napoleon bonaparte, v3-第14章

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singular　tenacity　to　the　length　of　his；　and　I　had　much　trouble　in
inducing　him　to　abandon　this　fashion；　and　it　was　only　by　a　subterfuge
that　I　at　last　succeeded。　　Each　time　I　ordered　a　new　coat　for　his
Majesty；　I　directed　the　tailor　to　shorten　the　skirts　by　an　inch　at　least；
until　at　last；　without　his　being　aware　of　it；　they　were　no　longer
ridiculous。　　He　did　not　abandon　his　old　habits　any　more　readily　on　this
point　than　on　all　others；　and　his　greatest　desire　was　that　his　clothes
should　not　be　too　tight；　in　consequence　of　which　there　were　times　when　he
did　not　make　a　very　elegant　appearance。　　The　King　of　Naples；　the　man　in
all　France　who　dressed　with　the　most　care；　and　nearly　always　in　good
taste；　sometimes　took　the　liberty　of　bantering　the　Emperor　slightly　about
his　dress。　　〃Sire；〃　said　he　to　the　Emperor；　〃your　Majesty　dresses　too
much　like　a　good　family　man。　　Pray；　Sire；　be　an　example　to　your　faithful
subjects　of　good　taste　in　dress。〃〃Would　you　like　me；　in　order　to　please
you；〃　replied　the　Emperor；　〃to　dress　like　a　scented　fop；　like　a　dandy；　in
fine；　like　the　King　of　Naples　and　the　Two　Sicilies。　　As　for　me；　I　must
hold　on　to　my　old　habitudes。〃〃Yes；　Sire；　and　to　your　'habits　tues'；〃
added　the　king　on　one　occasion。　　〃Detestable　！〃　　cried　the　Emperor；　〃that
is　worthy　of　Brunet；〃　and　they　laughed　heartily　over　this　play　on　words；
while　declaring　it　what　the　Emperor　called　it。

However；　these　discussions　as　to　his　dress　being　renewed　at　the　time　of
his　Majesty's　marriage　to　the　Empress　Marie　Louise；　the　King　of　Naples
begged　the　Emperor　to　allow　him　to　send　him　his　tailor。　　His　Majesty；　who
sought　at　that　time　every　means　of　pleasing　his　young　wife；　accepted　the
offer　of　his　brother…in…law；　and　that　very　day　I　went　for　Leger；　King
Joachim's　tailor；　and　brought　him　with　me　to　the　chateau；　recommending
him　to　make　the　suits　which　would　be　ordered　as　loose　as　possible；
certain　as　I　was　in　advance；　that；　Monsieur　Jourdain　＇a　character　in　a
Moliere　comedy。＇to　the　contrary；　if　the　Emperor　could　not　get　into　them
easily；　he　would　not　wear　them。　　Leger　paid　no　attention　to　my　advice；
but　took　his　measure　very　closely。　　The　two　coats　were　beautifully　made；
but　the　Emperor　pronounced　them　uncomfortable；　and　wore　them　only　once；
and　Leger　did　no　more　work　for　his　Majesty。　　At　one　time；　long　before
this；　he　had　ordered　a　very　handsome　coat　of　chestnut　brown　velvet；　with
diamond　buttons；　which　he　wore　to　a　reception　of　her　Majesty　the　Empress；
with　a　black　cravat；　though　the　Empress　Josephine　had　prepared　for　him　an
elegant　lace　stock；　which　all　my　entreaties　could　not　induce　him　to　put
on。

The　Emperor's　vest　and　breeches　were　always　of　white　cassimere；　he
changed　them　every　morning；　and　they　were　washed　only　three　or　four
times。　　Two　hours　after　he　had　left　his　room；　it　often　happened　that　his
breeches　were　all　stained　with　ink；　owing　to　his　habit　of　wiping　his　pen
on　them；　and　scattering　ink　all　around　him　by　knocking　his　pen　against
the　table。　　Nevertheless；　as　he　dressed　in　the　morning　for　the　whole　day；
he　did　not　change　his　clothes　on　that　account；　and　remained　in　that
condition　the　remainder　of　the　day。　　I　have　already　said　that　he　wore
none　but　white　silk　stockings；　his　shoes；　which　were　very　light　and　thin；
being　lined　with　silk；　and　his　boots　lined　throughout　inside　with　white
fustian；　and　when　he　felt　an　itching　on　one　of　his　legs；　he　rubbed　it
with　the　heel　of　his　shoe　or　the　boot　on　the　other　leg；　which　added　still
more　to　the　effect　of　the　ink　blotches。　　His　shoe…buckles　were　oval；
either　plain　gold　or　with　medallions；　and　he　also　wore　gold　buckles　on
his　garters。　　I　never　saw　him　wear　pantaloons　under　the　Empire。

Owing　to　the　Emperor's　tenacity　to　old　customs；　his　shoemaker　in　the
first　days　of　the　Empire　was　still　the　same　he　employed　at　the　military
school；　and　as　his　shoes　had　been　made　by　the　same　measure；　from　that
time；　and　no　new　one　ever　taken；　his　shoes；　as　well　as　his　boots；　were
always　badly　made　and　ungraceful。　　For　a　long　time　he　wore　them　pointed；
but　I　persuaded　him　to　have　them　'en　bec　de　canne'；　as　that　was　the
fashion。　　At　last　his　old　measure　was　found　too　small；　and　I　got　his
Majesty's　consent　to　have　a　new　one…taken；　so　I　summoned　the　shoemaker；
who　had　succeeded　his　father；　and　was　exceedingly　stupid。　　He　had　never
seen　the　Emperor；　although　he　worked　for　him；　and　when　he　learned　that　he
was　expected　to　appear　before　his　Majesty；　his　head　was　completely
turned。　　How　could　he　dare　to　present　himself　before　the　Emperor？　　What
costume　must　he　wear？　　I　encouraged　him；　and　told　him　he　would　need　a
black　French　coat；　with　breeches；　and　hat；　etc。；　and　he　presented　himself
thus　adorned　at　the　Tuileries。　　On　entering　his　Majesty's　chamber　he　made
a　deep　bow；　and　stood　much　embarrassed。　　〃It　surely　cannot　be　you　who
made　shoes　for　me　at　the　l'ecole　militaire？〃〃No；　your　Majesty；　Emperor
and　King；　it　was　my　father。〃〃And　why　don't　he　do　so　now？〃〃Sire；　the
Emperor　and　King；　because　he　is　dead。〃〃How　much　do　you　make　me　pay　for
my　shoes？〃〃Your　Majesty；　Emperor　and　King；　pays　eighteen　francs　for
them。〃〃That　is　very　dear。〃〃Your　Majesty；　Emperor　and　King；　could　pay
much　more　for　them　if　he　would。〃　　The　Emperor　laughed　heartily　at　this
simplicity；　and　let　him　take　his　measure；　but　the　Emperor's　laughter　had
so　completely　disconcerted　the　poor　man　that；　when　he　approached　him；
his　hat　under　his　arm；　making　a　thousand　bows；　his　sword　caught　between
his　legs；　was　broken　in　two；　and　made　him　fall　on　his　hands　and　knees；
not　to　remain　there　long；　however；　for　his　Majesty's　roars　of　laughter
increasing；　and　being　at　last　freed　from　his　sword；　the　poor　shoemaker
took　the　Emperor's　measure　with　more　ease；　and　withdrew　amidst　profuse
apologies。

All　his　Majesty's　linen　was　of　extremely　fine　quality；　marked　with　an　〃N〃
in　a　coronet；　at　first　he　wore　no　suspenders；　but　at　last　began　using
them；　and　found　them　very　comfortable。　　He　wore　next　his　body　vests　made
of　English　flannel；　and　the　Empress　Josephine　had　a　dozen　cashmere　vests
made　for　his　use　in　summer。

Many　persons　have　believed　that　the　Emperor　wore　a　cuirass　under　his
clothes　when　walking　and　while　in　the　army。　　This　is　entirely　false：　the
Emperor　never　put　on　a　cuirass；　nor　anything　resembling　one；　under　his
coat　any　more　than　over　it。

The　Emperor　wore　no　jewelry；　he　never　had　in　his　pockets　either　purse　or
silver；　but　only　his　handkerchief；　his　snuff…box；　and　his　bonbon…box。

He　wore　on　his　coat　only　a　star　and　two　crosses；　that　of　the　Legion　of
Honor；　and　that　of　the　Iron　Crown。　　Under　his　uniform　and　on　his　vest　he
wore　a　red　ribbon；　the　ends　of　which　could　just　be　seen。

When　there　was　a　reception　at　the　chateau；　or　he　held　a　review；　he　put
this　grand　cordon　outside　his　coat。

His　hat；　the　shape　of　which　it　will　be　useless　to　describe　while
portraits　of　his　Majesty　exist；　was…extremely　fine　and　very　light；　lined
with　silk　and　wadded；　and　on　it　he　wore　neither　tassels　nor　plumes；　but
simply　a　narrow；　flat　band　of　silk　and　a　little　tricolored　cockade。

The　Emperor　purchased　several　watches　from　Breguet　and　Meunier；very
plain　repeaters；　without　ornamentation　or　figures；　the　face　covered　with
glass；　the　back　gold。　　M。　Las　Casas　speaks　of　a　watch　with　a　double　gold
case；　marked　with　the　cipher　〃B；〃　and　which　never　left　the　Emperor。　　I
never　saw　anything　of　the　sort；　though　I　was　keeper　of　all　the　jewels；
and　even　had　in　my　care　for　several　days　the　crown　diamonds。　　The　Emperor
often　broke　his　watch　by　throwing　it　at　random；　as　I　have　said　before；　on
any　piece　of　furniture　in　his　bedroom。　　He　had　two　alarm…clocks　made　by
Meunier；　one　in　his　carriage；　the　other　at　the　head　of　his　bed；　which　he
set　with　a　little　green　silk　cord；　and　also　a　third；　but　it　was　old　and
wornout　so　that　it　would　not　work；　it　is　this　last　which　had　belonged　to
Frederick　the　Great；　and　was　brought　from　Berlin。

The　swords　of　his　Majesty　were　very　plain；　with　gold　mountings；　and　an
owl　on　the　hilt。

The　Emperor　had　two　swords　similar　to　the　one　he　wore　the　day　of　the
battle　of　Austerlitz。　　One　of　these　swords　was　given　to　the　Emperor
Alexander；　as　the　reader　will　learn　later；　and　the　other　to　Prince　Eugene
in　1814。　　That　which　the　Emperor　wore　at　Austerlitz；　and　on　which　he
afterwards　had　engraved　the　name　and　date　of　that　memorable　battle；　was
to　have　been　inclosed　in　the　column　of　the　Place　Vendome；　but　his　Majesty
still　had　it；　I　think；　while　he　was　at　St。　Helena。

He　had　also　several　sabers　that　he　had　worn　in　his　first　campaigns；　and
on　which　were　engraved　the　names　of　the　battles　in　which　he　had　used
them。　　They　were　distributed　among　the　various　general　officers　of　his
Majesty　the　Emperor；　of　which　distribution　I　will　speak　later。

When　the　Emperor　was　about　to　quit　his　capital　to　rejoin　his　army；　or　for
a　simple　journey　through　the　departments；　we　never　knew　the　exact　moment
of　his　departure。　　It　was　necessary　to　send　in　advance　on　various　roads　a
complete　service　for　the　bedroom；　kitchen；　and　stables；　this　sometimes
waited　three　weeks；　or　even　a　month；　and　when　his　Majesty　at　length　set
out；　that　which　was　waiting　on　the　road　he　did　not　take　was　ordered　to
return。　　I　have　often　thought　that　the　Emperor　acted　thus　in　order　to
disconcert　those　who　spied　on　his　proceedings；　and　to　baffle　their
schemes。

The　day　he　was　to　set　out　no　one　could　discover　that　fact　from　him；　and
everything　went　on　as　usual。　　After　a　concert；　a　play；　or　any　other
amusement　which　had　collected　a　large　number　of　people；　his　Majesty　would
simply　remark　on　retiring；　〃I　shall　leave　at　two　o'clock！〃　　Sometimes　the
time　was　earlier；　sometimes　later；　but　he　always　began　his　journey　at　the
designated　hour。　　The　order　was　instantly　announced　by　each　of　the　head
servants；　and　all　were　ready　at　the　appointed　time；　though　the　chateau
was　left　topsy…turvy；　as　may　be　seen　from　the　picture　I　have　given
elsewhere　of　the　confusion　at　the　chateau　which　preceded　and　followed　the
Emperor's　departure。　　Wherever　his　Majesty　lodged　on　the　journey；　before
leaving　he　had　all　the　expenses　of　himself　and　of　his　household　paid；
made　presents　to　his　hosts；　and　gave　gratuities　to　the　servants　of　the
house。　　On　Sunday　the　Emperor　had　mass　celebrated　by　the　curate　of　the
place；　giving　always　as　much　as　twenty　napoleons；　sometimes　more；　and
regulating　the　gift　according　to　the　needs　of　the　poor　of　the　parish。　　He
asked　many　questions　of　the　cures　concerning　their　resources；　that　of
their　parishioners；　the　intelligence　and　morality　of　the　population；　etc。
He　rarely　failed　to　ask　the　number　of　births；　deaths；　marriages；　and　if
there　were　many　young　men　and　girls　of　a　marriageable　age。　　If　the　cure
replied　to　these　questions　in　a　satisfactory　manner；　and　if　he　had　not
been　too…long　in　saying　mass；　he　could　count　on　the　favor　of　his　Majesty；
his　church　and　his　poor　would　find　themselves　well　provided　for；　and　as
for　himself；　the　Emperor　left　on　his　departure；　or　had　sent　to　him；　a
commission　as　chevalier　of　the　Legion　of　Honor。　　His　Majesty　preferred　to
be　answered　with　confidence　and　without　timidity；　he　even　endured
contradiction；　and　one　could　without　any　risk　reply　inaccurately；　this
was　almost　al