the adventures of gerard(吉拉德历险记)-第37部分
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！
line； and was back in the heart of Lobau's corps once more。
Outnumbered and outflanked； they were being slowly driven in by the
pressure of the Prussian advance。 I galloped onward； anxious only to
find myself by the Emperor's side。
But a sight lay before me which held me fast as though I had been
turned into some noble equestrian statue。 I could not move； I could
scarce breathe； as I gazed upon it。 There was a mound over which my
path lay； and as I came out on the top of it I looked down the long； shallow
valley of Waterloo。 I had left it with two great armies on either side and
a clear field between them。 Now there were but long； ragged fringes of
broken and exhausted regiments upon the two ridges； but a real army of
dead and wounded lay between。 For two miles in length and half a mile
across the ground was strewed and heaped with them。 But slaughter was
no new sight to me； and it was not that which held me spellbound。 It was
that up the long slope of the British position was moving a walking forest…
black； tossing； waving； unbroken。 Did I not know the bearskins of the
Guard？ And did I not also know； did not my soldier's instinct tell me；
138
… Page 139…
THE ADVENTURES OF GERARD
that it was the last reserve of France； that the Emperor； like a desperate
gamester； was staking all upon his last card？ Up they went and up
grand； solid； unbreakable； scourged with musketry； riddled with grape；
flowing onward in a black； heavy tide； which lapped over the British
batteries。 With my glass I could see the English gunners throw
themselves under their pieces or run to the rear。 On rolled the crest of the
bearskins； and then； with a crash which was swept across to my ears； they
met the British infantry。 A minute passed； and another； and another。
My heart was in my mouth。
They swayed back and forward； they no longer advanced； they were
held。 Great Heaven！ was it possible that they were breaking？ One
black dot ran down the hill； then two； then four； then ten； then a great；
scattered； struggling mass； halting； breaking； halting； and at last shredding
out and rushing madly downward。 〃The Guard is beaten！ The Guard is
beaten！〃 From all around me I heard the cry。 Along the whole line the
infantry turned their faces and the gunners flinched from their guns。
〃The Old Guard is beaten！ The Guard retreats！〃 An officer with a
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 wer
