napoleon bonaparte, v3-第15章

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be　answered　with　confidence　and　without　timidity；　he　even　endured
contradiction；　and　one　could　without　any　risk　reply　inaccurately；　this
was　almost　always　overlooked；　for　he　paid　little　attention　to　the　reply；
but　he　never　failed　to　turn　away　from　those　who　spoke　to　him　in　a
hesitating　or　embarrassed　manner。　　Whenever　the　Emperor　took　up　his
residence　at　any　place；　there　were　on　duty；　night　and　day；　a　page　and　an
aide…decamp；　who　slept　on　sacking　beds。　　There　was　also　constantly　in
attendance；　in　an　antechamber；　a　quartermaster　and　sergeant　of　the
stables　prepared　to　order；　when　necessary；　the　equipages；　which　they　took
care　to　keep　always　in　readiness　to　move；　horses　fully　saddled　and
bridled；　and　carriages　harnessed　with　two　horses；　left　the　stables　on　the
first　signal　of　his　Majesty。　　These　attendants　were　relieved　every　two
hours；　like　sentinels。

I　said　above　that　his　Majesty　liked　prompt　replies；　and　those　which
showed　vivacity　and　sprightliness。　　I　will　give　two　anecdotes　in　support
of　this　assertion。　　Once；　while　the　Emperor　was　holding　a　review　on　the
Place　du　Carrousel；　his　horse　reared；　and　in　the　efforts　his　Majesty　made
to　control　him；　his　hat　fell　to　the　ground；　a　lieutenant　（his　name；　I
think；　was　Rabusson）；　at　whose　feet　the　hat　fell；　picked　it　up；　and　came
out　from　the　front　ranks　to　offer　it　to　his　Majesty。　　〃Thanks；　Captain；〃
said　the　Emperor；　still　engaged　in　quieting　his　horse。　　〃In　what
regiment？〃〃Sire？〃　asked　the　officer。　　The　Emperor；　then　regarding　him
more　attentively；　and　perceiving　his　mistake；　said　to　him；　smiling；　〃Ah；
that　is　so；　monsieur；　in　the　Guard。〃

The　new　captain　received　the　commission　which　he　owed　to　his　presence　of
mind；　but　which　he　had　in　fact　well　earned　by　his　bravery　and　devotion　to
duty。

At　another　review；　his　Majesty　perceived　in　the　ranks　of　a　regiment　of
the　line　an　old　soldier；　whose　arms　were　decorated　with　three　chevrons。
He　recognized　him　instantly　as　having　seen　him　in　the　army　of　Italy；　and
approaching　him；　said；　〃Well；　my　brave　fellow；　why　have　you　not　the
cross？　　You　do　not　look　like　a　bad　fellow。〃〃Sire；〃　replied　the　old
soldier；　with　sorrowful　gravity；　〃I　have　three　times　been　put　on　the　list
for　the　cross。〃〃You　shall　not　be　disappointed　a　fourth　time；〃　replied
the　Emperor；　and　he　ordered　Marshal　Berthier　to　place　on　the　list；　for
the　next　promotion；　the　brave　soldier；　who　was　soon　made　a　chevalier　of
the　Legion　of　Honor。




CHAPTER　XXI。

Pope　Pius　VII。　had　left　Rome　early　in　November；　1804；　and　his　Holiness；
accompanied　by　General　Menou；　　administrator　of　Piedmont；　arrived　at　Mont
Cenis；　on　the　morning　of　Nov。　15。　　The　road　of　Mont　Cenis　had　been
surveyed　and　smoothed；　and　all　dangerous　points　made　secure　by　barriers。
The　Holy　Father　was　received　by　M。　Poitevin…Maissemy；　prefect　of　Mont
Blanc；　and　after　a　short　visit　to　the　hospice；　crossed　the　mountain　in　a
sedan　chair；　escorted　by　an　immense　crowd；　who　knelt　to　receive　his
blessing　as　he　passed。

Nov。　17　his　Holiness　resumed　his　carriage；　in　which　he　made　the　remainder
of　the　journey；　accompanied　in　the　same　manner。　　The　Emperor　went　to　meet
the　Holy　Father；　and　met　him　on　the　road　to　Nemours　in　the　forest　of
Fontainebleau。　　The　Emperor　dismounted　from　his　horse；　and　the　two
sovereigns　returned　to　Fontainebleau　in　the　same　carriage。　　It　is　said
that　neither　took　precedence　over　the　other；　and　that；　in　order　to　avoid
this；　they　both　entered　the　carriage　at　the　same　instant；　his　Majesty　by
the　door　on　the　right；　and　his　Holiness　by　that　on　the　left。

I　do　not　know　whether　it　is　true　that　the　Emperor　used　devices　and
stratagems　in　order　to　avoid　compromising　his　dignity；　but　I　do　know　that
it　would　have　been　impossible　to　show　more　regard　and　attention　to　the
venerable　old　man。　　The　day　after　his　arrival　at　Fontainebleau；　the　Pope
made　his　entrance　into　Paris　with　all　the　honors　usually　rendered　to　the
head　of　the　Empire。　　Apartments　had　been　prepared　for　him　at　the
Tuileries　in　the　Pavilion　of　Flora；　and　as　a　continuation　of　the　delicate
and　affectionate　consideration　which　his　Majesty　had　shown　from　the
beginning　in　welcoming　the　Holy　Father；　he　found　his　apartments；　in
arrangement　and　furniture；　an　exact　duplicate　of　those　he　occupied　at
Rome。　　He　evinced　much　surprise　and　gratitude　at　this　attention；　which　he
himself；　it　is　said；　with　his　usual　delicacy；　called　entirely　filial；
desiring　thus　to　acknowledge　the　respect　which　the　Emperor　had　shown　him
on　every　occasion；　and　the　new　title　of　eldest　son　of　the　Church；　which
his　Majesty　was　about　to　assume　with　the　imperial　crown。

Every　morning　I　went；　by　order　of　his　Majesty；　to　inquire　after　the
health　of　the　Holy　Father。　　Pius　VII。　had　a　noble　and　handsome
countenance；　an　air　of　angelic　sweetness；　and　a　gentle；　well　modulated
voice；　he　spoke　little；　and　always　slowly；　but　with　grace；　his　tastes
were　extremely　simple；　and　his　abstemiousness　incredible；　he　was
indulgent　to　others　and　most　lenient　in　his　judgments。　　I　must　admit　that
on　the　score　of　good　cheer　the　persons　of　his　suite　made　no　pretense　of
imitating　the　Holy　Father；　but；　on　the　contrary；　took　most　unbecoming
advantage　of　the　Emperor's　orders；　that　everything　requested　should　be
furnished。　　The　tables　set　for　them　were　abundantly　and　even
magnificently　served；　which；　however；　did　not　prevent　a　whole　basket　of
Chambertin　being　requested　each　day　for　the　Pope's　private　table；　though
he　dined　alone　and　drank　only　water。

The　sojourn　of　nearly　five　months　which　the　Holy　Father　made　at　Paris　was
a　time　of　edification　for　the　faithful；　and　his　Holiness　must　have
carried　away　a　most　flattering　opinion　of　the　populace；　who；　having
ceased　to　practice；　and　not　having　witnessed　for　more　than　ten　years；　the
ceremonies　of　the　Catholic　religion；　had　returned　to　them　with
irrepressible　zeal。　　When　the　Pope　was　not　detained　in　his　apartments　by
his　delicate　health　in　regard　to　which　the　difference　in　the　climate；
compared　with　that　of　Italy；　and　the　severity　of　the　winter；　required
him　to　take　great　precautions）；　he　visited　the　churches；　the　museum；　and
the　establishments　of　public　utility；　and　if　the　severe　weather　prevented
his　going　out；　the　persons　who　requested　this　favor　were　presented　to
Pius　VII。　in　the　grand　gallery　of　the　Museum　Napoleon。　　I　was　one　day
asked　by　some　ladies　of　my　acquaintance　to　accompany　them　to　this
audience　of　the　Holy　Father；　and　took　much　pleasure　in　doing　so。

The　long　gallery　of　the　museum　was　filled　with　ladies　and　gentlemen；
arranged　in　double　lines；　the　greater　part　of　whom　were　mothers　of
families；　with　their　children　at　their　knees　or　in　their　arms；　ready　to
be　presented　for　the　Holy　Father's　blessing；　and　Pius　VII。　gazed　on　these
children　with　a　sweetness　and　mildness　truly　angelic。　　Preceded　by　the
governor　of　the　museum；　and　followed　by　the　cardinals　and　lords　of　his
household；　he　advanced　slowly　between　these　two　ranks　of　the　faithful；
who　fell　on　their　knees　as　he　passed；　often　stopping　to　place　his　hand　on
the　head　of　a　child；　to　address　a　few　words　to　the　mother；　or　to　give　his
ring　to　be　kissed。　　His　dress　was　a　plain　white　cassock　without　ornament。
Just　as　the　Pope　reached　us；　the　director　of　the　museum　presented　a　lady
who；　like　the　others；　was　awaiting　the　blessing　of　his　Holiness　on　her
knees。　　I　heard　the　director　call　this　lady　Madame；　the　Countess　de
Genlis；　upon　which　the　Holy　Father　held　out　to　her　his　ring；　raised　her
in　the　most　affable　manner；　and　said　a　few　flattering　words　complimenting
her　on　her　works；　and　the　happy　influence　which　they　had　exercised　in　re…
establishing　the　Catholic　religion　in　France。

Sellers　of　chaplets　and　rosaries　must　have　made　their　fortunes　during
this　winter；　for　in　some　shops　more　than　one　hundred　dozen　were　sold　per
day。　　During　the　month　of　January；　by　this　branch　of　industry　alone；　one
merchant　of　the　Rue　Saint…Denis　made　forty　thousand　francs。　　All　those
who　presented　themselves　at　the　audience　of　the　Holy　Father；　or　who
pressed　around　him　as　he　went　out；　made　him　bless　chaplets　for
themselves；　for　all　their　relations；　and　for　their　friends　in　Paris　or　in
the　provinces。　　The　cardinals　also　distributed　an　incredible　quantity　in
their　visits　to　the　various　hospitals；　to　the　Hotel　des　Invalides；　etc。；
and　even　at　private　houses。

It　was　arranged　that　the　coronation　of　their　Majesties　should　take　place
on　Dec。　2。　　On　the　morning　of　this　great　day　all　at　the　chateau　were
astir　very　early；　especially　the　persons　attached　to　the　service　of　the
wardrobe。　　The　Emperor　himself　arose　at　eight　o'clock。　　It　was　no　small
affair　to　array　his　Majesty　in　the　rich　costume　which　had　been　prepared
for　the　occasion；　and　the　whole　time　I　was　dressing　him　he　uttered
unlimited　maledictions　and　apostrophes　against　embroiderers；　tailors；　and
furnishers　generally。　　As　I　passed　him　each　article　of　his　dress；　〃Now；
that　is　something　handsome；　Monsieur　le　drole；〃　said　he　（and　my　ears　had
their　part　in　the　play）；　〃but　we　shall　see　the　bills　for　it。〃　　This　was
the　costume：　silk　stockings　embroidered　in　gold；　with　the　imperial
coronet　on　the　clocks；　white　velvet　boots　laced　and　embroidered　with
gold；　white　velvet　breeches　embroidered　in　gold　on　the　seams；　diamond
buckles　and　buttons　on　his　garters；　his　vest；　also　of　white　velvet；
embroidered　in　gold　with　diamond　buttons；　a　crimson　velvet　coat；　with
facings　of　white　velvet；　and　embroidered　on　all　the　seams；　the　whole
sparkling　with　gold　and　gems。　　A　short　cloak；　also　of　crimson；　and　lined
with　white　satin；　hung　from　his　left　shoulder；　and　was　caught　on　the
right　over　his　breast　with　a　double　clasp　of　diamonds。　　On　such　occasions
it　was　customary　for　the　grand　chamberlain　to　pass　the　shirt；　but　it
seems　that　his　Majesty　did　not　remember　this　law　of　etiquette；　and　it　was
I　alone　who　performed　that　office；　as　I　was　accustomed。　　The　shirt　was
one　of　those　ordinarily　worn　by　his　Majesty；　but　of　very　beautiful
cambric；　for　the　Emperor　would　wear　only　very　fine　linen；　but　ruffles　of
very　handsome　lace　had　been　added；　and　his　cravat　was　of　the　most
exquisite　muslin；　and　his　collar　of　superb　lace。　　The　black　velvet　cap
was　surmounted　by　two　white　aigrettes；　and　surrounded　with　a　band　of
diamonds；　caught　together　by　the　Regent。　　The　Emperor　set　out；　thus
dressed；　from　the　Tuileries；　and　it　was　not　till　he　had　reached　Notre…
Dame；　that　he　placed　over　his　shoulders　the　grand　coronation　mantle。
This　was　of　crimson　velvet；　studded　with　golden　bees；　lined　with　white
satin；　and　fastened　with　a　gold　cord　and　tassel。　　The　weight　of　it　was　at
least　eighty　pounds；　and；　although　it　was　held　up　by　four　grand
dignitaries；　bore　him　down　by　its　weight。　　Therefore；　on　returning　to　the
chateau；　he　freed　himself　as　soon　as　possible　from　all　this　rich　and
uncomfortable　apparel；　and　while　resuming　his　grenadier　uniform；　he
repeated　over　and　over；　〃At　last　I　can　get　my　breath。〃　　He　was　certainly
much　more　at　his　ease　on　the　day　of　battle。

The　jewels　which　were　used　at　the　coronation　of　her　Majesty　the　Empress；
and　which　consisted　of　a　crown；　a　diadem；　and　a　girdle；　came　from　the
establishment　of　M。　Margueritte。　　The　crown　had　eight　branches；　which
supported　a　golden　globe　surmount