napoleon bonaparte, v1-第4部分

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those　toads　and　frogs　in　the　water　will　get　on　him。〃　　These　words；　joined
to　the　utter　darkness；　served　only　to　increase　the　terror　of　Carrat；　who；
becoming　seriously　frightened；　cried　out；　〃It　is　horrible；　Madame；　it　is
horrible；　to　amuse　yourself　thus　at　the　expense　of　your　servants。〃

I　do　not　say　that　the　complaints　of　Carrat　were　entirely　wrong；　but　they。
served　only　to　increase　the　gayety　of　the　ladies　who　had　taken　him　for
the　object　of　their　pleasantries。

However　that　may　be；　such　was　the　character　and　position　of　Carrat；　whom
I　had　known　for　some　time；　when　General　Bonaparte　returned　from　his
expedition　into　Egypt；　and　Carrat　said　to　me　that　Eugene　de　Beauharnais
had　applied　to　him　for　a　confidential　valet；　his　own　having　been　detained
in　Cairo　by　severe　illness　at　the　time　of　his　departure。　　He　was　named
Lefebvre；　and　was　an　old　servant　entirely　devoted　to　his　master；　as　was
every　one　who　knew　Prince　Eugene；　for　I　do　not　believe　that　there　has
ever　lived　a　better　man；　or　one　more　polite；　more　considerate；　or　indeed
more　attentive；　to　those　who　served　him。

Carrat　having　told　me　that　Eugene　de　Beauharnais

　　　　　＇Born　1781；　viceroy　of　Italy　1805。　　In　1806　married　the　daughter
　　　　　of　the　King　of　Bavaria。　　Died　1824。　　Among　his　descendants　are　the
　　　　　present　King　of　Sweden　and　the　late　Emperor　of　Brazil。　TRANS。＇

desired　a　young　man　to　replace　Lefebvre；　and　having　recommended　me　for
the　place；　I　had　the　good　fortune　to　be　presented　to　Eugene；　and　to　give
satisfaction；　indeed；　he　was　so　kind　as　to　say　to　me　that　my　appearance
pleased　him；　and　he　wished　me　to　enter　upon　my　duties　immediately。　　I　was
delighted　with　this　situation；　which；　I　know　not　why；　painted　itself　to
my　imagination　in　the　brightest　colors；　and　without　loss　of　time；　went　to
find　my　modest　baggage；　and　behold　me　valet　de　chambre；　ad　interim；　of　M。
de　Beauharnais；　not　dreaming　that　I　should　one　day　be　admitted　to　the
personal　service　of　General　Bonaparte；　and　still　less　that　I　should
become　the　chief　valet　of　an　Emperor。




CHAPTER　II。

It　was　on　Oct。　16；　1799；　that　Eugene　de　Beauharnais　arrived　in　Paris　on
his　return　from　Egypt；　and　almost　immediately　thereafter　I　had　the　good
fortune　to　be　taken　into　his　service；　M。　Eugene　being　then　twenty…one
years　of　age。　　I　soon　after　learned　a　few　particulars；　which　I　think　are
little　known；　relative　to　his　former　life；　and　the　marriage　of　his　mother
with　General　Bonaparte。

His　father；　as　is　well　known；　was　one　of　the　victims　of　the　Revolution；
and　when　the　Marquis　de　Beauharnais　had　perished　on　the　scaffold；　his
widow；　whose　property　had　been　confiscated；　fearing　that　her　son；
although　still　very　young；　might　also　be　in　danger　on　account　of　his
belonging　to　the　nobility；　placed　him　in　the　home　of　a　carpenter　on　the
rue　de　l'Echelle　where；　a　lady　of　my　acquaintance；　who　lived　on　that
street；　has　often　seen　him　passing；　carrying　a　plank　on　his　shoulder。　　It
seems　a　long　distance　from　this　position　to　the　colonelcy　of　a　regiment
of　the　Consular　guards；　and　the　vice…royalty　of　Italy。

I　learned；　from　hearing　Eugene　himself　relate　it；　by　what　a　singular
circumstance　he　had　been　the　cause　of　the　first　meeting　between　his
mother　and　his　step…father。　　Eugene；　being　then　not　more　than　fourteen　or
fifteen　years　of　age；　having　been　informed　that　General　Bonaparte　had
become　possessor　of　the　sword　of　the　Marquis　de　Beauharnais；　took　a　step
which　seemed　hazardous；　but　was　crowned　with　success。　　The　general　having
received　him　graciously；　Eugene　explained　that　he　came　to　beg　of　him　the
restoration　of　his　father's　sword。　　His　face；　his　bearing；　his　frank
request；　all　made　such　a　pleasant　impression　on　Bonaparte；　that　he
immediately　presented　him　with　the　sword　which　he　requested。　　As　soon　as
this　sword　was　in　his　hands　he　covered　it　with　kisses　and　tears；　and　the
whole　was　done　in　so　artless　a　manner；　that　Bonaparte　was　delighted　with
him。

Madame　de　Beauharnais；　being　informed　of　the　welcome　the　general　had
given　her　son；　thought　it　her　duty　to　make　him　a　visit　of　gratitude。
Bonaparte；　being　much　pleased　with　Josephine　in　this　first　interview；
returned　her　visit。　　They　met　again　frequently；　and　as　is　well　known；　one
event　led　to　another；　until　she　became　the　first　Empress　of　the　French；
and　I　can　assert　from　the　numerous　proofs　that　I　have　had　of　this　fact；
that　Bonaparte　never　ceased　to　love　Eugene　as　well　as　if　he；　had　been　his
own　son。

The　qualities　of　Eugene　were　both　attractive　and　solid。　　His　features
were　not　regular；　and　yet　his　countenance　prepossessed　every　one　in　his
favor。　　He　had　a　well…proportioned　figure；　but　did　not　make　a
distinguished　appearance；　on　account　of　the　habit　he　had　of　swinging
himself　as　he　walked。　　He　was　about　five　feet　three　or　four　inches　
＇About　five　feet　six　or　seven　inches　in　English　measurement。　TRANS。＇
in　height。　　He　was　kind；　gay；　amiable；　full　of　wit；　intelligent；
generous；　and　it　might　well　be　said　that　his　frank　and　open　countenance
was　the　mirror　of　his　soul。　　How　many　services　he　has　rendered　others
during　the　course　of　his　life；　and　at　the　very　period　when　in　order　to　do
so　he　had　often　to　impose　privations　on　himself。

It　will　soon　be　seen　how　it　happened　that　I　passed　only　a　month　with
Eugene；　but　during　this　short　space　of　time；　I　recall　that；　while
fulfilling　scrupulously　his　duties　to　his　mother　and　his　step…father；　he
was　much　addicted　to　the　pleasures　so　natural　to　his　age　and　position。
One　of　his　greatest　pleasures　was　entertaining　his　friends　at　breakfast；
which　he　did　very　often。　　This　amused　me　much　on　account　of　the　comical
scenes　of　which　I　was　often　a　witness。　　Besides　the　young　officers　of
Bonaparte's　staff；　his　most　frequent　guests；　he　had　also　frequently　at
his　table　the　ventriloquist　Thiemet；　Dugazon；　Dazincourt；　and　Michau　of
the　Theatre　Francais；　and　a　few　other　persons；　whose　names　escape　me　at
this　moment。　　As　may　be　imagined；　these　reunions　were　extremely　gay；
these　young　officers　especially；　who　had　returned　like　Eugene　from　the
expedition　to　Egypt；　seemed　trying　to　indemnify　themselves　for　the　recent
privations　they　had　had　to　suffer。　　At　this　time　ventriloquists；　among
whom　Thiemet　held　a　very　distinguished　position；　were　the　fashion　in
Paris；　and　were　invited　to　private　gatherings。　　I　remember　on　one
occasion；　at　one　of　these　breakfasts　of　Eugene's；　Thiemet　called　by　their
names　several　persons　present；　imitating　the　voices　of　their　servants；　as
if　they　were　just　outside　the　door；　while　he　remained　quietly　in　his
seat；　appearing　to　be　using　his　lips　only　to　eat　and　drink；　two　duties'
which　he　performed　admirably。　　Each　of　the　officers　called　in　this　manner
went　out；　and　found　no　one；　and　then　Thiemet　went　out　with　them；　under
the　pretext　of　assisting　them　in　the　search；　and　increased　their
perplexity　by　continuing　to　make　them　hear　some　well…known　voice。　　Most
of　them　laughed　heartily　at　the　joke　of　which　they　had　just　been　the
victims；　but　there　was　one　who；　having　himself　less　under　control　than
his　comrades；　took　the　thing　seriously；　and　became　very　angry；　whereupon
Eugene　had　to　avow　that　he　was　the　author　of　the　conspiracy。

I　recall　still　another　amusing　scene；　the　two　heroes　of　which　were　this
same　Thiemet；　of　whom　I　have　just　spoken；　and　Dugazon。　　Several
foreigners　were　present　at　a　breakfast　given　by　Eugene；　the　parts　having
been　assigned；　and　learned　in　advance；　and　the　two　victims　selected。
When　each　had　taken　his　place　at　table；　Dugazon；　pretending　to　stammer；
addressed　a　remark　to　Thiemet；　who；　playing　the　same　role；　replied　to
him；　stammering　likewise；　then　each　of　them　pretended　to　believe　that　the
other　was　making　fun　of　him；　and　there　followed　a　stuttering　quarrel
between　the　two　parties；　each　one　finding　it　more　and　more　difficult　to
express　himself　as　his　anger　rose。　　Thiemet；　who　besides　his　role　of
stammering　was　also　playing　that　of　deafness；　addressed　his　neighbor；　his
trumpet　in　his　ear：

〃Wha…wha…what…do…does　he　say？〃　〃Nothing；〃　replied　the　officious
neighbor；　wishing　to　prevent　a　quarrel；　and　to　supply　facts　while
defending　the　other　stammerer。〃Soso…he…he…he…he's　mamaking　fun　of　me！〃
Then　the　quarrel　became　more　violent　still；　they　were　about　to　come　to
blows；　when　each　of　the　two　stammerers　seizing　a　carafe　of　water；　hurled
it　at　the　head　of　his　antagonist；　and　a　copious　deluge　of　water　from　the
bottles　taught　the　officious　neighbors　the　great　danger　of　acting　as
peacemakers。　　The　two　stammerers　continued　to　scream　as　is　the　custom　of
deaf　persons；　until　the　last　drop　of　water　was　spilt；　and　I　remember　that
Eugene；　the　originator　of　this　practical　joke；　laughed　immoderately　the
whole　time　this　scene　lasted。　　The　water　was　wiped　off；　and　all　were　soon
reconciled；　glass　in　hand。　　Eugene；　when　he　had　perpetrated　a　joke　of
this　sort；　never　failed　to　relate　it　to　his　mother；　and　sometimes　to　his
stepfather；　who　were　much　amused　thereby；　Josephine　especially。

I　had　led　for　one　month　a　very　pleasant　life　with　Eugene；　when　Lefebvre；
the　valet　de　chambre　whom　he　had　left　sick　at　Cairo；　returned　in　restored
health；　and　asked　to　resume　his　place。　　Eugene；　whom　I　suited　better　on
account　of　my　age　and　activity；　proposed　to　him　to　enter　his　mother's
service；　suggesting　to　him　that　he　would　there　have　an　easier　time　than
with　himself；　but　Lefebvre；　who　was　extremely　attached　to　his　master；
sought　Madame　Bonaparte；　and　confided　to　her　his　chagrin　at　this
decision。

Josephine　promised　to　assist　him；　and　consoled　him　by　assurances　that　she
would　suggest　to　her　son　that　Lefebvre　should　reassume　his　former
position；　and　that　she　would　take　me　into　her　own　service。　　This　was　done
according　to　promise；　and　one　morning　Eugene　announced　to　me；　in　the　most
gratifying　manner；　my　change　of　abode。　　〃Constant；〃　he　said　to　me；
〃I　regret　very　much　that　circumstances　require　us　to　part；　but　you　know
Lefebvre　followed　me　to　Egypt；　he　is　an　old　servant；　and　I　feel　compelled
to　give　him　his　former　position。　　Besides；　you　will　not　be　far　removed；
as　you　will　enter　my　mother's　service；　where　you　will　be　well　treated；
and　we　will　see　each　other　often。　　Go　to　her　this　morning；　I　have　spoken
to　her　of　you。　　Th