napoleon bonaparte, v8-第12部分

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The　Emperor　was　informed；　and　sent　immediately　for　M。　Dubois；　who　had
been　staying　constantly　at　the　chateau　for　some　time　past；　and　whose
attentions　were　so　valued　at　such　a　time。

All　the　private　household　of　the　Empress；　as　well　as　Madame　de
Montesquieu；　were　gathered　in　the　apartment；　the　Emperor；　his　mother；
sisters；　Messieurs　Corvisart；　Bourdier；　and　Yvan　in　an　adjoining　room。

The　Emperor　came　in　frequently；　and　encouraged　his　young　wife。　　In　the
interior　of　the　palace；　the　attention　was　eager；　impassioned；　clamorous；
and　each　vied　with　the　other　as　to　who　should　first　have　the　news　of　the
birth　of　the　child。　　At　five　o'clock　in　the　morning；　as　the　situation　of
the　Empress　continued　the　same；　the　Emperor　ordered　every　one　to　retire；
and　himself　withdrew　in　order　to　take　his　bath；　for　the　anxiety　he　had
undergone　made　a　moment　of　repose　very　necessary　to　him　in　his　great
agitation。　　After　fifteen　minutes　spent　in　the　bath　he　was　hastily
summoned；　as　the　condition　of　the　Empress　had　become　both　critical　and
dangerous。　　Hastily　throwing　on　his　dressing…gown；　he　returned　to　the
apartment　of　the　Empress；　and　tenderly　encouraged　her；　holding　her　hand。
The　physician；　M。　Dubois；　informed　him　that　it　was　improbable　both　mother
and　child　could　be　saved；　whereupon　he　cried；　〃Come；　M。　Dubois；　keep　your
wits　about　you！　　Save　the　mother；　think　only　of　the　mother；　I　order　you。〃

As　the　intense　suffering　continued；　it　became　necessary　to　use
instruments；　and　Marie　Louise；　perceiving　this；　exclaimed　with
bitterness；　〃Is　it　necessary　to　sacrifice　me　because　I　am　an　Empress？〃
The　Emperor　overcome　by　his　emotions　had　retired　to　the　dressing…room；
pale　as　death；　and　almost　beside　himself。　　At　last　the　child　came　into
the　world；　and　the　Emperor　immediately　rushed　into　the　apartment；
embracing　the　Empress　with　extreme　tenderness；　without　glancing　at　the
child；　which　was　thought　to　be　dead；　and　in　fact；　it　was　seven　minutes
before　he　gave　any　signs　of　life；　though　a　few　drops　of　brandy　were　blown
into　his　mouth　and　many　efforts　made　to　revive　him。　　At　last　he　uttered　a
cry。

The　Emperor　rushed　from　the　Empress's　arms　to　embrace　this　child；　whose
birth　was　for　him　the　last　and　highest　favor　of　fortune；　and　seemed
almost　beside　himself　with　joy；　rushing　from　the　son　to　the　mother；　from
the　mother　to　the　son；　as　if　he　could　not　sufficiently　feast　his　eyes　on
either。　　When　he　entered　his　room　to　make　his　toilet；　his　face　beamed
with　joy；　and；　seeing　me；　he　exclaimed；　〃Well；　Constant；　we　have　a　big
boy！　　He　is　well　made　to　pinch　ears　for　example；〃　announcing　it　thus　to
every　one　he　met。　　It　was　in　these　effusions　of　domestic　bliss　that　I
could　appreciate　how　deeply　this　great　soul；　which　was　thought
impressible　only　to　glory；　felt　the　joys　of　family　life。

From　the　moment　the　great　bell　of　Notre　Dame　and　the　bells　of　the
different　churches　of　Paris　sounded　in　the　middle　of　the　night；　until　the
hour　when　the　cannon　announced　the　happy　delivery　of　the　Empress；　an
extreme　agitation　was　felt　throughout　Paris。　　At　break　of　day　the　crowd
rushed　towards　the　Tuileries；　and　filled　the　streets　and　quays；　all
awaiting　in　anxious　suspense　the　first　discharge　of　the　cannon。　　But　this
curious　sight　was　not　only　seen　in　the　Tuileries　and　neighboring
districts；　but　at　half…past　nine　in　streets　far　removed　from　the　chateau；
and　in　all　parts　of　Paris；　people　could　be　seen　stopping　to　count　with
emotion　the　discharges　of　the　cannon。

The　twenty…second　discharge　which　announced　the　birth　of　a　boy　was　hailed
with　general　acclamations。　　To　the　silence　of　expectation；　which　had
arrested　as　if　by　enchantment　the　steps　of　all　persons　scattered　over　all
parts　of　the　city；　succeeded　a　burst　of　enthusiasm　almost　indescribable。
In　this　twenty…second　＇It　had　been　announced　in　the　papers　that　if　it；
was　a　girl　a　salute　of　twenty…one　guns　would　be　fired；　if　a　boy；　one
hundred　guns。＇　boom　of　the　cannon　was　a　whole　dynasty；　a　whole　future；
and　simultaneously　hats　went　up　in　the　air；　people　ran　over　each　other；
and　embraced　those　to　whom　they　were　strangers　amid　shouts　of　〃Vive
l'Empereur！〃　　Old　soldiers　shed　tears　of　joy；　thinking　that　they　had
contributed　by　their　labors　and　their　fatigues　to　prepare　the　heritage　of
the　King　of　Rome；　and　that　their　laurels　would　wave　over　the　cradle　of　a
dynasty。

Napoleon；　concealed　behind　a　curtain　at　one　of　the　windows　of　the
Empress's　room；　enjoyed　the　sight　of　the　popular　joy；　and　seemed　deeply
touched。　　Great　tears　rolled　from　his　eyes；　and　overcome　by　emotion　he
came　again　to　embrace　his　son。　　Never　had　glory　made　him　shed　a　tear；　but
the　happiness　of　being　a　father　had　softened　this　heart　on　which　the　most
brilliant　victories　and　the　most　sincere　testimonials　of　public
admiration　seemed　hardly　to　make　an　impression。　　And　in　truth　Napoleon
had　a　right　to　believe　in　his　good　fortune；　which　had　reached　its　height
on　the　day　when　an　archduchess　of　Austria　made　him　the　father　of　a　king；
who　had　begun　as　a　cadet　in　a　Corsican　family。　　At　the　end　of　a　few　hours
the　event　which　was　awaited　with　equal　impatience　by　France　and　Europe
had　become　the　personal　joy　of　every　household。

At　half…past　ten　Madame　Blanchard　set　out　from　L'Ecole　Militaire　in　a
balloon　for　the　purpose　of　carrying　into　all　the　towns　and　villages
through　which　she　passed；　the　news　of　the　birth　of　the　King　of　Rome。

The　telegraph　carried　the　happy　news　in　every　direction；　and　at　two
o'clock　in　the　afternoon　replies　had　already　been　received　from　Lyons；
Lille；　Brussels；　Antwerp；　Brest；　and　many　other　large　towns　of　the
Empire；　which　replies；　as　may　well　be　imagined　were　in　perfect　accord
with　the　sentiments　entertained　at　the　capital。

In　order　to　respond　to　the　eagerness　of　the　crowd　which　pressed
continually　around　the　doors　of　the　palace　to　learn　of　the　welfare　of　the
Empress　and　her　august　child；　it　was　decided　that　one　of　the　chamberlains
should　stand　from　morning　till　evening　in　the　first　saloon　of　the　state
apartments；　to　receive　those　who　came；　and　inform　them　of　the　bulletins
which　her　Majesty's　physicians　issued　twice　a　day。　　At　the　end　of　a　few
hours；　special　couriers　were　sent　on　all　roads　leading　to　foreign　courts；
bearing　the　news　of　the　delivery　of　the　Empress；　the　Emperor's　pages
being　charged　with　this　mission　to　the　Senate　of　Italy；　and　the　municipal
bodies　of　Milan　and　Rome。　　Orders　were　given　in　the　fortified　towns　and
ports　that　the　same　salutes　should　be　fired　as　at　Paris；　and　that　the
fleets　should　be　decorated。　　A　beautiful　evening　favored　the　special
rejoicings　at　the　capital　where　the　houses　were　voluntarily　illuminated。
Those　who　seek　to　ascertain　by　external　appearances　the　real　feelings　of
a　people　amid　events　of　this　kind；　remarked　that　the　topmost　stories　of
houses　in　the　faubourgs　were　as　well　lighted　as　the　most　magnificent
hotels　and　finest　houses　of　the　capital。　　Public　buildings；　which　under
other　circumstances　are　remarkable　from　the　darkness　of　the　surrounding
houses；　were　scarcely　seen　amid　this　profusion　of　lights　with　which
public　gratitude　had　lighted　every　window。　　The　boatmen　gave　an　impromptu
fete　which　lasted　part　of　the　night；　and　to　witness　which　an　immense
crowd　covered　the　shore；　testifying　the　most　ardent　joy。　　This　people；
who　for　thirty　years　had　passed　through　so　many　different　emotions；　and
who　had　celebrated　so　many　victories；　showed　as　much　enthusiasm　as　if　it
had　been　their　first　fete；　or　a　happy　change　in　their　destiny。　　Verses
were　sung　or　recited　at　all　the　theaters；　and　there　was　no　poetic
formula；　from　the　ode　to　the　fable；　which　was　not　made　use　of　to
celebrate　the　event　of　the　20th　of　March；　1811。　　I　learned　from　a　well…
informed　person　that　the　sum　of　one　hundred　thousand　francs　from　the
private　funds　of　the　Emperor　was　distributed　by　M。　Dequevauvilliers；
secretary　of　the　treasury　of　the　chamber；　among　the　authors　of　the　poetry
sent　to　the　Tuileries；　and　finally；　fashion；　which　makes　use　of　the　least
events；　invented　stuffs　called　roi…de…Rome；　as　in　the　old　regime　they　had
been　called　dauphin。　　On　the　evening　of　the　20th　of　March　at　nine　o'clock
the　King　of　Rome　was　anointed　in　the　chapel　of　the　Tuileries。　　This　was　a
most　magnificent　ceremony。　　The　Emperor　Napoleon；　surrounded　by　the
princes　and　princesses　of　his　whole　court；　placed　him　in　the　center　of
the　chapel　on　a　sofa　surmounted　by　a　canopy　with~a　Prie…Dieu。　　Between
the　altar　and　the　balustrade　had　been　placed　on　a　carpet　of　white　velvet
a　pedestal　of　granite　surmounted　by　a　hand　some　silver　gilt　vase　to　be
used　as　a　baptismal　font。　　The　Emperor　was　grave；　but　paternal　tenderness
diffused　over　his　face　an　expression　of　happiness；　and　it　might　have　been
said　that　he　felt　himself　half　relieved　of　the　burdens　of　the　Empire　on
seeing　the　august　child　who　seemed　destined　to　receive　it　one　day　from
the　hands　of　his　father。　　When　he　approached　the　baptismal　font　to
present　the　child　to　be　anointed　there　was　a　moment　of　silence　and
religious　contemplation；　which　formed　a　touching　contrast　to　the
vociferous　gayety　which　at　the　same　moment　animated　the　crowd　outside；
whom　the　spectacle　of　the　brilliant　fireworks　had　drawn　from　all　parts　of
Paris　to　the　Tuileries。

Madame　Blanchard；　who　as　I　have　said　had　set　out　in　her　balloon　an　hour
after　the　birth　of　the　King　of　Rome；　to　carry　the　news　into　all　places
she　passed；　first　descended　at　Saint…Tiebault　near　Lagny；　and　from　there；
as　the　wind　had　subsided；　returned　to　Paris。　　Her　balloon　rose　after　her
departure；　and　fell　at　a　place　six　leagues　farther　on；　and　the
inhabitants；　finding　in　this　balloon　only　clothing　and　provisions；　did
not　doubt　that　the　intrepid　aeronaut　had　been　killed；　but　fortunately
just　as　her　death　was　announced　at　Paris；　Madame　Blanchard　herself
arrived　and　dispelled　all　anxiety。

Many　persons　had　doubted　Marie　Louise's　pregnancy。　　Some　believed　it
assumed；　and　I　never　could　comprehend　the　foolish　reasons　given　by　these
persons　on　this　subject　which　malevolence　tried　to　'gular'　fact　which
carries　its　great　number　of　these　evil…thinking；　suspicious　persons；　one
part　accused　the　Emperor　of　being　a　libertine；　supposing　him　the　father
of　many　natural　children；　a