napoleon bonaparte, v3-第14章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


When　he　had　finished　he　arose；　and　passed　into　the　family　saloon；　but　the
Empress　Josephine　remained；　and　made　a　sign　to　the　guests　to　do　the　same。
Sometimes；　however；　she　followed　his　Majesty；　and　then；　no　doubt；　the
ladies　of　the　palace　indemnified　themselves　in　their　apartments；　where
whatever　they　wished　was　served　them。

One　day　when　Prince　Eugene　rose　from　the　table　immediately　after　the
Emperor；　the　latter；　turning　to　him；　said；　〃But　you　have　not　had　time　to
dine；　Eugene。〃〃Pardon　me；〃　replied　the　Prince；　〃I　dined　in　advance！〃
The　other　guests　doubtless　found　that　this　was　not　a　useless　precaution。
It　was　before　the　Consulate　that　things　happened　thus；　for　afterwards　the
Emperor；　even　when　he　was　as　yet　only　First　Consul；　dined　tete…a…tete
with　the　Empress；　except　when　he　invited　some　of　the　ladies　of　the
household；　sometimes　one；　sometimes　another；　all　of　whom　appreciated
highly　this　mark　of　favor。　　At　this　time　there　was　already　a　court。

Most　frequently　the　Emperor　breakfasted　alone；　on　a　little　mahogany
candle…stand　with　no　cover；　which　meal；　even　shorter　than　the　other；
lasted　only　eight　or　ten　minutes。

I　will　mention；　later　on；　the　bad　effects　which　the　habit　of　eating　too
quickly　often　produced　on　the　Emperor's　health。　　Besides　this；　and　due　in
a　great　measure　to　his　haste；　the　Emperor　lacked　much　of　eating　decently；
and　always　preferred　his　fingers　to　a　fork　or　spoon。　　Much　care　was　taken
to　place　within　his　reach　the　dish　he　preferred；　which　he　drew　toward　him
in　the　manner　I　have　just　described；　and　dipped　his　bread　in　the　sauce　or
gravy　it　contained；　which　did　not；　however；　prevent　the　dish　being　handed
round；　and　those　eating　from　it　who　could；　and　there　were　few　guests　who
could　not。

I　have　seen　some　who　even　appeared　to　consider　this　singular　act　of
courage　a　means　of　making　their　court。　　I　can　easily　understand　also　that
with　many　their　admiration　for　his　Majesty　silenced　all　repugnance；　for
the　same　reason　that　we　do　not　scruple　to　eat　from　the　plate；　or　drink
from　the　glass；　of　a　person　whom　we　love；　even　though　it　might　be
considered　doubtful　on　the　score　of　refinement；　this　is　never　noticed
because　love　is　blind。　　The　dish　which　the　Emperor　preferred　was　the　kind
of　fried　chicken　to　which　this　preference　of　the　conqueror　of　Italy　has
given　the　name　of　poulet　a　la　Marengo。　　He　also　ate　with　relish　beans；
lentils；　cutlets；　roast　mutton；　and　roast　chicken。　　The　simplest　dishes
were　those　he　liked　best；　but　he　was　fastidious　in　the　article　of　bread。
It　is　not　true；　as　reported；　that　he　made　an　immoderate　use　of　coffee；
for　he　only　took　half　a　cup　after　breakfast；　and　another　after　dinner；
though　it　sometimes　happened　when　he　was　much　preoccupied　that　he　would
take；　without　noticing　it；　two　cups　in　succession；　though　coffee　taken　in
this　quantity　always　excited　him　and　kept　him　from　sleeping。

It　also　happened　frequently　that　he　took　it　cold；　or　without　sugar；　or
with　too　much　sugar。　　To　avoid　all　which　mischances；　the　Empress
Josephine　made　it　her　duty　to　pour　out　the　Emperor's　coffee　herself；　and
the　Empress　Marie　Louise　also　adopted　the　same　custom。　　When　the　Emperor
had　risen　from　the　table　and　entered　the　little　saloon；　a　page　followed
him；　carrying　on　a　silvergilt　waiter　a　coffee…pot；　sugar…dish　and　cup。
Her　Majesty　the　Empress　poured　out　the　coffee；　put　sugar　in　it；　tried　a
few　drops　of　it；　and　offered　it　to　the　Emperor。

The　Emperor　drank　only　Chambertin　　wine；　and　rarely　without　water；　for　he
had　no　fondness　for　wine；　and　was　a　poor　judge　of　it。　　This　recalls　that
one　day　at　the　camp　of　Boulogne；　having　invited　several　officers　to　his
table；　his　Majesty　had　wine　poured　for　Marshal　Augereau；　and　asked　him
with　an　air　of　satisfaction　how　he　liked　it。　　The　Marshal　tasted　it；
sipped　it　critically；　and　finally　replied；　〃There　is　better；〃　in　a　tone
which　was　unmistakable。　　The　Emperor；　who　had　expected　a　different　reply；
smiled；　as　did　all　the　guests；　at　the　Marshal's　candor。

Every　one　has　heard　it　said　that　his　Majesty　used　great　precautions
against　being　poisoned；　which　statement　must　be　placed　beside　that
concerning　the　cuirass　proof　against　bullet　and　dagger。　　On　the　contrary；
the　Emperor　carried　his　want　of　precaution　only　too　far。　　His　breakfast
was　brought　every　day　into　an　antechamber　open　to　all　to　whom　had　been
granted　a　private　audience；　and　who　sometimes　waited　there　for　several
hours；　and　his　Majesty's　breakfast　also　waited　a　long　time。　　The　dishes
were　kept　as　warm　as　possible　until　he　came　out　of　his　cabinet；　and　took
his　seat　at　the　table。　　Their　Majesties'　dinner　was　carried　from　the
kitchen　to　the　upper　rooms　in　covered；　hampers；　and　there　was　every
opportunity　of　introducing　poison；　but　in　spite　of　all　this；　never　did
such　an　idea　enter　the　minds　of　the　people　in　his　service；　whose　devotion
and　fidelity　to　the　Emperor；　even　including　the　very　humblest；　surpassed
any　idea　I　could　convey。

The　habit　of　eating　rapidly　sometimes　caused　his　Majesty　violent　pains　in
his　stomach；　which　ended　almost　always　in　a　fit　of　vomiting。

One　day　the　valet　on　duty　came　in　great　haste　to　tell　me　that　the　Emperor
desired　my　presence　immediately。　　His　dinner　had　caused　indigestion；　and
he　was　suffering　greatly。　　I　hurried　to　his　Majesty's　room；　and　found　him
stretched　at　full　length　on　the　rug；　which　was　a　habit　of　the　Emperor
when　he　felt　unwell。　　The　Empress　Josephine　was　seated　by　his　side；　with
the　sick　man's　head　on　her　lap；　while　he　groaned　or　stormed　alternately；
or　did　both　at　once：　for　the　Emperor　bore　this　kind　of　misfortune　with
less　composure　than　a　thousand　graver　mischances　which　the　life　of　a
soldier　carries　with　it；　and　the　hero　of　Arcola；　whose　life　had　been
endangered　in　a　hundred　battles；　and　elsewhere　also；　without　lessening
his　fortitude；　showed　himself　unequal　to　the　endurance　of　the　slightest
pain。　　Her　Majesty　the　Empress　consoled　and　encouraged　him　as　best　she
could；　and　she；　who　was　so　courageous　herself　in　enduring　those　headaches
which；　on　account　of　their　excessive　violence；　were　a　genuine　disease；
would；　had　it　been　possible；　have　taken　on　herself　most　willingly　the
ailment　of　her　husband；　from　which　she　suffered　almost　as　much　as　he　did；
in　witnessing　his　sufferings。　　〃Constant；〃　said　she；　as　I　entered；　〃come
quick；　the　Emperor　needs　you；　make　him　some　tea；　and　do　not　go　out　till
he　is　better。〃　　His　Majesty　had　scarcely　taken　three　cups　before　the　pain
decreased；　while　she　continued　to　hold　his　head　on　her　knees；　pressing
his　brow　with　her　white；　plump　hands；　and　also　rubbing　his　breast。　　〃You
feel　better；　do　you　not？　　Would　you　like　to　lie　down　a　little　while？　　I
will　stay　by　your　bed　with　Constant。〃　　This　tenderness　was　indeed
touching；　especially　in　one　occupying　so　elevated　a　rank。

My　intimate　service　often　gave　me　the　opportunity　of　enjoying　this
picture　of　domestic　felicity。　　While　I　am　on　the　subject　of　the　Emperor's
ailments；　I　will　say　a　few　words　concerning　the　most　serious　which　he
endured；　with　the　exception　of　that　which　caused　his　death。

At　the　siege　of　Toulon；　in　1793；　the　Emperor　being　then　only　colonel　of
artillery；　a　cannoneer　was　killed　at　his　gun；　and　Colonel　Bonaparte
picked　up　the　rammer　and　rammed　home　the　charge　several　times。　　The
unfortunate　artilleryman　had　an　itch　of　the　most　malignant　kind；　which
the　Emperor　caught；　and　of　which　he　was　cured　only　after　many　years；　and
the　doctors　thought　that　his　sallow　complexion　and　extreme　leanness；
which　lasted　so　long　a　time；　resulted　from　this　disease　being　improperly
treated。　　At　the　Tuileries　he　took　sulphur　baths；　and　wore　for　some　time
a　blister　plaster；　having　suffered　thus　long　because；　as　he　said；　he　had
not　time　to　take　care　of　himself。　　Corvisart　warmly　insisted　on　a
cautery；　but　the　Emperor；　who　wished　to　preserve　unimpaired　the
shapeliness　of　his　arm；　would　not　agree　to　this　remedy。

It　was　at　this　same　siege　that　he　was　promoted　from　the　rank　of　chief　of
battalion　to　that　of　colonel　in　consequence　of　a　brilliant　affair　with
the　English；　in　which　he　received　a　bayonet　wound　in　the　left　thigh；　the
scar　of　which　he　often　showed　me。　　The　wound　in　the　foot　which　he
received　at