napoleon bonaparte, v8-第1部分

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RECOLLECTIONS　OF　THE　PRIVATE　LIFE　OF　NAPOLEON；　V8

BY　CONSTANT
PREMIER　VALET　DE　CHAMBRE




TRANSLATED　BY　WALTER　CLARK



CONTENTS：
CHAPTER　XXII。　　to　　CHAPTER　XXXI。




CHAPTER　XXII。

Towards　the　end　of　September　the　Emperor　made　a　journey　to　Raab；　and；　as
he　was　mounting　his　horse　to　return　to　his　residence　at　Schoenbrunn；　he
saw　the　bishop　a　few　steps　from　him。　　〃Is　not　that　the　bishop？〃　said　he
to　M。　Jardin；　who　was　holding　his　horse's　head。　　〃No；　Sire；　it　is
Soliman。〃〃I　asked　you　if　that　was　not　the　bishop；〃　repeated　his
Majesty；　pointing　to　the　prelate。　　M。　Jardin；　intent　on　business；　and
thinking　only　of　the　Emperor's　horse　which　bore　the　name　of　Bishop；　again
replied；　〃Sire；　you　forget　that　you　rode　him　on　the　last　relay。〃　　The
Emperor　now　perceived　the　mistake；　and　broke　into　a　laugh。　　I　was　witness
at　Wagram　of　an　act　which　furnished　a　fine　illustration　of　the　Emperor's
kindness　of　heart　and　consideration　for　others；　of　which　I　have　already
given　several　instances；　for；　although　in　the　one　I　shall　now　relate；　he
was　forced　to　refuse　an　act　of　clemency；　his　very　refusal　challenges
admiration　as　an　exhibition　of　the　generosity　and　greatness　of　his　soul。

A　very　rich　woman；　named　Madame　de　Combray；　who　lived　near　Caen；　allowed
her　chateau　to　be　occupied　by　a　band　of　royalists；　who　seemed　to　think
they　upheld　their　cause　worthily　by　robbing　diligences　on　the　highway。
She　constituted　herself　treasurer　of　this　band　of　partisans；　and
consigned　the　funds　thus　obtained　to　a　pretended　treasurer　of　Louis
XVIII。　　Her　daughter；　Madame　Aquet；　joined　this　troop；　and；　dressed　in
men's　clothing；　showed　most　conspicuous　bravery。　　Their　exploits；
however；　were　not　of　long　duration；　and　pursued　and　overcome　by　superior
forces；　they　were　brought　to　trial；　and　Madame　Aquet　was　condemned　to
death　with　her　accomplices。　　By　means　of　a　pretended　illness　she　obtained
a　reprieve；　of　which　she　availed　herself　to　employ　every　means　in　her
power　to　obtain　a　pardon；　and　finally；　after　eight　months　of　useless
supplications；　decided　to　send　her　children　to　Germany　to　intercede　with
the　Emperor。　　Her　physician；　accompanied　by　her　sister　and　two　daughters；
reached　Schoenbrunn　just　as　the　Emperor　had　gone　to　visit　the　field　of
Wagram；　and　for　an　entire　day　awaited　the　Emperor's　return　on　the　steps
of　the　palace；　and　these　children；　one　ten；　the　other　twelve；　years　old；
excited　much　interest。　　Notwithstanding　this；　their　mother's　crime　was　a
terrible　one；　for　although　in　political　matters　opinions　may　not　be
criminal；　yet　under　every　form　of　government　opinions　are　punished；　if
thereby　one　becomes　a　robber　and　an　assassin。　　The　children；　clothed　in
black；　threw　themselves　at　the　Emperor's　feet；　crying；　〃Pardon；　pardon；
restore　to　us　our　mother。〃　　The　Emperor　raised　them　tenderly；　took　the
petition　from　the　hands　of　the　aunt；　read　every　word　attentively；　then
questioned　the　physician　with　much　interest；　looked　at　the　children；
hesitatedbut　just　as　I；　with　all　who　witnessed　this　touching　scene；
thought　he　was　going　to　pronounce　her　pardon；　he　recoiled　several　steps；
exclaiming；　〃I　cannot　do　it！〃　　His　changing　color；　eyes　suffused　with
tears；　and　choking　voice；　gave　evidence　of　the　struggle　through　which　he
was　passing；　and　witnessing　this；　his　refusal　appeared　to　me　an　act　of
sublime　courage。

Following　upon　the　remembrance　of　these　violent　crimes；　so　much　the　more
worthy　of　condemnation　since　they　were　the　work　of　a　woman；　who；　in　order
to　abandon　herself　to　them；　was　forced　to　begin　by　trampling　under　foot
all　the　gentle　and　modest　virtues　of　her　sex；　I　find　recorded　in　my　notes
an　act　of　fidelity　and　conjugal　tenderness　which　well　deserved　a　better
result。　　The　wife　of　an　infantry　colonel；　unwilling　to　be　parted　from　her
husband；　followed　the　march　of　his　regiment　in　a　coach；　and　on　the　days
of　battle　mounted　a　horse　and　kept　herself　as　near　as　possible　to　the
line。　　At　Friedland　she　saw　the　colonel　fall；　pierced　by　a　ball；　hastened
to　him　with　her　servant；　carried　him　from　the　ranks；　and　bore　him　away　in
an　ambulance；　though　too　late；　for　he　was　already　dead。　　Her　grief　was
silent；　and　no　one　saw　her　shed　a　tear。　　She　offered　her　purse　to　a
surgeon；　and　begged　him　to　embalm　her　husband's　corpse；　which　was　done　as
well　as　possible　under　the　circumstances；　and　she　then　had　the　corpse
wrapped　in　bandages；　placed　in　a　box　with　a　lid；　and　put　in　a　carriage；
and　seating　herself　beside　it；　the　heart…broken　widow　set　out　on　her
return　to　France。　　A　grief　thus　repressed　soon　affected　her　mind；　and　at
each　halt　she　made　on　the　journey；　she　shut　herself　up　with　her　precious
burden；　drew　the　corpse　from　its　bog；　placed　it　on　a　bed；　uncovered　its
face；　and　lavished　on　it　the　most　tender　caresses；　talking　to　it　as　if　it
was　living；　and　slept　beside　it。　　In　the　morning　she　replaced　her　husband
in　the　box；　and；　resuming　her　gloomy　silence；　continued　her　route。　　For
several　days　her　secret　remained　unknown；　and　was　discovered　only　a　few
days　before　she　reached　Paris。

The　body　had　not　been　embalmed　in　such　a　manner　as　to　preserve　it　long
from　decay；　and　this　soon　reached　such　a　point；　that；　when　she　arrived　at
an　inn；　the　horrible　odor　from　the　box　aroused　suspicion；　and　the　unhappy
wife's　room　was　entered　that　evening；　and　she　was　found　clasping　in　her
arms　the　already　sadly　disfigured　corpse　of　her　husband。　　〃Silence；〃　she
cried　to　the　frightened　innkeeper。　　〃My　husband　is　asleep；　why　do　you
come　to　disturb　his　glorious　rest？〃　　With　much　difficulty　the　corpse　was
removed　from　the　arms　of　the　insane　woman　who　had　guarded　it　with　such
jealous　care；　and　she　was　conveyed　to　Paris；　where　she　afterward　died；
without　recovering　her　reason　for　an　instant。

There　was　much　astonishment　at　the　chateau　of　Schoenbrunn　because　the
Archduke　Charles　never　appeared　there；　for　he　was　known　to　be　much
esteemed　by　the　Emperor；　who　never　spoke　of　him　except　with　the　highest
consideration。　　I　am　entirely　ignorant　what　motives　prevented　the　prince
from　coming　to　Schoenbrunn；　or　the　Emperor　from　visiting　him；　but；
nevertheless；　it　is　a　fact；　that；　two　or　three　days　before　his　departure
from　Munich；　his　Majesty　one　morning　attended　a　hunting…party；　composed
of　several　officers　and　myself；　and　that　we　stopped　at　a　hunting…box
called　la　Venerie　on　the　road　between　Vienna　and　Bukusdorf；　and　on　our
arrival　we　found　the　Archduke　Charles　awaiting　his　Majesty；　attended　by　a
suite　of　only　two　persons。　　The　Emperor　and　the　archduke　remained　for　a
long　while　alone　in　the　pavilion；　and　we　did　not　return　to　Schoenbrunn
until　late　in　the　evening。

On　the　16th　of　October　at　noon　the　Emperor　left　this　residence　with　his
suite；　composed　of　the　grand　marshal；　the　Duke　of　Frioul；　Generals　Rapp；
Mouton；　Savary；　Nansouty；　Durosnell　and　Lebrun；　of　three　chamberlains；　of
M。　Labbe；　chief　of　the　topographical　bureau；　of　M。　de　Meneval；　his
Majesty's　secretary；　and　M。　Yvan；　and　accompanied　by　the　Duke　of　Bassano；
and　the　Duke　of　Cadore；　then　minister　of　foreign　relations。

We　arrived　at　Passau　on　the　morning　of　the　18th；　and　the　Emperor　passed
the　entire　day　in　visiting　Forts　Maximilian　and　Napoleon；　and　also　seven
or　eight　redoubts　whose　names　recalled　the　principal　battles　of　the
campaign。　　More　than　twelve　thousand　men　were　working　on　these　important
fortifications；　to　whom　his　Majesty's　visit　was　a　fete。　　That　evening　we
resumed　our　journey；　and　two　days　after　we　were　at　Munich。

At　Augsburg；　on　leaving　the　palace　of　the　Elector　of　Treves；　the　Emperor
found　in　his　path　a　woman　kneeling　in　the　dust；　surrounded　by　four
children；　he　raised　her　up　and　inquired　kindly　what　she　desired。　　The
poor　woman；　without　replying；　handed　his　Majesty　a　petition　written　in
German；　which　General　Rapp　translated。　　She　was　the　widow　of　a　German
physician　named　Buiting；　who　had　died　a　short　time　since；　and　was　well
known　in　the　army　from　his　faithfulness　in　ministering　to　the　wounded
French　soldiers　when　by　chance　any　fell　into　his　hands。　　The　Elector　of
Treves；　and　many　persons　of　the　Emperor's　suite；　supported　earnestly　this
petition　of　Madame　Buiting；　whom　her　husband's　death　had　reduced　almost
to　poverty；　and　in　which　she　besought　the　Emperor's　aid　for　the　children
of　this　German　physician；　whose　attentions　had　saved　the　lives　of　so　many
of　his　brave　soldiers。　　His　Majesty　gave　orders　to　pay　the　petitioner　the
first　year's　salary　of　a　pension　which　he　at　once　allowed　her；　and　when
General　Rapp　had　informed　the　widow　of　the　Emperor's　action；　the　poor
woman　fainted　with　a　cry　of　joy。

I　witnessed　another　scene　which　was　equally　as　touching。　　When　the
Emperor　was　on　the　march　to　Vienna；　the　inhabitants　of　Augsburg；　who　had
been　guilty　of　some　acts　of　cruelty　towards　the　Bavarians；　trembled　lest
his　Majesty　should　take　a　terrible　revenge　on　them；　and　this　terror　was
at　its　height　when　it　was　learned　that　a　part　of　the　French　army　was　to
pass　through　the　town。

A　young　woman　of　remarkable　beauty；　only　a　few　months　a　widow；　had
retired　to　this　place　with　her　child　in　the　hope　of　being　more　quiet　than
anywhere　else；　but；　frightened　by　the　approach　of　the　troops；　fled　with
her　child　in　her　arms。　　But；　instead　of　avoiding　our　soldiers　as　she
intended；　she　left　Augsburg　by　the　wrong　gate；　and　fell　into　the　midst　of
the　advance　posts　of　the　French　army。　　Fortunately；　she　encountered
General　Decourbe；　and　trembling；　and　almost　beside　herself　with　terror；
conjured　him　on　her　knees　to　save　her　honor；　even　at　the　expense　of　her
life；　and　immediately　swooned　away。　　Moved　even　to　tears；　the　general
showed　her　every　attention；　ordered　a　safe…conduct　given　her；　and　an
escort　to　accompany　her　to　a　neighboring　town；　where　she　had　stated　that
several　of　her　relatives　lived。　　The　order　to　march　was　given　at　the　same
instant；　and；　in　the　midst　of　the　general　commotion　which　ensued；　the
child　was　forgotten　by　those　who　escorted　the　mother；　and　left　in　the
outposts。　　A　brave　grenadier　took　charge　of　it；　and；　ascertaining　where
the　poor　mother　had　been　taken；　pledged　himself　to　restore　it　to　her　at
the　earliest　possible　moment；　unless　a　ball　should　carry　him　off　before
the　return　of　the　army。