The Dynasts. Томас Харди

Чтение книги онлайн.

      VOICE OF A MARSHAL

       Shows it, your Majesty, the wariness

       That marks your usual far-eye policy,

       To openly announce your tactics thus

       Some twelve hours ere their form can actualize?

      THE VOICE OF NAPOLEON

       The zest such knowledge will impart to all

       Is worth the risk of leakages. [To Secretary]

       Write on.

       [Dictation resumed]

       “Soldiers, your sections I myself shall lead;

       But ease your minds who would expostulate

       Against my undue rashness. If your zeal

       Sow hot confusion in the hostile files

       As your old manner is, and in our rush

       We mingle with our foes, I'll use fit care.

       Nevertheless, should issues stand at pause

       But for a wink-while, that time you will eye

       Your Emperor the foremost in the shock,

       Taking his risk with every ranksman here.

       For victory, men, must be no thing surmised,

       As that which may or may not beam on us,

       Like noontide sunshine on a dubious morn;

       It must be sure!—The honour and the fame

       Of France's gay and gallant infantry—

       So dear, so cherished all the Empire through—

       Binds us to compass it!

       Maintain the ranks;

       Let none be thinned by impulse or excuse

       Of bearing back the wounded: and, in fine,

       Be every one in this conviction firm:—

       That 'tis our sacred bond to overthrow

       These hirelings of a country not their own:

       Yea, England's hirelings, they!—a realm stiff-steeled

       In deathless hatred of our land and lives.

       “The campaign closes with this victory;

       And we return to find our standards joined

       By vast young armies forming now in France.

       Forthwith resistless, Peace establish we,

       Worthy of you, the nation, and of me!”

       “NAPOLEON.”

       [To his Marshals]

       So shall we prostrate these paid slaves of hers—

       England's, I mean—the root of all the war.

      VOICE OF MURAT

       The further details sent of Trafalgar

       Are not assuring.

      VOICE OF LANNES

       What may the details be?

      VOICE OF NAPOLEON [moodily]

       We learn that six-and-twenty ships of war,

       During the fight and after, struck their flags,

       And that the tigerish gale throughout the night

       Gave fearful finish to the English rage.

       By luck their Nelson's gone, but gone withal

       Are twenty thousand prisoners, taken off

       To gnaw their finger-nails in British hulks.

       Of our vast squadrons of the summer-time

       But rags and splintered remnants now remain.—

       Thuswise Villeneuve, poor craven, quitted him!

       And England puffed to yet more bombastry.

       —Well, well; I can't be everywhere. No matter;

       A victory's brewing here as counterpoise!

       These water-rats may paddle in their salt slush,

       And welcome. 'Tis not long they'll have the lead.

       Ships can be wrecked by land!

      ANOTHER VOICE

       And how by land,

       Your Majesty, if one may query such?

      VOICE OF NAPOLEON [sardonically]

       I'll bid all states of Europe shut their ports

       To England's arrogant bottoms, slowly starve

       Her bloated revenues and monstrous trade,

       Till all her hulls lie sodden in their docks,

       And her grey island eyes in vain shall seek

       One jack of hers upon the ocean plains!

      VOICE OF SOULT

       A few more master-strokes, your Majesty,

       Must be dealt hereabout to compass such!

      VOICE OF NAPOLEON

       God, yes!—Even here Pitt's guineas are the foes:

       'Tis all a duel 'twixt this Pitt and me;

       And, more than Russia's host, and Austria's flower,

       I everywhere to-night around me feel

       As from an unseen monster haunting nigh

       His country's hostile breath!—But come: to choke it

       By our to-morrow's feats, which now, in brief,

       I recapitulate.—First Soult will move

       To forward the grand project of the day:

       Namely: ascend in echelon, right to front,

       With Vandamme's men, and those of Saint Hilaire:

       Legrand's division somewhere further back—

       Nearly whereat I place my finger here—

СКАЧАТЬ