napoleon bonaparte, v4-第6章

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of　gratitude。

The　Emperor；　before　leaving　Brienne　to　return　to　Fontainebleau；　required
the　mayor　to　give　him　a　written　account　of　the　most　pressing　needs　of　the
commune；　and　left　on　his　departure　a　considerable　sum　for　the　poor　and
the　hospitals。

Passing　through　Troyes；　the　Emperor　left　there；　as　everywhere　else；
souvenirs　of　his　generosity。　　The　widow　of　a　general　officer；　living　in
retirement　at　Joinville　（I　regret　that　I　have　forgotten　the　name　of　this
venerable　lady；　who　was　more　than　an　octogenarian）；　came　to　Troyes；
notwithstanding　her　great　age；　to　ask　aid　from　his　Majesty。　　Her　husband
having　served　only　before　the　Revolution；　the　pension　which　she　had
enjoyed　had　been　taken　from　her　under　the　Republic；　and　she　was　in　the
greatest　destitution。　　The　brother　of　General　Vouittemont；　mayor　of　a
commune　in　the　suburbs　of　Troyes；　was　kind　enough　to　consult　me　as　to
what　should　be　done　in　order　to　present　this　lady　to　the　Emperor；　and　I
advised　him　to　have　her　name　placed　on　the　list　of　his　Majesty's　private
audiences。　　I　myself　took　the　liberty　of　speaking　of　Madame　de　to　the
Emperor；　and　the　audience　was　granted；　though　I　do　not　pretend　to
attribute　the　merit　of　it　to　myself；　for　in　traveling　the　Emperor　was
always　very　accessible。

When　the　good　lady　came　to　attend　the　audience　with　M。　de　Vouittemont；　to
whom　his　municipal　scarf　gave　the　right　of　entrance；　I　happened　to　meet
them；　and　she　stopped　to　thank　me　for　the　little　service　which　she
insisted　I　had　rendered　her；　and　mentioned　that　she　had　been　obliged　to
pawn　the　six　silver　plates　which　alone　remained　to　her；　in　order　to　pay
the　expenses　of　her　journey；　that；　having　arrived　at　Troyes　in　a　poor
farm　wagon；　covered　with　a　cloth　thrown　over　a　hoop；　and　which　had　shaken
her　terribly；　she　could　find　no　place　in　the　inns；　all　of　which　were
filled　on　account　of　the　arrival　of　their　Majesties；　and　she　would　have
been　obliged　to　sleep　in　her　wagon　had　it　not　been　for　the　kind
consideration　of　M。　de　Vouittemont；　who　had　given　up　his　room　to　her；　and
offered　his　services。　　In　spite　of　her　more　than　eighty　years；　and　her
distress；　this　respectable　lady　related　her　story　with　an　air　of　gentle
gayety；　and　at　the　close　threw　a　grateful　glance　at　her　guide；　on　whose
arm　she　was　leaning。

At　that　moment　the　usher　came　to　announce　that　her　turn　had　come；　and　she
entered　the　saloon　of　audience。　　M。　de　Vouittemont　awaited　her　return
while　conversing　with　me；　and　on　her　return　she　related　to　us；　scarcely
able　to　control　her　emotion；　that　the　Emperor　had　in　the　kindest　manner
received　the　memorial　she　presented　to　him；　had　read　it　attentively；　and
passed　it　to　a　minister　who　was　near　him；　with　the　order　to　do　her
justice　this　very　day。

The　next　day　she　received　the　warrant　for　a　pension　of　three　thousand
francs；　the　first　year's　pay　being　handed　her　at　once。

At　Lyons；　of　which　Cardinal　Fesch　was　archbishop；　the　Emperor　lodged　in
the　archiepiscopal　palace。＇Joseph　Fesch；　born　in　Corsica；　1763；　was
half…brother　to　Napoleon's　mother。　　Archbishop　of　Lyons　1801；　cardinal
1803；　died　1839＇

During　the　stay　of　their　Majesties　the　cardinal　exerted　himself　to　the
utmost　to　gratify　every　wish　of　his　nephew；　and　in　his　eagerness　to
please；　monseigneur　applied　to　me　many　times　each　day　to　be　assured　that
nothing　was　lacking；　so　everything　passed　off　admirably。　　The　zeal　of　the
cardinal　was　remarked　by　all　the　household；　but　for　my　part　I　thought　I
perceived　that　the　zeal　displayed　by　monseigneur　in　the　reception　of
their　Majesties　took　on　an　added　strength　whenever　there　was　a　question
of　all　the　expenses　incurred　by　this　visit；　which　were　considerable；
being　paid　by　them。　　His　eminence；　I　thought；　drew　very　fine　interest　on
his　investment；　and　his　generous　hospitality　was　handsomely　compensated
by　the　liberality　of　his　guests。

The　passage　of　Mont　Cenis　was　by　no　means　so　difficult　as　had　been　that
of　Mont　St。　Bernard；　although　the　road；　which　has　since　been　made　by　the
Emperor's　orders；　was　not　then　commenced。　　At　the　foot　of　the　mountain
they　were　obliged　to　take　the　carriage　to　pieces；　and　transport
it　on　the　backs　of　mules；　and　their　Majesties　crossed　the　mountain　partly
on　foot；　partly　in　very　handsome　sedan　chairs　which　had　been　made　at
Turin；　that　of　the　Emperor　lined　with　crimson　satin；　and　ornamented　with
gold　lace　and　fringes；　and　that　of　the　Empress　in　blue　satin；　with　silver
lace　and　fringes。　　The　snow　had　been　carefully　swept　off　and　removed。　　On
their　arrival　at　the　convent　they　were　most　warmly　received　by　the　good
monks；　and　the　Emperor；　who　had　a　singular　affection　for　them；　held　a
long　conversation　with　them；　and　did　not　depart　without　leaving　rich　and
numerous　tokens　of　his　liberality。　　As　soon　as　he　arrived　at　Turin　he
gave　orders　for　the　improvement　of　their　hospice；　which　he　continued　to
support　till　his　fall。

Their　Majesties　remained　several　days　at　Turin；　where　they　occupied　the
former　palace　of　the　kings　of　Sardinia；　constituted　the　imperial
residence　by　a　decree　of　the　Emperor　during　our　stay；　as　was　also　the
castle　of　Stupinigi；　situated　a　short　distance　from　the　town。

The　Pope　rejoined　their　Majesties　at　Stupinigi；　the　Holy　Father　had　left
Paris　almost　at　the　same　time　as　ourselves；　and　before　his　departure　had
received　from　the　Emperor　magnificent　presents。　　Among　these　was　a　golden
altar　with　chandeliers；　and　holy　vessels　of　the　richest　workmanship；　a
superb　tiara；　Gobelin　tapestries；　and　carpets　from　the　Savonnerie；　with　a
statue　of　the　Emperor　in　Sevres　porcelain。　　The　Empress　also　made　to　his
Holiness　a　present　of　a　vase　of　the　same　manufacture；　adorned　with
paintings　by　the　best　artists。　　This　masterpiece　was　at　least　four　feet
in　height；　and　two　feet　and　a　half　in　diameter　at　the　mouth；　and　was　made
expressly　to　be　offered　to　the　Holy　Father；　the　painting　representing；　if
my　memory　is　correct；　the　ceremony　of　the　coronation。

Each　of　the　cardinals　in　the　suite　of　the　Pope　had　received　a　box　of
beautiful　workmanship；　with　the　portrait　of　the　Emperor　set　in　diamonds；
and　all　the　persons　attached　to　the　service　of　Pius　VII。　　had　presents
more　or　less　considerable；　all　these　various　articles　being　brought　by
the　furnishers　to　the　apartments　of　his　Majesty；　where　I　took　a　list　of
them；　by　order　of　his　Majesty；　as　they　arrived。

The　Holy　Father　also　made　in　return　very　handsome　presents　to　the
officers　of　the　Emperor's　household　whose　duties　had　brought　them　near
his　person　during　his　stay　at　Paris。

From　Stupinigi　we　went　to　Alexandria。　　The　Emperor；　the　next　day　after
his　arrival；　rose　early；　visited　the　fortifications　of　the　town；　reviewed
all　the　positions　of　the　battlefield　of　Marengo；　and　returned　only　at
seven　o'clock；　and　after　having　broken　down　five　horses。　　A　few　days
after　he　wished　the　Empress　to　see　this　famous　plain；　and　by　his　orders
an　army　of　twenty…five　or　thirty　thousand　men　was　assembled。　　The　morning
of　the　day　fixed　for　the　review　of　these　troops；　the　Emperor　left　his
apartment　dressed　in　a　blue　coat　with　long　skirts；　much　worn；　and　even
with　holes　in　some　places。　　These　holes　were　the　work　of　moths　and　not　of
balls；　as　has　been　said　in　certain　memoirs。　　On　his　head　his　Majesty　wore
an　old　hat　edged　with　gold　lace；　tarnished　and　frayed；　and　at　his　side　a
cavalry　saber；　such　as　the　generals　of　the　Republic　wore；　this　was　the
coat；　hat；　and　sword　that　he　had　worn　on　the　day　of　the　battle　of
Marengo。　　I　afterwards　lent　these　articles　to　Monsieur　David；　first
painter　to　his　Majesty；　for　his　picture　of　the　passage　of　Mont　St。
Bernard。　　A　vast　amphitheater　had　been　raised　on　this　plain　for　the
Empress　and　the　suite　of　their　Majesties；　the　day　was　perfect；　as　is　each
day　of　the　month　of　May　in　Italy。　　After　riding　along　the　ranks；　the
Emperor　took　his　seat　by　the　side　of　the　Empress；　and　made　to　the　troops
a　distribution　of　the　cross　of　the　Legion　of　Honor；　after　which　he　laid
the　corner　stone　of　a　monument；　which　he　had　directed　to　be　raised　on　the
plain　to　the　memory　of　the　soldiers　who　had　fallen　on　the　battlefield。
When　his　Majesty；　in　the　short　address　which　he　made　to　the　army　on　this
occasion；　pronounced　in　a　strong　voice；　vibrating　with　emotion；　the　name
of　Desaix；　who　here　died　gloriously　for　his　country；　a　murmur　of　grief
ran　through　the　ranks　of　the　soldiers。　　As　for　me；　I　was　moved　to　tears；
and　as　my　eyes　fell　on　this　army；　on　its　banners；　on　the　costume　of　the
Emperor；　I　was　obliged　to　turn　from　time　to　time　towards　the　throne　of
her　Majesty　the　Empress；　to　realize　that　this　was　not　the　14th　of　June　in
the　year　1800。

I　think　it　was　during　this　stay　at　Alexandria；　that　Prince　Jerome
Bonaparte　had　an　interview　with　the　Emperor；　in　which　the　latter
seriously　and　earnestly　remonstrated　with　his　brother；　and　Prince　Jerome
left　the　cabinet　visibly　agitated。　　This　displeasure　of　the　Emperor　arose
from　the　marriage　contracted　by　his　brother；　at　the　age　of　nineteen；　with
the　daughter　of　an　American　merchant。

His　Majesty　had　this　union　annulled　on　the　plea　of　minority；　and　made　a
decree　forbidding　the　officers　of　the　civil　state　to　receive；　on　their
registers；　the　record　of　the　certificate　of　the　celebration　of　the
marriage　of　Monsieur　Jerome　with　Mademoiselle　Patterson。　　For　some　time
the　Emperor　treated　him　with　great　coolness；　and　kept　him　at　a　distance；
but　a　few　days　after　the　interview　at　Alexandria；　he　sent　him　to　Algiers
to　claim　as　subjects　of　the　Empire　two　hundred　Genoese　held　as　slaves。
The　young　prince　acquitted　himself　handsomely　of　this　mission　of
humanity；　and　returned　in　the　month　of　August　to　the　port　of　Genoa；　with
the　captives　whom　he　had　just　released。　　The　Emperor　was　well　satisfied
with　the　manner　in　which　his　brother　had　carried　out　his　instructions；
and　said　on　this　occasion；　that　〃Prince　Jerome　was　very　young　and　very
thoughtless；　that　he　needed　more　weight　in　his　head；　but　that；
nevertheless；　he　hoped　to　make　something　of　him。〃

This　brother　of　his　Majesty　was　one　among　the　few　persons　whom　he　really
loved；　although　he　had　often　given　him　just　cause　for　anger。




CHAPTER　XXVI。

Their　Majesties　remained　more　than　a　month　at　Milan；　and　I　had　ample
leisure　to　acquaint　myself　with　this　beautiful　capital　of　Lombardy。　　This
visit　was　a　continual　succession　of　fetes　and　gayeties；　and　it　seemed
that　the　Emperor　alone　had　time　to　give　to　work；　for　he　shut　himself　up；
as　was　his　custom；　with　his　ministers；　while　all　the　persons　of　his　suite
and　of　his　household；　whose　duties　did　not　detain　them　near　his　Majesty；
were　eagerly　taking　part　in　the　sports　and　diversions　of　the　Milanese。　　I
will　enter　into　no　details　of　the　coronation；　as　it　was　almost　a
repetition　of　what　had　taken　place　at　Paris　a　few　months　before；　and　as
all　solemnities　of　this　sort　are　alike；　every　one　is　familiar　with　the
least　details。　　Amid　all　these　fete　days　there　was　one　day　of　real
happiness　to　me：　it　was　that　on　which　Prince　Eugene；　whose　kindness　to　me
I　have　never　forgotten；　was　proclaimed　viceroy　of　Italy。　　Truly；　no　one
could　be　more　worthy　than　he　of　a　rank　so　elevated；　if　to　attain　it　only
nobility；　generosity；　courage；　and　skill　in　the　art　of　governing；　were
needed；　for　never　did　pr