napoleon bonaparte, v2-第3部分

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the　education　of　all　the　young　ladies　of　her　country。　　Time　has　calmed
the　vivacity　of　her　youth；　and　madame；　the　Duchess　of　Friuli；　has　since
given　an　example　of　most　faithful　devotion　to　duty；　and　great　strength　of
mind　in　the　severe　trials　that　she　has　endured。　　In　the　loss　of　her
husband；　however　grievous　it　might　be；　glory　had　at　least　some
consolation　to　offer　to　the　widow　of　the　grand　marshal。　　But　when　her
young　daughter；　sole　heiress　of　a　great　name　and　an　illustrious　title；
was　suddenly　taken　away　by　death　from　all　the　expectations　and　the
devotion　of　her　mother；　who　could　dare　to　offer　her　consolation？　　If
there　could　be　any　（which　I　do　not　believe）；　it　would　be　found　in　the
remembrance　of　the　cares　and　tenderness　lavished　on　her　to　the　last　by
maternal　love。　　Such　recollections；　in　which　bitterness　is　mingled　with
sweetness；　were　not　wanting　to　the　duchess。

The　religious　ceremony　of　marriage　between　Louis　and　Hortense　took　place
Jan。　7；　in　a　house　in　the　Rue　de　la　Victoire；　and　the　marriage　of　General
Murat　with　Caroline　Bonaparte；　which　had　been　acknowledged　only　before
the　civil　authorities；　was　consecrated　on　the　same　day。　　Both　Louis　and
his　bride　were　very　sad。　　She　wept　bitterly　during　the　whole　ceremony；
and　her　tears　were　not　soon　dried。　　She　made　no　attempt　to　win　the
affection　of　her　husband；　while　he；　on　his　side；　was　too　proud　and　too
deeply　wounded　to　pursue　her　with　his　wooing。　　The　good　Josephine　did　all
she　could　to　reconcile　them；　for　she　must　have　felt　that　this　union；
which　had　begun　so　badly；　was　her　work；　in　which　she　had　tried　to　combine
her　own　interest；　or　at　least　that　which　she　considered　such；　and　the
happiness　of　her　daughter。　　But　her　efforts；　as　well　as　her　advice　and
her　prayers；　availed　nothing；　and　I　have　many　a　time　seen　Hortense　seek
the　solitude　of　her　own　room；　and　the　heart　of　a　friend；　there　to　pour
out　her　tears。　　Tears　fell　from　her　eyes　sometimes　even　in　the　midst　of
one　of　the　First　Consul's　receptions；　where　we　saw　with　sorrow　this　young
woman；　brilliant　and　gay；　who　had　so　often　gracefully　done　the　honors　on
such　occasions　　and　attended　to　all　the　details　of　its　etiquette；　retire
into　a　corner；　or　into　the　embrasure　of　a　window；　with　one　of　her　most
intimate　friends；　there　to　sadly　make　her　the　a　confidante　of　her　trials。
During　this　conversation；　from　　which　she　rose　with　red　and　swollen　eyes；
her　husband　remained　thoughtful　and　taciturn　at　the　opposite　end　of　the
room。　　Her　Majesty；　the　Queen　of　Holland；　has　been　accused　of　　many　sins；
but　everything　said　or　written　against　this　princess　is　marked　by
shameful　exaggeration。　　So　high　a　fortune　drew　all　eyes　to　her；　and
excited　bitter　jealousy；　and　yet　those　who　envied　her　would　not　have
failed　to　bemoan　themselves；　if　they　had　been　put　in　tier　place；　on
condition　that　they　were　to　bear　her　griefs。　　The　misfortunes　of　Queen
Hortense　began　with　life　itself。　　Her　father　having　been　executed　on　a
revolutionary　scaffold；　and　her　mother　thrown　into　prison；　she　found
herself；　while　still　a　child；　alone；　and　with　no　other　reliance　than　the
faithfulness　of　the　old　servants　of　the　family。　　Her　brother；　the　noble
and　worthy　Prince　Eugene；　had　been　compelled；　it　is　said；　to　serve　as　an
apprentice。　　She　had　a　few　years　of　happiness；　or　at　least　of　repose；
during　the　time　she　was　under　the　care　of　Madame　Campan；　and　just　after
she　left　boarding…school。　　But　her　evil　destiny　was　far　from　quitting
her；　and　her　wishes　being　thwarted；　an　unhappy　marriage　opened　for　her　a
new　succession　of　troubles。　　The　death　of　her　first　son；　whom　the　Emperor
wished　to　adopt；　and　whom　he　had　intended　to　be　his　successor　in　the
Empire；　the　divorce　of　her　mother；　the　tragic　death　of　her　　best…loved
friend；　Madame　de　Brocq；　　who；　before　her　eyes；　slipped　over　a　precipice；
the　overturning　of　the　imperial　throne；　which　caused　her　the　loss　of　her
title　and　rank　as　queen；　a　loss　which　she；　however；　felt　less　than　the
misfortunes　of　him　whom　she　regarded　as　her　father；　and　finally；　the
continual　annoyance　of　domestic　dissensions；　of　vexatious　lawsuits；　and
the　agony　she　suffered　in　beholding　her　oldest　surviving　son　removed　from
her　by　order　of　her　husband；such　were　the　principal　catastrophes　in　a
life　which　might　have　been　thought　destined　for　so　much　happiness。

The　day　after　the　marriage　of　Mademoiselle　Hortense；　the　First　Consul　set
out　for　Lyons；　where　there　awaited　him　the　deputies　of　the　Cisalpine
Republic；　assembled　for　the　election　of　a　president。　　Everywhere　on　his
route　he　was　welcomed　with　fetes　and　congratulations；　with　which　all　were
eager　to　overwhelm　him　on　account　of　the　miraculous　manner　in　which　he
had　escaped　the　plots　of　his　enemies。　　This　journey　differed　in　no　wise
from　the　tours　which　he　afterwards　made　as　Emperor。　　On　his　arrival　at
Lyons；　he　received　the　visit　of　all　the　authorities；　the　constituent
bodies；　the　deputations　from　the　neighboring　departments；　and　the　members
of　the　Italian　councils。　　Madame　Bonaparte；　who　accompanied　him　on　this
journey；　attended　with　him　these　public　displays；　and　shared　with　him　the
magnificent　fete　given　to　him　by　the　city　of　Lyons。　　The　day　on　which　the
council　elected　and　proclaimed　the　First　Consul　president　of　the　Italian
Republic　he　reviewed；　on　the　Place　des　Brotteaux；　the　troops　of　the
garrison；　and　recognized　in　the　ranks　many　soldiers　of　the　army　of　Egypt；
with　whom　he　conversed　for　some　time。　　On　all　these　occasions　the　First
Consul　wore　the　same　costume　that　he　had　worn　at　Malmaison；　and　which　I
have　described　elsewhere。　　He　rose　early；　mounted　his　horse；　and　visited
the　public　works；　among　others　those　of　the　Place　Belcour；　of　which　he
had　laid　the　corner…stone　on　his　return　from　Italy；　passed　through　the
Place　des　Brotteaux；　inspected；　examined　everything；　and；　always
indefatigable；　worked　on　his　return　as　if　he　had　been　at　the　Tuileries。
He　rarely　changed　his　dress；　except　when　he　received　at　his　table　the
authorities　or　the　principal　inhabitants　of　the　city。　　He　received　all
petitions　most　graciously；　and　before　leaving　presented　to　the　mayor　of
the　city　a　scarf　of　honor；　and　to　the　legate　of　the　Pope　a　handsome
snuff…box　ornamented　with　his　likeness。

The　deputies　of　the　council　received　presents；　and　were　most　generous　in
making　them；　presenting　Madame　Bonaparte　with　magnificent　ornaments　of
diamonds　and　precious　stones；　and　other　most　valuable　jewelry。

The　First　Consul；　on　arriving　at　Lyons；　had　been　deeply　grieved　at　the
sudden　death　of　a　worthy　prelate　whom　he　had　known　in　his　first　campaign
in　Italy。

The　Archbishop　of　Milan　had　come　to　Lyons；　notwithstanding　his　great　age；
in　order　to　see　the　First　Consul；　whom　he　loved　with　such　tenderness　that
in　conversation　the　venerable　old　man　continually　addressed　the　young
general　as　〃my　son。〃　　The　peasants　of　Pavia；　having　revolted　because
their　fanaticism　had　been　excited　by　false　assertions　that　the　French
wished　to　destroy　their　religion；　the　Archbishop　of　Milan；　in　order　to
prove　that　their　fears　were　groundless；　often　showed　himself　in　a
carriage　with　General　Bonaparte。

This　prelate　had　stood　the　journey　well；　and　appeared　in　good　health　and
fine　spirits。　　Talleyrand；　who　had　arrived　at　Lyons　a　few　days　before　the
First　Consul；　gave　a　dinner　to　the　Cisalpine　deputies　and　the　principal
notables　of　the　city；　at　which　the　Archbishop　of　Milan　sat　on　his　right。
He　had　scarcely　taken　his　seat；　and　was　in　the　act　of　leaning　forward　to
speak　to　M。　de　Talleyrand；　when　he　fell　dead　in　his　armchair。

On　the　12th　of　January　the　town　of　Lyons　gave；　in　honor　of　the　First
Consul　and　Madame　Bonaparte；　a　magnificent　fete；　consisting　of　a　concert；
followed　by　a　ball。　　At　eight　o'clock　in　the　evening；　the　three　mayors；
accompanied　by　the　superintendents　of　the　fete；　called　upon　their
illustrious　guests　in　the　government　palace。　　I　can　imagine　that　I　see
again　spread　out　before　me　that　immense　amphitheater；　handsomely
decorated；　and　illuminated　by　innumerable　lusters　and　candles；　the　seats
draped　with　the　richest　cloths　manufactured　in　the　city；　and　filled　with
thousands　of　women；　some　brilliant　in　youth　and　beauty；　and　all
magnificently　attired。　　The　theater　had　been　chosen　as　the　place　of　the
fete；　and　on　the　entrance　of　the　First　Consul　and　Madame　Bonaparte；　who
advanced　leaning　on　the　arm　of　one　of　the　mayors；　there　arose　a　thunder
of　applause　and　acclamations。　　Suddenly　the　decorations　of　the　theater
faded　from　sight；　and　the　Place　Bonaparte　（the　former　Place　Belcour）
appeared；　as　it　had　been　restored　by　order　of　the　First　Consul。　　In　the
midst　rose　a　pyramid；　surmounted　by　the　statue　of　the　First　Consul；　who
was　represented　as　resting　upon　a　lion。　　Trophies　of　arms　and　bas…reliefs
represented　on　one　side；　the　other　that　of　Marengo。

When　the　first；　transports　excited　by　this　spectacle；　which　recalled　at
once　the　benefits　and　the　victories　of　the　hero　of　the　fete；　had
subsided；　there　succeeded　a　deep　silence；　and　delightful　music　was　heard；
mingled　with　songs；　dedicated　to　the　glory　of　the　First　Consul；　to　his
wife；　the　warriors　who　surrounded　him；　and　the　representatives　of　the
Italian　republics。　　The　singers　and　the　musicians　were　amateurs　of　Lyons。
Mademoiselle　Longue；　Gerbet；　the　postmaster；　and　Theodore；　the　merchant；
who　had　each　performed　their　parts　in　a　charming　manner；　received　the
congratulations　of　the　First　Consul；　and　the　most　gracious　thanks　of
Madame　Bonaparte。

What　struck　me　most　forcibly　in　the　couplets　which　were　sung　on　that
occasion；　and　which　much　resembled　all　verses　written　for　such　occasions；
was　that　incense　was　offered　to　the　First　Consul　in　the　very　terms　which
all　the　poets　of　the　Empire　have　since　used　in　their　turn。　　All　the
exaggerations　of　flattery　were　exhausted　during　the　consulate；　and　in　the
years　which　followed；　it　was　necessary　for　poets　often　to　repeat
themselves。　　Thus；　in　the　couplets　of　Lyons；　the　First　Consul　was　the　God
of　victory；　the　conqueror　of　the　Nile　and　of　Neptune；　the　savior　of　his
country；　the　peacemaker　of　the　world；　the　arbiter　of　Europe。　　The　French
soldiers　were　transformed　into　friends　and　companions　of　Alcides；　etc。；
all　of　which　was　cutting　the　gro