Pagina 470 de 3800

"But if the bridge is crossed it means that the army too is lost?

It will be cut off," said he.

"That's just it," answered Bilibin. "Listen! The French entered

Vienna as I told you. Very well. Next day, which was yesterday,

those gentlemen, messieurs les marechaux, * Murat, Lannes, and

Belliard, mount and ride to the bridge. (Observe that all three

are Gascons.) 'Gentlemen,' says one of them, 'you know the Thabor

Bridge is mined and doubly mined and that there are menacing

fortifications at its head and an army of fifteen thousand men

has been ordered to blow up the bridge and not let us cross? But

it will please our sovereign the Emperor Napoleon if we take this

bridge, so let us three go and take it!' 'Yes, let's!' say the

others. And off they go and take the bridge, cross it, and now

with their whole army are on this side of the Danube, marching on

us, you, and your lines of communication."

* The marshalls.