Yes, he did! But Napoleon, having struck a contemplative pose beside Frederick's tomb while Gros or J-L David made a quick sketch, did take Frederick's sword as a trophy, and either he or one of his Marshals is said to have remarked, "That's peyed thaim back fur Rossbach, so it has, ey, Wee Man?" (Official version: "Thus is Rossbach avenged") The original versions of soldiers' sayings are generally to be preferred, not unlike old songs I suppose, though it's true that <> is more poetic and sonorous than Victor Hugo's "Le mot de Cambronne".
|