napoleon bonaparte, v3-第25章

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first　balloon　ascension　ever　seen　in　Russia。

The　third　trial　was　also　at　St。　Petersburg；　in　the　presence　of　the
imperial　family。　　M。　Garnerin　ascended；　accompanied　by　General　Suolf；　and
the　two　travelers　were　transported　across　the　Gulf　of　Friedland　in　three…
quarters　of　an　hour；　and　descended　at　Krasnoe…selo；　twenty…five　versts
from　St。　Petersburg。　　The　fourth　trial　took　place　at　Moscow；　and　Garnerin
ascended　more　than　four　thousand　toises　＇24；000　ft。＇　He　had　many
harrowing　experiences；　and　at　the　end　of　seven　hours　descended　three
hundred　and　thirty　versts　＇200　miles＇　from　Moscow；　in　the　neighborhood　of
the　old　frontiers　of　Russia。　　This　same　balloon　was　again　used　at　the
ascension　which　Madame　Garnerin　made　at　Moscow　with　Madame　Toucheninolf；
in　the　midst　of　a　frightful　storm；　and　amid　flashes　of　lightning　which
killed　three　men　within　three　hundred　paces　of　the　balloon；　at　the　very
instant　of　the　ascension。　　These　ladies　descended　without　accident
twenty…one　versts　from　Moscow。

The　city　of　Paris　gave　a　gratuity　of　six　hundred　francs　to　the　boatmen
who　had　drawn　out　of　Lake　Bracciano　the　balloon；　which　was　brought　back
to　Paris；　and　placed　in　the　museum　of　the　Hotel　de　Ville。

I　was　a　witness　that　same　day　of　the　kindness　with　which　the　Emperor
received　the　petition　of　a　poor　woman；　a　notary's　wife；　I　believe；　whose
husband　had　been　condemned　on　account　of　some　crime；　I　know　not　what；　to
a　long　imprisonment。　　As　the　carriage　of　their　Imperial　Majesties　passed
before　the　Palais…Royal；　two　women；　one　already　old；　the　other　sixteen　or
seventeen　years　of　age；　sprang　to　the　door；　crying；　〃Pardon　for　my
husband；　pardon　for　my　father。〃

The　Emperor　immediately；　in　a　loud　tone；　gave　the　order　to　stop　his
carriage；　and　held　out　his　hand　for　the　petition　which　the　older　of　the
two　women　would　give　to　no　one　but　him；　at　the　same　time　consoling　her
with　kind　words；　and　showing　a　most　touching　interest　lest　she　might　be
hurt　by　the　horses　of　the　marshals　of　the　empire；　who　were　on　each　side
of　the　carriage。　　While　this　kindness　of　his　august　brother　was　exciting
to　the　highest　pitch　the　enthusiasm　and　sensibilities　of　the　witnesses　of
this　scene；　Prince　Louis；　seated　on　the　front　seat　of　the　carriage；　also
leaned　out；　trying　to　reassure　the　trembling　young　girl；　and　urging　her
to　comfort　her　mother；　and　count　with　certainty　on　the　Emperor's
favorable　consideration。　　The　mother　and　daughter；　overcome　by　their
emotion；　could　make　no　reply；　and　as　the　cortege　passed　on；　I　saw　the
former　on　the　point　of　falling　in　a　swoon。　　She　was　carried　into　a
neighboring　house；　where　she　revived；　and　with　her　daughter　shed　tears　of
gratitude　and　joy。

The　Corps　Legislatif　had　decreed　that　a　statue；　in　white　marble；　should
be　erected　to　the　Emperor　in　their　assembly　hall；　to　commemorate　the
completion　of　the　Civil　Code。　　On　the　day　of　the　unveiling　of　this
monument；　her　Majesty　the　Empress；　the　princes　Joseph；　Louis；　Borghese；
Bacciochi；　and　their　wives；　with　other　members　of　the　imperial　family；
deputations　of　the　principal　orders　of　the　state；　the　diplomatic　corps；
and　many　foreigners　of　distinction；　the　marshals　of　the　empire；　and　a
considerable　number　of　general　officers；　assembled　at　seven　o'clock　in
the　evening　at　the　palace　of　the　Legislative　Corps。

As　the　Empress　appeared　in　the　hall；　the　entire　assembly　rose；　and　a　band
of　music；　stationed　in　the　neighboring　stand；　rendered　the　well…known
chorus　from　Gluck；　〃How　many　charms！　　What　majesty！〃　　Scarcely　had　the
first　strains　of　this　chorus　been　heard　than　each　one　was　struck　with　the
happy　coincidence；　and　applause　burst　forth　from　all　sides。

By　invitation　of　the　president；　Marshals　Murat　and　Massena　unveiled　the
statue；　and　all　eyes　were　fixed　on　this　image　of　the　Emperor；　his　brows
encircled　with　a　crown　of　laurel；　and　entwined　with　oak　and　olive　leaves。
When　silence　had　succeeded　to　the　acclamations　excited　by　this　sight；
M。　de　Vaublanc　mounted　the　tribune；　and　pronounced　a　discourse；　which　was
loudly　applauded　in　the　assembly；　whose　sentiments　it　faithfully
expressed。

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　the　orator；　〃you　have　celebrated　the　completion　of　the
Civil　Code　of　France　by　an　act　of　admiration　and　of　gratitude；　you　have
awarded　a　statue　to　the　illustrious　prince　whose　firmness　and
perseverance　have　led　to　the　completion　of　that　grand　work；　while　at　the
same　time　his　vast　intelligence　has　shed　a　most　glorious　light　over　this
noble　department　of　human　institutions。　　First　Consul　then；　Emperor　of
the　French　to…day；　he　appears　in　the　temple　of　the　laws；　his　head　adorned
with　a　triumphal　crown　as　victory　has　so　often　adorned　it；　while
foretelling　that　this　should　change　to　the　diadem　of　kings；　and　covered
with　the　imperial　mantle；　noble　attribute　of　the　highest　of　dignities。

〃Doubtless；　on　this　solemn　day；　in　presence　of　the　princes　and　the　great
of　the　state；　before　the　august　person　whom　the　Empire　honors　for　her
beautiful　character　even　more　than　for　the　high　rank　of　which　her　virtues
render　her　so　worthy；　in　this　glorious　fete　in　which　we　would　reunite　all
France；　you　will　permit　my　feeble　voice　to　be　raised　a　moment；　and　to
recall　to　you　by　what　immortal　actions　Napoleon　entered　upon　this
wonderful　career　of　power　and　honor。

〃If　praise　corrupts　weak　minds；　it　is　the　nourishment　of　great　souls；
and　the　grand　deeds　of　heroes　are　ties　which　bind　them　to　their　country。
To　recapitulate　them　is　to　say　that　we　expect　from　them　a　combination　of
those　grand　thoughts；　those　generous　sentiments；　those　glorious　deeds；　so
nobly　rewarded　by　the　admiration　and　gratitude　of　the　public。

〃Victorious　in　the　three　quarters　of　the　world；　peacemaker　of　Europe；
legislator　of　France；　having　bestowed　and　added　provinces　to　the　Empire；
does　not　this　glorious　record　suffice　to　render　him　worthy　at　one　and　the
same　time　both　of　this　august　title　of　Emperor　of　the　French；　and　this
monument　erected　in　the　temple　of　the　laws？　　And　yet　I　would　wish　to　make
you　forget　these　brilliant　recollections　which　I　have　just　recalled。
With　a　stronger　voice　than　that　which　sounded　his　praises；　I　would　say　to
you：　erase　from　your　minds　this　glory　of　the　legislator；　this　glory　of
the　warrior；　and　say　to　yourselves；　before　the　18th　Brumaire；　when　fatal
laws　were　promulgated；　and　when　the　destructive　principles　proclaimed
anew　were　already　dragging　along　men　and　things　with　a　rapidity　which　it
would　soon　have　been　impossible　to　arrestwho　appeared　suddenly　like　a
beneficent　star；　who　came　to　abrogate　these　laws；　who　filled　up　the　half…
open　abyss？　　You　have　survived；　each　one　of　you；　through　those
threatening　scenes；　you　live；　and　you　owe　it　to　him　whose　image　you　now
behold。　　You；　who　were　miserable　outlaws；　have　returned；　you　breathe
again　the　gentle　air　of　your　native　land；　you　embrace　your　children；　your
wives；　your　friends；　and　you　owe　it　to　this　great　man。　　I　speak　no　longer
of　his　glory；　I　no　longer　bear　witness　to　that；　but　I　invoke　humanity　on
the　one　side；　gratitude　on　the　other；　and　I　demand　of　you；　to　whom　do　you
owe　a　happiness　so　great　so　extraordinary；　so　unexpected？　　。　　。　　。　　And
you；　each　and　all；　reply　with　meto　the　great　man　whose　image　we
behold。〃

The　president　repeated　in　his　turn　a　similar　eulogium；　in　very　similar
terms；　and　few　persons　then　dreamed　of　thinking　these　praises
exaggerated；　though　their　opinions　have　perhaps　changed　since。

After　the　ceremony　the　Empress；　on　the　arm　of　the　president；　passed　into
the　hall　of　conference；　where　her　Majesty's　table　had　been　prepared　under
a　magnificent　dais　of　crimson　silk；　and　covers　for　nearly　three　hundred
guests　had　been　laid　by　the　caterer　Robert；　in　the　different　halls　of　the
palace。　　To　the　dinner　succeeded　a　brilliant　ball。　　The　most　remarkable
thing　in　this　fete　was　the　indescribable　luxury　of　flowers　and　shrubs；
which　must　doubtless　have　been　collected　at　great　expense；　owing　to　the
severity　of　the　winter。　　The　halls　of　Lucrece　and　of　La　Reunion；　in　which
the　dancing　quadrilles　were　formed；　resembled　an　immense　parterre　of
roses；　laurel；　lilac；　jonquils；　lilies；　and　jessamine。







End