napoleon bonaparte, v8-第13部分

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part　accused　the　Emperor　of　being　a　libertine；　supposing　him　the　father
of　many　natural　children；　and　the　other　thought　him　incapable　of
obtaining　children　even　by　a　young　princess　only　nineteen　years　of　age；
their　hatred　thus　blinding　their　judgment。　　If　Napoleon　had　natural
children；　why　could　he　not　have　legitimate　ones；　especially　with　a　young
wife　who　was　known　to　be　in　most　flourishing　health。　　Besides；　it　was　not
the　first；　as　it　was　not　the　last；　shaft　of　malice　aimed　at　Napoleon；　for
his　position　was　too　high；　his　glory　too　brilliant；　not　to　inspire
exaggerated　sentiments　whether　of　joy　or　hatred。

There　were　also　some　ill…wishers　who　took　pleasure　in　saying　that
Napoleon　was　incapable　of　tender　sentiments；　and　that　the　happiness　of
being　a　father　could　not　penetrate　this　heart　so　filled　with　ambition　as
to　exclude　all　else。　　I　can　cite；　among　many　others　in　my　knowledge；　a
little　anecdote　which　touched　me　exceedingly；　and　which　I　take　much
pleasure　in　relating；　since；　while　it　triumphantly　answers　the　calumnies
of　which　I　have　spoken；　it　also　proves　the　special　consideration　with
which　his　Majesty　honored　me；　and　consequently；　both　as　a　father　and　a
faithful　servant；　I　experience　a　mild　satisfaction　in　placing　it　in　these
Memoirs。　　Napoleon　was　very　fond　of　children；　and　having　one　day　asked　me
to　bring　mine　to　him；　I　went　to　seek　him。　　Meanwhile　Talleyrand　was
announced　to　the　Emperor；　and　as　the　interview　lasted　a　long　time；　my
child　grew　weary　of　waiting；　and　I　carried　him　back　to　his　mother。　　A
short　time　after　he　was　taken　with　croup；　which　cruel　disease；　concerning
which　his　Majesty　had　made　a　special　appeal　to　the　faculty　of　Paris；On
the　occasion　of　the　death　from　croup　in　1807　of　his　heir　presumptive；　the
young　son　of　the　King　of　Holland＇　snatched　many　children　from　their
families。　　Mine　died　at　Paris。　　We　were　then　at　the　chateau　of　Compiegne；
and　I　received　the　sad　news　just　as　I　was　preparing　to　go　to　the　toilet。
I　was　too　much　overcome　by　my　loss　to　perform　my　duties；　and　when　the
Emperor　asked　what　prevented　my　coming；　and　was　told　that　I　had　just
heard　of　the　death　of　my　son；　said　kindly；　〃Poor　Constant！　　what　a
terrible　sorrow！　　We　fathers　alone　can　know　what　it　is！〃

A　short　time　after；　my　wife　went　to　see　the　Empress　Josephine　at
Malmaison；　and　this　lovely　princess　deigned　to　receive　her　alone　in　the
little　room　in　front　of　her　bedroom。　　There　she　seated　herself　beside
her；　and　tried　in　touching　words　of　sympathy　to　console　her；　saying　that
this　stroke　did　not　reach　us　alone；　and　that　her　grandson；　too；　had　died
of　the　same　disease。　　As　she　said　this　she　began　to　weep；　for　this
remembrance　reopened　in　her　soul　recent　griefs；　and　my　wife　bathed　with
tears　the　hands　of　this　excellent　princess。　　Josephine　added　many
touching　remarks；　trying　to　alleviate　her　sorrow　by　sharing　it；　and　thus
restore　resignation　to　the　heart　of　the　poor　mother。　　The　remembrance　of
this　kindness　helped　to　calm　our　grief；　and　I　confess　that　it　is　at　once
both　an　honor　and　a　consolation　to　recall　the　august　sympathy　which　the
loss　of　this　dear　child　excited　in　the　hearts　of　Napoleon　and　Josephine。
The　world　will　never　know　how　much　sensibility　and　compassion　Josephine
felt　for　the　sorrows　of　others；　and　all　the　treasures　of　goodness
contained　in　her　beautiful　soul。




CHAPTER　XXX。

Napoleon　was　accustomed　to　compare　Marie　Louise　with　Josephine；
attributing　to　the　latter　all　the　advantages　of　art　and　grace；　and　to　the
former　all　the　charms　of　simplicity；　modesty；　and　innocence。　　Sometimes；
however；　this　simplicity　had　in　it　something　childish；　an　instance　of
which　I　received　from　good　authority。　　The　young　Empress；　thinking
herself　sick；　consulted　M。　Corvisart；　who；　finding　that　her　imagination
alone　was　at　fault；　and　that　she　was　suffering　simply　from　the
nervousness　natural　to　a　young　woman；　ordered；　as　his　only　prescription；
a　box　of　pills　composed　of　bread　and　sugar；　which　the　Empress　was　to　take
regularly；　after　doing　which　Marie　Louise　found　herself　better；　and
thanked　M。　Corvisart；　who　did　not　think　proper；　as　may　well　be　believed；
to　enlighten　her　as　to　his　little　deception。　　Having　been　educated　in　a
German　court；　and　having　learned　French　only　from　masters；　Marie　Louise
spoke　the　language　with　the　difficulty　usually　found　in　expressing　one's
self　in　a　foreign　tongue。　　Among　the　awkward　expressions　she　often　used；
but　which　in　her　graceful　mouth　were　not　without　a　certain　charm；　the　one
which　struck　me　especially；　because　it　often　recurred；　was　this：
〃Napoleon　qu'est　ce　que　veux…to？〃　　The　Emperor　showed　the　deepest
affection　for　his　young　wife；　and　at　the　same　time　made　her　conform　to
all　the　rules　of　etiquette；　to　which　the　Empress　submitted　with　the
utmost　grace。　　In　the　month　of　May；　1811；　their　Majesties　made　a　journey
into　the　departments　of　Calvados　and　La　Manche；　where　they　were　received
with　enthusiasm　by　all　the　towns；　and　the　Emperor　made　his　stay　at　Caen
memorable　by　his　gifts；　favors；　and　acts　of　benevolence。　　Many　young　men
belonging　to　good　families　received　sub…lieutenancies；　and　one　hundred
and　thirty　thousand　francs　were　devoted　to　various　charities。　　From　Caen
their　Majesties　went　to　Cherbourg。　　The　day　after　their　arrival　the
Emperor　set　out　on　horseback　early　in　the　morning；　visited　the　heights　of
the　town；　and　embarked　on　several　vessels；　while　the　populace　pressed
around　him　crying　〃Vive　l'Empereur！〃　　The　following　day　his　Majesty　held
several　Councils；　and　in　the　evening　visited　all　the　marine　buildings；
and　descended　to　the　bottom　of　the　basin　which　is　cut　out　of　the　solid
rock　in　order　to　allow　the　passage　of　vessels　of　the　line；　and　which　was
to　be　covered　with　fifty…five　feet　of　water。　　On　this　brilliant　journey
the　Empress　received　her　share　of　the　enthusiasm　of　the　inhabitants；　and
in　return；　at　the　different　receptions　which　took　place；　gave　a　graceful
welcome　to　the　authorities　of　the　country。　　I　dwell　purposely　on　these
details；　as　they　prove　that　joy　over　the　birth　of　the　King　of　Rome　was
not　confined　to　Paris　alone；　but；　on　the　contrary；　the　provinces　were　in
perfect　sympathy　with　the　capital。

The　return　of　their　Majesties　to　Paris　brought　with　them　a　return　of
rejoicings　and　fetes　on　the　occasion　of　the　baptismal　ceremony　of　the
King　of　Rome；　and　the　fetes　by　which　it　was　accompanied　were　celebrated
at　Paris　with　a　pomp　worthy　of　their　object。　　They　had　as　spectators　the
entire　population　of　Paris；　increased　by　a　prodigious　crowd　of　strangers
of　every　class。

At　four　o'clock　the　Senate　left　its　palace；　the　Council　of　State；　the
Tuileries；　the　Corps　Legislatif；　its　palace；　the　Court　of　Cassation；　the
Court　of　Accounts；　the　Council　of　the　University；　and　the　Imperial　Court；
the　ordinary　places　of　their　sittings；　the　municipal　corps　of　Paris　and
the　deputations　from　the　forty…nine　good　towns；　the　Hotel　de　Ville。　　On
their　arrival　at　the　Metropolitan　Church　these　bodies　were　placed　by　the
master　of　ceremonies　with　his　aides；　according　to　their　rank；　on　the
right　and　left　of　the　throne；　reaching　from　the　choir　to　the　middle　of
the　nave。　　The　diplomatic　corps　at　five　o'clock　took　their　place　on　the
platform　erected　for　this　purpose。

At　half…past　five　cannon　announced　the　departure　of　their　Majesties　from
the　Tuileries。　　The　Imperial　procession　was　dazzlingly　magnificent；　the
fine　bearing　of　the　troops；　the　richness　and　elegance　of　the　carriages；
the　brilliant　costumes；　made　up　a　ravishing　spectacle。　　The　acclamations
of　the　people　which　resounded　on　their　Majesties'　route；　the　houses　hung
with　garlands　and　drapery；　the　banners　streaming　from　the　windows；　the
long　line　of　carriages；　the　trappings　and　accouterments　of　which
progressively　increased　in　magnificence；　following　each　other　as　in　the
order　of　a　hierarchy；　this　immense　paraphernalia　of　a　fete　which　inspired
true　feeling　and　hopes　for　the　future…all　this　is　profoundly　engraved　on
my　memory；　and　often　occupies　the　long　leisure　hours　of　the　old　servitor
of　a　family　which　has　disappeared。　　The　baptismal　ceremony　took　place
with　unusual　pomp　and　solemnity。　　After　the　baptism　the　Emperor　took　his
august　son　in　his　arms；　and　presented　him　to　the　clergy　present。
Immediately　the　acclamations；　which　had　been　repressed　till　then　from
respect　to　the　ceremony　and　the　sanctity　of　the　place；　burst　forth　on　all
sides。　　The　prayers　being　ended；　their　Majesties；　at　eight　o'clock　in　the
evening；　went　to　the　Hotel　de　Ville；　and　were　there　received　by　the
municipal　corps。　　A　brilliant　concert　and　a　sumptuous　banquet　had　been
tendered　them　by　the　city　of　Paris。　　The　decorations　of　the　banquet　hall
showed　the；　arms　of　the　forty…nine　good　cities；　Paris；　Rome；　Amsterdam；
being　placed　first；　and　the　forty…six　others　in　alphabetical　order。
After　the　banquet　their　Majesties　took　their　places　in　the　concert　hall；
and　at　the　conclusion　of　the　concert　they　repaired　to　the　throne　room；
where　all　invited　persons　formed　a　circle。　　The　Emperor　passed　round　this
circle；　speaking　affably；　sometimes　even　familiarly；　to　most　of　the
persons　who　composed　it；　each　of　whom　responded　in　the　most　cordial
manner。

At　last；　before　retiring；　their　Majesties　were　invited　to　pass　into　the
artificial　garden　which　had　been　made　in　the　court　of　the　Hotel　de　Ville；
the　decorations　of　which　were　very　elegant。　　At　the　bottom　of　the　garden；
the　Tiber　was　represented　by　flowing　water；　the　course　of　which　was
directed　most　artistically；　and　diffused　a　refreshing　coolness。　　Their
Majesties　left　the　Hotel　de　Ville　about　half…past　eleven；　and　returned　to
the　Tuileries　by　the　light　of　most　beautiful　illuminations　and　luminous
emblems；　designed　in　most　exquisite　taste。　　Perfect　weather　and　a
delightful　temperature　favored　this　memorable　day。

The　aeronaut　Garnerin　left　Paris　at　half…past　six　in　the　evening；　and
descended　the　morning　of　the　next　day　at　Maule；　in　the　department　of
Seine…et…Oise。　　After　resting　there　a　short　while；　he　re…entered　his
balloon　and　continued　his　journey。

The　provinces　vied　in　magnificence　with　the　capital　in　celebrating　the
fetes　of　the　birth　and　baptism　of　the　King　of　Rome。　　Every　imaginable
device；　both　in　emblems　and　ill