napoleon bonaparte, v8-第7部分

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honor；　Madame　de　Lajanski；　who　had　reared　her　and　never　been　absent　from
her。　　Etiquette　required　that　the　household　of　the　Empress　should　be
entirely　French；　and　the　orders　of　the　Emperor　were　very　precise　in　this
regard；　but　I　do　not　know　whether　it　is　true；　as　has　been　stated；　that
the　Empress　had　demanded　and　obtained　from　the　Emperor　permission　to
retain　for　a　year　this　lady　of　honor。　　However　that　may　be；　the　Queen　of
Naples　thought　it　to　her　interest　to　remove　a　person　whose　influence　over
the　mind　of　the　Empress　she　so　much　feared；　and　as　the　ladies　of　the
household　of　her　Imperial　Majesty　were　themselves　eager　to　be　rid　of　the
rivalry　of　Madame　de　Lajanski；　and　endeavored　to　excite　still　more　the
jealousy　of　her　Imperial　highness；　a　positive　order　was　demanded　from　the
Emperor；　and　Madame　de　Lajanski　was　sent　back　from　Munich　to　Vienna。
The　Empress　obeyed　without　complaint；　but　knowing　who　had　instigated　the
blow；　cherished　a　profound　resentment　against　her　Majesty　the　Queen　of
Naples。　　The　Empress　traveled　only　by　short　stages；　and　was　welcomed　by
fetes　in　each　town　through　which　she　passed。　　Each　day　the　Emperor　sent
her　a　letter　from　his　own　hand；　and　she　replied　regularly。　　The　first
letters　of　the　Empress　were　very　short；　and　probably　cold；　for　the
Emperor　said　nothing　about　them；　but　afterwards　they　grew　longer　and
gradually　more　affectionate；　and　the　Emperor　read　them　in　transports　of
delight；　awaiting　the　arrival　of　these　letters　with　the　impatience　of　a
lover　twenty　years　of　age；　and　always　saying　the　couriers　traveled
slowly；　although　they　broke　down　their　horses。

The　Emperor　returned　from　the　chase　one　day　holding　in　his　hands　two
pheasants　which　he　had　himself　killed；　and　followed　by　footmen　bearing　in
their　hands　the　rarest　flowers　from　the　conservatory　of　Saint…Cloud。　　He
wrote　a　note；　and　immediately　said　to　his　first　page；　〃In　ten　minutes　be
ready　to　enter　your　carriage。　　You　will　find　there　this　package　which　you
will　give　with　your　own　hand　to　her　Majesty　the　Empress；　with　the
accompanying　letter。　　Above　all　do　not　spare　the　horses；　go　as　fast　as
possible；　and　fear　nothing。　　The　Duke　of　Vicenza　shall　say　nothing　to
you。〃　　The　young　man　asked　nothing　better　than　to　obey　his　Majesty；　and
strong　in　this　authority；　which　gave　him　perfect　liberty；　he　did　not
grudge　drink　money　to　the　postilions；　and　in　twenty…four　hours　had
reached　Strasburg　and　delivered　his　message。

I　do　not　know　whether　he　received　a　reprimand　from　the　grand　equerry　on
his　return；　but　if　there　was　any　cause　for　this；　the　latter　would　not
have　failed　to　bestow　it；　in　spite　of　the　Emperor's　assurance　to　the
first　page。　　The　Duke　of　Vicenza　had　organized　and　kept　in　admirable
order　the　service　of　the　stables；　where　nothing　was　done　except　by　his
will；　which　was　most　absolute；　and　it　was　only　with　the　greatest
difficulty　that　the　Emperor　himself　could　change　an　order　which　the　grand
equerry　had　given。　　For　instance；　his　Majesty　was　one　day　en　route　to
Fontainebleau；　and　being　very　anxious　to　arrive　quickly；　gave　orders　to
the　outrider　who　regulated　the　gait　of　the　horses；　to　go　faster。　　This
order　he　transmitted　to　the　Duke　of　Vicenza　whose　carriage　preceded　that
of　the　Emperor；　and　finding　that　the　grand　equerry　paid　no　attention　to
this　order；　the　Emperor　began　to　swear；　and　cried　to　the　outrider　through
the　door；　〃Let　my　carriage　pass　in　front；　since　those　in　front　will　not
go　on。〃　　The　outriders　and　postilions　were　about　to　execute　this　maneuver
when　the　grand　equerry　also　put　his　head　out　of　the　door　and　exclaimed；
〃Keep　to　a　trot；　the　first　man　who　gallops　I　will　dismiss　on　arriving。〃
It　was　well　known　that　he　would　keep　his　word；　so　no　one　dared　to　pass；
and　his　carriage　continued　to　regulate　the　pace　of　the　others。　　On
reaching　Fontainebleau　the　Emperor　demanded　of　the　Duke　of　Vicenza　an
explanation　of　his　conduct。　　〃Sire；〃　replied　the　duke　to　his　Majesty；
〃when　you　allow　me　a　larger　sum　for　the　expenses　of　the　stables；　you　can
kill　your　horses　at　your　pleasure。〃

The　Emperor　cursed　every　moment　the　ceremonials　and　fetes　which　delayed
the　arrival　of　his　young　wife。　　A　camp　had　been　formed　near　Soissons　for
the　reception　of　the　Empress。　　The　Emperor　was　now　at　Compiegne；　where　he
made　a　decree　containing　several　clauses　of　benefits　and　indulgences　on
the　occasion　of　his　marriage；　setting　at　liberty　many　condemned；　giving
Imperial　marriage　dowries　to　six　thousand　soldiers；　amnesties；
promotions；　etc。　　At　length　his　Majesty　learned　that　the　Empress　was　not
more　than　ten　leagues　from　Soissons；　and　no　longer　able　to　restrain　his
impatience；　called　me　with　all　his　might；　〃Ohe　ho；　Constant！　　order　a
carriage　without　livery；　and　come　and　dress　me。〃　　The　Emperor　wished　to
surprise　the　Empress；　and　present　himself　to　her　without　being　announced；
and　laughed　immoderately　at　the　effect　this　would　produce。　　He　attended
to　his　toilet　with　even　more　exquisite　care　than　usual；　if　that　were
possible；　and　with　the　coquetry　of　glory　dressed　himself　in　the　gray
redingote　he　had　worn　at　Wagram；　and　thus　arrayed；　the　Emperor　entered　a
carriage　with　the　King　of　Naples。　　The　circumstances　of　this　first
meeting　of　their　Imperial　Majesties　are　well　known。

In　the　little　village　of　Courcelles；　the　Emperor　met　the　last　courier；
who　preceded　by　only　a　few　moments　the　carriages　of　the　Empress；　and　as
it　was　raining　in　torrents；　his　Majesty　took　shelter　on　the　porch　of　the
village　church。　　As　the　carriage　of　the　Empress　was　passing；　the　Emperor
made　signs　to　the　postilions　to　stop；　and　the　equerry；　who　was　at　the
Empress's　door；　perceiving　the　Emperor；　hastily　lowered　the　step；　and
announced　his　Majesty；　who；　somewhat　vexed　by　this；　exclaimed；　〃Could　you
not　see　that　I　made　signs　to　you　to　be　silent？〃　　This　slight　ill…humor；
however；　passed　away　in　an　instant；　and　the　Emperor　threw　himself　on　the
neck　of　Marie　Louise；　who；　holding　in　her　hand　the　picture　of　her
husband；　and　looking　attentively　first　at　it；　then　at　him；　remarked　with
a　charming　smile；　〃It　is　not　flattered。〃　　A　magnificent　supper　had　been
prepared　at　Soissons　for　the　Empress　and　her　cortege；　but　the　Emperor
gave　orders　to　pass　on；　and　drove　as　far　as　Compiegne；　without　regard　to
the　appetites　of　the　officers　and　ladies　in　the　suite　of　the　Empress。




CHAPTER　XXVI。

On　their　Majesties'　arrival　at　Compiegne；　the　Emperor　presented　his　hand
to　the　Empress；　and　conducted　her　to　her　apartment。　　He　wished　that　no
one　should　approach　or　touch　his　young　wife　before　himself；　and　his
jealousy　was　so　extreme　on　this　point　that　he　himself　forbade　the　senator
de　Beauharnais；　the　Empress's　chevalier　of　honor；　to　present　his　hand　to
her　Imperial　Majesty；　although　this　was　one　of　the　requirements　of　his
position。　　According　to　the　programme；　the　Emperor　should　have　occupied　a
different　residence　from　the　Empress；　and　have　slept　at　the　hotel　of　the
Chancellerie；　but　he　did　nothing　of　the　sort；　since　after　a　long
conversation　with　the　Empress；　he　returned　to　his　room；　undressed；
perfumed　himself　with　cologne；　and　wearing　only　a　nightdress　returned
secretly　to　the　Empress。

The　next　morning　the　Emperor　asked　me　at　his　toilet　if　any　one　noticed
the　change　he　had　made　in　the　programme；　and　I　replied　that　I　thought
not；　though　at　the　risk　of　falsehood。　　Just　then　one　of　his　Majesty's
intimate　friends　entered　who　was　unmarried；　to　whom　his　Majesty；　pulling
his　ears；　said；　〃My　dear　fellow；　marry　a　German。　　They　are　the　best　wives
in　the　world；　gentle；　good；　artless；　and　fresh　as　roses。〃　　From　the　air
of　satisfaction　with　which　the　Emperor　said　this；　it　was　easy　to　see　that
he　was　painting　a　portrait；　and　it　was　only　a　short　while　since　the
painter　had　left　the　model。　　After　making　his　toilet；　the　Emperor
returned　to　the　Empress；　and　towards　noon　had　breakfast　sent　up　for　her
and　him；　and　served　near　the　bed　by　her　Majesty's　women。　　Throughout　the
day　he　was　in　a　state　of　charming　gayety；　and　contrary　to　his　usual
custom；　having　made　a　second　toilet　for　dinner；　wore　the　coat　made　by　the
tailor　of　the　King　of　Naples；　but　next　day　he　would　not　allow　it　to　be
put　on　again；　saying　it　was　much　too　uncomfortable。

The　Emperor；　as　may　be　seen　from　the　preceding　details；　loved　his　new
wife　most　tenderly。　　He　paid　her　constant　attentions；　and　his　whole
conduct　was　that　of　a　lover　deeply　enamoured。　　Nevertheless；　it　is　not
true；　as　some　one　has　said；　that　he　remained　three　months　almost　without
working；　to　the　great　astonishment　of　his　ministers；　for　work　was　not
only　a　duty　with　the　Emperor；　it　was　both　a　necessity　and　an　enjoyment；
from　which　no　other　pleasure；　however　great；　could　distract　him；　and　on
this　occasion；　as　on　every　other；　he　knew　perfectly　well　how　to　combine
the　duties　he　owed　to　his　empire　and　his　army　with　those　due　to　his
charming　wife。

The　Empress　Marie　Louise　was　only　nineteen　years　old　at　the　period　of　her
marriage。　　Her　hair　was　blond；　her　eyes　blue　and　expressive；　her　carriage
noble；　and　her　figure　striking；　while　her　hand　and　foot　might　have　served
as　models；　in　fact；　her　whole　person　breathed　youth；　health；　and
freshness。　　She　was　diffident；　and　maintained　a　haughty　reserve　towards
the　court；　but　she　was　said　to　be　affectionate　and　friendly　in　private
life；　and　one　fact　I　can　assert　positively　is　that　she　was　very
affectionate　toward　the　Emperor；　and　submissive　to　his　will。　　In　their
first　interview　the　Emperor　asked　her　what　recommendations　were　made　to
her　on　her　departure　from　Vienna。　　〃To　be　entirely　devoted　to　you；　and　to
obey　you　in　all　things；〃　which　instructions　she　seemed　to　find　no
difficulty　in　obeying。

No　one　could　resemble　the　first　Empress　less　than　the　second；　and　except
in　the　two　points　of　similarity　of　temperament；　and　an　extreme　regard　for
the　Emperor；　the　one　was　exactly　the　opposite　of　the　other；　and　it　must
be　confessed　the　Emperor　congratulated　himself　on　this　difference；　in
which　he　found　both　novelty　and　charm。　　He　himself　drew　a　parallel
between　his　two　wives　in　these　terms：　　〃The　one　＇Josephine＇　was　all　art
and　grace；　the　other　＇Marie　Louise＇　innocence　and　natural　simplicity。　　At
no　moment　of　her　life　were　the　manners　or　habits　of　th