napoleon bonaparte, v10-第1章

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RECOLLECTIONS　OF　THE　PRIVATE　LIFE　OF　NAPOLEON；　V10

BY　CONSTANT

PREMIER　VALET　DE　CHAMBRE




TRANSLATED　BY　WALTER　CLARK

1895




CONTENTS：
CHAPTER　VIII。　　to　　CHAPTER　XIV。




CHAPTER　VIII。

During　the　whole　Russian　campaign；　the　Emperor　was　nearly　always　badly
lodged。　　It　was　necessary；　however；　to　accommodate　himself　to
circumstances；　though　this　was　a　somewhat　difficult　task　to　those　who
were　accustomed　to　lodge　in　palaces。　　The　Emperor　accepted　the　situation
bravely；　and　all　his　followers　consequently　did　the　same。　　In　consequence
of　the　system　of　incendiarism　adopted　as　the　policy　of　Russia；　the
wealthy　part　of　the　population　withdrew　into　the　country；　abandoning　to
the　enemy　their　houses　already　ruined。　　In　truth；　on　the　whole　road
leading　to　Moscow；　with　the　exception　of　a　few　unimportant　towns；　the
dwellings　were　very　wretched；　and　after　long　and　fatiguing　marches；　we
were　very　happy　if　we　found　even　a　hut　at　the　place　the　Emperor　indicated
as　headquarters。　　The　owners　of　these　miserable　hovels　on　quitting　them
left　there　sometimes　two　or　three　seats　and　wooden　beds；　in　which　were　an
abundant　supply　of　vermin　that　no　invasion　could　drive　out。　　The　least
filthy　place　was　chosen；　which　was　usually　the　most　airy；　and　we　knew
when　the　cold　came；　icy　breezes　would　not　fail　us。　　When　the　location　had
been　chosen；　and　we　decided　to　halt　there；　a　carpet　was　spread　on　the
ground；　the　Emperor's　iron　bedstead　set　up；　and　a　dressing…case
containing　everything　necessary　in　a　bedroom　placed　open　on　a　small
table。　　This　case　also　contained　a　breakfast　service　for　several　persons；
which　luxury　was　displayed　when　the　Emperor　entertained　his　marshals。　　It
was　necessary；　at　all　events；　to　bring　ourselves　down　to　the　habits　of
the　humblest　citizens　of　the　province。　　If　the　house　had　two　rooms；　one
served　as　sleeping　and　dining　room；　the　other　for　his　Majesty's　cabinet。
The　box　of　books；　geographical　maps；　the　portfolio；　and　a　table　covered
with　green　cloth；　were　the　entire　furniture。　　This　was　also　the　council
chamber；　and　from　these　beggarly　huts　were　sent　forth　those　prompt　and
trenchant　decisions　which　changed　the　order　of　battle　and　often　the
fortunes　of　the　day；　and　those　strong　and　energetic　proclamations　which
so　quickly　reanimated　the　discouraged　army。　　When　our　residence　was
composed　of　three　rooms；an　extremely　rare　occurrence；　then　the　third
room；　or　closet；　was　occupied　by　the　Prince　de　Neuchatel；　who　always
slept　as　near　by　as　possible。　　We　often　found　in　these　wretched　dwellings
old　decayed　furniture　of　singular　shapes；　and　little　images　in　wood　or
plaster　of　male　or　female　saints　which　the　proprietors　had　left。
Frequently；　however；　we　found　poor　people　in　these　dwellings；　who；　having
nothing　to　save　from　conquest；　had　remained。　　These　good　people　seemed
much　ashamed　to　entertain　so　badly　the　Emperor　of　the　French；　gave　us
what　they　had；　and　were　not；　on　that　account；　less　badly　esteemed　by　us。
More　of　the　poor　than　rich　received　the　Emperor　into　their　houses；　and
the　Kremlin　was　the　last　of　the　foreign　palaces　in　which　the　Emperor
slept　during　the　Russian　campaign。

When　there　were　no　houses　to　be　found；　we　erected　the　Emperor's　tent；
and；　in　order　to　divide　it　into　three　apartments　curtains　were　hung；　in
one　of　these　apartments　the　Emperor　slept；　the　next　was　the　Emperor's
cabinet；　and　the　third　was　occupied　by　his　aides…de…camp　and　officers　of
the　service；　this　latter　room　being　ordinarily　used　as　the　Emperor's
dining…room；　his　meals　being　prepared　outside。　　I　alone　slept　in　his
room。　　Roustan；　who　accompanied　his　Majesty　on　horseback；　slept　in　the
entrance　room　of　the　tent；　in　order　that　the　sleep　which　was　so　necessary
to　him　should　not　be　disturbed。　　The　secretaries　slept　either　in　the
cabinet　or　the　entrance　room。　　The　higher　officers　and　those　of　the
service　ate　where　and　when　they　could；　and；　like　the　simple　soldiers；
made　no　scruple　of　eating　without　tables。

Prince　Berthier's　tent　was　near　that　of　the　Emperor；　and　the　prince
always　breakfasted　and　dined　with　him。　　They　were　like　two　inseparable
friends。　　This　attachment　was　very　touching；　and　points　of　difference
rarely　arose　between　them。　　Nevertheless；　there　was；　I　think；　a　little
coolness　between　him　and　the　Emperor　at　the　time　his　Majesty　left　the
army　of　Moscow。　　The　old　marshal　wished　to　accompany　him；　but　the　Emperor
refused；　and　thereupon　ensued　an　animated　but　fruitless　discussion。

The　meals　were　served　on　the　campaign　by　M。　Colin；　controller　of　the
kitchen　service；　and　Roustan；　or　a　bedroom　servant。

During　this　campaign　more　than　any　other　the　Emperor　rose　often　in　the
night；　put　on　his　dressing…gown；　and　worked　in　his　cabinet：　frequently　he
had　insomnia；　which　he　could　not　overcome；　and　when　the　bed　at　last
became　unbearable；　he　sprang　from　it　suddenly；　took　a　book　and　read；
walking　back　and　forth；　and　when　his　head　was　somewhat　relieved　lay　down
again。　　It　was　very　rarely　he　slept　the　whole　of　two　nights　in
succession；　but　often　he　remained　thus　in　the　cabinet　till　the　hour　for
his　toilet；　when　he　returned　to　his　room　and　I　dressed　him。　　The　Emperor
took　great　care　of　his　hands；　but　on　this　campaign　he　many　times
neglected　this　species　of　coquetry；　and　during　the　excessive　heat　did　not
wear　gloves；　as　they　inconvenienced　him　so　greatly。　　He　endured　the　cold
heroically；　though　it　was　easy　to　see　he　suffered　much　from　it
physically。

At　Witepsk　the　Emperor；　finding　the　space　in　front　of　the　house　in　which
he　had　his　quarters　too　small　to　hold　a　review　of　the　troops；　had　several
small　buildings　torn　down　in　order　to　enlarge　it。　　There　was　a　small
dilapidated　chapel　which　it　was　also　necessary　to　destroy　in　order　to
accomplish　this；　and　it　had　been　already　partly　torn　down；　when　the
inhabitants　assembled　in　large　numbers；　and　loudly　expressed　their
disapprobation　of　this　measure。　　But　the　Emperor　having　given　his　consent
to　their　removing　the　sacred　objects　contained　in　the　chapel；　they　were
pacified；　and；　armed　with　this　authority；　several　among　them　entered　the
sacred　place；　and　emerged　bearing　with　great　solemnity　wooden　images　of
immense　height；　which　they　deposited　in　the　other　churches。

We　were　witnesses　while　in　this　town　of　a　singular　spectacle；　and　one
well　calculated　to　shock　our　sense　of　decency。　　For　many　days　during　the
intense　heat　we　saw　the　inhabitants；　both　men　and　women；　rushing　to　the
banks　of　the　river；　removing　their　clothing　with　the　greatest
indifference　to　spectators；　and　bathing　together；　most　of　them　nearly
naked。　　The　soldiers　of　the　guard　took　pleasure　in　mingling　with　these
bathers　of　both　sexes；　but　as　the　soldiers　were　not　so　decorous　as　the
inhabitants；　and　as　the　imprudencies　committed　by　our　men　soon　went　too
far；　these　worthy　people　relinquished　the　pleasures　of　their　bath；　very
much　displeased　because　sport　was　made　of　an　exercise　they　had　enjoyed
with　so　much　gravity　and　seriousness。

One　evening　I　was　present　at　a　grand　review　of　the　foot　grenadiers　of　the
guard；　in　which　all　the　regiments　seemed　to　take　much　delight；　since　it
was　in　honor　of　the　installation　of　General　Friant

　　　　　＇Louis　Friant；　born　in　Picardy；　1758；　brigadier…general；　1794；
　　　　　served　on　the　Rhine　and　in　Italy；　accompanied　Napoleon　to　Egypt；　and
　　　　　became　general　of　division；　wounded　at　Austerlitz　（1805）；　and　was　at
　　　　　Jena　and　Wagram；　commanded　the　grenadiers　of　the　guard　in　Russian
　　　　　campaign；　and　was　severely　wounded　at　Waterloo；　died　1829＇

as　commander　of　the　corps。　　The　Emperor　gave　him　the　accolade；　which　was
the　only　occasion　on　which　I　saw　this　done　during　the　campaign；　and　as
the　general　was　much　beloved　by　the　army；　it　was　amidst　the　acclamations
of　all　that　he　received　this　honor　from　the　Emperor。

Promotions　were　usually　welcomed　by　the　soldiers　with　great　enthusiasm；
for　the　Emperor　required　that　they　should　take　place　with　much　pomp　and
ceremony。

Many　persons　thought　that　to　be　near　the　Emperor　was　a　proof　of　being
well　provided　for　on　the　campaign。　　This　is　a　great　mistake；　as　even　the
kings　and　princes　who　accompanied　his　Majesty　on　his　campaigns　could
easily　prove；　and　if　these　great　personages　lacked　absolute　necessaries；
it　may　well　be　believed　that　the　persons　comprising　the　different
services　fared　badly。　　The　Emperor　himself　often　dispensed　with　ordinary
comforts　which　would　have　been　very　agreeable　to　him　after　the　fatigues
of　the　day。

At　the　hour　for　the　bivouac　it　was　a　general　〃lodge　who　can；〃　but　the
poorest　soldier　never　had　in　his　deprivation　the　chagrin　of　seeing　his
superiors　enjoying　abundance　and　scandalous　luxury。　　The　first　generals
of　the　army　often　dined　on　ammunition…bread　with　as　much　pleasure　as　the
simple　soldier；　and　on　the　retreat　the　misery　could　not　have　been　more
general。　　This　idea　of　deprivations　shared　by　all　did　much　to　restore
hope　and　energy　to　the　most　discouraged；　and；　I　may　add；　never　has　more
reciprocal　sympathy　between　chiefs　and　soldiers　been　seen；　in　support　of
which　statement　innumerable　instances　could　be　given。

When　evening　came　the　fires　were　kindled；　and　those　foragers　who　had　been
most　successful　invited　their　companions　to　share　their　good　cheer。　　In
the　worst　times　there　was　poor；　yet　still　not　the　worst；　fare　to　offer；
consisting　of　slices　of　broiled　horse…flesh。

Many　soldiers　deprived　themselves　of　some　valuable　booty　to　offer　it　to
their　chief；　and　selfishness　was　not　so　general　that　this　noble　French
courtesy　did　not　reappear　from　time　to　time　to　recall　the　happy　days　of
France。　　Straw　was　the　bed　of　all；　and　those　of　the　marshals　who　in　Paris
slept　on　most　luxurious　beds　of　down　did　not　find　this　couch　too　hard　in
Russia。

M。　de　Beausset　has　given　me　a　very　amusing　account　of　one　night；　when
sleeping　pell…mell　on　a　little　straw；　in　very　narrow　quarters；　the　aides…
de…camp　attending　upon　the　Emperor　stepped　mercilessly　on　the　limbs　of
their　sleeping　companions；　who；　fortunately；　did　not　all　suffer　from　gout
like　M。　Beausset；　and　were　not　injured　by　such　sudden　and　oft…repeated
onslaughts。　　He　cried；　〃What　brutes！〃　　and　drawing　his　legs　under　him；
cowered　down　in　his　corner　until　this　passing　and　repassing　had　ceased
for　a　while。

Picture　to　yourself　large　rooms；　filthy；　unfurnished；　and　open　to　the
wind；　which　entered　through　every　window；　nearly　all　the　glass　of　which
was　broken；　with　crumbling　walls　and　fetid　air；　which　we　warmed　as　well
as　possible　with　our　breath；　a　vast　litter　of　straw　prepared　as　if　for
horses；　and　on　this　litter　men　shivering　with　cold；　throwing　themselves
about；　pressing　against　each　other；　murmuring；　swearing；　some　unable　to
close　their　eyes；　others　more　fortunate　snoring　loudly；　and　in　the　midst
of　this　mass　of　legs　and　feet；　a　general　awakening　in　the　night　when　an
order　from　the　Emperor　arrived；　and　you　may　form　an　idea　of　the　inn　and
the　guests。

As　for　myself；　during　the　entire　campaign　I　did　not　a　single　time　undress
to　retire　to　bed；　for　I　never　found　one　anywhere。　　It　was　necessary　to
supply　this　deficiency　by　some　means；　and　as　it　is　well　known　that
necessity　is　ever　ready　with　inventions；　we　supplied　deficiency　in　our
furnishings　in　the