General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1897 Original Publisher: G. Barrie Subjects: Fiction / Classics Fiction / Literary Literary Criticism / European / French Literary Criticism / European / German Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: Not many days later, the news of the disastrous retreat from Moscow burst upon France. Napoleon returned to organize new forces and to call upon the nation for new sacrifices. The poor mother thereupon fell a victim to anxieties of a different sort Philippe, who was disgusted with the Lyceum, was determined to enter the service of the Emperor. A review at the Tuileries -- the last that Napoleon ever held there -- at which Philippe was present, had turned his head. In those days, military splendor, the sight of uniforms, the authority of epaulets, exerted an irresistible fascination upon many young men. Philippe believed that he had the same aptitude for military service that his brother manifested for the arts. Without his mother's knowledge, he wrote a petition to the Emperor, in these words':
Sire, I am the son of your Bridau; I am eighteen years old, five feet six inches tall, with good legs, a good constitution, and a longing to be one of your soldiers. I claim your protection to enable me to enter the army,
etc. The Emperor sent Philippe from the Imperial Lyceum to Saint-Cyr within twenty-four hours, and six months later, in November, 1813, he left that establishment a sub-lieutenant in a cavalry regiment Philippe remained at the depfit a portion of the winter; but, as soon as he could ride, he started for the front, overflowing with ardor. During the campaign in France he became lieutenant as the result of an affair of outposts, in whic...
By:
Honore de Balzac Imprint: Folio/Gallimard Country of Publication: France Dimensions:
Height: 175mm,
Width: 109mm,
Spine: 20mm
Weight: 204g ISBN:9782070357369 ISBN 10: 2070357368 Publication Date:17 April 2008 Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format:Paperback Publisher's Status: Active