napoleon bonaparte, v5-第5章

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emotion。

But　how　can　I　attempt　to　describe　the　despair　of　Queen　Hortense；　of　that
woman　who　became　as　perfect　a　mother　as　she　had　been　a　daughter。　　She
never　left　her　son　a　moment　during　his　illness；　and　when　he　expired　in
her　arms；　still　wishing　to　remain　near　his　lifeless　body；　she　fastened
her　arms　through　those　of　her　chair；　in　order　that　she　might　not　be　torn
from　this　heartrending　scene。　　At　last　nature　succumbed　to　such　poignant
grief：　the　unhappy　mother　fainted；　and　the　opportunity　was　taken　to
remove　her　to　her　own　apartment；　still　in　the　chair　which　she　had　not
left；　and　which　her　arms　clasped　convulsively。　　On　awaking；　the　queen
uttered　piercing　screams；　and　her　dry　and　staring　eyes　and　white　lips
gave　reason　to　fear　that　she　was　near　her　end。　　Nothing　could　bring　tears
to　her　eyes；　until　at　last　a　chamberlain　conceived　the　idea　of　bringing
the　young　prince's　body；　and　placing　it　on　his　mother's　knees；　and　this
had　such　an　effect　on　her　that　her　tears　burst　forth　and　saved　her　life；
while　she　covered　with　kisses　the　cold　and　adored　remains。　　All　France
shared　the　grief　of　the　Queen　of　Holland。




CHAPTER　IV。

We　arrived　at　Saint…Cloud　on　the　27th　of　July；　and　the　Emperor　passed　the
summer　partly　in　this　residence；　and　partly　at　Fontainebleau；　returning
to　Paris　only　on　special　occasions；　and　never　remaining　longer　than
twenty…four　hours。　　During　his　Majesty's　absence；　the　chateau　of
Rambouillet　was　restored　and　furnished　anew；　and　the　Emperor　spent　a　few
days　there。　　The　first　time　he　entered　the　bathroom；　he　stopped　short　at
the　door　and　glanced　around　with　every　appearance　of　surprise　and
dissatisfaction；　and　when　I　sought　the　cause　of　this；　following　the
direction　of　his　Majesty's　eyes；　I　saw　that　they　rested　on　various　family
portraits　which　the　architect　had　painted　on　the　walls　of　the　room。　　They
were　those　of　madame　his　mother；　his　sisters；　Queen　Hortense；　etc。；　and
the　sight　of　such　a　gallery；　in　such　a　place；　excited　the　extreme
displeasure　of　the　Emperor。　　〃What　nonsense！〃　he　cried。　　〃Constant；
summon　Marshal　Duroc！〃　　And　when　the　grand　marshal　appeared；　his　Majesty
inquired；　〃Who　is　the　idiot　that　could　have　conceived　such　an　idea？
Order　the　painter　to　come　and　efface　all　that。　　He　must　have　little
respect　for　women　to　be　guilty　of　such　an　indecency。〃

When　the　court　sojourned　at　Fontainebleau；　the　inhabitants　indemnified
themselves　amply　for　his　Majesty's　long　absences　by　the　high　price　at
which　they　sold　all　articles　of　food。　　Their　extortions　became　scandalous
impositions；　and　more　than　one　foreigner　making　an　excursion　to
Fontainebleau　thought　himself　held　for　ransom　by　a　troop　of　Bedouins。
During　the　stay　of　the　court；　a　wretched　sacking…bed　in　a　miserable　inn
cost　twelve　francs　for　a　single　night；　the　smallest　meal　cost　an
incredible　price；　and　was；　notwithstanding；　detestable；　in　fact；　it
amounted　to　a　genuine　pillage　of　travelers。　　Cardinal　Caprara；

　　　　　＇Giovanni　Battista　Caprara；　born　of　a　noble　family　at　Bologna；
　　　　　1733；　count　and　archbishop　of　Milan；　cardinal；　1792；　Negotiated　the
　　　　　Concordat；　1801；　died　1810＇

whose　rigid　economy　was　known　to　all　Paris；　went　one　day　to　Fontainebleau
to　pay　his　court　to　the　Emperor；　and　at　the　hotel　where　he　alighted　took
only　a　single　cup　of　bouillon；　and　the　six　persons　of　his　suite　partook
only　of　a　very　light　repast；　as　the　cardinal　had　arranged　to　return　in
three　hours；　but　notwithstanding　this；　as　he　was　entering　his　carriage；
the　landlord　had　the　audacity　to　present　him　with　a　bill　for　six　hundred
francs！　　The　prince　of　the　church　indignantly　protested；　flew　into　a
rage；　threatened；　etc。；　but　all　in　vain；　and　the　bill　was　paid。

Such　an　outrageous　imposition　could　not　fail　to　reach　the　Emperor's　ears；
and　excited　his　anger　to　such　a　degree　that　he　at　once　ordered　a　fixed
schedule　of　prices；　which　it　was　forbidden　the　innkeepers　to　exceed。
This　put　an　end　to　the　exactions　of　the　bloodsuckers　of　Fontainebleau。

On　the　21st　of　August；　there　arrived　at　Paris　the　Princess　Catharine　of
Wurtemberg；　future　wife　of　Prince　Jerome　Napoleon；　King　of　Westphalia。
This　princess　was　about　twenty…four　years　of　age；　and　very　beautiful；
with　a　most　noble　and　gracious　bearing；　and　though　policy　alone　had　made
this　marriage；　never　could　love　or　voluntary　choice　have　made　one　that
was　happier。

The　courageous　conduct　of　her　Majesty　the　Queen　of　Westphalia　in　1814；
her　devotion　to　her　dethroned　husband；　and　her　admirable　letters　to　her
father；　who　wished　to　tear　her　from　the　arms　of　King　Jerome；　are　matters
of　history。　　I　have　seen　it　stated　that　this　prince　never　ceased；　even
after　this　marriage；　which　was　so　flattering　to　his　ambition；　to
correspond　with　his　first　wife；　Mademoiselle　Patterson；　and　that　he　often
sent　to　America　his　valet　de　chambre；　Rico；　to　inquire　after　this　lady
and　their　child。　　If　this　is　true；　it　is　no　less　so　that　these　attentions
to　his　first　wife；　which　were　not　only　very　excusable；　but　even；
according　to　my　opinion；　praiseworthy　in　Prince　Jerome；　and　of　which　her
Majesty　the　Queen　of　Westphalia　was　probably　well　aware；　did　not
necessarily　prevent　her　being　happy　with　her　husband。

No　testimony　more　reliable　than　that　of　the　queen　her　self　can　be　given；
and　she　expresses　herself　as　follows　in　her　second　letter　to　his　Majesty；
the　King　of　Wurtemburg：

　　　　　〃Forced　by　policy　to　marry　the　king；　my　husband；　fate　has　willed
　　　　　that　I　should　find　myself　the　happiest　woman　in　the　universe。　　I
　　　　　feel　towards　my　husband　the　united　sentiments　of　love；　tenderness；
　　　　　and　esteem。　　In　this　painful　moment　can　the　best　of　fathers　wish　to
　　　　　destroy　my　domestic　happiness；　the　only　kind　which　now　remains　to
　　　　　me？　　I　dare　to　say　that　you；　my　dear　father；　you　and　all　my　family；
　　　　　do　great　injustice　to　the　king；　my　husband；　and　I　trust　the　time
　　　　　will　come　when　you　will　be　convinced　that　you　have　done　him
　　　　　injustice；　and　then　you　will　ever　find　in　him；　as　well　as　in　myself；
　　　　　the　most　respectful　and　affectionate　of　children。〃

Her　Majesty　then　spoke　of　a　terrible　misfortune　to　which　she　had　been
exposed。　　This　event；　which　was　indeed　terrible；　was　nothing　less　than
violence　and　robbery　committed　on　a　fugitive　woman　defenseless　and　alone；
by　a　band　at　the　head　of　which　was　the　famous　Marquis　de　Maubreuil；
＇A　French　political　adventurer；　born　in　Brittany；　1782；　died　1855。＇
who　had　been　equerry　of　the　King　of　Westphalia。　　I　will　recur　in　treating
of　the　events　of　1814　to　this　disgraceful　affair；　and　will　give　some
particulars；　which　I　think　are　not　generally　known；　in　regard　to　the
principal　authors　and　participants　in　this　daring　act　of　brigandage。

In　the　following　month　of　September；　a　courier　from　the　Russian　cabinet
arrived　from　St。　　Petersburg；　bearing　a　letter　to　his　Majesty　from　the
Emperor　Alexander；　and　among　other　magnificent　gifts　were　two　very
handsome　fur　pelisses　of　black　fox　and　sable　martin。

During　their　Majesties　residence　at　Fontainebleau；　the　Emperor　often　went
out　in　his　carriage　with　the　Empress　in　the　streets　of　the　city　with
neither　escort　nor　guards。　　One　day；　while　passing　before　the　hospital　of
Mont　Pierreux；　her　Majesty　the　Empress　saw　at　a　window　a　very　aged
clergyman；　who　saluted　their　Majesties。　　The　Empress；　having　returned　the
old　man's　salutation　with　her　habitual　grace；　pointed　him　out　to　the
Emperor；　who　himself　saluted　him；　and　ordering　his　coachman　to　stop；　sent
one　of　the　footmen　with　a　request　to　the　old　priest　to　come　and　speak　to
them　a　moment；　if　it　were　not　too　great　an　exertion。　　The　old　man；　who
still　walked　with　ease；　hastened　to　descend；　and　in　order　to　save　him　a
few　steps　the　Emperor　had　his　carriage　driven　very　close　to　the　door　of
the　hospital。

His　Majesty　conversed　for　some　time　with　the　good　ecclesiastic；
manifesting　the　greatest　kindness　and　respect。　　He　informed　their
Majesties　that　he　had　been；　previous　to　the　Revolution；　the　regular
priest　of　one　of　the　parishes　of　Fontainebleau；　and　had　done　everything
possible　to　avoid　emigrating；　but　that　terror　had　at　length　forced　him　to
leave　his　native　land；　although　he　was　then　more　than　seventy…five　years
old；　that　he　had　returned　to　France　at　the　time　of　the　proclamation　of
the　Concordat；　and　now　lived　on　a　modest　pension　hardly　sufficient　to　pay
his　board　in　the　hospital。　　〃Monsieur　l'Abbe；〃　said　his　Majesty　after
listening　to　the　old　priest　attentively；　〃I　will　order　your　pension　to　be
doubled；　and　if　that　is　not　sufficient　I　hope　you　will　apply　to　the
Empress　or　to　me。〃　　The　good　ecclesiastic　thanked　the　Emperor　with　tears
in　his　eyes。　　〃Unfortunately；　Sire；〃　said　he　among　other　things；　〃I　am
too　old　to　long　enjoy　your　Majesty's　reign　or　profit　by　your　kindness。〃
〃YOU？〃　replied　the　Emperor；　smiling；　〃why；　you　are　a　young　man。　　Look　at
M。　de　Belloy；　he　is　much　your　senior；　and　we　hope　to　keep　him　with　us　for
a　long　time　yet。〃　　Their　Majesties　then　took　leave　of　the　old　man；　who
was　much　affected；　leaving　him　in　the　midst　of　a　crowd　of　the　inhabitants
who　had　collected　before　the　hospital　during　this　conversation；　and　who
were　much　impressed　by　this　interesting　scene　and　the　generous　kindness
of　the　Emperor。

M。　de　Belloy；　cardinal　and　archbishop　of　Paris；　whose　name　the　Emperor
mentioned　in　the　conversation　I　have　just　related；　was　then　ninety…eight
years　of　age；　though　his　health　was　excellent；　and　I　have　never　seen　an
old　man　who　had　as　venerable　an　air　as　this　worthy　prelate。　　The　Emperor
had　the　profoundest　respect　for　him；　and　never　failed　to　give　evidence　of
it　on　every　occasion。　　During　this　same　month　of　September；　a　large
number　of　the　faithful　having　assembled　according　to　custom　on　Mount
Valerien；　the　archbishop　likewise　repaired　to　the　spot　to　hear　mass。　　As
he　was　about　to　withdraw；　seeing　that　many　pious　persons　were　awaiting
his　benediction；　he　addressed　them　before　bestowing　it　in　a　few　words
which　showed　his　kindness　of　heart　and　his　evangelical　simplicity：　〃My
children；　I　know　that　I　must　be　very　old　from　the　loss　of　my　strength；
but　not　of　my　zeal　and　my　tenderness　for　you。　　Pray　God；　my　children；　for
your　old　archbishop；　who　never　fails　to　intercede　on　your　behalf　each
day。〃

During　his　stay　at　Fontainebleau；　the　Emperor　enjoyed　more　frequently
than　ever　before　the　pleasures　of　the　chase。　　The　costume　necessary　was　a
French　coat　of　green　dragon　color；　decorated　with　buttons　and　gold　lace；
white　cashmere　breeches；　and　Hessian　boots　without　facings；　this　was　the
costume　for　the　grand　hunt　which　was　always　a　stag　hunt；　that　for　a　hunt
with　guns　being　a　plain；　green　French　coat　with　no　other　ornament　than
white　buttons；　on　which　were　cut　suitable　inscriptions。　　This　costume　was
the　same　for　all　persons　taking　part　in　this　hunt；　with　no　distinguishing
marks；　even　for　his　Majesty　himself。

The　princesses　set　out　for　the　rendezvous　in　a　Spanish　carriage　with
either　or　four　six　horses；　and　thus　followed　the　chase；　their　costume
being　an　elegant　riding…habit；　and　a　hat　with　white　or　black　plumes。

One　of　the　Emperor's　sisters　（I　do　not　now　recall　which）　never　failed　to
follow　the　hunt；　accompanied　by　many　charming　ladies　who　were　always
invited　to　breakfast　at