a woman of thirty-第3部分

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　be；　or　not　to　be。　The　whole　citizen　population　seemed　to　be　as　much　inspired　with　this　thought　as　that　other　armed　population　standing　in　serried　and　silent　ranks　in　the　enclosed　space；　with　the　Eagles　and　the　genius　of　Napoleon　hovering　above　them。

Those　very　soldiers　were　the　hope　of　France；　her　last　drop　of　blood；　and　this　accounted　for　not　a　little　of　the　anxious　interest　of　the　scene。　Most　of　the　gazers　in　the　crowd　had　bidden　farewellperhaps　farewell　for　everto　the　men　who　made　up　the　rank　and　file　of　the　battalions；　and　even　those　most　hostile　to　the　Emperor；　in　their　hearts；　put　up　fervent　prayers　to　heaven　for　the　glory　of　France；　and　those　most　weary　of　the　struggle　with　the　rest　of　Europe　had　left　their　hatreds　behind　as　they　passed　in　under　the　Triumphal　Arch。　They　too　felt　that　in　the　hour　of　danger　Napoleon　meant　France　herself。

The　clock　of　the　Tuileries　struck　the　half…hour。　In　a　moment　the　hum　of　the　crowd　ceased。　The　silence　was　so　deep　that　you　might　have　heard　a　child　speak。　The　old　noble　and　his　daughter；　wholly　intent；　seeming　to　live　only　by　their　eyes；　caught　a　distinct　sound　of　spurs　and　clank　of　swords　echoing　up　under　the　sonorous　peristyle。

And　suddenly　there　appeared　a　short；　somewhat　stout　figure　in　a　green　uniform；　white　trousers；　and　riding　boots；　a　man　wearing　on　his　head　a　cocked　hat　well…nigh　as　magically　potent　as　its　wearer；　the　broad　red　ribbon　of　the　Legion　of　Honor　rose　and　fell　on　his　breast；　and　a　short　sword　hung　at　his　side。　At　one　and　the　same　moment　the　man　was　seen　by　all　eyes　in　all　parts　of　the　square。

Immediately　the　drums　beat　a　salute；　both　bands　struck　up　a　martial　refrain；　caught　and　repeated　like　a　fugue　by　every　instrument　from　the　thinnest　flutes　to　the　largest　drum。　The　clangor　of　that　call　to　arms　thrilled　through　every　soul。　The　colors　dropped；　and　the　men　presented　arms；　one　unanimous　rhythmical　movement　shaking　every　bayonet　from　the　foremost　front　near　the　Palace　to　the　last　rank　in　the　Place　du　Carrousel。　The　words　of　command　sped　from　line　to　line　like　echoes。　The　whole　enthusiastic　multitude　sent　up　a　shout　of　〃Long　live　the　Emperor！〃

Everything　shook；　quivered；　and　thrilled　at　last。　Napoleon　had　mounted　his　horse。　It　was　his　movement　that　had　put　life　into　those　silent　masses　of　men；　the　dumb　instruments　had　found　a　voice　at　his　coming；　the　Eagles　and　the　colors　had　obeyed　the　same　impulse　which　had　brought　emotion　into　all　faces。

The　very　walls　of　the　high　galleries　of　the　old　palace　seemed　to　cry　aloud；　〃Long　live　the　Emperor！〃

There　was　something　preternatural　about　itit　was　magic　at　work；　a　counterfeit　presentment　of　the　power　of　God；　or　rather　it　was　a　fugitive　image　of　a　reign　itself　so　fugitive。

And　/he/　the　centre　of　such　love；　such　enthusiasm　and　devotion；　and　so　many　prayers；　he　for　whom　the　sun　had　driven　the　clouds　from　the　sky；　was　sitting　there　on　his　horse；　three　paces　in　front　of　his　Golden　Squadron；　with　the　grand　Marshal　on　his　left；　and　the　Marshal…in…　waiting　on　his　right。　Amid　all　the　outburst　of　enthusiasm　at　his　presence　not　a　feature　of　his　face　appeared　to　alter。

〃Oh！　yes。　At　Wagram；　in　the　thick　of　the　firing；　on　the　field　of　Borodino；　among　the　dead；　always　as　cool　as　a　cucumber　/he/　is！〃　said　the　grenadier；　in　answer　to　the　questions　with　which　the　young　girl　plied　him。　For　a　moment　Julie　was　absorbed　in　the　contemplation　of　that　face；　so　quiet　in　the　security　of　conscious　power。　The　Emperor　noticed　Mlle。　de　Chatillonest；　and　leaned　to　make　some　brief　remark　to　Duroc；　which　drew　a　smile　from　the　Grand　Marshal。　Then　the　review　began。

If　hitherto　the　young　lady's　attention　had　been　divided　between　Napoleon's　impassive　face　and　the　blue；　red；　and　green　ranks　of　troops；　from　this　time　forth　she　was　wholly　intent　upon　a　young　officer　moving　among　the　lines　as　they　performed　their　swift　symmetrical　evolutions。　She　watched　him　gallop　with　tireless　activity　to　and　from　the　group　where　the　plainly　dressed　Napoleon　shone　conspicuous。　The　officer　rode　a　splendid　black　horse。　His　handsome　sky…blue　uniform　marked　him　out　amid　the　variegated　multitude　as　one　of　the　Emperor's　orderly　staff…officers。　His　gold　lace　glittered　in　the　sunshine　which　lighted　up　the　aigrette　on　his　tall；　narrow　shako；　so　that　the　gazer　might　have　compared　him　to　a　will…o'…the…wisp；　or　to　a　visible　spirit　emanating　from　the　Emperor　to　infuse　movement　into　those　battalions　whose　swaying　bayonets　flashed　into　flames；　for；　at　a　mere　glance　from　his　eyes；　they　broke　and　gathered　again；　surging　to　and　fro　like　the　waves　in　a　bay；　or　again　swept　before　him　like　the　long　ridges　of　high…crested　wave　which　the　vexed　Ocean　directs　against　the　shore。

When　the　manoeuvres　were　over　the　officer　galloped　back　at　full　speed；　pulled　up　his　horse；　and　awaited　orders。　He　was　not　ten　paces　from　Julie　as　he　stood　before　the　Emperor；　much　as　General　Rapp　stands　in　Gerard's　/Battle　of　Austerlitz/。　The　young　girl　could　behold　her　lover　in　all　his　soldierly　splendor。

Colonel　Victor　d'Aiglemont；　barely　thirty　years　of　age；　was　tall；　slender；　and　well　made。　His　well…proportioned　figure　never　showed　to　better　advantage　than　now　as　he　exerted　his　strength　to　hold　in　the　restive　animal；　whose　back　seemed　to　curve　gracefully　to　the　rider's　weight。　His　brown　masculine　face　possessed　the　indefinable　charm　of　perfectly　regular　features　combined　with　youth。　The　fiery　eyes　under　the　broad　forehead；　shaded　by　thick　eyebrows　and　long　lashes；　looked　like　white　ovals　bordered　by　an　outline　of　black。　His　nose　had　the　delicate　curve　of　an　eagle's　beak；　the　sinuous　lines　of　the　inevitable　black　moustache　enhanced　the　crimson　of　the　lips。　The　brown　and　tawny　shades　which　overspread　the　wide　high…colored　cheeks　told　a　tale　of　unusual　vigor；　and　his　whole　face　bore　the　impress　of　dashing　courage。　He　was　the　very　model　which　French　artists　seek　to…day　for　the　typical　hero　of　Imperial　France。　The　horse　which　he　rode　was　covered　with　sweat；　the　animal's　quivering　head　denoted　the　last　degree　of　restiveness；　his　hind　hoofs　were　set　down　wide　apart　and　exactly　in　a　line；　he　shook　his　long　thick　tail　to　the　wind；　in　his　fidelity　to　his　master　he　seemed　to　be　a　visible　presentment　of　that　master's　devotion　to　the　Emperor。

Julie　saw　her　lover　watching　intently　for　the　Emperor's　glances；　and　felt　a　momentary　pang　of　jealousy；　for　as　yet　he　had　not　given　her　a　look。　Suddenly　at　a　word　from　his　sovereign　Victor　gripped　his　horse's　flanks　and　set　out　at　a　gallop；　but　the　animal　took　fright　at　a　shadow　cast　by　a　post；　shied；　backed；　and　reared　up　so　suddenly　that　his　rider　was　all　but　thrown　off。　Julie　cried　out；　her　face　grew　white；　people　looked　at　her　curiously；　but　she　saw　no　one；　her　eyes　were　fixed　upon　the　too　mettlesome　beast。　The　officer　gave　the　horse　a　sharp　admonitory　cut　with　the　whip；　and　galloped　off　with　Napoleon's　order。

Julie　was　so　absorbed；　so　dizzy　with　sights　and　sounds；　that　unconsciously　she　clung　to　her　father's　arm　so　tightly　that　he　could　read　her　thoughts　by　the　varying　pressure　of　her　fingers。　When　Victor　was　all　but　flung　out　of　the　saddle；　she　clutched　her　father　with　a　convulsive　grip　as　if　she　herself　were　in　danger　of　falling；　and　the　old　man　looked　at　his　da