napoleon bonaparte, v7-第7部分

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other　leg。　　This　fever　was　caused　partly　by　exhaustion；　for　at　the　time
he　was　wounded　the　marshal　had　eaten　nothing　for　twenty…four　hours。
Finally　Messieurs　Larrey；

　　　　　＇Baron　Dominique　Jean　Larrey；　eminent　surgeon；　born　at　Bagneres…de
　　　　　…Bigorre；　1766。　　Accompanied　Napoleon　to　Egypt。　　Surgeon…in…chief　of
　　　　　the　grand　army；　1812。　　Wounded　and　taken　prisoner　at　Waterloo。　　In
　　　　　his　will　the　Emperor　styles　him　the　best　man　he　had　ever　known。
　　　　　Died　1842。＇

Yvan；　Paulet；　and　Lannefranque　decided　on　the　second　amputation；　and
after　this　had　been　performed　the　quiet　condition　of　the　wounded　man　made
them　hopeful　of　saving　his　life。　　But　it　was　not　to　be。　　The　fever
increased；　and　became　of　a　most　alarming　character；　and　in　spite　of　the
attentions　of　these　skillful　surgeons；　and　of　Doctor　Frank；　then　the　most
celebrated　physician　in　Europe；　the　marshal　breathed　his　last　on　the　31st
of　May；　at　five　o'clock　in　the　morning；　barely　forty　years　of　age。

During　his　week　of　agony　（for　his　sufferings　may　be　called　by　that　name）
the　Emperor　came　often　to　see　him；　and　always　left　in　deep　distress。　　I
also　went　to　see　the　marshal　each　day　for　the　Emperor；　and　admired　the
patience　with　which　he　endured　these　sufferings；　although　he　had　no　hope；
for　he　knew　well　that　he　was　dying；　and　saw　these　sad　tidings　reflected
in　every　face。　　It　was　touching　and　terrible　to　see　around　his　house；　his
door；　in　his　chamber　even；　these　old　grenadiers　of　the　guard；　always
stolid　and　unmoved　till　now；　weeping　and　sobbing　like　children。　　What　an
atrocious　thing　war　seems　at　such　moments。

The　evening　before　his　death　the　marshal　said　to　me；　〃I　see　well；　my　dear
Constant；　that　I　must　die。　　I　wish　that　your　master　could　have　ever　near
him　men　as　devoted　as　I。　　Tell　the　Emperor　I　would　like　to　see　him。〃　　As
I　was　going　out　the　Emperor　entered；　a　deep　silence　ensued；　and　every　one
retired；　but　the　door　of　the　room　being　half　open　we　could　hear　a　part　of
the　conversation；　which　was　long　and　painful。　　The　marshal　recalled　his
services　to　the　Emperor；　and　ended　with　these　words；　pronounced　in　tones
still　strong　and　firm：　〃I　do　not　say　this　to　interest　you　in　my　family；　I
do　not　need　to　recommend　to　you　my　wife　and　children。　　Since　I　die　for
you；　your　glory　will　bid　you　protect　them；　and　I　do　not　fear　in
addressing　you　these　last　words；　dictated　by　sincere　affection；　to　change
your　plans　towards　them。　　You　have　just　made　a　great　mistake；　and
although　it　deprives　you　of　your　best　friend　you　will　not　correct　it。
Your　ambition　is　insatiable；　and　will　destroy　you。　　You　sacrifice
unsparingly　and　unnecessarily　those　men　who　serve　you　best；　and　when　they
fall　you　do　not　regret　them。　　You　have　around　you　only　flatterers；　I　see
no　friend　who　dares　to　tell　you　the　truth。　　You　will　be　betrayed　and
abandoned。　　Hasten　to　end　this　war；　it　is　the　general　wish。　　You　will
never　be　more　powerful；　but　you　may　be　more　beloved。　　Pardon　these　truths
in　a　dying　manwho；　dying；　loves　you。〃

The　marshal；　as　he　finished；　held　out　his　hand　to　the　Emperor；　who
embraced　him；　weeping；　and　in　silence。

The　day　of　the　marshal's　death　his　body　was　given　to　M。　Larrey　and　M。
Cadet　de　Gassicourt；　　ordinary　chemist　to　the　Emperor；　with　orders　to
preserve　it；　as　that　of　Colonel　Morland　had　been；　who　was　killed　at　the
battle　of　Austerlitz。　　For　this　purpose　the　corpse　was　carried　to
Schoenbrunn；　and　placed　in　the　left　wing　of　the　chateau；　far　from　the
inhabited　rooms。　　In　a　few　hours　putrefaction　became　complete；　and　they
were　obliged　to　plunge　the　mutilated　body　into　a　bath　filled　with
corrosive　sublimate。　　This　extremely　dangerous　operation　was　long　and
painful；　and　M。　Cadet　de　Gassicourt　deserves　much　commendation　for　the
courage　he　displayed　under　these　circumstances；　for　notwithstanding　every
precaution；　and　in　spite　of　the　strong　disinfectants　burned　in　the　room；
the　odor　of　this　corpse　was　so　fetid；　and　the　vapor　from　the　sublimate　so
strong；　that　the　distinguished　chemist　was　seriously　indisposed。

Like　several　other　persons；　I　had　a　sad　curiosity　to　see　the　marshal's
body　in　this　condition。　　It　was　frightful。　　The　trunk；　which　had　been
covered　by　the　solution；　was　greatly　swollen；　while　on　the　contrary；　the
head；　which　had　been　left　outside　the　bath；　had　shrunk　remarkably；　and
the　muscles　of　the　face　had　contracted　in　the　most　hideous　manner；　the
wide…open　eyes　starting　out　of　their　sockets。　　After　the　body　had
remained　eight　days　in　the　corrosive　sublimate；　which　it　was　necessary　to
renew；　since　the　emanations　from　the　interior　of　the　corpse　had
decomposed　the　solution；　it　was　put　into　a　cask　made　for　the　purpose；　and
filled　with　the　same　liquid；　and　it　was　in　this　cask　that　it　was　carried
from　Schoenbrunn　to　Strasburg。　　In　this　last　place　it　was　taken　out　of
the　strange　coffin；　dried　in　a　net；　and　wrapped　in　the　Egyptian　style；
that　is；　surrounded　with　bandages；　with　the　face　uncovered。　　M。　Larrey
and　M。　de　Gassicourt　confided　this　honorable　task　to　M。　Fortin；　a　young
chemist　major；　who　in　1807　had　by　his　indefatigable　courage　and
perseverance　saved　from　certain　death　nine　hundred　sick；　abandoned；
without　physicians　or　surgeons；　in　a　hospital　near　Dantzic；　and　nearly
all　suffering　from　an　infectious　malady。　　In　the　month　of　March；　1810
（what　follows　is　an　extract　from　the　letter　of　M。　Fortin　to　his　master
and　friend　M。　Cadet　de　Gassicourt）；　the　Duchess　of　Montebello；　in　passing
through　Strasburg；　wished　to　see　again　the　husband　she　loved　so　tenderly。

〃Thanks　to　you　and　M。　Larrey　（it　is　M。　Fortin　who　speaks）；　the　embalming
of　the　marshal　has　succeeded　perfectly。　　When　I　drew　the　body　from　the
cask　I　found　it　in　a　state　of　perfect　preservation。　　I　arranged　a　net　in
a　lower　hall　of　the　mayor's　residence；　in　which　I　dried　it　by　means　of　a
stove；　the　heat　being　carefully　regulated。　　I　then　had　a　very　handsome
coffin　made　of　hard　wood　well　oiled；　and　the　marshal　wrapped　in　bandages；
his　face　uncovered；　was　placed　in　an　open　coffin　near　that　of　General
Saint…Hilaire　in　a　subterranean　vault；　of　which　I　have　the　key。　　A
sentinel　watches　there　day　and　night。　　M。　Wangen　de　Gueroldseck；　mayor　of
Strasburg；　has　given　me　every　assistance　in　my　work。

〃This　was　the　state　of　affairs　when；　an　hour　after　her　Majesty　the
Empress's　arrival；　Madame；　the　Duchess　of　Montebello；　who　accompanied　her
as　lady　of　honor；　sent　M。　Cretu；　her　cousin　at　whose　house　she　was　to
visit；　to　seek　me。　　I　came　in　answer　to　her　orders；　and　the　duchess
questioned　and　complimented　me　on　the　honorable　mission　with　which　I　was
charged；　and　then　expressed　to　me；　with　much　agitation；　her　desire　to　see
for　the　last　time　the　body　of　her　husband。　　I　hesitated　a　few　moments
before　answering　her；　and　foreseeing　the　effect　which　would　be　produced
on　her　by　the　sad　spectacle；　told　her　that　the　orders　which　I　had
received　would　prevent　my　doing　what　she　wished；　but　she　insisted　in　such
a　pressing　manner　that　I　yielded。　　We　agreed　（in　order　not　to　compromise
me；　and　that　she　might　not　be　recognized）　that　I　would…go　for　her　at
midnight；　and　that　she　would　be　accompanied　by　one　of　her　relatives。

〃I　went　to　the　duchess　at　the　appointed　hour；　and　as　soon　as　I　arrived；
she　rose　and　said　that　she　was　ready　to　accompany　me。　　I　waited　a　few
moments；　begging　her　to　consider　the　matter　well。　　I　warned　her　of　the
condition　in　which　she　would　find　the　marshal；　and　begged　her　to　reflect
on　the　impression　she　would　receive　in　the　sad　place　she　was　about　to
visit。　　She　replied　that　she　was　well；　prepared　for　this；　and　felt　that
she　had　the　necessary；　courage；　and　she　hoped　to　find　in　this　last　visit
some　amelioration　of　the　bitter　sorrow　she　endured。　　While　speaking　thus；
her　sad　and　beautiful　countenance　was　calm　and　pensive。　　We　then　started；
M。　Cretu　giving　his　arm　to　his　cousin。　　The　duchess's　carriage　followed
at　a　distance；　empty；　and　two　servants　followed　us。

〃The　city　was　illuminated；　and　the　good　inhabitants　were　all　taking
holiday；　and　in　many　houses　gay　music　was　inspiriting　them　to　the
celebration　of　this　memorable　day。　　What　a　contrast　between　this　gayety
and　the　quest　in　which　we　were　engaged！　　I　saw　that　the　steps　of　the
duchess　dragged　now　and　then；　while　she　sighed　and　shuddered；　and　my　own
heart　seemed　oppressed；　my　ideas　confused。

〃At　last　we　arrived　at　the　mayor's　residence；　where　Madame　de　Montebello
gave　her　servants　orders　to　await　her；　and　descended　slowly；　accompanied
by　her　cousin　and　myself；　to　the　door　of　the　lower　hall。　　A　lantern
lighted　our　way；　and　the　duchess　trembled　while　she　affected　a　sort　of
bravery；　but　when　she　entered　a　sort　of　cavern；　the　silence　of　the　dead
which　reigned　in　this　subterranean　vault；　the　mournful　light　which　filled
it；　the　sight　of　the　corpse　extended　in　its　coffin；　produced　a　terrible
effect　on　her；　she　gave　a　piercing　scream；　and　fainted。　　I　had　foreseen
this；　and　had　watched　her　attentively；　and　as　soon　as　I　saw　her　strength
failing；　supported　her　in　my　arms　and　seated　her；　having　in　readiness
everything　necessary　to　restore　her。　　I　used　these　remedies；　and　she
revived　at　the　end　of　a　few　moments；　and　we　then　begged　her　to　withdraw；
but　she　refused；　then　rose；　approached　the　coffin；　and　walked　around　it
slowly　in　silence；　then　stopping　and　letting　her　folded　hands　fall　by　her
side；　she　remained　for　some　time　immovable；　regarding　the　inanimate
figure　of　her　husband；　and　watering　it　with　her　tears。　　At　last　she　in　a
measure　regained　her　self…control　and　exclaimed　in　stifled　tones　through
her　sobs；　Mon　Dieu；　mon　Dieu！　how　he　is　changed！'　　I　made　a　sign　to　M。
Cretu　that　it　was　time　to　retire；　but　we　could　drag　the　duchess　away　only
by　promising　her　to　bring　her　back　next　day；　a　promise　which　could　not
be　kept。　　I　closed　the　door　quickly；　and　gave　my　arm　to　the　duchess；
which　she　gratefully　accepted。　　When　we　left　the　mayoralty　I　took　leave
of　her；　but　she　insisted　on　my　entering　her　carriage；　and　gave　orders　to
carry　me　to　my　residence。　　In　this　short　ride　she　shed　a　torrent　of
tears；　and　when　the　carriage　stopped；　said　to　me　with　inexpressible
kindness；　'I　shall　never　forget；　Monsieur；　the　important　service　you　have
just　rendered　me。'〃

Long　after　this　th