第 36 节
作者:插翅难飞      更新:2021-04-30 17:18      字数:9322
  when our attention was called away from the battle beneath our noses to a
  distant portion of the field of action。
  The Emperor had been looking through his glass to the extreme left of
  the English line; and now he turned suddenly to the Duke of Dalmatia; or
  Soult; as we soldiers preferred to call him。
  〃What is it; Marshal?〃 said he。
  We   all   followed   the   direction   of   his   gaze;   some   raising   our   glasses;
  some shading our eyes。         There was a thick wood over yonder; then a long;
  bare slope; and another wood beyond。              Over this bare strip between the
  two woods there lay something dark; like the shadow of a moving cloud。
  〃I think that they are cattle; Sire;〃 said Soult。
  At that instant there came a quick twinkle from amid the dark shadow。
  〃It is Grouchy;〃 said the Emperor; and he lowered his glass。                  〃They
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  are   doubly   lost;   these   English。  I   hold   them   in   the   hollow   of   my   hand。
  They cannot escape me。〃
  He looked round; and his eyes fell upon me。
  〃Ah!    here   is  the  prince   of  messengers;〃      said  he。   〃Are     you   well
  mounted; Colonel Gerard?〃
  I was riding my little Violette; the pride of the brigade。
  I said so。
  〃Then     ride  hard   to  Marshal     Grouchy;    whose     troops   you   see   over
  yonder。     Tell   him   that   he   is   to   fall   upon   the   left   flank   and   rear   of   the
  English while I attack them in front。          Together we should crush them and
  not a man escape。〃
  I saluted and rode off without a word; my heart dancing with joy that
  such a   mission should be   mine。         I looked   at that   long; solid line   of   red
  and blue looming through the smoke of the guns; and I shook my fist at it
  as I went。     〃We shall crush them and not a man escape。〃
  They were the Emperor's words; and it was I; Etienne Gerard; who was
  to turn them into deeds。        I burned to reach the Marshal; and for an instant
  I thought of riding through the English left wing; as being the shortest cut。
  I have done bolder deeds and come out safely; but I reflected that if things
  went badly with me and I was taken or shot the message would be lost and
  the   plans   of  the   Emperor   miscarry。      I  passed    in  front  of   the  cavalry;
  therefore; past the Chasseurs; the Lancers of the Guard; the Carabineers;
  the Horse Grenadiers; and; lastly; my own little rascals; who followed me
  wistfully     with   their  eyes。    Beyond      the   cavalry    the  Old    Guard    was
  standing; twelve regiments of them; all veterans of many battles; sombre
  and   severe;   in   long   blue   overcoats   and   high   bearskins   from   which   the
  plumes had been removed。            Each bore within the goatskin knapsack upon
  his back the blue and white parade uniform which they would use for their
  entry into Brussels next day。          As I rode past them I reflected that these
  men had never been beaten; and as I looked at their weather…beaten faces
  and their stern and silent bearing; I said to myself that they never would be
  beaten。     Great heavens; how little could I foresee what a few more hours
  would bring!
  On the right of the Old Guard were the Young Guard and the 6th Corps
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  of   Lobau;   and   then   I   passed   Jacquinot's   Lancers   and   Marbot's   Hussars;
  who held the extreme flank of the line。             All these troops knew nothing of
  the   corps   which   was   coming   toward   them   through   the   wood;   and   their
  attention was taken up in watching the battle which raged upon their left。
  More than   a   hundred   guns   were   thundering   from  each   side;   and   the   din
  was so great that of all the battles which I have fought I cannot recall more
  than half…a…dozen which were as noisy。               I looked back over my shoulder;
  and there were two brigades of Cuirassiers; English and French; pouring
  down      the  hill  together;   with    the  sword…blades      playing    over   them   like
  summer lightning。         How I longed to turn Violette; and to lead my Hussars
  into the thick of it!      What a picture!       Etienne Gerard with his back to the
  battle; and a fine cavalry action raging behind him。
  But    duty   is  duty;   so  I  rode   past  Marbot's     vedettes    and   on   in  the
  direction of the wood; passing the village of Frishermont upon my left。
  In front of me lay the great wood; called the Wood of Paris; consisting
  mostly of oak trees; with a few narrow paths leading through it。                    I halted
  and listened when I reached it; but out of its gloomy depths there came no
  blare   of trumpet;  no   murmur   of   wheels;   no   tramp   of   horses   to   mark   the
  advance      of  that   great   column     which;    with   my   own    eyes;   I  had   seen
  streaming toward it。         The battle roared behind me; but in front all was as
  silent   as   that   grave   in   which   so   many   brave   men   would   shortly   sleep。
  The   sunlight   was   cut   off   by   the   arches   of   leaves   above   my   head;   and   a
  heavy   damp   smell   rose   from   the   sodden   ground。         For   several   miles   I
  galloped at such a pace as few riders would care to go with roots below
  and branches above。          Then; at last; for the first time I caught a glimpse of
  Grouchy's   advance   guard。         Scattered   parties   of   Hussars   passed   me   on
  either side; but some distance of; among the trees。                I heard the beating of
  a drum far away; and the low; dull murmur which an army makes upon the
  march。      Any     moment      I  might    come     upon    the   staff  and   deliver    my
  message   to   Grouchy   in   person;   for   I   knew   well   that   on   such   a   march   a
  Marshal of France would certainly ride with the van of his army。
  Suddenly   the      trees   thinned   in  front   of  me;   and   I  understood     with
  delight that I was coming to the end of the wood? whence I could see the
  army and find the Marshal。
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  Where the track comes out from amid the trees there is a small cabaret;
  where wood…cutters and waggoners drink their wine。                Outside the door of
  this I reined up my horse for an instant while I took in the scene which
  was before me。       Some few miles away I saw a second great forest; that of
  St。 Lambert; out of which the Emperor had seen the troops advancing。                    It
  was   easy   to   see;   however;   why   there   had   been   so   long   a   delay   in   their
  leaving one wood and reaching the other; because between the two ran the
  deep defile of the Lasnes; which had to be crossed。              Sure enough; a long
  column of troops horse; foot; and gunswas streaming down one side of
  it and swarming up the other; while the advance guard was already among
  the trees on either side of me。         A battery of Horse Artillery was coming
  along the road; and I was about to gallop up to it and ask the officer in
  command   if   he   could   tell   me   where   I   should   find   the   Marshal;   when
  suddenly I  observed that;  though the gunners were  dressed in   blue; they
  had   not   the   dolman   trimmed   with   red   brandenburgs   as   our   own   horse…
  gunners wear it。       Amazed at the sight; I was looking at these soldiers to
  left and right when a hand touched my thigh; and there was the landlord;
  who had rushed from his inn。
  〃Madman!〃 he cried; 〃why are you here?              What are you doing?〃
  〃I am seeking Marshal Grouchy。〃
  〃You are in the heart of the Prussian army。          Turn and fly!〃
  〃Impossible; this is Grouchy's corps。〃
  〃How do you know?〃
  〃Because the Emperor has said it。〃
  〃Then   the   Emperor   has   made   a   terrible   mistake!    I   tell   you   that   a
  patrol of Silesian Hussars has this instant left me。           Did you not see them
  in the wood?〃
  〃I saw Hussars。〃
  〃They are the enemy。〃
  〃Where is Grouchy?〃
  〃He is behind。      They have passed him。〃
  〃Then   how   can   I   go   back?   If   I   go   forward   I   may   see   him   yet。 I
  must obey my orders and find him where… ever{sic} he is。〃
  The man reflected for an instant。
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  〃Quick! quick!〃 he