napoleon bonaparte, v3-第12章

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number　of　his　servants；　and　decorated　them　with　new　titles；　but　he　could
not　have　more　services　rendered　him　personally。　　He　subjected　himself
very　rarely　to　the　grand　etiquette　of　royalty；　and　never；　for　example；
did　the　grand　chamberlain　hand　him　his　shirt；　and　on　one　occasion　only；
when　the　city　of　Paris　gave　him　a　dinner　at　the　time　of　his　coronation；
did　the　grand　marshal　hand　him　water　to　wash　his　hands。　　I　shall　give　a
description　of　his　toilet　on　the　day　of　his　coronation；　and　it　will　be
seen　that　even　on　that　day　his　Majesty；　the　Emperor　of　the　French；　did
not　require　any　other　ceremonial　than　that　to　which　he　had　been
accustomed　as　general　and　First　Consul　of　the　Republic。

The　Emperor　had　no　fixed　hour　for　retiring：　sometimes　he　retired　at　ten
or　eleven　o'clock　in　the　evening；　oftener　he　stayed　awake　till　two；
three；　or　four　o'clock　in　the　morning。　　He　was　soon　undressed；　for　it　was
his　habit；　on　entering　the　room；　to　throw　each　garment　right　and　left；　…
his　coat　on　the　floor；　his　grand　cordon　on　the　rug；　his　watch　hap…hazard
at　the　bed；　his　hat　far　off　on　a　piece　of　furniture；　thus　with　all　his
clothing；　one　piece　after　another。　　When　he　was　in　a　good　humor；　he
called　me　in　a　loud　voice；　with　this　kind　of　a　cry：　〃Ohe；　oh！　　oh！〃　at
other　times；　when　he　was　not　in　good　humor；　〃Monsieur；　Monsieur
Constant！〃

At　all　seasons　his　bed　had　to　be　warmed　with　a　warming…pan；　and　it　was
only　during　the　very　hottest　weather　that　he　would　dispense　with　this。
His　habit　of　undressing　himself　in　haste　rarely　left　me　anything　to　do；
except　to　hand　him　his　night…cap。　　I　then　lighted　his　night…lamp；　which
was　of　gilded　silver；　and　shaded　it　so　that　it　would　give　less　light。
When　he　did　not　go　to　sleep　at　once；　he　had　one　of　his　secretaries
called；　or　perhaps　the　Empress　Josephine；　to　read　to　him；　which　duty　no
one　could　discharge　better　than　her　Majesty；　for　which　reason　the　Emperor
preferred　her　to　all　his　readers；　for　she　read　with　that　especial　charm
which　was　natural　to　her　in　all　she　did。　　By　order　of　the　Emperor；　there
was　burnt　in　his　bedroom；　in　little　silver　perfume…boxes；　sometimes　aloes
wood；　and　sometimes　sugar　or　vinegar；　and　almost　the　year　round　it　was
necessary　to　have　a　fire　in　all　his　apartments；　as　he　was　habitually　very
sensitive　to　cold。　　When　he　wished　to　sleep；　I　returned　to　take　out　his
lamp；　and　went　up　to　my　own　room；　my　bedroom　being　just　above　that　of　his
Majesty。　　Roustan　and　a　valet　on　service　slept　in　a　little　apartment
adjoining　the　Emperor's　bedroom；　and　if　he　needed　me　during　the　night；
the　boy　of　the　wardrobe；　who　slept　in　an　antechamber；　came　for　me。　　Water
was　always　kept　hot　for　his　bath；　for　often　at　any　hour　of　the　night　as
well　as　the　day　he　might　suddenly　be　seized　with　a　fancy　to　take　one。

Doctor　Yvan　appeared　every　morning　and　evening；　at　the　rising　and
retiring　of　his　Majesty。

It　is　well　known　that　the　Emperor　often　had　his　secretaries；　and　even　his
ministers；　called　during　the　night。　　During　his　stay　at　Warsaw；　the
Prince　de　Talleyrand　once　received　a　message　after　midnight；　he　came　at
once；　and　had　a　long　interview　with　the　Emperor；　and　work　was　prolonged
late　into　the　night；　when　his　Majesty；　fatigued；　at　last　fell　into　a　deep
slumber。　　The　Prince　of　Benevento；　who　was　afraid　to　go　out；　fearing　lest
he　might　awaken　the　Emperor　or　be　recalled　to　continue　the　conversation；
casting　his　eyes　around；　perceived　a　comfortable　sofa；　so　he　stretched
himself　out　on　it；　and　went　to　sleep。　　Meneval；　　secretary　to　his
Majesty；　not　wishing　to　retire　till　after　the　minister　had　left；　knowing
that　the　Emperor　would　probably　call　for　him　as　soon　as　Talleyrand　had
retired；　became　impatient　at　such　a　long　interview；　and　as　for　me；　I　was
not　in　the　best　humor；　since　it　was　impossible　for　me　to　retire　without
taking　away　his　Majesty's　lamp。　　Meneval　came　a　dozen　times　to　ask　me　if
Prince　Talleyrand　had　left。　　〃He　is　there　yet；〃　said　I。　　〃I　am　sure　of
it；　and　yet　I　hear　nothing。〃　　At　last　I　begged　him　to　place　himself　in
the　room　where　I　then　was；　and　on　which　the　street…door　opened；　whilst　I
went　to　act　as　sentinel　in　a　vestibule　on　which　the　Emperor's　room　had
another　opening；　and　it　was　arranged　that　the　one　of　us　who　saw　the
prince　go　out　would　inform　the　other。　　Two　o'clock　sounded；　then　three；
then　four；　no　one　appeared；　and　there　was　not　the　least　movement　in　his
Majesty's　room。　　Losing　patience　at　last；　I　half　opened　the　door　as
gently　as　possible；　but　the　Emperor；　whose　sleep　was　very　light；　woke
with　a　start；　and　asked　in　a　loud　tone：　〃Who　is　that？　　Who　comes　there？
What　is　that？〃　　I　replied；　that；　thinking　the　Prince　of　Benevento　had
gone　out；　I　had　come　for　his　Majesty's　lamp。　　〃Talleyrand！　　Talleyrand！〃
cried　out　his　Majesty　vehemently。　　〃Where　is　he；　then？〃　　and　seeing　him
waking　up；　well；　I　declare　he　is　asleep！　　Come；　you　wretch；　how　dare　you
sleep　in　my　room！　　ah！　　ah！〃　I　left　without　taking　out　the　lamp；　they
began　talking　again；　and　Meneval　and　I　awaited　the　end　of　the　tete…a…
tete；　until　five　o'clock　in　the　morning。

The　Emperor　had　a　habit　of　taking；　when　he　thus　worked　at　night；　coffee
with　cream；　or　chocolate；　but　he　gave　that　up；　and　under　the　Empire　no
longer　took　anything；　except　from　time　to　time；　but　very　rarely；　either
punch　mild　and　light　as　lemonade；　or　when　he　first　awoke；　an　infusion　of
orange…leaves　or　tea。

The　Emperor；　who　so　magnificently　endowed　the　most　of　his　generals；　who
showed　himself　so　liberal　to　his　armies；　and　to　whom；　on　the　other　hand；
France　owes　so　many　and　such　handsome　monuments；　was　not　generous；　and　it
must　even　be　admitted　was　a　little　niggardly；　in　his　domestic　affairs。
Perhaps　he　resembled　those　foolishly　vain　rich　persons；　who　economize
very　closely　at　home；　and　in　their　own　households；　in　order　to　shine　more
outside。　　He　made　very　few；　not　to　say　no；　presents　to　members　of　his
household；　and　the　first　day　of　the　year　even　passed　without　loosening
his　purse…strings。　　While　I　was　undressing　him　the　evening　before；　he
said；　pinching　my　ear；　〃Well；　Monsieur　Constant；　what　will　you　give　me
for　my　present？〃　　The　first　time　he　asked　this　question　I　replied　I　would
give　him　whatever　he　wished；　but　I　must　confess　that　I　very　much　hoped　it
would　not　be　I　who　would　give　presents　next　day。　　It　seemed　that　the　idea
never　occurred　to　him；　for　no　one　had　to　thank　him　for　his　gifts；　and　he
never　departed　afterwards　from　this　rule　of　domestic　economy。　　Apropos　of
this　pinching　of　ears；　to　which　I　have　recurred　so　often；　because　his
Majesty　repeated　it　so　often；　it　is　necessary　that　I　should　say；　while　I
think　of　it；　and　in　closing　this　subject；　that　any　one　would　be　much
mistaken　in　supposing　that　he　touched　lightly　the　party　exposed　to　his
marks　of　favor；　he　pinched；　on　the　contrary；　very　hard；　and　pinched　as
much　stronger　in　proportion　as　he　happened　to　be　in　a　better　humor。

Sometimes；　when　I　entered　his　room　to　dress　him；　he　would　run　at　me　like
a　mad　man；　and　saluting　me　with　his　favorite　greeting；　〃Well；　Monsieur　le
drole；〃　would　pinch　my　ears　in　such　a　manner　as　to　make　me　cry　out；　he
often　added　to　these　gentle　caresses　one　or　two　taps；　also　well　applied。
I　was　then　sure　of　finding　him　all　the　rest　of　the　day　in　a　charming
humor；　and　full　of　good…will；　as　I　have　seen　him；　so　often。　　Roustan；　and
even　Marshal　Berthier；　received　their　due　proportion　of　these　imperial
tendernesses。




CHAPTER　XX。

The　allowance　made　by　his　Majesty　for　the　yearly　expenses　of　his　dress
was　twenty　thousand　francs；　and　the　year　of；　the　coronation　he　became
very　angry　because　that　sum　had　been　exceeded。　　It　was　never　without
trepidation　that　the　various　accounts　of　household　expenses　were
presented　to　him；　and　he　invariably　retrenched　and　cut　down；　and
recommended　all　sort　of　reforms。　　I　remember　after　asking　for　some　one　a
place　of　three　thousand　francs；　which　he　granted　me；　I　heard　him　exclaim；
〃Three　thousand　francs！　　but　do　you　understand　that　this　is　the　revenue
of　one　of　my　communes？　　When　I　was　sub…lieutenant　I　did　not　spend　as　much
as　that。〃　　This　expression　recurred　incessantly　in　his　conversations　with
those　with　whom　he　was　familiar；　and　〃when　I　had　the　honor　of　being　sub…
lieutenant〃　was　often　on　his　lips；　and　always　in　illustration　of
comparisons　or　exhortations　to　economy。

While　on　the　subject　of　accounts；　I　recall　a　circumstance　which　should
have　a　place　in　my　memoirs；　since　it　concerns　me　personally；　and　moreover
gives　an　idea　of　the　manner　in　which　his　Majesty　understood　economy。　　He
set　out　with　the　idea；　which　was；　I　think；　often　very　correct；　that　in
private　expenses　as　in　public　ones；　even　granting　the　honesty　of　agents
（which　the　Emperor　was　always；　I　admit；　very　slow　to　do）；　the　same　things
could　have　been　done　with　much　less　money。　　Thus；　when　he　required
retrenchment；　it　was　not　in　the　number　of　objects　of　expense；　but　only　in
the　prices　charged　for　these　articles　by　the　furnishers；　and　I　will
elsewhere　cite　some　examples　of　the　effect　which　this　idea　produced　on
the　conduct　of　his　Majesty　towards　the　accounting　agents　of　his
government。　　Now　I　am　relating　only　private　matters。　　One　day　when
investigating　various　accounts；　the　Emperor　complained　much　of　the
expenses　of　the　stables；　and　cut　off　a　considerable　sum；　and　the　grand
equerry；　in　order　to　put　into　effect　the　required　economy；　found　it
necessary　to　deprive　several　persons　in　the　household　of　their　carriages；
mine　being　included　in　this　number。　　Some　days　after　the　execution　of
this　measure；　his　Majesty　charged　me　with　a　commission；　which
necessitated　a　carriage；　and　I　was　obliged　to　inform　him　that；　no　longer
having　mine；　I　should　not　be　able　to　execute　his　orders。　　The　Emperor
then　exclaimed　that　he　had　not　intended　this；　and　M。　Caulaincourt　must
have　a　poor　idea　of　economy。　　When　he　again　saw　the　Duke　of　Vicenza；　he
said　to　him　that　he　did　not　wish　anything　of　mine　to　be　touched。

The　Emperor　occasionally　read　in　the　morning　the　new　works　and　romances
of　the　day；　and　when　a　work　displeased　him；　he　threw　it　into　the　fire。
This　does　not　mean　that　only　improper　books　were　thus　destroyed；　for　if
the　author　was　not　among　his　favorites；　or　if　he　spoke　too　well　of　a
foreign　country；　that　was　sufficient　to　condemn　the　volume　to　the　flames。
On　this　account　I　saw　his　Majesty　throw　into　the　fire　a　volume　of　the
works　of　Madame　de　Stael；　on　Germany。　　If　he　found　us　in　the　evening
enjoying　a　book　in　the　little　saloon；　where　we　awaited　the　hour　for
retiring；　he　examined　what　we　were　reading；　and　if　he　found　they　were
romances；　they　were　burned　without　pity；　his　Majesty　rarely　failing　to
add　a　little　lecture　to　this　confiscation；　and　to　ask　the　delinquent　〃if
a　man　could　not　find　better　reading　than　that。〃　　One　morning　he　had
glanced　over　and　thrown　in　the　fire　a　book　（by　what　author　I　do　not
know）；　and　when　Roustan　stooped　down　to　take　it　out　the　Emperor　stopped
him；　saying；　〃Let　that　filthy　thing　burn；　it　is　all　that　it　deserves。〃

The　Emperor　mounted　his　horse　most　ungracefully；　and　I　think　would　not
have　always　been　very　safe　when　there；　if　so　much　care　had　not　been　taken
to　give　him　only　those　which　were　perfectly　trained；　but　every　precaution
was　tak