第357章

第357章onthe28thofmaynapoleonleftdresden，wherehehadbeenspendingthreeweekssurroundedbyacourtthatincludedprinces，dukes，kings，andevenoneemperor.beforehisdeparture，napoleontookagraciousleaveoftheprinces，kings，andemperordeservingofhisfavour，andsternlyupbraidedthekingsandprinceswithwhomhewasdispleased.hemadeapresentofhisowndiamondsandpearls—those，thatis，thathehadtakenfromotherkings—totheempressofaustria.hetenderlyembracedtheempressmarielouise—whoconsideredherselfhiswife，thoughhehadanotherwifestilllivinginparis—andlefther，sohishistorianrelates，deeplydistressedandhardlyabletosupporttheseparation.althoughdiplomatistsstillfirmlybelievedinthepossibilityofpeace，andwerezealouslyworkingwiththatobject，althoughtheemperornapoleon，withhisownhand，wrotealettertotheemperoralexandercallinghim“monsieurmonfrère，”andassuringhimwithsinceritythathehadnodesireofwar，andwouldalwaysloveandhonourhim，hesetofftojointhearmy，andateverystationgavefreshcommands，hasteningtheprogressofhisarmyfromwesttoeast.hedroveatravellingcarriage，drawnbysixhorsesandsurroundedbypages，adjutants，andanarmedescort，alongtheroutebyposen，thorn，danzig，andk？nigsberg.ineachofthesetownshewaswelcomedwithenthusiasmandtrepidationbythousandsofpeople.

thearmywasmovingfromwesttoeast，andhewasdrivenafteritbycontinualrelaysofsixhorses.onthe10thofjuneheovertookthearmyandspentthenightinthevilkovikforest，inquarterspreparedforhimonthepropertyofapolishcount.

thefollowingdaynapoleondroveonaheadofthearmy，reachedtheniemen，putonapolishuniforminordertoinspectthecrossingoftheriver，androdeoutontheriverbank.

whenhesawthecossackspostedonthefurtherbankandtheexpanseofthesteppes—inthemidstofwhich，faraway，wastheholycity，moscow，capitalofanempire，likethescythianempireinvadedbyalexanderofmacedon—napoleonsurprisedthediplomatistsandcontravenedallrulesofstrategybyorderinganimmediateadvance，andhistroopsbegancrossingtheniemennextday.

earlyonthemorningofthe12thofjunehecameoutofhistent，whichhadbeenpitchedthatdayonthesteepleftbankoftheniemen，andlookedthroughafield-glassathistroopspouringoutofthevilkovikforest，anddividingintothreestreamsatthethreebridgesacrosstheriver.thetroopsknewoftheemperor’spresence，andwereonthelookoutforhim.whentheycaughtsightofhisfigureinhisgreatcoatandhatstandingapartfromhissuiteinfrontofhistentonthehillopposite，theythrewuptheircapsandshouted，“vivel’empereur！”andoneregimentafteranother，inacontinuousstream，flowedoutoftheimmenseforestthathadconcealedthem，andsplituptocrosstheriverbythethreebridges.“weshallmakesomewaythistime.oh，whenhetakesahandhimselfthingsbegintogetwarm！…nameofgod！…thereheis！…hurrahfortheemperor！sothosearethesteppesofasia！anastycountryitis，though.good-bye，beauché；i’llkeepthefinestpalaceinmoscowforyou.good-bye！good-luck！…haveyouseentheemperor？hurrahfortheemperor！iftheymakemegovernoroftheindies，gérard，i’llmakeyouministerofcashmere，that’ssettled.hurrahfortheemperor！hurrah！hurrah！hurrah！therascallycossacks，howtheyarerunning.hurrahfortheemperor！thereheis！doyouseehim？ihaveseenhimtwiceasiamseeingyou.thelittlecorporal…isawhimgivethecrosstooneoftheveterans.…hurrahfortheemperor！”suchwasthetalkofoldmenandyoung，ofthemostdiversecharactersandpositionsinsociety.allthefacesofthosemenworeonecommonexpressionofjoyatthecommencementofalong-expectedcampaign，andenthusiasmanddevotiontothemaninthegreycoatstandingonthehillopposite.