napoleon bonaparte, v3-第5章

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because　it　was　impossible　for　me；　in　spite　of　all　my　attachment　to　so
kind　a　master；　and　all　the　gratitude　which　I　felt　towards　him；　to　perform
my　duties　longer。　　Even　after　this　separation；　which　was　exceedingly
painful　to　me；　a　year　hardly　sufficed　to　cure　me；　and　then　not　entirely。
But　I　shall　take　occasion　farther　on　to　speak　of　this　melancholy　event。
I　now　return　to　the　recital　of　facts；　which　prove　that　I　could；　with　more
reason　than　many　others；　believe　myself　a　person　of　great　importance；
since　my　humble　services　seemed　to　be　indispensable　to　the　master　of
Europe；　and　many　frequenters　of　the　Tuileries　would　have　had　more
difficulty　than　I　in　proving　their　usefulness。　　Is　there　too　much　vanity
in　what　I　have　just　said？　and　would　not　the　chamberlains　have　a　right　to
be　vexed　by　it？　　I　am　not　concerned　with　that；　so　I　continue　my
narrative。　　The　Emperor　was　tenacious　of　old　habits；　he　preferred；　as　we
have　already　seen；　being　served　by　me　in　preference　to　all　others；
nevertheless；　it　is　my　duty　to　state　that　his　servants　were　all　full　of
zeal　and　devotion；　though　I　had　been　with　him　longest；　and　had　never　left
him。　　One　day　the　Emperor　asked　for　tea　in　the　middle　of　the　day。　　M。
Seneschal　was　on　duty；　consequently　made　the　tea；　and　presented　it　to　his
Majesty；　who　declared　it　to　be　detestable；　and　had　me　summoned。　　The
Emperor　complained　to　me　that　they　were　trying　to　poison　him　（this　was
his　expression　when　he　found　a　bad　taste　in　anything）；　so　going　into　the
kitchen；　I　poured　out　of　the　same　teapot；　a　cup；　which　I　prepared　and
carried　to　his　Majesty；　with　two　silver…gilt　spoons　as　usual；　one　to
taste　the　tea　in　the　presence　of　the　Emperor；　and　the　other　for　him。
This　time　he　said　the　tea　was　excellent；　and　complimented　me　on　it　with　a
kind　familiarity　which　he　deigned　at　times　to　use　towards　his　servants。
On　returning　the　cup　to　me；　he　pulled　my　ears；　and　said；　〃You　must　teach
them　how　to　make　tea；　they　know　nothing　about　it。〃　　De　Bourrienne；　whose
excellent　Memoirs　I　have　read　with　the　greatest　pleasure；　says　somewhere；
that　the　Emperor　in　his　moments　of　good　humor　pinched　the　tip　of　the　ears
of　his　familiars。　　I　myself　think　that　he　pinched　the　whole　ear；　often；
indeed；　both　ears　at　once；　and　with　the　hand　of　a　master。　　He　also　says
in　these　same　Memoirs；　that　the　Emperor　gave　little　friendly　slaps　with
two　fingers；　in　which　De　Bourrienne　is　very　moderate；　for　I　can　bear
witness　in　regard　to　this　matter；　that　his　Majesty；　although　his　hand　was
not　large；　bestowed　his　favors　much　more　broadly；　but　this　kind　of
caress；　as　well　as　the　former；　was　given　and　received　as　a　mark　of
particular　favor；　and　the　recipients　were　far　from　complaining　then。　　I
have　heard　more　than　one　dignitary　say　with　pride；　like　the　sergeant　in
the　comedy；

　　　　　〃Sir；　feel　there；　the　blow　upon　my　cheek　is　still　warm。〃

In　his　private　apartments　the　Emperor　was　almost　always　cheerful　and
approachable；　conversing　freely　with　the　persons　in　his　service；
questioning　them　about　their　families；　their　affairs；　and　even　as　to
their　pleasures。　　His　toilet　finished；　his　appearance　suddenly　changed；
he　became　grave　and　thoughtful；　and　assumed　again　the　bearing　of　an
emperor。　　It　has　been　said；　that　he　often　beat　the　people　of　his
household；　which　statement　is　untrue。　　I　saw　him　once　only　give　himself
up　to　a　transport　of　this　kind；　and　certainly　the　circumstances　which
caused　it；　and　the　reparation　which　followed；　ought　to　render　it；　if　not
excusable；　at　least　easily　understood：　This　is　the　incident；　of　which　I
was　a　witness；　and　which　took　place　in　the　suburbs　of　Vienna；　the　day
after　the　death　of　Marshal　Lannes。　　The　Emperor　was　profoundly　affected；
and　had　not　spoken　a　word　during　his　toilet。　　As　soon　as　he　was　dressed
he　asked　for　his　horse；　and　as　an　unlucky　chance　would　have　it；　Jardin；
superintendent　of　the　stables；　could　not　be　found　when　the　horse　was
saddled；　and　the　groom　did　not　put　on　him　his　regular　bridle；　in
consequence　of　which　his　Majesty　had　no　sooner　mounted；　than　the　animal
plunged；　reared；　and　the　rider　fell　heavily　to　the　ground。　　Jardin
arrived　just　as　the　Emperor　was　rising　from　the　ground；　beside　himself
with　anger；　and　in　his　first　transport　of　rage；　he　gave　Jardin　a　blow
with　his　riding…whip　directly　across　his　face。　　Jardin　withdrew；
overwhelmed　by　such　cruel　treatment；　so　unusual　in　his　Majesty；　and：　few
hours　after；　Caulaincourt；　grand　equerry；　finding　himself　alone　with　his
Majesty；　described　to　him　Jardin's　grief　and　mortification。　　The　Emperor
expressed　deep　regret　for　his　anger；　sent　for　Jardin；　and　spoke　to　him
with　a　kindness　which　effaced　the　remembrance　of　his　ill　treatment；　and
sent　him　a　few　days　afterward　three　thousand　francs。　　I　have　been　told
that　a　similar　incident　happened　to　Vigogne；　senior；　in　Egypt。　　But
although　this　may　be　true；　two　such　instances　alone　in　the　entire　life　of
the　Emperor；　which　was　passed　amid　surroundings　so　well　calculated　to
make　a　man；　even　though　naturally　most　amiable；　depart　from　his　usual
character；　should　not　be　sufficient　to　draw　down　upon　Napoleon　the　odious
reproach　of　beating　cruelly　those　in　his　service。




CHAPTER　XVI。

In　his　headquarters　at　the　Pont　des　Briques　the　Emperor　worked　as
regularly　as　in　his　cabinet　at　the　Tuileries。　　After　his　rides　on
horseback；　his　inspections；　his　visits；　his　reviews；　he　took　his　meals　in
haste；　and　retired　into　his　cabinet；　where　he　often　worked　most　of　the
night；　thus　leading　the　same　life　as　at　Paris。　　In　his　horseback　rides
Roustan　followed　him　everywhere；　always　taking　with　him　a　little　silver
flask　of　brandy　for　the　use　of　his　Majesty；　who　rarely　asked　for　it。

The　army　of　Boulogne　was　composed　of　about　one　hundred　and　fifty　thousand
infantry　and　ninety　thousand　cavalry；　divided　into　four　principal　camps；
the　camp　of　the　right　wing；　the　camp　of　the　left　wing；　the　camp　of
Wimereux；　and　the　camp　of　Ambleteuse。

His　Majesty　the　Emperor　had　his　headquarters　at　Pont　de　Briques；　thus
named；　I　was　told；　because　the　brick　foundations　of　an　old　camp　of
Caesar's　had　been　discovered　there。　　The　Pont　de　Briques；　as　I　have　said
above；　is　about　half　a　league　from　Boulogne；　and　the　headquarters　of　his
Majesty　were　established　in　the　only　house　of　the　place　which　was　then
habitable；　and　guarded　by　a　detachment　of　the　cavalry　of　the　Imperial
Guard。

The　four　camps　were　on　a　very　high　cliff　overlooking　the　sea；　so　situated
that　in　fine　weather　the　coast　of　England　could　be　seen。

In　the　camp　on　the　right　they　had　established　barracks　for　the　Emperor；
Admiral　Bruix；　Marshal　Soult；　and　Decres；　who　was　then　minister　of　the
navy。

The　Emperor's　barrack　was　constructed　under　the　direction　of　Sordi；
engineer；　performing　the　functions　of　engineer…in…chief　of　military
roads；　and　his　nephew；　Lecat　de　Rue；　attached　at　that　time　to　the　staff
of　Marshal　Soult　as　aide…de…camp；　has　been　kind　enough　to　furnish　me　with
information　which　did　not　come　within　my　province。

The　Emperor's　barrack　was　built　of　plank；　like　the　booths　of　a　country
fair；　with　this　difference；　that　the　planks　were　neatly　planed；　and
painted　a　grayish　white。　　In　form　it　was　a　long　square；　having　at　each
end　two　pavilions　of　semicircular　shape。　　A　fence　formed　of　wooden
lattice　inclosed　this　barrack；　which　was　lighted　on　the　outside　by　lamps
placed　four　feet　apart；　and　the　windows　were　placed　laterally。　　The
pavilion　next　to　the　sea　consisted　of　three　rooms　and　a　hall；　the
principal　room；　used　as　a　council…chamber；　being　decorated　with　silver…
gray　paper。　　On　the　ceiling　were　painted　golden　clouds；　in　the　midst　of
which　appeared；　upon　the　blue　vault　of　the　sky；　an　eagle　holding　the
lightning；　and　guided　towards　England　by　a　star；　the　guardian　star　of　the
Emperor。　　In　the　middle　of　this　chamber　was　a　large　oval　table　with　a
plain　cover　of　green　cloth；　and　before　this　table　was　placed　only　his
Majesty's　armchair；　which　could　be　taken　to　pieces；　and　was　made　of
natural　wood；　unpainted；　and　covered　with　green　morocco　stuffed　with
hair；　while　upon　the　table　was　a　boxwood　writing…desk。　　This　was　the
entire　furniture　of　the　council…chamber；　in　which　his　Majesty　alone　could
be　seated。　　The　generals　stood　before　him；　and　had　during　these　councils；
which　sometimes　lasted　three　or　four　hours；　no　other　support　than　the
handles　of　their　sabers。

The　council…chamber　was　entered　from　a　hall。　　On　the　right　of　this　hall
was　his　Majesty's　bedroom；　which　had　a　glass　door；　and　was　lighted　by　a
window　which　looked　out　upon　the　camp　of　the　right　wing；　while　the　sea
could　be　seen　on　the　left。　　In　this　room　was　the　Emperor's　iron　bed；　with
a　large　curtain　of　plain　green　sarsenet　fastened　to　the　ceiling　by　a
gilded　copper　ring；　and　upon　this　bed　were　two　mattresses；　one　made　of
hair；　two　bolsters；　one　at　the　head；　the　other　at　the　foot；　no　pillow；
and　two　coverlets；　one　of　white　cotton；　the　other　of　green　sarsenet；
wadded　and　quilted；　by　the　side　of　the　bed　two　very　simple　folding…seats；
and　at　the　window　short　curtains　of　green　sarsenet。

This　room　was　papered　with　rose…colored　paper；　stamped　with　a　pattern　in
lace…work；　with　an　Etruscan　border。

Opposite　the…bedroom　was　a　similar　chamber；　in　which　was　a　peculiar　kind
of　telescope　which　had　cost　twelve　thousand　francs。　　This　instrument　was
about　four　feet　long；　and　about　a　foot　in　diameter；　and　was　mounted　on　a
mahogany　support；　with　three　feet；　the　box　in　which　it　was　kept　being
almost　in　the　shape　of　a　piano。　　In　the　same　room；　upon　two　stools；　was　a
little　square　chest；　which　contained　three　complete　suits　and　the　linen
which　formed　the　campaign　wardrobe　of　his　Majesty。　　Above　this　was　a
single　extra　hat；　lined　with　white　satin；　and　much　the　worse　for　wear；
for　the　Emperor；　as　I　shall　say　later　in　speaking　of　his　personal
peculiarities；　having　a　very　tender　scalp；　did　not　like　new　hats；　and
wore　the　same　a　long　time。

The　main　body　of　the　imperial　barrack　was　divided　into　three　rooms；　a
saloon；　a　vestibule；　and　a　grand　dining…room；　which　communicated　with　the
kitchens　by　a　passage　parallel　to　that　I　have　just　mentioned。　　Outside
the　barrack；　and　connected　with　the　kitchen；　was　a　little　shed；　covered
with　thatch；　which　served　as　a　washroom；　and　which　was　also　used　as　a
butler's　pantry。

The　barrack　of　Admiral　Bruix　was　arranged　like　that　of　the　Emperor；　but
on　a　smaller　scale。

Near　this　barrack　was　the　semaphore　of　the　signals；　a　sort　of　marine
telegraph　by　which　the　fleet　was　maneuvered。　　A　little　farther　on　was　the
Tour　d'Ordre；　with　a　powerful　battery　composed　of　six　mortars；　six
howitzers；　and　twelve　twenty…four　pounders。

These　six　mortars；　the　largest　that　had　ever　been　made；　were　six　inches
thick；　used　forty…five　pounds　of　powder　at　a　charge；　and　threw　bombs
fifteen　hundred　toises　＇A　toise　is　six　feet；　and　a　league　is　three
miles＇　in　the　air；　and　a　league　and　a　half　out　to　sea；　each　bomb　thrown
costing　the　state　three　hundred　francs。　　To　fire　one　of　these　fearful
machines　they　used　port…fires　twelve　feet　long；　and　the　cannoneer
protected　himself　as　best　he　could　by　bowing　his　head　between　his　legs；
and；　not　rising　until　after　the　shot　was　fired。　　The　Emperor　decided　to
fire　the　first　bomb　himself。