napoleon bonaparte, v3-第18章

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balloon；　were　decorated　with　countless　festoons　of　colored　lights。　　This
enormous　body　of　colored　fire　rising　slowly　and　majestically　into　the　air
was　a　magnificent　spectacle。　　It　remained　suspended　for　a　while　exactly
over　the　city　of　Paris；　as　if　to　wait　till　public　curiosity　was　fully
satisfied；　then；　having　reached　a　height　at　which　it　encountered　a　more
rapid　current　of　air；　it　suddenly　disappeared；　driven　by　the　wind　towards
the　south。　　After　its　disappearance　it　was　thought　of　no　more；　but
fifteen　days　later　a　very　singular　incident　recalled　it　to　public
attention。

While　I　was　dressing　the　Emperor　the　first　day　of　the　year；　or　the　day
before；　one　of　his　ministers　was　introduced；　and　the　Emperor　having
inquired　the　news　in　Paris；　as　he　always　did　of　those　whom　he　saw　early
in　the　morning；　the　minister　replied；　〃I　saw　Cardinal　Caprara　late
yesterday　evening；　and　I　learned　from　him　a　very　singular　circumstance。〃
〃What　was　it？　about　what？〃　and　his　Majesty；　imagining　doubtless　that　it
was　some　political　incident；　was　preparing　to　carry　off　his　minister　into
his　cabinet；　before　having　completed　his　toilet；　when　his　Excellency
hastened　to　add；　〃Oh；　it　is　nothing　very　serious；　Sire！　　Your　Majesty
doubtless　remembers　that　they　have　been　discussing　lately　in　the　circle
of　her　Majesty　the　Empress　the　chagrin　of　poor　Garnerin；　who　has　not
succeeded　up　to　this　time　in　finding　the　balloon　which　he　sent　up　on　the
day　of　the　fete　given　to　your　Majesty　by　the　city　of　Paris。　　He　has　at
last　received　news　of　his　balloon。〃〃Where　did　it　fall？〃　asked　the
Emperor。　　〃At　Rome；　Sire！〃〃Ah；　that　is　really　very　singular。〃　〃Yes；
Sire；　Garnerin's　balloon　has　thus；　in　twenty…four　hours；　shown　your
imperial　crown　in　the　two　capitals　of　the　world。〃　　Then　the　minister
related　to　his　Majesty　the　following　details；　which　were　published　at　the
time；　but　which　I　think　sufficiently　interesting　to　be　repeated　here。

Garnerin　had　attached　to　his　balloon　the　following　notice：
〃The　balloon　carrying　this　letter　was　sent　up　at　Paris　on　the　evening　of
the　25th　Frimaire　（Dec。　16）　by　Monsieur　Garnerin；　special　aeronaut　of　his
Majesty　the　Emperor　of　Russia；　and　ordinary　aeronaut　of　the　French
government；　on　the　occasion　of　a　fete　given　by　the　city　of　Paris　to　the
Emperor　Napoleon；　celebrating　his　coronation。　　Whoever　finds　this　balloon
will　please　inform　M。　Garnerin；　who　will　go　to　the　spot。〃

The　aeronaut　expected；　doubtless；　to　receive　notice　next　day　that　his
balloon　had　fallen　in　the　plain　of　Saint…Denis；　or　in　that　of　Grenelle；
for　it　is　to　be　presumed　that　he　hardly　dreamed　of　going　to　Rome　when　he
engaged　to　go　to　the　spot。　　More　than　fifteen　days　passed　before　he
received　the　expected　notice；　and　he　had　probably　given　up　his　balloon　as
lost；　when　there　came　the　following　letter　from　the　nuncio　of　his
Holiness：

　　　　　〃Cardinal　Caprara　is　charged　by　his　Excellency　Cardinal　Gonsalvi；
　　　　　Secretary　of　State　of　His　Holiness；　to　remit　to　M。　Garnerin　a　copy
　　　　　of　a　letter　dated　Dec。　18。　　He　hastens　to　send　it；　and　also　to　add　a
　　　　　copy　of　the　note　which　accompanied　it。　　The　cardinal　also　takes　this
　　　　　occasion　to　assure　Monsieur　Garnerin　of　his　highest　esteem。〃

To　this　letter　was　added　a　translation　of　the　report　made　to　the
cardinal；　secretary　of　state　at　Rome；　by　the　Duke　of　Mondragone；　and
dated　from　Anguillora；　near　Rome；　Dec。　18：

　　　　　〃Yesterday　evening　about　twenty…four　o'clock　there　passed　through
　　　　　the　air　a　globe　of　astonishing　size；　which　fell　upon　Lake　Bracciano；
　　　　　and　had　the　appearance　of　a　house。　　Boatmen　were　sent　to　bring　it　to
　　　　　land；　but　they　were　not　able　to　do　so；　as　a　high　wind　prevailed；
　　　　　accompanied　by　snow。　　This　morning　early　they　succeeded　in　bringing
　　　　　it　ashore。　　This　globe　is　of　oiled　silk；　covered　with　netting；　and
　　　　　the　wire　gallery　is　a　little　broken。　　It　seems　to　have　been　lighted
　　　　　by　lamps　and　colored　lanterns；　of　which　much　debris　remains。
　　　　　Attached　to　the　globe　was　found　the　following　notice　〃　（which　is
　　　　　given　above）。

Thus　we　see　that　this　balloon；　which　left　Paris　at　seven　o'clock　on　the
evening　of　Dec。　　16；　had　fallen　next　day；　the　17th；　near　Rome；　at　twenty…
four　o'clock；　that　is　to　say；　at　sunset。　　It　had　crossed　France；　the
Alps；　etc。；　and　passed　over　a　space　of　more　than　three　hundred　leagues　in
twenty…two　hours；　its　rate　of　speed　being　then　fifteen　leagues　（45　miles）
per　hour；　and；　what　renders　this　still　more　remarkable；　is　the　fact　that
its　weight　was　increased　by　decorations　weighing　five　hundred　pounds。

An　account　of　the　former　trips　of　this　balloon　will　not　be　without
interest。　　Its　first　ascension　was　made　in　the　presence　of　their　Prussian
Majesties　and　the　whole　court；　upon　which　occasion　it　carried　M。
Garnerin；　his　wife；　and　M。　Gaertner；　and　descended　upon　the　frontiers　of
Saxony。

The　second　ascension　was　at　St。　Petersburg；　in　the　presence　of　the
Emperor；　the　two　Empresses；　and　the　court；　carrying　Monsieur　and　Madame
Garnerin；　and　it　fell　a　short　distance　off　in　a　marsh。　　This　was　the
first　balloon　ascension　ever　seen　in　Russia。

The　third　trial　was　also　at　St。　Petersburg；　in　the　presence　of　the
imperial　family。　　M。　Garnerin　ascended；　accompanied　by　General　Suolf；　and
the　two　travelers　were　transported　across　the　Gulf　of　Friedland　in　three…
quarters　of　an　hour；　and　descended　at　Krasnoe…selo；　twenty…five　versts
from　St。　Petersburg。　　The　fourth　trial　took　place　at　Moscow；　and　Garnerin
ascended　more　than　four　thousand　toises　＇24；000　ft。＇　He　had　many
harrowing　experiences；　and　at　the　end　of　seven　hours　descended　three
hundred　and　thirty　versts　＇200　miles＇　from　Moscow；　in　the　neighborhood　of
the　old　frontiers　of　Russia。　　This　same　balloon　was　again　used　at　the
ascension　which　Madame　Garnerin　made　at　Moscow　with　Madame　Toucheninolf；
in　the　midst　of　a　frightful　storm；　and　amid　flashes　of　lightning　which
killed　three　men　within　three　hundred　paces　of　the　balloon；　at　the　very
instant　of　the　ascension。　　These　ladies　descended　without　accident
twenty…one　versts　from　Moscow。

The　city　of　Paris　gave　a　gratuity　of　six　hundred　francs　to　the　boatmen
who　had　drawn　out　of　Lake　Bracciano　the　balloon；　which　was　brought　back
to　Paris；　and　placed　in　the　museum　of　the　Hotel　de　Ville。

I　was　a　witness　that　same　day　of　the　kindness　with　which　the　Emperor
received　the　petition　of　a　poor　woman；　a　notary's　wife；　I　believe；　whose
husband　had　been　condemned　on　account　of　some　crime；　I　know　not　what；　to
a　long　imprisonment。　　As　the　carriage　of　their　Imperial　Majesties　passed
before　the　Palais…Royal；　two　women；　one　already　old；　the　other　sixteen　or
seventeen　years　of　age；　sprang　to　the　door；　crying；　〃Pardon　for　my
husband；　pardon　for　my　father。〃

The　Emperor　immediately；　in　a　loud　tone；　gave　the　order　to　stop　his
carriage；　and　held　out　his　hand　for　the　petition　which　the　older　of　the
two　women　would　give　to　no　one　but　him；　at　the　same　time　consoling　her
with　kind　words；　and　showing　a　most　touching　interest　lest　she　might　be
hurt　by　the　horses　of　the　marshals　of　the　empire；　who　were　on　each　side
of　the　carriage。　　While　this　kindness　of　his　august　brother　was　exciting
to　the　highest　pitch　the　enthusiasm　and　sensibilities　of　the　witnesses　of
this　scene；　Prince　Louis；　seated　on　the　front　seat　of　the　carriage；　also
leaned　out；　trying　to　reassure　the　trembling　young　girl；　and　urging　her
to　comfort　her　mother；　and　count　with　certainty　on　the　Emperor's
favorable　consideration。　　The　mother　and　daughter；　overcome　by　their
emotion；　could　make　no　reply；　and　as　the　cortege　passed　on；　I　saw　the
former　on　the　point　of　falling　in　a　swoon。　　She　was　carried　into　a
neighboring　house；　where　she　revived；　and　with　her　daughter　shed　tears　of
gratitude　and　joy。

The　Corps　Legislatif　had　decreed　that　a　statue；　in　white　marble；　should
be　erected　to　the　Emperor　in　their　assembly　hall；　to　commemorate　the
completion　of　the　Civil　Code。　　On　the　day　of　the　unveiling　of　this
monument；　her　Majesty　the　Empress；　the　princes　Joseph；　Louis；　Borghese；
Bacciochi；　and　their　wives；　with　other　members　of　the　imperial　family；
deputations　of　the　principal　orders　of　the　state；　the　diplomatic　corps；
and　many　foreigners　of　distinction；　the　marshals　of　the　empire；　and　a
considerable　number　of　general　officers；　assembled　at　seven　o'clock　in
the　evening　at　the　palace　of　the　Legislative　Corps。

As　the　Empress　appeared　in　the　hall；　the　entire　assembly　rose；　and　a　band
of　music；　stationed　in　the　neighboring　stand；　rendered　the　well…known
chorus　from　Gluck；　〃How　many　charms！　　What　majesty！〃　　Scarcely　had　the
first　strains　of　this　chorus　been　heard　than　each　one　was　struck　with　the
happy　coincidence；　and　applause　burst　forth　from　all　sides。

By　invitation　of　the　president；　Marshals　Murat　and　Massena　unveiled　the
statue；　and　all　eyes　were　fixed　on　this　image　of　the　Emperor；　his　brows
encircled　with　a　crown　of　laurel；　and　entwined　with　oak　and　olive　leaves。
When　silence　had　succeeded　to　the　acclamations　excited　by　this　sight；
M。　de　Vaublanc　mounted　the　tribune；　and　pronounced　a　discourse；　which　was
loudly　applauded　in　the　assembly；　whose　sentiments　it　faithfully
expressed。

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　the　orator；　〃you　have　celebrated　the　completion　of　the
Civil　Code　of　France　by　an　act　of　admiration　and　of　gratitude；　you　have
awarded　a　statue　to　the　illustrious　prince　whose　firmness　and
perseverance　have　led　to　the　completion　of　that　grand　work；　while　at　the
same　time　his　vast　intelligence　has　shed　a　most　glorious　light　over　this
noble　department　of　human　institutions。　　First　Consul　then；　Emperor　of
the　French　to…day；　he　appears　in　the　temple　of　the　laws；　his　head　adorned
with　a　triumphal　crown　as　victory　has　so　often　adorned　it；　while
foretelling　that　this　should　change　to　the　diadem　of　kings；　and　covered
with　the　imperial　mantle；　noble　attribute　of　the　highest　of　dignities。

〃Doubtless；　on　this　solemn　day；　in　presence　of　the　princes　and　the　great
of　the　state；　before　the　august　person　whom　the　Empire　honors　for　her
beautiful　character　even　more　than　for　the　high　rank　of　which　her　virtues
render　her　so　worthy；　in　this　glorious　fete　in　which　we　would　reunite　all
France；　you　will　permit　my　feeble　voice　to　be　raised　a　moment；　and　to
recall　to　you　by　what　immortal　actions　Napoleon　entered　upon　this
wonderful　career　of　power　and　honor。

〃If　praise　corrupts　weak　minds；　it　is　the　nourishment　of　great　souls；
and　the　grand　deeds　of　heroes　are　ties　which　bind　them　to　their　country。
To　recapitulate　them　is　to　say　that　we　expect　from　them　a　combination　of
those　grand　thoughts；　those　generous　sentiments；　those　glorious　deeds；　so
nobly　rewarded　by　the　admiration　and　gratitude　of　the　public。

〃Victorious　in　the　three　quarters　of　the　world；　peacemaker　of　Europe；
legislator　of　France；　having　bestowed　and　added　provinces　to　the　Empire；
does　not　this　glorious　record　suffice　to　render　him　worthy　at　one　and　the
same　time　both　of　this　august　title　of　Emperor　of　the　French；　and　this
monument　erected　in　the　temple　of　the　laws？　　And　yet　I　would　wish　to　make
you　forget　these　brilliant　recollections　which　I　have　just　recalled。
With　a　stronger　voice　than　that　which　sounded　his　praises；　I　would　say　to
you：　erase　from　your　minds　this　glory