Books: NAPOLEON AND BLUCHER

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"Well, Cordelia, do you not greet my son?" asked madame. "He is not
the emperor to-day, but comes incognito as my son to ask dinner of
me."

"And listen, dear Delia," said the emperor, speaking to her in the
voice of a child--"listen, dear old Cordelia; afterward let us go
and play, and gather shells on the sea-shore. Shall we do so, 'Lia?"

An air of unutterable happiness illuminated the face of old Cordelia
when Napoleon repeated to her, in the voice of his childhood, the
words which he had so often addressed to her. She rushed toward him,
and, sinking down before him, seized both his hands and pressed them
to her lips. "Now do with me what you like, Napoleon," she cried, in
the language of her native country, while the tears were rolling
down her cheeks, "I belong to you again, with every drop of my
heart's blood. Trample me under foot, strike me, kick me, as you
often did during your childhood--I shall never murmur. I am as a
faithful dog, who allows himself to be beaten, and yet loves his
master to the last!"

"Yes, she is as constant as the sea that washes the shores of our
native country," said madame, with a tear in her eye. "You may count
on both of us, Napoleon, and if there is power in our prayers you
will always be victorious."

The emperor's face--darkened. He had forgotten every thing for a
moment; but he soon recollected himself. In order to be victorious
and prosperous he needed not only soldiers but money, and he had
come for the purpose of obtaining this from his mother. He
disengaged his hands from those of old Cordelia, and motioned her to
rise. She obeyed in silence, quietly took up the clothes, and
carried them off in the basket.

"See that we soon have dinner," said madame to her. Cordelia turned
and looked inquiringly at her mistress, who nodded to her; Cordelia
nodded, too, and went out smiling.

A quarter of an hour afterward, the emperor conducted his loving
mother to the dining-table, at which none other than themselves were
to be seated. When they entered, the emperor's eyes glided with a
strange, searching look along the paintings hanging on the walls,
and rested for a moment on the landscape which, in a broad gilded
frame, was directly opposite; then a faint smile flitted over his
features, and he turned toward his mother to address a few pleasant
words to her.

The dinner commenced, as the emperor anticipated, with Corsican rice
dumplings baked in oil. He partook of them with great relish, and
this favorite dish of his childhood seemed to have restored his good
humor. "I believe." he said, gayly, "I am still able to read as well
in your face, mother, as I could when I was a boy, and took pains to
discover whether or not I had deserved punishment for some naughty
prank. I believe I have understood your mute dialogue with Cordelia.
Will you confess the truth to me if I tell you what Cordelia's
glances and your nod signified?"

"Yes, if you guess it."

"Well, then, mother, did not Cordelia inquire by her glances whether
she was to send to the baker for bread, and whether the remnant of
yesterday's dinner should not be served again in honor of my
presence? And did not your nod reply, 'Yes?' Was not that the
meaning of it? Do I guess right?"

"Yes, my son," said madame, smiling; "I see that my haughty
daughters Pauline and Eliza have made you familiar with the habits
of my household."

"They have," exclaimed Napoleon. "They told me Madame Mere had every
day only three loaves of white bread brought from the baker for
herself and Cordelia."

"They told you the truth; all my officers and servants receive their
board-money, and three loaves are sufficient for us two. Ah, my son,
how happy would you have often been, when still a lieutenant, had
you had only one of the three loaves every day!"

"Eliza told me still other things," said Napoleon, casting a glance
toward the large oil painting. "She told me you had, like all honest
bourgeoises, your water-carrier, who furnished every day six buckets
of water."

"Eliza told you the truth again. It is still the same water-carrier
whom we employed when we lived in the Faubourg St. Honore; he is a
faithful and honest man; why, then should I withdraw this little
patronage from him?"

"But you pay him no more for his water, now that you are the
emperor's mother, than you did when you were a poor widow with nine
children."

"God makes the water flow, and it is the same now as then. Why
should I, then, pay more for it?"

"Eliza told me, also," added the emperor, dwelling with singular
perseverance on the same subject, "that, instead of collecting a
library, and buying the books you read, you have subscribed to the
bookseller Renard's circulating library."

"There are very few books that deserve the honor of being bought,"
said madame, in a dignified tone.

"And is it true, too," asked the emperor, "that you have the books
brought by the bookseller's clerk to you every week the year round,
and that you have the same exchanged by your servants during only
New-Year's week, in order thereby to avoid giving a New-Year's
present to the clerk?"

"It is true," said madame, calmly. "This clerk is not poor, nor the
father of a family; I avoid, therefore, giving him the money which I
prefer giving to poor men."

"But, madame," cried Napoleon, angrily, "you really surpass
Harpagon, and Moliere has cause to complain that he did not know
you." [Footnote: Napoleon's words.--Vide Le Normand, vol. ii., p.
451.]

"Moliere has assuredly cause to deplore that he did not live at the
present time," said madame, quietly, "for if he lived now, he would
have seen on the throne of France a prince who is even greater and
more illustrious than his own Louis XIV. And he would have certainly
been glad to make my acquaintance, as I am the mother of this great
man."

"The mother of an emperor, and yet living so parsimoniously that one
might believe your son suffered you to starve! And still, if I am
not mistaken, you receive a million francs a year for defraying the
expenses of your court. Am I right, mother?"

"Yes, my son; I receive a million francs a year."

"Ah, madame," cried the emperor, "then you must, considering your
economy, lay by riches every year?"

Madame Letitia's face was serious; the emperor had touched a chord
unpleasant to her ear.

"No," she said, abruptly, "I lay by no riches, for my expenses are
heavy."

"But your income is larger," exclaimed Napoleon. "I am satisfied
that you spend far less than you receive. Whom do you economize for,
madame?"

"Whom?" asked madame, in an angry voice. "I might say for myself,
for my future, for that is uncertain, and one is never able to know
what may happen. But, in addition to myself, I have to take care of
your brother Lucien, for your majesty knows well that he is poor,"

"Because he would not accept the kingdom which I offered to him."

"Because, as a king, he would not be a dependent vassal, the mere
lieutenant of his brother. What, sire! Would you accept a kingdom
offered to you on condition that you should never have a will of
your own, but always obey that of another?"

"I would not," said the emperor, smiling; "but I am the emperor."

"You are Lucien's brother, and he is no less proud than the emperor.
Let us say no more about it. He is poor; that was all I wished to
say. He is unable to endow his daughters, and I have, therefore,
taken this upon myself. You know now, my son, what my savings are
for."

"But I am just as well your son as Lucien," said the emperor, in a
bland voice; "you may very well have laid by money for both of your
sons. I am in the same predicament as my brother. I am poor, and
need money. Hence I come to you, to my mother, and pray you, let me
have some of your savings. I know you have money; I need it, and you
would place me under the greatest obligations if you would lend me a
large sum."

Madame Letitia gravely shook her head. "You are mistaken, sire," she
said; "I have only as much as I need."

The emperor's forehead darkened more and more. "Madame," he cried,
in a tone of irritation, "I repeat to you, it is a great favor which
I ask of you!"

"And I repeat that I have no money to spare; I had some, but sent it
recently to Lucien, who needs it."

"Well, then, let us say no more about it," replied the emperor,
rising, and, as if to overcome his vexation, turning toward the
paintings, and closely inspecting one after another. "You have very
fine paintings, madame," he said, after a pause.

"Yes, the work of great masters," replied madame, composedly. "You
reproach me with being very parsimonious, sire; I have, however,
paid very large sums to artists."

"I am especially delighted with this landscape," said the emperor,
standing in front of the Swiss landscape, on which he had repeatedly
cast furtive glances.

"Well, it is very fine and costly," said madame.

The emperor was silent, and looked up again attentively to the
painting. He then turned toward his mother, who stood near him.
"Mother," he exclaimed, "I asked money of you, and you refused it.
Will you refuse my request, too, if I ask you to present me with
this fine landscape?"

"On the contrary," said madame, "I am glad to be able to fulfil your
majesty's wish. I shall have the painting conveyed to the Tuileries
this very day."

"No," exclaimed the emperor, smiling, "it will be better to take it
at once with me in my carriage. You are so economical, mother, you
might repent of having given me so costly a present, and might want
to keep it."

"Sire," said madame, solemnly, "the emperor's mother pledges you her
word that you shall receive the painting this very day."

"Madame," replied her proud son, no less solemnly, "the emperor's
mother also pledged me her word that she has no money to lend me,
and yet I venture to believe that she has laid by a great deal.
Pardon me, therefore, if I persist in taking the painting with me,--
Delia, Delia!" The door of the corridor opened, and old Cordelia
looked in. "Run, Cordelia, and tell my two valets de chambre,
Constant and Roustan, to come hither at once."

Cordelia disappeared, and Napoleon now turned his head slowly toward
his mother. Madame Letitia became pale; large drops stood on her
forehead; her eyes were flashing with angry excitement, and her lips
were quivering. But overcoming her agitation she forced herself to
smile, and offered her hand to the emperor. "Come, my son, let us go
into my cabinet and take coffee. It is unnecessary for us to be
present with the servants. Come, sire."

The emperor did not take her hand, but, slightly bowing, drew back.
"Permit me to stay, madame, till my servants have taken the painting
from the wall."

Madame could not suppress a sigh, and clutched a chair, as if she
needed a support.

The door opened, and the two imperial valets de chambre, Constant
and Roustan, entered. "Come here," cried the emperor, "take this
down and carry it into my carriage." The valets hastened to take the
painting carefully from the wall. The emperor's glance passed over
the spot which it had covered. He saw that part of the silk hangings
looked somewhat fresher and darker than the rest. "One would think
the wall here were wet, and had moistened the hangings," he said,
laying his hand on the dark spot. "No," he then exclaimed, "the wall
is hollow here! Let us see what it means."

Madame uttered a cry, and, sinking into a chair, closed her eyes.

The emperor now hastily tore off the dark piece covering the wall,
and behind it was a deep square hole, in which stood a rather large-
sized iron box. "Ah! do you see, madame," cried the emperor, smiling
gayly, "I discover here a secret which you yourself were ignorant
of. It is evidently a box which the former proprietors of this
palace concealed here during the revolution from the rapacious hands
of the Jacobins."

Madame made no reply; her eyes were still closed, and she sat pale
and motionless.

"The box is heavy!" added the emperor, trying to lift it up.
"Constant, fetch the footmen to assist you in carrying it into my
carriage.--I will take it with me, madame," he said, turning toward
his mother, "I will personally examine its contents." At this moment
Constant returned with four footmen, and the six men succeeded at
length in lifting the iron box. "Now carry it immediately into my
carriage," commanded the emperor.

Panting under their heavy load, the men left the room. The emperor
looked after them until the door closed. He then turned again toward
his mother, who sat motionless and with her eyes closed. "Farewell,
mother," he said; "I am anxious to examine the contents of the box
which I was lucky enough to find. But I must not dare now to deprive
you of your beautiful painting. This hole in the wall must be
covered, and your imperial highness might not at once have another
picture worthy of replacing this landscape. I thank you, therefore,
for your present, and take the will for the deed. Farewell, madame!"
He bowed and walked slowly toward the door. [Footnote: Le Normand,
"Memoires," vol. ii., p. 448.]

Madame Letitia said nothing, and made no movement to return the
emperor's salutation. As he departed, she groaned and wept. "Five
millions!" she murmured, after a pause--"the savings of long years
has my son taken from me. Five millions!--the dower that I had laid
by for Lucien's daughters--that I had economized for the time when
these days of prosperity will end." She buried her face in her hands
and sobbed aloud. At length her grief seemed somewhat calmed, and
she raised her head again. "Well," she said, aloud, "I formerly
supported my family of nine children on an income of less than a
hundred louis d'ors a year; if need be, I can do so again, and I
hope I shall have at least so much left that Lucien and his
daughters will not starve. I must be even more parsimonious."
[Footnote: Lucien, the ablest and noblest of Napoleon's brothers,
lived in constant dissension with him, for he would not submit to
his will. He declined the throne of Naples because the emperor
imposed the condition that he should govern in precise accordance
with the orders given him. He married a distinguished and beautiful
Roman lady, and when Napoleon afterward offered him the throne of
Tuscany on condition that he should get a divorce from his wife,
Lucien refused, and preferred to live in obscurity outside of
France, and to dispense with the splendor surrounding his family.]

Two days afterward, on the 25th of January, the emperor left Paris
for his army, and entered upon the last struggle. He was fully aware
of the dangers threatening him. Hence, prior to leaving Paris, he
put his house in order. The regency by letters-patent was conferred
on the Empress Maria Louisa, but with her was conjoined his brother
Joseph, under the title of lieutenant-general of the empire; and
Cambaceres, the arch-chancellor, was placed at the head of the
council of state. The emperor then received the officers of the
National Guard of Paris in the apartments of the Tuileries. The
empress preceded him on entering the apartments, carrying the King
of Rome in her arms. Greeting the officers, the emperor said:
"Gentlemen of the National Guard of Paris, I am glad to see you
assembled here. I am about to set out for the army. I intrust to you
what I hold dearest in the world--my wife and my son. Let there be
no political divisions; let the respect for property, the
maintenance of order, and, above all, the love of France, animate
every heart. I do not disguise that, in the course of the military
operations to ensue, the enemy may approach in force to Paris; it
will be an affair of only a few days: before they are passed I will
be on the flanks and rear, and annihilate those who have dared to
invade our country. Efforts will be made to cause you to waver in
your allegiance and the fulfilment of your duty; but I firmly rely
on your resisting such perfidious temptations. Farewell, and God
bless us all!" [Footnote: Constant, "Memoires," vol. vl., p. 7.]
Then, taking his son in his arms, he went through the ranks of the
officers, and, presenting him to them as their future sovereign, he
exclaimed, in a voice tremulous with emotion: "I intrust him to you;
I intrust him to the love of my loyal city of Paris!"

The National Guard responded by protestations of fidelity and
devotedness. Cries of enthusiasm rent the apartments; tears were
shed, and a sense of the solemnity of the moment penetrated every
mind. All shouted, "Long live the emperor! Long live the empress!"
Maria Louisa, pale with emotion, her face bathed in tears, leaned
her head on the emperor's shoulder; and, holding his son in his left
arm, he placed his right around the trembling form of his consort.
At the sight of this touching group the enthusiasm of the National
Guard knew no bounds. They wept, cheered, and swore they would die
to a man rather than forsake the emperor--that they would allow
Paris to be laid in ruins by the artillery of the enemy rather than
surrender the empress and the King of Rome.

But this enthusiasm of the National Guard met with no response
beyond the Tuileries. Paris maintained an ominous silence, and, when
the emperor rode through the city at night, the streets were
deserted; no one had awaited him to pay homage on his departure.
Paris was asleep--its sleep that of exhaustion--and the people were
dreaming, perhaps, that adversity was hastening upon them.

FALL OF PARIS.

CHAPTER XLVII.

THE BATTLE OF LA ROTHIERE.

The morning of the 1st of February dawned cold and gloomy; heavy
gusts, driving the snow across the plain, gave to the landscape a
sad and dreary aspect. Silence reigned in the camps of the hostile
armies. In that of Napoleon at Brienne, and farther down the valley
at the village of La Rothiere, on this side of the Aube, the camp-
fires of the night were flickering in the gray morning, and far away
on the horizon were seen the dark outlines of the castle of Brienne.
There Napoleon had passed the last night of January, and in the
vicinity encamped his troops, scarcely thirty thousand strong, the
remnant of that "grand army" which the emperor had so often led to
victory.

In the camp of the Silesian army, too, all was quiet. It encamped
beyond the Aube, on the heights of Trannes and Felance, in the
vineyards and the forests of Beaulieu; it was enjoying repose after
a prolonged exposure and privation. But its commander-in-chief,
Field-Marshal Blucher, seemed to have no need of rest. Scarcely had
daylight dawned when he was already on horseback, and rode to the
crest of the mountain, by the side of his faithful adviser and
friend General Gneisenau, and followed by his pipe-master. From the
crest he was able to survey the whole valley of La Rothiers and
Brienne, lying at a distance of scarcely four miles.

Blucher raised his right arm toward the city and heaved a deep sigh.
"Gneisenau," he said, "I am deeply mortified at the defeat which
Bonaparte inflicted on us two days ago. I cannot get over it, and
can imagine what a hue-and-cry the distinguished gentlemen at
headquarters have raised, and how the trubsalsspritzen are croaking
again: Blucher is a crazy hussar who always wants to drive his head
through a wall, and yet cannot get through it, and only causes us
all a vast deal of trouble.' I can imagine how the peace apostles
are raising their voices again, crying that war ought to cease, and
we should run home because we did not gain the battle of Brienne. It
is indispensable, therefore, for us, Gneisenau, to strike a good
blow and get even with Napoleon. Yonder the fellow stands, with his
few thousand men, showing his teeth, as if he were still the lion
that needed only to shake his mane to frighten us off as flies. I
will show him that I am no fly, but a man who is able at any time to
cope with him and such as are with him. Gneisenau, we cannot help
it; we must attack him this very day. We must silence the
trubsalsspritzen, in order to accelerate our operations against
Paris."

"You are right, field-marshal," said Gneisenau; "we must strike a
decisive blow, and compel the gentlemen at headquarters to
discontinue their present system of procrastination. We must show
Napoleon that we have also passed through a military school, though
not at Brienne."

"It makes me feel angry, Gneisenau, that we were unable to show him
that at the very city of Brienne. I had thought how well it would be
for me to prove to him, at the place where he passed his examination
and received his first commission, that I had also passed my
examination and learned something. Well, it is no use crying about
it now; we must, try to get over it, and only think of the best
manner in which we may be even with him. General Wrede must join us
with his troops at noon to-day, when we shall be--stronger than
Bonaparte, Marment, and all his marshals together."

"See!" cried Gneisenou, whose eyes were directed to the camp of the
enemy, "the troops yonder have put themselves in motion; I see it
quite distinctly now that the view is clearer. But they are not
advancing."

"No," cried Blucher, "they are retreating; they intend to escape us;
Bonaparte wishes to avoid a battle. But that will not do; I must
have my battle here! How am I to get to Paris if I do not rout his
forces? how am I to pull him down if the present state of affairs
goes on as heretofore? A blow must be struck now; we must take
revenge for Brienne today!"

"Wrede will be here with his troops at noon," said Gneisenau,
thoughtfully; "let us, therefore, attack the enemy at twelve
o'clock, and make all necessary dispositions for it. Above all,
couriers should be sent to headquarters."

"Yes, Gneisenau, it is your province to attend to all that, for you
know well that you are the head and I am the arm. Consider all that
is necessary; I know only that Bonaparte contemplates a retreat, and
that I must compel him to accept battle. I have felt sad enough for
the past three days; for, say yourself, Gneisenau, is it not sheer
arrogance for Bonaparte to remain here so long quietly in front of
us, as though he intended to give us time for uniting our forces,
and thought we were after all, too cowardly to defeat him?"

"It is, perhaps, not arrogance, but disgust and weariness," said
Gneisenau, thoughtfully. "The prince of battles seems to be
exhausted, and to have lost confidence."

"A pretty fellow he is whom misfortunes at once exhaust," grumbled
Blucher, "and who is courageous only as long as he is successful!
But I do not object to this disposition of Bonaparte, for every
thing turns out now highly advantageous to us. The Austrians, the
Wurtembergers, and the Bavarians, have come up, and will cooperate
with us. Gneisenau, dispatch your couriers to headquarters, that the
monarchs may come. Take out your note-book; I will dictate to you
what occurs to me, and what are my plans in regard to the battle.--
Halloo, Christian! give me a pipe! I can think much better when
smoking!"

Christian galloped up, and with a grave air handed the short pipe to
his master. "Pipe-master," said Blucher, "hold a good many pipes in
readiness to-day, for there will be a fight, and you know that our
gunners fire more steadily when my pipe is burning well.--Well,
write now, Gneisenau: 'Precisely at twelve the troops will be put in
motion, and descend from Trannes into the plain. In the centre,
Sacken's infantry will advance upon La Rothiere in two columns. The
Austrians form the left, and will march on the town of Dionville.
The hereditary Prince of Wurtemberg's corps, composing the right
wing, will penetrate through the forest of Beaulieu, and take the
village of La Gibrin. Olsuwiew's infantry and Wassilchikow's
cavalry, Sacken's reserves, will follow the two columns of the
centre. Two divisions of Russian cuirassiers and Rajewski's corps of
grenadiers will remain in reserve on the heights of Trannes. The
Bavarian corps, under Wrede, will be stationed on the extreme right
wing.' [Footnote: Beitzke, vol. iii., p. 118] Well, that is enough;
close your note-book," said Blucher, blowing a large cloud of smoke
from his mouth. "Every thing else will come of itself after the
fight has begun. I have said what I had to say, and now commences
your work, Gneisenau. Dispatch couriers quickly to the headquarters
of the sovereigns, and may they arrive here in time, and not again,
by their hesitation and timidity, spoil our game, coming too late
from fear of coming too early! Let me tell you that I am not afraid
of Bonaparte, with his young guard and his army of conscripts. We
are twice as strong, for we have eighty thousand men, and his
forces, I believe, are not forty thousand. Besides, we have allies
whom Bonaparte cannot have--the good God and His angel, Queen
Louisa. He has sent us to put an end to the tyranny of the robber of
crowns, and Queen Louisa is looking down and praying for us and
Prussia's honor. The enemy, however, whom I am afraid of is, in our
own flesh and blood; he is creeping around the headquarters of the
monarchs, and singing peace-hymns, and raising a hue-and-cry about
the greatness of Bonaparte, representing him as Invincible, and
ourselves as insignificant. In that way are all our arms paralyzed!
Gneisenau, should they hesitate to act in an energetic manner, and
fail to be on hand in time, it would be dreadful, and I believe my
rage would kill me!"