napoleon bonaparte, v8-第6部分

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honesty；　but　too　much　disposed　to　justify　the　name　given　him。

Madame　Theodore　Cerf…Berr　on　my　invitation　had　presented　herself　several
times　with　her　children　at　Rambouillet　and　Saint…Cloud；　to　beseech　the
Emperor　to　do　her　justice。　　This　respectable　mother　of　a　family　whom
nothing　could　dismay；　again　presented　herself　with　the　eldest　of　her
daughters　at　Compiegne。　　She　awaited　the　Emperor　in　the　forest；　and
throwing　herself　in　the　midst　of　the　horses；　succeeded　in　handing　him　her
petition；　but　this　time　what　was　the　result？　　Madame　and　Mademoiselle
Cerf…Berr　had　hardly　re…entered　the　hotel　where　they　were　staying；　when
an　officer　of　the　secret　police　came　and　requested　them　to　accompany　him。
He　made　them　enter　a　mean　cart　filled　with　straw；　and　conducted　them
under　the　escort　of　two　gens　d'armes　to　the　prefecture　of　police　at
Paris；　where　they　were　forced　to　sign　a　contract　never　to　present
themselves　again　before　the　Emperor；　and　on　this　condition　were　restored
to　liberty。

About　this　time　an　occasion　arose　in　which　I　was　more　successful。
General　Lemarrois；　one　of　the　oldest　of　his　Majesty's　aides…de…camp；　a
soldier　of　well…known　courage；　who　won　all　hearts　by　his　excellent
qualities；　was　for　some　time　out　of　favor　with　the　Emperor；　and　several
times　endeavored　to　obtain　an　audience　with　him；　but　whether　it　was　that
the　request　was　not　made　known　to　his　Majesty；　or　he　did　not　wish　to
reply；　M。　Lemarrois　received　no　answer。　　In　order　to　settle　the　matter　he
conceived　the　idea　of　addressing　himself　to　me；　entreating　me　to　present
his　petition　at　an　opportune　moment。　　I　did　this；　and　had　the　happiness
to　succeed；　and　in　consequence　M。　Lemarrois　obtained　an　audience　with
such　gratifying　results　that　a　short　time　after　he　obtained　the
governorship　of　Magdeburg。

The　Emperor　was　absent…minded；　and　often　forgot　where　he　had　put　the
petitions　which　were　handed　to　him；　and　thus　they　were　sometimes　left　in
his　coats；　and　when　I　found　them　there　I　carried　them　to　his　Majesty's
cabinet　and　handed　them　to　M。　de　Meneval　or　M。　Fain；　and　often；　too；
the；　papers　for　which　he　was　hunting　were　found　in　the　apartments　of　the
Empress。　　Sometimes　the　Emperor　gave　me　papers　to　put　away；　and　those　I
placed　in　a　box　of　which　I　alone　had　the　key。　　One　day　there　was　a　great
commotion　in　the　private　apartments　over　a　paper　which　could　not　be
found。　　These　were　the　circumstances：

Near　the　Emperor's　cabinet　was　a　small　room　in　which　the　secretaries
stayed；　furnished　with　a　desk；　on　which　notes　or　petitions　wereoften
placed。　　This　room　was　usually　occupied　by　the　cabinet　usher；　and　the
Emperor　was　accustomed　to　enter　it　if　he　wished　to　hold　a　private
conversation　without　being　overheard　by　the　secretaries。　　When　the
Emperor　entered　this　room　the　usher　withdrew　and　remained　outside　the
door；　he　was　responsible　for　everything　in　this　room；　which　was　never
opened　except　by　express　orders　from　his　Majesty。

Marshal　Bessieres　had　several　days　before　presented　to　the　Emperor　a
request　for　promotion　from　a　colonel　of　the　army　which　he　had　warmly
supported。　　One　morning　the　marshal　entered　the　little　room　of　which　I
have　just　spoken；　and　finding　his　petition　already　signed　lying　on　the
desk；　he　carried　it　off；　without　being　noticed　by　my　wife's　uncle　who　was
on　duty。　　A　few　hours　after；　the　Emperor　wished　to　examine　this　petition
again；　and　was　very　sure　he　had　left　it　in　this　small　room；　but　it　was
not　there；　and　it　was　thought　that　the　usher　must　have　allowed　some　one
to　enter　without　his　Majesty's　orders。　　Search　was　made　everywhere　in
this　room　and　in　the　Emperor's　cabinet；　and　even　in　the　apartments　of　the
Empress；　and　at　last　it　was　necessary　to　announce　to　his　Majesty　that　the
search　had　been　in　vain；　whereupon　the　Emperor　gave　way　to　one　of　those
bursts　of　anger　which　were　so　terrible　though　fortunately　so　rare；　which
terrified　the　whole　chateau；　and　the　poor　usher　received　orders　never　to
appear　in　his　sight　again。　　At　last　Marshal　Bessieres；　having　been　told
of　this　terrible　commotion；　came　to　accuse　himself。　　The　Emperor　was
appeased；　the　usher　restored　to　favor；　and　everything　forgotten；　though
each　one　was　more　careful　than　ever　that　nothing　should　be　disturbed；　and
that　the　Emperor　should　find　at　his　finger's　end　whatever　papers　he
needed。

The　Emperor　would　not　allow　any　one　to　be　introduced　without　his
permission；　either　into　the　Empress's　apartments　or　his　own；　and　this　was
the　one　fault　for　which　the　people　of　the　household　could　not　expect
pardon。　　Once；　I　do　not　exactly　remember　when；　the　wife　of　one　of　the
Swiss　Guard　allowed　one　of　her　lovers　to　enter　the　apartments　of　the
Empress；　and　this　unfortunate　woman；　without　the　knowledge　of　her
imprudent　mistress；　took　in　soft　wax　an　impression　of　the　key　of　the
jewel…box　which　I　have　already　mentioned　as　having　belonged　to　Queen
Marie　Antoinette；　and；　by　means　of　a　false　key　made　from　this　impression；
succeeded　in　stealing　several　articles　of　jewelry。　　The　police　soon
discovered　the　author　of　the　robbery　who　was　punished　as　he　deserved；
though　another　person　was　also　punished　who　did　not　deserve　it；　for　the
poor　husband　lost　his　place。




CHAPTER　XXV


After　his　divorce　from　the　Empress　Josephine；　the　Emperor　appeared　much
preoccupied；　and　as　it　was　known　that　he　thought　of　marrying　again；　all
persons　at　the　chateau　and　in　his　Majesty's　service　were　greatly
concerned　about　this　marriage；　though　all　our　conjectures　concerning　the
princess　destined　to　share　the　Imperial　crown　proved　to　be　wrong。　　Some
spoke　of　a　Russian　princess；　while　others　said　the　Emperor　would　marry
none　but　a　French　woman；　but　no　one　thought　of　an　Austrian　archduchess。
When　the　marriage　had　been　decided；　nothing　was　spoken　of　at　the　court
but　the　youth；　grace；　and　native　goodness　of　the　new　Empress。　　The
Emperor　was　very　gay；　and　paid　more　attention　to　his　toilet；　giving　me
orders　to　renew　his　wardrobe；　and　to　order　better　fitting　coats；　made　in
a　more　modern　style。　　The　Emperor　also　sat　for　his　portrait；　which　the
Prince　de　Neuchatel　carried　to　Marie　Louise；　and　the　Emperor　received　at
the　same　time　that　of　his　young　wife；　with　which　he　appeared　delighted。

The　Emperor；　in　order　to　win　Marie　Louise's　affection；　did　more
undignified　things　than　he　had　ever　done　for　any　woman。　　For　instance；
one　day　when　he　was　alone　with　Queen　Hortense　and　the　Princess　Stephanie；
the　latter　mischievously　asked　him　if　he　knew　how　to　waltz；　and　his
Majesty　replied　that　he　had　never　been　able　to　go　beyond　the　first
lesson；　because　after　two　or　three　turns　he　became　so　dizzy　that　he　was
compelled　to　stop。　　〃When　I　was　at　l'ecole　militaire；〃　added　the　Emperor；
〃I　tried　again　and　again　to　overcome　dizziness　which　waltzing　produced；
but　I　could　not　succeed。　　Our　dancing…master　having　advised　us；　in
learning　to　waltz；　to　take　a　chair　in　our　arms　instead　of　a　lady；　I　never
failed　to　fall　with　the　chair；　which　I　pressed　so　lovingly　that　it　broke；
and　thus　the　chairs　in　my　room；　and　that　of　two　or　three　of　my
companions；　were　destroyed；　one　after　the　other。〃　　This　tale　told　in　the
most　animated　and　amusing　manner　by　his　Majesty　excited　bursts　of
laughter　from　the　two　princesses。

When　this　hilarity　had　somewhat　subsided；　Princess　Stephanie　returned　to
the　charge；　saying；　〃It　really　is　a　pity　that　your　Majesty　does　not　know
how　to　waltz；　for　the　Germans　are　wild　over　waltzing；　and　the　Empress
will　naturally　share　the　taste　of　her　compatriots；　she　can　have　no
partner　but　the　Emperor；　and　thus　she　will　be　deprived　of　a　great
pleasure　through　your　Majesty's　fault。〃〃You　are　right！〃　replied　the
Emperor；　〃well；　give　me　a　lesson；　and　you　will　have　a　specimen　of　my
skill。〃　　Whereupon　he　rose；　took　a　few　turns　with　Princess　Stephanie；
humming　the　air　of　the　Queen　of　Prussia；　but　he　could　not　take　more　than
two　or　three　turns；　and　even　this　he　did　so　awkwardly　that　it　increased
the　amusement　of　these　ladies。　　Then　the　Princess　of　Baden　stopped；
saying；　〃Sire；　that　is　quite　enough　to　convince　me　that　you　will　never　be
anything　but　a　poor　pupil。　　You　were　made　to　give　lessons；　not　to　take
them。〃

Early　in　March　the　Prince　de　Neuchatel　set　out　for　Vienna　commissioned　to
officially　request　the　hand　of　the　Empress　in　marriage。　　The　Archduke
Charles；　as　proxy　of　the　Emperor；　married　the　Archduchess　Marie　Louise；
and　she　set　out　at　once　for　France；　the　little　town　of　Brannan；　on　the
frontier　between　Austria　and　Bavaria；　having　been　designated　as　the　place
at　which　her　Majesty　was　to　pass　into　the　care　of　a　French　suite。　　The
road　from　Strasburg　was　soon　filled　with　carriages　conveying　to　Brannan。
the　household　of　the　new　Empress。　　Most　of　these　ladies　had　passed　from
the　household　of　the　Empress　Josephine　into　that　of　Marie　Louise。

The　Emperor　wished　to　see　for　himself　if　the　trousseau　and　wedding
presents　intended　for　his　new　wife　were　worthy　of　him　and　of　her；
consequently　all　the　clothing　and　linen　were　brought　to　the　Tuileries；
spread　out　before　him；　and　packed　under　his　own　eyes。　　The　good　taste　and
elegance　of　each　article　were　equaled　only　by　the　richness　of　the
materials。　　The　furnishers　and　modistes　of　Paris　had　worked　according　to
models　sent　from　Vienna；　and　when　these　models　were　presented　to　the
Emperor　he　took　one　of　the　shoes；　which　were　remarkably　small；　and　with
it　gave　me　a　blow　on　the　cheek　in　the　form　of　a　caress。　　〃See；　Constant；〃
said　his　Majesty；　〃that　is　a　shoe　of　good　augury。　　Have　you　ever　seen　a
foot　like　that？　　This　is　made　to　be　held　in　the　hand。〃

Her　Majesty　the　Queen　of　Naples　had　been　sent　to　Brannan；　by　the　Emperor
to　receive　the　Empress。　　Queen　Caroline；　of　whom　the　Emperor　once　said
that　she　was　a　man　among　her　sisters；　as　Prince　Joseph　was　a　woman　among
his　brothers；　mistook；　it　is　said；　the　timidity　of　Marie　Louise　for
weakness；　and　thought　that　she　would　only　have　to　speak　and　her　young
sister…in…law　would　hasten　to　obey。　　On　her　arrival　at　Brannan　the　formal
transfer　was　solemnly　made；　and　the　Empress　bade　farewell　to　all　her
Austrian　household；　retaining　in　her　service　only　her　first　lady　of
honor；　Madame　de　Lajanski；　who　had　reared　her　and　never　been　absent　from
her。　　Etiquette