personal memoirs-2-第64章

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letter　from　the　Emperor　to　the　King　of　Prussia。　　At　this　the　King；

followed　by　Bismarck；　Von　Moltke；　and　Von　Roon；　walked　out　to　the

front　a　little　distance　and　halted；　his　Majesty　still　in　advance；　the

rest　of　us　meanwhile　forming　in　a　line　some　twenty　paces　to　the　rear

of　the　group。　　The　envoy　then　approached；　at　first　on　horseback；　but

when　within　about　a　hundred　yards　he　dismounted；　and　uncovering；　came

the　remaining　distance　on　foot；　bearing　high　up　in　his　right　hand　the

despatch　from　Napoleon。　　The　bearer　proved　to　be　General　Reille；　and

as　he　handed　the　Emperor's　letter　to　the　King；　his　Majesty　saluted

him　with　the　utmost　formality　and　precision。　　Napoleon's　letter　was

the　since　famous　one；　running　so　characteristically；　thus：　〃Not

having　been　able　to　die　in　the　midst　of　my　troops；　there　is　nothing

left　me　but　to　place　my　sword　in　your　Majesty's　hands。〃　The　reading

finished；　the　King　returned　to　his　former　post；　and　after　a

conference　with　Bismarck；　Von　Moltke；　and　Von　Roon；　dictated　an

answer　accepting　Napoleon's　surrender；　and　requesting　him　to

designate　an　officer　with　power　to　treat　for　the　capitulation　of　the

army；　himself　naming　Von　Moltke　to　represent　the　Germans。　　The　King

then　started　for　Vendresse；　to　pass　the　night。　　It　was　after

7　o'clock　now；　and　hence　too　late　to　arrange　anything　more　where　we

were；　so　further　negotiations　were　deferred　till　later　in　the

evening；　and　I；　wishing　to　be　conveniently　near　Bismarck；　resolved　to

take　up　quarters　in　Donchery。　　On　our　way　thither　we　were　met　by　the

Count's　nephew；　who　assuring　us　that　it　would　be　impossible　to　find

shelter　there　in　the　village；　as　all　the　houses　were　filled　with

wounded；　Forsyth　and　I　decided　to　continue　on　to　Chevenge。　　On　the

other　hand；　Bismarck…Bohlen　bore　with　him　one　great　comfortsome

excellent　brandy。　　Offering　the　flask　to　his　uncle；　he　said：　〃You've

had　a　hard　day　of　it；　won't　you　refresh　yourself？〃　　The　Chancellor；

without　wasting　time　to　answer；　raised　the　bottle　to　his　lips；

exclaiming：　〃Here's　to　the　unification　of　Germany！〃　which　sentiment

the　gurgling　of　an　astonishingly　long　drink　seemed　to　emphasize。　　The

Count　then　handed　the　bottle　back　to　his　nephew；　who；　shaking　it；

ejaculated；　〃Why；　we　can't　pledge　you　in　returnthere　is　nothing

left！〃　to　which　came　the　waggish　response；　I　beg　pardon；　it　was　so

dark　I　couldn't　see〃；　nevertheless　there　was　a　little　remaining；　as　I

myself　can　aver。



Having　left　our　carriage　at　Chevenge；　Forsyth　and　I　stopped　there　to

get　it；　but　a　long　search　proving　fruitless；　we　took　lodging　in　the

village　at　the　house　of　the　cure；　resolved　to　continue　the　hunt　in

the　morning。　　But　then　we　had　no　better　success；　so　concluding　that

our　vehicle　had　been　pressed　into　the　hospital　service；　we　at　an

early　hour　on　the　2d　of　September　resumed　the　search；　continuing　on

down　the　road　in　the　direction　of　Sedan。　　Near　the　gate　of　the　city

we　came　on　the　German　picket…line；　and　one　of　the　Officers；

recognizing　our　uniformshe　having　served　in　the　war　of　the

rebellionstepped　forward　and　addressed　me　in　good　English。　　We

naturally　fell　into　conversation；　and　in　the　midst　of　it　there　came

out　through　the　gate　an　open　carriage；　or　landau；　containing　two　men；

one　of　whom；　in　the　uniform　of　a　general　and　smoking　a　cigarette；　we

recognized；　when　the　conveyance　drew　near；　as　the　Emperor　Louis

Napoleon。　　The　landau　went　on　toward　Donchery　at　a　leisurely　pace；

and　we；　inferring　that　there　was　something　more　important　at　hand

just　then　than　the　recovery　of　our　trap；　followed　at　a　respectful

distance。　　Not　quite　a　mile　from　Donchery　is　a　cluster　of　three　or

four　cottages；　and　at　the　first　of　these　the　landau　stopped　to　await；

as　we　afterward　ascertained；　Count　Bismarck；　with　whom　the　diplomatic

negotiations　were　to　be　settled。　　Some　minutes　elapsed　before　he

came；　Napoleon　remaining　seated　in　his　carriage　meantime；　still

smoking；　and　accepting　with　nonchalance　the　staring　of　a　group　of

German　soldiers　near　by；　who　were　gazing　on　their　fallen　foe　with

curious　and　eager　interest。



Presently　a　clattering　of　hoofs　was　heard；　and　looking　toward　the

sound；　I　perceived　the　Chancellor　cantering　down　the　road。　　When

abreast　of　the　carriage　he　dismounted；　and　walking　up　to　it；　saluted

the　Emperor　in　a　quick；　brusque　way　that　seemed　to　startle　him。

After　a　word　or　two；　the　party　moved　perhaps　a　hundred　yards　further

on；　where　they　stopped　opposite　the　weaver's　cottage　so　famous　from

that　day。　　This　little　house　is　on　the　east　side　of　the　Donchery

road；　near　its　junction　with　that　to　Frenois；　and　stands　about　twenty

paces　back　from　the　highway。　　In　front　is　a　stone　wall　covered　with

creeping　vines；　and　from　a　gate　in　this　wall　runs　to　the　front　door　a

path；　at　this　time　bordered　on　both　sides　with　potato　vines。



The　Emperor　having　alighted　at　the　gate；　he　and　Bismarck　walked

together　along　the　narrow　path　and　entered　the　cottage。　　Reappearing

in　about　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　they　came　out　and　seated　themselves　in

the　open　air；　the　weaver　having　brought　a　couple　of　chairs。　　Here

they　engaged　in　an　animated　conversation；　if　much　gesticulation　is

any　indication。　　The　talk　lasted　fully　an　hour；　Bismarck　seeming　to

do　most　of　it；　but　at　last　he　arose；　saluted　the　Emperor；　and　strode

down　the　path　toward　his　horse。　　Seeing　me　standing　near　the　gate；　he

joined　me　for　a　moment；　and　asked　if　I　had　noticed　how　the　Emperor

started　when　they　first　met；　and　I　telling　him　that　I　had；　he　added；

〃Well；　it　must　have　been　due　to　my　manners；　not　my　words；　for　these

we're；　〃I　salute　your　Majesty　just　as　I　would　my　King。〃　　Then　the

Chancellor　continued　to　chat　a　few　minutes　longer；　assuring　me　that

nothing　further　was　to　be　done　there；　and　that　we　had　better　go　to

the　Chateau　Bellevue；　where；　he　said；　the　formal　surrender　was　to

take　place。　　With　this　he　rode　off　toward　Vendresse　to　communicate

with　his　sovereign；　and　Forsyth　and　I　made　ready　to　go　to　the　Chateau

Bellevue。



Before　we　set　out；　however；　a　number　of　officers　of　the　King's　suite

arrived　at　the　weaver's　cottage；　and　from　them　I　gathered　that　there

were　differences　at　the　royal　headquarters　as　to　whether　peace　should

be　made　then　at　Sedan；　or　the　war　continued　till　the　French　capital

was　taken。　　I　further　heard　that　the　military　advisers　of　the　King

strongly　advocated　an　immediate　move　on　Paris；　while　the　Chancellor

thought　it　best　to　make　peace　now；　holding　Alsace　and　Lorraine；　and

compelling　the　payment　of　an　enormous　levy　of　money；　and　these　rumors

were　most　likely　correct；　for　I　had　often　heard　Bismarck　say　that

France　being　the　richest　country　in　Europe；　nothing　could　keep　her

quiet　but　effectually　to　empty　her　pockets；　and　besides　this；　he

impressed　me　as　holding　that　it　would　be　better　policy　to　preserve

the　Empire。



On　our　way　to　the　chateau　we　fell　in　with　a　number　of　artillery

officers　bringing　up　their　guns　hurriedly　to　post　them　closer　in　to

the　beleaguered　town　on　a　specially　advantageous　ridge。　　Inquiring

the　cause　of　this　move；　we　learned　that　General　Wimpffen　had　not　yet

agreed　to　the　terms　of　surrender；　that　it　was　thought　he　would　not；

and　that　they　wanted　to　be　prepared　for　any　such　contingency。　　And

they　were　preparing　with　a　vengeance　too；　for　I　counted　seventy…two

Krupp　guns　in　one　continuous　line　trained　on　the　Chateau　Bellevue　and

Sedan。



Napoleon　went　directly　from　the　weaver's　to　the　Chateau　Bellevue；　and

about　10　o'clock　the　King　of　Prussia　arrived　from　Frenois；

accompanied　by　a　few　of　his　own　suite　and　the　Crown　Prince　with

several　members　of　his　staff；　and　Von　Moltke　and　Wimpffen　having

settled　their　points　of　difference　before　the　two　monarchs　met；

within　the　next　half…hour　the　articles　of　capitulation　were　formally

signed。



On　the　completion　of　the　surrenderthe　occasion　being　justly

considered　a　great　onethe　Crown　Prince　proceeded　to　distribute

among　the　officers　congregated　in　the　chateau　grounds　'the　o