napoleon bonaparte, v11-第7章

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that　the　wounded　French　who　remained　at　Dresden　should　be　returned　to
France　on　their　restoration　to　health；　and　that；　finally；　the　marshal
should　begin　these　movements　on　the　16th　of　November。　　No　part　of　this
agreement　was　complied　with。　　Imagine；　then；　the　indignation　of　the
Emperor；　already　so　deeply　afflicted　by　the　capitulation　of　Dresden；　when
he　learned　that；　contrary　to　every　stipulation　agreed　upon；　these　troops
had　been　made　prisoners　by　the　Prince　von　Swarzenberg。　　I　remember　one
day　the　Prince　de　Neuchatel　being　in　his　Majesty's　cabinet；　which　I
happened　to　enter　at　the　moment；　the　Emperor　remarked　to　him；　with
considerable　vehemence；　〃You　speak　to　me　of　peace。　　How　can　I　believe　in
the　good　faith　of　those　people？　　You　see　what　happened　at　Dresden。　　No；
I　tell　you；　they　do　not　wish　to　treat　with　us；　they　are　only　endeavoring
to　gain　time；　and　it　is　our　business　not　to　lose　it。〃　　The　prince　did　not
reply；　or；　at　least；　I　heard　no　more；　as　I　just　then　left　the　cabinet；
having　executed　the　duty　which　had　taken　me　there。　　Moreover；　I　can　add；
as　an　additional　proof　of　the　confidence　with　which　his　Majesty　honored
me；　that　when　I　entered　he　never　interrupted　himself　in　what　he　was
saying；　however　important　it　might　be；　and　I　dare　to　affirm　that　if　my
memory　were　better；　these　souvenirs　would　contain　much　more　valuable
information。

Since　I　have　spoken　of　the　evil　tidings　which　overwhelmed　the　Emperor　in
such　quick　succession　during　the　last　months　of　the　year　1813；　there　is
one　I　should　not　omit；　since　it　affected　his　Majesty　so　painfully。　　I
refer　to　the　death　of　Count　Louis　de　Narbonne。　　Of　all　those　who　had　not
begun　their　careers　under　the　eyes　of　the　Emperor；　M。　de　Narbonne　was　the
one　for　whom　he　felt　the　deepest　affection；　and　it　must　be　admitted　that
it　was　impossible　to　find　a　man　in　whom　genuine　merit　was　united　to　more
attractive　manners。　　The　Emperor　regarded　him　as　a　most　proper　person　to
conduct　a　negotiation；　and　said　of　him　one　day；　〃Narbonne　is　a　born
ambassador。〃　　It　was　known　in　the　palace　why　the　Emperor　had　appointed
him　his　aide…decamp　at　the　time　he　formed　the　household　of　the　Empress
Marie　Louise。　　The　Emperor　had　at　first　intended　to　appoint　him　chevalier
of　honor　to　the　new　Empress；　but　a　skillfully　concocted　intrigue　caused
him　to　refuse　this　position；　and　it　was　in　some　degree　to　make　amends　for
this　that　he　received　the　appointment　of　aide…de…camp　to　his　Majesty。
There　was　not　at　that　time　a　position　more　highly　valued　in　all　France；
many　foreign　and　even　sovereign　princes　had　solicited　in　vain　this　high
mark　of　favor；　and　amongst　these　I　can　name　Prince　Leopold　de　Saxe…
Coburg；

　　　　　＇Later　he　became　King　of　the　Belgians　（in　1831）；　and　the　next　year
　　　　　married　the　daughter　of　Louis　Philippe。　　His　first　wife；　Princess
　　　　　Charlotte　of　England；　whom　he　married　in　1816；　died　the　same　year。
　　　　　Leopold　was　born　1790；　and　died　1865。＇

who　married　Princess　Charlotte　of　England；　and　who　refused　to　be　King　of
Greece；　after　failing　to　obtain　the　position　of　aide…de…camp　to　the
Emperor。

I　would　not　dare　to　say；　according　to　my　recollection；　that　no　one　at　the
court　was　jealous　on　seeing　M。　de　Narbonne　appointed　aide…de…camp　to　the
Emperor；　but　if　there　were　any　I　have　forgotten　their　names。　　However
that　may　have　been；　he　soon　became　very　popular；　and　each　day　the　Emperor
appreciated　more　highly　his　character　and　services。　　I　remember　on　one
occasion　to　have　heard　his　Majesty　sayI　think　it　was　at　Dresdenthat
he　had　never　thoroughly　known　the　cabinet　of　Vienna　until　the　fine　nose
of　Narbonnethat　was　the　Emperor's　expressionhad　scented　out　those　old
diplomats。　　After　the　pretended　negotiations；　of　which　I　have　spoken
above；　and　which　occupied　the　entire　time　of　the　armistice　at　Dresden；
M。　de　Narbonne　had　remained　in　Germany；　where　the　Emperor　had　committed
to　him　the　government　of　Torgau；　and　it　was　there　he　died；　on　the　17th　of
November；　in　consequence　of　a　fall　from　his　horse；　in　spite　of　all　the
attentions　lavished　on　him　by　Baron　Desgenettes。　　With　the　exception　of
the　death　of　Marshal　Duroc　and　Prince　Poniatowski；　I　do　not　remember　to
have　ever　seen　the　Emperor　show　more　sincere　sorrow　than　on　this
occasion。　　Meanwhile；　almost　at　the　very　moment　he　lost　M。　de　Narbonne；
but　before　he　had　heard　of　his　death；　the　Emperor　had　made　arrangements
to　fill　the　place　near　his　person　of　the　man　he　had　loved　most；　not　even
excepting　General　Desaix。　　He　had　just　called　General　Bertrand　to　the
high　position　of　grand　marshal　of　the　palace；　and　this　choice　was
generally　approved　by　all　who　had　the　honor　of　Count　Bertrand's
acquaintance。　　But　what　is　there　for　me　to　say　here　of　a　man　whose　name
in　history　will　never　be　separated　from　that　of　the　Emperor？　　This　same
period　had　seen　the　fall　of　the　Duke　of　Istria；　one　of　the　four　colonel…
generals　of　the　guard；　and　Marshal　Duroc：　and　this　same　appointment
included　the　names　of　their　successors；　for　Marshal　Suchet　was　appointed
at　the　same　time　as　General　Bertrand；　and　took　the　place　of　Marshal
Bessieres　as　colonel…general　of　the　guard。

　　　　　＇Louis　Gabriel　Suchet；　born　at　Lyons；　1770。　　Served　in　the　Italian
　　　　　campaign　in　1796。　　Brigadier…general；　1797；　general　of　division；
　　　　　1799。　　Governor　of　Genoa；　1800；　and　served　at　Austerlitz；　1805。　　For
　　　　　his　brilliant　services　in　Spain　he　was　created　Duke　of　Albufera　and
　　　　　marshal；　1811。　　At　St。　Helena；　Napoleon　stated　he　was　the　ablest　of
　　　　　his　generals　then　surviving。　　Suchet　married　the　niece　of　the　wives
　　　　　of　Joseph　Bonaparte　and　Bernadotte；　and　his　widow　died　as　recently
　　　　　as　1891。　　Suchet　died　1826。＇


At　the　same　time　his　Majesty　made　several　other　changes　in　the　higher
offices　of　the　Empire。　　A　committee　of　the　senate　having　conferred　on　the
Emperor　the　right　to　appoint；　of　his　own　choice；　the　president　of　the
Corps　Legislatif；　his　Majesty　bestowed　this　presidency　on　the　Duke　of
Massa；　who　was　replaced　in　his　former　position　as　grand　judge　by　Count
Mole；　　the　youngest　of　the　Emperor's　ministers。　　The　Duke　of　Bassano
became　the　secretary　of　state；　and　the　Duke　of　Vicenza　received　the
portfolio　of　foreign　relations。

As　I　have　said；　during　the　autumn　of　1813　his　Majesty　frequently　visited
the　public　works。　　He　usually　went　almost　unattended；　and　on　foot；　to
visit　those　of　the　Tuileries　and　the　Louvre；　and　afterwards　mounted　his
horse；　accompanied　by　one　or　two　officers　at　most；　and　M。　Fontaine；　and
went　to　examine　those　which　were　more　distant。　　One　day；it　was　about
the　end　of　November；　having　seized　the　opportunity　of　his　Majesty's
absence　to　take　a　walk　through　the　Faubourg　Saint　Germain；　I　unexpectedly
encountered　his　Majesty　on　his　way　to　the　Luxembourg；　just　as　he　arrived
at　the　entrance　of　the　Rue　de　Tournon；　and　it　is　impossible　to　describe
the　intense　satisfaction　with　which　I　heard　shouts　of　〃Vive　l'Empereur〃
break　forth　as　he　approached。　　I　found　myself　driven　by　the　crowd　very
near　the　Emperor's　horse；　and　yet　I　did　not　imagine　for　a　moment　that　he
had　recognized　me。　　On　his　return；　however；　I　had　proofs　to　the　contrary。
His　Majesty　had　seen　me；　and　as　I　assisted　him　to　change　his　clothing　the
Emperor　gayly　remarked　to　me；　〃Well；　M。　le　Drole！　　Ah！　　ah！　　what　were
you　doing　in　the　Faubourg　Saint　Germain？　　I　see　just　how　it　is！　　A　fine
thing　really！　　You　spy　on　me　when　I　go　out；〃　and　many　other　jests　of　the
same　kind；　for　on　that　day　the　Emperor　was　in　such　fine　spirits　that　I
concluded　he　had　been　much　pleased　with　his　visit。

Whenever　at　this　time　the　Emperor　experienced　any　unusual　anxiety；　I
noticed　that　in　order　to　dispel　it　he　took　pleasure　in　exhibiting　himself
in　public　more　frequently；　perhaps；　than　during　his　other　sojourns　in
Paris；　but　always　without　any　ostentation。　　He　went　frequently　to　the
theater；　and；　thanks　to　the　obliging　kindness　of　Count　de　Remusat；　I
myself　frequently　attended　these　assemblies；　which　at　that　time　always
had　the　appearance　of　a　fete。　　Assuredly；　when　on　the　occasion　of　the
first　representation　of　the　ballet　of　Nina；　their　Majesties　entered　their
box；　it　would　have　been　difficult　to　imagine　that　the　Emperor　had　already
enemies　among　his　subjects。　　It　is　true　that　the　mothers　and　widows　in
mourning　were　not　there；　but　I　can　affirm　that　I　have　never　seen　more
perfect　enthusiasm。　　The　Emperor　enjoyed　this　from　the　depths　of　his
heart；　even　more；　perhaps；　than　after　his　victories。　　The　conviction　that
he　was　beloved　by　the　French　people　impressed　him　deeply；　and　in　the
evening　he　condescended　to　speak　to　me　of　itshall　I　dare　to　say　like　a
child　puffed　up　with　pride　at　the　reward　he　has　just　received？　　Then　in
the　perfect　freedom　of　privacy　he　said　repeatedly；　〃My　wife！　　my　good
Louise！　　Truly；　she　should　be　well　satisfied。〃　　The　truth　is；　that　the
desire　to　see　the　Emperor　at　the　theater　was　so　great　in　Paris；　that　as
he　always　took　his　place　in　the　box　at　the　side；　opening　on　the
proscenium；　each　time　that　he　made　his　appearance　there　the　boxes
situated　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　hall　were　rented　at　incredible
figures；　and　even　the　uppermost　tiers　were　preferred　to　those　from　which
they　could　not　see　him　easily。　　No　one　who　lived　in　Paris　at　that　time
can　fail　to　recognize　the　correctness　of　this　statement。

Some　time　after　the　first　representation　of　the　ballet　of　Nina；　the
Emperor　again　attended　the　theater；　and　I　was　also　present。　　As　formerly；
the　Emperor　accompanied　her　Majesty；　and　I　could　not　keep　back　the
thought；　as　the　play　proceeded；　that　the　Emperor　had　some　memories
sufficient　to　distract　his　attention　from　the　exquisite　music。　　It　was　at
the　Italian　theater　then　occupying　the　Odeon。　　The　Cleopatra　of　Nazzolini
was　played；　and　the　representation　was　among　the　number　of　those　called
extraordinary；　since　it　was　on　the　occasion　of　Madame　Grassini's　benefit。
It　had　been　only　a　short　while　since　this　singer；　celebrated　in　more　ways
than　one；　had　first　appeared　in　public　on　a　Parisian　stage；　I　think　this
was　really　only　the　third　or　fourth　time；　and　I　should　state；　in　order　to
be　exactly　correct；　that　she　did　not　produce　on　the　Parisian　public
exactly　the　impression　which　had　been　expected　from　her　immense
reputation。　　It　had　been　long　since　the　Emperor　had　received　her
privately；　but；　nevertheless；　her　voice　and　Crescentini's　had　been
reserved　until　then　for　the　privileged　ears　of　the　spectators　of　Saint…
Cloud　and　the　theater　of　the　Tuileries。　　On；　this　occasion　the　Emperor
was　very　generous　towards　the　beneficiary；　but　no　interview　resulted；
for；　in　the　language　of　a　poet　of　that　period；　the　Cleopatra　of　Paris　did
not　conquer　another　Antony。

Thus；　as　we　see；　the　Emperor　on　a　few　occasions　laid　aside　the　important
affairs　which　occupied　him；　less　to　enjoy　the　theater　than　for　the
purpose　of　showing　himself　in　public。　　All　useful　undertakings　were　the
objects　of　his　care；　and　he　did　not　depend　entirely　even　on　the
information　of　men　to　whom　he　had　most　worthily　committed　them；　but　saw
everything　for　himself。　　Among　the　institutions　especially　protected　by
his　Majesty；　there　was　one　in　which　he　took　an　especial　interest。　　I　do
not　think　that　in　any　of　the　intervals　between　his　wars　the　Empe