napoleon bonaparte, v1-第7部分

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consumed　a　great　quantity。　　One　day；　while　Euphemie　and　Charvet　were
sound　asleep；　they　were　suddenly　awakened　by　a　report；　which　sounded
frightful　to　them；　and　caused　them　intense　anxiety；　as　they　found　when
they　awoke　that　they　were　passing　through　a　thick　forest。　　This　ludicrous
incident　threw　Hortense　into　fits　of　laughter；　for　hardly　had　they
expressed　their　alarm　when　they　found　themselves　deluged　with　an
odoriferous　froth；　which　explained　the　cause　of　the　explosion。　　A　bottle
of　champagne；　placed　in　one　of　the　pockets　of　the　carriage；　had　been
uncorked；　and　the　heat；　added　to　the　motion　of　the　carriage；　or　rather
the　malice　of　the　young　traveler；　had　made　it　explode　with　a　loud　report。

When　mademoiselle　arrived　at　Plombieres；　her　mother's　health　was　almost
restored；　so　that　the　pupil　of　Madame　Campan　found　there　all　the
distractions　which　please　and　delight　at　the　age　which　the　daughter　of
Madame　Bonaparte　had　then　attained。

There　is　truth　in　the　saying　that　in　all　evil　there　is　good；　for　had　this
accident　not　happened　to　Madame　Bonaparte；　it　is　very　probable　she　would
have　become　a　prisoner　of　the　English；　in　fact；　she　learned　that
'La　Pomone'；　the　vessel　on　which　she　wished　to　make　the　voyage；　had
fallen　into　the　power　of　the　enemies　of　France。　　General　Bonaparte；　in
all　his　letters；　still　dissuaded　his　wife　from　the　plan　she　had　of
rejoining　him；　and；　consequently；　she　returned　to　Paris。

On　her　arrival　Josephine　devoted　her　attention　to　executing　a　wish
General　Bonaparte　had　expressed　to　her　before　leaving。　　He　had　remarked
to　her　that　he　should　like；　on　his　return；　to　have　a　country　seat；　and　he
charged　his　brother　to　attend　to　this；　which　Joseph；　however；　failed　to
do。　　Madame　Bonaparte；　who；　on　the　contrary；　was　always　in　search　of　what
might　please　her　husband；　charged　several　persons　to　make　excursions　in
the　environs　of　Paris；　in　order　to　ascertain　whether　a　suitable　dwelling
could　be　found。　　After　having　vacillated　long　between　Ris　and　Malmaison；
she　decided　on　the　latter；　which　she　bought　from　M。　Lecoulteux…Dumoley；
for；　I　think；　four　hundred　thousand　francs。　　Such　were　the　particulars
which　Charvet　was　kind　enough　to　give　me　when　I　first　entered　the　service
of　Madame　Bonaparte。　　Every　one　in　the　house　loved　to　speak　of　her；　and
it　was　certainly　not　to　speak　evil；　for　never　was　woman　more　beloved　by
all　who　surrounded　her；　and　never　has　one　deserved　it　more。　　General
Bonaparte　was　also　an　excellent　man　in　the　retirement　of　private　life。

After　the　return　of　the　First　Consul　from　his　campaign　in　Egypt；　several
attempts　against　his　life　had　been　made；　and　the　police　had　warned　him
many　times　to　be　on　his　guard；　and　not　to　risk　himself　alone　in　the
environs　of　Malmaison。　　The　First　Consul　had　been　very　careless　up　to
this　period；　but　the　discovery　of　the　snares　which　were　laid　for　him；
even　in　the　privacy　of　his　family　circle；　forced　him　to　use　precautions
and　prudence。　　It　has　been　stated　since；　that　these　pretended　plots　were
only　fabrications　of　the　police　to　render　themselves　necessary　to　the
First　Consul；　or；　perhaps；　of　the　First　Consul　himself；　to　redouble　the
interest　which　attached　to　his　person；　through　fear　of　the　perils　which
menaced　his　life；　and　the　absurdity　of　these　attempts　is　alleged　as　proof
of　this。　　I　could　not　pretend　to　elucidate　such　mysteries；　but　it　seems
to　me　that　in　such　matters　absurdity　proves　nothing；　or；　at　least；　it
does　not　prove　that　such　plots　did　not　exist。　　The　conspirators　of　that
period　set　no　bounds　to　their　extravagance；　for　what　could　be　more
absurd；　and　at　the　same　time　more　real；　than　the　atrocious　folly　of　the
infernal　machine？

Be　that　as　it　may；　I　shall　relate　what　passed　under　my　own　eyes　during
the　first　month　of　my　stay　at　Malmaison。　　No　one　there；　or；　at　least；　no
one　in　my　presence；　showed　the　least　doubt　of　the　reality　of　these
attempts。

In　order　to　get　rid　of　the　First　Consul；　all　means　appeared　good　to　his
enemies：　they　noted　everything　in　their　calculations；　even　his　absence　of
mind。　　The　following　occurrence　is　proof　of　this：

There　were　repairs　and　ornamentations　to　be　made　to　the　mantel　in　the
rooms　of　the　First　Consul　at　Malmaison。　　The　contractor　in　charge　of　this
work　had　sent　marblecutters；　amongst　whom　had　slipped　in；　it　seems；　a　few
miserable　wretches　employed　by　the　conspirators。　　The　persons　attached　to
the　First　Consul　were　incessantly　on　the　alert；　and　exercised　the
greatest　watchfulness；　and　it　was　observed　that　among　these　workmen　there
were　men　who　pretended　to　work；　but　whose　air　and　manner　contrasted
strongly　with　their　occupation。　　These　suspicions　were　unfortunately　only
too　well　founded；　for　when　the　apartments　had　been　made　ready　to　receive
the　First　Consul；　and　just　as　he　was　on　the　eve　of　occupying　them；　some
one　making　a　final　inspection　found　on　the　desk　at　which　he　would　first
seat　himself；　a　snuff…box；　in　every　respect　like　one　of　those　which　he
constantly　used。　　It　was　thought　at　first　that　this　box　really　belonged
to　him；　and　that　it　had　been　forgotten　and　left　there　by　his　valet；　but
doubts　inspired　by　the　suspicious　manner　of　a　few　of　the　marble…cutters；
leading　to　further　investigation；　the　tobacco　was　examined　and　analyzed。
It　was　found　to　be　poisoned。

The　authors　of　this　perfidy　had；　it　is　said；　at　this　time；　communication
with　other　conspirators；　who　engaged　to　attempt　another　means　of　ridding
themselves　of　the　First　Consul。　　They　promised　to　attack　the　guard　of　the
chateau　（Malmaison）；　and　to　carry　off　by　force　the　chief　of　the
government。　　With　this　intention；　they　had　uniforms　made　like　those　of
the　consular　guards；　who　then　stood　sentinel；　day　and　night；　over　the
First　Consul；　and　followed　him　on　horseback　in　his　excursions。　　In　this
costume；　and　by　the　aid　of　signals；　with　their　accomplices　（the　pretended
marble…cutters）　on　the　inside；　they　could　easily　have　approached　and
mingled　with　the　guard；　who　were　fed　and　quartered　at　the　chateau。　　They
could　even　have　reached　the　First　Consul；　and　carried　him　off。　　However；
this　first　project　was　abandoned　as　too　uncertain；　and　the　conspirators
flattered　themselves　that　they　would　succeed　in　their　undertaking　more
surely；　and　with　less　danger；　by　taking　advantage　of　the　frequent
journeys　of　the　First　Consul　to　Paris。　　By　means　of　their　disguise　they
planned　to　distribute　themselves　on　the　road；　among　the　guides　of　the
escort；　and　massacre　them；　their　rallying…point　being　the　quarries　of
Nanterre；　but　their　plots　were　for　the　second　time　foiled。　　There　was　in
the　park　at　Malmaison　a　deep　quarry；　and　fears　being　entertained　that
they　would　profit　by　it　to　conceal　themselves　therein；　and　exercise　some
violence　against　the　First　Consul　on　one　of　his　solitary　walks；　it　was
decided　to　secure　it　with　an　iron　door。

On　the　19th　of　February；　at　one　in　the　afternoon；　the　First　Consul　went
in　state　to　the　Tuileries；　which　was　then　called　the　Government　palace；
to　install　himself　there　with　all　his　household。　　With　him　were　his　two
colleagues；　one　of　whom；　the　third　consul；　　was　to　occupy　the　same
residence；　and　be　located　in　the　Pavilion　de　Flore。　　The　carriage　of　the
consuls　was　drawn　by　six　white　horses；　which　the　Emperor　of　Germany　had
presented　to　the　conqueror　of　Italy　after　the　signature　of　the　treaty　of
peace　of　Campo…Formio。　　The　saber　that　the　First　Consul　wore　at　this
ceremony　was　magnificent；　and　had　also　been　presented　to　him　by　this
monarch　on　the　same　occasion。

A　remarkable　thing　in　this　formal　change　of　residence　was　that　the
acclamations　and　enthusiasm　of　the　crowd；　and　even　of　the　most
distinguished　spectators；　who　filled　the　windows　of　rue　Thionville　and　of
the　quai　Voltaire；　were　addressed　only　to　the　First　Consul；　and　to　the
young　warriors　of　his　brilliant　staff；　who　were　yet　bronzed　by　the　sun　of
the　Pyramids　or　of　Italy。　　At　their　head　rode　General　Lannes　and　Murat；
the　first　easy　to　recognize　by　his　bold　bearing　and　soldierly　manners；
the　second　by　the　same　qualities；　and　further　by　a　striking　elegance；
both　of　costume　and　equipments。　　His　new　title　of　brother…in…law　of　the
First　Consul　contributed；　also；　greatly　to　fix　upon　him　the　attention　of
all。　　As　for　myself；　all　my　attention　was　absorbed　by　the　principal
personage　of　the　cortege；　whom；　like　every　one　around　me；　I　regarded　with
something　like　a　religious　reverence；　and　by　his　stepson；　the　son　of　my
excellent　mistress；　himself　once　my　master；the　brave；　modest；　good
Prince　Eugene；　who　at　that　time；　however；　was　not　yet　a　prince。　　On　his
arrival　at　the　Tuileries；　the　First　Consul　took　possession　at　once　of　the
apartments　which　he　afterwards　occupied；　and　which　were　formerly　part　of
the　royal　apartments。　　These　apartments　consisted　of　a　bed…chamber；　a
bathroom；　a　cabinet；　and　a　saloon；　in　which　he　gave　audience　in　the
forenoon；　of　a　second　saloon；　in　which　were　stationed　his　aides…de…camp
on　duty；　and　which　he　used　as　a　dining…room；　and　also　a　very　large
antechamber。　　Madame　Bonaparte　had　her　separate　apartments　on　the　ground
floor；　the　same　which　she　afterwards　occupied　as　Empress。　　Beneath　the
suite　of　rooms　occupied　by　the　First　Consul　was　the　room　of　Bourrienne；
his　private　secretary；　which　communicated　with　the　apartments　of　the
First　Consul　by　means　of　a　private　staircase。

Although　at　this　period　there　were　already　courtiers；　there　was　not；
however；　yet　a　court；　and　the　etiquette　was　exceedingly　simple。　　The
First　Consul；　as　I　believe　I　have　already　said；　slept　in　the　same　bed
with　his　wife；　and　they　lived　together；　sometimes　at　the　Tuileries；
sometimes　at　Malmaison。　　As　yet　there　were　neither　grand　marshal；　nor
chamberlains；　nor　prefects　of　the　palace；　nor　ladies　of　honor；　nor　lady
ushers；　nor　ladies　of　the　wardrobe；　nor　pages。　　The　household　of　the
First　Consul　was　composed　only　of　M。　Pfister；　steward；　Venard；　chief
cook；　Galliot；　and　Dauger；　head　servants；　Colin；　butler。　　Ripeau　was
librarian；　Vigogne；　senior；　in　charge　of　the　stables。　　Those　attached　to
his　personal　service　were　Hambard；　head　valet；　Herbert；　ordinary　valet；
and　Roustan；　mameluke　of　the　First　Consul。　　There　were；　beside　these；
fifteen　persons　to　discharge　the　ordinary　duties　of　the　hous