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Show THE MOMENT OF FEAR -- Bonaparte lost four aids-de camp during the short time he was in Egypt. On of them, Croisier, appearing to Napoleon to lack the proper degree of boldness at the proper moment, he burst out against him in one of his humiliating attack of abuse and contempt. The word coward escaped him; Croisier determined not to survive it, he sought death on several occasions, but did not succeed till the siege of Aora. He was in attendance on Napoleon in the trenches there, when such a sharp look-out was kept by the garrison that if an elbow or feather showed itself above or beside them it was immediately grazed by a bullet. Croisier watched his opportunity and jumped upon the platform. "Come down, I command you?" cried Napoleon in a voice of thunder; but it was too late, the victim of his severity fell at his feet. Murat, the chivalrous braver of all danger, had also his moment of fear, which lost him the countenance of his general until displeasure could no longer resist the brilliancy of his achievements. It was at the siege of Mantua, in the first Italian campaign, that Murat was ordered to charge a body of troops that were making a sortie from the garrison. He hesitated; and in his confusion declared himself wounded; he was removed from the presence of the general and in every way discountenanced. In Egypt he was sent out on the most distant and dangerous services; in short, he more than reconquered his character before the battle of Abonkir, on which occasion Napoleon himself was obliged to declare he was superb. |