an historical mystery-第49章

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/berlingot/；　with　Laurence　and　a　servant　who　spoke　German。　Not　far
from　Nancy　they　overtook　Mademoiselle　Goujet　and　Gothard；　who　had
preceded　them　in　an　excellent　carriage；　which　the　marquis　took；　giving
them　in　exchange　the　/berlingot/。

Talleyrand　was　right。　At　Strasburg　the　commissary…general　of　police
refused　to　countersign　the　passport　of　the　travellers；　and　gave　them
positive　orders　to　return。　By　that　time　the　marquis　and　Laurence　were
leaving　France　by　way　of　Besancon　with　the　diplomatic　passport。

Laurence　crossed　Switzerland　in　the　first　days　of　October；　without
paying　the　slightest　attention　to　that　glorious　land。　She　lay　back　in
the　carriage　in　the　torpor　which　overtakes　a　criminal　on　the　eve　of
his　execution。　To　her　eyes　all　nature　was　shrouded　in　a　seething
vapor；　even　common　things　assumed　fantastic　shapes。　The　one　thought；
〃If　I　do　not　succeed　they　will　kill　themselves；〃　fell　upon　her　soul
with　reiterated　blows；　as　the　bar　of　the　executioner　fell　upon　the
victim's　members　when　tortured　on　the　wheel。　She　felt　herself
breaking；　she　lost　her　energy　in　this　terrible　waiting　for　the　cruel
moment；　short　and　decisive；　when　she　should　find　herself　face　to　face
with　that　man　on　whom　the　fate　of　the　condemned　depended。　She　chose　to
yield　to　her　depression　rather　than　waste　her　strength　uselessly。　The
marquis；　who　was　incapable　of　understanding　this　resolve　of　firm
minds；　which　often　assumes　quite　diverse　aspects　（for　in　such　moments
of　tension　certain　superior　minds　give　way　to　surprising　gaiety）；
began　to　fear　that　he　might　never　bring　Laurence　alive　to　the
momentous　interview；　solemn　to　them　only；　and　yet　beyond　the　ordinary
limits　of　private　life。　To　Laurence；　the　necessity　of　humiliating
herself　before　that　man；　the　object　of　her　hatred　and　contempt；　meant
the　sacrifice　of　all　her　noblest　feelings。

〃After　this；〃　she　said；　〃the　Laurence　who　survives　will　bear　no
likeness　to　her　who　is　now　to　perish。〃

The　travellers　could　not　fail　to　be　aware　of　the　vast　movement　of　men
and　material　which　surrounded　them　the　moment　they　entered　Prussia。
The　campaign　of　Jena　had　just　begun。　Laurence　and　the　marquis　beheld
the　magnificent　divisions　of　the　French　army　deploying　and　parading　as
if　at　the　Tuileries。　In　this　display　of　military　power；　which　can　be
adequately　described　only　with　the　words　and　images　of　the　Bible；　the
proportions　of　the　Man　whose　spirit　moved　these　masses　grew　gigantic
to　Laurence's　imagination。　Soon；　the　cry　of　victory　resounded　in　her
ears。　The　Imperial　arms　had　just　obtained　two　signal　advantages。　The
Prince　of　Prussia　had　been　killed　the　evening　before　the　day　on　which
the　travellers　arrived　at　Saalfeld　on　their　endeavor　to　overtake
Napoleon；　who　was　marching　with　the　rapidity　of　lightning。

At　last；　on　the　13th　of　October　（date　of　ill…omen）　Mademoiselle　de
Cinq…Cygne　was　skirting　a　river　in　the　midst　of　the　Grand　Army；　seeing
nought　but　confusion；　sent　hither　and　thither　from　one　village　to
another；　from　division　to　division；　frightened　at　finding　herself
alone　with　one　old　man　tossed　about　in　an　ocean　of　a　hundred　and　fifty
thousand　armed　men　facing　a　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　more。　Weary　of
watching　the　river　through　the　hedges　of　the　muddy　road　which　she　was
following　along　a　hillside；　she　asked　its　name　of　a　passing　soldier。

〃That's　the　Saale；〃　he　said；　showing　her　the　Prussian　army；　grouped　in
great　masses　on　the　other　side　of　the　stream。

Night　came　on。　Laurence　beheld　the　camp…fires　lighted　and　the　glitter
of　stacked　arms。　The　old　marquis；　whose　courage　was　chivalric；　drove
the　horses　himself　（two　strong　beasts　bought　the　evening　before）；　his
servant　sitting　beside　him。　He　knew　very　well　he　should　find　neither
horses　nor　postilions　within　the　lines　of　the　army。　Suddenly　the　bold
equipage；　an　object　of　great　astonishment　to　the　soldiers；　was　stopped
by　a　gendarme　of　the　military　gendarmerie；　who　galloped　up　to　the
carriage；　calling　out　to　the　marquis：　〃Who　are　you？　where　are　you
going？　what　do　you　want？〃

〃The　Emperor；〃　replied　the　Marquis　de　Chargeboeuf；　〃I　have　an
important　dispatch　for　the　Grand…marechal　Duroc。〃

〃Well；　you　can't　stay　here；〃　said　the　gendarme。

Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne　and　the　marquis　were；　however；　compelled　to
remain　where　they　were　on　account　of　the　darkness。

〃Where　are　we？〃　she　asked；　stopping　two　officers　whom　she　saw　passing；
whose　uniforms　were　concealed　by　cloth　overcoats。

〃You　are　among　the　advanced　guard　of　the　French　army；〃　answered　one　of
the　officers。　〃You　cannot　stay　here；　for　if　the　enemy　makes　a　movement
and　the　artillery　opens　you　will　be　between　two　fires。〃

〃Ah！〃　she　said；　with　an　indifferent　air。

Hearing　that　〃Ah！〃　the　other　officer　turned　and　said：　〃How　did　that
woman　come　here？〃

〃We　are　waiting；〃　said　Laurence；　〃for　a　gendarme　who　has　gone　to　find
General　Duroc；　a　protector　who　will　enable　us　to　speak　to　the
Emperor。〃

〃Speak　to　the　Emperor！〃　exclaimed　the　first　officer；　〃how　can　you
think　of　such　a　thingon　the　eve　of　a　decisive　battle？〃

〃True；〃　she　said；　〃I　ought　to　speak　to　him　on　the　morrowvictory
would　make　him　kind。〃

The　two　officers　stationed　themselves　at　a　little　distance　and　sat
motionless　on　their　horses。　The　carriage　was　now　surrounded　by　a　mass
of　generals；　marshals；　and　other　officers；　all　extremely　brilliant　in
appearance；　who　appeared　to　pay　deference　to　the　carriage　merely
because　it　was　there。

〃Good　God！〃　said　the　marquis　to　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne；　〃I　am
afraid　you　spoke　to　the　Emperor。〃

〃The　Emperor？〃　said　a　colonel；　beside　them；　〃why　there　he　is！〃
pointing　to　the　officer　who　had　said；　〃How　did　that　woman　get　here？〃
He　was　mounted　on　a　white　horse；　richly　caparisoned；　and　wore　the
celebrated　gray　top…coat　over　his　green　uniform。　He　was　scanning　with
a　field…glass　the　Prussian　army　massed　beyond　the　Saale。　Laurence
understood　then　why　the　carriage　remained　there；　and　why　the　Emperor's
escort　respected　it。　She　was　seized　with　a　convulsive　tremorthe　hour
had　come！　She　heard　the　heavy　sound　of　the　tramp　of　men　and　the　clang
of　their　arms　as　they　arrived　at　a　quick　step　on　the　plateau。　The
batteries　had　a　language；　the　caissons　thundered；　the　brass　glittered。

〃Marechal　Lannes　will　take　position　with　his　whole　corps　in　the
advance；　Marechal　Lefebvre　and　the　Guard　will　occupy　this　hill；〃　said
the　other　officer；　who　was　Major…general　Berthier。

The　Emperor　dismounted。　At　his　first　motion　Roustan；　his　famous
mameluke；　hastened　to　hold　his　horse。　Laurence　was　stupefied　with
amazement；　she　had　never　dreamed　of　such　simplicity。

〃I　shall　pass　the　night　on　the　plateau；〃　said　the　Emperor。

Just　then　the　Grand…marechal　Duroc；　whom　the　gendarme　had　finally
found；　came　up　to　the　Marquis　de　Chargeboeuf　and　asked　the　reason　of
his　coming。　The　marquis　replied　that　a　letter　from　the　Prince　de
Talleyrand；　of　which　he　was　the　bearer；　would　explain　to　the　marshal
how　urgent　it　was　that　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne　and　himself　should
obtain　an　audience　of　the　Emperor。

〃His　Majesty　will　no　doubt　dine　at　his　bivouac；〃　said　Duroc；　taking
the　letter；　〃and　when　I　find　out　what　your　object　is；　I　will　let　you
know　if　you　can　see　him。　Corporal；〃　he　said　to　the　gendarme；
〃accompany　this　carriage；　and　take　it　close　to　that　hut　at　the　rear。〃

Monsieur　de　Chargeboeuf　followed　the　gendarme　and　stopped　his　horses
behind　a　miserable　cabin；　built　of　mud　and　branches；　surrounded　by　a
few　fruit…trees；　and　guarded　by　pickets　of　infantry　and　cavalry。

It　may　be　said　that　the　majesty　of　war　appeared　here　in　all　its
grandeur。　From　this　height　the　lines　of　the　two　armies　were　visible　in
the　moonlight。　After　an　hour's　waiting；　the　time　being　occupied　by　the
incessant　coming　and　going　of　the　aides…de…camp；　Duroc　himself　came
for　Mademoiselle　de　Cinq…Cygne　and　the　marquis；　and　made　them　enter
the　hut；　the　floor　of　which　was　of　battened　earth　like　that　of　a
stable。

Before　a　table　with　the　remains　of　dinner；　and　before　a　fire　made　of
green　wood　which　smoked；　Napoleon　was　seated　in　a　clumsy　chair。　His
muddy　boots　gave　evidence　of　a　long　tramp　across　country。　He　had　taken
off　the　famous　top…coat；　and　his　equally　famous　green　unifor