II
1.It has often been said that，in Napoleon‘s time，every privatein the French army carried a marshal’sbatonin his knapsack.This means that a man‘sadvancement did not depend on his wealth or social position，but entirely on his own conduct as a soldier.The way in which he promoted his men made every one of them anxious to distinguish himself before the emperor.After an engagement，Napoleon would gather his captains around him，and ask them to select the bravest from among them for promotion.A brave action seldom went unrewarded；sometimes it was by a pleasant word-that was enough for his soldiers-but more often the word was accompanied by something more substantial.
2.Sometimes a quick retort，or a clever speech，was
the first step in the promotion of a gallant young fellow.Marshal Junot owed his advance to a quiet，cool exclamation.
When a private at Toulon，he was writing to Napoleon’s dictation.The letter was just finished，when the explosion of one of the enemy‘s shells covered it with earth.“Thanks，”said Junot，nodding towards the battery；“we shall not need sand to dry the letter this time.”
3.The devotion of the soldiers was so intense that no risks were too great when undertaken in his service.Napoleon seldom ordered any one to do a particularly dangerous piece of work；he preferred to ask for volunteers，and he never failed to find them.During his advance on Vienna in 1809，a large body of the Austrians had formed their camp on the opposite bank of the Danube.A strong division had also been posted in front of his line of march，but it was reported that this division had crossed the river，leaving his way open.The real position of the enemy could only be determined by capturing and questioning some of the Austrians on the opposite bank of the river.To cross the flooded Danube，and carry off one of the enemy from their ownintrenchments，was a plan so little likely to succeed，that the emperor would not order any one to make the attempt.But on the situation being explained to one of his young officers，ambition to win his emperor’s approval made the danger seem light.
4.Six picked men of the Old Guard accompanied this officer，but it was only by force that boatmen could be obtained for an expedition of so desperate a character.When the river had at last been crossed，and the boat guided into the shelter of the brushwood on the shore within a few yards of the Austrian sentinels，the officer was at a loss how next to proceed.Fortune solved his difficulty.First one，and then two others of the enemy，came to the riverside for water.These were silently and swiftly ducked into the river，and thengaggedand bound before they could utter a cry.Inputting off from the shore，however，a noise was made which drew the attention of the sentries，and a brisk fire was opened on the retreating boat.The occupants owed their safety only to the darkness of the night，and to their own exertions at the oars.
5.Napoleon，on their return，rewarded the unwilling boatmen with most liberal payment，and bestowed the cross of the Legion of Honour on the soldiers of the Guard.The Austrian soldiers were also kindly treated.As soon as possible they were returned to their friends，with a sum of money，sufficient to repay them for the rough treatment to which it had been necessary to subject them，in order to get the information desired.
6.A similar capture was once made by two of Napoleon‘s marshals，Lannes and Murat.It was a daring deed.The French and Austrian armies were lying on opposite sides of a river.The Austrians guarded the only bridge by batteries on their side of the stream.In order to make their position still more secure，an Austrian officer was sent to destroy the bridge entirely.
7.He was at work there one evening，when Lannes and Murat strolled down to the riverside，and，as enemies often do in the intervals of fighting，they began to talk to him.They managed to keep his attention fixed on the Austrian side of the stream，so that he did not notice a file of French grenadiers coming quietly up behind him.In a moment he and his party were seized.Lannes and Murat then put themselves at the head of the grenadiers，and advanced on the batteries.Taken by surprise，the Austrians were afraid to fire，seeing their own officers among the party.The batteries were seized，and the guns turned against the very soldiers who had erected them.
