napoleon bonaparte, v3-第18章

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It　difference　to　me。〃　　The　Emperor　gave　her　a　glance　of　disapproval；　and
said　to　the　master　of　the　hounds；　〃Since　the　stag　in　his　misery　does　not
interest　Madame　C；　he　does　not　deserve　to　live；　have　him　put　to
death；　〃whereupon　his　Majesty　turned　his　horse's　bridle；　and　rode　off。
The　Emperor　was　shocked　by　；such　an　answer；　and　repeated　it　that　evening；
on　his　return　from　the　hunt；　in　terms　by　no　means　flattering　to　Madame　de
C。

It　is　stated　in　the　Memorial　of　Saint…Helena　that　the　Emperor；　while
hunting；　was　thrown　and　wounded　by　a　wild　boar；　from　which　one　of　his
fingers　bore　a　bad　scar。　　I　never　saw　this；　and　never　knew　of　such　an
accident　having　happened　to　the　Emperor。　　The　Emperor　did　not　place　his
gun　firmly　to　his　shoulder；　and　as　he　always　had　it　heavily　loaded　and
rammed；　never　fired　without　making　his　arm　black　with　bruises；　but　I
rubbed　the　injured　place　with　eau　de　Cologne；　and　he　gave　it　no　further
thought。

The　ladies　followed　the　hunt　in　their　coaches；　a　table　being　usually
arranged　in　the　forest　for　breakfast；　to　which　all　persons　in　the　hunt
were　invited。

The　Emperor　on　one　occasion　hunted　with　falcons　on　the　plain　of
Rambouillet；　in　order　to　make　a　trial　of　the　falconry　that　the　King　of
Holland　（Louis）　had　sent　as　a　present　to　his　Majesty。　　The　household　made
a　fete　of　seeing　this　hunt；　of　which　we　had　been　hearing　so　much；　but　the
Emperor　appeared　to　take　less　pleasure　in　this　than　in　the　chase　or
shooting；　and　hawking　was　never　tried　again。

His　Majesty　was　exceedingly　fond　of　the　play；　preferring　greatly　French
tragedy　and　the　Italian　opera。　　Corneille　was　his　favorite　author；　and　he
had　always　on　his　table　some　volume　of　the　works　of　this　great　poet。　　I
have　often　heard　the　Emperor　declaim；　while　walking　up　and　down　in　his
room；　verses　of　Cinna；　or　this　speech　on　the　death　of　Caesar：

　　　　　Caesar；　you　will　reign；　see　the　august　day
　　　　　In　which　the　Roman　people；　always　unjust　to　thee；〃　etc。

At　the　theater　of　Saint…Cloud；　the　piece　for　the　evening　was　often　made
up　of　fragments　and　selections　from　different　authors；　one　act　being
chosen　from　one　opera；　one　from　another；　which　was　very　vexatious　to　the
spectators　whom　the　first　piece　had　begun　to　interest。　　Often；　also；
comedies　were　played；　on　which　occasions　there　was　great　rejoicing　in　the
household；　and　the　Emperor　himself　took　much　pleasure　in　them。　　How　many
times　have　I　seen　him　perfectly　overcome　with　laughter；　when　seeing
Baptiste　junior　in　'les　Heritiers'；　and　Michaut　also　amused　him　in　'la
Partie　de　Chasse　de　Henry　IV'。

I　cannot　remember　in　what　year；　but　it　was　during　one　of　the　sojourns　of
the　court　at　Fontainebleau；　that　the　tragedy　of　the　Venetians　was
presented　before　the　Emperor　by　Arnault；　senior。　　That　evening；　as　he　was
retiring；　his　Majesty　discussed　the　piece　with　Marshal　Duroc；　and　gave
his　opinion；　adducing　many　reasons；　in　support　of　it。　　These　praises；
like　the　criticisms；　were　all　explained　and　discussed；　the　grand　marshal
talking　little；　and　the　Emperor　incessantly。　　Although　a　poor　judge
myself　of　such　matters；　it　was　very　entertaining；　and　also　very
instructive；　to　hear　the　Emperor's　opinion　of　pieces；　ancient　and　modern；
which　had　been　played　before　him；　and　his　observations　and　remarks　could
not　have　failed；　I　am　sure；　to　be　of　great　profit　to　the　authors；　had
they　been　able　like　myself　to　hear　them。　　As　for　me；　if　I　gained　anything
from　it；　it　is　being　enabled　to　speak　of　it　here　a　little　（although　a
very　little）；　more　appropriately　than　a　blind　man　would　of　colors；
nevertheless；　for　fear　of　saying　the　wrong　thing；　I　return　to　matters
which　are　in　my　department。

It　has　been　said　that　his　Majesty　used　a　great　quantity　of　tobacco；　and
that　in　order　to　take　it　still　more　frequently　and　quickly；　he　put　it　in
a　pocket　of　his　vest；　lined　with　skin　for　that　purpose。　　This　is　an
error。　　The　Emperor　never　took　tobacco　except　in　his　snuff…boxes；　and
although　he　wasted　a　great　quantity　of　it；　he　really　used　very　little；　as
he　took　a　pinch；　held　it　to　his　nose　simply　to　smell　it；　and　let　it　fall
immediately。　　It　is　true　that　the　place　where　he　had　been　was　covered
with　it；　but　his　handkerchiefs；　irreproachable　witnesses　in　such　matters；
were　scarcely　stained；　and　although　they　were　white　and　of　very　fine
linen；　certainly　bore　no　marks　of　a　snuff…taker。　　Sometimes　he　simply
passed　his　open　snuff…box　under　his　nose　in　order　to　breathe　the　odor　of
the　tobacco　it　contained。　　These　boxes　were　of　black　shell；　with　hinges；
and　of　a　narrow；　oval　shape；　they　were　lined　with　gold；　and　ornamented
with　antique　cameos；　or　medallions；　in　gold　or　silver。　　At　one　time　he
used　round　tobacco…boxes；　but　as　it　took　two　hands　to　open　them；　and　in
this　operation　he　sometimes　dropped　either　the　box　or　the　top；　he　became
disgusted　with　them。　　His　tobacco　was　grated　very　coarse；　and　was　usually
composed　of　several　kinds　of　tobacco　mixed　together。　　Frequently　he
amused　himself　by　making　the　gazelles　that　he　had　at　Saint…Cloud　eat　it。
They　were　very　fond　of　it；　and　although　exceedingly　afraid　of　every　one
else；　came　close　to　his　Majesty　without　the　slightest　fear。

The　Emperor　took　a　fancy　on　one　occasion；　but　only　one；　to　try　a　pipe；　as
I　shall　now　relate。　　The　Persian　ambassador　（or　perhaps　it　was　the
Turkish　ambassador　who　came　to　Paris　under　the　Consulate）　had　made　his
Majesty　a　present　of　a　very　handsome　pipe　such　as　is　used　by　the
Orientals。　　One　day　he　was　seized　with　a　desire　to　try　it；　and　had
everything　necessary　for　this　purpose　prepared。　　The　fire　having　been
applied　to　the　bowl；　the　only　question　now　was　to　light　the　tobacco；　but
from　the　manner　in　which　his　Majesty　attempted　this　it　was　impossible　for
him　to　succeed；　as　he　alternately　opened　and　closed　his　lips　repeatedly
without　drawing　in　his　breath　at　all。　　〃Why；　what　is　the　matter？〃　cried
he；　〃it　does　not　work　at　all。〃　　I　called　his　attention　to　the　fact　that
he　was　not　inhaling　properly；　and　showed　him　how　it　ought　to　be　done；　but
the　Emperor　still　continued　his　performances；　which　were　like　some
peculiar　kind　of　yawning。　　Tired　out　by　his　fruitless　efforts　at　last；　he
told　me　to　light　it　for　him；　which　I　did；　and　instantly　handed　it　back　to
him。　　But　he　had　hardly　taken　a　whiff　when　the　smoke；　which　he　did　not
know　how　to　breathe　out　again；　filled　his　throat；　got　into　his　windpipe；
and　came　out　through　his　nose　and　eyes　in　great　puffs。　　As　soon　as　he
could　get　his　breath；　he　panted　forth；　〃Take　it　away！　　what　a　pest！　　Oh；
the　wretches！　it　has　made　me　sick。〃　　In　fact；　he　felt　ill　for　at　least　an
hour　after；　and　renounced　forever　the　〃pleasure　of　a　habit；　which；〃　said
he；　〃is　only　good　to　enable　do…nothings　to　kill　time。〃

The　only　requirements　the　Emperor　made　as　to　his　clothing　was　that　it
should　be　of　fine　quality　and　perfectly　comfortable；　and　his　coats　for
ordinary　use；　dress…coats；　and　even　the　famous　gray　overcoat；　were　made
of　the　finest　cloth　from　Louviers。　　Under　the　Consulate　he　wore；　as　was
then　the　fashion；　the　skirts　of　his　coat　extremely　long；　afterwards
fashion　changed；　and　they　were　worn　shorter；　but　the　Emperor　held　with
singular　tenacity　to　the　length　of　his；　and　I　had　much　trouble　in
inducing　him　to　abandon　this　fashion；　and　it　was　only　by　a　subterfuge
that　I　at　last　succeeded。　　Each　time　I　ordered　a　new　coat　for　his
Majesty；　I　directed　the　tailor　to　shorten　the　skirts　by　an　inch　at　least；
until　at　last；　without　his　being　aware　of　it；　they　were　no　longer
ridiculous。　　He　did　not　abandon　his　old　habits　any　more　readily　on　this
point　than　on　all　others；　and　his　greatest　desire　was　that　his　clothes
should　not　be　too　tight；　in　consequence　of　which　there　were　times　when　he
did　not　make　a　very　elegant　appearance。　　The　King　of　Naples；　the　man　in
all　France　who　dressed　with　the　most　care；　and　nearly　always　in　good
taste；　sometimes　took　the　liberty　of　bantering　the　Emperor　slightly　about
his　dress。　　〃Sire；〃　said　he　to　the　Emperor；　〃your　Majesty　dresses　too
much　like　a　good　family　man。　　Pray；　Sire；　be　an　example　to　your　faithful
subjects　of　good　taste　in　dress。〃〃Would　you　like　me；　in　order　to　please
you；〃　replied　the　Emperor；　〃to　dress　like　a　scented　fop；　like　a