the adventures of gerard(吉拉德历险记)-第34章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
livid face passed me yelling out these words of woe。 〃Save yourselves！
Save yourselves！ You are betrayed！〃 cried another。 〃Save yourselves！
Save yourselves！〃 Men were rushing madly to the rear； blundering and
jumping like frightened sheep。 Cries and screams rose from all around
me。 And at that moment； as I looked at the British position； I saw what I
can never forget。 A single horseman stood out black and clear upon the
ridge against the last red angry glow of the setting sun。 So dark； so
motionless； against that grim light； he might have been the very spirit of
Battle brooding over that terrible valley。 As I gazed； he raised his hat
high in the air； and at the signal； with a low； deep roar like a breaking
wave； the whole British army flooded over their ridge and came rolling
down into the valley。
Long steel…fringed lines of red and blue； sweeping waves of cavalry；
horse batteries rattling and boundingdown they came on to our
crumbling ranks。 It was over。 A yell of agony； the agony of brave men
who see no hope； rose from one flank to the other； and in an instant the
whole of that noble army was swept in a wild； terror… stricken crowd from
139
… Page 140…
THE ADVENTURES OF GERARD
the field。 Even now； dear friends； I cannot； as you see； speak of that
dreadful moment with a dry eye or with a steady voice。
At first I was carried away in that wild rush； whirled off like a straw in
a flooded gutter。 But； suddenly； what should I see amongst the mixed
regiments in front of me but a group of stern horsemen； in silver and grey；
with a broken and tattered standard held aloft in the heart of them！ Not
all the might of England and of Prussia could break the Hussars of
Conflans。 But when I joined them it made my heart bleed to see them。
The major； seven captains； and five hundred men were left upon the field。
Young Captain Sabbatier was in command； and when I asked him where
were the five missing squadrons he pointed back and answered： 〃You
will find them round one of those British squares。〃 Men and horses were
at their last gasp； caked with sweat and dirt； their black tongues hanging
out from their lips； but it made me thrill with pride to see how that
shattered remnant still rode knee to knee； with every man； from the boy
trumpeter to the farrier…sergeant； in his own proper place。
Would that I could have brought them on with me as an escort for the
Emperor！ In the heart of the Hussars of Conflans he would be safe
indeed。 But the horses were too spent to trot。 I left them behind me
with orders to rally upon the farm…house of St。 Aunay； where we had
camped two nights before。 For my own part； I forced my horse through
the throng in search of the Emperor。
There were things which I saw then； as I pressed through that dreadful
crowd； which can never be banished from my mind。 In evil dreams there
comes back to me the memory of that flowing stream of livid； staring；
screaming faces upon which I looked down。 It was a nightmare。 In
victory one does not understand the horror of war。 It is only in the cold
chill of defeat that it is brought home to you。 I remember an old
Grenadier of the Guard lying at the side of the road with his broken leg
doubled at a right angle。 〃Comrades； comrades； keep off my leg！〃 he
cried； but they tripped and stumbled over him all the same。 In front of
me rode a Lancer officer without his coat。 His arm had just been taken
off in the ambulance。 The bandages had fallen。 It was horrible。 Two
gunners tried to drive through with their gun。 A Chasseur raised his
140
… Page 141…
THE ADVENTURES OF GERARD
musket and shot one of them through the head。 I saw a major of
Cuirassiers draw his two holster pistols and shoot first his horse and then
himself。 Beside the road a man in a blue coat was raging and raving like
a madman。 His face was black with powder； his clothes were torn； one
epaulette was gone； the other hung dangling over his breast。 Only when I
came close to him did I recognise that it was Marshal Ney。 He howled at
the flying troops and his voice was hardly human。 Then he raised the
stump of his sword it was broken three inches from the hilt。 〃Come and
see how a Marshal of France can die！〃 he cried。 Gladly would I have
gone with him； but my duty lay elsewhere。
He did not； as you know； find the death he sought； but he met it a few
weeks later in cold blood at the hands of his enemies。
There is an old proverb that in attack the French are more than men； in
defeat they are less than women。 I knew that it was true that day。 But
even in that rout I saw things which I can tell with pride。 Through the
fields which skirt the road moved Cambronne's three reserve battalions of
the Guard； the cream of our army。
They walked slowly in square； their colours waving over the sombre
line of the bearskins。 All round them raged the English cavalry and the
black Lancers of Brunswick； wave after wave thundering up； breaking
with a crash； and recoiling in ruin。 When last I saw them； the English
guns； six at a time； were smashing grape…shot through their ranks and the
English infantry were closing in upon three sides and pouring volleys into
them； but still； like a noble lion with fierce hounds clinging to its flanks；
the glorious remnant of the Guard； marching slowly； halting； closing up；
dressing； moved majestically from their last battle。 Behind them the
Guard's battery of twelve… pounders was drawn up upon the ridge。 Every
gunner was in his place； but no gun fired。 〃Why do you not fire？〃 I
asked the colonel as I passed。 〃Our powder is finished。〃 〃Then why not
retire？〃 〃Our appearance may hold them back for a little。 We must give
the Emperor time to escape。〃 Such were the soldiers of France。
Behind this screen of brave men the others took their breath； and then
went on in less desperate fashion。 They had broken away from the road；
and all over the countryside in the twilight I could see the timid； scattered；
141
… Page 142…
THE ADVENTURES OF GERARD
frightened crowd who ten hours before had formed the finest army that
ever went down to battle。 I with my splendid mare was soon able to get
clear of the throng； and just after I passed Genappe I overtook the Emperor
with the remains of his Staff。 Soult was with him still； and so were
Drouot； Lobau； and Bertrand； with five Chasseurs of the Guard； their
horses hardly able to move。
The night was falling； and the Emperor's haggard face gleamed white
through the gloom as he turned it toward me。
〃Who is that？〃 he asked。
〃It is Colonel Gerard；〃 said Soult。
〃Have you seen Marshal Grouchy？〃
〃No； Sire。 The Prussians were between。〃
〃It does not matter。 Nothing matters now。 Soult； I will go back。〃
He tried to turn his horse； but Bertrand seized his bridle。 〃Ah； Sire；〃
said Soult； 〃the enemy has had good fortune enough already。〃 They
forced him on among them。 He rode in silence with his chin upon his
breast； the greatest and the saddest of men。 Far away behind us those
remorseless guns were still roaring。 Sometimes out of the darkness
would come shrieks and screams and the low thunder of galloping hoofs。
At the sound we would spur our horses and hasten onward through the
scattered troops。 At last； after riding all night in the clear moonlight； we
found that we had left both pursued and pursuers behind。 By the time we
passed over the bridge at Charleroi the dawn was breaking。 What a
company of spectres we looked in that cold； clear； searching light； the
Emperor with his face of wax； Soult blotched with powder； Lobau dabbled
with blood！ But we rode more easily now； and had ceased to glance over
our shoulders； for Waterloo was more than thirty miles behind us。 One of
the Emperor's carriages had been picked up at Charleroi； and we halted
now on the other side of the Sambre； and dismounted from our horses。
You will ask me why it was that during all this time I had said nothing
of that which was nearest my heart； the need for guarding the Emperor。
As a fact； I had tried to speak of it both to Soult and to Lobau； but their
minds were so overwhelmed with the disaster and so distracted by the
pressing needs of the moment that it was impossible to make them
142
… Page 143…
THE ADVENTURES OF GERARD
understand how urgent was my message。 Besides； during this long flight
we had always had numbers of French fugitives beside us on the road； and；
however demoralised they might be； we had nothing to fear from the
attack of nine men。 But now； as we stood round the Emperor's carriage
in the early morning； I observed with anxiety that not a single French
soldier was to be seen upon the long； white road behind us。 We had
outstripped the army。 I looked round to see what means of defence were
left to us。 The horses of the Chasseurs of the Guard had broken down；
and only one of them； a grey…whiskered sergeant； remained。
There were Soult； Loba
