napoleon bonaparte, v8-第8部分

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and　grace；　the　other　＇Marie　Louise＇　innocence　and　natural　simplicity。　　At
no　moment　of　her　life　were　the　manners　or　habits　of　the　former　other　than
agreeable　and　attractive；　and　it　would　have　been　impossible　to　take　her
at　a　disadvantage　on　these　points；　for　it　was　her　special　object　in　life
to　produce　only　advantageous　impressions；　and　she　gained　her　end　without
allowing　this　effort　to　be　seen。　　All　that　art　can　furnish　to　supplement
attractions　was　practiced　by　her；　but　so　skillfully　that　the　existence　of
this　deception　could　only　be　suspected　at　most。　　On　the　contrary；　it
never　occurred　to　the　mind　of　the　second　that　she　could　gain　anything　by
innocent　artifices。　　The　one　was　always　tempted　to　infringe　upon　the
truth；　and　her　first　emotion　was　a　negative　one。　　The　other　was　ignorant
of　dissimulation；　and　every　deception　was　foreign　to　her。　　The　first
never　asked　for　anything；　but　she　owed　everywhere。　　The　second　did　not
hesitate　to　ask　if　she　needed　anything；　which　was　very　rarely；　and　never
purchased　anything　without　feeling　herself　obliged　to　pay　for　it
immediately。　　To　sum　it　all　up；　both　were　good；　gentle　wives；　and　much
attached　to　their　husband。〃　　Such；　or　very　nearly　these；　were　the　terms
in　which　the　Emperor　spoke　of　his　Empresses。　　It　can　be　seen　that　he　drew
the　comparison　in　favor　of　the　second；　and　with　this　idea　he　gave　her
credit　for　qualities　which　she　did　not　possess；　or　at　least　exaggerated
greatly　those　really　belonging　to　her。

The　Emperor　granted　Marie　Louise　500；000　francs　for　her　toilet；　but　she
never　spent　the　entire　amount。　　She　had　little　taste　in　dress；　and　would
have　made　a　very　inelegant　appearance　had　she　not　been　well　advised。
The　Emperor　was　present　at　her　toilet　those　days　on　which　he　wished　her
to　appear　especially　well；　and　himself　tried　the　effect　of　different
ornaments　on　the　head；　neck；　and　arms　of　the　Empress；　always　selecting
something　very　handsome。　　The　Emperor　was　an　excellent　husband；　of　which
he　gave　proof　in　the　case　of　both　his　wives。　　He　adored　his　son；　and　both
as　father　and　husband　might　have　served　as　a　model　for　all　his　subjects；
yet　in　spite　of　whatever　he　may　have　said　on　the　subject　himself；　I　do
not　think　he　loved　Marie　Louise　with　the　same　devoted　affection　as
Josephine。　　The　latter　had　a　charming　grace；　a　kindness；　an　intelligence；
and　a　devotion　to　her　husband　which　the　Emperor　knew　and　appreciated　at
its　full　value；　and　though　Marie　Louise　was　younger；　she　was　colder；　and
had　far　less　grace　of　manner。　　I　think　she　was　much　attached　to　her
husband；　but　she　was　reserved　and　reticent；　and　by　no　means　took　the
place　of　Josephine　with　those　who　had　enjoyed　the　happiness　of　being　near
the　latter。

Notwithstanding　the　apparent　submission　with　which　she　had　bidden
farewell　to　her　Austrian　household；　it　is　certain　that　she　had　strong
prejudices；　not　only　against　her　own　household；　but　also　against　that　of
the　Emperor；　and　never　addressed　a　gracious　word　to　the　persons　in　the
Emperor's　personal　service。　　I　saw　her　frequently；　but　not　a　smile；　a
look；　a　sign；　on　the　part　of　the　Empress　showed　me　that　I　was　in　her　eyes
anything　more　than　a　stranger。　　On　my　return　from　Russia；　whence　I　did
not　arrive　until　after　the　Emperor；　I　lost　no　time　in　entering　his　room；
knowing　that　he　had　already　asked　for　me；　and　found　there　his　Majesty
with　the　Empress　and　Queen　Hortense。　　The　Emperor　condoled　with　me　on　the
sufferings　I　had　recently　undergone；　and　said　many　flattering　things
which　proved　his　high　opinion　of　me；　and　the　queen；　with　that　charming
grace　of　which　she　is　the　only　model　since　the　death　of　her　august
mother；　conversed　with　me　for　some　time　in　the　kindest　manner。　　The
Empress　alone　kept　silence；　and　noticing　this　the　Emperor　said　to　her；
〃Louise；　have　you　nothing　to　say　to　poor　Constant？〃　〃I　had　not
perceived　him；〃　said　the　Empress。　　This　reply　was　most　unkind；　as　it　was
impossible　for　her　Majesty　not　to　have　〃perceived〃　me；　there　being　at
that　moment　present　in　the　room　only　the　Emperor；　Queen　Hortense；　and　I。

The　Emperor　from　the　first　took　the　severest　precautions　that　no　one；　and
especially　no　man；　should　approach　the　Empress；　except　in　the　presence　of
witnesses。

During　the　time　of　the　Empress　Josephine；　there　were　four　ladies　whose
only　duty　was　to　announce　the　persons　received　by　her　Majesty。　　The
excessive　indulgence　of　Josephine　prevented　her　repressing　the　jealous
pretensions　of　some　persons　of　her　household；　which　gave　rise　to　endless
debates　and　rivalries　between　the　ladies　of　the　palace　and　those　of
announcement。　　The　Emperor　had　been　much　annoyed　by　all　these　bickerings；
and；　in　order　to　avoid　them　in　future；　chose；　from　the　ladies　charged
with　the　education　of　the　daughters　of　the　Legion　of　Honor　in　the　school
at　Rouen；　four　new　ladies　of　announcement　for　the　Empress　Marie　Louise。
Preference　was　at　first　given　to　the　daughters　or　widows　of　generals；　and
the　Emperor　decided　that　the　places　becoming　vacant　belonged　by　right　to
the　best　pupils　of　the　Imperial　school　of　Rouen；　and　should　be　given　as　a
reward　for　good　conduct。　　A　short　time　after；　the　number　of　these　ladies
now　being　as　many　as　six；　two　pupils　of　Madame　de　Campan　were　named；　and
these　ladies　changed　their　titles　to　that　of　first　ladies　of　the　Empress。

This　change；　however；　excited　the　displeasure　of　the　ladies　of　the
palace；　and　again　aroused　their　clamors　around　the　Emperor；　and　he
consequently　decided　that　the　ladies　of　announcement　should　take　the
title　of　first　ladies　of　the　chamber。　　Great　clamor　among　the　ladies　of
announcement　in　their　turn；　who　came　in　person　to　plead　their　cause
before　the　Emperor；　and　he　at　last　ended　the　matter　by　giving　them　the
title　of　readers　to　the　Empress；　in　order　to　reconcile　the　requirements
of　the　two　belligerent　parties。

These　ladies　of　announcement；　or　first　ladies　of　the　chamber；　or　readers；
as　the　reader　may　please　to　call　them；　had　under　their　orders　six　femmes
de　chambre；　who　entered　the　Empress's　rooms　only　when　summoned　there　by　a
bell。　　These　latter　arranged　her　Majesty's　toilet　and　hair　in　the
morning；　and　the　six　first　ladies　took　no　part　in　her　toilet　except　the
care　of　the　diamonds；　of　which　they　had　special　charge。　　Their　chief　and
almost　only　employment　was　to　follow　the　steps　of　the　Empress；　whom　they
left　no　more　than　her　shadow；　entering　her　room　before　she　arose；　and
leaving　her　no　more　till　she　was　in　bed。　　Then　all　the　doors　opening　into
her　room　were　closed；　except　that　leading　into　an　adjoining　room；　in
which　was　the　bed　of　the　lady　on　duty；　and　through　which；　in　order　to
enter　his　wife's　room；　the　Emperor　himself　must　pass。

With　the　exception　of　M。　de　Meneval；　secretary　of　orders　of　the　Empress；
and　M。　Ballouhai；　superintendent　of　expenses；　no　man　was　admitted　into
the　private　apartments　of　the　Empress　without　an　order　from　the　Emperor；
and　the　ladies　even；　except　the　lady　of　honor　and　the　lady　of　attire；
were　received　only　after　making　an　appointment　with　the　Empress。　　The
ladies　of　the　private　apartments　were　required　to　observe　these　rules；
and　were　responsible　for　their　execution；　and　one　of　them　was　required　to
be　present　at　the　music；　painting；　and　embroidery　lessons　of　the　Empress；
and　wrote　letters　by　her　dictation　or　under　her　orders。

The　Emperor　did　not　wish　that　any　man　in　the　world　should　boast　of　having
been　alone　with　the　Empress　for　two　minutes；　and　he　reprimanded　very
severely　the　lady　on　duty　because　she　one　day　remained　at　the　end　of　the
saloon　while　M。　Biennais；　court　watchmaker；　showed　her　Majesty　a　secret
drawer　in　a　portfolio　he　had　made　for　her。　　Another　time　the　Emperor　was
much　displeased　because　the　lady　on　duty　was　not　seated　by　the　side　of
the　Empress　while　she　took　her　music…lesson　with　M。　Pier。

These　facts　prove　conclusively　the　falsity　of　the　statement　that　the
milliner　Leroy　was　excluded　from　the　palace　for　taking　the　liberty　of
saying　to　her　Majesty　that　she　had　beautiful　shoulders。　　M。　Leroy　had　the
dresses　of　the　Empress　made　at　his　shop　by　a　model　which　was　sent　him；
and　they　were　never　tried　on　her　Majesty；　either　by　him；　or　any　person　of
her　Majesty's　household；　and　necessary　alterations　were　indicated　by　her
femmes　de　chambre。　　It　was　the　same　with　the　other　merchants　and
furnishers；　makers　of　corsets；　the　shoemaker；　glovemaker；　etc。；　not　one
of　whom　ever　saw　the　Empress　or　spoke　to　her　in　her　private　apartments。




CHAPTER　XXVII。

Their　Majesties'　civil　marriage　was　celebrated　at　Saint…Cloud　on　Sunday；
the　1st　of　April；　at　two　o'clock　in　the　afternoon。　　The　religious
ceremony　was　solemnized　the　next　day　in　the　grand　gallery　of　the　Louvre。
A　very　singular　circumstance　in　this　connection　was　the　fact　that　Sunday
afternoon　at　Saint…Cloud　the　weather　was　beautiful；　while　the　streets　of
Paris　were　flooded　with　a　heavy　shower　lasting　some　time；　and　on　Monday
there　was　rain　at　Saint…Cloud；　while　the　weather　was　magnificent　in
Paris；　as　if　the　fates　had　decreed　that　nothing　should　lessen　the
splendor　of　the　cortege；　or　the　brilliancy　of　the　wonderful　illuminations
of　that　evening。　　〃The　star　of　the　Emperor；〃　said　some　one　in　the
language　of　that　period；　〃has　borne　him　twice　over　equinoctial　winds。〃

On　Monday　evening　the　city　of　Paris　presented　a　scene　that　might　have
been　taken　from　the　realms　of　enchantment：　the　illuminations　were　the
most　brilliant　I　have　ever　witnessed；　forming　a　succession　of　magic
panorama　in　which　houses；　hotels；　palaces；　and　churches；　shone　with
dazzling　splendor；　the　glittering　towers　of　the　churches　appeared　like
stars　and　comets　suspended　in　the　air。　　The　hotels　of　the　grand
dignitaries　of　the　empire；　the　ministers；　the　ambassadors　of　Austria　and
Russia；　and　the　Duke　d'Abrantes；　rivaled　each　other　in　taste　and　beauty。
The　Place　Louis　XV。　　was　like　a　scene　from　fairyland；　from　the　midst　of
this　Place；　surrounded　with　orange…trees　on　fire；　the　eye　was　attracted
in　succession　by　the　magnificent　decorations　of　the　Champs…Elysees；　the
Garde　Meuble；　the　Temple　of　Glory；　the　Tuileries；　and　the　Corps
Legislatif。　　The　palace　of　the　latter　represented　the　Temple　of　Hymen；
the　transparencies　on　the　front　representing　Peace　uniting　the　augus