louisa of prussia and her times-第145节

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dismayed；　they　clasped　their　hands　wonderingly；　and　shook　their
heads　anxiously。

The　king　rang　the　bell　hastily；　and　ordered　the　footman；　who　entered
immediately；　to　go　over　to　the　arsenal　and　see　what　was　the　matter。

In　a　few　minutes　he　returned；　panting　and　breathless。

〃Well；〃　said　the　king　to　him；　〃has　an　accident　occurred？〃

〃Yes；　your　majesty；　not　to　anybody　in　the　crowd；　however。　The　statue
of　Bellona；　which　stood　on　the　portal　of　the　arsenal；　has　suddenly
fallen　from　the　roof。〃

〃Was　it　shattered？〃　asked　the　queen；　whose　cheeks　had　turned　pale。

〃No；　your　majesty；　but　its　right　arm　is　broken。〃

The　king　beckoned　him　to　withdraw；　and　commenced　pacing　the　room。
The　queen　had　returned　to　the　window；　and　her　eyes；　which　she　had
turned　toward　heaven；　were　filled　with　tears。

After　a　long　pause；　the　king　approached　her　again。　〃Louisa；〃　he
said；　in　a　low　voice；　〃will　you　still　go　with　me？　The　day　is　clear
and　sunny；　not　a　breath　is　stirring；　and　the　statue　of　Bellona　falls
from　the　roof　of　our　arsenal　and　breaks　its　arm。　That　is　a　bad　omen！
Will　you　not　be　warned　thereby？〃

The　queen　gave　him　her　hand；　and　her　eyes　were　radiant　again　with
love　and　joyfulness。　〃Where　you　go；　I　shall　go；〃　she　said；
enthusiastically！　〃Your　life　is　my　life；　and　your　misfortunes　are　my
misfortunes。　I　am　not　afraid　of　bad　omens！〃　＇Another　bad　omen
occurred　on　that　day。　Field…Marshal　von　Mullendorf；　who　was　to
accompany　the　troops；　after　being　lifted　on　the　left　side　of　his
charger；　fell　down　on　the　other。＇




CHAPTER　LXII。

BEFORE　THE　BATTLE。


It　was　long　after　nightfall。　A　cold　and　dismal　night。　The　mountains
of　the　forests　of　Thuringia　bordered　the　horizon　with　their　snow…
clad　summits；　and　a　piercing　wind　was　howling　over　the　heights　and
through　the　valleys。

The　Prussian　army　seemed　at　length　to　have　reached　its　destination；
and　here；　on　the　hills　and　in　the　valleys　of　Jena　and　Auerstadt；　the
great　conflict　was　to　be　decided；　for　the　Prussian　army　was　now
confronting　the　legions　of　Napoleon。

The　principal　army；　with　the　commander…in…chief；　the　Duke　of
Brunswick；　the　king；　and　the　staff；　was　encamped　at　Auerstadt。

The　second　army；　commanded　by　the　Prince　von　Hohenlohe；　was　in　the
immediate　neighborhood　of　Jena。

It　was　still　firmly　believed　that　Prussia　would　accomplish　her　great
purpose；　and　defeat　Napoleon。　The　disastrous　skirmish　of　Saalfeld；
and　the　death　of　Prince　Louis　Ferdinand；　had　made　a　bad　impression；
but　not　shaken　the　general　confidence。

It　is　true；　the　Prussians　were　cold；　for　they　had　no　cloaks；　it　is
true；　they　were　hungry；　for；　owing　to　the　sudden　lack　of　bread；　they
had　received　only　half　rations　for　the　last　few　days；　but　their
hearts　were　still　undismayed；　and　they　longed　only　for　one　thing
for　the　decisive　struggle。　The　decision；　at　all　events；　could　not
but　put　an　end　to　their　hunger；　either　by　death　or　by　a　victory；
which　would　open　to　them　large　army　magazines　and　supplies。

The　Prussian　troops　encamped　at　Jena　stood　quietly　before　their
tents　and　chatted　about　the　hopes　of　the　next　day；　they　told　each
other　that　Bonaparte　with　his　French；　as　soon　as　he　had　heard　that
the　Prussians　were　already　at　Jena；　had　hastily　left　Weimar　again
and　retreated　toward　Gera。

〃Then　it　will　be　still　longer　before　we　get　hold　of　the　French；〃
exclaimed　several　soldiers。　〃We　thought　we　had　got　him　sure　at　last；
and　that　he　could　not　escape　any　more；　and　when　he　scented　us；　he
again　found　a　mouse…hole　through　which　he　might　get　away。〃

〃But　we　will　close　this　mouse…hole　for　him；　so　that　he　cannot　get
out　of　it；〃　said　a　powerful　voice　behind　them；　and　when　the　soldiers
turned　anxiously　around；　they　beheld　their　general；　the　Prince　von
Hohenlohe；　who；　walking　with　his　adjutants　through　the　camp；　just
reached　their　tents。

The　soldiers　faced　about　and　respectfully　saluted　the　general；　who
kindly　nodded　to　them。

〃You　would　be　glad　then　to　meet　the　French　soon？〃　he　asked　the
soldiers；　whose　conversation　he　had　overheard。

〃Yes；　we　should　be　glad；〃　they　exclaimed；　〃it　would　be　a　holiday　for
us。〃

〃Well；　it　may　happen　very　soon；〃　said　the　prince；　smiling；　and
continued　his　walk。

〃Long　live　the　Prince　von　Hohenlohe！〃　shouted　the　soldiers。　The
prince　walked　on；　everywhere　greeting　the　soldiers　and　receiving
their　salutations；　everywhere　filling　the　men　with　exultation　by
promising　them　that　they　would　soon　have　a　battle　and　defeat　the
French。

Now　he　stopped　in　front　of　the　grenadiers；　who　were　drawn　up　in　line
before　him。

〃Boys；〃　he　said；　loudly　and　joyously；　〃you　will　have　to　perform　the
heaviest　part　of　the　work。　If　need　be；　you　must　make　a　bayonet
charge；　and　I　know　you　will　rout　the　enemy　wherever　you　meet　with
him。　I　am　sure　you　will　do　so！〃

〃Yes；　we　will！〃　shouted　the　grenadiers；　〃most　assuredly　we　will！
Would　we　had　already　got　hold　of　the　French！〃

〃We　will　soon　enough；〃　exclaimed　the　prince；　and　when　he　then　walked
along　the　ranks；　he　asked　a　tall；　broad…shouldered　grenadier。　〃Well；
how　many　French　soldiers　will　you　take？〃

〃Five；〃　said　the　grenadier。

〃And　you？〃　said　the　prince；　to　another　grenadier。

〃Three；〃　he　replied。

〃I　shall　not　take　less　than　seven！〃　shouted　another。

〃I　shall　not　take　less　than　ten！〃　said　still　another。

The　prince　laughed　and　passed　on。

When　the　night　had　further　advanced；　he　rode　with　his　staff　to　a
hill　near　Kapellendorf；　where　he　had　established　his　headquarters。

From　this　hill　he　closely　scanned　the　position　of　the　enemy；　whose
camp　was　marked　only　by　a　few　lights　and　bivouac…fires。

〃We　shall　have　nothing　to　do　to…morrow；〃　said　the　prince；　turning　to
his　officers。　〃It　seems　the　principal　army　of　the　French　is　moving
toward　Leipsic　and　Naumburg。　At　the　best；　we　shall　have　a　few
skirmishes　of　no　consequence　to…morrow。　We　may；　therefore；　calmly　go
to　bed；　and　so　may　our　soldiers。　Good…night；　gentlemen。〃

And　the　prince　rode　with　his　adjutants　down　to　his　headquarters　at
Kapellendorf；　to　go　to　bed　and　sleep。　An　hour　later；　profound
silence　reigned　in　the　Prussian　camp　near　Jena。　The　soldiers　were
sleeping；　and　so　was　their　general。

And　profound　silence　reigned　also　in　the　Prussian　camp　at　Auerstadt。
The　king　had　held　a　council　of　war　late　in　the　evening；　and
conferred　with　the　Duke　of　Brunswick；　Field…Marshal　von　Mullendorf；
and　the　other　generals　about　the　operations　of　the　following　day。
The　result　of　this　consultation　had　been　that　nobody　believed　in　the
possibility　of　a　battle　on　the　following　day；　and　hence；　it　had　been
decided　that　the　army　was　quietly　to　advance；　follow　the　enemy；　who
seemed　to　retreat；　and　prevent　him　from　crossing　the　Saale。

The　council　of　war　had　then　adjourned；　and　the　Duke　of　Brunswick
hastened　to　his　quarters；　in　order；　like　the　Prince　von　Hohenlohe；
to　go　to　bed　and　sleep。

An　hour　lafer；　profound　silence　reigned　also　in　the　Prussian　camp　at
Auerstadt。　The　Duke　of　Brunswick　slept；　and　so　did　his　soldiers。

The　king　alone　was　awake。

With　a　heavy　heart　and　a　gloomy　face；　he　was　walking　up　and　down　in
his　tent。　He　felt　indescribably　lonesome；　for　his　wife　was　no　longer
with　him。　Yielding；　with　bitter　tears；　to　the　supplications　of　her
husband；　she　had　left　the　camp　to…day　and　gone　toward　Naumburg。

The　king　had　implored　her　to　go；　but　his　heart　was　heavy；　and　when
he　at　last；　late　at　night；　repaired　to　his　couch；　slumber　kept　aloof
from　his　eyes。

At　the　same　time；　while　the　Prussian　army　and　its　generals　were
sleeping；　a　wondrous　scene　took　place　not　far　from　them；　and　a
singular　procession　moved　across　the　fields　at　no　great　distance
from　Jena。

Silence；　darkness；　and　fog　reigned　all　around。　But　suddenly　the　fog
parted；　and　two　torch…bearers；　with　grave　faces；　appeared
accompanying　a　man　clad　in　a　green　overcoat；　with　white　facings；
with　a　small　three…cornered　hat　on　his　head；　and　mounted　on　a　white
horse。　The　blaze　of　the　torches　illuminated　his　pale　face；　his　eyes
were　as　keen　as　those　of　an　eagle；　and　seemed　to　command　the　fog　to
disappear；　so　that　he　might　see　what　it　was　concealing　from　him。　At
his　side；　whenever　the　torches　blazed　up；　two　other　horsemen；　in
brilliant　uniforms；　were　to　be　seen；　but　their　eyes　did　not　try　to
pierce　the　fog；　but　to　fathom　the　face　of　the　proud　man　at　their
side；　their　eyes　were　fixed　on　him；　on　his　pale　face；　on　which；　even
at　this　hour　of　the　night；　the　sun　of　Austerlitz　was　shedding　his
golden　rays。

While　the　Prussian　army　and　its　generals　were　sleeping；　Napoleon　was
awake　and　was　arranging　the　plans　for　the　impending　battle。　The
postmaster　of　Jena　and　General　Denzel　were　his　torch…bearers；
Marshal　Lannes　and　Marshal　Soult　were　his　companions。

The　Emperor　Napoleon　was　reconnoitering；　in　the　dead　of　night；　the
ground　on　which　he　was　to　gain　a　battle　over　the　Prussians　on　the
morrow；　as　he　had　recently　gained　a　battle　over　the　Austrians。

Austria　had　had　her　Austerlitz；　Prussia　was　to　have　her　Auerstadt
and　Jena。

Napoleon　had　fixed　his　plan；　to…morrow　was　the　day　when　he　would
take　revenge　on　the　King　of　Prussia　for　the　treaty　of　Potsdam　and
the　alliance　with　Russia。

Arriving　at　the　foot　of　the　hill　of　Jena；　the　emperor　stopped　a