napoleon bonaparte, v2-第6章

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morning　of　the　next　day　he　was　on　horseback；　and　until　two　o'clock　he
rode　along　the　seacoast　and　low　hills　of　Ingouville　for　more　than　a
league；　and　the　banks　of　the　Seine　as　far　as　the　cliffs　of　Hoc。　　He　also
made　a　tour　outside　of　the　citadel。　　About　three　o'clock　the　First　Consul
began　to　receive　the　authorities。　　He　conversed　with　them　in　great　detail
upon　the　work　that　had；　been　done　at　this　place　in　order　that　their　port；
which　he　always　called　the　port　of　Paris；　might　reach　the　highest　degree
of　prosperity；　and　did　the　sub…prefect；　the　mayor；　the　two　presidents　of
the　tribunals；　the　commandant　of　the　place；　and　the　chief　of　the　tenth
demi…brigade　of　light　infantry　the　honor　of　inviting　them　to　his　table。

In　the　evening　the　First　Consul　went　to　the　theater；　where　they　played　a
piece　composed　for　the　occasion；　about　as　admirable　as　such　pieces
usually　are；　but　on　which　the　First　Consul　and　Madame　Bonaparte
especially　complimented　the　authors。　　The　illuminations　were　more
brilliant　even　than　on　the　evening　before；　and　I　remember　especially　that
the　largest　number　of　transparencies　bore　the　inscription；　18th　Brumaire；
year　VIII。

Sunday；　at　seven　o'clock　in　the　morning；　after　having　visited　the　Marine
Arsenal　and　all　the　docks；　the　weather　being　very　fine；　the　First　Consul
embarked　in　a　little　barge；　and　remained　in　the　roadstead　for　several
hours；　escorted　by　a　large　number　of　barges　filled　with　men　and　elegantly
dressed　women；　and　musicians　playing　the　favorite　airs　of　the　First
Consul。　　Then　a　few　hours　were　again　passed　in　the　reception　of
merchants；　the　First　Consul　assuring　them　that　he　had　taken　the　greatest
pleasure　in　conferring　with　them　in　regard　to　the　commerce　of　Havre　with
the　colonies。　　In　the　evening；　there　was　a　fete　prepared　by　the
merchants；　at　which　the　First　Consul　remained　for　half　an　hour；　and　on
Monday；　at　five　o'clock　in　the　morning；　he　embarked　on　a　lugger　for
Honfleur。　　At　the　time　of　his　departure　the　weather　was　a　little
threatening；　and　the　First　Consul　was　advised　not　to　embark。　　Madame
Bonaparte；　whose　ears　this　rumor　reached；　ran　after　her　husband；　begging
him　not　to　set　out；　but　he　embraced　her；　laughing；　calling　her　a　coward；
and　entered　the　vessel　which　was　awaiting　him。　　He　had　hardly　embarked
when　the　wind　suddenly　lulled；　and　the　weather　became　very　fine。　　On　his
return　to　Havre；　the　First　Consul　held　a　review　on　the　Place　de　la
Citadelle；　and　visited　the　artillery　barracks；　after　which　he　received；
until　the　evening；　a　large　number　of　public　dignitaries　and　merchants；
and　the　next　day；　at　six　o'clock　in　the　morning；　we　set　out　for　Dieppe。

When　we　arrived　at　Fecamp；　the　town　presented　an　extremely　singular
spectacle。　　All　the　inhabitants　of　the　town；　and　of　the　adjoining　towns
and　villages；　followed　the　clergy；　chanting　a　Te　Deum　for　the　anniversary
of　the　18th　Brumaire；　and　these　countless　voices　rising　to　heaven　for　him
affected　the　First　Consul　profoundly。　　He　repeated　several　times　during
breakfast　that　he　had　felt　more　emotion　on　hearing　these　chants　under　the
dome　of　heaven　than　he　had　ever　felt　while　listening　to　the　most
brilliant　music。

We　arrived　at　Dieppe　at　six　o'clock　in　the　evening。　　The　First　Consul
retired；　only　after　having　received　all　their　felicitations；　which　were
certainly　very　sincere　there；　as　throughout　all　France　at　that　time。　　The
next　day；　at　eight　o'clock；　the　First　Consul　repaired　to　the　harbor；
where　he　remained　a　long　while　watching　the　return　of　the　fishermen；　and
afterwards　visited　the　faubourg　of　Pollet；　and　the　work　on　the　docks；
which　was　then　just　beginning。　　He　admitted　to　his　table　the　sub…prefect；
the　mayor；　and　three　sailors　of　Dieppe　who　had　been　given　boarding…axes
of　honor　for　distinguishing　themselves　in　the　combat　off　Boulogne。　　He
ordered　the　construction　of　a　breakwater　in　the　inner　port；　and　the
continuation　of　a　canal　for　navigation；　which　was　to　be　extended　as　far
as　Paris；　and　of　which；　until　this　present　time；　only　a　few　fathoms　have
been　made。　　From　Dieppe　we　went　to　Gisors　and　to　Beauvais；　and　finally
the　First　Consul　and　his　wife　returned　to　Saint…Cloud；　after　an　absence
of　two　weeks；　during　which　workmen　had　been　busily　employed　in　restoring
the　ancient　royal　residence；　which　the　First　Consul　had　decided　to
accept；　as　I　have　before　stated。




CHAPTER　X。

The　tour　of　the　First　Consul　through　the　wealthiest　and　most　enlightened
departments　of　France　had　removed　from　his　mind　the　apprehension　of　many
difficulties　which　he　had　feared　at　first　in　the　execution　of　his　plans。
Everywhere　he　had　been　treated　as　a　monarch；　and　not　only　he　personally；
but　Madame　Bonaparte　also；　had　been　received　with　all　the　honors　usually
reserved　for　crowned　heads。　　There　was　no　difference　between　the　homage
offered　them　at　this　time；　and　that　which　they　received　later；　even
during　the　Empire；　when　their　Majesties　made　tours　of　their　states　at
different　times。　　For　this　reason　I　shall　give　some　details；　and　if　they
should　seem　too　long；　or　not　very　novel；　the　reader　will　remember　that　I
am　not　writing　only　for　those　who　lived　during　the　Empire。　　The
generation　which　witnessed　such　great　deeds；　and　which；　under　their　very
eyes；　and　from　the　beginning　of　his　career；　saw　the　greatest　man　of　this
century；　has　already　given　place　to　another　generation；　which　can　judge
him　only　by　what　others　may　narrate　of　him。　　What　may　be　familiar　to
those　who　saw　with　their　own　eyes　is　not　so　to　others；　who　can　only　take
at　second…hand　those　things　which　they　had　no　opportunity　of　seeing　for
themselves。　　Besides；　details　omitted　as　frivolous　or　commonplace　by
history；　which　makes　a　profession　of　more　gravity；　are　perfectly
appropriate　in　simple　memoirs；　and　often　enable　one　to　understand　and
judge　the　epoch　more　correctly。　　For　instance；　it　seems　to　me　that　the
enthusiasm　displayed　by　the　entire　population　and　all　the　local
authorities　for　the　First　Consul　and　his　wife　during　their　tour　in
Normandy　showed　clearly　that　the　chief　of　the　state　would　have　no　great
opposition　to　fear；　certainly　none　on　the　part　of　the　nation；　whenever　it
should　please　him　to　change　his　title；　and　proclaim　himself　Emperor。

Soon　after　our　return；　by　a　decree　of　the　consuls　four　ladies　were
assigned　to　Madame　Bonaparte　to　assist　her　in　doing　the　honors　of　the
palace。　　They　were　Mesdames　de　Remusat；　de　Tallouet；　de　Lucay；　and　de
Lauriston。　　Under　the　Empire　they　became　ladies…in…waiting。　　Madame　de
Lauriston　often　raised　a　smile　by　little　exhibitions　of　parsimony；　but
she　was　good　and　obliging。　　Madame　de　Remusat　possessed　great　merit；　and
had　sound　judgment；　though　she　appeared　somewhat　haughty；　which　was　the
more　remarkable　as　M。　de　Remusat　was　exactly　the　reverse。　　Subsequently
there　was　another　lady　of　honor；　Madame　de　La　Rochefoucault；　of　whom　I
shall　have　occasion　to　speak　later。

The　lady　of　the　robes；　Madame　de　Lucay；　was　succeeded　by　Madame　La
Vallette；　so　gloriously　known　afterwards　by　her　devotion　to　her　husband。
There　were　twenty…four　French　ladies…in…waiting；　among　whom　were　Mesdames
de　Remusat；　de　Tallouet；　de　Lauriston；　Ney；　d'Arberg；　Louise　d'Arberg
（afterwards　the　Countess　of　Lobau）；　de　Walsh…Serent；　de　Colbert；　Lannes；
Savary；　de　Turenne；　Octave　de　Segur；　de　Montalivet；　de　Marescot；　de
Bouille　Solar；　Lascaris；　de　Brignole；　de　Canisy；　de　Chevreuse；　Victor　de
Mortemart；　de　Montmorency；　Matignon；　and　Maret。　　There　were　also　twelve
Italian　ladies…in…waiting。

These　ladies　served　in　turn　one　month　each；　there　being　thus　two　French
and　one　Italian　lady　on　duty　together。　　The　Emperor　at　first　did　not
admit　unmarried　ladies　among　the　ladies…in…waiting；　but　he　relaxed　this
rule　first　in　favor　of　Mademoiselle　Louise　d'Arberg　（afterwards　Countess
of　Lobau）；　and　then　in　favor　of　Mademoiselle　de　Lucay；　who　has　since
married　Count　Philip　de　Segur；　author　of　the　excellent　history　of　the
campaign　in　Russia；　and　these　two　young　ladies　by　their　prudence　and
circumspect　conduct　proved　themselves　above　criticism　even　at　court。

There　were　four　lady　ushers；　Mesdames　Soustras；　Ducrest…Villeneuve；
Felicite　Longroy；　and　Egle　Marchery。

Two　first　ladies'　maids；　Mesdames　Roy　and　Marco　de　St。　Hilaire；　who　had
under　their　charge　the　grand　wardrobe　and　the　jewel…box。

There　were　four　ladies'　maids　in　ordinary。

A　lady　reader。

The　men　on　the　staff　of　the　Empress's　household　were　the　following：
A　grand　equerry；　Senator　Harville；　who　discharged　the　duties　of　a
chevalier　of　honor。

A　head　chamberlain；　the　general　of　division；　Nansouty。

A　vice…chamberlain；　introducer　of　the　ambassadors；　de　Beaumont。

Four　chamberlains　in　ordinary；　de　Courtomer；　Degrave；　Galard　de　Bearn；
Hector　d'Aubusson　de　la　Feuillade。

Four　equerries；　Corbineau；　Berckheim；　d'Audenarde；　and　Fouler。

A　superintendent…general　of　her　Majesty's　household；　Hinguerlot。

A　secretary　of　commands；　Deschamps。

Two　head　valets；　Frere　and　Douville。

Four　valets　in　ordinary。

Four　men　servants。

Two　head　footmen；　L'Esperance　and　d'Argens。　　Six　ordinary　footmen。　　The
staff　of　the　kitchen　and　sanitation　were　the　same　as　in　the　household　of
the　Emperor；　and　besides　these；　six　pages　of　the　Emperor　were　always　in
attendance　upon　the　Empress。

The　chief　almoner　was　Ferdinand　de　Rohan；　former　archbishop　of　Cambray。

Another　decree　of　the　same　date　fixed　the　duties　of　the　prefects　of　the
palace。　　The　four　head　prefects　of　the　consular　palace　were　de　Remusat；
de　Crayamel　（afterwards　appointed　introduces　of　ambassadors；　and　master
of　ceremonies）；　de　Lugay；　and　Didelot。　　The　latter　subsequently　became
prefect　of　the　Department　of　the　Cher。

Malmaison　was　no　longer　sufficient　for　the　First　Consul；　whose　household；
like　that　of　Madame　Bonaparte；　became　daily　more　numerous。　　A　much　larger
building　had　become　necessary；　and　the　First　Consul　fixed　his　choice　upon
Saint…Cloud。

The　inhabitants　of　Saint…Cloud　addressed　a　petition　to　the　Corps
Legislatif；　praying　that　the　First　Consul　would　make　their　chateau　his
summer　residence；　and　this　body　hastened　to　transmit　it　to　him；　adding
their　prayers　to　the　same　effect；　and　making　comparisons　which　they
believed　would　be　agreeable　to　him。　　The　general　refused　formally；　saying
that　when　he　should　have　finished　and　laid　down　the　duties　with　which　the
people　had　charged　him；　he　would　feel　honored　by　any　recompense　which　the
popular　will　might　award　him；　but　that　so　long　as　he　was　the　chief　of　the
Government　he　would　accept　nothing。

Notwithstanding　the　determined　tone　of　this　reply；　the　inhabitants　of　the
village　of　Saint…Cloud；　who　had　the　greatest　interest　in　the　petition
being　granted；　renewed　it　when　the　First　Consul　was　chosen　consul　for
life；　and　he　then　consented　to　accept。　　The　expenses　of　the　repairs　and
furnishing　were　immense；　and　greatly　exceeded　the　calculations　that　had
been　made　for　him；　nevertheless；　he　was　not　satisfied　either　with　the
furniture　or　ornaments；　and　complained　to　Charvet；　the　concierge　at
Malmaison；　whom　he　appointed　to　the　same　post　in　the　new　palace；　and　whom
he　had　charged　with　the　general　supervision　of　the　furnishing　and　the
placing　of　the　furniture；　that　he　had　fitted　up　apartments　suitable　only
for　a　mistress；