napoleon bonaparte, v1-第13部分

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Madame　Bonaparte　received　no　injury　except　the　terrible　fright；　Hortense
was　slightly　wounded　in　the　face　by　a　piece　of　glass；　and　Madame　Caroline
Murat；　who　was　then　far　advanced　in　pregnancy；　was　so　frightened　that　it
was　necessary　to　carry　her　back　to　the　Tuileries。　　This　catastrophe　had
its　influence；　even　on　the　health　of　her　child；　for　I　have　been　told　that
Prince　Achille　Muratz　is　subject；　to　this　day；　to　frequent　attacks　of
epilepsy。　　As　is　well　known；　the　First　Consul　went　on　to　the　opera；　where
he　was　received　with　tumultuous　acclamations；　the　immobility　　of　his
countenance　contrasting　strongly　with　the　pallor　and　　agitation　of　Madame
Bonaparte's；　who　had　feared　not　so　much　for　herself　as　for　him。　　The
coachman　who　had　driven　the　First　Consul　with　such　good　fortune　was　named
Germain。　　He　had　followed　　him　in　Egypt；　and　in　a　skirmish　had　killed　an
Arab；　with　his　own　hand；　under　the　eyes　of　the　general…in…chief；　　who；
struck　with　his　courage；　had　cried　out；　〃Diable！　that's　a　brave　man；　he
is　a　Caesar。〃　　The　name　had　clung　to　him。　　It　has　been　said　that　this
brave　man　was　drunk　at　the　time　of　this　explosion；　but　this　is　a　mistake；
which　his　conduct　under　the　circumstances　contradicts　in　the　most
positive　manner。　　When　the　First　Consul；　after　he　became　Emperor；　went
out；　incognito；　in　Paris；　it　was　Caesar　who　was　his　escort；　without
livery。　　It　is　said　in　the　Memorial　de　Sainte　Helene　that　the　Emperor；
in　speaking　of　Caesar；　stated　that　he　was　in　a　complete　state　of
intoxication；　and　took　the　noise　of　the　explosion　for　an　artillery
salute；　nor　did　he　know　until　the　next　day　what　had　taken　place。　　This　is
entirely　untrue；　and　the　Emperor　was　incorrectly　informed　in　regard　to
his　coachman。　　Caesar　drove　the　First　Consul　very　rapidly　because　he　had
been　ordered　to　do　so；　and　because　he　considered　his　honor　interested　in
not　allowing　the　obstacle　which　the　infernal　machine　placed　in　his　way
before　the　explosion　to　delay　him。　　The　evening　of　the　event　I　saw
Caesar；　who　was　perfectly　sober；　and　he　himself　related　to　me　part　of　the
details　that　I　have　just　given。　　A　few　days　after；　four　or　five　hundred
hackney…coachmen　clubbed　together　to　honor　him；　and　gave　him　a
magnificent　dinner　at　twenty…four　francs　per　head。

While　the　infernal　plot　was　being　executed；　and　costing　the　lies　of　many
innocent　citizens；　without　attaining　the　object　the　assassins　proposed；
I　was；　as　I　have　said；　at　the　Theatre　Feydeau；　where　I　had　prepared
myself　to　enjoy　at　my　leisure　an　entire　evening　of　freedom；　amid　the
pleasures　of　the　stage；　for　which　I　had　all　my　life　a　great　liking。
Scarcely　had　I　seated　myself　comfortably；　however；　when　the　box…keeper
entered　in　the　greatest　excitement；　crying　out；　〃Monsieur　Constant；　it　is
said　that　they　have　just　blown　up　the　First　Consul；　there　has　been　a
terrible　explosion；　and　it　is　asserted　that　he　is　dead。〃　　These　terrible
words　were　like　a　thunderbolt…to　me。　　Not　knowing　what　I　did；　I　plunged
down…stairs；　and；　forgetting　my　hat；　ran　like　mad　to　the　chateau。　　While
crossing　Rue　Vivienne　and　the　Palais　Royal；　I　saw　no　extraordinary
disturbance；　but　in　Rue　Sainte　Honore　there　was　a　very　great　tumult；　and
I　saw；　borne　away　on　litters；　many　dead　and　wounded；　who　had　been　at
first　carried　into　the　neighboring　houses　of　Rue　Sainte　Nicaise。　　Many
groups　had　formed；　and　with　one　voice　all　were　cursing　the　still　unknown
authors　of　this　dastardly　attempt。　　Some　accused　the　Jacobins　of　this；
because　three　months　before　they　had　placed　the　poniard　in　the　hands　of
Cerrachi；　of　Arena；　and　of　Topino　Lebrun；　whilst　others；　less　numerous
perhaps；　thought　the　aristocrats；　the　Royalists；　could　alone　be　guilty　of
this　atrocity。　　I　could　give　no　time　to　these　various　accusations；　except
as　I　was　detained　in　forcing　my　way　through　an　immense　and　closely　packed
crowd；　and　as　rapidly　as　possible　went　on；　and　in　two　seconds　was　at　the
Carrousel。　　I　threw　myself　against　the　wicket；　but　the　two　sentinels
instantly　crossed　bayonets　before　my　breast。　　It　was　useless　to　cry　out
that　I　was　valet　de　chambre　of　the　First　Consul；　for　my　bare　head；　my
wild　manner；　the　disorder；　both　of　my　dress　and　ideas；　appeared　to　them
suspicious；　and　they　refused　energetically　and　very　obstinately　to　allow
me　to　enter。　　I　then　begged　them　to　send　for　the　gatekeeper　of　the
chateau；　and　as　soon　as　he　came；　I　was　admitted；　or　rather　rushed　into
the　chateau；　where　I　learned　what　had　just　happened。　　A　short　time　after
the　First　Consul　arrived；　and　was　immediately　surrounded　by　his　officers；
and　by　all　his　household；　every　one　present　being　in　the　greatest　state
of　anxiety。　　When　the　First　Consul　alighted　from　his　carriage　he　appeared
calm　and　smiling；　he　even　wore　an　air　of　gayety。　　On　entering　the
vestibule　he　said　to　his　officers；　rubbing　；his　hands；　〃Well；　sirs；　we
made　a　fine　escape！　　〃They　shuddered　with　indignation　and　anger。　　He　then
entered　the　grand　saloon　on　the　ground　floor；　where　a　large　number　of
counselors　of　state　and…dignitaries　had　already　assembled；　but　hardly　had
they　begun　to　express　their　congratulations；　when　he　interrupted　them；
and　in　so　vehement　a　manner　that　he　was　heard　outside　the　saloon。　　We
were　told　that　after　this　council　he　had　a　lively　altercation　with
Fouche；　　Minister　of　Police；　whom　he　reproached　with　his　ignorance　of
this　plot；　openly　accusing　the　Jacobins　of　being　the　authors。

That　evening；　on　retiring；　the　First　Consul　asked　me　laughingly　if　I　was
afraid。　　〃More　than　you　were；　my　general；〃　I　replied；　and　I　related　to
him　how　I　had　heard　the　fatal　news　at　the　Feydeau；　and　had　run　without　my
hat　to　the　very　wicket　of　the　Carrousel；　where　the　sentinels　tried　to
prevent　my　entering。　　He　was　amused　at　the　oaths　and　abusive　epithets
with　which　they　had　accompanied　their　defense　of　the　gate；　and　at　last
said　to　me；　〃After　all；　my　dear　Constant；　you　should　not　be　angry　with
them；　they　were　only　obeying　orders。　　They　are　brave　men；　on　whom　I　can
rely。〃　　The　truth　is；　the　Consular　Guard　was　at　this　period　no　less
devoted　than　it　has　been　since　as　the　Imperial　Guard。　　At　the　first　rumor
of　the　great　risk　which　the　First　Consul　had　run；　all　the　soldiers　of
that　faithful　band　had　gathered　spontaneously　in　the　court　of　the
Tuileries。

After　this　melancholy　catastrophe；　which　carried　distress　into　all
France；　and　mourning　into　so　many　families；　the　entire　police　were
actively　engaged　in　searching　for　the　authors　of　the　plot。　　The　dwelling
of　the　First　Consul　was　first　put　under　surveillance；　and　we　were
incessantly　watched　by　spies；　without　suspecting　it。　　All　our　walks；　all
our　visits；　all　our　goings　and　comings；　were　known；　and　attention　was
especially　directed　to　our　friends；　and　even　our　liaisons。　　But　such　was
the　devotion　of　each　and　all　to　the　person　of　the　First　Consul；　such　was
the　affection　that　he　so　well　knew　how　to　inspire　in　those　around　him；
that　not　one　of　the　persons　attached　to　his　service　was　for　an　instant
suspected　of　having　a　hand　in　this　infamous　attempt。　　Neither　at　this
time；　nor　in　any　other　affair　of　this　kind；　were　the　members　of　his
household　ever　compromised；　and　never　was　the　name　of　the　lowest　of　his
servants　ever　found　mixed　up　in　criminal　plots　against　a　life　so　valued
and　so　glorious。

The　minister　of　police　suspected　the　Royalists　of　this　attempt；　but　the
First　Consul　attributed　it　to　the　Jacobins；　because　they　were　already
guilty；　he　said；　of　crimes　as　odious。　　One　hundred　and　thirty　of　the　most
noted　men　of　this　party　were　transported　on　pure　suspicion；　and　without
any　form　of　trial。　　It　is　now　known　that　the　discovery；　trial；　and
execution　of　Saint　Regent　and　Carbon；　the　true　criminals；　proved　that　the
conjectures　of　the　minister　were　more　correct　than　those　of　the　chief　of
state。

The　4th　Nivose；　at　noon；　the　First　Consul　held　a　grand　review　in　the
Place　Carrousel；　where　an　innumerable　crowd　of　citizens　were　collected　to
behold；　and　also　to　testify　their　affection　for　his　person；　and　their
indignation　against　the　enemies　who　dared　attack　him　only　by
assassination。　　Hardly　had　he　turned　his　horse　towards　the　first　line　of
grenadiers　of　the　Consular　Guard；　when　their　innumerable　acclamations
rose　on　all　sides。　　He　rode　along　the　ranks；　at　a　walk；　very　slowly；
showing　his　appreciation；　and　replying　by　a　few　simple　and　affectionate
words　to　this　effusion　of　popular　joy；　and　cries　of　〃Vive　Bonaparte！
Vive　the　First　Consul！〃　did　not　cease　till　after　he　had　re…entered　his
apartments。

The　conspirators　who　obstinately　persisted；　with　so　much　animosity；　in
attacking　the　life　of　the　First　Consul；　could　not　have　chosen　a　period　in
which　circumstances　would　have　been　more　adverse　to　their　plans　than　in
1800　and　1801；　for　then　the　Consul　was　beloved　not　only　for　his　military
deeds；　but　still　more　for　the　hope　of　peace　that　he　gave　to　France；　which
hope　was　soon　realized。　　As　soon　as　the　first　rumor　spread　abroad　that
peace　had　been　concluded　with　Austria；　the　greater　part　of　the
inhabitants　of　Paris　gathered　under　the　windows　of　the　Pavilion　of　Flora。
Blessings　and　cries　of　gratitude　and　joy　were　heard　on　all　sides；　then
musicians　assembled　to　give　a　serenade　to　the　chief　of　state；　and
proceeded　to　form　themselves　into　orchestras；　and　there　was　dancing　the
whole　night　through。　　I　have　never　seen　a　sight　more　striking　or　more
joyous　than　the　bird's…eye　view　of　this　improvised　jubilee。

When　in　the　month　of　October；　the；　peace　of　Amiens　having　been　concluded
with　England；　France　found　herself　delivered　from　all　the　wars　that　she
had　maintained　through　so　many　years；　and　at　the　cost　of　so　many
sacrifices；　it　would　be　impossible　to　form　an　idea　of　the　joy　which　burst
forth　on　all　sides。　　The　decrees　which　ordered　either　the　disarmament　of
vessels　of　war；　or　the　placing　of　the　forts　on　a　peace　footing；　were
welcomed　as　pledges　of　happiness　and　security。　　The　day　of　the　reception
of　Lord　Cornwallis；　Ambassador　of　England；　the　First　Consul　ordered　that
the　greatest　magnificence　should　be　displayed。　　〃It　is　necessary；〃　he　had
said　the　evening　before；　〃to　show　these　proud　Britons　that　we　are　not
reduced　to　beggary。〃　　The　fact　is；　the　English；　before　setting　foot　on
the　French　continen