napoleon bonaparte, v2-第7章

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placing　of　the　furniture；　that　he　had　fitted　up　apartments　suitable　only
for　a　mistress；　and　that　they　contained　only　gewgaws　and　spangles；　and
nothing　substantial。　　On　this　occasion；　also；　he　gave　another　proof　of
his　habitual　desire　to　do　good；　in　spite　of　prejudices　which　had　not　yet
spent　their　force。　　Knowing　that　there　were　at　Saint…Cloud　a　large　number
of　the　former　servants　of　Queen　Marie　Antoinette；　he　charged　Charvet　to
offer　them　either　their　old　places　or　pensions；　and　most　of　them　resumed
their　former　posts。　　In　1814　the　Bourbons　were　far　from　acting　so
generously；　for　they　discharged　all　employees；　even　those　who　had　served
Marie　Antoinette。

The　First　Consul　had　been　installed　at　Saint…Cloud　only　a　short　while；
when　the　chateau；　which　had　thus　again　become　the　residence　of　the
sovereign　at　enormous　expense；　came　near　falling　a　prey　to　the　flames。
The　guard　room　was　under　the　vestibule；　in　the　center　of　the　palace；　and
one　night；　the　soldiers　having　made　an　unusually　large　fire；　the　stove
became　so　hot　that　a　sofa；　whose　back　touched　one　of　the　flues　which
warmed　the　saloon；　took　fire；　and　the　games　were　quickly　communicated　to
the　other　furniture。　　The　officer　on　duty　perceiving　this；　immediately
notified　the　concierge；　and　together　they　ran　to　General　Duroc's　room　and
awoke　him。　　The　general　rose　in　haste；　and；　commanding　perfect　silence；
made　a　chain　of　men。　　He　took　his　position　at　the　pool；　in　company　with
the　concierge；　and　thence　passed　buckets　of　water　to　the　soldiers　for　two
or　three　hours；　at　the　end　of　which　time　the　fire　was　extinguished；　but
only　after　devouring　all　the　furniture；　and　it　was　not　until　the　next
morning　that　the　First　Consul；　Josephine；　Hortense；　in　short；　all　the
other　occupants　of　the　chateau；　learned　of　the　accident；　all　of　whom；　the
First　Consul　especially；　expressed　their　appreciation　of　the
consideration　shown　in　not　alarming　them。

To　prevent；　or　at　least　to　render　such　accidents　less　likely　in　future；
the　First　Consul　organized　a　night…guard　at　Saint…Cloud；　and　subsequently
did　the　same　at　all　his　residences；　which　guard…was　called　〃the　watch。〃

During　his　early　occupation　of　Saint…Cloud　the　First　Consul　slept　in　the
same　bed　with　his　wife；　afterwards　etiquette　forbade　this；　and　as　a
result；　conjugal　affection　was　somewhat　chilled；　and　finally　the　First
Consul　occupied　an　apartment　at　some　distance　from　that　of　Madame
Bonaparte。　　To　reach　her　room　it　was　necessary　to　cross　a　long　corridor；
on　the　right　and　left　of　which　were　the　rooms　of　the　ladies…in…waiting；
the　women　of　the　service；　etc。　　When　he　wished　to　pass　the　night　with　his
wife；　he　undressed　in　his　own　room；　and　went　thence　in　his　wrapper　and
night…cap；　I　going　before　him　with　a　candle。　　At　the　end　of　this　corridor
a　staircase　of　fifteen　or　sixteen　steps　led　to　the　apartment　of　Madame
Bonaparte。　　It　was　a　great　joy　to　her　to　receive　a　visit　from　her
husband；　and　every　one　was　informed　of　it　next　morning。　　I　can　see　her
now　rubbing　her　little　hands；　saying；　〃I　rose　late　to…day；　but；　you　see；
it　is　because　Bonaparte　spent　the　night　with　me。〃　　On　such　days　she　was
more　amiable　than　ever；　refused　no　one；　and　all　got　whatever　they
requested。　　I　experienced　proofs　of　this　myself　many　times。

One　evening　as　I　was　conducting　the　First　Consul　on　one　of　these　visits
to　his　wife；　we　perceived　in　the　corridor　a　handsome　young　fellow　coming
out　of　the　apartment　of　one　of　Madame　Bonaparte's　women　servants。　　He
tried　to　steal　away；　but　the　First　Consul　cried　in　a　loud　voice；　〃Who
goes　there？　　Where　are　you　going？　　What　do　you　want？　　What　is　your　name？〃
He　was　merely　a　valet　of　Madame　Bonaparte；　and；　stupefied　by　these
startling　inquiries；　replied　in　a　frightened　voice　that　he　had　just
executed　an　errand　for　Madame　Bonaparte。　　〃Very　well；〃　replied　the　First
Consul；　〃but　do　not　let　me　catch　you　again。〃　　Satisfied　that　the　gallant
would　profit　by　the　lesson；　the　general　did　not　seek　to　learn　his　name；
nor　that　of　his　inamorata。　　This　reminds　me　of　an　occasion　on　which　he
was　much　more　severe　in　regard　to　another　chambermaid　of　Madame
Bonaparte。　　She　was　young；　and　very　pretty；　and　inspired　very　tender
sentiments　in　Rapp　and　E；　two　aides…de…camp；　who　besieged　her　with
their　sighs；　and　sent　her　flowers　and　billets…doux。　　The　young　girl；　at
least　such　was　the　opinion　of　every　one；　gave　them　no　encouragement；　and
Josephine　was　much　attached　to　her；　nevertheless；　when　the　First　Consul
observed　the　gallantries　of　the　young　men；　he　became　angry；　and　had　the
poor　girl　discharged；　in　spite　of　her　tears　and　the　prayers　of　Madame
Bonaparte　and　of　the　brave　and　honest　Colonel　Rapp；　who　swore　naively
that　the　fault　was　entirely　on　his　side；　that　the　poor　child　had　not
listened　to　him；　and　that　her　conduct　was　worthy　of　all　praise。　　Nothing
availed　against　the　resolution　of　the　First　Consul；　whose　only　reply　was；
〃I　will　have　nothing　improper　in　my　household；　and　no　scandal。〃

Whenever　the　First　Consul　made　a　distribution　of　arms　of　honor；　there　was
always　a　banquet　at　the　Tuileries；　to　which　were　admitted；　without
distinction；　and　whatever　their　grade；　all　who　had　a　share　in　these
rewards。　　At　these　banquets；　which　took　place　in　the　grand　gallery　of　the
chateau；　there　were　sometimes　two　hundred　guests；　and　General　Duroc　being
master　of　ceremonies　on　these　occasions；　the　First　Consul　took　care　to
recommend　him　to　intermingle　the　private　soldiers；　the　colonels；　the
generals；　etc。　　He　ordered　the　domestics　to　show　especial　attention　to
the　private　soldiers；　and　to　see　that　they　had　plenty　of　the　best　to　eat
and　to　drink。　　These　are　the　longest　repasts　I　have　seen　the　emperor
make；　and　on　these　occasions　he　was　amiable　and　entirely　unconstrained；
making　every　effort　to　put　his　guests　entirely　at　their　ease；　though　with
many　of　them　this　was　a　difficult　task。　　Nothing　was　more　amusing　than　to
see　these　brave　soldiers　sitting　two　feet　from…the　table；　not　daring　to
approach　their　plates　or　the　food；　red　to　the　ears；　and　with　their　necks
stretched　out　towards　the　general；　as　if　to　receive　the　word　of　command。
The　First　Consul　made　them　relate　the　notable　deeds　which　had　brought
each　his　national　recognition；　and　often　laughed　boisterously　at　their
singular　narrations。　　He　encouraged　them　to　eat；　and　frequently　drank　to
their　health；　but　in　spite　of　all　this；　his　encouragement　failed　to
overcome　the　timidity　of　some；　and　the　servants　removed　the　plates　of
each　course　without　their　having　touched　them；　though　this　constraint　did
not　prevent　their　being　full　of　joy　and　enthusiasm　as　they　left　the
table。　　〃Au　revoir；　my　brave　men；〃　the　First　Consul　would　say　to　them；
〃baptize　for　me　quickly　these　new…born；〃　touching　with　his　fingers　their
sabers　of　honor。　　God　knows　whether　they　spared　themselves！

This　preference　of　the　First　Consul　for　the　private　soldier　recalls　an
instance　which　took…place　at　Malmaison；　and　which　furnishes；　besides；　a
complete　refutal　of　the　charges　of　severity　and　harshness　which　have　been
brought　against　him。

The　First　Consul　set　out　on　foot　one　morning；　dressed　in　his　gray　riding…
coat；　and　accompanied　by　General　Duroc；　on　the　road　to　Marly。　　Chatting
as　they　walked；　they　saw　a　plowman；　who　turned　a　furrow　as　he　came
towards　them。

〃See　here；　my　good　man；〃　said　the　First　Consul；　stopping　him；　〃your
furrow　is　not　straight。　　You　do　not　know　your　business。〃〃It　is　not　you；
my　fine　gentleman；　who　can　teach　me。　　You　cannot　do　as　well。　　No；　indeed
…you　think　so；　very　well；　just　try　it；〃　replied　the　good　man；　yielding
his　place　to　the　First　Consul；　who　took　the　plow…handle；　and　making　the
team　start；　commenced　to　give　his　lesson。　　But　he　did　not　plow　a　single
yard　of　a　straight　line。　　The　whole　furrow　was　crooked。　　〃Come；　come；〃
said　the　countryman；　putting　his　hand　on　that　of　the　general　to　resume
his　plow；　〃your　work　is　no　good。　　Each　one　to　his　trade。　　Saunter　along；
that　is　your　business。〃　　But　the　First　Consul　did　not　proceed　without
paying　for　the　lesson　he　had　received。　　General　Duroc　handed　the　laborer
two　or　three　louis　to　compensate　him　for　the　loss　of　time　they　had　caused
him；　and　the　countryman；　astonished　by　this　generosity；　quitted　his　plow
to　relate　his　adventure；　and　met　on　the　way　a　woman　whom　he　told　that　he
had　met　two　big　men；　judging　by　what　he　had　in　his　hand。

The　woman；　better　informed；　asked　him　to　describe　the　dress　of　the　men；
and　from　his　description　ascertained　that　it　was　the　First　Consul　and　one
of　his　staff；　the　good　man　was　overcome　with　astonishment。　　The　next　day
he　made　a　brave　resolution；　and　donning　his　best　clothes；　presented
himself　at　Malmaison；　requesting　to　speak　to　the　First　Consul；　to　thank
him；　he　said；　for　the　fine　present　he　had　given　him　the　day　before。

I　notified　the　First　Consul　of　this　visit；　and　he　ordered　me　to　bring　the
laborer　in。　　While　I　was　gone　to　announce　him；　he　had；　according　to　his
own　expression；　taken　his　courage　in　both　hands　to　prepare　himself　for
this　grand　interview；　and　I　found　him　on　my　return；　standing　in　the
center　of　the　antechamber　（for　he　did　not　dare　to　sit　upon　the　sofas；
which　though　very　simple　seemed　to　him　magnificent）；　and　pondering　what
he　should　say　to　the　First　Consul　in　token　of　his　gratitude。　　I　preceded
him；　and　he　followed　me；　placing　each　foot　cautiously　on　the　carpet；　and
when　I　opened　the　door　of　the　cabinet；　he　insisted　with　much　civility　on
my　going　first。　　When　the　First　Consul　had　nothing　private　to　say　or
dictate；　he　permitted　the　door　to　stand　open；　and　he　now　made　me　a　sign
not　to　close　it；　so　that　I　was　able　to　see　and　hear　all　that　passed。

The　honest　laborer　commenced；　on　entering　the　cabinet；　by　saluting　the
back　of　de　Bourrienne；　who　could　not　see　him；　occupied　as　he　was　in
writing　upon　a　small　table　placed　in　the　recess　of　a　window。　　The　First
Consul　saw　him　make　his　bows；　himself　reclining　in　his　armchair；　one　of
the　arms　of　which；　according　to　habit；　he　was　pricking　with　the　point　of
his　knife。　　Finally　he　spoke。　　〃Well；　my　brave　fellow。〃　　The　peasant
turned；　recognized　him；　and　saluted　anew。　　〃Well；〃　continued　the　First
Consul；　〃has　the　harvest　been　fine　this　year？〃〃No；　with　all　respect；
Citizen　General；　but　not　so　very　bad。〃

〃In　order　that　the　earth　should　produce；　it　is　necessary　that　it　should
be　turned　up；　is　it　not　so？　　Fine　gentlemen　are　no　good　for　such　work。〃

〃Meaning　no　offense；　General；　the　bourgeois　have　hands　too　soft　to　handle
a　plow。　　There　is　need　of　a　hard　fist　to　handle　these　tools。〃

〃That　is　so；〃　replied　the　First　Consul；　smiling。　　〃But　big　and　strong　as
you　are；　you　should　handle　something　else　than　a　plow。　　A　good　musket；
for　instance；　or　the　handle　of　a　good　saber。〃

The　laborer　drew　himself　up　with　an　air　of　pride。　〃General；　in　my　time　I
have　done　as　others。　　I　had　been　married　six　or　seven　years　when　these
d…d　Prussians　（pardon　me；　General）　entered　Landrecies。　　The　requisition
came。　　They　gave　me　a　gun　and　a　cartridge…box　at　the　Commune
headquarters；　and　march！　　My　soul；　we　were　not　equipped　like　those　big
gallants　that　I　saw　just　now　on　entering　the　courtyard。〃　　He　referred　to
the　grenadiers　of　the　Consular　Guard。

〃Why　did　you　quit　the　service？〃　　resume