[Footnote 35: The worthy Hospitallers of St. Bernard have stationed themselves on that wild eminence, for the purpose of alleviating the misery of travellers lost or bewildered amidst the neighbouring defiles. They entertain a pack of dogs, of extraordinary sagacity, who roam over the hills night and day, and frequently drag to light and safety pilgrims who have been buried in the snow.] [Footnote 36: The following anecdote is given by _Dumas_:--"On one of these occasions, when a desperate attack was led on by Soult, there occurred a circumstance as honourable as it was characteristic of the spirit which animated the French. The soldiers of two regiments or demi-brigades, of the army of Italy, namely, the 25th Light, and the 24th of the Line, had sworn eternal enmity against one another, because that, previous to the opening of the campaign, when desertion and all the evils of insubordination prevailed in that army, disorganised by suffering, the former, in which discipline had been maintained, was employed to disarm the latter. The utmost care had been taken to keep them separate; but it so happened that these two corps found themselves one day made rivals as it were in valour, the one before the eyes of the other. The same dangers, the same thirst of glory, the same eagerness to maintain themselves, at once renewed in all hearts generous sentiments; the soldiers became instantly intermingled; they embraced in the midst of the fire, and one half of the one corps passing into the ranks of the other, they renewed the combat, after the exchange, with double ardour."] [Footnote 37: Sept. 5, 1800.] [Footnote 38: The man took the noise for that of a salute.] [Footnote 39: "Napoleon dropped the _u_ in his surname _after_ his first campaign in Italy."--_Bourienne_.] [Footnote 40: The poet Campbell has vividly painted the opening of the great battle which followed. "On Linden, when the sun was low, All bloodless lay the untrodden snow, And dark as winter was the flow Of Iser rolling rapidly: But Linden saw another sight When the drums beat at dead of night, Commanding fires of death to light The darkness of her scenery," &c. ] CHAPTER XVI Affairs of Naples and of the Pope--The Emperor Paul of Russia--Northern confederacy against England--Battle of Copenhagen--Nelson's Victory--Death of Paul--Expedition to Egypt under Sir Ralph Abercrombie--Battle of Alexandria--Conquest of Egypt--The Flotilla of Boulogne--Negotiations with England--Peace of Amiens. England alone remained steadfast in her hostility; and, as we shall presently see, the Chief Consul was even able to secure for himself the alliance against her of some of the principal powers in Europe; but before we proceed to the eventful year of 1801, there are some incidents of a minor order which must be briefly mentioned.