napoleon bonaparte, v3-第4章

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meeting；　but　the　emotion　of　the　First　Consul　appeared　to　me　sincere　and
unaffected；　and　he　remained　sad　and　silent　for　many　days；　speaking　very
little　at　his　toilet；　and　saying　only　what　was　necessary。

During　this　month　and　the　following　I　noticed　constantly　passing；
repassing；　and　holding　frequent　interviews　with　the　First　Consul；　many
persons　whom　I　was　told　were　members　of　the　council　of　state；　tribunes；
or　senators。　　For　a　long　time　the　army　and　a　great　number　of　citizens；
who　idolized　the　hero　of　Italy　and　Egypt；　had　manifested　openly　their
desire　to　see　him　wear　a　title　worthy　of　his　renown　and　the　greatness　of
France。　　It　was　well　known；　also；　that　he　alone　performed　all　the　duties
of　government；　and　that　his　nominal　colleagues　were　really　his
subordinates。　　It　was　thought　proper；　therefore；　that　he　should　become
supreme　head　of　the　state　in　name；　as　he　already　was　in　fact。　　I　have
often　since　his　fall　heard　his　Majesty　called　an　usurper：　but　the　only
effect　of　this　on　me　is　to　provoke　a　smile　of　pity；　for　if　the　Emperor
usurped　the　throne；　he　had　more　accomplices　than　all　the　tyrants　of
tragedy　and　melodrama　combined；　for　three…fourths　of　the　French　people
were　in　the　conspiracy。　　As　is　well　known；　it　was　on　May　18　that　the
Empire　was　proclaimed；　and　the　First　Consul　（whom　I　shall　henceforward
call　the　Emperor）　received　at　Saint…Cloud　the　Senate；　led　by　Consul
Cambaceres；　who　became；　a　few　hours　later；　arch…chancellor　of　the　Empire；
and　it　was　by　him　that　the　Emperor　heard　himself　for　the　first　time
saluted　with　the　title　of　Sire。　　After　this　audience　the　Senate　went　to
present　its　homage　to　the　Empress　Josephine。　　The　rest　of　the　day　was
passed　in　receptions；　presentations；　interviews；　and　congratulations；
everybody　in　the　chateau　was　drunk　with　joy；　each　one　felt　that　he　had
been　suddenly　promoted　in　rank；　so　they　embraced　each　other；　exchanged
compliments；　and　confided　to　each　other　hopes　and　plans　for　the　future。
There　was　no　subaltern　too　humble　to　be　inspired　with　ambition；　in　a
word；　the　antechamber；　saving　the　difference　of　persons；　furnished　an
exact　repetition　of　what　passed　in　the　saloon。　　Nothing　could　be　more
amusing　than　the　embarrassment　of　the　whole　service　when　it　was　necessary
to　reply　to　his　Majesty's　questions。　　They　would　begin　with　a　mistake；
then　would　try　again；　and　do　worse；　saying　ten　times　in　the　same　minute；
〃Sire；　general；　your　Majesty；　citizen；　First　Consul。〃　　The　next　morning
on　entering　as　usual　the　First　Consul's　room；　to　his　customary　questions；
〃What　o'clock　is　it？　　What　is　the　weather？　　〃I　replied；　〃Sire；　seven
o'clock；　fine　weather。〃　　As　I　approached　his　bed；　he　seized　me　by　the
ear；　and　slapped　me　on　the　cheek；　calling　me　〃Monsieur　le　drole；〃　which
was　his　favorite　expression　when　especially　pleased　with　me。　　His　Majesty
had　kept　awake；　and　worked　late　into　the　night；　and　I　found　him　serious
and　preoccupied；　but　well　satisfied。　　How　different　this　awakening　to
that　of　the　21st　of　March　preceding！　　On　this　day　his　Majesty　went　to
hold　his　first　grand　levee　at　the　Tuileries；　where　all　the　civil　and
military　authorities　were　presented　to　him。　　The　brothers　and　sisters　of
the　Emperor　were　made　princes　and　princesses；　with　the　exception　of
Lucien；　who　had　quarreled　with　his　Majesty　on　the　occasion　of　his
marriage　with　Madame　Jouberton。　　Eighteen　generals　were　raised　to　the
dignity　of　marshals　of　the　empire。　　Dating　from　this　day；　everything
around　their　Majesties　took　on　the　appearance　of　a　court　and　royal　power。
Much　has　been　said　of　the　awkwardness　of　the　first　courtiers；　not　yet
accustomed　to　the　new　duties　imposed　upon　them；　and　to　the　ceremonials　of
etiquette；　and　there　was；　indeed；　in　the　beginning　some　embarrassment
experienced　by　those　in　the　immediate　service　of　the　Emperor；　as　I　have
said　above；　but　this　lasted　only　a　short　while；　and　the　chamberlains　and
high　officials　adapted　themselves　to　the　new　regime　almost　as　quickly　as
the　valets　de　chambre。　　They　had　also　as　instructors　many　personages　of
the　old　court；　who　had　been　struck　out　of　the　list　of　emigres　by　the
kindness　of　the　Emperor；　and　now　solicited　earnestly　for　themselves　and
their　wives　employment　in　the　new　imperial　court。

His　majesty　had　no　liking　for　the　anniversaries　of　the　Republic；　some　of
which　had　always　seemed　to　him　odious　and　cruel；　others　ridiculous；　and　I
have　heard　him　express　his　indignation　that　they　should　have　dared　to
make　an　annual　festival　of　the　anniversary　of　the　21st　of　January；　and
smile　with　pity　at　the　recollection　of　what　he　called　the　masquerades　of
the　theo…philanthropists；　who；　he　said；　〃would　have　no　Jesus　Christ；　and
yet　made　saints　of　Fenelon　and　Las　CasasCatholic　prelates。〃

Bourrienne；　in　his　Memoirs；　says　that　it　was　not　one　of　the　least
singular　things　in　the　policy　of　Napoleon；　that　during　the　first　years　of
his　reign　he　retained　the　festival　of　14th　July。　　I　will　observe；　as　to
this；　that　if　his　Majesty　used　this　annual　solemnity　to　appear　in　pomp　in
public；　on　the　other　hand；　he　so　changed　the　object　of　the　festival　that
it　would　have　been　difficult　to　recognize　in　it　the　anniversary　of　the
taking　of　the　Bastile　and　of　the　First　Federation。　　I　do　not　think　that
there　was　one　word　in　allusion　to　these　two　events　in　the　whole　ceremony；
and　to　confuse　still　further　the　recollections　of　the　Republicans；　the
Emperor　ordered　that　the　festival　should　be　celebrated　on　the　15th；
because　that　was　Sunday；　and　thus　there　would　result　no　loss　of　time　to
the　inhabitants　of　the　capital。　　Besides；　there　was　no　allusion　made　to
honoring　the；　captors　of　the　Bastile；　this　being　made　simply　the　occasion
of　a　grand　distribution　of　the　cross　of　the　Legion　of　Honor。

It　was　the　first　occasion　on　which　their　Majesties　showed　themselves　to
the　people　in　all　the　paraphernalia　of　power。

The　cortege　crossed　the　grand　alley　of　the　Tuileries　on　their　way　to　the
Hotel　des　Invalides；　the　church　of　which　（changed　during　the　Revolution
into　a　Temple　of　Mars）　had　been　restored　by　the　Emperor　to　the　Catholic
worship；　and　was　used　for　the　magnificent　ceremonies　of　the　day。　　This
was　also　the　first　time　that　the　Emperor　had　made　use　of　the　privilege　of
passing　in　a　carriage　through　the　garden　of　the　Tuileries。　　His　cortege
was　superb；　that　of　the　Empress　Josephine　not　less　brilliant；　and　the
intoxication　of　the　people　reached　such　a　height；　that　it　was　beyond
expression。　　By　order　of　the　Emperor　I　mingled　in　the　crowd；　to　learn　in
what　spirit　the　populace　would　take　part　in　the　festival；　and　I　heard　not
a　murmur；　so　great　was　the　enthusiasm　of　all　classes　for　his　Majesty　at
that　time；　whatever　may　have　been　said　since。　　The　Emperor　and　Empress
were　received　at　the　door　of　the　Hotel　des　Invalides　by　the　governor　and
by　Count　de　Segur；　grand…master　of　ceremonies；　and　at　the　entrance　of　the
church　by　Cardinal　du　Belloy　at　the　head　of　a　numerous　clergy。　　After　the
mass；　de　Lacepede；　grand　chancellor　of　the　Legion　of　Honor；　delivered　a
speech；　followed　by　the　roll…call　of　the　grand　officers　of　the　Legion；
after　which　the　Emperor　took　his　seat；　and　putting　on　his　hat；　repeated
in　a　firm　voice　the　formula　of　the　oath；　at　the　end　of　which　all　the
members　of　the　Legion　cried；　〃Je　le　jure！〃　（I　swear　it）；　and　immediately
shouts　of　〃Vive　l'Empereur；〃　repeated　a　thousand　times；　were　heard　in　the
church　and　outside。

A　singular　circumstance　added　still　more　to　the　interest　which　the
ceremony　excited。　　While　the　chevaliers　of　the　new　order　were　passing　one
by　one　before　the　Emperor；　who　welcomed　them；　a　man　of　the　people；
wearing　a　roundabout；　placed　himself　on　the　steps　of　the　throne。　　His
Majesty　showed　some　astonishment；　and　paused　an　instant；　whereupon　the
man；　being　interrogated；　showed　his　warrant。　　The　Emperor　at　once　and
with　great　cordiality　bade　him　advance；　and　gave　him　the　decoration；
accompanied　by　a　sharp　accolade。　　The　cortege；　on　its　return；　followed
the　same　route；　passing　again　through　the　garden　of　the　Tuileries。

On　the　18th　of　July；　three　days　after　this　ceremony；　the　Emperor　set　out
from　Saint…Cloud　for　the　camp　of　Boulogne。　　Believing　that　his　Majesty
would　be　willing　to　dispense　with　my　presence　for　a　few　days；　and　as　it
was　a　number　of　years　since　I　had　seen　my　family；　I　felt　a　natural　desire
to　meet　them　again；　and　to　review　with　my　parents　the　singular
circumstances　through　which　I　had　passed　since　I　had　left　them。

I　should　have　experienced；　I　confess；　great　joy　in　talking　with　them　of
my　present　situation　and　my　hopes；　and　I　felt　the　need　of　freely
expressing　myself；　and　enjoying　the　confidences　of　domestic　privacy；　in
compensation　for　the　repression　and　constraint　which　my　position　imposed
on　me。　　Therefore　I　requested　permission　to　pass　eight　days　at　Perueltz。
It　was　readily　granted；　and　I　lost　no　time　in　setting　out；　but　my
astonishment　may　be　imagined　when；　the　very　day　after　my　arrival；　a
courier　brought　me　a　letter　from　the　Count　de　Remusat；　ordering　me　to
rejoin　the　Emperor　immediately；　adding　that　his　Majesty　needed　me；　and　I
should　have　no　other　thought　than　that　of　returning　without　delay。　　In
spite　of　the　disappointment　induced　by　such　orders；　I　felt　flattered
nevertheless　at　having　become　so　necessary　to　the　great　man　who　had
deigned　to　admit　me　into　his　service；　and　at　once　bade　adieu　to　my
family。　　His　Majesty　had　hardly　reached　Boulogne；　when　he　set　out　again
immediately　on　a　tour　of　several　days　in　the　departments　of　the　north。
I　was　at　Boulogne　before　his　return；　and　had　organized　his　Majesty's
service　so　that　he　found　everything　ready　on　his　arrival；　but　this　did
not　prevent　his　saying　to　me　that　I　had　been　absent　a　long　time。

While　I　am　on　this　subject；　I　will　narrate　here；　although　some　years　in
advance；　one　or　two　circumstances　which　will　give　the　reader　a　better
idea　of　the　rigorous　confinement　to　which　I　was　subjected。　　I　had
contracted；　in　consequence　of　the　fatigues　of　my　continual　journeyings　in
the　suite　of　the　Emperor；　a　disease　of　the　bladder；　from　which　I　suffered
horribly。　　For　a　long　time　I　combated　the　disease　with　patience　and
dieting；　but　at　last；　the　pain　having　become　entirely　unbearable；　in　1808
I　requested　of　his　Majesty　a　month's　leave　of　absence　in　order　to　be
cured；　Dr。　Boyer　having　told　me　that　a　month　was　the　shortest　time
absolutely　necessary　for　my　restoration；　and　that　without　it　my　disease
would　become　incurable。　　I　went　to　Saint…Cloud　to　visit　my　wife's　family；
where　Yvan；　surgeon　of　the　Emperor；　came　to　see　me　every　day。　　Hardly　a
week　had　passed；　when　he　told　me　that　his　Majesty　thought　I　ought　to　be
entirely　well；　and　wished　me　to　resume　my　duties。　　This　wish　was
equivalent　to　an　order；　it　was　thus　I　understood　it；　and　returned　to　the
Emperor；　who　seeing　me　pale；　and　suffering　excruciatingly；　deigned　to　say
to　me　many　kind　things；　without；　however；　mentioning　a　new　leave　of
absence。　　These　two　were　my　only　absences　for　sixteen　years；　therefore；
on　my　return　from　Moscow；　and　during　the　campaign　of　France；　my　disease
having　reached　its　height；　I　quitted　the　Emperor　at　Fontainebleau；
because　it　was　impossible　for　me；　in　spite　of　all　my　attachment　to　so
kind　a　master；　and　all　the　gratitude　which　I　felt