napoleon bonaparte, v8-第2部分

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the　earliest　possible　moment；　unless　a　ball　should　carry　him　off　before
the　return　of　the　army。　　He　made　a　leather　pocket；　in　which　he　carried
his　young　protege；　arranged　so　that　it　was　sheltered　from　the　weather。
Each　time　he　went　into　battle　the　good　grenadier　dug　a　hole　in　the
ground；　in　which　he　placed　the　little　one；　and　returned　for　it　when　the
battle　was　over；　and　though　his　comrades　ridiculed　him　the　first　day；
they　could　not　but　fail　to　admire　the　nobility　of　his　conduct。　　The　child
escaped　all　danger；　thanks　to　the　incessant　care　of　its　adopted　father；
and；　when　the　march　to　Munich　was　again　begun；　the　grenadier；　who　was
singularly　attached　to　the　little　waif；　almost　regretted　to　see　the
moment　draw　near　when　he　must　restore　it　to　its　mother。

It　may　easily　be　understood　what　this　poor　woman　suffered　after　losing
her　child。　　She　besought　and　entreated　the　soldiers　who　escorted　her　to
return；　but　they　had　their　orders；　which　nothing　could　cause　them　to
infringe。　　Immediately　on　her　arrival　she　set　out　again　on　her　return　to
Augsburg；　making　inquiries　in　all　directions；　but　could　obtain　no
information　of　her　son；　and　at　last　being　convinced　that　he　was　dead；
wept　bitterly　for　him。　　She　had　mourned　thus　for　nearly　six　months；　when
the　army　re…passed　Augsburg；　and；　while　at　work　alone　in　her　room　one
day；　she　was　told　that　a　soldier　wished　to　see　her；　and　had　something
precious　to　commit　to　her　care；　but　he　was　unable　to　leave　his　corps；　and
must　beg　her　to　meet　him　on　the　public　square。　　Little　suspecting　the
happiness　in　store　for　her；　she　sought　the　grenadier；　and　the　latter
leaving　the　ranks；　pulled　the　〃little　good　man〃　out　of　his　pocket；　and
placed　him　in　the　arms　of　the　poor　mother；　who　could　not　believe　the
evidence　of　her　own　eyes。　　Thinking　that　this　lady　was　probably　not　rich；
this　excellent　man　had　collected　a　sum　of　money；　which　he　had　placed　in
one　of　the　pockets　of　the　little　one's　coat。

The　Emperor　remained　only　a　short　time　at　Munich；　and　the　day　of　his
arrival　a　courier　was　sent　in　haste　by　the　grand　marshal　to　M。　de　Lucay
to　inform　him　that　his　Majesty　would　be　at　Fontainebleau　on　the　27th　of
October；　in　the　evening　probably；　and　that　the　household　of　the　Emperor；
as　well　as　that　of　the　Empress；　should　be　at　this　residence　to　receive
his　Majesty。　　But；　instead　of　arriving　on　the　evening　of　the　27th；　the
Emperor　had　traveled　with　such　speed；　that；　on　the　26th　at　ten　o'clock　in
the　morning；　he　was　at　the　gates　of　the　palace　of　Fontainebleau；　and
consequently；　with　the　exception　of　the　grand　marshal；　a　courier；　and　the
gate…keeper　of　Fontainebleau；　he　found　no　one　to　receive　him　on　his
descent　from　the　carriage。　　This　mischance；　which　was　very　natural；　since
it　had　been　impossible　to　foresee　an　advance　of　more　than　a　day　in　the
time　appointed；　nevertheless　incensed　the　Emperor　greatly。　　He　was
regarding　every　one　around　him　as　if　searching　for　some　one　to　scold；
when；　finding　that　the　courier　was　preparing　to　alight　from　his　horse；　on
which　he　was　more　stuck　than　seated；　he　said　to　him：　〃You　can　rest　to…
morrow；　hasten　to　Saint…Cloud　and　announce　my　arrival；〃　and　the　poor
courier　recommenced　his　furious　gallop。

This　accident；　which　vexed　his　Majesty　so　greatly；　could　not　be
considered　the　fault　of　any　one；　for　by　the　orders　of　the　grand　marshal；
received　from　the　Emperor；　M。　de　Lucay　had　commanded　their　Majesties'
service　to　be　ready　on　the　morning　of　the　next　day。　　Consequently；　that
evening　was　the　earliest　hour　at　which　the　service　could　possibly　be
expected　to　arrive；　and　he　was　compelled　to　wait　until　then。

During　this　time　of　waiting；　the　Emperor　employed　himself　in　visiting　the
new　apartments　that　had　been　added　to　the　chateau。　　The　building　in　the
court　of　the　Cheval…Blanc；　which　had　been　formerly　used　as　a　military
school；　had　been　restored；　enlarged；　and　decorated　with　extraordinary
magnificence；　and　had　been　turned　entirely　into　apartments　of　honor；　in
order；　as　his　Majesty　said；　to　give　employment　to　the　manufacturers　of
Lyons；　whom　the　war　deprived　of　any；　outside　market。　　After　repeated
promenades　in　all　directions；　the　Emperor　seated　himself　with　every　mark
of　extreme　impatience；　asking　every　moment　what　time　it　was；　or　looking
at　his　watch；　and　at　last　ordered　me　to　prepare　writing　materials；　and
took　his　seat　all　alone　at　a　little　table；　doubtless　swearing　internally
at　his　secretaries；　who　had　not　arrived。

At　five　o'clock　a　carriage　came　from　Saint…Cloud；　and　as　the　Emperor
heard　it　roll　into　the　court　he　descended　the　stairs　rapidly；　and　while　a
footman　was　opening　the　door　and　lowering　the　steps；　he　said　to　the
persons　inside：　〃Where　is　the　Empress？〃　　The　answer　was　given　that　her
Majesty　the　Empress　would　arrive　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour　at　most。　　〃That
is　well；〃　said　the　Emperor；　and　turning　his　back；　quickly　remounted　the
stairs　and　entered　a　little　study；　where　he　prepared　himself　for　work。

At　last　the　Empress　arrived；　exactly　at　six　o'clock。　　It　was　now　dark。
The　Emperor　this　time　did　not　go　down；　but　listening　until　he　learned
that　it　was　her　Majesty；　continued　to　write；　without　interrupting　himself
to　go　and　meet　her。　　It　was　the　first　time　he　had　acted　in　this　manner。
The　Empress　found　him　seated　in　the　cabinet。　　〃Ah！〃　said　his　Majesty；
〃have　you　arrived；　Madame？　　It　is　well；　for　I　was　about　to　set　out　for
Saint…Cloud。〃　　And　the　Emperor；　who　had　simply　lifted　his　eyes　from　his
work　to　glance　at　her　Majesty；　lowered　them　again；　and　resumed　his
writing。　　This　harsh　greeting；　distressed　Josephine　exceedingly；　and　she
attempted　to　excuse　herself；　but　his　Majesty　replied　in　such　a　manner　as
to　bring　tears　to　her　eyes；　though　he　afterwards　repented　of　this；　and
begged　pardon　of　the　Empress；　acknowledging　that　he　had　been　wrong。




CHAPTER　XXIII。

It　is　not；　as　has　been　stated　in　some　Memoirs；　because　and　as　a　result　of
the　slight　disagreement　which　I　have　related　above；　that　the　first　idea
of　a　divorce　came　to　his　Majesty。　　The　Emperor　thought　it　necessary　for
the　welfare　of　France　that　he　should　have　an　heir　of　his　own　line；　and　as
it　was　now　certain　that　the　Empress　would　never　bear　him　one；　he　was
compelled　to　think　of　a　divorce。　　But　it　was　by　most　gentle　means；　and
with　every　mark　of　tender　consideration；　that　he　strove　to　bring　the
Empress　to　this　painful　sacrifice。　　He　had　no　recourse；　as　has　been　said；
to　either　threats　or　menaces；　for　it　was　to　his　wife's　reason　that　he
appealed；　and　her　consent　was　entirely　voluntary。　　I　repeat　that　there
was　no　violence　on　the　part　of　the　Emperor；　but　there　was　courage；
resignation；　and　submission　on　that　of　the　Empress。　　Her　devotion　to　the
Emperor　would　have　made　her　submit　to　any　sacrifice；　she　would　have　given
her　life　for　him；　and　although　this　separation　might　break　her　own　heart；
she　still　found　consolation　in　the　thought　that　by　this　means　she　would
save　the　one　she　loved　more　than　all　beside　from　even　one　cause　of
distress　or　anxiety。　　And　when　she　learned　that　the　King　of　Rome　was
born；　she　lost　sight　of　her　own　disappointment　in　sympathizing　with　the
happiness　of　her　friend；　for　they　had　always　treated　each　other　with　all
the　attention　and　respect　of　the　most　perfect　friendship。

The　Emperor　had　taken；　during　the　whole　day　of　the　26th；　only　a　cup　of
chocolate　and　a　little　soup；　and　I　had　heard　him　complain　of　hunger
several　times　before　the　Empress　arrived。　　Peace　being　restored；　the
husband　and　wife　embraced　each　other　tenderly；　and　the　Empress　passed　on
into　her　apartments　in　order　to　make　her　toilet。　　During　this　time　the
Emperor　received　Messieurs　Decres　and　De　Montalivet；　　whom　he　had
summoned　in　the　morning　by　a　mounted　messenger；　and　about　half…past　seven
the　Empress　reappeared；　dressed　in　perfect　taste。　　In　spite　of　the　cold；
she　had　had　her　hair　dressed　with　silver　wheat　and　blue　flowers；　and　wore
a　white　satin　polonaise；　edged　with　swan's　down；　which　costume　was
exceedingly　becoming。　　The　Emperor　interrupted　his　work　to　regard　her：
〃I　did　not　take　long　at　my　toilet；　did　I？〃　　said　she；　smiling；　whereupon
his　Majesty；　without　replying；　showed　her　the　clock；　then　rose；　gave　her
his　hand；　and　was　about　to　enter　the　dining…room；　saying　to　Messieurs　De
Montalivet　and　Decres；　〃I　will　be　with　you　in　five　minutes。〃〃But；〃　said
the　Empress；　〃these　gentlemen　have　perhaps　not　yet　dined；　as　they　have
come　from　Paris。〃〃Ah；　that　is　so！　　。　　〃　and　the　ministers　entered　the
dining…room　with　their　Majesties。　　But　hardly　had　the　Emperor　taken　his
seat；　than　he　rose；　threw　aside　his　napkin；　and　re…entered　his　cabinet；
where　these　gentlemen　were　compelled　to　follow　him；　though　much　against
their　inclinations。

The　day　ended　better　than　it　had　begun。　　In　the　evening　there　was　a
reception；　not　large；　but　most　agreeable；　at　which　the　Emperor　was　very
gay；　and　in　excellent　humor；　and　acted　as　if　anxious　to　efface　the　memory
of　the　little　scene　with　the　Empress。　　Their　Majesties　remained　at
Fontainebleau　till　the　14th　of　November。　　The　King　of　Saxony　had　arrived
the　evening　before　at　Paris；　and　the　Emperor；　who　rode　on　horseback
nearly　all　the　way　from　Fontainebleau　to　Paris；　repaired　on　his　arrival
to　the　Palace　de　l'Elysee。　　The　two　monarchs　appeared　very　agreeably
impressed　with　each　other；　and　went　in　public　together　almost　every　day；
and　one　morning　early　left　the　Tuileries　on　foot；　each　accompanied　by　a
single　escort。　　I　was　with　the　Emperor。　　They　directed　their　steps；
following　the　course　of　the　stream；　towards　the　bridge　of　Jena；　the　work
on　which　was　being　rapidly　carried　to　completion；　and　reached　the　Place
de　la　Revolution；　where　fifty　or　sixty　persons　collected　with　the
intention　of　accompanying　the　two　sovereigns；　but　as　this　seemed　to　annoy
the　Emperor；　agents　of　the　police　caused　them　to　disperse。　　When　he　had
reached　the　bridge；　his　Majesty　examined　the　work　attentively；　and
finding　some　defects　in　the　construction；　had　the　architect　called；　who
admitted　the　correctness　of　his　observations；　although；　in　order　to
convince　him；　the　Emperor　had　to　talk　for　some　time；　and　often　repeated
the　same　explanations。　　His　Majesty；　turning　then　towards　the　King　of
Saxony；　said　to　him；　〃You　see；　my