napoleon bonaparte, v4-第13章

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an　example　in　the　most　perfect　accord　with　the　morality　of　his
discourses；　but　it　must　be　admitted　also　that　it　was　somewhat　to　the
credit　of　a　sovereign　that　he　concealed；　with　the　most　scrupulous　care；
his　frailties　from　the　public；　lest　they　should　be　a　subject　of　scandal；
or；　what　is　worse；　of　imitation；　and　from　his　wife；　to　whom　it　would　have
been　a　source　of　the　deepest　grief。

On　this　delicate　subject　I　recall　two　or　three　occurrences　which　took
place；　I　think；　about　the　period　which　my　narrative　has　now　reached。

The　Empress　Josephine　was　jealous；　and；　notwithstanding　the　prudence
which　the　Emperor　exercised　in　his　secret　liaisons；　could　not　remain　in
entire　ignorance　of　what　was　passing。

The　Emperor　had　known　at　Genoa　Madame　Gazani；　the　daughter　of　an　Italian
dancer；　whom　he　continued　to　receive　at　Paris；　and　one　day；　having　an
appointment　with　her　in　his　private　apartments；　ordered　me　to　remain　in
his　room；　and　to　reply　to　whoever　asked　for　him；　even　if　it　was　her
Majesty　the　Empress　herself；　that　he　was　engaged　in　his　cabinet　with　a
minister。

The　place　of　the　interview　was　the　apartment　formerly　occupied　by
Bourrienne；　communicating　by　a　staircase　which　opened　on　his　Majesty's
bedroom。　　This　room　had　been　arranged　and　decorated　very　plainly；　and　had
a　second　exit　on　the　staircase　called　the　black　staircase；　because　it　was
dark　and　badly　lighted；　and　it　was　through　this　that　Madame　Gazani
entered；　while　the　Emperor　came　in　by　the　other　door。　　They　had　been
together　only　a　few　moments　when　the　Empress　entered　the　Emperor's　room；
and　asked　me　what　her　husband　was　doing。　　〃Madame；　the　Emperor　is　very
busy　just　now；　he　is　working　in　his　cabinet　with　a　minister。〃〃Constant；
I　wish　to　enter。〃〃That　is　impossible；　Madame。　　I　have　received　a　formal
order　not　to　disturb　his　Majesty；　not　even　for　her　Majesty　the　Empress；〃
whereupon　she　went　away　dissatisfied　and　somewhat　irritated；　and　at　the
end　of　half　an　hour　returned；　and；　renewing　her　demand；　I　was　obliged　to
repeat　my　reply；　and；　though　much　distressed　in　witnessing　the　chagrin　of
her　Majesty　the　Empress；　I　could　not　disobey　my　orders。　　That　evening　on
retiring　the　Emperor　said　to　me；　in　a　very　severe　tone；　that　the　Empress
had　informed　him　she　had　learned　from　me；　that；　at　the　time　she　came　to
question　me　in　regard　to　him；　he　was　closeted　with　a　lady。　　Not　at　all
disturbed；　I　replied　to　the　Emperor；　that　of　course　he　could　not　believe
that。　　〃No；〃　replied　the　Emperor；　returning　to　the　friendly　tone　with
which　he　habitually　honored　me；　〃I　know　you　well　enough　to　be　assured　of
your　discretion；　but　woe　to　the　idiots　who　are　gossiping；　if　I　can　get
hold　of　them。〃　　The　next　night　the　Empress　entered；　as　the　Emperor　was
retiring；　and　his　Majesty　said　to　her　in　my　presence；　〃It　is　very　bad　to
impute　falsehood　to　poor　Monsieur　Constant；　he　is　not　the　man　to　make　up
such　a　tale　as　that　you　told　me。〃　　The　Empress；　seated　on　the　edge　of　the
bed；　began　to　laugh；　and　put　her　pretty　little　hand　over　her　husband's
mouth；　and；　as　it　was　a　matter　concerning　myself；　I　withdrew。　　For　a　few
days　the　Empress　was　cool　and　distant　to　me；　but；　as　this　was　foreign　to
her　nature；　she　soon　resumed　the　gracious　manner　which　attached　all
hearts　to　her。

The　Emperor's　liaison　with　Madame　Gazani　lasted　nearly　a　year；　but　they
met　only　at　long　intervals。

The　following　instance　of　jealousy　is　not　as　personal　to　me　as　that　which
I　have　just　related。

Madame　de　Remusat；＇Authoress　of　the　well…known　Memoirs。　　Born　in　Paris；
1780；　died　1821。　　Her　husband　was　first　chamberlain　to　the　Emperor。　＇
wife　of　one　of　the　prefects　of　the　palace；　and　one　of　the　ladies　of　honor
to　whom　the　Empress　was　most　attached；　found　her　one　evening　in　tears　and
despair；　and　waited　in　silence　till　her　Majesty　should　condescend　to　tell
her　the　cause　of　this　deep　trouble。　　She　had　not　long　to　wait；　however；
for　hardly　had　she　entered　the　apartment　than　her　Majesty　exclaimed；　〃I
am　sure　that　he　is　now　with　some　woman。　　My　dear　friend；〃　added　she；
continuing　to　weep；　〃take　this　candle　and　let　us　go　and　listen　at　his
door。　　We　will　hear　much。〃　　Madame　de　Remusat　did　all　in　her　power　to
dissuade　her　from　this　project；　representing　to　her　the　lateness　of　the
hour；　the　darkness　of　the　passage；　and　the　danger　they　would　run　of　being
surprised；　but　all　in　vain；　her　Majesty　put　the　candle　in　her　hand；
saying；　〃It　is　absolutely　necessary　that　you　should　go　with　me；　but；　if
you　are　afraid；　I　will　go　in　front。〃　　Madame　de　Remusat　obeyed；　and
behold　the　two　ladies　advancing　on　their　tiptoes　along　the　corridor；　by
the　light　of　a　single　candle　flickering　in　the　air。　　Having　reached　the
door　of　the　Emperor's　antechamber；　they　stopped；　hardly　daring　to
breathe；　and　the　Empress　softly　turned　the　knob；　but；　just　as　she　put　her
foot　into　the　apartment；　Roustan；　who　slept　there　and　was　then　sleeping
soundly；　gave　a　formidable　and　prolonged　snore。　　These　ladies　had　not
apparently　remembered　that　they　would　find　him　there；　and　Madame　de
Remusat；　imagining　that　she　already　saw　him　leaping　out　of　bed　saber　and
pistol　in　hand；　turned　and　ran　as　fast　as　she　could；　still　holding　the
candle　in　her　hand；　and　leaving　the　Empress　in　complete　darkness；　and　did
not　stop　to　take　breath　until　she　reached　the　Empress's　bedroom；　when　she
remembered　that　the　latter　had　been　left　in　the　corridor　with　no　light。
Madame　de　Remusat　went　back　to　meet　her；　and　saw　her　returning；　holding
her　sides　with　laughter；　and　forgetting　her　chagrin　in　the　amusement
caused　by　this　adventure。　　Madame　de　Remusat　attempted　to　excuse　herself。
〃My　dear　friend；〃　said　her　Majesty；　〃you　only　anticipated　me；　for　that
pigheaded　Roustan　frightened　me　so　that　I　should　have　run　first；　if　you
had　not　been　a　greater　coward　than　I。〃

I　do　not　know　what　these　ladies　would　have　discovered　if　their　courage
had　not　failed　them　before　reaching　the　end　of　their　expedition；　but
probably　nothing　at　all；　for　the　Emperor　rarely　received　at　the　Tuileries
any　one　for　whom　he　had　a　temporary　fancy。　　I　have　already　stated　that；
under　the　consulate；　he　had　his　meetings　in　a　small　house　in　the　allee
des　Veuves；　and　after　he　became　Emperor；　such　meetings　still　took　place
outside　the　chateau；　and　to　these　rendezvous　he　went　incognito　at　night；
exposing　himself　to　all　the　chances　that　a　man　runs　in　such　adventures。

One　evening；　between　eleven　o'clock　and　midnight；　the　Emperor　called　me；
asked　for　a　black　frock　coat　and　round　hat；　and　ordered　me　to　follow　him；
and　with　Prince　Murat　as　the　third　party；　we　entered　a　close　carriage
with　Caesar　as　driver；　and　only　a　single　footman；　both　without　livery。
After　a　short　ride；　the　Emperor　stopped　in　the　rue　de　；　alighted；　went　a
few　steps　farther；　and　entered　a　house　alone；　while　the　prince　and　I
remained　in　the　carriage。　　Some　hours　passed；　and　we　began　to　be　uneasy；
for　the　life　of　the　Emperor　had　been　so　often　menaced；　that　it　was　very
natural　to　fear　some　snare　or　surprise；　and　imagination　takes　the　reins
when　beset　by　such　fears。　　Prince　Murat　swore　and　cursed　with　all　his
might；　sometimes　the　imprudence　of　his　Majesty；　then　his　gallantry；　then
the　lady　and　her　complaisance。　　I　was　not　any　better　satisfied　than　he；
but　being　calmer　I　tried　to　quiet　him；　and　at　last；　unable　longer　to
restrain　his　impatience；　the　prince　sprang　out　of　the　carriage；　and　I
followed；　but；　just　as　his　hand　was　on　the　knocker　of　the　door；　the
Emperor　came　out。　　It　was　then　already　broad　daylight；　and　the　Prince
informed　him　of　our　anxiety；　and　the　reflections　we　had　made　upon　his
rashness。　　〃What　childishness！〃　　said　his　Majesty；　〃what　is　there　to
fear？　　Wherever　I　am；　am　I　not　in　my　own　house？〃

It　was　as　volunteers　that　any　courtiers　mentioned　to　the　Emperor　any
young　and　pretty　persons　who　wished　to　make　his　acquaintance；　for　it　was
in　no　wise　in　keeping　with　his　character　to　give　such　commissions。　　I　was
not　enough　of　a　courtier　to　think　such　an　employment　honorable；　and　never
voluntarily　took　part　in　any　business　of　the　kind。

It　was　not；　however；　for　want　of　having　been　indirectly　sounded；　or　even
openly　solicited；　by　certain　ladies　who　were　ambitious　of　the　title　of
favorites；　although　this　title　would　have　given　very　few　rights　and
privileges　with　the　Emperor；　but　I　would　never　enter　into　such　bargains；
restricting　myself　to　the　duties　which　my　position　imposed　on　me；　and　not
going　beyond　them；　and；　although　his　Majesty　took　pleasure　in　reviving
the　usages　of　the　old　monarchy；　the　secret　duties　of　the　first　valet　de
chambre　were　not　re…established；　and　I　took　care　not　to　claim　them。

Many　others　（not　valets　de　chambre）　were　less　scrupulous　than　I。　　General
L　spoke　to　the　Emperor　one　day　of　a　very　pretty　girl　whose　mother
kept　a　gambling…house；　and　who　desired　to　be　presented　to　him；　but　the
Emperor　received　her　once　only；　and　a　few　days　afterwards　she　was
married。　　Some　time　later　his　Majesty　wished　to　see　her　again；　and　asked
for　her；　but　the　young　woman　replied　that　she　did　not　belong　to　herself
any　longer；　and　refused　all　the　invitations　and　offers　made　to　her。　　The
Emperor　seemed　in　no　wise　dissatisfied；　but　on　the　contrary　praised
Madame　D　for　her　fidelity　to　duty；　and　approved　her　conduct　highly。

In　1804　her　imperial　highness　Princess　Murat　had　in　her　household　a　young
reader　named　Mademoiselle　E；　seventeen　or　eighteen　years　of　age；
tall；　slender；　well　made；　a　brunette；　with　beautiful　black　eyes；
sprightly；　and　very　coquettish。　　Some　persons　who　thought　it　to　their
interest　to　create　differences　between　his　Majesty　and　the　Empress；　his
wife；　noticed　with　pleasure　the　inclination　of　this　young　reader　to　try
the　power　of　her　glances　upon　the　Emperor；　and　his　disposition　to
encourage　her；　so　they　stirred　up　the　fire　adroitly；　and　one　of　them　took
upon　himself　all　the　diplomacy　of　this　affair。　　Propositions　made　through
a　third　party　were　at　once　accepted；　and　the　beautiful　E　came　to　the
chateau　secretly；　but　rarely；　and　remained　there　only　two　or　three；
hours。　　When　she　became　enceinte；　the　Emperor　had　a　house　rented　for　her
in　the　Rue　Chantereine；　where　she　bore　a　fine　boy；　upon　whom　was　settled
at　his　birth　an　income　of　thirty　thousand　francs。　　He　was　confided　at
first　to　the　care　of　Madame　I；　nurse　of　Prince　Achille　Murat；　who
kept　him　three　or　four　years；　and　then　Monsieur　de　Meneval；　his　Majesty's
secretary；　was　ordered　to　provide　for　the　education　of　this　child；　and
when　the　Emperor　returned　from　the　Island　of　Elba；　the　son　of
Mademoiselle　E　was　placed　in　the　care　of　her　Majesty；　the　Empress…
mother。　　The　liaison　of　the　Emperor　with　Mademoiselle　E　did　not　last
long。　　She　came　one　day　with　her　mother　to　Fontainebleau；　where　the　court
then　happened　to　be；　went　up　to　his　Majesty's　apartment；　and　asked　me　to
announce　her；　and　the　Emperor；　being　exceedingly　displeased　by　this　step；
directed　me　to　say　to　Mademoiselle　E　that　he　forbade　her　to　present
herself　before　him　again　without　his　permission；　and　not　to　remain　a
moment　longer　at　Fontainebleau。　　In　spite　of　this　harshness　to　the
mother；　the　Emperor　loved　the　son　tenderly；　and　I　brought　him　to　him
often；　on　which　occasions　he　caressed　the　child；　gave　him　a　great　many
dainties；　and　wa