napoleon bonaparte, v4-第12章

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time　my　father　was　tried　and　found　innocent；　this　time　it　is　his　pardon　I
implore！〃　　Finally　the　Emperor；　conquered　by　so　much　courage　and
devotion；　and　a　little　fatigued　besides　by　an　interview　which　the
perseverance　of　the　young　girl　would　doubtless　have　prolonged
indefinitely；　yielded　to　her　prayers；　and　the　life　of　General　Lajolais
was　spared。

　　　　　＇It　is　well　known　that　the　sentence　of　General　Lajolais　was
　　　　　commuted　to　four　years　detention　in　a　prison　of　state；　that　his
　　　　　property　was　confiscated　and　sold；　and　that　he　died　in　the　Chateau
　　　　　d'If　much　beyond　the　time　set　for　the　expiration　of　his　captivity。
　　　　　Note　by　CONSTANT。＇

Exhausted　by　fatigue　and　hunger；　the　daughter　fell　unconscious　at　the
Emperor's　feet；　he　himself　raised　her；　gave　her　every　attention；　and
presenting　her　to　the　persons　who　witnessed　this　scene；　praised　her
filial　piety　in　unmeasured　terms。

His　Majesty　at　once　gave　orders　that　she　should　be　reconducted　to　Paris；
and　several　superior　officers　disputed　with　each　other　the　pleasure　of
accompanying　her。　　Generals　Wolff；　aide…de…camp　of　Prince　Louis；　and
Lavalette　were　charged　with　this　duty；　and　conducted　her　to　the
conciergerie　where　her　father　was　confined。　　On　entering　his　cell；　she
threw　herself　on　his　neck　and　tried　to　tell　him　of　the　pardon　she　had
just　obtained；　but　overcome　by　so　many　emotions；　she　was　unable　to　utter
a　word；　and　it　was　General　Lavalette

　　　　　＇Marie　Chamans；　Count　de　Lavalette；　was　born　in　Paris；　1769。
　　　　　Entered　the　army　1792；　made　Captain　at　Arcola　1796；　and　served　in
　　　　　Egyptian　campaign。　　Married　Emilie　de　Beauharnais；　a　niece　of
　　　　　Josephine。　　Postmaster…general；　1800…1814。　　Condemned　to　death
　　　　　during　the　Hundred　Days；　he　escaped　from　prison　in　his　wife's　dress。
　　　　　His　wife　was　tried；　but　became　insane　from　excitement。　　He　was
　　　　　pardoned　1822；　and　died　1830；　leaving　two　volumes　of　Memoirs。　＇

who　announced　to　the　prisoner　what　he　owed　to　the　brave　persistence　of
his　daughter。　　The　next　day　she　obtained；　through　the　favor　of　the
Empress　Josephine；　the　liberty　of　her　mother；　who　was　to　have　been
transported。

Having　obtained　the　life　of　her　father　and　the　liberty　of　her　mother；　as
I　have　just　related；　she　still　further　exerted　herself　to　save　their
companions　in　misfortune；　who　had　been　condemned　to　death；　and　for　this
purpose　joined　the　ladies　of　Brittany；　who　had　been　led　to　seek　her
cooperation　by　the　success　of　her　former　petitions；　and　went　with　them　to
Malmaison　to　beg　these　additional　pardons。

These　ladies　had　succeeded　in　getting　the　execution　of　the　condemned
delayed　for　two　hours；　with　the　hope　that　the　Empress　Josephine　would　be
able　to　influence　the　Emperor；　but　he　remained　inflexible；　and　their
generous　attempt　met　with　no　success；　whereupon　Mademoiselle　Lajolais
returned　to　Paris；　much　grieved　that　she　had　not　been　able　to　snatch　a
few　more　unfortunates　from　the　rigor　of　the　law。

I　have　already　said　two　things　which　I　am　compelled　to　repeat　here：　the
first　is；　that；　not　feeling　obliged　to　relate　events　in　their
chronological　order；　I　shall　narrate　them　as　they　present　themselves　to
my　memory；　the　second　is；　that　I　deem　it　both　an　obligation　and　a　duty
which　I　owe　to　the　Emperor　to　relate　every　event　which　may　serve　to　make
his　true　character　better　known；　and　which　has　been　omitted；　whether
involuntarily　or　by　design；　by　those　who　have　written　his　life。　　I　care
little　if　I　am　accused　of　monotony　on　this　subject；　or　of　writing　only　a
panegyric；　but；　if　this　should　be　done；　I　would　reply：　So　much　the　worse
for　him　who　grows　weary　of　the　recital　of　good　deeds！　　I　have　undertaken
to　tell　the　truth　concerning　the　Emperor；　be　it　good　or　bad；　and　every
reader　who　expects　to　find　in　my　memoirs　of　the　Emperor　only　evil；　as
well　as　he　who　expects　to　find　only　good；　will　be　wise　to　go　no　farther；
for　I　have　firmly　resolved　to　relate　all　that　I　know；　and　it　is　not　my
fault　if　the　kind　acts　performed　by　the　Emperor　are　so　numerous　that　my
recitals　should　often　turn　to　praises。

I　thought　it　best　to　make　these　short　observations　before　giving　an
account　of　another　pardon　granted　by　his　Majesty　at　the　time　of　the
coronation；　and　which　the　story　of　Mademoiselle　Lajolais　has　recalled　to
my　recollection。

On　the　day　of　the　last　distribution　of　the　decoration　of　the　Legion　of
Honor　in　the　Church　of　the　Invalides；　as　the　Emperor　was　about　to　retire
at　the　conclusion　of　this　imposing　ceremony；　a　very　young　man　threw
himself　on　his　knees　on　the　steps　of　the　throne；　crying　out；　〃Pardon；
pardon　for　my　father。〃　　His　Majesty；　touched　by　his　interesting
countenance　and　deep　emotion；　approached　him　and　attempted　to　raise　him；
but　the　young　man　still　retained　his　beseeching　posture；　repeating　his
demand　in　moving　tones。　　〃What　is　your　father's　name？〃　demanded　the
Emperor。　　〃Sire；〃　replied　the　young　man；　hardly　able　to　make　himself
heard；　〃it　is　well　known；　and　has　been　only　too　often　calumniated　by　the
enemies　of　my　father　before　your　Majesty；　but　I　swear　that　he　is
innocent。　　I　am　the　son　of　Hugues　Destrem。〃〃Your　father；　sir；　is
gravely　compromised　by　his　connection　with　incorrigible　revolutionists；
but　I　will　consider　your　application。　　Monsieur　Destrem　is　happy　in
having　so　devoted　a　son。〃　　The　Emperor　added　a　few　consoling　words；　and
the　young　man　retired　with　the　certainty　that　his　father　would　be
pardoned；　but　unfortunately　this　pardon　which　was　granted　by　the　Emperor
came　too　late；　and　Hugues　Destrem；　who　had　been　transported　to　the　Island
of　Oleron　after　the　attempt　of　the　3d　Nivose；＇The　affair　of　the
infernal　machine　in　the　Rue　Sainte　Nicaise＇in　which　he　had　taken　no
part；　died　in　his　exile　before　he　had　even　learned　that　the　solicitations
of　his　son　had　met　with　such　complete　success。

On　our　return　from　the　glorious　campaign　of　Austerlitz；　the　commune　of
Saint…Cloud；　so　favored　by　the　sojourn　of　the　court；　had　decided　that　it
would　distinguish　itself　on　this　occasion；　and　take　the　opportunity　of
manifesting　its　great　affection　for　the　Emperor。

The　mayor　of　Saint…Cloud　was　Monsieur　Barre；　a　well　informed　man；　with　a
very　kind　heart。　　Napoleon　esteemed　him　highly；　and　took　much　pleasure　in
his　conversation；　and　he　was　sincerely　regretted　by　his　subordinates　when
death　removed　him。

M。　Barre　had　erected　an　arch　of　triumph；　of　simple　but　noble　design；　in
excellent　taste；　at　the　foot　of　the　avenue　leading　to　the　palace；　which
was　adorned　with　the　following　inscription：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃TO　HER　BELOVED　SOVEREIGN；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　MOST　FORTUNATE　OF　THE　COMMUNES。〃

The　evening　on　which　the　Emperor　was　expected；　the　mayor　and　his
associates；　armed　with　the　necessary　harangue；　passed　a　part　of　the　night
at　the　foot　of　the　monument。　　M。　Barre；　who　was　old　and　feeble；　then
retired；　after　having　placed　as　sentinel　one　of　his　associates；　whose
duty　it　was　to　inform　him　of　the　arrival　of　the　first　courier；　and　a
ladder　was　placed　across　the　entrance　of　the　arch　of　triumph；　so　that　no
one　might　pass　under　it　before　his　Majesty。　　Unfortunately；　the　municipal
argus　went　to　sleep；　and　the　Emperor　arrived　in　the　early　morning；　and
passed　by　the　side　of　the　arch　of　triumph；　much　amused　at　the　obstacle
which　prevented　his　enjoying　the　distinguished　honor　which　the　good
inhabitants　of　Saint…Cloud　had　prepared　for　him。

On　the　day　succeeding　this　event；　a　little　drawing　was　circulated　in　the
palace　representing　the　authorities　asleep　near　the　monument；　a　prominent
place　being　accorded　the　ladder；　which　barred　the　passage；　and　underneath
was　written　the　arch　barre；　alluding　to　the　name　of　the　mayor。　　As　for
the　inscription；　they　had　travestied　it　in　this　manner：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃TO　HER　BELOVED　SOVEREIGN；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SLEEPIEST　OF　THE　COMMUNES。〃

Their　Majesties　were　much　amused　by　this　episode。

While　the　court　was　at　Saint…Cloud；　the　Emperor；　who　had　worked　very　late
one　evening　with　Monsieur　de　Talleyrand；　invited　the　latter　to　sleep　at
the　chateau；　but　the　prince；　who　preferred　returning　to　Paris；　refused；
giving　as　an　excuse　that　the　beds　had　a　very　disagreeable　odor。　　There
was　no　truth　whatever　in　this　statement；　for　there　was；　as　may　be
believed；　the　greatest　care　taken　of　the　furniture；　even　in　the　store…
rooms　of　the　different　imperial　palaces；　and　the　reason　assigned　by　M。　de
Talleyrand　being　given　at　random；　he　could　just　as　well　have　given　any
other；　but；　nevertheless；　the　remark　struck　the　Emperor's　attention；　and
that　evening　on　entering　his　bedroom　he　complained　that　his　bed　had　an
unpleasant　odor。　　I　assured　him　to　the　contrary；　and　told　his　Majesty
that　he　would　next　day　be　convinced　of　his　error；　but；　far　from　being
persuaded；　the　Emperor；　when　he　rose　next　morning；　repeated　the　assertion
that　his　bed　had　a　very　disagreeable　odor；　and　that　it　was　absolutely
necessary　to　change　it。　　M。　Charvet；　concierge　of　the　palace；　was　at　once
summoned；　his　Majesty　complained　of　his　bed；　and　ordered　another　to　be
brought。

M。　Desmasis；　keeper　of　the　furniture…room；　was　also　called；　who　examined
mattress；　feather…beds；　and　covering；　turned　and　returned　them　in　every
direction；　other　persons　did　the　same；　and　each　was　convinced　that　there
was　no　odor　about　his　Majesty's　bed。　　In　spite　of　so　many　witnesses　to
the　contrary；　the　Emperor；　not　because　he　made　it　a　point　of　honor　not　to
have　what　he　had　asserted　proved　false；　but　merely　from　a　caprice　to
which　he　was　very　subject；　persisted　in　his　first　idea；　and　required　his
bed　to　be　changed。　　Seeing　that　it　was　necessary　to　obey；　I　sent　this　bed
to　the　Tuileries；　and　had　the　one　which　was　there　brought　to　the　chateau
of　Saint…Cloud。　　The　Emperor　was　now　satisfied；　and；　on　his　return　to　the
Tuileries；　did　not　notice　the　exchange；　and　thought　his　bed　in　that
chateau　very　good；　and　the　most　amusing　part　of　all　was　that　the　ladies
of　the　palace；　having　learned　that　the　Emperor　had　complained　of　his　bed；
all　found　an　unbearable　odor　in　theirs；　and　insisted　that　everything　must
be　overhauled；　which　created　a　small　revolution。　　The　caprices　of
sovereigns　are　sometimes　epidemic。




CHAPTER　XXX。

His　Majesty　was　accustomed　to　say　that　one　could　always　tell　an　honorable
man　by　his　conduct　to　his　wife；　his　children；　and　his　servants；　and　I
hope　it　will　appear　from　these　memoirs　that　the　Emperor　conducted　himself
as　an　honorable　man；　according　to　his　own　definition。　　He　said；　moreover；
that　immorality　was　the　most　dangerous　vice　of　a　sovereign；　because　of
the　evil　example　it　set　to　his　subjects。　　What　he　meant　by　immorality　was
doubtless　a　scandalous　publicity　given　to　liaisons　which　might　otherwise
have　remained　secret；　for；　as　regards　these　liaisons　themselves；　he
withstood　women　no　more　than　any　other　man　when　they　threw　themselves　at
his　head。　　Perhaps　another　man；　surrounded　by　seductions；　attacks；　and
advances　of　all　kinds；　would　have　resisted　these　temptations　still　less。
Nevertheless；　please　God；　I　do　not　propose　to　defend　his　Majesty　in　this
respect。　　I　will　even　admit；　if　you　wish；　that　his　conduct　did　not　offer
an　example　in　the　most　perfect　accord　with　the　morality　of　his
discourses；　but　it　must　be　admitted　also　that　it