napoleon bonaparte, v4-第4章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


pretty　things。　　But　soon　these　consignments　became　so　considerable；　and
were　so　often　repeated；　that　it　was　found　necessary　to　place　them　in　an
apartment；　of　which　my　father…in…law　kept　the　key；　and　where　the　boxes
remained　untouched　until　it　pleased　Madame　Bonaparte　to　have　them　opened。

When　the　First。　　Consul　decided　that　he　would　take　up　his　residence　at
Saint…Cloud；　my　father…in…law　was　obliged　to　leave　Malmaison；　and　install
himself　in　the　new　palace；　as　the　master　wished　him　to　take　charge　there。

Before　leaving　Malmaison；　my　father…in…law　rendered　an　account　to　Madame
Bonaparte　of　everything　committed　to　his　care；　and　all　the　cases　which
were　piled　up　from　floor　to　ceiling　in　two　rooms　were　opened　in　her
presence。　　Madame　Bonaparte　was　astonished　at　such　marvelous　riches；
comprising　marbles；　bronzes；　and　magnificent　pictures；　of　which　Eugene；
Hortense；　and　the　sisters　of　the　First　Consul　received　a　large　part；　and
the　remainder　was　used　in　decorating　the　apartments　of　Malmaison。

The　Empress's　love　of　ornaments　included　for　a　while　antique　curiosities；
cut　stones；　and　medals。　　M。　Denon　flattered　this　whim；　and　ended　by
persuading　the　good　Josephine　that　she　was　a　perfect　connoisseur　in
antiques；　and　that　she　should　have　at　Malmaison　a　cabinet；　a　keeper　for
it；　etc。　　This　proposition；　which　flattered　the　self…love　of　the　Empress；
was　favorably　received；　the　room　was　selected；　M。　de　M　made　keeper；
and　the　new　cabinet　enriched　by　diminishing　in　the　same　proportion　the
rich　furniture　of　the　apartments　of　the　chateau。　　M。　Denon；　who　had
originated　this　idea；　took　upon　himself　to　make　a　collection　of　medals；
but　this　idea；　which　came　so　suddenly；　vanished　as　suddenly；　the　cabinet
was　changed　into　a　saloon　for　guests；　and　the　antiques　relegated　to　the
antechamber　of　the　bathing　hall；　while　M。　de　M；　having　no　longer
anything　to　keep；　remained　constantly　in　Paris。

A　short　time　after　this；　two　ladies　of　the　palace　took　a　fancy　to
persuade　the　Empress　that　nothing　could　be　handsomer　or　more　worthy　of
her　than　a　necklace　of　Greek　and　Roman　antique　stones　perfectly　matched。
Several　chamberlains　approved　the　idea；　which；　of　course；　pleased　the
Empress；　for　she　was　very　fond　of　anything　unique；　and　consequently　one
morning；　as　I　was　dressing　the　Emperor；　the　Empress　entered；　and；　after　a
little　conversation；　said；　〃Bonaparte；　some　ladies　have　advised　me　to
have　a　necklace　made　of　antique　stones；　and　I　came　to　ask　you　to　urge　M。
Denon　to　select　only　very　handsome　ones。〃　　The　Emperor　burst　out
laughing；　and　refused　flatly　at　first；　but　just　then　the　grand　marshal　of
the　palace　arrived；　and　the　Emperor　informed　him　of　this　request　of　the
Empress；　asking　his　opinion。　　M。　le　due　de　Frioul　thought　it　very
reasonable；　and　joined　his　entreaties　to　those　of　the　Empress。　　〃It　is　an
egregious　folly；〃　said　the　Emperor；　〃but　we　are　obliged　to　grant　it；
because　the　women　wish　it；　so；　Duroc；　go　to　the　cabinet　of　antiques；　and
choose　whatever　is　necessary。〃

M。　le　due　de　Frioul　soon　returned　with　the　finest　stones　in　the
collection；　which　the　crown　jeweler　mounted　magnificently；　but　this
ornament　was　of　such　enormous　weight　that　the　Empress　never　wore　it。

Though　I　may　be　accused　of　making　tiresome　repetitions；　I　must　say　that
the　Empress　seized；　with　an　eagerness　which　cannot　be　described；　on　all
occasions　of　making　benefactions。　　For　instance；　one　morning　when　she　was
breakfasting　alone　with　his　Majesty；　the　cries　of　an　infant　were　suddenly
heard　proceeding　from　a　private　staircase。　　The　Emperor　was　annoyed　at
this；　and　with　a　frown；　asked　sharply　what　that　meant。　　I　went　to
investigate；　and　found　a　new…born　child；　carefully　and　neatly　dressed；
asleep　in　a　kind　of　cradle；　with　a　ribbon　around　its　body　from　which　hung
a　folded　paper。　　I　returned　to　tell　what　I　had　seen；　and　the　Empress　at
once　exclaimed；　〃O　Constant！　　bring　me　the　cradle。〃　　The　Emperor　would
not　permit　this　at　first；　and　expressed　his　surprise　and　disapprobation
that　it　should　have　been　thus　introduced　into　the　interior　of　his
apartments；　whereupon　her　Majesty；　having　pointed　out　to　him　that　it　must
have　been　done　by　some　one　of　the　household；　he　turned　towards　me；　and
gave　me　a　searching　look；　as　if　to　ask　if　it　was　I　who　had　originated
this　idea。　　I　shook　my　head　in　denial。　　At　that　moment　the　baby　began　to
cry；　and　the　Emperor　could　not　keep　from　smiling；　still　growling；　and
saying；　〃Josephine；　send　away　that　monkey！〃

The　Empress；　wishing　to　profit　by　this　return　of　good　humor；　sent　me　for
the　cradle；　which　I　brought　to　her。　　She　caressed　the　little　new…born
babe；　quieted　it；　and　read　the　paper　attached　to　which　was　a　petition
from　its　parents。　　Then　she　approached　the　Emperor；　insisting　on　his
caressing　the　infant　himself；　and　pinching　its　fat　little　cheeks；　which
he　did　without　much　urging；　for　the　Emperor　himself　loved　to　play　with
children。　　At　last　her　Majesty　the　Empress；　having　placed　a　roll　of
napoleons　in　the　cradle；　had　the　little　bundle　in　swaddling　clothes
carried　to　the　concierge　of　the　palace；　in　order　that　he　might　restore　it
to　its　parents。

I　will　now　give　another　instance　of　the　kindness　of　heart　of　her　Majesty
the　Empress；　of　which　I　had　the　honor　to　be　a　witness；　as　well　as　of　the
preceding。

A　few　days　before　the　coronation；　a　little　girl　four　and　a　half　years　old
had　been　rescued　from　the　Seine；　and　a　charitable　lady；　Madame　Fabien
Pillet；　was　much　interested　in　providing　a　home　for　the　poor　orphan。　　At
the　time　of　the　coronation；　the　Empress；　who　had　been　informed　of　this
occurrence；　asked　to　see　this　child；　and　having　regarded　it　a　few　moments
with　much　emotion；　offered　her　protection　most　gracefully　and　sincerely
to　Madame　Pillet　and　her　husband；　and　announced　to　them　that　she　would
take　upon　herself　the　care　of　the　little　girl's　future；　then；　with　her
usual　delicacy　and　in　the　affectionate　tone　which　was　so　natural　to　her；
the　Empress　added；　〃Your　good　action　has　given　you　too　many　claims　over
the　poor　little　girl　for　me　to　deprive　you　of　the　pleasure　of　completing
your　work；　I　therefore　beg　your　permission　to　furnish　the　expenses　of　her
education。　　You　have　the　privilege　of　putting　her　in　boarding…school；　and
watching　over　her；；and　I　wish　to　take　only　a　secondary　position；　as　her
benefactress。〃　　It　was　the　most　touching　sight　imaginable　to　see　her
Majesty；　while　uttering　these　delicate　and　generous　words；　pass　her　hands
through　the　hair　of　the　poor　little　girl；　as　she　had　just　called　her；　and
kiss　her　brow　with　the　tenderness　of　a　mother。　　M。　and　Madame　Pillet
withdrew；　for　they　could　no　longer　bear　this　touching　scene。




CHAPTER　XXV。

The　appointment　of　General　Junot　as　ambassador　to　Portugal　recalled　to　my
recollection　a　laughable　anecdote　concerning　him；　which　greatly　amused
the　Emperor。　　While　in　camp　at　Boulogne；　the　Emperor　had　published　in　the
order　of　the　day　that　every　soldier　should　discard　powder；　and　arrange
his　hair　'a　la　Titus'；　on　which　there　was　much　murmuring；　but　at　last　all
submitted　to　the　order　of　the　chief；　except　one　old　grenadier　belonging
to　the　corps　commanded　by　General　Junot。　　Not　being　able　to　decide　on　the
sacrifice　of　his　oily　tresses　or　his　queue；　the　old　soldier　swore　he
would　submit　to　it　only　in　case　his　general　would　himself　cut　off　the
first　lock；　and　all　the　officers　interested　in　this　affair　having
succeeded　in　getting　no　other　reply；　at　last　reported　him　to　the　general。
〃That　can　be　managed；　bring　the　idiot　to　me！〃　replied　he。　　The　grenadier
was　called；　and　General　Junot　himself　applied　the　scissors　to　an　oiled
and　powdered　lock；　after　which　he　gave　twenty　francs　to　the　grumbler；　who
went　away　satisfied　to　let　the　barber　of　the　regiment　finish　the
operation。

The　Emperor　having　been　informed　of　this　adventure；　laughed　most
heartily；　and　praised　Junot；　complimenting　him　on　his　condescension。

I　could　cite　a　thousand　similar　instances　of　the　kindness　of　heart　joined
to　military　brusqueness　which　characterized　General　Junot；　and　could　also
cite　those　of　another　kind；　which　would　do　less　honor　to　his　name。　　The
slight　control　he　had　over　himself　often　threw　him　into　transports　of
rage；　the　most　ordinary　effect　of　which　was　forgetfulness　of　his　rank　and
the　dignity　of　demeanor　which　it　demanded　of　him。　　Every　one　has　heard
the　adventure　of　the　gambling…house；　when　he　tore　up　the　cards；　upset　the
furniture；　and　beat　both　bankers　and　croupiers；　to　indemnify　himself　for
the　loss　of　his　money；　and　the　worst　of　it　was；　he　was　at　that　very　time
Governor　of　Paris。　　The　Emperor；　informed　of　this　scandal；　sent　for　him；
and　demanded　of　him　（he　was　still　very　angry）；　if　he　had　sworn　to　live
and　die　mad。　　This　might　have　been；　from　the　sequel；　taken　as　a
prediction；　for　the　unfortunate　general　died　at　last　in　a　fit　of　mental
aberration。　　He　replied　in　such　improper　terms　to　the　reprimands　of　the
Emperor　that　he　was　sent；　perhaps　in　order　that　he　might　have　time　to
calm　himself；　to　the　army　of　England。　　It　was　not　only　in　gaming…houses；
however；　that　the　governor　thus　compromised　his　dignity；　for　I　have　heard
other　stories　about　him　of　a　still　more　shocking　character；　which　I　will
not　allow　myself　to　repeat。　　The　truth　is；　General　Junot　prided　himself
much　less　on　respecting　the　proprieties　than　on　being　one　of　the　best
pistol…shots　in　the　army。　　While　riding　in　the　country；　he　would　often
put　his　horse　into　a　gallop；　and　with　a　pistol　in　each　hand；　never　fail
to　cut　off；　in　passing；　the　heads　of　the　ducks　or　chickens　which　he　took
as　his　target。　　He　could　cut　off　a　small　twig　from　a　tree　at　twenty…five
paces；　and　I　have　even　heard　it　said　（I　am　far　from　guaranteeing　the
truth　of　this）　that　on　one　occasion；　with　the　consent　of　the　party　whose
imprudence　thus　put　his　life　in　peril；　he　cut　half　in　two　the　stem　of　a
clay　pipe；　hardly　three　inches　long；　which　a　soldier　held　between　his
teeth。

In　the　first　journey　which　Madame　Bonaparte　made　into　Italy　to　rejoin　her
husband；　she　remained　some　time　at　Milan。　　She　had　at　that　time　in　her
service　a　'femme　de　chambre'　named　Louise；　a　large　and　very　beautiful
woman；　and　who　showed　favors；　well　remunerated　however；　to　the　brave
Junot。　　As　soon　as　her　duties　were　ended；　Louise；　far　more　gorgeously
attired　than　Madame　Bonaparte；　entered　an　elegant　carriage；　and　rode
through　the　city　and　the　principal　promenades；　often　eclipsing　the　wife
of　the　General…in…chief。　　On　his　return　to　Paris；　the　latter　obliged　his
wife　to　dismiss　the　beautiful　Louise；　who；　abandoned　by　her　inconstant
lover；　fell　into　great　destitution；　and　I　often　saw　her　afterwards　at　the
residence　of　Josephine　begging　aid；　which　was　always　most　kindly　granted。
This　young　woman；　who　had　dared　to　rival　Madame　Bonaparte　in　elegance；
ended　by　marrying；　I　think；　an　English　jockey；　led　a　most　unhappy　life；
and　died　in　a　miserable　condition。

The　First　Consul　of　the　French　Republic；　now　become　Emperor　of　the
French；　could　no　longer　be　satisfied　with　the　title　of　President　of
Italy。　　Therefore；　when　new　deputies　of　the　Cisalpine　Republic　passed
over　the　mountains；　and　gathered　at　Paris　for　consultation；　they
conferred　on　his　Majesty　the　title　of　King　of　Italy；　which　he　accepte