napoleon bonaparte, v10-第9章

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seen　in　his　carriage；　but　a　figure　made　of　wax。　　Nevertheless；　when　next
day　he　appeared　before　the　eyes　of　all　on　horseback　in　a　meadow　in　front
of　the　gates　of　the　city；　they　were　compelled　to　admit　that　he　still
lived。

The　Emperor　alighted　at　the　Marcolini　palace；　a　charming　summer　residence
situated　in　the　faubourg　of　Friedrichstadt。　　An　immense　garden；　the
beautiful　meadows　of　Osterwise　on　the　banks　of　the　Elbe；　in　addition　to
an　extremely　fine　landscape；　rendered　this　sojourn　much　more　attractive
than　that　of　the　winter　palace；　and　consequently　the　Emperor　was　most
grateful　to　the　King　of　Saxony　for　having　prepared　it　for　him。　　There　he
led　the　same　life　as　at　Schoenbrunn；　reviews　every　morning；　much　work
during　the　day；　and　few　distractions　in　the　evening；　in　fact；　more
simplicity　than　display。　　The　middle　of　the　day　was　spent　in　cabinet
labors；　and　during　that　time　such　perfect　tranquillity　reigned　in　the
palace；　that　except　for　the　presence　of　two　sentinels　on　horseback　and
videttes；　which　showed　that　it　was　the　dwelling　of　a　sovereign；　it　would
have　been　difficult　to　imagine　that　this　beautiful　residence　was
inhabited　even　by　the　simplest　private　citizen。

The　Emperor　had　chosen　for　his　apartments　the　right　wing　of　the　palace；
the　left　was　occupied　by　the　Prince　de　Neuchatel。　　In　the　center　of　the
building　were　a　large　saloon　and　two　smaller　ones　which　served　as
reception　rooms。

Two　days　after　his　return；　his　Majesty　sent　orders　to　Paris　that　the
actors　of　the　〃Comedy〃　Theater　from　Paris　should　spend　the　time　of　the
armistice　at　Dresden。　　The　Duke　of　Vicenza；　charged　in　the　interim　with
the　duties　of　grand　marshal　of　the　palace；　was　ordered　to　make　all
necessary　preparations　to　receive　them。　　He　committed　this　duty　to　the
care　of　Messieurs　de　Beausset　and　de　Turenne；　to　whom　the　Emperor　gave
the　superintendence　of　the　theater；　and　a　hall　to　be　used　for　this
purpose　was　erected　in　the　orangery　of　the　Marcolini　palace。　　This　hall
communicated　with　the　apartments；　and　could　seat　about　two　hundred
persons。　　It　was　erected　as　if　by　magic；　and　was　opened；　while　awaiting
the　arrival　of　the　French　troupe；　with　two　or　three　representations　given
by　the　Italian　comedians　of　the　King　of　Saxony。

The　actors　from　Paris　were：　For　tragedy；　Messieurs　Saint…Prix　and　Talma
and　Mademoiselle　Georges。

For　comedy：　Messieurs　Fleury；　Saint…Fal；　Baptiste　the　younger；　Armand；
Thenard；　Michot；　Devigny；　Michelot　and　Barbier；　Mesdames　Mars；　Bourgoin；
Thenard；　Emilie　Contat；　and　Mezeray。

The　management　of　the　theater　was　given　to　M。　Despres。

All　these　actors　arrived　on　the　19th　of　June；　and　found　every　arrangement
made　for　their　comfort；tastefully　furnished　lodgings；　carriages；
servants；　everything　which　could　enable　them　to　agreeably　endure　the
ennui　of　a　residence　in　a　foreign　land；　and　prove　to　them　at　the　same
time　how　highly　his　Majesty　appreciated　their　talents；　an　appreciation
which　most　of　them　richly　merited；　both　on　account　of　their　excellent
social　qualities；　and　the　nobility　and　refinement　of　their　manners。

The　debut　of　the　French　troupe　at　the　theater　of　the　Orangery　took　place
on　the　22d　of　June；　in　the　'Gageure　Imprevue'；　and　another　piece；　then
much　in　vogue　at　Paris；　and　which　has　often　since　been　witnessed　with
much　pleasure；　'La　Suite　d'un　Bal　Masque'。

As　the　theater　of　the　Orangery　would　have　been　too　small　for　the
representation　of　tragedy；　that　was　reserved　for　the　grand　theater　of　the
city；　and　persons　were　admitted　on　those　occasions　only　by　cards　from　the
Count　of　Turenne；　no　admission　fee　being　charged。

At　the　grand　theater　on　the　days　of　the　French　play；　and　also　in　the
theater　at　the　Marcolini　palace；　the　footmen　of　his　Majesty　attended　upon
the　boxes；　and　served　refreshments　while　the　piece　was　being　played。

This　is　how　the　days　were　spent　after　the　arrival　of　the　actors　of　the
French　theater。

Everything　was　quiet　until　eight　o'clock　in　the　morning；　unless　a　courier
arrived；　or　some　aide…de…camp　was　unexpectedly　summoned。　　At　eight
o'clock　I　dressed　the　Emperor；　at　nine　he　held　his　levee；　which　all　could
attend　who　held　as　high　a　rank　as　colonel。　　The　civil　and　military
authorities　of　the　country　were　also　admitted；　the　Dukes　of　Weimar　and
d'Anhalt；　the　brothers　and　nephews　of　the　King　of　Saxony；　sometimes
attended。　　Next　came　breakfast；　then　the　parade　in　the　meadows　of
Osterwise；　about　one　hundred　paces　distant　from　the　palace；　to　which　the
Emperor　always　went　on　horseback；　and　dismounted　on　arriving；　the　troops
filed　before　him；　and　cheered　him　three　times　with　their　customary
enthusiasm。　　The　evolutions　were　commanded　sometimes　by　the　Emperor；
sometimes　by　the　Count　of　Lobau。　　As　soon　as　the　cavalry　began　to　defile；
his　majesty　re…entered　the　palace　and　began　to　work。　　Then　began　that
perfect　stillness　of　which　I　have　spoken；　and　dinner　was　not　served　until
late；seven　or　eight　o'clock。　　The　Emperor　often　dined　alone　with　the
Prince　de　Neuchatel；　unless　there　were　guests　from　the　royal　family　of
Saxony。　　After　dinner　they　attended　the　theater；　when　there　was　a　play；
and　afterwards　the　Emperor　returned　to　his　cabinet　to　work　again；　either
alone　or　with　his　secretaries。

Each　day　it　was　the　same　thing；　unless；　which　was　very　rarely　the　case；
fatigued　beyond　measure　by　the　labors　of　the　day；　the　Emperor　took　a
fancy　to　send　for　Madame　Georges　after　the　tragedy。　　Then　she　passed　two
or　three　hours　in　his　apartment；　but　never　more。

Sometimes　the　Emperor　invited　Talma　or　Mademoiselle　Mars　to　breakfast。
One　day；　in　a　conversation　with　this　admirable　actress；　the　Emperor　spoke
to　her　concerning　her　debut。　　〃Sire；〃　said　she；　in　that　graceful　manner
which　every　one　remembers；　〃I　began　very　young。　　I　slipped　in　without
being　perceived。〃〃Without　being　perceived！〃　replied　his　Majesty
quickly；　〃you　are　mistaken。　　Be　assured　moreover；　Mademoiselle；　that　I
have　always；　in　common　with　all　France；　highly　appreciated　your　wonderful
talents。〃

The　Emperor's　stay　at　Dresden　brought　wealth　and　abundance。　　More　than
six　million　francs　of　foreign　money　were　spent　in　this　city　between　the
8th　of　May　and　16th　of　November；　if　one　can　believe　the　statements
published　on　Saxon　authority　of　the　number　of　lodgings　distributed。　　This
sojourn　was　a　harvest　of　gold；　which　keepers　of　boarding…houses；　hotels；
and　merchants　carefully　reaped。　　Those　in　charge　of　military　lodgings
furnished　by　the　inhabitants　also　made　large　profits。　　At　Dresden　could
be　seen　Parisian　tailors　and　bootmakers；　teaching　the　natives　to　work　in
the　French　style。　　Even　bootblacks　were　found　on　the　bridges　over　the
Elbe；　crying；　as　they　had　cried　on　the　bridges　of　the　Seine；　〃Shine　your
boots！〃

Around　the　city　numerous　camps　had　been　established　for　the　wounded；
convalescents；　etc。　　One　of　these；　called　the　Westphalian　camp；　presented
a　most　beautiful　scene。　　It　was　a　succession　of　beautiful　small　gardens；
there　a　fortress　made　of　turf；　its　bastions　crowned　with　hortensias；　here
a　plot　had　been　converted　into　a　terrace；　its　walks　ornamented　with
flowers；　like　the　most　carefully　tended　parterre；　on　a　third　was　seen　a
statue　of　Pallas。　　The　whole　barrack　was　decked　with　moss；　and　decorated
with　boughs　and　garlands　which　were　renewed　each　day。

As　the　armistice　would　end　on　the　15th　of　August；　the　fete　of　his　Majesty
was　advanced　five　days。　　The　army；　the　town；　and　the　court　had　made
extensive　preparations　in　order　that　the　ceremony　might　be　worthy　of　him
in　whose　honor　it　was　given。　　All　the　richest　and　most　distinguished
inhabitants　of　Dresden　vied　with　each　other　in　balls；　concerts；
festivities；　and　rejoicings　of　all　sorts。　　The　morning　before　the　day　of
the　review；　the　King　of　Saxony　came　to　the　residence　of　the　Emperor　with
all　his　family；　and　the　two　sovereigns　manifested　the　warmest　friendship
for　each　other。　　They　breakfasted　together；　after　which　his　Majesty；
accompanied　by　the　King　of　Saxony；　his　brothers　and　nephews；　repaired　to
the　meadow　behind　the　palace；　where　fifteen　thousand　men　of　the　guard
awaited　him　in　as　fine　condition　as　on　the　most　brilliant　parades　on　the
Champ…de…Mars。

After　the　review；　the　French　and　Saxon　troops　dispersed　through　the
various　churches　to　hear　the　Te　Deum；　and　at　the　close　of　the　religious
ceremony；　all　these　brave　soldiers　seated　themselves　at　banqueting　tables
already　prepared；　and　their　joyous　shouts　with　music　and　dancing　were
prolonged　far　into　the　night。




CHAPTER　XIII。

The　entire　duration　of　the　armistice　was　employed　in　negotiations　tending
to　a　treaty　of　peace；　which　the　Emperor　ardently　desired；　especially
since　he　had　seen　the　honor　of　his　army　restored　on　the　fields　of　Lutzen
and　Bautzen；　but　unfortunately　he　desired　it　only　on　conditions　to　which
the　enemy　would　not　consent；　and　soon　the　second　series　of　our　disasters
recommenced；　and　rendered　peace　more　and　more　impossible。　　Besides；　from
the　beginning　of　negotiations　relative　to　the　armistice；　whose　limit　we
had　now　nearly　reached；　the　emperor　Alexander；　notwithstanding　the　three
battles　won　by　Napoleon；　would　listen　to　no　direct　proposals　from　France；
except　on　the　sole　condition　that　Austria　should　act　as　mediator。　　This
distrust；　as　might　be　expected；　did　not　tend　to　produce　a　final。
reconciliation；　and；　being　the　conquering　party；　the　Emperor　was
naturally　irritated　by　it；　nevertheless；　under　these　grave　circumstances
he　conquered　the　just　resentment　caused　by　the　conduct　of　the　Emperor　of
Russia　towards　himself。　　The　result　of　the　time　lost　at　Dresden；　like　the
prolongation　of　our　sojourn　at　Moscow；　was　a　great　advantage　to　the
enemy。

All　hopes　of　a　peaceful　adjustment　of　affairs　now　having　vanished；　on　the
15th　of　August　the　Emperor　ordered　his　carriage；　we　left　Dresden；　and　the
war　recommenced。　　The　French　army　was　still　magnificent　and　imposing；
with　a　force　of　two　hundred　thousand　infantry；　but　only　forty　thousand
cavalry；　as　it　had　been　entirely　impossible　to　repair　completely　the
immense　loss　of　horses　that　had　been　sustained。　　The　most　serious　danger
at　that　time　arose　from　the　fact　that　England　was　the　soul　of　the
coalition　of　Russia；　Prussia；　and　Sweden　against　France。　　Her　subsidies
having　obtained　her　the　supreme　control；　nothing　could　be　decided　without
consulting　her；　and　I　have　since　learned　that　even　during　the　pretended
negotiations　the　British　government　had　declared　to　the　Emperor　of　Russia
that　under　the　circumstances　the　conditions　of　the　treaty　of　Luneville
would　be　far　too　favorable　to　France。　　All　these　complications　might　be
expressed　in　these　words：　〃We　desire　war！〃　　War　was　then　waged；　or　rather
the　scourge　continued　to　desolate　Germany；　and　soon　threatened　and
invaded　France。　　I　should；　moreover；　call　attention　to　the　fact　that　what
contributed　to　render　our　position　extremely　critical　in　case　of　reverses
was　that　Prussia　waged　on　us　not　simply　a　war　of　regular　armies；　but　that
it　had　now　assumed　the　character　of　a　national　war；　by　the　calling　out　of
the　Zandwehr　and　Zandsturm　which　made　the　situation　far　more　dangerous
than　against　the　tactics　of　the　best　disciplined　army。　　To　so　many　other
complications　was　added　the　fear；　soon　only　too　well　justified；　of