napoleon bonaparte, v8-第10部分

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stockings　scorched　and　burned　by　the　fire。　　He　went　directly　to　the
chamber　of　the　Empress　to　assure　himself　if　she　had　recovered　from　the
fright　she　had　experienced；　and　then　returned　to　his　room；　and　throwing
his　hat　on　the　bed；　dropped　on　a　sofa；　exclaiming；　〃Mon　Dieu！　　What　a
fete！〃　　I　remarked　that　the　Emperor's　hands　were　all　blackened；　and　he
had　lost　his　gloves　at　the　fire。　　He　was　much　dejected；　and　while　I　was
undressing　him；　asked　if　I　had　attended　the　prince's　fete；　and　when　I
replied　in　the　negative；　deigned　to　give　me　some　details　of　this
deplorable　event。　　The　Emperor　spoke　with　an　emotion　which　I　saw　him
manifest　only　two　or　three　times　in　his　life；　and　which　he　never　showed
in　regard　to　his　own　misfortunes。　　〃The　fire；〃　said　his　Majesty；　〃has　to…
night　devoured　a　heroic　woman。　　The　sister…in…law　of　the　Prince　of
Schwartzenberg；　hearing　from　the　burning　hall　cries　which　she　thought
were　uttered　by　her　eldest　daughter；　threw　herself　into　the　midst　of　the
flames；　and　the　floor；　already　nearly　burned　through；　broke　under　her
feet；　and　she　disappeared。　　After　all　the　poor　mother　was　mistaken；　and
all　her　children　were　out　of　danger。　　Incredible　efforts　were　made；　and
at　last　she　was　recovered　from　the　flames；　but　she　was　entirely　dead；　and
all　the　attentions　of　the　physicians　have　been　unsuccessful　in　restoring
her　to　life。〃　　The　emotion　of　the　Emperor　increased　at　the　end　of　this
recital。　　I　had　taken　care　to　have　his　bath　in　readiness；　foreseeing　he
would　need　it　on　his　return；　and　his　Majesty　now　took　it；　and　after　his
customary　rubbing；　found　himself　in　much　better　condition。　　Nevertheless；
I　remember　his　expressing　fear　that　the　terrible　accident　of　this　night
was　the　precursor　of　some　fatal　event；　and　he　long　retained　these
apprehensions。　　Three　years　after；　during　the　deplorable　campaign　of
Russia；　it　was　announced　to　the　Emperor　one　day；　that　the　army…corps
commanded　by　the　Prince　of　Schwartzenberg　had　been　destroyed；　and　that
the　prince　himself　had　perished；　afterwards　he　found　fortunately　that
these　tidings　were　false；　but　when　they　were　brought　to　his　Majesty；　he
exclaimed　as　if　replying　to　an　idea　that　had　long　preoccupied　him；　〃Then
it　was　he　whom　the　bad　omen　threatened。〃

Towards　morning　the　Emperor　sent　pages　to　the　houses　of　all　those　who　had
suffered　from　the　catastrophe　with　his　compliments；　and　inquiries　as　to
their　condition。　　Sad　answers　were　brought　to　his　Majesty。　　Madame　the
Princess　de　la　Layen；　niece　of　the　Prince　Primate；　had　died　from　her
wounds；　and　the　lives　of　General　Touzart；　his　wife；　and　daughter　were
despaired　of；in　fact；　they　died　that　same　day。　　There　were　other
victims　of　this　disaster；　and　among　a　number　of　persons　who　recovered
after　long…continued　sufferings　were　Prince　Kourakin　and　Madame　Durosnel；
wife　of　the　general　of　that　name。

Prince　Kourakin；　always　remarkable　for　the　magnificence　as　well　as　the
singular　taste　of　his　toilet；　wore　at　the　ball　a　coat　of　gold　cloth；　and
it　was　this　which　saved　his　life；　as　sparks　and　cinders　slipped　off　his
coat　and　the　decorations　with　which　he　was　covered　like　a　helmet；　yet；
notwithstanding　this；　the　prince　was　confined　to　his　bed　for　several
months。　　In　the　confusion　he　fell　on　his　back；　was　for　some　time　；
trampled　under　foot　and　much　injured；　and　owed　his　life　only　to　the
presence　of　mind　and　strength　of　a　musician；　who　raised　him　in　his　arms
and　carried　him　out　of　the　crowd。

General　Durosnel；　whose　wife　fainted　in　the　ball…room；　threw　himself　in
the　midst　of　the　flames；　and　reappeared　immediately；　bearing　in　his　arms
his　precious　burden。　　He　bore　Madame　Durosnel　into　a　house　on　the
boulevard；　where　he　placed　her　until　he　could　find　a　carriage　in　which　to
convey　her　to　his　hotel。　　The　Countess　Durosnel　was　painfully　burned；　and
was　ill　more　than　two　years。　　In　going　from　the　ambassador's　hotel　to　the
boulevard　he　saw　by　the　light　of　the　fire　a　robber　steal　the　comb　from
the　head　of　his　wife　who　had　fainted　in　his　arms。　　This　comb　was　set　with
diamonds；　and　very　valuable。

Madame　Durosnel's　affection　for　her　husband　was　equal　to　that　he　felt　for
her；　and　when　at　the　end　of　a　bloody　combat；　in　the　second　campaign　of
Poland；　General　Durosnel　was　lost　for　several　days；　and　news　was　sent　to
France　that　he　was　thought　to　be　dead；　the　countess　in　despair　fell　ill
of　grief；　and　was　at　the　point　of　death。　　A　short　time　after　it　was
learned　that　the　general　was　badly　but　not　mortally　wounded；　and　that　he
had　been　found；　and　his　wounds　would　quickly　heal。　　When　Madame　Durosnel
received　this　happy　news　her　joy　amounted　almost　to　delirium；　and　in　the
court　of　her　hotel　she　made　a　pile　of　her　mourning　clothes　and　those　of
her　people；　set　fire　to　them；　and　saw　this　gloomy　pile　turn　to　ashes　amid
wild　transports　of　joy　and　delight。

Two　days　after　the　burning　of　the　hotel　of　the　Prince　of　Schwartzenberg；
the　Emperor　received　the　news　of　the　abdication　of　his　brother　Louis；　by
which　event　his　Majesty　seemed　at　first　much　chagrined；　and　said　to　some
one　who　entered　his　room　just　as　he　had　been　informed　of　it；　〃I　foresaw
this　madness　of　Louis；　but　I　did　not　think　he　would　be　in　such　haste。〃
Nevertheless；　the　Emperor　soon　decided　what　course　to　take；　and　a　few
days　afterwards　his　Majesty；　who　during　the　toilet　had　not　opened　his
mouth；　came　suddenly　out　of　his　preoccupation　just　as　I　handed　him　his
coat；　and　gave　me　two　or　three　of　his　familiar　taps。　　〃Monsieur
Constant；〃　said　he；　〃do　you　know　what　are　the　three　capitals　of　the
French　Empire？　　〃and　without　giving　me　time　to　answer；　the　Emperor
continued；　〃Paris；　Rome；　and　Amsterdam。　　That　sounds　well；　does　it　not？〃




CHAPTER　XXVIII。

In　the　latter　part　of　July　large　crowds　visited　the　Church　of　the　Hotel
des　Invalides；　in　which　were　placed　the　remains　of　General　Saint…Hilaire
and　the　Duke　de　Montebello；　the　remains　of　the　marshal　being　placed　near
the　tomb　of　Turenne。　　The　mornings　were　spent　in　the　celebration　of
several　masses；　at　a　double　altar　which　was　raised　between　the　nave　and
the　dome；　and　for　four　days　there　floated　from　the　spire　of　the　dome　a
long　black　banner　or　flag　edged　with　white。

The　day　the　remains　of　the　marshal　were　removed　from　the　Invalides　to　the
Pantheon；　I　was　sent　from　Saint…Cloud　to　Paris　with　a　special　message　for
the　Emperor。　　After　this　duty　was　attended　to；　I　still　had　a　short　time
of　leisure；　of　which　I　availed　myself　to　witness　the　sad　ceremony　and　bid
a　last　adieu　to　the　brave　warrior　whose　death　I　had　witnessed。　　At　noon
all　the　civil　and　military　authorities　assembled　at　the　Invalides；　and
the　body　was　transferred　from　the　dome　into　the　church；　and　placed　on　a
catafalque　in　the　shape　of　a　great　Egyptian　pyramid；　raised　on　an
elevated　platform；　and　approached　through　four　large　arches；　the　posts　of
which　were　entwined　with　garlands　of　laurels　interlaced　with　cypress。
At　the　corners　were　statues　in　the　attitude　of　grief；　representing　Force；
Justice；　Prudence；　and　Temperance；　virtues　characteristic　of　the　hero。
This　pyramid　ended　in　a　funeral　urn　surmounted　by　a　crown　of　fire。　　On
the　front　of　the　pyramid　were　placed　the　arms　of　the　duke；　and　medallions
commemorating　the　most　remarkable　events　of　his　life　borne　by　genii。
Under　the　obelisk　was　placed　the　sarcophagus　containing　the　remains　of
the　marshal；　at　the　corners　of　which　were　trophies　composed　of　banners
taken　from　his　enemies；　and　innumerable　silver　candelabra　were　placed　on
the　steps　by　which　the　platform　was　reached。　　The　oaken　altar；　in　the
position　it　occupied　before　the　Revolution；　was　double；　and　had　a　double
tabernacle；　on　the　doors　of　which　were　the　commandments；　the　whole
surmounted　by　a　large　cross；　from　the　intersection　of　which　was　suspended
a　shroud。　　At　the　corners　of　the　altar　were　the　statues　of　St。　Louis　and
St。　Napoleon。　　Four　large　candelabra　were　placed　on　pedestals　at　the
corners　of　the　steps；　and　the　pavement　of　the　choir　and　that　of　the　nave
were　covered　with　a　black　carpet。　　The　pulpit；　also　draped　in　black　and
decorated　with　the　Imperial　eagle；　and　from　which　was　pronounced　the
funeral　oration　over　the　marshal；　was　situated　on　the　left　in　front　of
the　bier；　on　the　right　was　a　seat　of　ebony　decorated　with　Imperial　arms；
bees；　stars；　lace；　fringes；　and　other　ornaments　in　silver；　which　was
intended　for　the　prince　arch…chancellor　of　the　Empire；　who　presided　at
the　ceremony。　　Steps　were　erected　in　the　arches　of　the　aisles；　and
corresponded　to　the　tribunes　which　were　above；　and　in　front　of　these
steps　were　seats　and　benches　for　the　civil　and　military　authorities；　the
cardinals；　archbishops；　bishops；　etc。　　The　arms；　decorations；　baton；　and
laurel　crown　of　the　marshal　were　placed　on　the　bier。

All　the　nave　and　the　bottom　of　the　aisles　were　covered　with　black　with　a
white　bordering；　as　were　the　windows　also；　and　the　draperies　displayed
the　marshal's　arms；　baton；　and　cipher。

The　organ　was　entirely　concealed　by　voluminous　hangings　which　in　no　wise
lessened　the　effect　of　its　mournful　tones。　　Eighteen　sepulchral　silver
lamps　were　suspended　by　chains　from　lances；　bearing　on　their　points　flags
taken　from　the　enemy。　　On　the　pilasters　of　the　nave　were　fastened
trophies　of　arms；　composed　of　banners　captured　in　the　numerous
engagements　which　had　made　the　marshal's　life　illustrious。　　The　railing
of　the　altar　on　the　side　of　the　esplanade　was　draped　in　black；　and　above
this　were　the　arms　of　the　duke　borne　by　two　figures　of　Fame　holding　palms
of　victory；　above　was　written：　〃Napoleon　to　the　Memory　of　the　Duke　of
Montebello；　who　died　gloriously　on　the　field　of　Essling；　22d。　May；　1809。〃

The　conservatory　of　music　executed　a　mass　composed　of　selections　from　the
best　of　Mozart's　sacred　pieces。　　After　the　ceremony　the　body　was　carried
as　far　as　the　door　of　the　church　and　placed　on　the　funeral　car；　which　was
ornamented　with　laurel　and　four　groups　of　the　banners　captured　from　the
enemy　by　his　army…corps　in　the　numerous　battles　in　which　the　marshal　had
taken　part；　and　was　preceded　by　a　military　and　religious　procession；
followed　by　one　of　mourning　and　honor。　　The　military　cortege　was　composed
of　detachments　from　all　branches　of　the　army；　cavalry；　and　light
infantry；　and