napoleon bonaparte, v3-第4部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


previously　ordered　the　exclusion　of　this　person；　and　finding　this　unlucky
name　again　upon　the　custodian's　register；　he　was　angry　beyond　measure；
believing　that　they　had　dared　on　both　sides　to　disobey　his　orders。
Investigation　was　immediately　made；　and　it　was　fortunately　ascertained
that　the　visitor　was　a　most　insignificant　person；　whose　only　fault　was
that　of　bearing　a　name　which　was　justly　compromised。




CHAPTER　XV。

The　year　1804；　which　was　so　full　of　glory　for　the　Emperor；　was　also　the
year　which　brought　him　more　care　and　anxiety　than　all　others；　except
those　of　1814　and　1815。　　It　is　not　my　province　to　pass　judgment　on　such
grave　events；　nor　to　determine　what　part　was　taken　in　them　by　the
Emperor；　or　by　those　who　surrounded　and　counseled　him；　for　it　is　my
object　to　relate　only　what　I　saw　and　heard。　　On　the　21st　of　March　of　that
year　I　entered　the　Emperor's　room　at　an　early　hour；　and　found　him　awake；
leaning　on　his　elbow。　　He　seemed　gloomy　and　tired；　but　when　I　entered　he
sat　up；　passed　his　hand　many　times　over　his　forehead；　and　said　to　me；
〃Constant；　I　have　a　headache。〃　　Then；　throwing　off　the　covering；　he
added；　〃I　have　slept　very　badly。〃　　He　seemed　extremely　preoccupied　and
absorbed；　and　his　appearance　evinced　melancholy　and　suffering　to　such　a
degree　that　I　was　surprised　and　somewhat　anxious。　　While　I　was　dressing
him　he　did　not　utter　a　word；　which　never　occurred　except　when　something
agitated　or　worried　him。　　During　this　time　only　Roustan　and　I　were
present。　　His　toilet　being　completed；　just　as　I　was　handing　him　his
snuff…box；　handkerchief；　and　little　bonbon　box；　the　door　opened　suddenly；
and　the　First　Consul's　wife　entered；　in　her　morning　negligee；　much
agitated；　with　traces　of　tears　on　her　cheeks。　　Her　sudden　appearance
astonished；　and　even　alarmed；　Roustan　and　myself；　for　it　was　only　an
extraordinary　circumstance　which　could　have　induced　Madame　Bonaparte　to
leave　her　room　in　this　costume；　before　taking　all　necessary　precautions
to　conceal　the　damage　which　the　want　of　the　accessories　of　the　toilet　did
her。　　She　entered；　or　rather　rushed；　into　the　room；　crying；　〃The　Duke
d'Enghien　is　dead！　　Ah；　my　friend！　　what　have　you　done？〃　　Then　she　fell
sobbing　into　the　arms　of　the　First　Consul；　who　became　pale　as　death；　and
said　with　extraordinary　emotion；　〃The　miserable　wretches　have　been　too
quick！〃　　He　then　left　the　room；　supporting　Madame　Bonaparte；　who　could
hardly　walk；　and　was　still　weeping。　　The　news　of　the　prince's　death
spread　consternation　in　the　chateau；　and　the　First　Consul　remarked　this
universal　grief；　but　reprimanded　no　one　for　it。　　The　fact　is；　the
greatest　chagrin　which　this　mournful　catastrophe　caused　his　servants；
most　of　whom　were　attached　to　him　by　affection　even　more　than　by　duty；
came　from　the　belief　that　it　would　inevitably　tarnish　the　glory　and
destroy　the　peace　of　mind　of　their　master。

The　First　Consul　probably　understood　our　feelings　perfectly；　but　however
that　may　be；　I　have　here　related　all　that　I　myself　saw　and　know　of　this
deplorable　event。　　I　do　not　pretend　to　know　what　passed　in　the　cabinet
meeting；　but　the　emotion　of　the　First　Consul　appeared　to　me　sincere　and
unaffected；　and　he　remained　sad　and　silent　for　many　days；　speaking　very
little　at　his　toilet；　and　saying　only　what　was　necessary。

During　this　month　and　the　following　I　noticed　constantly　passing；
repassing；　and　holding　frequent　interviews　with　the　First　Consul；　many
persons　whom　I　was　told　were　members　of　the　council　of　state；　tribunes；
or　senators。　　For　a　long　time　the　army　and　a　great　number　of　citizens；
who　idolized　the　hero　of　Italy　and　Egypt；　had　manifested　openly　their
desire　to　see　him　wear　a　title　worthy　of　his　renown　and　the　greatness　of
France。　　It　was　well　known；　also；　that　he　alone　performed　all　the　duties
of　government；　and　that　his　nominal　colleagues　were　really　his
subordinates。　　It　was　thought　proper；　therefore；　that　he　should　become
supreme　head　of　the　state　in　name；　as　he　already　was　in　fact。　　I　have
often　since　his　fall　heard　his　Majesty　called　an　usurper：　but　the　only
effect　of　this　on　me　is　to　provoke　a　smile　of　pity；　for　if　the　Emperor
usurped　the　throne；　he　had　more　accomplices　than　all　the　tyrants　of
tragedy　and　melodrama　combined；　for　three…fourths　of　the　French　people
were　in　the　conspiracy。　　As　is　well　known；　it　was　on　May　18　that　the
Empire　was　proclaimed；　and　the　First　Consul　（whom　I　shall　henceforward
call　the　Emperor）　received　at　Saint…Cloud　the　Senate；　led　by　Consul
Cambaceres；　who　became；　a　few　hours　later；　arch…chancellor　of　the　Empire；
and　it　was　by　him　that　the　Emperor　heard　himself　for　the　first　time
saluted　with　the　title　of　Sire。　　After　this　audience　the　Senate　went　to
present　its　homage　to　the　Empress　Josephine。　　The　rest　of　the　day　was
passed　in　receptions；　presentations；　interviews；　and　congratulations；
everybody　in　the　chateau　was　drunk　with　joy；　each　one　felt　that　he　had
been　suddenly　promoted　in　rank；　so　they　embraced　each　other；　exchanged
compliments；　and　confided　to　each　other　hopes　and　plans　for　the　future。
There　was　no　subaltern　too　humble　to　be　inspired　with　ambition；　in　a
word；　the　antechamber；　saving　the　difference　of　persons；　furnished　an
exact　repetition　of　what　passed　in　the　saloon。　　Nothing　could　be　more
amusing　than　the　embarrassment　of　the　whole　service　when　it　was　necessary
to　reply　to　his　Majesty's　questions。　　They　would　begin　with　a　mistake；
then　would　try　again；　and　do　worse；　saying　ten　times　in　the　same　minute；
〃Sire；　general；　your　Majesty；　citizen；　First　Consul。〃　　The　next　morning
on　entering　as　usual　the　First　Consul's　room；　to　his　customary　questions；
〃What　o'clock　is　it？　　What　is　the　weather？　　〃I　replied；　〃Sire；　seven
o'clock；　fine　weather。〃　　As　I　approached　his　bed；　he　seized　me　by　the
ear；　and　slapped　me　on　the　cheek；　calling　me　〃Monsieur　le　drole；〃　which
was　his　favorite　expression　when　especially　pleased　with　me。　　His　Majesty
had　kept　awake；　and　worked　late　into　the　night；　and　I　found　him　serious
and　preoccupied；　but　well　satisfied。　　How　different　this　awakening　to
that　of　the　21st　of　March　preceding！　　On　this　day　his　Majesty　went　to
hold　his　first　grand　levee　at　the　Tuileries；　where　all　the　civil　and
military　authorities　were　presented　to　him。　　The　brothers　and　sisters　of
the　Emperor　were　made　princes　and　princesses；　with　the　exception　of
Lucien；　who　had　quarreled　with　his　Majesty　on　the　occasion　of　his
marriage　with　Madame　Jouberton。　　Eighteen　generals　were　raised　to　the
dignity　of　marshals　of　the　empire。　　Dating　from　this　day；　everything
around　their　Majesties　took　on　the　appearance　of　a　court　and　royal　power。
Much　has　been　said　of　the　awkwardness　of　the　first　courtiers；　not　yet
accustomed　to　the　new　duties　imposed　upon　them；　and　to　the　ceremonials　of
etiquette；　and　there　was；　indeed；　in　the　beginning　some　embarrassment
experienced　by　those　in　the　immediate　service　of　the　Emperor；　as　I　have
said　above；　but　this　lasted　only　a　short　while；　and　the　chamberlains　and
high　officials　adapted　themselves　to　the　new　regime　almost　as　quickly　as
the　valets　de　chambre。　　They　had　also　as　instructors　many　personages　of
the　old　court；　who　had　been　struck　out　of　the　list　of　emigres　by　the
kindness　of　the　Emperor；　and　now　solicited　earnestly　for　themselves　and
their　wives　employment　in　the　new　imperial　court。

His　majesty　had　no　liking　for　the　anniversaries　of　the　Republic；　some　of
which　had　always　seemed　to　him　odious　and　cruel；　others　ridiculous；　and　I
have　heard　him　express　his　indignation　that　they　should　have　dared　to
make　an　annual　festival　of　the　anniversary　of　the　21st　of　January；　and
smile　with　pity　at　the　recollection　of　what　he　called　the　masquerades　of
the　theo…philanthropists；　who；　he　said；　〃would　have　no　Jesus　Christ；　and
yet　made　saints　of　Fenelon　and　Las　CasasCatholic　prelates。〃

Bourrienne；　in　his　Memoirs；　says　that　it　was　not　one　of　the　least
singular　things　in　the　policy　of　Napoleon；　that　during　the　first　years　of
his　reign　he　retained　the　festival　of　14th　July。　　I　will　observe；　as　to
this；　that　if　his　Majesty　used　this　annual　solemnity　to　appear　in　pomp　in
public；　on　the　other　hand；　he　so　changed　the　object　of　the　festival　that
it　would　have　been　difficult　to　recognize　in　it　the　anniversary　of　the
taking　of　the　Bastile　and　of　the　First　Federation。　　I　do　not　think　that
there　was　one　word　in　allusion　to　these　two　events　in　the　whole　ceremony；
and　to　confuse　still　further　the　recollections　of　the　Republicans；　the
Emperor　ordered　that　the　festival　should　be　celebrated　on　the　15th；
because　that　was　Sunday；　and　thus　there　would　result　no　loss　of　time　to
the　inhabitants　of　the　capital。　　Besides；　there　was　no　allusion　made　to
honoring　the；　captors　of　the　Bastile；　this　being　made　simply　the　occasion
of　a　grand　distribution　of　the　cross　of　the　Legion　of　Honor。

It　was　the　first　occasion　on　which　their　Majesties　showed　themselves　to
the　people　in　all　the　paraphernalia　of　power。

The　cortege　crossed　the　grand　alley　of　the　Tuileries　on　their　way　to　the
Hotel　des　Invalides；　the　church　of　which　（changed　during　the　Revolution
into　a　Temple　of　Mars）　had　been　restored　by　the　Emperor　to　the　Catholic
worship；　and　was　used　for　the　magnificent　ceremonies　of　the　day。　　This
was　also　the　first　time　that　the　Emperor　had　made　use　of　the　privilege　of
passing　in　a　carriage　through　the　garden　of　the　Tuileries。　　His　cortege
was　superb；　that　of　the　Empress　Josephine　not　less　brilliant；　and　the
intoxication　of　the　people　reached　such　a　height；　that　it　was　beyond
expression。　　By　order　of　the　Emperor　I　mingled　in　the　crowd；　to　learn　in
what　spirit　the　populace　would　take　part　in　the　festival；　and　I　heard　not
a　murmur；　so　great　was　the　enthusiasm　of　all　classes　for　his　Majesty　at
that　time；　whatever　may　have　been　said　since。　　The　Emperor　and　Empress
were　received　at　the　door　of　the　Hotel　des　Invalides　by　the　governor　and
by　Count　de　Segur；　grand…master　of　ceremonies；　and　at　the　entrance　of　the
church　by　Cardinal　du　Belloy　at　the　head　of　a　numerous　clergy。　　After　the
mass；　de　Lacepede；　grand　chancellor　of　the　Legion　of　Honor；　delivered　a
speech；　followed　by　the　roll…call　of　the　grand　officers　of　the　Legion；
after　which　the　Emperor　took　his　seat；　and　putting　on