SCENE 1: Studianka
The French pontonieres are building a bridge across the Berezhina River – they are encouraged by Gourgogne – some are stood in the water up to their shoulders & even their mouths
***
CHANT DU DEPART
Acapella to percussive sounds of bridge building
As the gates of Victory
Open wide for us & sing
Our Liberty all people there shall guide
From the North to the South
Bugle blows are echoing
Out for the battles fought for Gallic pride
Tremble ye enemies of France
& the bad Kings drunk & depraved
As sov’reign commoners advance
Tyrants go down to your graves
The Republic is calling us
Learn to vanquish & to never fly
A Frenchman lives for the Republic
& for her Frenchmen must die
Un Fran ais doit vivre pour elle
Pour elle un Fran ais doit mourir.
May their fathers’ blade be placed
In the hands of the brave,
Remember us upon the Field of Mars
Come baptise in the blood
Of the king & of the slave
While shining elders look down from the stars
Tremble ye enemies of France
& the bad Kings drunk & depraved
As sov’reign commoners advance
Tyrants go down to your graves
What wounds & virtues running deep
We shall bring back from the war
Return’d to shut our eyes & sleep
When the tyrants are no more
The Republic is calling us
Learn to vanquish & to never fly
A Frenchman lives for the Republic
& for her Frenchmen must die
Un Fran ais doit vivre pour elle
Pour elle un Fran ais doit mourir.
***
Enter Napoleon & Berthier with two gaurds who are carrying cases of wine.
Gourgogne
Your majesty
Napoleon
General
Pontonierres
Vive L’Empreur
Napoleon
Soldier, you, yes you, come here if you will
Enter a cold, wet, shivering pontonierre
Pontoniere
Your highness
Napoleon
How are you handling the cold
Pontoniere
It is nothing, I am fine, we all are
Allow me to return to my work sire
Napoleon
Of course, but first, distribute these bottles
Of red wine from my personal supply
Ponotonierre
You are most generous
Napoleon
Build me that bridge
Pontonierre
Yes sire
Napoleon
Berthier, help him with a case
Berthier & the Pontonierre take the cases of wine to the pontonierres
Napoleon
Our causeway catterpillars cross the stream
Gourgaud
Indeed, sire with what zest our sappers task
Self-sacrifice engage without limits
In spite of drifting ice & armpit deep
They trestles fix in place ’til capp’d are beams
Napoleon
Your projective platform shows genius
Gourgaud, of priscillian precision,
Your active coolness in the foreseeing
Secures a worthy spot to organise
This feat, some would say miracle, of arms
Gourgaud
Listen sire, not a murmour to be heard
Of discontent in the situation –
They curse the elements, but not the day
For glory still an elevate of hope
Napoleon
Hope, yes we have, yet reality bites
The cavalry secured the western bank
This morning by fording upon horses
But unsupported shall not last the night
We must send reinforcements there, & soon
Gourgaud
Tho’ slow & painful work, we shall succeed
Napoleon
Excellent, but Gourgaud
Gourgaud
Your majesty
Napoleon
Only let troops & artillery cross
The camp followers will only impede
Prevent them all from passage ’til the end
A strong intactive army will prevent
Total annhialation – understood
Gourgaud
Yes sire
Napoleon
Good, carry on this famous work
{to the soldiers}
Pontonierres of France I salute you
Pontonierres
Vive L’empreur, Napoleon will save us
Exit Napoleon & guards
Gourgaud
Our stragglers are a multitude ill-starr’d
Berthier
Just do your work Gourgaud, & duty too
SCENE 2: Studianka, the French camp
Enter Graingier, Foucart, Leboude, Legrande & Rossi
Graingier
Pandemonia’s principality
Encapital’d upon these troubleslopes
Condensing with with frightful laxydaisy
Leboude
What is that singing?
Rossi
Men cross the bridge
Still gay & careless, death counts for nothing
To the soldiers of France, spirits exalt
For we are all together
Foucart
Raillerie
Rings as if on the eve of great battles
Aromatizing these downtrodden scenes
Legrande
What is pain & destruction & dying
When the matter of the empire at stake
Not melting down our youth in beds of lust
But facing dangers headlong without stir
If such excesses of adversity
Our nation’s honour paramountly reigns
Enter Bourgone
Bourgogne
Lads, start a fire, it will not be till Dawn
Before our turn to cross the bridge has come
Leboude & Rossi begin building a fire
Graingier
How does it stand
Bourgogne
By god’s will I expect
‘Tis a rickety construct of matchsticks
But on its timber we shall soon emerge
From the darkest caverns of misery
Where we have dwelt these soul-exhausting days
Foucart
Are we to see our little homes again?
Legrande
We are, Foucart, I know as much, I feel
These stinking tribulations are a test
Seeking weakness thro’ elaborate traps
When responsive complacencies relapse
& truth’s coalesces to deception
By arrogance our successes consumed
Stimulating ego, made us immune
To squads of malignancies besetting
Cautious steps of glory, let this proud host
Of oceanic natures rejoice in trials,
To spout its tales of conquerors unvex’d,
Valour is the chieftan of our virtues
& dignifies the haver’s panting breast
Stood naked before shunless destiny,
& valour is the force that binds us, boys,
Together we shall spend the night this bank
Together we shall cross aspiringly
Then leave the warp of Russian wilds behind.
Leboude
That’s the fire started, boys
Bourgogne
Good work Leboude
Rossi
Another supper of horsemeat awaits
Foucart
Better than feasting on one another
Graingier
What, like those Croatians encraz’d
Leboude
Curs’d curs
Remember how they dragg’d away bodies
Of men death-barbecued, from that dark barn
Then sliced apart the flesh & gulp’d it down
Legrande
Horrific sights
Graingier
The devil will have them
Legrande
Aye, he will, that is for certain my friend
When that fire became a vast tossing mass
Full of convulsive efforts of wretches
Each one of us observ’d the heart of Hell
& I saw Satan slouch’d within the flames
Foucart
Is it evil to eat our fellow man
When we are starving
Bourgogne
Folly slays the soul
Dooming its eventual destruction
Rossi
Come, let us be noble in suffering
& eat this meat ungarnish’d in silence
Rossi passes the horse meat around – each soldier sits eating in silence, to the cacophony of a camp in chaos
The Conchordia Folio 