personal memoirs-2- 第51部分

After　a　severe　fight；　the　Crown　Prince　drove　the　French　through

Floing；　and　as　the　ground　between　this　village　and　Sedan　is　an

undulating　open　plain；　everywhere　visible；　there　was　then　offered　a

rare　opportunity　for　seeing　the　final　conflict　preceding　the

surrender。　　Presently　up　out　of　the　little　valley　where　Floing　is

located　came　the　Germans；　deploying　just　on　the　rim　of　the　plateau　a

very　heavy　skirmish…line；　supported　by　a　line　of　battle　at　close

distance。　　When　these　skirmishers　appeared；　the　French　infantry　had

withdrawn　within　its　intrenched　lines；　but　a　strong　body　of　their

cavalry；　already　formed　in　a　depression　to　the　right　of　the　Floing

road；　now　rode　at　the　Germans　in　gallant　style；　going　clear　through

the　dispersed　skirmishers　to　the　main　line　of　battle。　　Here　the

slaughter　of　the　French　was　awful；　for　in　addition　to　the　deadly

volleys　from　the　solid　battalions　of　their　enemies；　the　skirmishers；

who　had　rallied　in　knots　at　advantageous　places；　were　now　delivering

a　severe　and　effective　fire。　　The　gallant　horsemen；　therefore；　had　to

retire　precipitately；　but　re…forming　in　the　depression；　they　again

undertook　the　hopeless　task　of　breaking　the　German　infantry；　making

in　all　four　successive　charges。　　Their　ardor　and　pluck　were　of　no

avail；　however；　for　the　Germans；　growing　stronger　every　minute　by　the

accession　of　troops　from　Floing；　met　the　fourth　attack　in　such　large

force　that；　even　before　coming　in　contact　with　their　adversaries；　the

French　broke　and　retreated　to　the　protection　of　the　intrenchments；

where；　from　the　beginning　of　the　combat；　had　been　lying　plenty　of

idle　infantry；　some　of　which　at　least；　it　seemed　plain　to　me；　ought

to　have　been　thrown　into　the　fight。　　This　action　was　the　last　one　of

consequence　around　Sedan；　for；　though　with　the　contraction　of　the

German　lines　their　batteries　kept　cannonading　more　or　less；　and　the

rattle　of　musketry　continued　to　be　heard　here　and　there；　yet　the　hard

fighting　of　the　day　practically　ended　on　the　plateau　of　Floing。



By　3　o'clock；　the　French　being　in　a　desperate　and　hopeless　situation；

the　King　ordered　the　firing　to　be　stopped；　and　at　once　despatched　one

of　his　staffColonel　von　Bronsartwith　a　demand　for　a　surrender。

Just　as　this　officer　was　starting　off；　I　remarked　to　Bismarck　that

Napoleon　himself　would　likely　be　one　of　the　prizes；　but　the　Count；

incredulous；　replied；　〃Oh　no；　the　old　fox　is　too　cunning　to　be　caught

in　such　a　trap；　he　has　doubtless　slipped　off　to　Paris〃a　belief

which　I　found　to　prevail　pretty　generally　about　headquarters。



In　the　lull　that　succeeded；　the　King　invited　many　of　those　about　him

to　luncheon；　a　caterer　having　provided　from　some　source　or　other　a

substantial　meal　of　good　bread；　chops　and　peas；　with　a　bountiful

supply　of　red　and　sherry　wines。　　Among　those　present　were　Prince

Carl；　Bismarck；　Von　Moltke；　Von　Roon；　the　Duke　of　Weimar；　the　Duke　of

Coburg；　the　Grand…Duke　of　Mecklenburg；　Count　Hatzfeldt；　Colonel

Walker；　of　the　English　army；　General　Forsyth；　and　I。　　The　King　was

agreeable　and　gracious　at　all　times；　but　on　this　occasion　he　was

particularly　so；　being　naturally　in　a　happy　frame　of　mind　because

this　day　the　war　had　reached　a　crisis　which　presaged　for　the　near

future　the　complete　vanquishment　of　the　French。



Between　4　and　5　o'clock　Colonel　von　Bronsart　returned　from　his

mission　to　Sedan；　bringing　word　to　the　King　that　the　commanding

officer　there　General　Wimpffen；　wished　to　know；　in　order　that　the

further　effusion　of　blood　might　be　spared；　upon　what　terms　he　might

surrender。　　The　Colonel　brought　the　intelligence　also　that　the　French

Emperor　was　in　the　town。　　Soon　after　Von　Bronsart's　arrival　a　French

officer　approached　from　Sedan；　preceded　by　a　white　flag　and　two

German　officers。　　Coming　up　the　road　till　within　a　few　hundred　yards

of　us；　they　halted；　then　one　of　the　Germans　rode　forward　to　say　that

the　French　officer　was　Napoleon's　adjutant；　bearing　an　autograph

letter　from　the　Emperor　to　the　King　of　Prussia。　　At　this　the　King；

followed　by　Bismarck；　Von　Moltke；　and　Von　Roon；　walked　out　to　the

front　a　little　distance　and　halted；　his　Majesty　still　in　advance；　the

rest　of　us　meanwhile　forming　in　a　line　some　twenty　paces　to　the　rear

of　the　group。　　The　envoy　then　approached；　at　first　on　horseback；　but

when　within　about　a　hundred　yards　he　dismounted；　and　uncovering；　came

the　remaining　distance　on　foot；　bearing　high　up　in　his　right　hand　the

despatch　from　Napoleon。　　The　bearer　proved　to　be　General　Reille；　and

as　he　handed　the　Emperor's　letter　to　the　King；　his　Majesty　saluted

him　with　the　utmost　formality　and　precision。　　Napoleon's　letter　was

the　since　famous　one；　running　so　characteristically；　thus：　〃Not

having　been　able　to　die　in　the　midst　of　my　troops；　there　is　nothing

left　me　but　to　place　my　sword　in　your　Majesty's　hands。〃　The　reading

finished；　the　King　returned　to　his　former　post；　and　after　a

conference　with　Bismarck；　Von　Moltke；　and　Von　Roon；　dictated　an

answer　accepting　Napoleon's　surrender；　and　requesting　him　to

designate　an　officer　with　power　to　treat　for　the　capitulation　of　the

army；　himself　naming　Von　Moltke　to　represent　the　Germans。　　The　King

then　started　for　Vendresse；　to　pass　the　night。　　It　was　after

7　o'clock　now；　and　hence　too　late　to　arrange　anything　more　where　we

were；　so　further　negotiations　were　deferred　till　later　in　the

evening；　and　I；　wishing　to　be　conveniently　near　Bismarck；　resolved　to

take　up　quarters　in　Donchery。　　On　our　way　thither　we　were　met　by　the

Count's　nephew；　who　assuring　us　that　it　would　be　impossible　to　find

shelter　there　in　the　village；　as　all　the　houses　were　filled　with

wounded；　Forsyth　and　I　decided　to　continue　on　to　Chevenge。　　On　the

other　hand；　Bismarck…Bohlen　bore　with　him　one　great　comfortsome

excellent　brandy。　　Offering　the　flask　to　his　uncle；　he　said：　〃You've

had　a　hard　day　of　it；　won't　you　refresh　yourself？〃　　The　Chancellor；

without　wasting　time　to　answer；　raised　the　bottle　to　his　lips；

exclaiming：　〃Here's　to　the　unification　of　Germany！〃　which　sentiment

the　gurgling　of　an　astonishingly　long　drink　seemed　to　emphasize。　　The

Count　then　handed　the　bottle　back　to　his　nephew；　who；　shaking　it；

ejaculated；　〃Why；　we　can't　pledge　you　in　returnthere　is　nothing

left！〃　to　which　came　the　waggish　response；　I　beg　pardon；　it　was　so

dark　I　couldn't　see〃；　nevertheless　there　was　a　little　remaining；　as　I

myself　can　aver。



Having　left　our　carriage　at　Chevenge；　Forsyth　and　I　stopped　there　to

get　it；　but　a　long　search　proving　fruitless；　we　took　lodging　in　the

village　at　the　house　of　the　cure；　resolved　to　continue　the　hunt　in

the　morning。　　But　then　we　had　no　better　success；　so　concluding　that

our　vehicle　had　been　pressed　into　the　hospital　service；　we　at　an

early　hour　on　the　2d　of　September　resumed　the　search；　continuing　on

down　the　road　in　the　direction　of　Sedan。　　Near　the　gate　of　the　city

we　came　on　the　German　picket…line；　and　one　of　the　Officers；

recognizing　our　uniformshe　having　served　in　the　war　of　the

rebellionstepped　forward　and　addressed　me　in　good　English。　　We

naturally　fell　into　conversation；　and　in　the　midst　of　it　there　came

out　through　the　gate　an　open　carriage；　or　landau；　containing　two　men；

one　of　whom；　in　the　uniform　of　a　general　and　smoking　a　cigarette；　we

recognized；　when　the　conveyance　drew　near；　as　the　Emperor　Louis

Napoleon。　　The　landau　went　on　toward　Donchery　at　a　leisurely　pace；

and　we；　inferring　that　there　was　something　more　important　at　hand

just　then　than　the　recovery　of　our　trap；　followed　at　a　respectful

distance。　　Not　quite　a　mile　from　Donchery　is　a　cluster　of　three　or

four　cottages；　and　at　the　first　of　these　the　landau　stopped　to　await；

as　we　afterward　ascertained；　Count　Bismarck；　with　whom　the　diplomatic

negotiations　were　to　be　settled。　　Some　minutes　elapsed　before　he

came；　Napoleon　remaining　seated　in　his　carriage　meantime；　still

smoking；　and　accepting　with　nonchalance　the　staring　of　a　group　of

German　soldiers　near　by；　who　were　gazing　on　their　fallen　foe　with

curious　and　eager　interest。



Presently　a　clattering　of　hoofs　was　heard；　and　looking　toward　the

sound；　I　perceived　the　Chancellor　cantering　down　the　road。　　When

abreast　of　the　carriage　he　dismounted；　and　walking　up　to　it；　saluted

the　Emperor　in　a　quick；　brusque　way　that　seemed　to　startle　him。

After　a　word　or　two；　the　party　moved　perhaps　a　hundred　yards　further

on；　where　they　stopped　opposite　the　weaver's　cottage　so　famous　from

that　day。　　This　little　house　is　on　the　east　side　of　the　Donchery

road；　near　its　junction　with　that　to　Frenois；　and　stands　about　twenty

paces　back　from　the　highway。　　In　front　is　a　stone　wall　covered　with

creeping　vines；　and　from　a　gate　in　this　wall　runs　to　the　front　door　a

path；　at　this　time　bordered　on　both　sides　with　potato　vines。



The　Emperor　having　alighted　at　the　gate；　he　and　Bismarck　walked

together　along　the　narrow　path　and　entered　the　cottage。　　Reappearing

in　about　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　they　came　out　and　seated　themselves　in

the　open　air；　the　weaver　having　brought　a　couple　of　chairs。　　Here

they　engaged　in　an　animated　conversation；　if　much　gesticulation　is

any　indication。　　The　talk　lasted　fully　an　hour；　Bismarck　seeming　to

do　most　of　it；　but　at　last　he　arose；　saluted　the　Emperor；　and　strode

down　the　path　toward　his　horse。　　Seeing　me　standing　near　the　gate；　he

joined　me　for　a　moment；　and　asked　if　I　had　noticed　how　the　Emperor

started　when　they　first　met；　and　I　telling　him　that　I　had；　he　added；

〃Well；　it　must　have　been　due　to　my　manners；　not　my　words；　for　these

we're；　〃I　salute　your　Majesty　just　as　I　would　my　King。〃　　Then　the

Chancellor　continued　to　chat　a　few　minutes　longer；　assuring　me　that

nothing　further　was　to　be　done　there；　and　that　we　had　better　go　to

the　Chateau　Bellevue；　where；　he　said；　the　formal　surrender　was　to

take　place。　　With　this　he　rode　off　toward　Vendresse　to　communicate

with　his　sovereign；　and　Forsyth　and　I　made　ready　to　go　to　the　Chateau

Bellevue。