napoleon bonaparte, v12-第14章

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and　these　audiences；　devoted　to　the　special　work　of　each　minister　and　of
each　director；　lasted　until　six　o'clock　in　the　evening；　with　the
exception　of　those　days　on　which　his　Majesty　occupied　himself　exclusively
with　governmental　affairs；　and　presided　over　the　council　of　state；　or　the
ministerial　councils。

At　the　Tuileries　and　at　Saint…Cloud　dinner　was　served　at　six　o'clock；　and
the　Emperor　dined　each　day　alone　with　the　Empress；　except　on　Sunday；　when
all　the　family　were　admitted　to　dinner。　　The　Emperor；　Empress；　and　Madame
Mere　only　were　seated　in　armchairs；　all　others；　whether　kings　or　queens；
having　only　ordinary　chairs。　　There　was　only　one　course　before　the
dessert。　　His　Majesty　usually　drank　Chambertin　wine；　but　rarely　without
water；　and　hardly　more　than　one　bottle。　　To　dine　with　the　Emperor　was
rather　an　honor　than　a　pleasure　to　those　who　were　admitted；　for　it　was
necessary；　to　use　the　common　expression；　to　swallow　in　post　haste；　as　his
Majesty　never　remained　at　table　more　than　fifteen　or　eighteen　minutes。
After　his　dinner；　as　after　breakfast；　the　Emperor　habitually　took　a　cup
of　coffee；　which　the　Empress　poured　out。　　Under　the　Consulate　Madame
Bonaparte　began　this　custom；　because　the　General　often　forgot　to　take　his
coffee；　she　continued　it　after　she　became　Empress；　and　the　Empress　Marie
Louise　retained　the　same　custom。

After　dinner　the　Empress　descended　to　her　apartments；　where　she　found
assembled　her　ladies　and　the　officers　on　duty；　and　the　Emperor　sometimes
accompanied　her；　but　remained　only　a　short　while。　　Such　was　the　customary
routine　of　life　in　the　palace　at　the　Tuileries　on　those　days　when　there
was　neither　the　chase　in　the　morning；　nor　concert　nor　theater　in　the
evening；　and　the　life　at　Saint…Cloud　differed　little　from　that　at　the
Tuileries。　　Sometimes　rides　were　taken　in　coaches　when　the　weather
permitted；　and　on　Wednesday；　the　day　set　for　the　council　of　ministers；
these　officials　were　invariably　honored　by　an　invitation　to　dine　with
their　Majesties。　　When　there　was　a　hunt　at　Fontainebleau；　Rambouillet；　or
Compiegne；　the　usual　routine　was　omitted；　the　ladies　followed　in　coaches；
and　the　whole　household　dined　with　the　Emperor　and　Empress　under　a　tent
erected　in　the　forest。　　It　sometimes　happened；　though　rarely；　that　the
Emperor　invited　unexpectedly　some　members　of　his　family　to　remain　to　dine
with　him；　and　this　recalls　an　anecdote　which　should　have　a　place　in　this
connection。　　The　King　of　Naples　came　one　day　to　visit　the　Emperor；　and
being　invited　to　dine；　accepted；　forgetting　that　he　was　in　morning　dress；
and　there　was　barely　time　for　him　to　change　his　costume；　and　consequently
none　to　return　to　the　Elysee；　which　he　then　inhabited。　　The　king　ran
quickly　up　to　my　room；　and　informed　me　of　his　embarrassment；　which　I
instantly　relieved；　to　his　great　delight。　　I　had　at　that　time　a　very
handsome　wardrobe；　almost　all　the　articles　of　which　were　then　entirely
new；　so　I　gave　him　a　shirt；　vest；　breeches；　stockings；　and　shoes；　and
assisted　him　to　dress；　and　fortunately　everything　fitted　as　if　it　had
been　made　especially　for　him。　　He　showed　towards　me　the　same　kindness　and
affability　he　always　manifested；　and　thanked　me　in　the　most　charming
manner。　　In　the　evening　the　King　of　Naples；　after　taking　leave　of　the
Emperor；　returned　to　my　room　to　resume　his　morning　dress；　and　begged　me
to　come　to　him　next　day　at　the　laysee；　which　I　did　punctually　after
relating　to　the　Emperor　all　that　had　occurred；　much　to　his　amusement。
On　my　arrival　at　the　Elysee　I　was　immediately　introduced　into　the　king's
apartments；　who　repeated　his　thanks　in　the　most　gracious　manner；　and　gave
me　a　pretty　Breguet　watch。

　　　　　＇Abraham　Louis　Breguet；　the　celebrated　watchmaker；　was　born　at
　　　　　Neuchatel；　1747；　died　1823。　　He　made　numerous　improvements　in
　　　　　watches　and　in　nautical　and　astronomical　instruments。＇

During　our　campaigns　I　sometimes　had　occasion　to　render　little　services
of　the　same　nature　to　the　King　of　Naples；　but　the　question　was　not　then；
as　at　Saint…Cloud；　one　of　silk　stockings；　for　more　than　once　on　the
bivouac　I　shared　with　him　a　bundle　of　straw；　which　I　had　been　fortunate
enough　to　procure。　　In　such　cases　I　must　avow　the　sacrifice　was　much
greater　on　my　part　than　when　I　had　shared　my　wardrobe　with　him。　　The　king
was　not　backward　in　expressing　his　gratitude；　and　I　thought　it　a　most
remarkable　thing　to　see　a　sovereign；　whose　palace　was　filled　with　all
that　luxury　can　invent　to　add　to　comfort；　and　all　that　art　can　create
which　is　splendid　and　magnificent；　only　too　happy　in　procuring　half　of　a
bundle　of　straw　on　which　to　rest　his　head。


I　will　now　give　some　fresh　souvenirs　which　have　just　recurred　to　my　mind
concerning　the　Court　theater。　　At　Saint…Cloud；　in　order　to　reach　the
theater　hall；　it　was　necessary　to　cross　the　whole　length　of　the　Orangery；
and　nothing　could　be　more　elegant　than　the　manner　in　which　it　was
decorated　on　these　occasions。　　Rows　of　rare　plants　were　arranged　in
tiers；　and　the　whole　lighted　by　lamps；　and　during　the　winter　the　boxes
were　hidden　by　covering　them　with　moss　and　flowers；　which　produced　a
charming　effect　under　the　lights。

The　parterre　of　the　theater　was　usually　filled　with　generals；　senators；
and　councilors　of　state；　the　first　boxes　were　reserved　for　the　princes
and　princesses　of　the　imperial　family；　for　foreign　princes；　marshals；
their　wives；　and　ladies　of　honor。　　In　the　second　tier　were　placed　all
persons　attached　to　the　Court。　　Between　the　acts；　ices　and　refreshments
were　served；　but　the　ancient　etiquette　had　been　re…established　in　one
particular；　which　greatly　displeased　the　actors；no　applause　was
allowed；　and　Talma　often　told　me　that　the　kind　of　coldness　produced　by
this　silence　was　very　detrimental　at　certain　parts　where　the　actor　felt
the　need　of　being　enthused。　　Nevertheless；　it　sometimes　happened　that　the
Emperor；　in　testimony　of　his　satisfaction；　made　a　slight　signal　with　his
hand；　and　then　and　also　at　the　grandest　periods　we　heard；　if　not
applause；　at　least　a　flattering　murmur　which　the　spectators　were　not
always　able　to　repress。

The　chief　charm　of　these　brilliant　assemblies　was　the　presence　of　the
Emperor；　and　consequently　an　invitation　to　the　theater　of　Saint…Cloud　was
an　honor　much　desired。　　In　the　time　of　the　Empress　Josephine　there　were
no　representations　at　the　palace　in　the　absence　of　the　Emperor；　but　when
Marie　Louise　was　alone　at　Saint…Cloud　during　the　campaign　of　Dresden；　two
representations　a　week　were　given；　and　the　whole　repertoire　of　Gretry　was
played　in　succession　before　her　Majesty。　　At　the　end　of　each　piece　there
was　always　a　little　ballet。

The　theater　of　Saint…Cloud　was；　so　to　speak；　on　more　than　one　occasion
the　theater　of　first　attempts。　　For　instance；　M。　Raynouard　played　there
for　the　first　time　the　'Etats　de　Blois'；　a　work　which　the　Emperor　would
not　allow　to　be　played　in　public；　and　which　was　not　done；　in　fact；　until
after　the　return　of　Louis　XVIII。

'The　Venetians'　by　M。　Amand　also　made　its　first　appearance　on　the　theater
of　Saint…Cloud；　or　rather　of　Malmaison。　　This　was　not　highly　considered
at　the　time；　but　the　infallible　judgment　the　Emperor　displayed　in　his
choice　of　plays　and　actors　was　most　remarkable。　　He　generally　gave　M。
Corvisart　the　preference　in　deciding　these　matters；　on　which　he　descanted
with　much　complacence　when　his　more　weighty　occupations　allowed。　　He　was
usually　less　severe　and　more　just　than　Geoffroy；　　and　it　is　much　to　be
desired　that　the　criticisms　and　opinions　of　the　Emperor　concerning
authors　and　actors　could　have　been　preserved。　　They　would　have　been　of
much　benefit　to　the　progress　of　art。


In　speaking　of　the　retreat　from　Moscow；　I　related　previously　in　my
memoirs　that　I　had　the　good　fortune　to　offer　a　place　in　my　carriage　to
the　young　Prince　of　Aremborg；　and　assisted　him　in　continuing　his　journey。
I　recall　another　occasion　in　the　life　of　this　prince；　when　one　of　my
friends　was　very　useful　to　him；　some　particulars　of　which　may　not　be
without　interest。

The　Prince　of　Aremberg；　an　ordnance　officer　of　the　Emperor；　had；　as　we
know；　married　Mademoiselle　Tascher；　niece　of　the　Empress　Josephine。
Having　been　sent　into　Spain；　he　was　there　taken　by　the　English；　and
afterwards　carried　a　prisoner　to　England。　　His　captivity　was　at　first
very　disagreeable；　and　he　told　me　himself　that　he　was　very　unhappy；　until
he　made　the　acquaintance　of　one　of　my　friends；　M。　Herz；　commissary　of
war；　who　possessed　a　fine　mind；　was　very　intelligent；　spoke　several
languages；　and　was；　like　the　prince；　a　prisoner　in　England。　　The
acquaintance　formed　at　once　between　the　prince　and　M。　Herz　soon　became　so
intimate　that　they　were　constantly　together；　and　thus　passed　the　time　as
happily　as　it　can　with　one　far　from　his　native　land　and　deprived　of　his
liberty。

They　were　living　thus；　ameliorating　for　each　other　the　ennui　of
captivity；　when　M。　Herz　was　exchanged；　which　was；　perhaps；　a　great
misfortune　for　him；　as　we　shall　afterwards　see。　　At　all　events；　the
prince　was　deeply　distressed　at　being　left　alone；　but；　nevertheless；　gave
M。　Herz　several　letters　to　his　family；　and　at　the　same　time　sent　his
mother　his　mustache；　which　he　had　mounted　in　a　medallion　with　a　chain。
One　day　the　Princess　of　Aremberg　arrived　at　SaintCloud　and　demanded　a
private　audience　of　the　Emperor。

〃My　son；〃　said　she；　〃demands　your　Majesty's　permission　to　attempt　his
escape　from　England。〃〃Madame；〃　said　the　Emperor；　〃your　request　is　most
embarrassing！　　I　do　not　forbid　your　son；　but　I　can　by　no　means　authorize
him。〃

It　was　at　the　time　I　had　the　honor　of　saving　the　Prince　of　Aremberg's
life　that　I　learned　from　him　these　particulars。　　As　for　my　poor　friend
Herz；　his　liberty　became　fatal　to　him；　owing　to　an　inexplicable
succession　of　events。　　Having　been　sent　by　Marshal　Augereau　to　Stralsund
to　perform　a　secret　mission；　he　died　there；　suffocated　by　the　fire　of　a
brass　stove　in　the　room　in　which　he　slept。　　His　secretary　and　his　servant
nearly　fell　victims　to　the　same　accident；　but；　more　fortunate　than　he；
their　lives　were　saved。　　The　Prince　of　Aremberg　spoke　to　me　of　the　death
of　M。　Herz　with　real　feeling；　and　it　was　easy　to　see　that；　prince　as　he
was　and　allied　to　the　Emperor；　he　entertained　a　most　sincere　friendship
for　his　companion　in　captivity。




CHAPTER；　XXXI。

MILITARY　ANECDOTES。

I　have　collected　under　the　title　of　Military　Anecdotes　some　facts　which
came　to　my　knowledge　while　I　accompanied　the　Emperor　on　his　campaigns；
and　the　authenticity　of　which　I　guarantee。　　I　might　have　scattered　them
through　my　memoirs；　and　placed　them　in　their　proper　periods；　my　not
having　done　so　is　not　owing　to　forgetfulness　on　my　part；　but　because　I
thought　that　these　incidents　would　have　an　added　interest　by　being
collected　together；　since　in　them　we　see　the　direct　influence　of　the
Emperor　upon　his　soldiers；　and　thus　can　more　easily　form　an　exact　idea　of
the　manner　in　which　his　Majesty　treated　them；　his　consideration　for　them；
and　their　attachment　to　his　person。

During　the　autumn　of　1804；　between　the　time　of　the　creation　of　the　empire
and　the　coronation　of　the　Emperor；　his　Majesty　made　several　journeys　to
the　camp　of　Boulogne；　and　from　this　fact　rumors　arose　that　th