napoleon bonaparte, v7-第3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！


compensation；　accompanied　by　most　flattering　testimonials　of　the　pleasure
he　had　felt　in　hearing　him。

On　this　day；　as　always　when　they　played　together　afterwards；　Crescentini
was　admirably　supported　by　Madame　Grassini；　a　woman　of　superior　talent；
and　who　possessed　the　most　astonishing　voice　ever　heard　in　the　theater。
She　and　Madame　Barilli　then　divided　the　admiration　of　the　public。

The　very　evening　or　the　day　after　the　debut　of　Crescentini；　the　French
stage　suffered　an　irreparable　loss　in　the　death　of　Dazincourt；　only　sixty
years　of　age。　　The　illness　of　which　he　died　had　begun　on　his　return　from
Erfurt；　and　was　long　and　painful；　and　yet　the　public；　to　whom　this　great
comedian　had　so　long　given　such　pleasure；　took　no　notice　of　him　after　it
was　found　his　sickness　was　incurable　and　his　death　certain。　　Formerly
when　a　highly　esteemed　actor　was　kept　from　his　place　for　some　time　by
illness　（and　who　deserved　more　esteem　than　Dazincourt？）；　the　pit　was
accustomed　to　testify　its　regret　by　inquiring　every　day　as　to　the
condition　of　the　afflicted　one；　and　at　the　end　of　each　representation　the
actor　whose　duty　it　was　to　announce　the　play　for　the　next　day　gave　the
audience　news　of　his　comrade。　　This　was　not　done　for　Dazincourt；　and　the
pit　thus　showed　ingratitude　to　him。

I　liked　and　esteemed　sincerely　Dazincourt；　whose　acquaintance　I　had　made
several　years　before　his　death；　and　few　men　better　deserved　or　so　well
knew　how　to　gain　esteem　and　affection。　　I　will　not　speak　of　his　genius；
which　rendered　him　a　worthy　successor　of　Preville；　　whose　pupil　and
friend　he　was；　for　all　his　contemporaries　remember　Figaro　as　played　by
Dazincourt；　but　I　will　speak　of　the　nobility　of　his　character；　of　his
generosity；　and　his　well…tested　honor。　　It　would　seem　that　his　birth　and
education　should　have　kept　him　from　the　theater；　where　circumstances
alone　placed　him；　but　he　was　able　to　protect　himself　against　the
seductions　of　his　situation；　and　in　the　greenroom；　and　in　the　midst　of
domestic　intrigues；　remained　a　man　of　good　character　and　pure　manners。
He　was　welcomed　in　the　best　society；　where　he　soon　became　a　favorite　by
his　piquant　sallies；　as　much　as　by　his　good　manners　and　urbanity；　for　he
amused　without　reminding　that　he　was　a　comedian。

At　the　end　of　February　his　Majesty　went　to　stay　for　some　time　at　the
palace　of　the　Elysee；　and　there　I　think　was　signed　the　marriage　contract
of　one　of　his　best　lieutenants；　Marshal　Augereau；　recently　made　Duke　of
Castiglione；　with　Mademoiselle　Bourlon　de　Chavanges；　the　daughter　of　an
old　superior　officer；　and　there　also　was　rendered　the　imperial　decree
which　gave　to　the　Princess　Eliza　the　grand　duchy　of　Tuscany；　with　the
title　of　grand　duchess。

About　the　middle　of　March；　the　Emperor　passed　several　days　at
Rambouillet；　there　were　held　some　exciting　hunts；　in　one　of　which　his
Majesty　himself　brought　to　bay　and　killed　a　stag　near　the　pool　of　Saint…
Hubert。　　There　was　also　a　ball　and　concert；　in　which　appeared
Crescentini；　Mesdames　Grassini；　Barelli；　and　several　celebrated
virtuosos；　and　lastly　Talma　recited。

On　the　13th　of　April；　at　four　o'clock　in　the　morning；　the　Emperor　having
received　news　of　another　invasion　of　Bavaria　by　the　Austrians；　set　out
for　Strasburg　with　the　Empress；　whom　he　left　in　that　city；　and　on　the
15th；　at　eleven　o'clock　in　the　morning；　he　passed　the　Rhine　at　the　head
of　his　army。　　The　Empress　did　not　long　remain　alone；　as　the　Queen　of
Holland　and　her　sons；　the　Grand　Duchess　of　Baden　and　her　husband；　soon
joined　her。

The　splendid　campaign　of　1809　at　once　began。　　It　is　known　how　glorious　it
was；　and　that　one　of　its　least　glorious　victories　was　the　capture　of
Vienna。

At　Ratisbon；　on　the　23d　of　April；　the　Emperor　received　in　his　right　foot
a　spent　ball；　which　gave　him　quite　a　severe　bruise。　　I　was　with　the
service　when　several　grenadiers　hastened　to　tell　me　that　his　Majesty　was
wounded；　upon　which　I　hastened　to　him；　and　arrived　while　M。　Yvan　was
dressing　the　contusion。　　The　Emperor's　boot　was　cut　open；　and　laced　up；
and　he　remounted　his　horse　immediately；　and；　though　several　of　the
generals　insisted　on　his　resting；　he　only　replied：　〃My　friends；　do　you
not　know　that　it　is　necessary　for　me　to　see　everything？〃　　The　enthusiasm
of　the　soldiers　cannot　be　expressed　when　they　learned　that　their　chief
had　been　wounded；　though　his　wound　was　not　dangerous。　　〃The　Emperor　is
exposed　like　us；〃　they　said；　〃he　is　not　a　coward；　not　he。〃　　The　papers
did　not　mention　this　occurrence。

Before　entering　a　battle；　the　Emperor　always　ordered　that；　in　case　he　was
wounded；　every　possible　measure　should　be　taken　to　conceal　it　from　his
troops。　　〃Who　knows；〃　said　he；　〃what　terrible　confusion　might　be　produced
by　such　news？　　To　my　life　is　attached　the　destiny　of　a　great　Empire。
Remember　this；　gentlemen；　and　if　I　am　wounded；　let　no　one　know　it；　if
possible。　　If　I　am　slain；　try　to　win　the　battle　without　me；　there　will　be
time　enough　to　tell　it　afterwards。〃

Two　weeks　after　the　capture　of　Ratisbon；　I　was　in　advance　of　his　Majesty
on　the　road　to　Vienna；　alone　in　a　carriage　with　an　officer　of　the
household；　when　we　suddenly　heard　frightful　screams　in　a　house　on　the
edge　of　the　road。　　I　gave　orders　to　stop　at　once；　and　we　alighted；　and；
on　entering　the　house；　found　several　soldiers；　or　rather　stragglers；　as
there　are　in　all　armies；　who；　paying　no　attention　to　the　alliance　between
France　and　Bavaria；　were　treating　most　cruelly　a　family　which　lived　in
this　house；　and　consisted　of　an　old　grandmother；　a　young　man；　three
children；　and　a　young　girl。

Our　embroidered　coats　had　a　happy　effect　on　these　madmen；　whom　we
threatened　with　the　Emperor's　anger；　and　we　succeeded　in　driving　them　out
of　the　house；　and　soon　after　took　our　departure；　overwhelmed　with　thanks。
In　the　evening　I　spoke　to　the　Emperor　of　what　I　had　done；　and　he　approved
highly；　saying；　〃It　cannot　be　helped。　　There　are　always　some　cowardly
fellows　in　the　army；　and　they　are　the　ones　who　do　the　mischief。　　A　brave
and　good　soldier　would　blush　to　do　such　things！〃

I　had　occasion；　in　the　beginning　of　these　Memoirs；　to　speak　of　the
steward；　M。　Pfister；　one　of　his　Majesty's　most　faithful　servants；　and
also　one　of　those　to　whom　his　Majesty　was　most　attached。　　M。　Pfister　had
followed　him　to　Egypt；　and　had　faced　countless　dangers　in　his　service。
The　day　of　the　battle　of　Landshut；　which　either　preceded　or　followed　very
closely　the　taking　of　Ratisbon　this　poor　man　became　insane；　rushed　out　of
his　tent；　and　concealed　himself　in　a　wood　near　the　field　of　battle；　after
taking　off　all　his　clothing。　　At　the　end　of　a　few　hours　his　Majesty　asked
for　M。　Pfister。　　He　was　sought　for；　and　every　one　was　questioned；　but　no
one　could　tell　what　had　become　of　him。　　The　Emperor；　fearing　that　he
might　have　been　taken　prisoner；　sent　an　orderly　officer　to　the　Austrians
to　recover　his　steward；　and　propose　an　exchange；　but　the　officer
returned；　saying　that　the　Austrians　had　not　seen　M。　Pfister。　　The
Emperor；　much　disquieted；　ordered　a　search　to　be　made　in　the
neighborhood；　and　by　this　means　the　poor　fellow　was　discovered　entirely
naked；　as　I　have　said；　cowering　behind　a　tree；　in　a　frightful　condition；
his　body　torn　by　thorns。　　He　was　brought　back；　and　having　become
perfectly　quiet；　was　thought　to　be　well；　and　resumed　his　duties；　but　a
short　time　after　our　return　to　Paris　he　had　a　new　attack。　　The　character
of　his　malady　was　exceedingly　obscene；　and　he　presented　himself　before
the　Empress　Josephine　in　such　a　state　of　disorder；　and　with　such　indecent
gestures；　that　it　was　necessary　to　take　precautions　in　regard　to　him。
He　was　confided　to　the　care　of　the　wise　Doctor　Esquirol；　who；　in　spite　of
his　great　skill；　could　not　effect　a　cure。　　I　went　to　see　him　often。　　He
had　no　more　violent　attacks；　but　his　brain　was　diseased；　and　though　he
heard　and　understood　perfectly；　his　replies　were　those　of　a　real　madman。
He　never　lost　his　devotion　to　the　Emperor；　spoke　of　him　incessantly；　and
imagined　himself　on　duty　near　him。　　One　day　he　told　me　with　a　most
mysterious　air　that　he　wished　to　confide　to　me　a　terrible　secret；　the
plot　of　a　conspiracy　against　his　Majesty's　life；　handing　me　at　the　same
time　a　note　for　his　Majesty；　with　a　package　of　about　twenty　scraps　of
paper；　which　he　had　scribbled　off　himself；　and　thought　were　the　details
of　the　plot。　　Another　time　he　handed　me；　for　the　Emperor；　a　handful　of
little　stones；　which　he　called　diamonds　of　great　value。　　〃There　is　more
than　a　million　in　what　I　hand　you；〃　said　he。　　The　Emperor；　whom　I　told　of
my　visits；　was　exceedingly　touched　by　the　continued　monomania　of　this
poor　unfortunate；　whose　every　thought；　every　act；　related　to　his　old
master；　and　who　died　without　regaining　his　reason。

On　the　10th　of　May；　at　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning；　the　first　line　of
defense　of　the　Austrian　capital　was　attacked　and　taken　by　Marshal　Oudinot
the　faubourgs　surrendering　at　discretion。　　The　Duke　of　Montebello　then
advanced　on　the　esplanade　at　the　head　of　his　division；　but　the　gates
having　been　closed；　the　garrison　poured　a　frightful　discharge　from　the
top　of　the　ramparts；　which　fortunately　however　killed　only　a　very　small
number。　　The　Duke　of　Montebello　summoned　the　garrison　to　surrender　the
town；　but　the　response　of　the　Archduke　Maximilian　was　that　he　would
defend　Vienna　with　his　last　breath；　which　reply　was　conveyed　to　the
Emperor。

After　taking　counsel　with　his　generals；　his　Majesty　charged　Colonel
Lagrange　to　bear　a　new　demand　to　the　archduke；　but　the　poor　colonel　had
hardly　entered　the　town　than　he　was　attacked　by　the　infuriated　populace。
General　O'Reilly　saved　his　life　by　having　him　carried　away　by　his
soldiers；　but　the　Archduke　Maximilian；　in　order　to　defy　the　Emperor　still
further；　paraded　in　triumph　in　the　midst　of　the　national　guard　the
individual　who　has　struck　the　first　blow　at　the　bearer　of　the　French
summons。　　This　attempt；　which　had　excited　the　indignation　of　many　of　the
Viennese　themselves；　did　not　change　his　Majesty's　intentions；　as　he
wished　to　carry　his　moderation　and　kindness　as　far　as　possible；　and　he
wrote　to　the　archduke　by　the　Prince　of　Neuchatel　the　following　letter；　a
copy　of　which　accidentally　fell　into　my　hands：

　　　　　〃The　Prin