napoleon bonaparte, v4-第8章

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of　his　brother　to　obtain　him　a　kingdom。　　I　guarantee　the　authenticity　of
the　following　incident；　which　was　related　to　me　by　a　reliable　person：
Lucien　had　in　charge　of　his　establishment　a　friend　of　his　early　youth；
the　same　age　as　himself；　and　like　him　born　in　Corsica；　who　was　named
Campi；　and　enjoyed　the　most　confidential　relations　in　the　count's
household。　　On　the　day　that　the　'Moniteur'　gave　a　list　of　the　new　French
princes；　Campi　was　promenading　in　the　handsome　gallery　of　pictures
collected　by　Lucien；　with　the　latter's　young　secretary；　when　the
following　conversation　occurred　between　them。　　〃You　have　no　doubt　read
the　'Moniteur'　of　to…day？〃〃Yes。〃〃You　have　seen　that　all　the　members
of　the　family　have　had　the　title　of　French　princes　bestowed　on　them；　and
the　name　of　monsieur　le　count　alone　is　wanting　to　the　list。〃〃What
matters　that？　　There　are　kingdoms。〃〃Considering　the　care　that
sovereigns　take　to　keep　them；　there　will　hardly　be　any　vacancy。〃
〃Ah；　well；　they　will　be　made。　　All　the　royal　families　of　Europe　are　worn
out；　and　we　must　have　new　ones。〃　　Thereupon　Campi　was　silent；　and　advised
the　young　man　to　hold　his　tongue；　if　he　wished　to　preserve　the　favor　of
the　count。　　However；　it　was　not　long　after　this　before　the　young
secretary　repeated　this　confidential　conversation；　which；　without　being
singularly　striking；　gives；　however；　an　idea　of　the　amount　of　confidence
which　should　be　placed　in　the　pretended　moderation　of　Count　Lucien；　and
in　the　epigrams　against　his　brother　and　his　family　which　have　been
attributed　to　him。

No　one　in　the　chateau　was　ignorant　of　the　hostility　which　existed　between
Lucien　Bonaparte　and　the　Empress　Josephine；　and　to　make　their　court　to
the　latter　the　former　habitues　of　Malmaison；　now　become　the　courtiers　of
the　Tuileries；　were　in　the　habit　of　relating　to　her　the　most　piquant
anecdotes　they　could　collect　relative　to　the　younger　brother　of　the
Emperor。　　Thus　it　happened　that　by　chance　one　day　I　heard　a　dignified
person　and　a　senator　of　the　Empire　give　the　Empress；　in　the　gayest　manner
imaginable；　very　minute　details　as　to　one　of　the　temporary　liaisons　of
Count　Lucien。　　I　do　not　guarantee　the　authenticity　of　the　anecdote；　and　I
experience　in　writing　it　more　embarrassment　than　the　senator　displayed　in
relating　it；　and　omit；　indeed；　a　mass　of　details　which　the　narrator　gave
without　blushing；　and　without　driving　off　his　audience；　for　my　object　is
to　throw　light　upon　the　family　secrets　of　the　imperial　household；　and　on
the　habits　of　the　persons　who　were　nearest　the　Emperor；　and　not　to
publish　scandal；　though　I　could　justify　myself　by　the　example　of　a
dignitary　of　the　Empire。

Count　Lucien　（I　do　not　know　in　what　year）　established　himself　in　the　good
graces　of　Mademoiselle　Meserai；　an　actress　of　the　Theatre　Francais；　who
was　both　pretty　and　sprightly。　　The　conquest　was　not　difficult；　in　the
first　place；　because　this　had　never　been　her　character　towards　any　one；
and；　secondly；　because　the　artiste　knew　the　great　wealth　of　the　count；
and　believed　him　to　be　prodigal。　　The　first　attentions　of　her　lover
confirmed　her　in　this　opinion；　and　she　demanded　a　house。　　He　at　once
presented　her　with　one　richly　and　elegantly　furnished；　the　deed　being　put
in　her　hands　on　the　day　she　took　possession；　and　each　visit　of　the　count
added　to　the　actress's　wardrobe　or　jewel…case　some　new　gifts。　　This
lasted　some　months；　at　the　end　of　which　Lucien　became　disgusted　with　his
bargain；　and　began　to　consider　by　what　means　to　break　it　without　losing
too　much。　　Among　other　things；　he　had　made　mademoiselle　a　present　of　a
pair　of　girandoles；　containing　diamonds　of　great　value。　　In　one　of　the
last　interviews；　before　the　count　had　allowed　any　signs　of　coldness　to　be
seen；　he　perceived　the　girandoles　on　the　toilet…table　of　his　mistress；
and；　taking　them　in　his　hands；　said；　〃Really；　my　dear；　you　do　me
injustice；　why　do　you　not　show　more　confidence　in　me？　　I　do　not　wish　you
to　wear　jewelry　so　much　out　of　date　as　these。〃〃Why；　it　has　been　only
six　months　since　you　gave　them　to　me。〃〃I　know　it；　but　a　woman　of　good
taste；　a　woman　who　respects　herself；　should　never　wear　anything　six
months　old。　　I　will　take　the　ear…rings　and　send　them　to　de　Villiers　＇he
was　the　count's　jeweler＇　with　orders　to　mount　them　as　I　wish。〃　　The　count
was　tenderly　thanked　for　so　delicate　an　attention；　and　put　the　girandoles
in　his　pocket；　with　one　or　two　necklaces　which　had　also　been　his　gift；
and　which　did　not　appear　to　him　sufficiently　new　in　style；　and　the　breach
took　place　before　any　of　these　had　been　returned。

Notwithstanding　this；　Mademoiselle　believed　herself　well　provided　for
with　her　furniture　and　her　house；　until　one　morning　the　true　proprietor
came　to　ask　her　wishes　as　to　making　a　new　lease。　　She　ran　to　examine　her
deed；　which　she　had　not　yet　thought　to　do；　and　found　that　it　was　simply　a
description　of　the　property；　at　the　end　of　which　was　a　receipt　for　two
years'　rent。

During　our　stay　at　Genoa　the　heat　was　insupportable；　from　this　the
Emperor　suffered　greatly；　saying　he　had　never　experienced　the　like　in
Egypt；　and　undressed　many　times　a　day。　　His　bed　was　covered　with　a
mosquito　netting；　for　the　insects　were　numerous　and　worrying。　　The
windows　of　the　bedroom　looked　out　upon　a　grand　terrace　on　the　margin　of
the　sea；　and　from　them　could　be　seen　the　gulf　and　all　the　surrounding
country。　　The　fetes　given　by　the　city　were　superb。　　An　immense　number　of
vessels　were　fastened　together；　and　filled　with　orange　and　citrontrees
and　shrubs；　some　covered　with　flowers；　some　with　fruits；　and　all　combined
formed　a　most　exquisite　floating　garden　which　their　Majesties　visited　on
a　magnificent　yacht。

On　his　return　to　France；　the　Emperor　made　no　halt　between　Turin　and
Fontainebleau。　　He　traveled　incognito；　in　the　name　of　the　minister　of　the
interior；　and　went　at　such　speed　that　at　each　relay　they　were　obliged　to
throw　water　on　the　wheels；　but　in　spite　of　this　his　Majesty　complained　of
the　slowness　of　the　postilions；　and　cried　continually；　〃Hurry　up！　　hurry
up！　　we　are　hardly　moving。〃　　Many　of　the　servants'　carriages　were；　left
in　the　rear；　though　mine　experienced　no　delay；　and　I　arrived　at　each
relay　at　the　same　time　as　the　Emperor。

In　ascending　the　steep　hill　of　Tarare；　the　Emperor　alighted　from　the
carriage；　as　did　also　Berthier；　who　accompanied　him；　the　carriages　of　the
suite　being　some　distance　behind；　as　the　drivers　had　stopped　to　breathe
their　horses。

His　Majesty　saw；　climbing　the　hill　a　few　steps　before　him；　an　old；
decrepit　woman；　who　hobbled　along　with　great　difficulty。　　As　the　Emperor
approached　her　he　inquired　why；　infirm　as　she　was；　and　apparently　so
fatigued；　she　should　attempt　to　travel　so　difficult　a　road。

〃Sir；〃　replied　she；　〃they　tell　me　the　Emperor　is　to　pass　along　here；　and
I　wish　to　see　him　before　I　die。〃　　His　Majesty；　who　liked　to　be　amused；
said　to　her；　〃Ah；　but　why　trouble　yourself　about　him？　　He　is　a　tyrant；
like　all　the　rest。〃　　The　good　woman；　indignant　at　this　remark；　angrily
replied；　〃At　least；　Sir；　he　is　our　choice；　and　since　we　must　have　a
master；　it　is　at　least　right　that　we　should　choose　him。〃　　I　was　not　an
eye…witness　of　this　incident；　but　I　heard　the　Emperor　himself　relate　it
to　Dr。　Corvisart；　with　some　remarks　upon　the　good　sense　of　the　masses；
who；　according　to　the　opinion　of　his　Majesty　and　his　chief　doctor；　had
generally　formed　very　correct　opinions。




CHAPTER　XXVII。

His　Majesty　the　Emperor　passed　the　month　of　January；　1806；　at　Munich　and
Stuttgard；　during　which；　in　the　first　of　these　two　capitals；　the　marriage
of　the　vice…king　and　the　Princess　of　Bavaria　was　celebrated。　　On　this
occasion　there　was　a　succession　of　magnificent　fetes；　of　which　the
Emperor　was　always　the　hero；　and　at　which　his　hosts　tried；　by　every
variety　of　homage；　to　express　to　this　great　man　the　admiration　with　which
his　military　genius　inspired　them。

The　vice…king　and　vice…queen　had　never　met　before　their　marriage；　but
were　soon　as　much　attached　to　each　other　as　if　they　had　been　acquainted
for　years；　for　never　were　two　persons　more　perfectly　congenial。　　No
princess；　and　indeed　no　mother；　could　have　manifested　more　affection　and
care　for　her　children　than　the　vice…queen；　and　she　might　well　serve　as　a
model　for　all　women。　　I　have　been　told　an　incident　concerning　this
admirable　princess　which　I　take　pleasure　in　relating　here。　　One　of　her
daughters；　who　was　quite　young；　having　spoken　in　a　very　harsh　tone　to　her
maid；　her　most　serene　highness　the　vice…queen　was　informed　of　it；　and　in
order　to　give　her　daughter　a　lesson；　forbade　the　servants　to　render　the
young　princess　any　service；　or　to　reply　to　any　of　her　demands；　from　that
time。　　The　child　at　once　complained　to　her　mother；　who　told　her　gravely
that　when　any　one　received；　like　her；　the　care　and　attention　of　all
around　them；　it　was　necessary　to　merit　this；　and　to　show　her　appreciation
by　consideration　and　an　obliging　politeness。　　Then　she　required　her　to
ask　pardon　of　the　'femme　de　chambre'；　and　henceforward　to　speak　to　her
politely；　assuring　her　that　by　this　means　she　would　always　obtain
compliance　with　all　reasonable　and　just　requests　she　might　make。

The　child　obeyed；　and　the　lesson　was　of　such　benefit　to　her　that　she
became；　if　general　report　is　to　be　believed；　one　of　the　most　accomplished
princesses　of　Europe。　　The　report　of　her　perfections　spread　abroad　even
to　the　New　World；　which　contended　for　her　with　the　Old；　and　has　been
fortunate　enough　to　obtain　her。　　She　is　at　this　time；　I　think；　Empress　of
Brazil。

His　Majesty　the　King　of　Bavaria；　Maximilian　Joseph；　then　about　fifty
years　of　age；　was　very　tall；　with　a　noble　and　attractive　physiognomy　and
fascinating　manners。　　Before　the　Revolution　he　had　been　colonel　of　an
Alsatian　regiment　in　the　service　of　France；　under　the　name　of　Prince
Maximilian；　or　Prince　Max　as　the　soldiers　called　him；　and　stationed　at
Strasburg；　where　he　left　a　reputation　for　elegance　and　chivalrous
gallantry。　　His　subjects；　his　family；　his　servants；　everybody；　adored
him。　　He　often　took　long　walks　through　the　city　of　Munich　in　the　morning；
went　to　the　market；　inquired　the　price　of　grain；　entered　the　shops；　spoke
to　every　one；　especially　the　children；　whom　he　persuaded　to　go　to　school。
This　excellent　prince　did　not　fear　to　compromise　his　dignity　by　the
simplicity　of　his　manners；　and　he　was　right；　for　I　do　not　think　any　one
ever　failed　to　show　him　respect；　and　the　love　which　he　inspired　lessened
in　no　wise　the　veneration　which　was　felt　for　him。　　Such　was　his　devotion
to　the　Emperor；　that　his　kindly　feelings　extended　even　to　the　persons　who
by　their　functions　approached　nearest　to　his　Majesty；　and　were　in　the
best　position　to　know　his　needs　and　wishes。　　Thus　（I　do　not　relate　it　out
of　vanity；　but　in　proof　of　what　I　have　just　said）　his　Majesty　the　King　of
Bavaria　never　came　to　see　the　Emperor；　that　he　did　not　take　my　hand　and
inquire　first　after　the　health　of　his　Imperial　Majesty；　then　after　my
own；　adding　many　things　which　plainly　showed　his　attachment　for　the
Emperor　and　his　natural　goodness。

His　Majesty　the　King　of　Bavaria　is　now　in　the　tomb；　like　him　who　gave　him
a　throne；　but　this　tomb　is　still　a　royal　tomb；　and　the　loyal　Bavarians
can　come　t