hearing him one might think that the +granary of the army had here been found, that it would consequently +furnish excellent winter quarters, and the first care of the government +he was about to establish at Gjatsk would be the encouragement of +agriculture. He then pointed out to his marshals the beautiful windings +of the river which gives its name to the village, and appeared delighted +with the landscape spread before his eyes. I have never seen the Emperor +abandon himself to such gentle emotions, nor seen such serenity +manifested both in his countenance and conversation; and at the same time +I was never more deeply impressed with the greatness of his soul. + +On the 5th of September the Emperor mounted the heights of Borodino, +hoping to take in at a glance the respective positions of the two armies; +but the sky was overcast. One of those fine, cold rains soon began to +fall, which so often come in the early autumn, and resemble from a +distance a tolerably thick fog. The Emperor tried to use his glasses; +but the kind of veil which covered the whole country prevented his seeing +any distance, by which he was much vexed. The rain, driven by the wind, +fell slanting against his field-glasses, and he had to dry them over and +over again, to his very great annoyance. The atmosphere was so cold and +damp that he ordered his cloak, and wrapped himself in it, saying that as +it was impossible to remain there, he must return to headquarters, which +he did, and throwing himself on the bed slept a short while. On awaking +he said, "Constant, I hear a noise outside; go see what it is." I went +out, and returned to inform him that General Caulaincourt had arrived; at +which news the Emperor rose hastily, and ran to meet the general, asking +him anxiously, "Do you bring any prisoners?" The general replied that +he had not been able to take prisoners, since the Russian soldiers +preferred death to surrender. The Emperor immediately cried, "Let all +the artillery be brought forward." He had decided that in his +preparations to make this war one of extermination, the cannon would +spare his troops the fatigue of discharging their muskets. + +On the 6th, at midnight, it was announced to the Emperor that the fires +of the Russians seemed less numerous, and the flames were extinguished at +several points; and some few said they had heard the muffled sound of +drums. The army was in a state of great anxiety. The Emperor sprang +wildly from his bed, repeatedly exclaiming, "It is impossible!" + +I tried to hand him his garments, that he might clothe himself warmly, as +the night was so cold; but he was so eager to assure himself personally +of the truth of these statements, that he rushed out of the tent with +only his cloak wrapped around him. It was a fact that the fires of the +bivouac had grown paler, and the Emperor had reason for the gravest +suspicions. Where would the war end if the Russians fell back now? He +re-entered his tent much agitated, and retired to bed again, repeating +many times, "We will know the truth to-morrow morning." + +On the 7th of September, the sun rose in a cloudless sky, and the Emperor +exclaimed, "It is the sun of Austerlitz!" These words of the Emperor were +reported to the army, and repeated by them amid great enthusiasm. The +drums were beaten, and the order of the day was read as follows: + + SOLDIERS,--Behold the battle you have so long desired! Henceforth + that victory depends on you which is so necessary to us, since it + will furnish us abundant provisions, good winter quarters, and a + prompt return to our native land. Conduct yourselves as at + Austerlitz, at Friedland, at Witepsk, at Smolensk, and let the most + remote posterity refer with pride to your conduct on this day; let + it be said of you, "He took part in the great battle under the walls + of Moscow." + +The army replied by reiterated acclamations. The Emperor, a few hours +before the battle, had dictated this proclamation, and it was read in the +morning to the soldiers. Napoleon was then on the heights of Borodino; +and when the enthusiastic cries of the army struck his ear, he was +standing with folded arms, the sun shining full in his eyes, reflected +from the French and Russian bayonets. He smiled, then became more +serious until the affair was terminated. + +On that day the portrait of the King of Rome was brought to Napoleon. He +needed some gentle emotion to divert his mind from this state of anxious +suspense. He held this portrait long on his knees, contemplating it with +delight, and said that it was the most agreeable surprise he had ever +received, and repeated several times in a low tone, "My good Louise! +This is a charming attention!" On the Emperor's countenance there rested +an expression of happiness difficult to describe, though the first +emotions excited were calm and even melancholy. "The dear child," was +all that he said. But he experienced all the pride of a father and an +Emperor when by his orders officers, and even soldiers, of the old guard +came to see the King of Rome. The portrait was placed on exhibition in +front of the tent; and it was inexpressibly touching to see these old +soldiers uncover themselves with respect before this image, in which they +sought to find some of the features of Napoleon. The Emperor had at this +moment the expansive joy of a father who knows well that next to him his +son has no better friends than his old companions in endurance and glory. + +At four o'clock in the morning, that is to say one hour before the battle +opened, Napoleon felt a great exhaustion in his whole person, and had a +slight chill, without fever, however, and threw himself on his bed. +Nevertheless, he was not as ill as M. de Segur states. He had had for +some time a severe cold that he had somewhat neglected, and which was so +much increased by the fatigue of this memorable day that he lost his +voice almost entirely. He treated this with the soldier's prescription, +and drank light punch during the whole night, which he spent working in +his cabinet without being able to speak. This inconvenience lasted two +days; but on the 9th he was well, and his hoarseness almost gone. + +After the battle, of every six corpses found, one would be French and +five Russian. At noon an aide-de-camp came to inform the Emperor that +Count Auguste de Caulaincourt, brother of the Duke of Vicenza, had been +struck by a ball. The Emperor drew a deep sigh, but said not a word; for +he well knew that his heart would most likely be saddened more, than once +that day. After the battle, he expressed his condolences to the Duke of +Vicenza in the most touching manner. + +Count Auguste de Caulaincourt was a young man full of courage, who had +left his young wife a few hours after his marriage to follow the French +army, and to find a glorious death at the battle of La Moskwa. He was +governor of the pages of the Emperor, and had married the sister of one +of his charges. This charming person was so young that her parents +preferred that the marriage should not take place until he returned from +the campaign, being influenced in this decision by the fate of Prince +Aldobrandini after his marriage with Mademoiselle de la Rochefoucault +before the campaign of Wagram. General Auguste de Caulaincourt was +killed in a redoubt to which he had led the cuirassiers of General +Montbrun, who had just been fatally wounded by a cannon-ball in the +attack on this same redoubt. + +The Emperor often said, in speaking of generals killed in the army, +"Such an one is happy in having died on the field of honor, while I shall +perhaps be so unfortunate as to die in my bed." He was less +philosophical on the occasion of Marshal Lannes's death, when I saw him, +while at breakfast, weeping such large tears that they rolled over his +cheeks, and fell into his plate. He mourned deeply for Desaix, +Poniatowski, and Bessieres, but most of all for Lannes, and next to him +Duroc. + +During the whole of the battle of the Moskwa the Emperor had attacks +resembling stone in the bladder. He had been often threatened with this +disease unless he was more prudent in his diet, and suffered much, +although he complained little, and only when attacked by violent pain +uttered stifled groans. Now, nothing causes more anxiety than to hear +those complain who are unaccustomed to do so; for then one imagines the +suffering most intense, since it is stronger than a strong man. At +Austerlitz the Emperor said, "Ordener is worn out. There is only one +time for military achievement in a man's life. I shall be good for six +years longer, and after that I shall retire." + +The Emperor rode over the field of battle, which presented a horrible +spectacle, nearly all the dead being covered with wounds; which proved +with what bitterness the battle had been waged. The weather was very +inclement, and rain was falling, accompanied by a very high wind. Poor +wounded creatures, who had not yet been removed to the ambulances, half +rose from the ground in their desire not to be overlooked and to receive +aid; while some among them still cried, "Vive l'Empereur!" in spite of +their suffering and exhaustion. Those of our soldiers who had been +killed by Russian balls showed on their corpses deep and broad wounds, +for the Russian balls were much larger than ours. We saw a color-bearer, +wrapped in his banner as a winding-sheet, who seemed to give signs of +life, but he expired in the shock of being raised. The Emperor walked +on and said nothing, though many times when he passed by the most +mutilated, he put his hand over his eyes to avoid the sight. This calm +lasted only a short while; for there was a place on the battlefield where +French and Russians had fallen pell-mell, almost all of whom were wounded +more or less grievously. And when the Emperor heard their cries, he +became enraged, and shouted at those who had charge of removing the +wounded, much irritated by the slowness with which this was done. It was +difficult to prevent the horses from trampling on the corpses, so thickly +did they lie. A wounded soldier was struck by the shoe of a horse in the +Emperor's suite, and uttered a heartrending cry, upon which the Emperor +quickly turned, and inquired in a most vehement manner who was the +awkward person by whom the man was hurt. He was told, thinking that it +would calm his anger, that the man was nothing but a Russian. "Russian +or French," he exclaimed, "I wish every one removed!" + +Poor young fellows who were making their first campaign, being wounded to +the death, lost courage, and wept like children crying for their mothers. +The terrible picture will be forever engraven on my memory. + +The Emperor urgently repeated his orders for removing the wounded +quickly, then turned his horse in silence, and returned to his +headquarters, the evening being now far advanced. I passed the night +near him, and his sleep was much disturbed; or, rather, he did not sleep +at all, and repeated over and over, restlessly turning on his pillow, +"Poor Caulaincourt! What a day! What a day!" + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +As I have announced previously, I shall endeavor to record in this +chapter some recollections of events personal to the Emperor which +occurred during the journey between the frontiers of France and Prussia. +How sad a contrast results, alas! as we attempt to compare our journey to +Moscow with that of our return. One must have seen Napoleon at Dresden, +surrounded by a court of princes and of kings, to form an idea of the +highest point which human greatness can reach. There more than ever +elsewhere the Emperor was affable to all; fortune smiled upon him, +and none of those who enjoyed with us the spectacle of his glory could +even conceive the thought that fortune could soon prove unfaithful to him +and in so striking a manner. I remember, among other particulars of our +stay at Dresden, a speech I heard the Emperor make to Marshal Berthier, +whom he had summoned at a very early hour. When the marshal arrived, +Napoleon had not yet risen, but I received orders to bring him in at +once; so that while dressing the Emperor, I heard between him and his +major-general a conversation of which I wish I could remember the whole, +but at least I am sure of repeating correctly one thought which struck +me. The Emperor said in nearly these words:-- + +"I wish no harm to Alexander; it is not on Russia that I am making war, +no more than on Spain; I have only one enemy,--England, and it is her I +am striving to reach in Russia; I will pursue her everywhere." During +this speech the marshal bit his nails, as was his constant habit. On +that day a magnificent review was held, at which all the princes of the +Confederation were present, surrounding their chief as great vassals of +his crown. + +When the various army-corps marshaled from the other side of the Elbe had +advanced to the confines of Poland, we left Dresden, meeting everywhere +the same enthusiasm on the advent of the Emperor. We were as a result +sumptuously entertained in every place at which we halted, so anxious +were the inhabitants to testify their regard for his Majesty, even in the +person of those who had the honor of serving him. + +At this time there was a general rumor in the army, and among the persons +of the Emperor's household, that his intention was to re-establish the +kingdom of Poland. Ignorant as I was, and from my position should +naturally be, of all political matters, I heard no less than others the +expression of an opinion which was universal, and which was discussed +openly by all. Sometimes the Emperor condescended to ask me what I +heard, and always smiled at my report, since I could not tell the truth +and say anything that would have been disagreeable to him; for he was +then, and I do not speak too strongly, universally adored by the Polish +population. + +On the 23d of June we were on the banks of the Niemen, that river already +become so famous by the interview between the two Emperors, under +circumstances very different from those in which they now found +themselves. + +The passage of the army began in the evening, and lasted for forty-eight +hours, during which time the Emperor was almost constantly on horseback, +so well he knew that his presence expedited matters. Then we continued +our journey to Wilna, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and on +the 27th arrived in front of this town, occupied by the Russians; and it +may truly be said that there, and there alone, military operations began, +for up to this time the Emperor had traveled as he would have done in the +departments of the interior of France. The Russians, being attacked, +were beaten and fell back, so that two days after we entered Wilna, a +town of considerable size, which seemed to me to contain about thirty +thousand inhabitants. I was struck with the incredible number of +convents and churches which are there. At Wilna the Emperor was much +gratified by the demand of five or six hundred students that they should +be formed into a regiment. It is needless to say that such solicitations +were always eagerly granted by his Majesty. + +We rested for some time at Wilna; the Emperor thence followed the +movement of his armies, and occupied himself also with organizing the +Grand Duchy of Lithuania, of which this town, as is well known, is the +capital. As the Emperor was often on horseback, I had sufficient leisure +to acquaint myself thoroughly with the town and its environs. The +Lithuanians were in a state of enthusiasm impossible to describe; and +although I have seen during my life many fetes, I shall never forget the +joyous excitement of the whole population when the grand national fete of +the regeneration of Poland was celebrated, which owing either to a +singular coincidence, or the calculation of the Emperor, was appointed +for the 14th of July. The Poles were still uncertain as to the ultimate +fate which the Emperor reserved for their country; but a future bright +with hope shone before their eyes, until these visions were rudely +dispelled by the Emperor's reply to the deputation from the Polish +confederation established at Warsaw. This numerous deputation, with a +count palatine at its head, demanded the integral re-establishment of the +ancient kingdom of Poland. This was the Emperor's reply:-- + +"Messieurs, deputies of the Confederation of Poland, I have heard with +interest what you have just said. Were I a Pole, I should think and act +as you have done, and I should have voted like you in the assembly at +Warsaw; for love of country is the first virtue of civilized man. + +"In my position I have many opposing interests to reconcile, and many +duties to fulfill. If I had reigned at the time of the first, second, +or third division of Poland, I would have armed all my people to sustain +you. As soon as victory permitted me to restore your ancient laws to +your capital and to a part of your provinces, I have done so readily, +without, however, prolonging a war which would have shed the blood of my +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 he had caught at last, had just evacuated +it, after destroying much booty, and burning the greater part of the +stores. + +We entered by the light of the flames, but it was nothing in comparison +to what awaited us at Moscow. I remarked at Smolensk two buildings which +seemed to me of the greatest beauty,--the cathedral and the episcopal +palace, which last seemed to form a village in itself, so extensive are +the buildings, and being also separated from the city. + +I will not make a list of the places with barbarous names through which +we passed after leaving Smolensk. All that I shall add as to our +itinerary during the first half of this gigantic campaign is that on the +5th of September we arrived on the banks of the Moskwa, where the Emperor +saw with intense satisfaction that at last the Russians were determined +to grant him the great battle which he so ardently desired, and which he +had pursued for more than two hundred leagues as prey that he would not +allow to escape him. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE day after the battle of the Moskwa, I was with the Emperor in his +tent which was on the field of battle, and the most perfect calm reigned +around us. It was a fine spectacle which this army presented, calmly re- +forming its columns in which the Russian cannon had made such wide gaps, +and proceeding to the repose of the bivouac with the security which +conquerors ever feel. The Emperor seemed overcome with fatigue. From +time to time he clasped his hands over his crossed knees, and I heard him +each time repeat, with a kind of convulsive movement, "Moscow! Moscow!" +He sent me several times to see what was going on outside, then rose +himself, and coming up behind me looked out over my shoulder. The noise +made by the sentinel in presenting arms each time warned me of his +approach. After about a quarter of an hour of these silent marches to +and fro, the sentinel advanced and cried, "To arms!" and like a +lightning flash the battalion square was formed around the Emperor's +tent. He rushed out, and then re-entered to take his hat and sword. It +proved to be a false alarm, as a regiment of Saxons returning from a raid +had been mistaken for the enemy. + +There was much laughter over this mistake, especially when the raiders +came in sight, some bearing quarters of meat spitted on the ends of their +bayonets, others with half-picked fowls or hams which made the mouth +water. I was standing outside the tent, and shall never forget the first +movement of the sentinel as he gave the cry of alarm. He lowered the +stock of his gun to see if the priming was in place, shook the barrel by +striking it with his fist, then replaced the gun on his arm, saying, +"Well, let them come; we are ready for them." I told the occurrence to +the Emperor, who in his turn related it to Prince Berthier; and in +consequence the Emperor made this brave soldier drink a glass of his best +Chambertin wine. + +It was the Duke of Dantzic who first entered Moscow, and the Emperor came +only after him. This entry was made in the night, and never was there a +more depressing scene. There was something truly frightful in this +silent march of an army halted at intervals by messages from inside the +city, which seemed to be of a most ominous character. No Muscovite +figures could be distinguished except those of a few beggars covered with +rags, who watched with stupid astonishment the army file past; and as +some few of these appeared to be begging alms, our soldiers threw them +bread and a few pieces of money. I cannot prevent a sad reflection on +these unfortunate creatures, whose condition alone remains unchanged +through great political upheavals, and who are totally without affection +and without national sympathies. + +As we advanced on the streets of the faubourgs, we looked through the +windows on each side, and were astonished to perceive no human being; and +if a solitary light appeared in the windows of a few houses, it was soon +extinguished, and these signs of life so suddenly effaced made a terrible +impression. The Emperor halted at the faubourg of Dorogomilow, and spent +the night there, not in an inn, as has been stated, but in a house so +filthy and wretched that next morning we found in the Emperor's bed, and +on his clothes, vermin which are by no means uncommon in Russia. We were +tormented by them also to our great disgust, and the Emperor did not +sleep during the whole night he passed there. According to custom, I +slept in his chamber; and notwithstanding the precaution I had taken to +burn vinegar and aloes wood, the odor was so disagreeable that every +moment the Emperor called me. + +"Are you asleep, Constant?"--"No, Sire."--"My son, burn more vinegar, I +cannot endure this frightful odor; it is a torment; I cannot sleep." +I did my best; but a moment after, when the fumes of the vinegar were +evaporated, he again recommended me to burn sugar or aloes wood. + +It was two o'clock in the morning when he was informed that a fire had +broken out in the city. The news was received through Frenchmen residing +in this country, and an officer of the Russian police confirmed the +report, and entered into details too precise for the Emperor to doubt the +fact. Nevertheless, he still persisted in not believing it. "That is +not possible. Do you believe that, Constant? Go, and find out if it is +true." And thereupon he threw himself again on his bed, trying to rest a +little; then he recalled me to make the same inquiries. + +The Emperor passed the night in extreme agitation, and when daylight came +he knew all. He had Marshal Mortier called, and reprimanded both him and +the young guard. Mortier in reply showed him, houses covered with iron +the roofs of which were uninjured, but the Emperor pointed out to him the +black smoke which was issuing from them, pressed his hands together, and +stamped his heels on the rough planks of his sleeping-room. + +At six o'clock in the morning we were at the palace of the Kremlin, where +Napoleon occupied the apartment of the Czars, which opened on a vast +esplanade reached by a broad stone staircase. On this same esplanade +could be seen the church in which were the tombs of the ancient +sovereigns, also the senatorial palace, the barracks, the arsenal, and a +splendid clock tower, the cross on which towers above the whole city. +This is the gilded cross of Ivan. The Emperor threw a satisfied glance +over the beautiful scene spread out before him; for no sign of fire was +yet seen in all the buildings which surrounded the Kremlin. This palace +is a mixture of Gothic and modern architecture, and this mingling of the +two styles gives it a most singular appearance. + +Within these walls lived and died the old dynasties of the Romanoff and +Ruric; and this is the same palace which has been so often stained with +blood by the intrigues of a ferocious court, at a period when all +quarrels were settled with the poniard. His Majesty could not obtain +there even a few hours of quiet sleep. + +In fact, the Emperor, somewhat reassured by the reports of Marshal +Mortier, was dictating to the Emperor Alexander words of peace, and a +Russian flag of truce was about to bear this letter, when the Emperor, +who was promenading the length and breadth of his apartment, perceived +from his windows a brilliant light some distance from the palace. It was +the fire, which had burst out again fiercer than ever; and as the wind +from the north was now driving the flames in the direction of the +Kremlin, the alarm was given by two officers who occupied the wing of the +building nearest the fire. Wooden houses of many various colors were +devoured in a few moments, and had already fallen in; magazines of oil, +brandy, and other combustible materials, threw out flames of a lurid hue, +which were communicated with the rapidity of lightning to other adjoining +buildings. A shower of sparks and coals fell on the roofs of the +Kremlin; and one shudders to think that one of these sparks alone falling +on a caisson might have produced a general explosion, and blown up the +Kremlin; for by an inconceivable negligence a whole park of artillery had +been placed under the Emperor's windows. + +Soon most incredible reports reached the Emperor; some said that Russians +had been seen stirring the fire themselves, and throwing inflammable +material into the parts of houses still unburned, while those of the +Russians who did not mingle with the incendiaries, stood with folded +arms, contemplating the disaster with an imperturbability which cannot be +described. Except for the absence of cries of joy and clapping of hands +they might have been taken for men who witness a brilliant display of +fireworks. It was soon very evident to the Emperor that it was a +concerted plot laid by the enemy. + +He descended from his apartment by the great northern staircase made +famous by the massacre of the Strelitz. The fire had already made such +enormous progress that on this side the outside doors were half burned +through, and the horses refused to pass, reared, and it was with much +difficulty they could be made to clear the gates. The Emperor had his +gray overcoat burned in several places, and even his hair; and a moment +later we were walking over burning firebrands. + +We were not yet out of danger, and were obliged to steer clear of the +burning rubbish which encumbered our path. Several outlets were tried, +but unsuccessfully, as the hot breezes from the fire struck against our +faces, and drove us back in terrible confusion. At last a postern +opening on the Moskwa was discovered, and it was through this the Emperor +with his officers and guard succeeded in escaping from the Kremlin, but +only to re-enter narrow streets, where the fire, inclosed as in a +furnace, was increased in intensity, and uniting above our heads the +flames thus formed a burning dome, which overshadowed us, and hid from us +the heavens. It was time to leave this dangerous place from which one +means of egress alone was open to us,--a narrow, winding street +encumbered with debris of every kind, composed of flaming beams fallen +from the roofs, and burning posts. There was a moment of hesitation +among us, in which some proposed to the Emperor to cover him from head to +foot with their cloaks, and transport him thus in their arms through this +dangerous passage. This proposition the Emperor rejected, and settled +the question by throwing himself on foot into the midst of the blazing +debris, where two or three vigorous jumps put him in a place of safety. + +Then ensued a touching scene between the Emperor and the Prince of +Eckmuhl, who, wounded at the Moskwa, had himself borne back in order to +attempt to save the Emperor, or to die with him. From a distance the +marshal perceived him calmly emerging from so great a peril; and this +good and tender friend by an immense effort hastened to throw himself +into the Emperor's arms, and his Majesty pressed him to his heart as if +to thank him for rousing such gentle emotions at a moment when danger +usually renders men selfish and egotistical. + +At length the air itself, filled with all these flaming masses, became so +heated that it could no longer be breathed. The atmosphere itself was +burning, the glass of the windows cracked,' and apartments became +untenable. The Emperor stood for a moment immovable, his face crimson, +and great drops of perspiration rolling from his brow, while the King of +Naples, Prince Eugene, and the Prince de Neuchatel begged him to quit the +palace, whose entreaties he answered only by impatient gestures. At this +instant cries came from the wing of the palace situated farthest to the +north, announcing that the walls had fallen, and that the fire was +spreading with frightful rapidity; and seeing at last that his position +was no longer tenable, the Emperor admitted that it was time to leave, +and repaired to the imperial chateau of Petrovskoi. + +On his arrival at Petrovskoi the Emperor ordered M. de Narbonne to +inspect a palace which I think had belonged to Catherine. This was a +beautiful building, and the apartments handsomely furnished. M. de +Narbonne returned with this information; but almost immediately flames +burst from every side, and it was soon consumed. + +Such was the fury of these wretches who were hired to burn everything, +that the boats which covered the Moskwa laden with grain; oats, and other +provisions, were burned, and sunk beneath the waves with a horrible +crackling sound. Soldiers of the Russian police had been seen stirring +up the fire with tarred lances, and in the ovens of some houses shells +had been placed which wounded many of our soldiers in exploding. + +In the streets filthy women and hideous, drunken men ran to the burning +houses and seized flaming brands, which they carried in every direction, +and which our soldiers were obliged repeatedly to knock out of their +hands with the hilts of their swords before they would relinquish them. +The Emperor ordered that these incendiaries when taken in the act should +be hung to posts in the public squares; and the populace prostrated +themselves around these gallows, kissing the feet of those executed, +praying, and signing themselves with the sign of the cross. Such +fanaticism is almost unparalleled. + +One incident of which I was a witness proves that those hired to carry +out this vast plot acted, evidently, according to instructions given by +higher authorities. A man covered with a sheepskin, old and tattered, +with a miserable capon his head, boldly mounted the steps of the Kremlin. +Under this filthy disguise an elegant costume was concealed; and when a +stricter surveillance was instituted, this bold beggar himself was +suspected, arrested, and carried before the police, where he was +questioned by the officer of the post. As he made some resistance, +thinking this proceeding somewhat arbitrary, the sentinel put his hand +on his breast to force him to enter; and this somewhat abrupt movement +pushing aside the sheepskin which covered him, decorations were seen, +and when his disguise was removed he was recognized as a Russian officer. +He had on his person matches which he had been distributing to the men of +the people, and when questioned admitted that he was specially charged to +keep alive the fire of the Kremlin. Many questions were asked, each +eliciting new confessions, all of which were made in the most indifferent +manner, and he was put in prison, and was, I think, punished as an +incendiary; but of this I am not certain. When any of these wretches +were brought before the Emperor, he shrugged his shoulders, and with +gestures of scorn and anger ordered that they should be removed from his +sight, and the grenadiers sometimes executed justice on them with their +bayonets; but such exasperation can be well understood in soldiers thus +driven by these base and odious measures from a resting-place earned by +the sword. + +In Petrovskoi, a pretty residence belonging to one of Alexander's +chamberlains, a man was found concealed in one of the apartments his +Majesty was to occupy; but not being armed he was released, as it was +concluded that fright alone had driven him into this dwelling. The +Emperor arrived during the night at his new residence, and waited there +in intense anxiety till the fire should be extinguished at the Kremlin, +intending to return thither, for the pleasure house of a chamberlain was +no suitable place for his Majesty. Thanks to the active and courageous +actions of a battalion of the guard, the Kremlin was preserved from the +flames, and the Emperor thereupon gave the signal for departure. + +In order to re-enter Moscow it was necessary to cross the camp, or rather +the several camps, of the army; and we wended our way over cold and miry +ground, through fields where all was devastation and ruin. This camp +presented a most singular aspect; and I experienced feelings of bitter +melancholy as I saw our soldiers compelled to bivouac at the gates of a +large and beautiful city of which they were the conquerors, but the fire +still more than they. The Emperor, on appointing Marshal Mortier +governor of Moscow, had said to him, "Above all, no pillage; you will +answer for it with your head." The order was strictly enforced up to the +moment the fire began; but when it was evident that the fire would devour +everything, and that it was useless to abandon to the flames what would +be of much value to the soldiers, liberty was given them to draw largely +from this great storehouse of the north. + +It was at once sad and amusing to see around poor plank sheds, the only +tents our soldiers had, the most magnificent furniture, silk canopies, +priceless Siberian furs, and cashmere shawls thrown pell-mell with silver +dishes; and then to see the food served on these princely dishes,-- +miserable black gruel, and pieces of horseflesh still bleeding. Good +ammunition-bread was worth at this time treble all these riches, and +there came a time when they had not even horseflesh. + +On re-entering Moscow the wind bore to us the insufferable odor of +burning houses, warm ashes filled our mouths and eyes, and frequently we +drew back just in time before great pillars which had been burned in two +by the fire, and fell noiselessly on this calcined soil. Moscow was not +so deserted as we had thought. As the first impression conquest produces +is one of fright, all the inhabitants who remained had concealed +themselves in cellars, or in the immense vaults which extend under the +Kremlin; and driven out by the fire like wolves from their lairs, when we +re-entered the city nearly twenty thousand inhabitants were wandering +through the midst of the debris, a dull stupor depicted on faces +blackened with smoke, and pale with hunger; for they could not comprehend +how having gone to sleep under human roofs, they had risen next morning +on a plain. They were in the last extremity of want; a few vegetables +only remained in the gardens, and these were devoured raw, while many of +these unfortunate creatures threw themselves at different times into the +Moskwa, endeavoring to recover some of the grain cast therein by +Rostopchin's orders; + + [Count Feodor Rostopchin, born 1765; died 1826. He denied that + Moscow was burnt by his authority. He claimed that it was burnt + partly by the French, and partly by Russians without orders.] + +and a large number perished in the water in these fruitless efforts. +Such was the scene of distress through which the Emperor was obliged to +pass in order to reach the Kremlin. + +The apartments which he occupied were spacious and well lighted, but +almost devoid of furniture; but his iron bedstead was set up there, as in +all the chateaux he occupied in his campaigns. His windows opened on the +Moskwa, and from there the fire could still be plainly seen in various +quarters of the city, reappearing on one side as soon as extinguished on +the other. His Majesty said to me one evening with deep feeling, "These +wretches will not leave one stone upon another." I do not believe there +was ever in any country as many buzzards as at Moscow. The Emperor was +annoyed by their presence, and exclaimed, "Mon Dieu! will they follow us +everywhere?" + +There were a few concerts during our stay at the Emperor's residence in +Moscow; but Napoleon seemed much dejected when he appeared at them, for +the music of the saloons made no impression on his harassed mind, and the +only kind that ever seemed to stir his soul was that of the camp before +and after a battle. + +The day after the Emperor's arrival, Messieurs Ed---- and V---- repaired +to the Kremlin in order to interview his Majesty, and after waiting some +time without seeing him, were expressing their mutual regret at having +failed in this expectation, when they suddenly heard a shutter open above +their heads, and, raising their eyes, recognized the Emperor, who said, +"Messieurs, who are you?"--"Sire, we are Frenchmen!" He requested them +to mount the stairs to the room he occupied, and there continued his +questions. "What is the nature of the occupation which has detained you +in Moscow?"--"We are tutors in the families of two Russian noblemen, +whom the arrival of the French troops have driven from their homes. We +have submitted to the entreaties made by them not to abandon their +property, and we are at present alone in their palaces." The Emperor +inquired of them if there were still other Frenchmen at Moscow, and asked +that they should be brought to him; and then proposed that they should +charge themselves with maintaining order, appointing as chief, M. M----, +whom he decorated with a tri-colored scarf. He recommended them to +prevent the pillage of the French soldiers in the churches, and to have +the malefactors shot, and enjoined them to use great rigor towards the +galley-slaves, whom Rostopchin had pardoned on condition that they would +set fire to the city. + +A part of these Frenchmen followed our army in its retreat, seeing that a +longer stay at Moscow would be most disagreeable to them; and those who +did not follow their example were condemned to work on the streets. + +The Emperor Alexander, when informed of the measures of Rostopchin, +harshly rebuked the governor, and ordered him at once to restore to +liberty these unfortunate Frenchmen. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +We re-entered the Kremlin the morning of the 18th of September. The +palace and the hospital for foundlings were almost the only buildings +remaining uninjured. On the route our carriages were surrounded by a +crowd of miserable Muscovites begging alms. They followed us as +far as the palace, walking through hot ashes, or over the heated stones, +which crumbled beneath their feet. The poorest were barefoot; and it was +a heart-rending sight to see these creatures, as their feet touched the +burning debris, give vent to their sufferings by screams and gestures of +despair. As the only unencumbered part of the street was occupied by our +carriages, this swarm threw themselves pell-mell against the wheels or +under the feet of our horses. Our progress was consequently very slow, +and we had so much the longer under our eyes this picture of the greatest +of all miseries, that of a people burned out of their homes, and without +food or the means to procure it. The Emperor had food and money given +them. + +When we were again established at the Kremlin, and had resumed our +regular routine of living, a few days passed in perfect tranquillity. +The Emperor appeared less sad, and in consequence those surrounding him +became somewhat more cheerful. It seemed as if we had returned from the +campaign, and taken up again the customary occupations of city life; but +if the Emperor sometimes indulged in this illusion, it was soon dispelled +by the sight Moscow presented as seen from the windows of his apartments, +and each time Napoleon's eyes turned in that direction it was evident +that he was oppressed by the saddest presentiments, although he no longer +manifested the same vehement impatience as on his first stay at the +palace, when he saw the flames surrounding him and driving him from his +apartments. But he exhibited the depressing calm of a careworn man who +cannot foresee how things will result. The days were long at the Kremlin +while the Emperor awaited Alexander's reply, which never came. At this +time I noticed that the Emperor kept constantly on his table Voltaire's +history of Charles XII. + +The Emperor was a prey to his genius for administration, even in the +midst of the ruins of this great city; and in order to divert his mind +from the anxiety caused by outside affairs, occupied himself with +municipal organization, and had already arranged that Moscow should be +stocked with provisions for the winter. + +A theater was erected near the Kremlin, but the Emperor never attended. +The troupe was composed of a few unfortunate French actors, who had +remained in Moscow in a state of utter destitution; but his Majesty +encouraged this enterprise in the hope that theatrical representations +would offer some diversion to both officers and soldiers. It was said +that the first actors of Paris had been ordered to Moscow, but of that I +know nothing positively. There was at Moscow a celebrated Italian singer +whom the Emperor heard several times, but only in his apartments, and he +did not form part of the regular troupe. + +Until the 18th of October the time was spent in discussions, more or less +heated, between the Emperor and his generals, as to the best course to be +pursued. Every one well knew that retreat had now become inevitable, and +the Emperor was well aware of this fact himself; but it was plainly +evident that it cost his pride a terrible struggle to speak the decisive +word. The last days preceding the 18th were the saddest I have ever +known. In his ordinary intercourse with his friends and counselors his +Majesty manifested much coldness of manner; he became taciturn, and +entire hours passed without any one present having the courage to begin a +conversation. The Emperor, who was generally so hurried at his meals, +prolonged them most surprisingly. Sometimes during the day he threw +himself on a sofa, a romance in his hand which he simply pretended to +read, and seemed absorbed in deep reverie. Verses were sent to him from +Paris which he read aloud, expressing his opinion in a brief and +trenchant style; he spent three days writing regulations for the French +comedy at Paris. It is difficult to understand this attention to such +frivolous details when the future was so ominous. It was generally +believed, and probably not without reason, that the Emperor acted thus +from motives of deep policy, and that these regulations for the French +comedy at this time, when no bulletin had yet arrived to give information +of the disastrous position of the French army, were written with the +object of making an impression on the inhabitants of Paris, who would not +fail to say, "All cannot be going so badly, since the Emperor has time to +occupy himself with the theater." + +The news received on the 18th put an end to all uncertainty. The Emperor +was reviewing, in the first court of the Kremlin palace, the divisions of +Ney, distributing the cross to the bravest among them, and addressing +encouraging words to all, when an aide-de-camp, young Beranger, brought +the news that a sharp engagement had taken place at Winkowo between Murat +and Kutusoff, and that the vanguard of Murat had been overwhelmed and our +position taken. Russia's intention to resume hostilities was now plainly +evident, and in the first excitement of the news the Emperor's +astonishment was at its height. There was, on the contrary, among the +soldiers of Marshal Ney an electric movement of enthusiasm and anger +which was very gratifying to his Majesty. Charmed to see how the shame +of a defeat, even when sustained without dishonor, excited the pride and +aroused a desire to retrieve it in these impassioned souls, the Emperor +pressed the hand of the colonel nearest to him, continued the review, and +ordered that evening a concentration of all the corps; and before night +the whole army was in motion towards Woronowo. + +A few days before quitting Moscow, the Emperor had the churches of the +Kremlin stripped of their finest ornaments. The ravages of the fire had +relaxed the protection that the Emperor had extended to the property of +the Russians. + +The most magnificent trophy in this collection was the immense cross of +the great Ivan. It was necessary to demolish a part of the tower on +which it stood in order to take it down, and it required stupendous +efforts to break this vast mass of iron. It was the Emperor's intention +to place it upon the dome of the Invalides, but it was sunk in the waters +of Lake Semlewo. + +The evening before the Emperor was to hold a review, the soldiers were +busily employed polishing their arms and putting everything in order, to +conceal as far as possible the destitute condition to which they were +reduced. The most imprudent had exchanged their winter clothing for +provisions, many had worn out their shoes on the march, and yet each one +made it a point of honor to make a good appearance on review; and when +the glancing rays of the sun shone on the barrels of the well-polished +guns, the Emperor felt again in witnessing this scene some slight return +of the emotions with which his soul was filled on the glorious day of his +departure for the campaign. + +The Emperor left twelve hundred wounded at Moscow, four hundred of whom +were removed by the last corps which quitted the city. Marshal Mortier +was the last to go. At Feminskoe, ten leagues from Moscow, we heard the +noise of a frightful explosion; it was the Kremlin which had been blown +up by the Emperor's orders. A fuse was placed in the vaults of the +palace, and everything arranged so that the explosion should not take +place within a certain time. Some Cossacks came to pillage the abandoned +apartments, in ignorance that a fire was smoldering under their feet, and +were thrown to a prodigious height in the air. Thirty thousand guns were +abandoned in the fortress. In an instant part of the Kremlin was a mass +of ruins. A part was preserved, and a circumstance which contributed no +little to enhance the credit of their great St. Nicholas with the +Russians was that an image in stone of this saint remained uninjured by +the explosion, in a spot where almost everything else was destroyed. +This fact was stated to me by a reliable person, who heard Count +Rostopchin himself relate it during his stay in Paris. + +On the 28th of October the Emperor retraced his way to Smolensk, and +passed near the battle-field of Borodino. About thirty thousand corpses +had been left on this vast plain; and on our approach flocks of buzzards, +whom an abundant harvest had attracted, flew away with horrible +croakings. These corpses of so many brave men presented a sickening +spectacle, half consumed, and exhaling an odor which even the excessive +cold could not neutralize. The Emperor hastened past, and slept in the +chateau of Oupinskoe which was almost in ruins; and the next day he +visited a few wounded who had been left in an abbey. These poor fellows +seemed to recover their strength at the sight of the Emperor, and forgot +their sufferings, which must have been very severe, as wounds are always +much more painful when cold weather first begins. All these pale +countenances drawn with suffering became more serene. These poor +soldiers also rejoiced to see their comrades, and questioned them with +anxious curiosity concerning the events which had followed the battle of +Borodino. When they learned that we had bivouacked at Moscow, they were +filled with joy; and it was very evident that their greatest regret was +that they could not have been with the others to see the fine furniture +of the rich Muscovites used as fuel at the bivouac fires. Napoleon +directed that each carriage of the suite should convey one of these +unfortunates; and this was done, everybody complying with the order with +a readiness which gratified the Emperor exceedingly; and the poor wounded +fellows said in accents of most ardent gratitude, that they were much +more comfortable on these soft cushions than in the ambulances, which we +could well believe. A lieutenant of the cuirassiers who had just +undergone an amputation was placed in the landau of the Emperor, while he +traveled on horseback. + +This answers every accusation of cruelty so gratuitously made against the +memory of a great man who has passed away. I have read somewhere with +intense disgust that the Emperor sometimes ordered his carriage to pass +over the wounded, whose cries of agony made not the slightest impression +on him; all of which is false and very revolting. None of those who +served the Emperor could have been ignorant of his solicitude for the +unfortunate victims of war, and the care he had taken of them. +Foreigners, enemies, or Frenchmen,--all were recommended to the surgeon's +care with equal strictness. + +From time to time frightful explosions made us turn our heads, and glance +behind us. They were caissons which were being exploded that we might no +longer be encumbered with them, as the march became each day more +painful. It produced a sad impression to see that we were reduced to +such a point of distress as to be compelled to throw our powder to the +winds to keep from leaving it to the enemy. But a still sadder +reflection came into our minds at each detonation,--the grand army must +be rapidly hastening to dissolution when the material remaining exceeded +our needs, and the number of men still left was so much short of that +required to use it. On the 30th, the Emperor's headquarters were in a +poor hovel which had neither doors nor windows. We had much difficulty +in enclosing even a corner sufficient for him to sleep. The cold was +increasing, and the nights were icy; the small fortified palisades of +which a species of post relays had been made, placed from point to point, +marked the divisions of the route, and served also each evening as +Imperial headquarters. The Emperor's bed was hastily set up there, and a +cabinet arranged as well as possible where he could work with his +secretaries, or write his orders to the different chiefs whom he had left +on the road and in the towns. + +Our retreat was often annoyed by parties of Cossacks. These barbarians +rushed upon us, lance in hand, and uttering rather howls of ferocious +beasts than human cries, their little, long-tailed horses dashing against +the flanks of the different divisions. But these attacks, though often +repeated, had not, at least at the beginning of the retreat, serious +consequences for the army. When they heard this horrible cry the +infantry was not intimidated, but closed ranks and presented bayonets, +and the cavalry made it their duty to pursue these barbarians, who fled +more quickly than they came. + +On the 6th of November, before leaving the army, the Emperor received +news of the conspiracy of Malet and everything connected with it. He was +at first astonished, then much dissatisfied, and ended by making himself +very merry over the discomfiture of the chief of police, General Savary; +and said many times that had he been at Paris no one would have budged, +and that he could never leave at all without every one losing their heads +at the least disturbance; and from this time he often spoke of how much +he was needed in Paris. + +Speaking of General Savary recalls to my memory an affair in which he was +somewhat nonplussed. After quitting the command of the gendarmerie, to +succeed Fouche in the office of minister of police, he had a little +discussion with one of the Emperor's aides-de-camp. As he went so far as +to threaten, the latter replied, "You seem to think you have handcuffs +always in your pockets." + +On the 8th of November the snow was falling, the sky covered with clouds, +the cold intense, while a violent wind prevailed, and the roads were +covered with sleet. The horses could make no progress, for their shoes +were so badly worn that they could not prevent slipping on the frozen +ground. + +The poor animals were emaciated, and it was necessary that the soldiers +should put their shoulders to the wheels in order to lighten their +burdens. + +There is something in the panting breath which issues from the nostrils +of a tired horse, in the tension of their muscles, and the prodigious +efforts of their loins, which gives us, in a high degree, the idea of +strength; but the mute resignation of these animals, when we know them to +be overladen, inspires us with pity, and makes us regret the abuse of so +much endurance. + +The Emperor on foot in the midst of his household, and staff in hand, +walked with difficulty over these slippery roads, meanwhile encouraging +the others with kind words, each of whom felt himself full of good-will; +and had any one then uttered a complaint he would have been badly +esteemed by his comrades. We arrived in sight of Smolensk. The Emperor +was the least fatigued of all; and though he was pale, his countenance +was calm, and nothing in his appearance indicated his mental sufferings; +and indeed they must needs have been intense to be evident to the public. +The roads were strewn with men and horses slain by fatigue or famine; and +men as they passed turned their eyes aside. As for the horses they were +a prize for our famished soldiers. + +We at last reached Smolensk on the 9th, and the Emperor lodged in a +beautiful house on the Place Neuve. Although this important city had +suffered since we had passed through before, it still had some resources, +and we found there provisions of all kinds for the Emperor's household +and the officers; but the Emperor valued but little this privileged +abundance, so to speak, when he learned that the army needed food for man +and beast. When he learned of this his rage amounted to frenzy, and I +have never seen him so completely beside himself. He had the commissary +in charge of the provisions summoned, and reproached him in such +unmeasured terms that the latter turned pale, and could find no words to +justify himself, whereupon the Emperor became still more violent, and +uttered terrible threats. I heard cries from the next room; and I have +been told since that the quartermaster threw himself at the feet of his +Majesty, beseeching pardon, and the Emperor, when his rage had spent +itself, pardoned him. Never did he sympathize more truly with the +sufferings of his army; never did he suffer more bitterly from his +powerlessness to struggle against such overwhelming misfortunes. + +On the 14th we resumed the route which we had traversed a few months +before under far different auspices. The thermometer registered twenty +degrees, and we were still very far from France. After a slow and +painful march we arrived at Krasnoi. The Emperor was obliged to go in +person, with his guard, to meet the enemy, and release the Prince of +Eckmuhl. He passed through the fire of the enemy, surrounded by his old +guard, who pressed around their chief in platoons in which the shell made +large gaps, furnishing one of the grandest examples in all history of the +devotion and love of thousands of men to one. When the fire was hottest, +the band played the air, 'Where can one be better than in the bosom of +his family?' Napoleon interrupted them, exclaiming, "Play rather, 'Let +us watch over the safety of the Empire.'" It is difficult to imagine +anything grander. + +The Emperor returned from this combat much fatigued. He had passed +several nights without sleeping, listening to the reports made to him on +the condition of the army, expediting orders necessary to procure food +for the soldiers, and putting in motion the different corps which were to +sustain the retreat. Never did his stupendous activity find more +constant employment; never did he show a higher courage than in the midst +of all these calamities of which he seemed to feel the weighty +responsibility. + +Between Orcha and the Borysthenes those conveyances for which there were +no longer horses were burned, and the confusion and discouragement became +so great that in the rear of the army most of the stragglers threw down +their arms as a heavy and useless burden. The officers of the armed +police had orders to return by force those who abandoned their corps, and +often they were obliged to prick them with their swords to make them +advance. The intensity of their sufferings had hardened the heart of the +soldier, which is naturally kind and sympathizing, to such an extent that +the most unfortunate intentionally caused commotions in order that they +might seize from some better equipped companion sometimes a cloak, +sometimes food. "There are the Cossacks!" was their usual cry of alarm; +and when these guilty tricks became known, and our soldiers recovered +from their surprise, there were reprisals, and the confusion reached its +height. + +The corps of Marshal Davoust was one of those which suffered most in the +whole army. Of the seventy thousand men with which it left France, there +only remained four or five thousand, and they were dying of famine. The +marshal himself was terribly emaciated. He had neither clothing nor +food. Hunger and fatigue had hollowed his cheeks, and his whole +appearance inspired pity. This brave marshal, who had twenty times +escaped Russian bullets, now saw himself dying of hunger; and when one of +his soldiers gave him a loaf, he seized it and devoured it. He was also +the one who was least silent; and while thawing his mustache, on which +the rain had frozen, he railed indignantly against the evil destiny which +had thrown them into thirty degrees of cold. Moderation in words was +difficult while enduring such sufferings. + +For some time the Emperor had been in a state of great anxiety as to the +fate of Marshal Ney, who had been cut off, and obliged to clear for +himself a passage through the midst of the Russians, who followed us on +every side. + +As time passed the alarm increased. The Emperor demanded incessantly if +Ney had yet been seen, accusing himself of having exposed this brave +general too much, asking for him as for a good friend whom one has lost. +The whole army shared and manifested the same anxiety, as if this brave +soldier were the only one in danger. A few regarding him as certainly +lost, and seeing the enemy threaten the bridges of the Borysthenes, +proposed to cut them; but the army was unanimous in their opposition to +this measure. + +On the 20th, the Emperor, whom this idea filled with the deepest +dejection, arrived at Basanoni, and was dining in company with the Prince +of Neuchatel and the Duke of Dantzic, when General Gourgaud rushed in +with the announcement that Marshal Ney and his troops were only a few +leagues distant. The Emperor exclaimed with inconceivable joy, "Can it +be true?" M. Gourgaud gave him particulars, which were soon known +throughout the camp. This news brought joy to the hearts of all, each of +whom accosted the other eagerly, as if each had found a long-lost +brother; they spoke of the heroic courage which had been displayed; the +talent shown in saving his corps in spite of snows, floods, and the +attacks of the enemy. It is due Marshal Ney, to state here, that +according to the opinion I have heard expressed by our most illustrious +warriors, his safe retreat is a feat of arms to which history furnishes +no parallel. The heart of our soldiers palpitated. with enthusiasm, and +on that day they felt the emotions of the day of victory! Ney and his +division gained immortality by this marvelous display of valor and +energy. So much the better for the few survivors of this handful of +braves, who can read of the great deeds they have done, in these annals +inspired by them. His Majesty said several times, "I would give all the +silver in the vaults of the Tuileries to have my brave Ney at my side." + +To Prince Eugene was given the honor of going to meet Marshal Ney, with a +corps of four thousand soldiers. Marshal Mortier had disputed this honor +with him, but among these illustrious men there were never any but noble +rivalries. The danger was immense; the cannon of Prince Eugene was used +as a signal, understood by the marshal, to which he replied by platoon +fires. The two corps met, and even before they were united, Marshal Ney +and Prince Eugene were in each other's arms; and it is said that the +latter wept for joy. Such scenes make this horrible picture seem +somewhat less gloomy. As far as the Beresina, our march was only a +succession of small skirmishes and terrible sufferings. + +The Emperor passed one night at Caniwki, in a wooden cabin containing +only two rooms. The one at the back was selected by him, and in the +other the whole service slept pell-mell. I was more comfortable, as I +slept in his Majesty's room; but several times during the night I was +obliged to pass into this room, and was then compelled to step over the +sleepers worn out by fatigue. Although I took care not to hurt them, +they were so close together that it was impossible not to place my feet +on their legs or arms. + +In the retreat from Moscow, the Emperor walked on foot, wrapped in his +pelisse, his head covered with a Russian cap tied under the chin. I +marched often near the brave Marshal Lefebvre, who seemed very fond of +me, and said to me in his German-French, in speaking of the Emperor, +"He is surrounded by a set of who do not tell the truth; he does not +distinguish sufficiently his good from his bad servants. How will he get +out of this, the poor Emperor, whom I love so devotedly? I am always in +fear of his life; if there were needed to save him only my blood, I would +shed it drop by drop; but that would change nothing, and perhaps he may +have need of me." + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +The day preceding the passage of the Beresina was one of terrible +solemnity. The Emperor appeared to have made his decision with the cool +resolution of a man who commits an act of desperation; nevertheless, +councils were held, and it was resolved that the army should strip itself +of all useless burdens which might harass its march. Never was there +more unanimity of opinion, never were deliberations more calm or grave. +It was the calm of men who decide to make one last effort, trusting in +the will of God and their own courage. The Emperor had the eagles +brought from each corps and burned, since he thought that fugitives had +no need of them. It was a sad sight to see these men advancing from the +ranks one by one, and casting in the flames what they valued more than +their lives, and I have never seen dejection more profound, or shame more +keenly felt; for this seemed much like a general degradation to the brave +soldiers of the battle of La Moskwa. The Emperor had made these eagles +talismans, and this showed only too plainly he had lost faith in them. +And although the soldiers realized that the situation of affairs must be +desperate to have come to this, it was at least some consolation to think +that the Russians would have only the ashes. What a scene was presented +by the burning of these eagles, above all to those who like myself had +been present at the magnificent ceremonies attending their distribution +to the army in the camp of Boulogne before the campaign of Austerlitz! + +Horses were needed for the artillery, and at this critical moment the +artillery was the safeguard of the army. The Emperor consequently gave +orders that the horses should be impressed, for he estimated the loss of +a single cannon or caisson as irreparable. The artillery was confided to +the care of a corps composed entirely of officers, and numbering about +five hundred men. His Majesty was so much touched at seeing these brave +officers become soldiers again, put their hand to the cannon like simple +cannoneers, and resume their practice of the manual of arms in their +devotion to duty, that he called this corps his sacred squadron. With +the same spirit which made these officers become soldiers again, the +other superior officers descended to a lower rank, with no concern as to +the designation of their grade. Generals of division Grouchy and +Sebastiani took again the rank of simple captain. + +When near Borizow we halted at the sound of loud shouts, thinking +ourselves cut off by the Russian army. I saw the Emperor grow pale; it +was like a thunderbolt. A few lancers were hastily dispatched, and we +saw them soon returning waving their banners in the air. His Majesty +understood the signal, and even before the cuirassiers had reassured us, +so clearly did he keep in mind even the possible position of each corps +of his army, he exclaimed, "I bet it is Victor." And in fact it was +Marshal Victor, who awaited us with lively impatience. It seemed that +the marshal's army had received very vague information of our disasters, +and was prepared to receive the Emperor with joy and enthusiasm. His +soldiers still fresh and vigorous, at least compared with the rest of the +army, could hardly believe the evidence of their own eyes when they saw +our wretched condition; but the cries of "Vive l'Empereur" were none the +less enthusiastic. + +But a different impression was made when the rear guard of the army filed +before them; and great confusion ensued, as each one of the marshal's +army who recognized a friend rushed out of the ranks and hastened to him, +offering food and clothing, and were almost frightened by the voracity +with which they ate, while many embraced each other silently in tears. +One of the marshal's best and bravest officers stripped off his uniform +to give it to a poor soldier whose tattered clothing exposed him almost +naked to the cold, donning himself an old cloak full of holes, saying +that he had more strength to resist the freezing temperature. If an +excess of misery sometimes dries up the fountains of the heart, sometimes +also it elevates men to a great height, as we see in this instance. Many +of the most wretched blew out their brains in despair; and there was in +this act, the last which nature suggests as an end to misery, +a resignation and coolness which makes one shudder to contemplate. Those +who thus put an end to their lives cared less for death than they did to +put an end to their insupportable sufferings, and I witnessed during the +whole of this disastrous campaign what vain things are physical strength +and human courage when the moral strength springing from a determined +will is lacking. The Emperor marched between the armies of Marshal +Victor and Marshal Oudinot; and it was a depressing sight to see these +movable masses halt sometimes in succession,--first those in front, then +those who came next, then the last. And when Marshal Oudinot who was in +the lead suspended his march from any unknown cause, there was a general +movement of alarm, and ominous rumors were circulated; and since men who +have seen much are disposed to believe anything, false rumors were as +readily credited as true, and the alarm lasted until the front of the +army again moved forward, and their confidence was somewhat restored. + +On the 25th, at five o'clock in the evening, there had been thrown across +the river temporary bridges made of beams taken from the cabins of the +Poles. It had been reported in the army that the bridges would be +finished during the night. The Emperor was much disturbed when informed +that the army had been thus deceived; for he knew how much more quickly +discouragement ensues when hope has been frustrated, and consequently +took great pains to keep the rear of the army informed as to every +incident, so that the soldiers should never be left under cruel +delusions. At a little after five the beams gave way, not being +sufficiently strong; and as it was necessary to wait until the next day, +the army again abandoned itself to gloomy forebodings. It was evident +that they must endure the fire of the enemy all the next day. But there +was no longer any choice; for it was only at the end of this night of +agony and suffering of every description that the first beams were +secured in the river. It is hard to comprehend how men could submit to +stand up to their mouths in water filled with ice, and rallying all the +strength which nature had given them, with all that the energy of +devotion furnished, and drive piles several feet deep into a miry bed, +struggling against the most horrible fatigue, pushing back with their +hands enormous blocks of ice, which would have submerged and sunk them +with their weight; in a word, warring even to the death with cold, the +greatest enemy of life. This marvelous feat was accomplished by our +French pontoon corps. Many perished, borne away by the current or +benumbed by the cold. The glory of this achievement, in my opinion, +exceeds in value many others. + +The Emperor awaited daylight in a poor hut, and in the morning said to +Prince Berthier, "Well, Berthier, how can we get out of this? "He was +seated in his room, great tears flowing down his cheeks, which were paler +than usual; and the prince was seated near him. + +They exchanged few words, and the Emperor appeared overcome by his grief. +I leave to the imagination what was passing in his soul. At last the +King of Naples opened his heart to his brother-in-law, and entreated him, +in the name of the army, to think of his own safety, so imminent had the +peril become. Some brave Poles had offered themselves as escort for the +Emperor; he could cross the Beresina higher up, and reach Wilna in five +days. The Emperor silently shook his head in token of refusal, which the +king understood, and the matter was no longer considered. + +Amid overwhelming disasters, the few blessings which reach us are doubly +felt. I observed this many times in the case of his Majesty and his +unfortunate army. On the banks of the Beresina, just as the first +supports of the bridge had been thrown across, Marshal Ney and the King +of Naples rushed at a gallop to the Emperor, calling to him that the +enemy had abandoned his threatening position; and I saw the Emperor, +beside himself with joy, not being able to believe his ears, go himself +at a run to throw a searching glance in the direction they said Admiral +Tschitzakoff had taken. This news was indeed true; and the Emperor, +overjoyed and out of breath from his race, exclaimed, "I have deceived +the admiral." This retrograde movement of the enemy was hard to +understand, when the opportunity to overwhelm us was within his reach; +and I doubt whether the Emperor, in spite of his apparent satisfaction, +was very sure of the happy consequences which this retreat of the enemy +might bring to us. + +Before the bridge was finished, about four hundred men were carried part +of the way across the river on two miserable rafts, which could hardly +sustain themselves against the current; and we saw them from the bank +rudely shaken by the great blocks of ice which encumbered the river. +These blocks came to the very edge of the raft, where, finding an +obstacle, they remained stationary for some time, then were suddenly +ingulfed under these frail planks with a terrible shock, though the +soldiers stopped the largest with their bayonets, and turned their course +aside from the rafts. + +The impatience of the army was at its height. The first who reached the +opposite bank were the brave Jacqueminot, aide-de-camp of Marshal +Oudinot, and Count Predzieczki, a brave Lithuanian, of whom the Emperor +was very fond, especially since he had shared our sufferings with such +fidelity and devotion. Both crossed the river on horseback, and the army +uttered shouts of admiration as they saw that the chiefs were the first +to set the example of intrepidity. They braved enough dangers to make +the strongest brain reel. The current forced their horses to swim +diagonally across, which doubled the length of the passage; and as they +swam, blocks of ice struck against their flanks and sides, making +terrible gashes. + +At one o'clock General Legrand and his division were crossing the bridge +constructed for the infantry, while the Emperor sat on the opposite bank, +and some of the cannon becoming entangled had for an instant delayed the +march. The Emperor rushed on the bridge, put his hand to the work, and +assisted in separating the pieces. The enthusiasm of the soldiers was at +its height; and it was amid cries of "Vive l'Empereur" that the infantry +set foot on the opposite bank. + +A short time after, the Emperor, learning that General Partonneaux had +laid down his arms, was deeply affected by this news, and gave vent to +reproaches which were somewhat unjust to the general. Later, when he had +received more correct information, he understood perfectly the part which +necessity and despair had played in this surrender. + +It is a fact that the brave general did not come to this decision till he +had done all that a brave man could under the circumstances; for it is +permitted a man to recoil when there is nothing left but to let himself +be killed to no purpose. + +When the artillery and baggage-wagons passed, the bridge was so +overloaded that it fell in; and instantly a retrograde movement took +place, which crowded together all the multitude of stragglers who were +advancing, like a flock being herded, in the rear of the artillery. +Another bridge had been constructed, as if the sad thought had occurred +that the first might give way. But the second was narrow and without a +railing; nevertheless, it at first seemed a very valuable makeshift in +such a calamity. But how disasters follow each other! The stragglers +rushed there in crowds. The artillery, the baggage-wagons, in a word, +all the army material, had been in the front on the first bridge when, +it was broken; and when, from the sudden panic which seized on those in +the rear of this multitude, the dreadful catastrophe was learned, the +last there found themselves first in gaining the other bridge. It was +urgent the artillery should pass first, consequently it rushed +impetuously towards the only road to safety which remained. No pen can +describe the scene of horror which now ensued; for it was literally over +a road of trampled human bodies that conveyances of all sorts reached the +bridge. On this occasion could be seen how much brutality, and even +cold-blooded ferocity, can be produced in the human mind by the instinct +of self-preservation. There were some stragglers most frantic of all, +who wounded, and even killed, with their bayonets, the unfortunate horses +which obeyed the lash of their guides; and several caissons were left on +the road in consequence of this slaughter. + +As I have said, the bridge had no railing; and crowds of those who forced +their way across fell into the river and were ingulfed beneath the ice. +Others in their fall tried to stop themselves by grasping the planks of +the bridge, and remained suspended over the abyss until their hands, +crushed by the wheels of the vehicles, lost their grasp, and they went to +join their comrades as the' waves closed over them. Entire caissons, +with drivers and horse were precipitated into the water. + +Poor women were seen holding their children out of the water in the +effort to delay for a few instants their death, and death in such a +frightful form, a truly admirable maternal incident, which the genius of +the painter has divined in painting scenes from the Deluge, and which we +saw in all its heartrending and frightful reality! The Emperor wished to +retrace his steps, believing that his presence might restore order; but +he was dissuaded from this project so earnestly, that he withstood the +promptings of his heart and remained, though certainly it was not his +elevated rank which kept him on the bank. All the suffering he endured +could be seen when he inquired every instant where the crossing was, if +they could still hear cannon rolling over the bridge, if the cries had +not ceased somewhat in that direction. "The reckless creatures! Why +could they not wait a little?" said he. + +There were fine examples of devotion under these distressing +circumstances. A young artilleryman threw himself into the water to save +a poor mother with two children, who was attempting to gain the other +shore in a little canoe. The load was too heavy; an enormous block of +ice floated against and sunk the little boat. The cannoneer seized one +of the children, and, swimming vigorously, bore it to the bank; but the +mother and the other child perished. This kind young man adopted the +orphan as his son. I do not know if he had the happiness of regaining +France. + +Officers harnessed themselves to sleds to carry some of their companions +who were rendered helpless by their wounds. They wrapped these +unfortunates as warmly as possible, cheered them from time to time with a +glass of brandy when they could procure it, and lavished on them most +touching attentions. + +There were many who behaved in this manner, many of whose names we are +ignorant; and how few returned to enjoy in their own country the +remembrance of the most admirable deeds of their lives. + +The bridge was burned at eight o'clock in the morning. + +On the 29th the. Emperor quitted the banks of the Beresina, and we slept +at Kamen, where his Majesty occupied a poor wooden building which the icy +air penetrated from all sides through the windows; nearly all the glass +of which being broken, we closed the openings as well as we could with +bundles of hay. A short distance from us, in a large lot, were penned up +the wretched Russian prisoners whom the army drove before it. I had much +difficulty in comprehending this delusion of victory which our poor +soldiers still kept up by dragging after them this wretched luxury of +prisoners, who could only be an added burden, as they required their +constant surveillance. + +When the conquerors are dying of famine, what becomes of the conquered? +These poor Russians, exhausted by marches and famine, nearly all perished +this night. In the morning they were found huddled pell-mell against +each other, striving thus to obtain a little warmth. The weakest had +succumbed; and their stiffened bodies were propped the whole night +against the living without their even being aware of it. Some in their +hunger ate their dead companions. The hardihood with which the Russians +endure pain has often been remarked. I can cite one instance which +surpasses belief. One of these fellows, after being separated from his +corps, had been struck by a cannonball which had cut off both his legs +and killed his horse. A French officer on a reconnoitering tour on the +bank of the river where this Russian had fallen, perceived at some +distance an object which appeared to be a dead horse, and yet he could +see that it moved. + +He approached, and saw the bust of a man whose extremities were concealed +in the stomach of the horse. + +This poor creature had been there four days, inclosing himself in his +horse as a shelter against the cold, and feeding upon infected morsels +torn from this horrible retreat. + +On the 3d of December we arrived at Malodeczno. During the whole day the +Emperor appeared thoughtful. and anxious. He had frequent confidential +conversations with the grand equerry, M. de Caulaincourt, and I suspected +some extraordinary measure. I was not deceived in my conjectures. At +two leagues from Smorghoni, the Duke of Vicenza summoned me, and told me +to go on in front and give orders to have the six best horses harnessed +to my carriage, which was the lightest of all, and keep them in constant +readiness. I reached Smorghoni before the Emperor, who did not arrive +till the following night. The cold was excessive; and the Emperor +alighted in a poor house on a square, where he established his +headquarters. He took a light repast, wrote with his own hand the +twenty-ninth bulletin of the army, and ordered all the marshals to be +summoned. + +Nothing had yet transpired as to the Emperor's plans, but in great and +desperate measures there is always something unusual which does not +escape the most clear-sighted. The Emperor was never so amiable nor so +communicative, and one felt that he was endeavoring to prepare his most +devoted friends for some overwhelming news. He talked for some time on +indifferent subjects, then spoke of the great deeds performed during the +campaign, referring with pleasure to the retreat of General Ney whom they +had at last found. + +Marshal Davoust appeared abstracted; and the Emperor said to him, "At +least say something, Marshal." There had been for some time a little +coolness between him and the Emperor, and his Majesty reproached him with +the rarity of his visits, but he could not dissipate the cloud which +darkened every brow; for the Emperor's secret had not been as well kept +as he had hoped. After supper the Emperor ordered Prince Eugene to read +the twenty-ninth bulletin, and spoke freely of his plan, saying that his +departure was essential in order to send help to the army. He gave his +orders to the marshals, all of whom appeared sad and discouraged. It was +ten o'clock when the Emperor, saying it was time to take some repose, +embraced all the marshals and retired. He felt the need of withdrawing; +for he had been oppressed by the constraint of this interview, as could +easily be seen by the extreme agitation his countenance manifested at its +close. About half an hour after, the Emperor called me into his room and +said, "Constant, I am about to leave; I thought I should be able to take +you with me, but I have taken into consideration the fact that several +carriages would attract attention; it is essential that I experience no +delay, and I have given orders that you are to set out immediately upon +the return of my horses, and you will consequently follow me at a short +distance." I was suffering greatly from my old malady; hence the Emperor +would not allow me to go with him on the boot as I requested, in order +that he should receive his customary attentions from me. He said, "No, +Constant, you will follow me in a carriage, and I hope that you will be +able to arrive not more than a day behind me." He departed with the Duke +of Vicenza, and Roustan on the box; my carriage was unharnessed, and I +remained to my great regret. The Emperor left in the night. + +By daybreak the army had learned the news, and the impression it made +cannot be depicted. Discouragement was at its height; and many soldiers +cursed the Emperor, and reproached him for abandoning them. There was +universal indignation. The Prince of Neuchatel was very uneasy, and +asked news of every one, though he would naturally have been the first to +receive any information. He feared lest Napoleon, who had a feeble +escort, should be made prisoner by the Cossacks, who, if they had learned +his departure, would make the greatest efforts to carry him off. + +This night, the 6th, the cold increased greatly; and its severity may be +imagined, as birds were found on the ground frozen stiff with the cold. +Soldiers who had seated themselves with their head in their hands, and +bodies bent forward in order to thus feel less the emptiness of their +stomachs, were found dead in this position. As we breathed, the vapor +from our lips froze on our eyebrows, little white icicles formed on the +mustaches and beards of the soldiers; and in order to melt them they +warmed their chins by the bivouac fire, and as may be imagined a large +number did not do this with impunity. Artillerymen held their hands to +the horses' nostrils to get a little warmth from the strong breathing of +these animals. Their flesh was the usual food of the soldiers. Large +slices of this meat were thrown on the coals; and when frozen by the +cold, it was carried without spoiling, like salted bacon, the powder from +the cartridge-boxes taking the place of salt. + +This same night we had with us a young Parisian belonging to a very +wealthy family, who had endeavored to obtain employment in the Emperor's +household. He was very young, and had been received among the boys of +the apartments, and the poor child was taking his first journey. He was +seized with the fever as we left Moscow, and was so ill this evening that +we could not remove him from the wagon belonging to the wardrobe service +in which he had been made as comfortable as possible. He died there in +the night, much to be regretted by all who knew him. Poor Lapouriel was +a youth of charming character, fine education, the hope of his family, +and an only son. The ground was so hard that we could not dig a grave, +and experienced the chagrin of leaving his remains unburied. + +I set out next day armed with an order from the Prince de Neuchatel that +all on the road should furnish me horses in preference to all others. +At the first post after leaving Smorghoni, whence the Emperor had set out +with the Duke of Vicenza, this order was of invaluable aid to me, for +there were horses for only one carriage. I found myself a rival to M. +the Count Daru, who arrived at the same time. It is useless to say that +without the Emperor's orders to rejoin him as quickly as possible I would +not have exercised my right to take precedence over the intendant general +of the army; but impelled by my duty I showed the order of the Prince de +Neuchatel to M. the Count Daru, and the latter, after examining it, said +to me, "You are right, M. Constant; take the horses, but I beg you send +them back as quickly as possible." How crowded with disasters was this +retreat. + +After much suffering and privation we arrived at Wilna, where it was +necessary to pass a long, narrow bridge before entering the town. The +artillery and wagons occupied the whole bridge so entirely that no other +carriage could pass; and it was useless to say "His Majesty's service," +as we received only maledictions. Seeing the impossibility of advancing, +I alighted from my carriage, and found there the Prince of Aremberg, +ordnance officer of the Emperor, in a pitiable condition, his face, nose, +ears, and feet having been frozen. He was seated behind my carriage. I +was cut to the heart, and said to the prince that if he had informed me +of his condition I would have given him my place. He could hardly answer +me. I helped him for some time; but seeing how necessary it was that we +should both advance, I undertook to carry him. He was delicate, slender, +and about medium height. I took him in my arms; and with this burden, +elbowing, pushing, hurting some, being hurt by others, I at last reached +the headquarters of the King of Naples, and deposited the prince there, +recommending that he should receive every attention which his condition +required. After this I resumed my carriage. + +Everything had failed us. Long before reaching Wilna, the horses being +dead, we had received orders to burn our carriages with all the contents. +I lost heavily in this journey, as I had purchased several valuable +articles which were burned with my baggage of which I always had a large +quantity on our journeys. A large part of the Emperor's baggage was lost +in the same manner. + +A very handsome carriage of Prince Berthier, which had just arrived and +had not been used, was also burned. At these fires, four grenadiers were +stationed, who with fixed bayonet prevented any one from taking from the +fire what had been ordered to be sacrificed. + +The next day the carriages which had been spared were visited in order to +be assured that nothing had been kept back. I was allowed to keep only +two shirts. We slept at Wilna; but the next day very early the alarm was +given that the Russians were at the gates of the town. Men rushed in, +beside themselves with terror, crying, "We are lost!" The King of Naples +was quickly aroused; sprang from his bed; and the order was instantly +given that the Emperor's service should leave at once. The confusion +made by all this can be imagined. There was no time for any +arrangements; we were obliged to start without delay. The Prince of +Aremberg was put into one of the king's carriages with what could be +secured for the most pressing needs; and we had hardly left the town +before we heard shouts behind us, and the thunder of cannon accompanied +by rapid firing. We had to climb a mountain of ice. The horses were +fatigued, and we made no progress. The wagon with the treasure-chest of +the army was abandoned; and a part of the money was pillaged by men who +had not gone a hundred steps before they were obliged to throw it away in +order to save their lives. + + + + +End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of The Private Life of Napoleon, V9 +by Constant. + |