napoleon bonaparte, v4-第3章

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would　be　present　at　her　husband's　toilet；　and　that；　if　I　thought　proper
to　open　the　matter；　she　would　sustain　me　with　all　her　influence。
Consequently；　finding　the　Emperor　in　a　good　humor；　I　spoke　of　M。　Frere；
and　depicting　to　his　Majesty　the　despair　of　this　poor　man；　I　pointed　out
to　him　the　reasons　which　might　excuse　the　impropriety　of　his　conduct。
〃Sire；〃　said　I；　〃he　is　a　good　man；　who　has　no　fortune；　and　supports　a
numerous　family；　and　if　he　has　to　quit　the　service　of　her　Majesty　the
Empress；　it　will　not　be　believed　that　it　was　on　account　of　a　fault　for
which　the　wine　was　more　to　be　blamed　than　he；　and　he　will　be　utterly
ruined。〃　　To　these　words；　as　well　as　to　many　other　suggestions；　the
Emperor　only　replied　by　interruptions；　made　with　every　appearance　of　a
decided　opposition　to　the　pardon　which　I　had　requested。　　Fortunately　the
Empress　was　good　enough　to　come　to　my　assistance；　and　said　to　her　husband
in　her　own　gentle　tones；　always　so　touching　and　full　of　expression；　〃Mon
ami；　if　you　are　willing　to　pardon　him；　you　will　be　doing　me　a　favor。〃
Emboldened　by　this　powerful　patronage；　I　renewed　my　solicitations；　to
which　the　Emperor　at　last　replied　abruptly；　addressing　himself　to　both
the　Empress　and　myself；　〃In　short；　you　wish　it；　well；　let　him　stay　then。〃

Monsieur　Frere　thanked　me　with　his　whole　heart；　and　could　hardly　believe
the　good　news　which　I　brought　him；　and　as　for　the　Empress；　she　was　made
happy　by　the　joy　of　this　faithful　servant；　who　gave　her　during　the
remainder　of　his　life　every　proof　of　his　entire　devotion。　　I　have　been
assured　that；　in　1814；　on　the　departure　of　the　Emperor　for　the　Island　of
Elba；　Monsieur　Frere　was　by　no　means　the　last　to　blame　my　conduct；　the
motive　of　which　he　could　not　possibly　know；　but　I　am　not　willing　to
believe　this；　for　it　seems　to　me　that　in　his　place；　if　I　thought　I　could
not　defend　an　absent　friend；　I　should　at　least　have　kept　silence。

As　I　have　said；　the　Empress　was　extremely　generous；　and　bestowed　much　in
alms；　and　was　most　ingenious　in　finding　occasions　for　their　bestowal。
Many　emigres　lived　solely　on　her　benefactions；　she　also　kept　up　a　very
active　correspondence　with　the　Sisters　of　Charity　who　nursed　the　sick；
and　sent　them　a　multitude　of　things。　　Her　valets　were　ordered　to　go　in
every　direction；　carrying　to　the　needy　the　assistance　of　her
inexhaustible　benevolence；　while　numerous　other　persons　also　received
each　day　similar　commissions；　and　all　these　alms；　all　these　multiplied
gifts　which　were　so　widely　diffused；　received　an　inestimable　value　from
the　grace　with　which　they　were　offered；　and　the　good　judgment　with　which
they　were　distributed。　　I　could　cite　a　thousand　instances　of　this
delicate　generosity。

Monsieur　de　Beauharnais　had　at　the　time　of　his　marriage　to　Josephine　a
natural　daughter　named　Adele。　　The　Empress　reared　her　as　if　she　had　been
her　own　daughter；　had　her　carefully　educated；　gave　her　a　generous　dowry；
and　married　her　to　a　prefect　of　the　Empire。

If　the　Empress　showed　so　much　tenderness　for　a　daughter　who　was　not　her
own；　it　is　impossible　to　give　an　idea　of　her　love　and　devotion　to　Queen
Hortense　and　Prince　Eugene；　which　devotion　her　children　fully　returned；
and　there　was　never　a　better　or　happier　mother。　　She　was　very　proud　of
her　children；　and　spoke　of　them　always　with　an　enthusiasm　which　seemed
very　natural　to　all　who　knew　the　Queen　of　Holland　and　the　Vice…King　of
Italy。　　I　have　related　how；　having　been　left　an　orphan　at　a　very　early
age　by　the　Revolutionary　scaffold；　young　Beauharnais　had　gained　the　heart
of　General　Bonaparte　by　an　interview　in　which　he　requested　of　him　his
father's　sword；　and　that　this　action　inspired　in　the　General　a　wish　to
become　acquainted　with　Josephine；　and　the　result　of　that　interview；　all
of　which　events　are　matters　of　history。　　When　Madame　de　Beauharnais　had
become　the　wife　of　General　Bonaparte；　Eugene　entered　on　a　military
career；　and　attached　himself　immediately　to　the　fortunes　of　his　step…
father；　whom　he　accompanied　to　Italy　in　the　capacity　of　aide…de…camp。　　He
was　chief　of　squadron　in　the　chasseurs　of　the　Consular　Guard；　and　at　the
immortal　battle　of　Marengo　shared　all　the　dangers　of　the　one　who　took　so
much　pleasure　in　calling　him　his　son。　　A　few　years　later　the　chief　of
squadron　had　become　Vice…King　of　Italy；　the　presumptive　heir　of　the
imperial　crown　（a　title　which；　in　truth；　he　did　not　long　preserve）；　and
husband　of　the　daughter　of　a　king。

The　vice…queen　（Augusta　Amelia　of　Bavaria）　was　handsome　and　good　as　an
angel。　　I　happened　to　be　at　Malmaison　on　the　day　the　Empress　received　the
portrait　of　her　daughter…in…law；　surrounded　by　three　or　four　children；
one　upon　her　shoulder；　another　at　her　feet；　and　a　third　in　her　arms；　all
of　whom　had　most　lovely　faces。　　The　Empress；　seeing　me；　deigned　to　call
me　to　admire　with　her　this　collection　of　charming　heads；　and　I　perceived
that；　while　speaking；　her　eyes　were　full　of　tears。　　The　portraits　were
well　painted；　and　I　had　occasion　later　to　find　that　they　were　perfect
likenesses。　　From　this　time　the　only　question　was　playthings　and　rare
articles　of　all　sorts　to　be　bought　for　these　dear　children；　the　Empress
going　in　person　to　select　the　presents　she　desired　for　them；　and　having
them　packed　under　her　own　eyes。

The　prince's　valet　has　assured　me　that；　at　the　time　of　the　divorce；
Prince　Eugene　wrote　his　wife　a　very　desponding　letter；　and　perhaps
expressed　in　it　some　regret　at　not　being　an　adopted　son　of　the　Emperor；
to　which　the　Princess　replied　most　tenderly；　saying；　among　other　things；
〃It　is　not　the　heir　of　the　Emperor　whom　I　married　and　whom　I　love；　but　it
is　Eugene　de　Beauharnais。〃　　The　Prince　read　this　sentence　and　some　others
in　the　presence　of　the　person　from　whom　I　have　these　facts；　and　who　was
touched　even　to　tears。　　Such　a　woman　deserved　more　than　a　throne。

After　that　event；　so　grievous　to　the　heart　of　the　Empress；　and　for　which
she　never　found　consolation；　she　left　Malmaison　no　more；　except　to　make　a
few　visits　to　Navarre。

Each　time　that　I　returned　to　Paris　with　the　Emperor；　I　had　no　sooner
arrived　than　my　first　duty　was　to　go　to　Malmaison；　though　I　was　rarely
the　bearer　of　a　letter　from　the　Emperor；　as　he　wrote　to　Josephine　only　on
extraordinary　occasions。　　〃Tell　the　Empress　I　am　well；　and　that　I　wish
her　to　be　happy；〃　were　almost　invariably　the　parting　words　of　the　Emperor
as　I　set　out。　　The　moment　I　arrived　the　Empress　quitted　everything　to
speak　to　me；　and　I　frequently　remained　an　hour　and　often　two　hours　with
her；　during　which　time　there　was　no　question　of　anything　save　the
Emperor。　　I　must　tell　her　all　that　he　had　suffered　on　the　journey；　if　he
had　been　sad　or　gay；　sick　or　well；　while　she　wept　over　the　details　as　I
repeated　them；　and　gave　me　a　thousand　directions　regarding　his　health；
and　the　cares　with　which　she　desired　I　should　surround　him。　　After　this
she　deigned　to　question　me　about　myself；　my　prospects；　the　health　of　my
wife；　her　former　protegee；　and　at　last　dismissed　me；　with　a　letter　for
his　Majesty；　begging　me　to　say　to　the　Emperor　how　happy　she　would　be　if
he　would　come　to　see　her。

Before　his　departure　for　Russia；　the　Empress；　distressed　at　this　war；　of
which　she　entirely　disapproved；　again　redoubled　her　recommendations
concerning　the　Emperor；　and　made　me　a　present　of　her　portrait；　saying　to
me；　〃My　good　Constant；　I　rely　on　you；　if　the　Emperor　were　sick；　you　would
inform　me　of　it；　would　you　not？　　Conceal　nothing　from　me；　I　love　him　so
much。〃

Certainly　the　Empress　had　innumerable　means　of　hearing　news　of　his
Majesty；　but　I　am　persuaded　that；　had　she　received　each　day　one　hundred
letters　from　those　near　the　Emperor；　she　would　have　read　and　reread　them
with　the　same　avidity。

When　I　had　returned　from　Saint…Cloud　to　the　Tuileries；　the　Emperor　asked
me　how　Josephine　was；　and　if　I　found　her　in　good　spirits；　he　received
with　pleasure　the　letters　I　brought；　and　hastened　to　open　them。　　All　the
time　I　was　traveling；　or　on　the　campaign　in　the　suite　of　his　Majesty；　in
writing　to　my　wife；　I　spoke　of　the　Emperor；　and　the　good　princess　was
delighted　that　she　showed　my　letters　to　her。　　In　fact；　everything　having
the　least　connection　with　her　husband　interested　the　Empress　to　a　degree
which　proved　well　the　singular　devotion　that　she　still　felt　for　him
after；　as　before；　their　separation。　　Too　generous；　and　unable　to　keep　her
expenses　within　her　income；　it　often　happened　that　the　Empress　was
obliged　to　send　away　her　furnishers　unpaid　the　very　day　she　had　herself
fixed　for　the　settlement　of　their　bills；　and　as　this　reached　the　ears　of
the　Emperor　on　one　occasion；　there　ensued　a　very　unpleasant　scene　between
the　Empress　and　himself；　ending　in　a　decision；　that　in　future　no　merchant
or　furnisher　should　come　to　the　chateau　without　a　letter　from　the　lady　of
attire　or　secretary　of　orders；　and　this　plan；　once　decided　upon；　was
followed　very　closely　until　the　divorce。　　During　this　explanation　the
Empress　wept　freely；　and　promised　to　be　more　economical；　upon　which　the
Emperor　pardoned　and　embraced　her；　and　peace　was　made；　this　being；　I
think；　the　last　quarrel　of　this　nature　which　disturbed　the　imperial
household。

I　have　heard　that　after　the　divorce；　the　allowance　of　the　Empress　having
been　exceeded；　the　Emperor　reproached　the　superintendent　of　Malmaison
with　this　fact；　who　in　turn　informed　Josephine。　　His　kind…hearted
mistress；　much　distressed　at　the　annoyance　which　her　steward　had
experienced；　and　not　knowing　how　to　establish　a　better　order　of　things；
assembled　a　council　of　her　household；　over　which　she　presided　in　a　linen
dress　without　ornament；　this　dress　had　been　made　in　great　haste；　and　was
used　only　this　once。　　The　Empress；　whom　the　necessity　for　a　refusal
always　reduced　to　despair；　was　continually　besieged　by　merchants；　who
assured　her　that　they　had　made　such　or　such　a　thing　expressly　for　her　own
use；　begging　her　not　to　return　it　because　they　would　not　be　able　to
dispose　of　it；　in　consequence　of　which　the　Empress　kept　everything　they
brought；　though　they　afterwards　had　to　be　paid　for。

The　Empress　was　always　extremely　polite　in　her　intercourse　with　the
ladies　of　her　household；　and　a　reproach　never　came　from　those　lips　which
seemed　formed　to　say　only　pleasant　things；　and　if　any　of　her　ladies　gave
her　cause　of　dissatisfaction；　the　only　punishment　she　inflicted　was　an
absolute　silence　on　her　part；　which　lasted　one；　two；　three；　or　even　eight
days；　the　time　being　longer　or　shorter　according　to　the　gravity　of　the
fault。　　And　indeed　this　penalty；　apparently　so　mild；　was　really　very
cruel　to　many；　so　well　did　the　Empress　know　how　to　make　herself　adored　by
those　around　her。

In　the　time　of　the　Consulate；　Madame　Bonaparte　often　received　from　cities
which　had　been　conquered　by　her　husband；　or　from　those　persons　who
desired　to　obtain　her　intercession　with　the　First　Consul；　quantities　of
valuable　furniture；　curiosities　of　all　kinds；　pictures；　stuffs；　etc。　　At
first　these　presents　delighted　Madame　Bonaparte　greatly；　and　she　took　a
childish　pleasure　in　having　the　cases　opened　to　find　what　was　inside；
personally　assisting　in　unpacking　them；　and　rummaging　through　all　these
pretty　things。　　But　soon　these　consignments　became　so　considerable；　a