napoleon bonaparte, v12-第7章

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the　Empress　Josephine　to　scrupulously　observe　conjugal　fidelity。　　During
one　of　our　stays　at　Saint…Cloud　he　took　a　fancy　to　Madamoiselle　L；
whose　mother's　second　husband　was　a　chief　of　squadron。　　These　ladies　then
stayed　at　Bourg…la…Reine；　where　they　were　discovered　by　M。　de　；　one
of　the　most　zealous　protectors　of　the　pretty　women　who　were　presented　to
his　Majesty；　and　who　spoke　to　him　of　this　young　person；　then　seventeen
years　old。　　She　was　a　brunette　of　ordinary　height；　but　with　a　beautiful
figure；　and　pretty　feet　and　hands；　her　whole　person　full　of　grace；　and
was　indeed　perfectly　charming　in　all　respects；　and；　besides；　united　with
most　enticing　coquetry　every　accomplishment；　danced　with　much　grace；
played　on　several　instruments；　and　was　full　of　intelligence；　in　fact；　she
had　received　that　kind　of　showy　education　which　forms　the　most　charming
mistresses　and　the　worst　wives。　　The　Emperor　told　me　one　day；　at　eight
o'clock　in　the　evening；　to　seek　her　at　her　mother's；　to　bring　her　and
return　at　eleven　o'clock　at　latest。　　My　visit　caused　no　surprise；　and　I
saw　that　these　ladies　had　been　forewarned；　no　doubt　by　their　obliging
patron；　for　they　awaited　me　with　an　impatience　they　did　not　seek　to
conceal。　　The　young　person　was　dazzling　with　ornaments　and　beauty；　and
the　mother　radiant　with　joy　at　the　idea　of　the　honor　destined　for　her
daughter。　　I　saw　well　that　she　imagined　the　Emperor　could　not　fail　to　be
captivated　by　so　many　charms；　and　that　he　would　be　seized　with　a　great
passion；　but　all　this　was　only　a　dream；　for　the　Emperor　was　amorous　only
when　all　things　suited。　　However；　we　arrived　at　Saint…Cloud　at　eleven
o'clock；　and　entered　the　chateau　by　the　orangery；　for　fear　of　indiscreet
eyes。　　As　I　had　a　pass…key　to　all　the　gates　of　the　chateau；　I　conducted
her　into　the　Emperor's　apartments　without　being　seen　by　any　one；　where
she　remained　about　three　hours。　　At　the　end　of　this　time　I　escorted　her
to　her　home；　taking　the　same　precautions　on　leaving　the　chateau。

This　young　person；　whom　the　Emperor　had　since　seen　three　or　four　times　at
most；　also　came　to　Fontainebleau；　accompanied　by　her　mother；　but；　being
unable　to　see　his　Majesty；　this　lady；　like　the　Countess　Walewska；
determined　to　make　the　voyage　to　the　Island　of　Elba；　where　it　is　said　the
Emperor　married　Mademoiselle　L　to　a　colonel　of　artillery。

What　I　have　just　written　has　carried　me　back　almost　unconsciously　to
happier　times。　　It　is　necessary；　however；　to　return　to　the　sad　stay　at
Fontainebleau；　and；　after　what　I　have　said　of　the　dejection　in　which　the
Emperor　lived；　it　is　not　surprising　that；　overwhelmed　by　such　crushing
blows；　his　mind　was　not　disposed　to　gallantry。　　It　seems　to　me　I　can
still　see　the　evidences　of　the　gloomy　melancholy　which　devoured　him；　and
in　the　midst　of　so　many　sorrows　the　kindness　of　heart　of　the　man　seemed
to　increase　in　proportion　to　the　sufferings　of　the　dethroned　sovereign。
With　what　amenity　he　spoke　to　us　in　these　last　days！　　He　then　frequently
deigned　to　question　me　as　to　what　was　said　of　recent　events。　　With　my
usual　artless　candor　I　related　to　him　exactly　what　I　had　heard；　and　I
remember　that　one　day；　having　told　him　I　had　heard　many　persons　remark
that　the　continuation　of　the　last　wars　which　had　been　so　fatal　to　us　was
generally　attributed　to　the　Duke　of　Bassano；　〃They　do　poor　Maret　gross
injustice；〃　said　he。　　〃They　accuse　him　wrongfully。　　He　has　never　done
anything　but　execute　orders　which　I　gave。〃　　Then；　according　to　his　usual
habit；　when　he　had　spoken　to　me　a　moment　of　these　serious　affairs；　he
added；　〃What　a　shame！　what　humiliation！　　To　think　that　I　should　have　in
my　very　palace　itself　a　lot　of　foreign　emissaries！〃





CHAPTER　XXVIII。

After　the　12th　of　April　there　remained　with　the　Emperor；　of　all　the　great
personages　who　usually　surrounded　him；　only　the　grand　marshal　of　the
palace　and　Count　Drouot。　　The　destination　reserved　for　the　Emperor；　and
the　fact　that　he　had　accepted　it；　was　not　long　a　secret　in　the　palace。
On　the　16th　we　witnessed　the　arrival　of　the　commissioners　of　the　allies
deputed　to　accompany　his　Majesty　to　the　place　of　his　embarkment　for　the
Island　of　Elba。　　These　were　Count　Schuwaloff；　aide…de…camp　of　the　Emperor
Alexander　from　Russia；　Colonel　Neil　Campbell　　from　England；　General
Kohler　from　Austria；　and　finally　Count　of　Waldburg…Truchsess　for　Prussia。
Although　his　Majesty　had　himself　demanded　that　he　should　be　accompanied
by　these　four　commissioners；　their　presence　at　Fontainebleau　seemed　to
make　a　most　disagreeable　impression　on　him。　　However；　each　of　these
gentlemen　received　from　the　Emperor　a　different　welcome；　and　after　a　few
words　that　I　heard　his　Majesty　say；　I　was　convinced　on　this；　as　on　many
previous　occasions；　that　he　esteemed　the　English　far　more　than　all　his
other　enemies；　and　Colonel　Campbell　was；　therefore；　welcomed　with　more
distinction　than　the　other　ministers；　while　the　ill…humor　of　the　Emperor
vented　itself　especially　on　the　commissioner　of　the　King　of　Prussia；　who
took　no　notice　of　it；　and　put　on　the　best　possible　countenance。

With　the　exception　of　the　very　slight　apparent　change　made　at
Fontainebleau　by　the　presence　of　these　gentlemen；　no　remarkable　incident；
none　at　least　in　my　knowledge；　came　to　disturb　the　sad　and　monotonous
life　of　the　Emperor　in　the　palace。　　Everything　remained　gloomy　and　silent
among　the　inhabitants　of　this　last　imperial　residence；　but；　nevertheless；
the　Emperor　personally　seemed　to　me　more　calm　since　he　had　come　to　a
definite　conclusion　than　at　the　time　he　was　wavering　in　painful
indecision。　　He　spoke　sometimes　in　my　presence　of　the　Empress　and　his
son；　but　not　as　often　as　might　have　been　expected。　　But　one　thing　which
struck　me　deeply　was；　that　never　a　single　time　did　a　a　word　escape　his
lips　which　could　recall　the　act　of　desperation　of　the　night　of　the　11th；
which　fortunately；　as　we　have　seen；　had　not　the　fatal　results　we　feared。
What　a　night！　　What　a　night！　　In　my　whole　life　since　I　have　never　been
able　to　think　of　it　without　shuddering。

After　the　arrival　of　the　commissioners　of　the　allied　powers；　the　Emperor
seemed　by　degrees　to　acclimate　himself；　so　to　speak；　to　their　presence；
and　the　chief　occupation　of　the　whole　household　consisted　of　duties
relating　to　our　preparations　for　departure。　　One　day；　as　I　was　dressing
his　Majesty；　he　said　to　me　smiling；　〃Ah；　well；　my　son；　prepare　your　cart；
we　will　go　and　plant　our　cabbages。〃　　Alas！　　I　was　very　far　from　thinking；
as　I　heard　these　familiar　words　of　his　Majesty；　that　by　an　inconceivable
concurrence　of　events；　I　should　be　forced　to　yield　to　an　inexplicable
fatality；　which　did　not　will　that　in　spite　of　my　ardent　desire　I　should
accompany　the　Emperor　to　his　place　of　exile。

The　evening　before　the　day　fixed　for　our　departure　the　grand　marshal　of
the　palace　had　me　called。　　After　giving　me　some　orders　relative　to　the
voyage；　he　said　to　me　that　the　Emperor　wished　to　know　what　was　the　sum　of
money　I　had　in　charge　for　him。　　I　immediately　gave　an　account　to　the
grand　marshal；　and　he　saw　that　the　sum　total　was　about　three　hundred
thousand　francs；　including　the　gold　in　a　bog　which　Baron　Fain　had　sent
me；　since　he　would　not　be　on　the　journey。　　The　grand　marshal　said　he
would　present　the　account　to　the　Emperor。　　An　hour　after　he　again
summoned　me；　and　said　that　his　Majesty　thought　he　had　one　hundred
thousand　francs　more。　　I　replied　that　I　had　in　my　possession　one　hundred
thousand　francs；　which　the　Emperor　had　presented　to　me；　telling　me　to
bury　it　in　my　garden；　in　fact；　I　related　to　him　all　the　particulars　I
have　described　above；　and　begged　him　to　inquire　of　the　Emperor　if　it　was
these　one　hundred　thousand　francs　to　which　his　Majesty　referred。　　Count
Bertrand　promised　to　do　this；　and　I　then　made　the　great　mistake　of　not
addressing　myself　directly　to　the　Emperor。　　Nothing　would　have　been
easier　in　my　position；　and　I　had　often　found　that　it　was　always　better；
when　possible；　to　go　directly　to　him　than　to　have　recourse　to　any
intermediate　person　whatever。　　It　would　have　been　much　better　for　me　to
act　thus；　since；　if　the　Emperor　had　demanded　the　one　hundred　thousand
francs　which　he　had　given　me；　which；　after　all；　was　hardly　possible；　I
was　more　than　disposed　to　restore　them　to　him　without　a　moment's
hesitation。　　My　astonishment　may　be　imagined　when　the　grand　marshal
reported　to　me　that　the　Emperor　did　not　remember　having　given　me　the　sum
in　question。　　I　instantly　became　crimson　with　anger。　　What！　　the　Emperor
had　allowed　it　to　be　believed　by　Count　Bertrand　that　I　had　attempted
I；　his　faithful　servantto　appropriate　a　sum　which　he　had　given　me　under
all　the　circumstances　I　have　related！　　I　was　beside　myself　at　this
thought。　　I　left　in　a　state　impossible　to　be　described；　assuring　the
grand　marshal　that　in　an　hour　at　most　I　would　restore　to　him　the　fatal
present　of　his　Majesty。

While　rapidly　crossing　the　court　of　the　palace　I　met　M。　de　Turenne；　to
whom　I　related　all　that　had　occurred。　　〃That　does　not　astonish　me；〃　he
replied；　〃and　we　will　see　many　other　similar　cases。〃　　A　prey　to　a　sort　of
moral　fever；　my　head　distracted；　my　heart　oppressed；　I　sought　Denis；　the
wardrobe　boy；　of　whom　I　have　spoken　previously；　I　found　him　most
fortunately；　and　hastened　with　him　to　my　country　place；　and　God　is　my
witness　that　the　loss　of　the　hundred　thousand　francs　was　not　the　cause　of
my　distress；　and　I　hardly　thought　of　it。　　As　on　the　first　occasion；　we
passed　along　the　side　of　the　woods　in　order　not　to　be　seen；　and　began　to
dig　up　the　earth　to　find　the　money　we　had　placed　there；　and　in　the
eagerness　with　which　I　hunted　for　this　miserable　gold；　in　order　to
restore　it　to　the　grand　marshal；　I　dug　up　more　than　was　necessary。　　I
cannot　describe　my　despair　when　I　saw　that　we　had　found　nothing；　I
thought　that　some　one　had　seen　and　followed　us；　in　fact；　that　I　had　been
robbed。　　This　was　a　more　crushing　blow　to　me　than　the　first；　and　I
foresaw　the　consequences　with　horror；　what　would　be　said；　what　would　be
thought；　of　me？　　Would　my　word　be　taken？　　The　grand　marshal；　already
prejudiced　by　the　inexplicable　reply　of　the　Emperor；　would　consider　me　a
person　totally　devoid　of　honor。　　I　was　overwhelmed　by　these　fatal
thoughts　when　Denis　suggested　to　me　that　we　had　not　dug　in　the　right
spot；　and　had　made　a　mistake　of　some　feet。　　I　eagerly　embraced　this　ray
of　hope；　we　began　again　to　dig　up　the　earth　with　more　eagerness　than
ever；　and　I　can　say　without　exaggeration　that　my　joy　bordered　almost　on
delirium　when　I　saw　the　first　of　the　bags。　　We　drew　out　in　succession　all
the　five；　and　with　the　assistance　of　Denis　I　carried　them　to　the　palace；
and　placed　them　without　delay　in　the　hands　of　the　grand　marshal；　with　the
keys　of　the　Emperor's　trunk；　and　the　casket　which　M。　Fain　had　committed
to　me。　　I　said　to　him　as　I　left；　〃Monseigneur；　be　good　enough　to　say　to
his　Majesty　that　I　will　not　accompany　him。〃〃I　will　tell　him。〃

After　this　cold　and　laconic　reply　I　immediately　left　the　palace；　and　was
soon　after　in　Rue　du　Coq…Gris；　with　M。　Clement；　a　bailiff；　who　for　a　long
time　had　been　charged　with　my　small　affairs；　and　had　given　the　necessary
attention　to　my　farm　during　the　long　absences　which　the　journeys　and
campaigns　of　the　Emperor　necessit