napoleon bonaparte, v8-第11部分

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of　detachments　from　all　branches　of　the　army；　cavalry；　and　light
infantry；　and　the　line；　and　artillery　both　horse　and　foot；　followed　by
cannon；　caissons；　sappers；　and　miners；　all　preceded　by　drums；　trumpets；
bands；　etc。；　and　the　general　staff；　with　the　marshal；　Prince　of　Wagram；
at　its　head；　formed　of　all　the　general　officers；　with　the　staff　of　the
division　and　of　the　place。

The　religious　procession　was　composed　of　children　and　old　men　from　the
hospitals；　clergy　from　all　the　parishes　and　from　the　metropolitan　church
of　Paris；　bearing　crosses　and　banners；　with　singers　and　sacred　music；　and
his　Majesty's　chaplain　with　his　assistants。　　The　car　on　which　was　placed
the　marshal's　body　followed　immediately　after。　　The　marshals；　Duke　of
Conegliano；　Count　Serrurier；　Duke　of　Istria；　and　Prince　of　Eckmuhl；　bore
the　corners　of　the　pall。　　On　each　side　of　the　car　two　of　the　marshal's
aides…de…camp　bore　a　standard；　and　on　the　bier　were　fastened　the　baton　of
the　marshal　and　the　decorations　of　the　Duke　of　Montebello。

After　the　car　came　the　cortege　of　mourning　and　of　honor；　the　marshal's
empty　carriage；　with　two　of　his　aides…de…camp　on　horseback　at　the　door；
four　mourning　carriages　for　the　marshal's　family；　the　carriages　of　the
princes；　grand　dignitaries；　marshals；　ministers；　colonel…generals；　and
chief　inspectors。　　Then　came　a　detachment　of　cavalry　preceded　by
trumpets；　and　bands　on　horseback　followed　the　carriages　and　ended　the
procession。　　Music　accompanied　the　chants；　all　the　bells　of　the　churches
tolled；　and　thirteen　cannon　thundered　at　intervals。

On　arriving　at　the　subterranean　entrance　of　the　church　of　Saint…
Genevieve；　the　body　was　removed　from　the　car　by　grenadiers　who　had　been
decorated　and　wounded　in　the　same　battles　as　the　marshal。　　His　Majesty's
chaplain　delivered　the　body　to　the　arch…priest。　　The　Prince　of　Eckmuhl
addressed　to　the　new　Duke　of　Montebello　the　condolences　of　the　army；　and
the　prince　arch…chancellor　deposited　on　the　bier　the　medal　destined　to
perpetuate　the　memory　of　these　funeral　honors　of　the　warrior　to　whom　they
were　paid；　and　of　the　services　which　so　well　merited　them。　　Then　all　the
crowd　passed　away；　and　there　remained　in　the　church　only　a　few　old
servants　of　the　marshal；　who　honored　his　memory　as　much　and　even　more　by
the　tears　which　they　shed　in　silence　than　did　all　this　public　mourning
and　imposing　ceremony。　　They　recognized　me；　for　we　had　been　together　on
the　campaign。　　I　remained　some　time　with　them；　and　we　left　the　Pantheon
together。

During　my　short　excursion　to　Paris；　their　Majesties　had　left　Saint…Cloud
for　Rambouillet；　so　I　set　out　to　rejoin　them　with　the　equipages　of　the
marshal；　Prince　de　Neuchatel；　who　had　left　court　temporarily　to　be
present　at　the　obsequies　of　the　brave　Duke　of　Montebello。

It　was；　if　I　am　not　mistaken；　on　arriving　at　Rambouillet　that　I　learned
the　particulars　of　a　duel　which　had　taken　place　that　day　between　two
gentlemen；　pages　of　his　Majesty。　　I　do　not　recall　the　subject　of　the
quarrel；　but；　though　very　trivial　in　its　origin；　it　became　very　serious
from　the　course　of　conduct　to　which　it　led。　　It　was　a　dispute　between
schoolboys；　but　these　school…boys　wore　swords；　and　regarded　each　other；
not　without　reason；　as　more　than　three…fourths　soldiers；　so　they　had
decided　to　fight。　　But　for　this　fight；　two　things　were　necessary；time
and　secrecy；　as　to　their　time；　it　was　employed　from　four　or　five　in　the
morning　till　nine　in　the　evening；　almost　constantly；　and　secrecy　was　not
maintained。

M。　d'Assigny；　a　man　of　rare　merit　and　fine　character；　was　then　sub…
governor　of　the　pages；　by　whom　his　faithfulness；　kindness；　and　justice
had　caused　him　to　be　much　beloved。　　Wishing　to　prevent　a　calamity；　he
called　before　him　the　two　adversaries；　but　these　young　men；　destined　for
army　service；　would　hear　of　no　other　reparation　than　the　duel。
M。　d'Assigny　had　too　much　tact　to　attempt　to　argue　with　them；　knowing
that　he　would　not　have　been　obeyed；　but　he　offered　himself　as　second；　was
accepted　by　the　young　men；　and　being　given　the　selection　of　arms；　chose
the　pistol；　and　appointed　as　the　time　of　meeting　an　early　hour　next
morning；　and　everything　was　conducted　in　the　order　usual　to　such　affairs。
One　of　the　pages　shot　first；　and　missed　his　adversary；　the　other
discharged　his　weapon　in　the　air；　upon　which　they　immediately　rushed　into
each　other's　arms；　and　M。　d'Assigny　took　this　opportunity　of　giving　them
a　truly　paternal　lecture。　　Moreover；　the　worthy　sub…governor　not　only
kept　their　secret；　but　he　kept　his　own　also；　for　the　pistols　loaded　by　M。
d'Assigny　contained　only　cork　balls；　a　fact　of　which　the　young　men　are
still　ignorant。

Some　persons　saw　the　25th　of　August；　which　was　the　fete　day　of　the
Empress；　arrive　with　feelings　of　curiosity。　　They　thought　that　from　a
fear　of　exciting　the　memories　of　the　royalists；　the　Emperor　would
postpone　this　solemnity　to　another　period　of　the　year；　which　he　could
easily　have　done　by　feting　his　august　spouse　under　the　name　of　Marie。
But　the　Emperor　was　not　deterred　by　such　fears；　and　it　is　also　very
probable　that　he　was　the　only　one　in　the　chateau　to　whom　no　such　idea
occurred。　　Secure　in　his　power；　and　the　hopes　that　the　French　nation　then
built　upon　him；　he　knew　well　that　he　had　nothing　to　dread　from　exiled
princes；　or　from　a　party　which　appeared　dead　without　the　least　chance　of
resurrection。　　I　have　heard　it　asserted　since；　and　very　seriously　too；
that　his　Majesty　was　wrong　to　fete　Saint　Louis；　which　had　brought　him
misfortune；　etc。；　but　these　prognostications；　made　afterwards；　did　not
then　occupy　the　thoughts　of　any　one；　and　Saint　Louis　was　celebrated　in
honor　of　the　Empress　Marie　Louise　with　almost　unparalleled　pomp　and
brilliancy。

A　few　days　after　these　rejoicings；　their　Majesties　held　in　the　Bois　de
Boulogne　a　review　of　the　regiments　of　the　Imperial　Guard　of　Holland；
which　the　Emperor　had　recently　ordered　to　Paris。　　In　honor　of　their
arrival　his　Majesty　had　placed　here　and　there　in　the　walks　of　the　Bois
casks　of　wine　with　the　heads　knocked　in；　so　that　each　soldier　could　drink
at　will；　but　this　imperial　munificence　had　serious　results　which　might
have　become　fatal。　　The　Holland　soldiery　more　accustomed　to　strong　beer
than　to　wine；　nevertheless　found　the　latter　much　to　their　taste；　and
imbibed　it　in　such　great　quantities；　that　in　consequence　their　heads　were
turned　to　an　alarming　extent。　　They　began　at　first　with　some　encounters；
either　among　themselves　or　with　the　curious　crowd　who　observed　them　too
closely。　　Just　then　a　storm　arose　suddenly；　and　the　promenaders　of　Saint…
Cloud　and　its　environs　hastened　to　return　to　Paris；　passing　hurriedly
through　the　Bois　de　Boulogne；　and　these　Hollanders；　now　in　an　almost
complete　state　of　intoxication；　began　fighting　with　each　other　in　the
woods；　stopping　all　the　women　who　passed；　and　threatening　very；　rudely
the　men　by　whom；　most　of　them　were　accompanied。　　In　a　flash　the　Bois
resounded　with　cries　of　terror；　shouts；　oaths；　and　innumerable　combats。
Some　frightened　persons　ran　as　far　as　Saint…Cloud；　where　the　Emperor　then
was；　and　he　was　no　sooner　informed　of　this　commotion；　than　he　ordered
squad　after　squad　of　police　to　march　on　the　Hollanders　and　bring　them　to
reason。　　His　Majesty　was　very　angry；　and　said；　〃Has　any　one　ever　seen
anything　equal　to　these　big　heads？　　See　them　turned　topsy…turvy　by　two
glasses　of　wine！〃　but　in　spite　of　this　jesting；　the　Emperor　was　not
without　some　anxiety　and　placed　himself　at　the　grating　of　the　park；
opposite　the　bridge；　and　in　person　gave　directions　to　the　officers　and
soldiers　sent　to　restore　order。　　Unfortunately　the　darkness　was　too　far
advanced　for　the　soldiers　to　see　in　what　direction　to　march；　and　there　is
no　knowing　how　it　would　have　ended　if　an　officer　of　one　of　the　patrol
guards　had　not　conceived　the　happy　idea　of　calling　out；　〃The　Emperor！
there　is　the　Emperor！〃　　And　the　sentinels　repeated　after　him；　〃There　is
the　Emperor；〃　while　charging　the　most　mutinous　Hollanders。　　And　such　was
the　terror　inspired　in　these　soldiers　by　the　simple　name　of　his　Majesty；
that　thousands　of　armed　men；　drunken　and　furious；　dispersed　before　this
name　alone；　and　regained　their　quarters　as　quickly　and　secretly　as　they
could。　　A　few　were　arrested　and　severely　punished。

I　have　already　said　that　the　Emperor　often　superintended　the　toilet　of
the　Empress；　and　even　that　of　her　ladies。　　In　fact；　he　liked　all　the
persons　surrounding　him　to　be　well　and　even　richly　dressed。

But　about　this　time　he　gave　an　order　the　wisdom　of　which　I　much　admired。
Having　often　to　hold　at　the　baptismal　font　the　children　of　his　grand
officers；　and　foreseeing　that　the　parents　would　not　fail　to　dress　their
new…born　babes　in　magnificent　toilets；　the　Emperor　ordered　that　children
presented　for　baptism　should　wear　only　a　simple　long　linen　robe。
This　prudent　measure　spared　at　the　same　time　the　purse　and　the　vanity　of
the　parents。　　I　remarked　during　this　ceremony　that　the　Emperor　had　some
trouble　in　paying　the　necessary　attention　to　the　questions　of　the
officiating　priest。　　The　Emperor　was　usually　very　absentminded　during　the
services　at　church；　which　were　not　long；　as　they　never　lasted　more　than
ten　or　fifteen　minutes；　and　yet　I　have　been　told　that　his　Majesty　asked
if　it　were　not　possible　to　perform　them　in　less　time。　He　bit　his　nails；
took　snuff　oftener　than　usual；　and　looked　about　him　constantly；　while　a
prince　of　the　church　uselessly　took　the　trouble　to　turn　the　leaves　of　his
Majesty's　book；　in　order　to　follow　the　service。




CHAPTER　XXIX。

The　pregnancy　of　Marie　Louise　had　been　free　from　accident；　and　promised　a
happy　deliverance；　which　was　awaited　by　the　Emperor　with　an　impatience　in
which　France　had　joined　for　a　long　while。　　It　was　a　curious　thing　to
observe　the　state　of　the　public　mind；　while　the　people　formed　all　sorts
of　conjectures；　and　made　unanimous　and　ardent　prayers　that　the　child
should　be　a　son；　who　might　receive　the　vast　inheritance　of　Imperial
glory。　　The　19th　of　March；　at　seven　o'clock　in　the　evening；　the　Empress
was　taken　ill；　and　from　that　moment　the　whole　palace　was　in　commotion。
The　Emperor　was　informed；　and　sent　immediately　for　M。　Dubois；　who　had
been　staying　constantly