napoleon bonaparte, v1-第12部分

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papers：　they　were　three　bank…bills；　each　for　a　thousand　francs！　　I　was
moved　to　tears　by　so　great　a　kindness。　　We　must　remember　that　at　this
period　the　First　Consul　was　not　rich；　although　he　was　the　first
magistrate　of　the　republic。　　How　deeply　the　remembrance　of　this　generous
deed　touches　me；　even　to…day。　　I　do　not　know　if　details　so　personal　to　me
will　be　found　interesting；　but　they　seem　to　me　proper　as　evidence　of　the
true　character　of　the　Emperor；　which　has　been　so　outrageously
misrepresented；　and　also　as　an　instance　of　his　ordinary　conduct　towards
the　servants　of　his　house；　it　shows　too；　at　the　same　time；　whether　the
severe　economy　that　he　required　in　his　domestic　management；　and　of　which
I　will　speak　elsewhere；　was　the　result；　as　has　been　stated；　of　sordid
avarice；　or　whether　it　was　not　rather　a　rule　of　prudence；　from　which　he
departed　willingly　whenever　his　kindness　of　heart　or　his　humanity　urged
him　thereto。

I　am　not　certain　that　my　memory　does　not　deceive　me　in　leading　me　to　put
in　this　place　a　circumstance　which　shows　the　esteem　in　which　the　First
Consul　held　the　brave　soldiers　of　his　army；　and　how　he　loved　to　manifest
it　on　all　occasions。　　I　was　one　day　in　his　sleeping…room；　at　the　usual
hour　for　his　toilet；　and　was　performing　that　day　the　duties　of　chief
valet；　Hambard　being　temporarily　absent　or　indisposed；　there　being　in　the
room；　besides　the　body　servants；　only　the　brave　；and　modest　Colonel
Gerard　Lacuee；　one　of　the　aides…de…camp　of　the　First　Consul。　　Jerome
Bonaparte；　then　hardly　seventeen　years　of　age；　was　introduced。　　This
young　man　gave　his　family　frequent　cause　of　complaint；　and　feared　no　one
except　his　brother　Napoleon；　who　reprimanded；　lectured；　and　scolded　him
as　if　he　had　been　his　own　son。　　There　was　a　question　at　the　time　of
making　him　a　sailor；　less　with　the　object　of　giving　him　a　career；　than　of
removing　him　from　the　seductive　temptations　which　the　high　position　of
his　brother　caused　to　spring　up　incessantly　around　his　path；　and　which　he
had　little　strength　to　resist。　　It　may　be　imagined　what　it　cost　him　to
renounce　pleasures　so　accessible　and　so　delightful　to　a　young　man。　　He
did　not　fail　to　protest；　on　all　occasions；　his　unfitness　for　sea…service；
going　so　far；　it　is　said；　that　he　even　caused　himself　to　be　rejected　by
the　examining　board　of　the　navy　as　incompetent；　though　he　could　easily
have　prepared　himself　to　answer　the　few　questions　asked。　　However；　the
will　of　the　First　Consul　must　be　obeyed；　and　Jerome　was　compelled　to
embark。　　On　the　day　of　which　I　have　spoken；　after　some　moments　of
conversation　and　scolding；　still　on　the　subject　of　the　navy；　Jerome　said
to　his　brother；　〃Instead　of　sending　me　to　perish　of　ennui　at　sea；　you
ought　to　take　me　for　an　aide…de…camp。〃〃What；　take　you；　greenhorn；〃
warmly　replied　the　First　Consul；　〃wait　till　a　ball　has　furrowed　your　face
and　then　I　will　see　about　it；〃　at　the　same　time　calling　his　attention　to
Colonel　Lacuee；　　who　blushed；　and　dropped　his　eyes　to　the　floor　like　a
young　girl；　for；　as　is　well　known；　he　bore　on　his　face　the　scar　made　by　a
bullet。　　This　gallant　colonel　was　killed　in　1805　before　Guntzbourg；　and
the　Emperor　deeply　regretted　his　loss；　for　he　ways　one　of　the　bravest　and
most　skillful　officers　of　the　army。

It　was；　I　believe；　about　this　time　that　the　First　Consul　conceived　a
strong　passion　for　a　very　intelligent　and　handsome　young　woman；　Madame　D。
Madame　Bonaparte；　suspecting　this　intrigue；　showed　jealousy；　and　her
husband　did　all　he　could　to　allay　her　wifely　suspicions。　　Before　going　to
the　chamber　of　his　mistress　he　would　wait　until　every　one　was　asleep　in
the　chateau；　and　he　even　carried　his　precautions　so　far　as　to　go　from　his
room　to　hers　in　his　night…dress；　without　shoes　or　slippers。　　Once　I　found
that　day　was　about　to　break　before　his　return；　and　fearing　scandal；　I
went；　as　the　First　Consul　had　ordered　me　to　do　in　such　a　case；　to　notify
the　chambermaid　of　Madame　D。　to　go　to　her　mistress　and　tell　her　the　hour。
It　was　hardly　five　minutes　after　this　timely　notice　had　been　given；　when
I　saw　the　First　Consul　returning；　in　great　excitement；　of　which　I　soon
learned　the　cause。　　He　had　discovered；　on　his　return；　one　of　Madame
Bonaparte's　women；　lying　in　wait；　and　who　had　seen　him　through　the　window
of　a　closet　opening　upon　the　corridor。　　The　First　Consul；　after　a
vigorous　outburst　against　the　curiosity　of　the　fair　sex；　sent　me　to　the
young　scout　from　the　enemy's　camp　to　intimate　to　her　his　orders　to　hold
her　tongue；　unless　she　wished　to　be　discharged　without　hope　of　return。
I　do　not　know　whether　I　added　a　milder　argument　to　these　threats　to　buy
her　silence；　but；　whether　from　fear　or　for　compensation；　she　had　the　good
sense　not　to　talk。　　Nevertheless；　the　successful　lover；　fearing　another
surprise；　directed　me　to　rent　in　the　Allee　des　Ireuves　a　little　house
where　he　and　Madame　D。　met　from　time　to　time。　　Such　were；　and　continued
to　be；　the　precautions　of　the　First　Consul　towards　his　wife。　　He　had　the
highest　regard　for　her；　and　took　all　imaginable　care　to　prevent　his
infidelities　coming　to　her　knowledge。　　Besides；　these　passing　fancies　did
not　lessen　the　tenderness　he　felt　for　her；　and　although　other　women
inspired　him　with　love；　no　other　woman　had　his　confidence　and　friendship
to　the　same　extent　as　Madame　Bonaparte。　　There　have　been　a　thousand　and
one　calumnies　repeated　of　the　harshness　and　brutality　of　the　First　Consul
towards　women。　　He　was　not　always　gallant；　but　I　have　never　seen　him
rude；　and；　however　singular　it　may　seem　after　what　I　have　just　related；
he　professed　the　greatest　veneration　for　a　wife　of　exemplary　conduct；
speaking　in　admiring　terms　of　happy　households；　and　he　did　not　admire
cynicism；　either　in　morals　or　in　language。　　When　he　had　any　liaisons　he
kept　them　secret；　and　concealed　them　with　great　care。




CHAPTER　VI。

The　3d　Nivose；　year　IX。　　（Dec。　　21；　1800）；

　　　　　＇Under　the　Republican　regime　the　years　were　counted　from　the
　　　　　proclamation　of　the　Republic；　Sept。　　22；　1792。　　The　year　was　divided
　　　　　into　twelve　months　of　thirty　days　each；　re…named　from　some
　　　　　peculiarity；　as　Brumaire　（foggy）；　Nivose　（snowy）；　Thermidor　（hot）；
　　　　　Fructidor　（fruit）；　etc。；　besides　five　supplementary　days　of
　　　　　festivals；　called　'sans…culottides'。　　The　months　were　divided　into
　　　　　three　decades　of　ten　days　instead　of　weeks；　the　tenth　day　（decadi）
　　　　　being　in　lieu　of　Sunday。　　The　Republican　calendar　lasted　till　Jan。
　　　　　1；　1806；　as　to　the　years　and　months　at　least；　though　the　Concordat
　　　　　had　restored　the　weeks　and　Sabbaths。TRANS。

the　Opera　presented；　by　order；　The　Creation　of　Haydn；　and　the　First
Consul　had　announced　that　he　would　be　present；　with　all　his　household；　at
this　magnificent　oratorio。　　He　dined　on　that　day　with　Madame　Bonaparte；
her　daughter；　and　Generals　Rapp；　Lauriston；　Lannes；　and　Berthier。　　I　was
on　duty；　but　as　the　First　Consul　was　going　to　the　Opera；　I　knew　that　I
should　not　be　needed　at　the　chateau；　and　resolved；　for　my　part；　to　go　to
the　Feydeau；　occupying　the　box　which　Madame　Bonaparte　allowed　us；　and
which　was　situated　under　hers。　　After　dinner；　which　the　First　Consul
bolted　with　his　usual　rapidity；　he　rose　from　the　table；　followed　by　his
officers；　with　the　exception　of　General　Rapp；　who　remained　with　Madame
Josephine　and　Hortense。　　About　seven　o'clock　the　First　Consul　entered　his
carriage　with　Lannes；　Berthier；　and　Lauriston；　to　go　to　the　Opera。　　When
they　arrived　in　the　middle　of　Rue　Sainte…Nicaise；　the　escort　who　preceded
the　carriage　found　the　road　obstructed　by　a　cart；　which　seemed　to　be
abandoned；　and　on　which　a　cask　was　found　fastened　strongly　with　ropes。
The　chief　of　the　escort　had　this　cart　removed　to　the　side　of　the　street；
and　the　First　Consul's　coachman；　whom　this　delay　had　made　impatient；
urged　on　his　horses　vigorously；　and　they　shot　off　like　lightning。
Scarcely　two　seconds　had　passed　when　the　barrel　which　was　on　the　cart
burst　with　a　frightful　explosion。　　No　one　of　the　escort　or　of　the
companions　of　the　First　Consul　was　slain；　but　several　were　wounded；　and
the　loss　among　the　residents　in　the　street　and　the　passers…by　near　the
horrible　machine　was　much　greater。　　More　than　twenty　of　these　were
killed；　and　more　than　sixty　seriously　wounded。　　Trepsat；　the　architect；
had　his　thigh　broken。　　The　First　Consul　afterwards　decorated　him；　and
made　him　the　architect　of　the　Invalides；　saying　that　he　had　long　enough
been　the　most　invalid　of　architects。　　All　the　panes　of　glass　at　the
Tuileries　were　broken；　and　many　houses　thrown　down。　　All　those　of　the
Rue　Sainte…Nicaise；　and　even　some　in　the　adjacent　streets；　were　badly
damaged；　some　fragments　being　blown　into　the　house　of　the　Consul
Cambaceres。　　The　glass　of　the　First　Consul's　carriage　was　shivered　to
fragments。　　By　a　fortunate　chance；　the　carriages　of　the　suite；　which
should　have　been　immediately　behind　that　of　the　First　Consul；　were　some
distance　in　the　rear；　which　happened　in　this　way：　Madame　Bonaparte；　after
dinner；　had　a　shawl　brought　to　wear　to　the　opera；　and　when　it　came；
General　Rapp　jestingly　criticised　the　color；　and　begged　her　to　choose
another。　　Madame　Bonaparte　defended　her　shawl；　and　said　to　the　general
that　he　knew　as　much　about　criticising　a　toilet　as　she　did　about
attacking　a　fort。　　This　friendly　banter　continued　for　some　moments；　and
in　the　interval；　the　First　Consul；　who　never　waited；　set　out　in　advance；
and　the　miserable　assassins　and　authors　of　the　conspiracy　set　fire　to　the
infernal　machine。　　Had　the　coachman　of　the　First　Consul　driven　less
rapidly；　and　thereby　been　two　seconds　later；　it　would　have　been　all　over
with　his　master；　while；　on　the　other　hand；　if　Madame　Bonaparte　had
followed　her　husband　promptly；　it　would　have　been　certain　death　to　her
and　all　her　suite。

It　was；　in　fact；　the　delay　of　an　instant　which　saved　her　life；　as　well　as
that　of　her　daughter；　her　sister…in…law；　Madame　Murat；　and　all　who　were
to　accompany　them；　since　the　carriage　of　these　ladies；　instead　of　being
immediately　behind　that　of　the　First　Consul；　was　just　leaving　the　Place
Carrousel；　when　the　machine　exploded。　　The　glass　was　shivered；　and　though
Madame　Bonaparte　received　no　injury　except　the　terrible　fright；　Hortense
was　sl