napoleon bonaparte, v2-第8章

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the　grenadiers　of　the　Consular　Guard。

〃Why　did　you　quit　the　service？〃　　resumed　the　First　Consul；　who　appeared
to　take　great　interest　in　the　conversation。

〃My　faith；　General；　each　one　in　his　turn；　and　there　are　saber　strokes
enough　for　every　one。　　One　fell　on　me　there　〃　（the　worthy　laborer　bent
his　head　and　divided　the　locks　of　his　hair）；　〃and　after　some　weeks　in　the
field　hospital；　they　gave　me　a　discharge　to　return　to　my　wife　and　my
plow。〃

〃Have　you　any　children？〃

〃I　have　three；　General；　two　boys　and　a　girl。〃

〃You　must　make　a　soldier　of　the　oldest。　　If　he　will　conduct　himself　well；
I　will　take　care　of　him。　　Adieu；　my　brave　man。　　Whenever　I　can　help　you；
come　to　see　me　again。〃　　The　First　Consul　rose；　made　de　Bourrienne　give
him　some　louis；　which　he　added　to　those　the　laborer　had　already　received
from　him；　and　directed　me　to　show　him　out；　and　we　had　already　reached　the
antechamber；　when　the　First　Consul　called　the　peasant　back　to　say　to　him；
〃You　were　at　Fleurus？〃〃Yes；　General。〃〃Can　you　tell　me　the　name　of
your　general…in…chief？〃〃Indeed；　I　should　think　so。　　It　was　General
Jourdan。〃〃That　is　correct。　　Au　revoir；〃　and　I　carried　off　the　old
soldier　of　the　Republic；　enchanted　with　his　reception。




CHAPTER　XI。

At　the　beginning　of　this　year　（1803）；　there　arrived　at　Paris　an　envoy
from　Tunis；　who　presented　the　First　Consul；　on　the　part　of　the　Bey；　with
ten　Arab　horses。　　The　Bey　at　that　time　feared　the　anger　of　England；　and
hoped　to　find　in　France　a　powerful　ally；　capable　of　protecting　him；　and
he　could　not　have　found　a　better　time　to　make　the　application；　for
everything　announced　the　rupture　of　the　peace　of　Amiens；　over　which　all
Europe　had　so　greatly　rejoiced；　for　England　had　kept　none　of　her
promises；　and　had　executed　no　article　of　the　treaty。　　On　his　side；　the
First　Consul；　shocked　by　such　bad　faith；　and　not　wishing　to　be　a　dupe；
openly　prepared　for　war；　and　ordered　the　filling　up　of　the　ranks；　and　a
new　levy　of　one　hundred　and　twenty　thousand　conscripts。　　War　was
officially　declared　in　June；　but　hostilities　had　already　begun　before
this　time。

At　the　end　of　this　month　the　First　Consul　made　a　journey　to　Boulogne；　and
visited　Picardy；　Flanders；　and　Belgium；　in　order　to　organize　an
expedition　which　he　was　meditating　against　the　English；　and　to　place　the
northern　seacoast　in　a　state　of　defense。　　He　returned　to　Paris　in　August；
but　set　out　in　November　for　a　second　visit　to　Boulogne。

This　constant　traveling　was　too　much　for　Hambard；　who　for　a　long　time　had
been　in　feeble　health；　and　when　the　First　Consul　was　on　the　point　of
setting　out　for　his　first　tour　in　the　North；　Hambard　had　asked　to　be
excused；　alleging；　which　was　only　too　true；　the　bad　state　of　his　health。
〃See　how　you　are；〃　said　the　First　Consul；　〃always　sick　and　complaining；
and　if　you　stay　here；　who　then　will　shave　me？〃〃General；〃　replied
Hambard；　〃Constant　knows　how　to　shave　as　well　as　I。〃　　I　was　present；　and
occupied　at　that　very　moment　in　dressing　the　First　Consul。　　He　looked　at
me　and　said；　〃Well；　you　queer　fellow；　since　you　are　so　skilled；　you　shall
make　proof　of　it　at　once。　　We　must　see　how　you　will　do。〃　　I　knew　the
misadventure　of　poor　Hebert；　which　I　have　already　related；　and　not
wishing　a　like　experience；　I　had　been　for　some　time　practicing　the　art　of
shaving。　　I　had　paid　a　hairdresser　to　teach　me　his　trade；　and　I　had　even；
in　my　moments　of　leisure；　served　an　apprenticeship　in　his　shop；　where　I
had　shaved；　without　distinction；　all　his　customers。　　The　chins　of　these
good　people　had　suffered　somewhat　before　I　had　acquired　sufficient
dexterity　to　lay　a　razor　on　the　consular　chin；　but　by　dint　of　repeated
experiments　on　the　beards　of　the　commonalty　I　had　achieved　a　degree　of
skill　which　inspired　me　with　the　greatest　confidence；　so；　in　obedience　to
the　order　of　the　First　Consul；　I　brought　the　warm　water；　opened　the　razor
boldly；　and　began　operations。　　Just　as　I　was　going　to　place　the　razor
upon　the　face　of　the　First　Consul；　he　raised　himself　abruptly；　turned；
and　fastened　both　eyes　upon　me；　with　an　expression　of　severity　and
interrogation　which　I　am　unable　to　describe。　　Seeing　that　I　was　not　at
all　embarrassed；　he　seated　himself　again；　saying　to　me　in　a　mild　tone；
〃Proceed。〃　　This　I　did　with　sufficient　skill　to　satisfy　him；　and　when　I
had　finished；　he　said　to　me；　〃Hereafter　you　are　to　shave　me；〃　and；　in
fact；　after　that　he　was　unwilling　to　be　shaved　by　any　one　else。　　From
that　time　also　my　duties　became　much　more　exacting；　for　every　day　I　had
to　shave　the　First　Consul；　and　I　admit　that　it　was　not　an　easy　thing　to
do；　for　while　he　was　being　shaved；　he　often　spoke；　read　the　papers；　moved
about　in　his　chair；　turned　himself　abruptly；　and　I　was　obliged　to　use　the
greatest　precautions　in　order　not　to　cut　him。　　Happily　this　never
occurred。　　When　by　chance　he　did　not　speak；　he　remained　immobile　and
stiff　as　a　statue；　and　could　not　be　made　to　lower；　nor　raise；　nor　bend
his　head　to　one　side；　as　was　necessary　to　accomplish　the　task　easily。　　He
also　had　a　singular　fancy　of　having　one　half　of　his　face　lathered　and
shaved　before　beginning　the　other；　and　would　not　allow　me　to　pass　to　the
other　side　of　his　face　until　the　first　half　was　completely　finished；　as
the　First　Consul　found　that　plan　suited　him　best。

Later；　when　I　had　become　his　chief　valet；　and　he　deigned　to　give　me
proofs　of　his　kindness　and　esteem；　and　I　could　talk　with　him　as　freely
as　his　rank　permitted；　I　took　the　liberty　of　persuading　him　to　shave
himself；　for；　as　I　have　just　said；　not　wishing　to　be　shaved　by　any　one
except　me；　he　was　obliged　to　wait　till　I　could　be　notified；　especially　in
the　army；　when　his　hour　of　rising　was　not　regular。　　He　refused　for　a　long
time　to　take　my　advice；　though　I　often　repeated　it。　　〃Ah；　ha；　Mr。　Idler！〃
he　would　say　to　me；　laughing；　〃you　are　very　anxious　for　me　to　do　half
your　work；〃　but　at　last　I　succeeded　in　satisfying　him　of　my
disinterestedness　and　the　wisdom　of　my　advice。　　The　fact　is；　I　was　most
anxious　to　persuade　him　to　this；　for；　considering　what　would　necessarily
happen　if　an　unavoidable　absence；　an　illness；　or　some　other　reason；　had
separated　me　from　the　First　Consul；　I　could　not　reflect；　without　a
shudder；　of　his　life　being　at　the　mercy　of　the　first　comer。　　As　for　him；
I　am　sure　he　never　gave　the　matter　a　thought；　for　whatever　tales　have
been　related　of　his　suspicious　nature；　he　never　took　any　precaution
against　the　snares　which　treason　might　set　for　him。　　His　sense　of
security；　in　this　regard；　amounted　even　to　imprudence；　and　consequently
all　who　loved　him；　especially　those　who　surrounded　him；　endeavored　to
make　up　for　this　want　of　precaution　by　all　the　vigilance　of　which　they
were　capable；　and　it　is　unnecessary　to　assert　that　it　was　this　solicitude
for　the　precious　life　of　my　master　which　had　caused　me　to　insist　upon　the
advice　I　had　given　him　to　shave　himself。

On　the　first　occasions　on　which　he　attempted　to　put　my　lessons　into
practice；　it　was　even　more　alarming　than　laughable　to　watch　the　Emperor
（for　such　he　was　then）；　as　in　spite　of　the　lessons　that　I　had　given　him
with　repeated　illustrations；　he　did　not　yet　know　how　to　hold　his　razor。
He　would　seize　it　by　the　handle；　and　apply　it　perpendicularly　to　his
cheek；　instead　of　laying　it　flat；　he　would　make　a　sudden　dash　with　the
razor；　never　failing　to　give　himself　a　cut；　and　then　draw　back　his　hand
quickly；　crying　out；　〃See　there；　you　scamp；　you　have　made　me　cut　myself。〃
I　would　then　take　the　razor　and　finish　the　operation　The　next　day　the
same　scene　would　be　repeated；　but　with　less　bloodshed；　and　each　day　the
skill　of　the　Emperor　improved；　until　at　last；　by　dint　of　numberless
lessons；　he　became　sufficiently　an　adept　to　dispense　with　me；　though　he
still　cut　himself　now　and　then；　for　which　he　would　always　mildly　reproach
me；　though　jestingly　and　in　kindness。　　Besides；　from　the　manner　in　which
he　began；　and　which　he　would　never　change；　it　was　impossible　for　him　not
to　cut　his　face　sometimes；　for　he　shaved　himself　downward；　and　not
upward；　like　every　one　else；　and　this　bad　method；　which　all　my　efforts
could　not　change；　added　to　the　habitual　abruptness　of　his　movements；　made
me　shudder　every　time　I　saw　him　take　his　razor　in　hand。

Madame　Bonaparte　accompanied　the　First　Consul　on　the　first　of　these
journeys；　and　there　was；　as　on　that　to　Lyons；　a　continued　succession　of
fetes　and　rejoicing。

The　inhabitants　of　Boulogne　had；　in　anticipation　of　the　arrival　of　the
First　Consul；　raised　several　triumphal　arches；　extending　from　the
Montreuil　gate　as　far　as　the　great　road　which　led　to　his　barrack；　which
was　situated　in　the　camp　on　the　right。　　Each　arch　of　triumph　was
decorated　with　evergreens；　and　thereon　could　be　read　the　names　of　the
skirmishes　and　battles　in　which　he　had　been　victorious。　　These　domes　and
arches　of　verdure　and　flowers　presented　an　admirable　coup…d'…oeil。　　One
arch　of　triumph；　higher　than　the　others；　was　placed　in　the　midst　of　the
Rue　de　l'Ecu　（the　main　street）；　and　the　elite　of　the　citizens　had
assembled　around　it；　while　more　than　a　hundred　young　people　with　garlands
of　flowers；　children；　old　men；　and　a　great　number　of　brave　men　whom
military　duty　had　not　detained　in　the　camp；　awaited　with　impatience　the
arrival　of　the　First　Consul。　　At　his　approach　the　joyful　booming　of
cannon　announced　to　the　English；　whose　fleet　was　near　by　in　the　sea　off
Boulogne；　the　appearance　of　Napoleon　upon　the　shore　on　which　he　had
assembled　the　formidable　army　he　had　determined　to　hurl　against　England。

The　First　Consul　was　mounted　upon　a　small　gray　horse；　which　was　active　as
a　squirrel。　　He　dismounted；　and　followed　by　his　brilliant　staff；
addressed　these　paternal　words　to　the　citizens　of　the　town：　〃I　come　to
assure　the　happiness　of　France。　　The　sentiments　which　you　express；　and
all　your　evidences　of　gratitude；　touch　me；　I　shall　never　forget　my
entrance　into　Boulogne；　which　I　have　chosen　as　the　center　of　the　reunion
of　my　armies。　　Citizens；　do　not　be　alarmed　by　this　multitude。　　It　is　that
of　the　defenders　of　your　country；　soon　to　be　the　conquerors　of　haughty
England。〃

The　First　Consul　proceeded　on　his　route；　surrounded　by　the　whole
populace；　who　accompanied　him　to　the　door　of　his　headquarters；　where　more
than　thirty　generals　received　him；　though　the　firing　of　cannon；　the
ringing　of　bells；　the　cries　of　joy；　ceased　only　when　this　great　day
ended。

The　day　after　our　arrival；　the　First　Consul　visited　the　Pont　de　Brique；　a
little　village　situated　about　half　a　league　from　Boulogne。　　A　farmer　read
to　him　the　following　complimentary　address：

〃General；　in　the　name　of　twenty　fathers　we　offer　you　a　score　of　fine
fellows　who　are；　and　always　will　be；　at　your　command。　　Lead　them；
General。　　They　can　strike　a　good　blow　for　you　when　you　march　into
England。　　As　to　us；　we　will　discharge　another　duty。　　We　will　till　the
earth　in　order　that　bread　may　not　be　wanting　to　the　brave　men　who　will
crush　the　English。〃

Napoleon；　smiling；　thanked　the　patriotic　countrymen；　and　glancing　towards
the　little　country　house；　built　on　the　edge　of　the　highway；　spoke　to
General　Berthier；　saying；　〃This　is　where　I　wish　my　headquarters
established。〃　　Then　he　spurred　his　horse　and　rode　off；　while　a　general
and　some