napoleon bonaparte, v8-第5部分

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surprise　that　the　sum　total　was　no　more。　　The　Emperor；　whom　I　was
dressing　during　all　this　harangue；　could　hardly　restrain　his　impatience；
and　I　had　already　foreseen　that　this　singular　scene　would　end
unpleasantly；　when　the　milliner　filled　up　the　measure　of　his　assurance　by
taking　the　unparalleled　liberty　of　remarking　to　his　Majesty　that　the　sum
allowed　for　her　Majesty's　toilet　was　insufficient；　and　that　there　were
simple　citizens'　wives　who　spent　more　than　that。　　I　must　confess　that　at
this　last　impertinence　I　trembled　for　the　shoulders　of　this　imprudent
person；　and　watched　the　Emperor's　movements　anxiously。　　Nevertheless；　to
my　great　astonishment；　he　contented　himself　with　crumpling　in　his　hand
the　bill　of　the　audacious　milliner；　and；　his　arms　folded　on　his　breast；
made　two　steps　towards　him；　pronouncing　this　word　only；　〃Really！〃　　with
such　an　accent　and　such　a　look　that　the　merchant　rushed　to　the　door；　and
took　to　his　heels　without　waiting　for　a　settlement。

The　Emperor　did　not　like　me　to　leave　the　chateau；　as　he　wished　always　to
have　me　within　call；　even　when　my　duties　were　over　and　he　did　not　need
me；　and　I　think　it　was　with　this　idea　of　detaining　me　that　his　Majesty
several　times　gave　me　copying　to　do。　　Sometimes；　also；　the　Emperor　wished
notes　to　be　taken　while　he　was　in　bed　or　in　his　bath；　and　said　to　me；
〃Constant；　take　a　pen　and　write；〃　but　I　always　refused；　and　went　to
summon　M。　de　Meneval。　　I　have　already　stated　that　the　misfortunes　of　the
Revolution　had　caused　my　education　to　be　more　imperfect　than　it　should
have　been；　but　even　had　it　been　as　good　as　it　is　defective；　I　much　doubt
whether　I　would　ever　have　been　able　to　write　from　the　Emperor's
dictation。　　It　was　no　easy　thing　to　fill　this　office；　and　required　that
one　should　be　well　accustomed　to　it；　for　he　spoke　quickly；　all　in　one
breath；　made　no　pause；　and　was　impatient　when　obliged　to　repeat。

In　order　to　have　me　always　at　hand；　the　Emperor　gave　me　permission　to
hunt　in　the　Park　of　Saint…Cloud；　and　was　kind　enough　to　remark　that　since
I　was　very　fond　of　hunting；　in　granting　me　this　privilege　he　was　very
glad　to　have　combined　my　pleasure　with　his　need　of　me。　　I　was　the　only
person　to　whom　permission　was　given　to　hunt　in　the　park。　　At　the　same
time　the　Emperor　made　me　a　present　of　a　handsome　double…barreled　gun
which　had　been　presented　to　him　at　Liege；　and　which　I　have　still　in　my
possession。　　His　Majesty　himself　did　not　like　double…barreled　guns；　and
used　in　preference　the　simple；　small　guns　which　had　belonged　to　Louis
XVI。；　and　on　which　this　monarch；　who　was　an　excellent　gunsmith；　had
worked；　it　is　said；　with　his　own　hands。

The　sight　of　these　guns　often　led　the　Emperor　to　speak　of　Louis　XVI。；
which　he　never　did　except　in　terms　of　respect　and　pity。　　〃That
unfortunate　prince；〃　said　the　Emperor；　〃was　good；　wise；　and　learned。　　At
another　period　he　would　have　been　an　excellent　king；　but　he　was　worth
nothing　in　a　time　of　revolution。　　He　was　lacking　in　resolution　and
firmness；　and　could　resist　neither　the　foolishness　nor　the　insolence　of
the　Jacobins。　　The　courtiers　delivered　him　up　to　the　Jacobins；　and　they
led　him　to　the　scaffold。　　In　his　place　I　would　have　mounted　my　horse；
and；　with　a　few　concessions　on　one　side；　and　a　few　cracks　of　my　whip　on
the　other；　I　would　have　reduced　things　to　order。〃

When　the　diplomatic　corps　came　to　pay　their　respects　to　the　Emperor　at
Saint…Cloud　（the　same　custom　was　in　use　at　the　Tuileries）；　tea；　coffee；
chocolate；　or　whatever　these　gentlemen　requested；　was　served　in　the
saloon　of　the　ambassadors。　　M。　Colin；　steward　controller；　was　present　at
this　collation；　which　was　served　by　the　domestics　of　the　service。

There　was　at　Saint…Cloud　an　apartment　which　the　Emperor　fancied　very
much；　it　opened　on　a　beautiful　avenue　of　chestnut…trees　in　the　private
park；　where　he　could　walk　at　any　hour　without　being　seen。　　This　apartment
was　surrounded　with　full…length　portraits　of　all　the　princesses　of　the
Imperial　family；　and　was　called　the　family　salon。　　Their　Highnesses　were
represented　standing；　surrounded　by　their　children；　the　Queen　of
Westphalia　only　was　seated。　　She　had；　as　I　have　said；　a　very　fine　bust；
but　the　rest　of　her　figure　was　ungraceful。　　Her　Majesty　the　Queen　of
Naples　was　represented　with　her　four　children；　Queen　Hortense　with　only
one；　the　oldest　of　her　living　sons；　the　Queen　of　Spain　with　her　two
daughters；　Princess　Eliza　with　hers；　dressed　like　a　boy；　the　Vice…Queen
alone；　having　no　child　at　the　time　this　portrait　was　made；　Princess
Pauline　was　also　alone。

The　theater　and　hunting　were　my　chief　amusements　at　Saint…Cloud。　　During
my　stay　at　this　chateau　I　received　a　visit　from　a　distant　cousin　whom　I
had　not　seen　for　many　years。　　All　that　he　had　heard　of　the　luxury　which
surrounded　the　Emperor；　and　the　magnificence　of　the　court；　had　vividly
excited　his　curiosity；　which　I　took　pleasure　in　gratifying；　and　he　was
struck　with　wonder；　at　every　step。　　One　evening　when　there　was　a　play　at
the　chateau；　I　took　him　into　my　box；　which　was　near　the　pit；　and　the　view
which　the　hall　offered　when　filled　so　delighted　my　cousin；　that　I　was
obliged　to　name　each　personage　in　order　to　satisfy　his　insatiable
curiosity；　which　took　them　all　in　succession；　one　by　one。　　It　was　a　short
time　before　the　marriage　of　the　Emperor　to　the　Archduchess　of　Austria；
and　the　court　was　more　brilliant　than　ever。　　I　showed　my　cousin　in
succession　their　Majesties；　the　King　and　Queen　of　Westphalia；　the　King
and　Queen　of　Naples；　the　Queen　of　Holland；　King　of　Bavaria；　their
Highnesses　the　Grand　Duchess　of　Tuscany；　Prince　and　Princess　Borghese；
the　Princess　of　Baden；　the　Grand　Duke　of　Wurzburg；　etc。；　besides　the
numerous　dignitaries；　princes；　marshals；　ambassadors；　etc。；　by　whom　the
hall　was　filled。　　My　cousin　was　in　ecstasy；　and　thought　himself　at　least
a　foot　taller　from　being　in　the　midst　of　this　gilded　multitude；　and
consequently　paid　no　attention　to　the　play；　being　much　more　interested　in
the　interior　of　the　hall；　and　when　we　left　the　theater　could　not　tell　me
what　piece　had　been　played。　　His　enthusiasm；　however；　did　not　carry　him
so　far　as　to　make　him　forget　the　incredible　tales　that　had　been　related
to　him　about　the　pickpockets　of　the　capital；　and　the　recommendations
which　had　been　made　to　him　on　this　subject。　　In　the　promenades　at　the
theater；　in　every　assemblage　whatever；　my　cousin　watched　with　anxious
solicitude　over　his　purse；　watch；　and　handkerchief；　and　this　habitual
prudence　did　not　abandon　him　even　at　the　court　theater；　for　just　as　we
were　leaving　our　box；　to　mingle　with　the　brilliant　crowd　which　came　out
of　the　pit　and　descended　from　the　boxes；　he　said　to　me　with　the　utmost
coolness；　covering　with　his　hand　his　chain　and　the　seals　of　his　watch；
〃After　all；　it　is　well　to　take　precautions；　one　does　not　know　every　one
here。〃

At　the　time　of　his　marriage　the　Emperor　was　more　than　ever　overwhelmed
with　petitions；　and　granted；　as　I　shall　relate　farther　on；　a　large　number
of　pardons　and　petitions。

All　petitions　sent　to　the　Emperor　were　handed　by　him　to　the　aide…de…camp
on　duty；　who　carried　them　to　his　Majesty's　cabinet；　and　received　orders
to　make　a　report　on　them　the　next　day；　and　not　even　as　many　as　ten　times
did　I　find　any　petitions　in　his　Majesty's　pockets；　though　I　always
examined　them　carefully；　and　even　these　rare　instances　were　owing　to　the
fact　that　the　Emperor　had　no　aide…de…camp　near　him　when　they　were
presented。　　It　is　then　untrue；　as　has　been　so　often　said　and　written；
that　the　Emperor　placed　in　a　private　pocket；　which　was　called　the　good
pocket；　the　petitions　he　wished　to　grant；　without　even　examining　them。
All　petitions　which　deserved　it　received　an　answer；　and　I　remember　that　I
personally　presented　a　large　number　to　his　Majesty；　he　did　not　put　these
in　his　pocket；　and　in　almost　every　instance　I　had　the　happiness　of　seeing
them　granted。　　I　must；　however；　make　an　exception　of　some　which　I
presented　for　the　Cerf…Berr　brothers；　who　claimed　payment　for　supplies
furnished　the　armies　of　the　republic；　for　to　them　the　Emperor　was　always
inexorable。　　I　was　told　that　this　was　because　Messieurs　Cerf…Berr　had
refused　General　Bonaparte　a　certain　sum　which　he　needed　during　the
campaign　of　Italy。

These　gentlemen　interested　me　deeply　in　their　cause；　and　I　several　times
presented　their　petition　to　his　Majesty；　and　in　spite　of　the　care　I　took
to　place　it　in　his　Majesty's　hands　only　when　be　was　in　good　humor；
I　received　no　reply。　　I　nevertheless　continued　to　present　the　petition；
though　I　perceived　that　when　the　Emperor　caught　a　glimpse　of　it　he　always
became　angry；　and　at　length　one　morning；　just　as　his　toilet　was
completed；　I　handed　him　as　usual　his　gloves；　handkerchief；　and　snuff…box；
and　attached　to　it　again　this　unfortunate　paper。　　His　Majesty　passed　on
into　his　cabinet；　and　I　remained　in　the　room　attending　to　my　duties；　and
while　busied　with　these　saw　the　Emperor　re…enter；　a　paper　in　his　hand。
He　said　to　me；　〃Come；　Constant；　read　this；　you　will　see　that　you　are
mistaken；　and　the　government　owes　nothing　to　the　Cerf…Berr　brothers；　so
say　nothing　more　to　me　about　it；　they　are　regular　Arabs。〃　　I　threw　my
eyes　on　the　paper；　and　read　a　few　words　obediently；　and　though　I
understood　almost　nothing　of　it；　from　that　moment　I　was　certain　that　the
claim　of　these　gentlemen　would　never　be　paid。　　I　was　grieved　at　this；　and
knowing　their　disappointment；　made　them　an　offer　of　services　which　they
refused。　　The　Cerf…Berr　brothers；　notwithstanding　my　want　of　success；
were　convinced　of　the　zeal　I　had　manifested　in　their　service；　and　thanked
me　warmly。　　Each　time　I　addressed　a　petition　to　the　Emperor；　I　saw　M。　de
Meneval；　whom　I　begged　to　take　charge　of　it。　　He　was　very　obliging；　and
had　the　kindness　to　inform　me　whether　my　demands　could　hope　for　success；
and　he　told　me　that　as　for　the　Cerf…Berr　brothers；　he　did　not　think　the
Emperor　would　ever　compensate　them。

In　fact；　this　family；　at　one　time　wealthy；　but　who　had　lost　an　immense
patrimony　in　advances　made　to　the　Directory；　never　received　any
liquidation　of　these　claims；　which　were　confided　to　a　man　of　great
honesty；　but　too　much　disposed　to　justify　the　name　given　him。

Madame　Theodore　Cerf…Ber