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Governor of Vienna； showed him this letter； and demanded vengeance。
Whereupon the general； even more incensed than she； entered his carriage；
and； proceeding to Schoenbrunn； laid the wonderful production before the
Emperor。 The Emperor read it； recoiled three paces； his cheeks reddened
with anger； his whole countenance was disturbed； and in a terrible tone
ordered the grand marshal to summon M。 M； while every one waited in
trembling suspense。
〃Did you write this disgusting letter？〃〃Sire。〃〃Reply； I order you；
was it you？〃〃Yes； Sire； in a moment of forgetfulness； after a supper。〃
〃Wretch！〃 cried his Majesty； in such a manner as to terrify all who
heard him。 〃You deserve to be instantly shot！ Insult a woman so basely！
And an old woman too。 Have you no mother？ I respect and honor every old
woman because she reminds me of my mother！〃〃Sire； I am guilty； I admit；
but my repentance is great。 Deign to remember my services。 I have
followed you through eighteen campaigns； I am the father of a family。〃
These last words only increased the anger of his Majesty。 〃Let him be
arrested！ Tear off his decorations； he is unworthy to wear them。 Let
him be tried in twenty…four hours。〃 Then turning to the generals； who
stood stupefied and immovable around him； he exclaimed； 〃Look； gentlemen！
read this！ See how this blackguard addresses a princess； and at the very
moment when her husband is negotiating a peace with me。〃
The parade was very short that day； and as soon as it was ended； Generals
Dorsenne and Larrey hastened to Madame Lichtenstein； and； describing to
her the scene which had just taken place； made her most humble apologies；
in the name of the Imperial Guard； and at the same time entreated her to
intercede for the unfortunate fellow； who deserved blame； no doubt； but
who was not himself when he wrote the offensive epistle。 〃He repents
bitterly； Madame；〃 said good M。 Larrey； 〃he weeps over his fault； and
bravely awaits his punishment； esteeming it a just reparation of the
insult to you。 But he is one of the best officers of the army； he is
beloved and esteemed； he has saved the life of thousands； and his
distinguished talents are the only fortune his family possesses。 What
will become of them if he is shot？〃〃Shot！〃 exclaimed the princess；
〃shot！ Bon…Dieu！ would the matter be carried as far as that？〃 Then
General Dorsenne described to her the Emperor's resentment as
incomparably deeper than her own； and the princess； much moved；
immediately wrote the Emperor a letter； in which she expressed herself as
grateful； and fully satisfied with the reparation which had already been
made； and entreated him to pardon M。 M
His Majesty read the letter； but made no reply。 The princess was again
visited； and she had by this time become so much alarmed that she
regretted exceedingly having shown the letter of M。 M to the general；
and； having decided at any cost to obtain the surgeon's pardon； she
addressed a petition to the Emperor； which closed with this sentence；
expressing angelic forgiveness： 〃Sire； I am going to fall on my knees in
my oratory； and will not rise until I have obtained from Heaven your
Majesty's pardon。〃 The Emperor could no longer hold out； he granted the
pardon； and M。 M was released after a month of close confinement。
M。 Larrey was charged by his Majesty to reprove him most severely； with a
caution to guard more carefully the honor of the corps to which he
belonged； and the remonstrances of this excellent man were made in so
paternal a manner that they doubled in M。 M's eyes the value of the
inestimable service M。 Larrey had rendered him。
M。 le Baron Larrey was always most disinterested in his kind services； a
fact which was well known and often abused。 General d'A； the son of
a rich senator； had his shoulder broken by a shell at Wagram； and an
exceedingly delicate operation was found necessary； requiring a skilled
hand； and which M。 Larrey alone could perform。 This operation was a
complete success； but the wounded man had a delicate constitution； which
had been much impaired； and consequently required the most incessant care
and attention。 M。 Larrey hardly ever left his bedside； and was assisted
by two medical students； who watched by turns； and assisted him in
dressing the wound。 The treatment was long and painful； but a complete
cure was the result； and when almost entirely recovered； the general took
leave of the Emperor to return to France。 A pension and decorations
canceled the debt of the head of the state to him； but the manner in
which he acquitted his own towards the man who had saved his life is
worthy of consideration。
As he entered his carriage he handed to one of his friends a letter and a
little box； saying to this general； 〃I cannot leave Vienna without
thanking M。 Larrey； do me the favor of handing to him for me this mark of
my gratitude。 Good Larrey； I will never forget the services he has
rendered me。〃 Next day the friend performed his commission； and a
soldier was sent with the letter and the present； and； as he reached
Schoenbrunn during the parade； sought M。 Larrey in the line。 〃Here is a
letter and a box which I bring from General A。〃 M。 Larrey put both
in his pocket； but after the parade examined them； and showed the package
to Cadet de Gassicourt； saying； 〃Look at it； and tell me what you think
of it。〃 The letter was very prettily written； as for the box； it
contained a diamond worth about sixty francs。
This pitiful recompense recalls one both glorious and well…earned which
M。 Larrey received from the Emperor during the campaign in Egypt。 At the
battle of Aboukir； General Fugieres was operated on by M。 Larrey under
the enemies' fire for a dangerous wound on the shoulder； and thinking
himself about to die； offered his sword to General Bonaparte； saying to
him； 〃General； perhaps one day you may envy my fate。〃 The general…in…
chief presented this sword to M。 Larrey； after having engraved on it the
name of M。 Larrey and that of the battle。 However； General Fugieres did
not die； his life was saved by the skillful operation he had undergone；
and for seventeen years he commanded the Invalids at Avignon。
CHAPTER XX。
It is not in the presence of the enemy that differences in the manner and
bearing of soldiers can be remarked； for the requirements of the service
completely engross both the ideas and time of officers； whatever their
grade； and uniformity of occupation produces also a kind of uniformity of
habit and character； but； in the monotonous life of the camp； differences
due to nature and education reassert themselves。 I noted this many times
after the truces and treaties of peace which crowned the most glorious
campaigns of the Emperor； and had occasion to renew my observations on
this point during the long sojourn which we made at Schoenbrunn with the
army。 Military tone in the army is a most difficult thing to define； and
differs according to rank； time of service； and kind of service； and
there are no genuine soldiers except those who form part of the line； or
who command it。 In the soldiers' opinion； the Prince de Neuchatel and
his brilliant staff； the gran