napoleon bonaparte, v12-第10章

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Vicenza；　and　found　myself　placed　opposite　General　Excelmans。　　The　Emperor
supped　alone　in　his　room　with　Marshal　Bertrand；　and　their　supper　was　by
no　means　so　splendid　as　ours；　for　it　consisted　only　of　a　roast　chicken
and　a　dish　of　lentils；　and　yet　I　learned　from　an　officer　who　fad　attended
him　constantly　since　he　left　Fontainebleau；　that　his　Majesty　had　eaten
nothing　since　morning。　　The　Emperor　was　exceedingly　fatigued；　I　had
opportunity　to　mark　this　each　time　his　door　was　opened。　　He　was　seated　on
a　chair　in　front　of　the　fire；　with　his　feet　on　the　mantelpiece。

〃As　we　all　remained　at　the　Tuileries；　word　was　sent　us　about　one　o'clock
that　the　Emperor　had　just　retired；　and　that　in　case　any　soldiers　should
arrive　during　the　night　who　had　accompanied　him；　he　had　given　orders　that
they　should　be　on　duty　at　the　palace　conjointly　with　the　National　Guard。
The　poor　creatures　were　hardly　in　a　condition　to　obey　such　an　order。　　At
two　o'clock　in　the　morning　we　saw　two　of　them　arrive　in　a　most　pitiable
condition；　they　were　perfectly　emaciated；　and　their　feet　blistered。　　All
that　they　could　do　was　to　throw　themselves　on　their　bags；　on　which　they
fell　sound　asleep；　and　they　did　not　even　awake　while　the　duty　of
bandaging　their　feet　was　attended　to　in　the　room　which　they　had　reached
with　so　much　difficulty。　　All　were　eager　to　lavish　every　attention　on
them；　and　I　admit　that　I　have　always　regretted　not　having　inquired　the
names　of　these　two　brave　grenadiers；　who　inspired　in　all　of　us　an
interest　I　cannot　describe。

〃After　retiring　at　one　o'clock；　the　Emperor　was　on　his　feet　at　five
o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　the　order　was　immediately　given　to　the
soldiers　on　half　pay　to　hold　themselves　ready　for　a　review；　and　at　break
of　day　they　were　ranged　in　three　ranks。　　At　this　moment　I　was　deputed　to
watch　over　an　officer　who　was　pointed　out　as　suspicious；　and　who；　it　was
said；　had　come　from　Saint…Denis。　　This　was　M。　de　Saint…Chamans。　　At　the
end　of　a　quarter　of　an　hour　of　arrest；　which　had　nothing　disagreeable　in
it；　he　was　simply　asked　to　leave。　　Meanwhile；　the　Emperor　had　descended
from　the　palace；　and　passed　through　the　ranks　of　the　soldiers　on　half
pay；　speaking　to　each　one；　taking　many　of　them　by　the　hand；　and　saying　to
them；　〃My　friends；　I　need　your　services；　I　rely　on　you　as　you　may　rely　on
me。〃　　Magic　words　on　the　lips　of　Napoleon；　and　which　drew　tears　of
emotion　from　all　those　brave　soldiers　whose　services　had　been　ignored　for
a　year。

〃From　the　morning　the　crowd　increased　rapidly　on　all　the　approaches　to
the　Tuileries；　and　a　mass　of　people　asseriabled　under　the　windows　of　the
chateau；　demanding　with　loud　shouts　to　see　Napoleon。　　Marshal　Bertrand
having　informed　him　of　this；　the　Emperor　showed　himself　at　the　window；
where　he　was　saluted　by　the　shouts　which　his　presence　had　so　often
excited。　　After　showing　himself　to　the　people；　the　Emperor　himself
presented　to　them　Marshal　Bertrand；　his　arm　resting　on　the　marshal's
shoulder；　whom　he　pressed　to　his　heart　with　demonstrations　of　the
liveliest　affection。　　During　this　scene；　which　deeply　affected　all　the
witnesses；　who　cheered　with　all　their　might；　officers；　standing　behind
the　Emperor　and　his　friend；　held　above　their　heads　banners　surmounted　by
their　eagles；　of　which　they　formed　a　kind　of　national　canopy。　　At　eleven
o'clock　the　Emperor　mounted　his　horse；　and　reviewed　the　various　regiments
which　were　arriving　from　every　direction；　and　the　heroes　of　the　island　of
Elba　who　had　returned　to　the　Tuileries　during　the　night。　　All　seemed
deeply　impressed　with　the　appearance　of　these　brave　men；　whom　the　sun　of
Italy　had　tanned；　and　who　had　traveled　nearly　two　hundred　leagues　in
twenty　days。〃

These　are　the　curious　details　which　were　given　to　me　by　a　friend；　and　I
can　guarantee　the　truth　of　his　recital　the　same　as　if　I　myself　had　been
an　eye…witness　of　all　that　occurred　during　the　memorable　night　of　the
20th　and　21st　March；　1815。　　Continuing　in　my　retreat　during　the　hundred
days；　and　long　after；　I　have　nothing　to　say　which　all　the　world　would　not
know　as　well　as　I　concerning　this　important　epoch　in　the　life　of　the
Emperor。　　I　have　shed　many　tears　over　his　sufferings　at　the　time　of　his
second　abdication；　and　the　tortures　inflicted　on　him　at　St。　Helena　by　the
miserable　Hudson　Lowe；　whose　infamy　will　go　down　through　the　ages　side　by
side　with　the　glory　of　the　Emperor。　　I　will　simply　content　myself　by
adding　to　the　preceding　a　certain　document　which　was　confided　to　me　by
the　former　Queen　of　Westphalia；　and　saying　a　word　in　conclusion　as　to　the
destination　I　thought　best　to　give　to　the　first　cross　of　the　Legion　of
Honor　which　the　First　Consul　had　worn。

Princess　Catharine　of　Wurtemberg；　the　wife；of　Prince　Jerome；　is；　as　is
well　known；　a　woman　of　great　beauty；　gifted　at　the　same　time　with　more
solid　qualities；　which　time　increases　instead　of　diminishing。　　She　joins；
to　much　natural　intelligence；　a　highly　cultivated　mind；　a　character　truly
worthy　of　a　sister…in…law　of　the　Emperor；　and　carries　even　to　enthusiasm
her　love　of　duty。　　Events　did　not　allow　her　to　become　a　great　queen；　but
they　have　not　prevented　her　remaining　an　accomplished　wife。　　Her
sentiments　are　noble　and　elevated；　but　she　shows　haughtiness　to　none；　and
all　who　surround　her　take　pleasure　in　boasting　of　the　charms　of　her
kindness　towards　her　household；　and　she　possesses　the　happiest　gift　of
nature；　which　consists　in　making　herself　beloved　by　every　one。　　Prince
Jerome　is　not　without　a　certain　grandeur　of　manner　and　formal　generosity；
which　he　learned　while　on　the　throne　of　Cassel；　but　he　is　generally　very
haughty。　　Although　in　consequence　of　the　great　changes　which　have　taken
place　in　Europe　since　the　fall　of　the　Emperor；　Prince　Jerome　owes　the
comfortable　maintenance　which　he　still　enjoys　to　the　love　of　the
princess；　she　does　not　any　the　less　show　a　truly　exemplary　submission　to
his　will。　　Princess　Catharine　occupies　herself　almost　exclusively　with
her　three　children；　two　boys　and　one　girl；　all　of　whom　are　very
beautiful。　　The　eldest　was　born　in　the　month　of　August；　1814。　　Her
daughter；　the　Princess　Mathilde；　owes　her　superior　education　to　the　care
her　mother　exercised　over　it；　she　is　pretty；　but　less　so　than　her
brothers；　who　all　have　their　mother's　features。

After　the　description；　which　is　not　at　all　flattered；　which　I　have　just
given　of　Princess　Catharine；　it　may　seem　surprising　that；　provided　as　she
is　with　so　many　solid　qualities；　she　has　never　been　able　to　conquer　an
inexplicable　weakness　regarding　petty　superstitions。　　Thus；　for　instance；
she　is　extremely　afraid　to　seat　herself　at　a　table　where　there　are
thirteen　guests。　　I　will　relate　an　anecdote　of　which　I　can　guarantee　the
authenticity；　and　which；　perhaps；　may　foster　the　weakness　of　persons
subject　to　the　same　superstitions　as　the　Princess　of　Wurtemberg。　　One　day
at　Florence；　being　present　at　a　family　dinner；　she　perceived　that　there
were　exactly　thirteen　plates；　suddenly　grew　pale；　and　obstinately　refused
to　take　her　seat。　　Princess　Eliza　Bacciochi　ridiculed　her　sister…in…law；
shrugged　her　shoulders；　and　said　to　her；　smiling；　〃There　is　no　danger；
there　are　in　truth　fourteen；　since　I　am　enceinte。〃　　Princess　Catharine
yielded；　but　with　extreme　repugnance。　　A　short　time　after　she　had　to　put
on　mourning　for　her　sister…in…law；　and　the　death　of　the　Princess　Eliza；
as　may　well　be　believed；　contributed　no　little　to　render　her　more
superstitious　than　ever　as　to　the　number　thirteen。　　Well！　let　strong
minds　boast　themselves　as　they　may；　but　I　can　console　the　weak；　as　I　dare
to　affirm　that；　if　the　Emperor　had　witnessed　such　an　occurrence　in　his
own　family；　an　instinct　stronger　than　any　other　consideration；　stronger
even　than　his　all…powerful　reason；　would　have　caused　him　some　moments　of
vague　anxiety。

Now；　it　only　remains　for　me　to　render　an　account　of　the　bestowal　I　made
of　the　first　cross　of　honor　the　First　Consul　wore。　　The　reader　need　not
be　alarmed；　I　did　not　make　a　bad　use　of　it；　it　is　on　the　breast　of　a
brave　soldier　of　our　old　army。　　In　1817　I　made　the　acquaintance　of　M。
Godeau；　a　former　captain　in　the　Imperial　Guard。　　He　had　been　severely
wounded　at　Leipzig　by　a　cannon…ball；　which　broke　his　knee。　　I　found　in
him　an　admiration　for　the　Emperor　so　intense　and　so　sincere；　he　urged　me
so　earnestly　to　give　him　something；　whatever　it　might　be；　which　had
belonged　to　his　Majesty；　that　I　made　him　a　present　of　the　cross　of　honor
of　which　I　have　spoken；　as　he　had　long　ago　been　decorated　with　that
order。　　This　cross　is；　I　might　say；　a　historical　memento；　being　the
first；　as　I　have　stated；　which　his　Majesty　wore。　　It　is　of　silver；　medium
size；　and　is　not　surmounted　with　the　imperial　crown。　　The　Emperor　wore　it
a　year；　it　decorated　his　breast　for　the　last　time　the　day　of　the　battle
of　Austerlitz。　　From　that　day；　in　fact；　his　Majesty　wore　an　officer's
cross　of　gold　with　the　crown；　and　no　longer　wore　the　cross　of　a　simple
member　of　the　legion。

Here　my　souvenirs　would　end　if；　in　re…reading　the　first　volumes　of　my
memoirs；　the　facts　I　have　there　related　had　not　recalled　to　me　some
others　which　may　be　of　interest。　　With　the　impossibility　of　presenting
them　in　the　proper　order　and　connection；　I　have　decided；　in　order　that
the　reader　may　not　be　deprived　of　them；　to　offer　them　as　detached
anecdotes；　which　I　have　endeavored　to　class　as　far　as　possible；　according
to　the　order　of　time。




CHAPTER　XXX。

ANECDOTES　AND　INCIDENTS。

As　I　have　often…had　occasion　to　remark；　the　Emperor's　tastes　were
extremely　simple　in　everything　relating　to　his　person；　moreover；　he
manifested　a　decided　aversion　to　the　usages　of　fashion；　he　did　not　like；
so　to　speak；　to　turn　night　into　day；　as　was　done　in　the　most　of　the
brilliant　circles　of　society　in　Paris　under　the　Consulate；　and　at　the
commencement　of　the　Empire。　　Unfortunately；　the　Empress　Josephine　did　not
hold　the　same　views；　and　being　a　submissive　slave　of　fashion；　liked　to
prolong　her　evenings　after　the　Emperor　had　retired。

She　had　the　habit　of　then　collecting　around　her　her　most　intimate　ladies
and　a　few　friends；　and　giving　them　tea。　　Gaming　was　entirely　precluded
from　these　nocturnal　reunions；　of　which　conversation　was　the　only　charm。
This　conversation　of　the　highest　circles　of　society　was　a　most　agreeable
relaxation　to　the　Empress；　and　this　select　circle　assembled　frequently
without　the　Emperor　being　aware　of　it；　and　was；　in　fact；　a　very　innocent
entertainment。　　Nevertheless；　some　obliging　person　was　so　indiscreet　as
to　make　the　Emperor　a　report　concerning　these　assemblies；　containing
matters　which　roused　his　displeasure。　　He　expressed　his　dissatisfaction
to　the　Empress　Josephine；　and　from　that　time　she　retired　at　the　same　time
as　the　Emperor。

These　teas　were　then　abandoned；　and　all　persons　attached　to　the　service
of　the　Emperor　received　orders　not　to　sit　up　after　the　Emperor　retired。

As　well　as　I　remember；　this　is　how　I　heard　his　Majesty　express　himself　on
the　occasion。　　〃When　the　masters　are　asleep；　the　valets　should　retire　to
bed；　and　when　the　masters　are　awake；　the　valets　should　be　on　their　feet。〃
These　words　produced　the　intended　effect；　and　that　very　evening；　as　soon
as　the　Emperor　was　in　bed；　all　at　the　pala