The life of Napoleon Buonaparte, emperor of the French. By Sir Walter Scott.

216 LIFE OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE.
to lay down their arms, a submission which he had on the subject, that he had afforded to Wurmser
soon afterward the satisfaction to see had been such conditions of surrender as became the genemade to one twelfth part of their number. rosity of tile French nation towards an enemy, who,
Amid such extraordinary success, the ground having lost his army by misfortune, was so little
which the French had lost in Italy was speedily desirous to secure his personal safety, that he threw
resumed. Trent and Bassano were again occupied himself into Mantua, cutting his way through the
by the French. They regained all the positions and blockading army; thus voluntarily undertaking the
strong-holds which they had possessed on the fron- privations of a siege, which his gallantry protracted
tiers of Italy before Alvinzi's first descent, and might until almost the last morsel of provisions was experhaps have penetrated deeper into the moun- hausted.
tainous frontier of Germany, but for the snow which But the young victor paid still a more delicate
choked up the passes. and noble-minded compliment, in declining to be
One crowning consequence of the victories of personally present when the veteran Wurmser had
Rivoli and of La Favorita, was the surrender of the nCrtification to surrender his sword, with his
Mantua itself, that prize which had cost so much garrison of twenty thousand men, ten thousand of
blood, and had been defended with such obstinacy. whom were fit for service. This self-denial did
For several days after the decisive actions which Napoleon as much credit nearly, as his victory, and
left him without a shadow of hope of relief, Wurm- must not be omitted in a narrative, which, often
ser continued the defence of the place in a sullen called to stigmatise his ambition and its consequences,
yet honourable despair, natural to the feelings of a should not be the less ready to observe marks of
gallant veteran, who, to the last, hesitated between dignified and honourable feeling. The history of this
the desire to resist, and the sense that, his means of remarkable man more frequently reminds us of the
subsistence being almost totally expended, resist- romantic and improbable victories imputed to the
ance was absolutely hopeless. At length he sent heroes of the romantic ages, than of the spirit of
his aide-de-camp, Klenau (afterwards a name of chivalry attributed to them; but in this instance
celebrity), to the head-quarters of Serrurier, who Napoleon's conduct towards Wurmser may be justly
commanded the blockade, to treat of a surrender. compared to that of the Black Prince to his royal
Klenau used the customary language on such occa- prisoner, King John of France.
sions. lie expatiated on the means which he said Serrurier, who had conducted the leaguer, had
Mantua still possessed of holding out, but said, that the honour to receive the surrender of Wurmser,
as Wurmser doubted whether the place could be after the siege of Mantua had continued for six
relieved in time, he would regulate his conduct as to months, during which the garrison is said by Naimmediate submission, or farther defence, according poleon to have lost twenty-seven thousand men by
to the conditions of surrender to which the French disease, and in the various numerous and bloody
generals were willing to admit him. sallies which took place. This decisive event put
A French officer of distinction was present, muf- an end to the war in Italy. The contest with Ausfled in his cloak, and remaining apart from the two tria was hereafter to be waged on the hereditary
officers, but within hearing of what had passed. dominions of that haughty power.
When their discussion was finished, this unknown The French, possessed of this grand object of
person stepped forward, and, taking a pen, wrote their wishes, were not long in displaying their nadown the conditions of surrender to which Wurmser tional characteristics. Their military and prescient
was to be admitted-conditions more honourable sagacity were evinced in employing one of the most
and favourable by far than what his extremity could celebrated of their engineers, to improve and bring
have exacted. "These," said the unknown officer nearly to perfection the defence of a city which
to Klenau, "are the terms which Nutrmser may may be termed the citadel of Italy. They set afoot
accept at present, and which will be equally tender- besides, civic feasts and ceremonies, and, among
ed to him at any period when he finds farther others, one in honour of Virgil, who, being the paresistance impossible. WTe are aware he is too negyrist of an emperor, was indifferently selected
much a man of honour to'give up the fortress and as the presiding genius of an infant republic. Their
city, so long and honourably defended, while the cupidity was evinced by their artists' exercising
means of resistance remain in his power. If he their ingenuity in devising means to cut from tilhe
delays accepting the conditions for a week, for a wall and carry off the fresco paintings, by Titian,
month, for two months, they shall be equally his of the wars between the Gods and the Giants, at
when he chuses to accept them. To-morrow I pass all risks of destroying what could neverbe replaced.
the Po, and march upon Rome." Klenau, perceiv- Luckily the attempt was found totally unadvisable.
ing that he spoke to the French commnander-in-chief,
frankly admitted that the garrison could not longer
delay surrender, having scarce three days' provi- CHAPTER XXVI.
sions unconsumed.
This trait of generosity towards a gallant but un- Situation and views of Bonaparte at this period of the
fortunate enemy was highly honourable to Bonaparte. campaign-His politic conduct towards the ItaliansThe taste which edictated t~he stabge-effect of the Popularity.-Severe terms of peace proposed to the
pope-rejected. —Napoleon differs from the Directory,
cloak may indeed be qulestioned; but the real currentI
of his eeh towards the venerable object of and negotiatio.ns are renewed-but again rejected.of his rTeeling towalds the venerable object of The pope raises his army to 40,000mnen-Napoleon inhis respect, and at the same time compassion, is vcules the Papal Territories-T-Ae papal troops deascertained otherwise. He wrote to the Directory feated near Imola-atd at Ancna-which is captnered
feared~ aeat' mol — ml at An -wi] is cat~re