the country doctor-第35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！


he　twinkling　of　an　eye；　and　it　is　a　fact　that　he　was　everywhere。　At　length　it　came　about　that　he　carried　off　a　queen　of　theirs。　She　was　the　private　property　of　a　Mameluke；　who；　although　he　had　several　more　of　them；　flatly　refused　to　strike　a　bargain；　though　'the　other'　offered　all　his　treasures　for　her　and　diamonds　as　big　as　pigeon's　eggs。　When　things　had　come　to　that　pass；　they　could　not　well　be　settled　without　a　good　deal　of　fighting；　and　there　was　fighting　enough　for　everybody　and　no　mistake　about　it。

〃Then　we　are　drawn　up　before　Alexandria；　and　again　at　Gizeh；　and　before　the　Pyramids。　We　had　to　march　over　the　sands　and　in　the　sun；　people　whose　eyes　dazzled　used　to　see　water　that　they　could　not　drink　and　shade　that　made　them　fume。　But　we　made　short　work　of　the　Mamelukes　as　usual；　and　everything　goes　down　before　the　voice　of　Napoleon；　who　seizes　Upper　and　Lower　Egypt　and　Arabia；　far　and　wide；　till　we　came　to　the　capitals　of　kingdoms　which　no　longer　existed；　where　there　were　thousands　and　thousands　of　statues　of　all　the　devils　in　creation；　all　done　to　the　life；　and　another　curious　thing　too；　any　quantity　of　lizards。　A　confounded　country　where　any　one　could　have　as　many　acres　of　land　as　he　wished　for　as　little　as　he　pleased。

〃While　he　was　busy　inland；　where　he　meant　to　carry　out　some　wonderful　ideas　of　his；　the　English　burn　his　fleet　for　him　in　Aboukir　Bay；　for　they　never　could　do　enough　to　annoy　us。　But　Napoleon；　who　was　respected　East　and　West；　and　called　'My　Son'　by　the　Pope；　and　'My　dear　Father'　by　Mahomet's　cousin；　makes　up　his　mind　to　have　his　revenge　on　England；　and　to　take　India　in　exchange　for　his　fleet。　He　set　out　to　lead　us　into　Asia；　by　way　of　the　Red　Sea；　through　a　country　where　there　were　palaces　for　halting…places；　and　nothing　but　gold　and　diamonds　to　pay　the　troops　with；　when　the　Mahdi　comes　to　an　understanding　with　the　Plague；　and　sends　it　among　us　to　make　a　break　in　our　victories。　Halt！　Then　every　man　files　off　to　that　parade　from　which　no　one　comes　back　on　his　two　feet。　The　dying　soldier　cannot　take　Acre；　into　which　he　forces　an　entrance　three　times　with　a　warrior's　impetuous　enthusiasm；　the　Plague　was　too　strong　for　us；　there　was　not　even　time　to　say　'Your　servant；　sir！'　to　the　Plague。　Every　man　was　down　with　it。　Napoleon　alone　was　as　fresh　as　a　rose；　the　whole　army　saw　him　drinking　in　the　Plague　without　it　doing　him　any　harm　whatever。

〃There　now；　my　friends；　was　that　natural；　do　you　think？

〃The　Mamelukes；　knowing　that　we　were　all　on　the　sick…list；　want　to　stop　our　road；　but　it　was　no　use　trying　that　nonsense　with　Napoleon。　So　he　spoke　to　his　familiars；　who　had　tougher　skins　than　the　rest：

〃　'Go　and　clear　the　road　for　me。'

〃Junot；　who　was　his　devoted　friend；　and　a　first…class　fighter；　only　takes　a　thousand　men；　and　makes　a　clean　sweep　of　the　Pasha's　army；　which　had　the　impudence　to　bar　our　way。　Thereupon　back　we　came　to　Cairo；　our　headquarters；　and　now　for　another　story。

〃Napoleon　being　out　of　the　country；　France　allowed　the　people　in　Paris　to　worry　the　life　out　of　her。　They　kept　back　the　soldiers'　pay　and　all　their　linen　and　clothing；　left　them　to　starve；　and　expected　them　to　lay　down　law　to　the　universe；　without　taking　any　further　trouble　in　the　matter。　They　were　idiots　of　the　kind　that　amuse　themselves　with　chattering　instead　of　setting　themselves　to　knead　the　dough。　So　our　armies　were　defeated；　France　could　not　keep　her　frontiers；　The　Man　was　not　there。　I　say　The　Man；　look　you；　because　that　was　how　they　called　him；　but　it　was　stuff　and　nonsense；　for　he　had　a　star　of　his　own　and　all　his　other　peculiarities；　it　was　the　rest　of　us　that　were　mere　men。　He　hears　this　history　of　France　after　his　famous　battle　of　Aboukir；　where　with　a　single　division　he　routed　the　grand　army　of　the　Turks；　twenty…five　thousand　strong；　and　jostled　more　than　half　of　them　into　the　sea；　rrrah！　without　losing　more　than　three　hundred　of　his　own　men。　That　was　his　last　thunder…clap　in　Egypt。　He　said　to　himself；　seeing　that　all　was　lost　down　there；　'I　know　that　I　am　the　saviour　of　France；　and　to　France　I　must　go。'

〃But　you　must　clearly　understand　that　the　army　did　not　know　of　his　departure；　for　if　they　had；　they　would　have　kept　him　there　by　force　to　make　him　Emperor　of　the　East。　So　there　we　all　are　without　him；　and　in　low　spirits；　for　he　was　the　life　of　us。　He　leaves　Kleber　in　command；　a　great　watchdog　who　passed　in　his　checks　at　Cairo；　murdered　by　an　Egyptian　whom　they　put　to　death　by　spiking　him　with　a　bayonet；　which　is　their　way　of　guillotining　people　out　there；　but　he　suffered　so　much；　that　a　soldier　took　pity　on　the　scoundrel　and　handed　his　flask　to　him；　and　the　Egyptian　turned　up　his　eyes　then　and　there　with　all　the　pleasure　in　life。　But　there　is　not　much　fun　for　us　about　this　little　affair。　Napoleon　steps　aboard　of　a　little　cockleshell；　a　mere　nothing　of　a　skiff；　called　the　Fortune；　and　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye；　and　in　the　teeth　of　the　English；　who　were　blockading　the　place　with　vessels　of　the　line　and　cruisers　and　everything　that　carries　canvas；　he　lands　in　France　for　he　always　had　the　faculty　of　taking　the　sea　at　a　stride。　Was　that　natural？　Bah！　as　soon　as　he　landed　at　Frejus；　it　is　as　good　as　saying　that　he　has　set　foot　in　Paris。　Everybody　there　worships　him；　but　he　calls　the　Government　together。

〃　'What　have　you　done　to　my　children；　the　soldiers？'　he　says　to　the　lawyers。　'You　are　a　set　of　good…for…nothings　who　make　fools　of　other　people；　and　feather　your　own　nests　at　the　expense　of　France。　It　will　not　do。　I　speak　in　the　name　of　every　one　who　is　discontented。'

〃Thereupon　they　want　to　put　him　off　and　to　get　rid　of　him；　but　not　a　bit　of　it！　He　locks　them　up　in　the　barracks　where　they　used　to　argufy　and　makes　them　jump　out　of　the　windows。　Then　he　makes　them　follow　in　his　train；　and　they　all　become　as　mute　as　fishes　and　supple　as　tobacco　pouches。　So　he　becomes　Consul　at　a　blow。　He　was　not　the　man　to　doubt　the　existence　of　the　Supreme　Being；　he　kept　his　word　with　Providence；　who　had　kept　His　promise　in　earnest；　he　sets　up　religion　again；　and　gives　back　the　churches；　and　they　ring　the　bells　for　God　and　Napoleon。　So　every　one　is　satisfied：　primo　the　priests　with　whom　he　allows　no　one　to　meddle；　segondo；　the　merchant　folk　who　carry　on　their　trades　without　fear　of　the　rapiamus　of　the　law　that　had　pressed　too　heavily　on　them；　tertio；　the　nobles；　for　people　had　fallen　into　an　unfortunate　habit　of　putting　them　to　death；　and　he　puts　a　stop　to　this。

〃But　there　were　enemies　to　be　cleared　out　of　the　way；　and　he　was　not　the　one　to　go　to　sleep　after　mess；　and　his　eyes；　look　you；　traveled　all　over　the　world　as　if　it　had　been　a　man's　face。　The　next　thing　he　did　was　to　turn　up　in　Italy；　it　was　just　as　if　he　had　put　his　head　out　of　the　window　and　the　sight　of　him　was　enough；　they　gulp　down　the　Austrians　at　Marengo　like　a　whale　swallowing　gudgeons！　Haouf！　The　French　Victories　blew　their　trumpets　so　loud　that　the　whole　world　could　hear　the　noise；　and　there　was　an　end　of　it。

〃　'We　will　not　keep　on　at　this　game　any　longer！'　say　the　Germans。

〃　'That　is　enough　of　this　sort　of　thing；'　say　the　others。

〃Here　is　the　upshot。　Europe　shows　the　white　feather；　England　knuckles　under；　general　peace　all　round；　and　kings　and　peoples　pretending　to　embrace　each　other。　While　then　and　there　the　Emperor　hits　on　the　idea　of　the　Legion　of　Honor。　There's　a　fine　thing　if　you　like！

〃He　spoke　to　the　whole　army　at　Boulogne。　'In　France；'　so　he　said；　'every　man　is　brave。　So　the　civilian　who　does　gloriously　shall　be　the　soldier's　sister；　the　soldier　shall　be　his　brother；　and　both　shall　stand　together　beneath　the　flag　of　honor。'

〃By　the　time　that　the　rest　of　us　who　were　away　down　there　in　Egypt　had　come　back　again；　everything　was　changed。　We　had　seen　him　last　as　a　general；　and　in　no　time　we　find　that　he　is　Emperor！　And　when　this　was　settled　（and　it　may　safely　be　said　that　every　one　was　satisfied）　there　was　a　holy　ceremony　such　as　was　never　seen　under　the　canopy　of　heaven。　Faith；　France　gave　herself　to　him；　like　a　handsome　girl　to　a　lancer；　and　the　Pope　and　all　his　cardinals　in　robes　of　red　and　gold　come　across　the　Alps　on　purpose　to　anoint　him　before　the　army　and　the　people；　who　clap　their　hands。

〃There　is　one　thing　that　it　would　be　very　wrong　to　keep　back　from　you。　While　he　was　in　Egypt；　in　the　desert　not　far　away　from　Syria；　the　Red　Man　had　appeared　to　him　on　the　mountain　of　Moses；　in　order　to　say；　'Everything　is　going　on　well。'　Then　again；　on　the　eve　of　victory　at　Marengo；　the　Red　Man　springs　to　his　feet　in　front　of　the　Emperor　for　the　second　time；　and　says　to　him：

〃　'You　shall　see　the　world　at　your　feet；　you　shall　be　Emperor　of　the　French；　King　of　Italy；　master　of　Holland；　ruler　of　Spain；　Portugal；　and　the　Illyrian　Provinces；　protector　of　Germany；　saviour　of　Poland；　first　eagle　of　the　Legion　of　Honor　and　all　the　rest　of　it。'

〃That　Red　Man；　look　you；　was　a　notion　of　his　own；　who　ran　on　errands　and　carried　messages；　so　many　people　say；　between　him　and　his　star。　I　myself　have　never　believed　that；　but　the　Red　Man　is；　undoubtedly；　a　fact。　Napoleon　himself　spoke　of　the　Red　Man　who　lived　up　in　the　roof　of　the　Tuileries；　and　who　used　to　come　to　him；　he　said；　in　moments　of　trouble　and　difficulty。　So　on　the　night　after　his　coronation　Napoleon　saw　him　for　the　third　time；　and　they　talked　over　a　lot　of　things　together。

〃Then　the　Emperor　goes　straight　to　Milan　to　have　himself　crowned　King　of　Italy；　and　then　came　the　real　triumph　of　the　soldier。　For　every　one　who　could　write　became　an　officer　forthwith；　and　pensions　and　gifts　of　duchies　poured　down　in　showers。　There　were　fortunes　for　the　staff　that　never　cost　France　a　penny；　and　the　Legion　of　Honor　was　as　good　as　an　annuity　for　the　rank　and　file；　I　still　draw　my　pension　on　the　strength　of　it。　In　short；　here　were　armies　provided　for　in　a　way　that　had　never　been　seen　before！　But　the　Emperor；　who　knew　that　he　was　to　be　Emperor　over　everybody；　and　not　only　over　the　army；　bethinks　himself　of　the　bourgeois；　and　sets　them　to　build　fairy　monuments　in　places　that　had　been　as　bare　as　the　back　of　my　hand　till　then。　Suppose；　now；　that　you　are　coming　out　of　Spain　and　on　the　way　to　Berlin；　well；　you　would　see　triumphal　arches；　and　in　the　sculpture　upon　them　the　common　soldiers　are　done　every　bit　as　beautifully　a