napoleon bonaparte, v2-第2章

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succession　of　fetes；　one　of　which　Talleyrand　gave　in　their　honor　at
Neuilly；　of　great　magnificence　and　splendor；　and　to　which　I；　being　on
duty；　accompanied　the　First　Consul。　　The　chateau　and　park　were
illuminated　with　a　brilliant　profusion　of　colored　lights。　　First　there
was　a　concert；　at　the　close　of　which　the　end　of　the　hall　was　moved　aside；
like　the　curtain　of　a　theater；　and　we　beheld　the　principal　square　in
Florence；　the　ducal　palace；　a　fountain　playing；　and　the　Tuscans　giving
themselves　up　to　the　games　and　dances　of　their　country；　and　singing
couplets　in　honor　of　their　sovereigns。　　Talleyrand　came　forward；　and
requested　their　Majesties　to　mingle　with　their　subjects；　and　hardly　had
they　set　foot　in　the　garden　than　they　found　themselves　in　fairyland；
where　fireworks；　rockets；　and　Bengal　fires　burst　out　in　every　direction
and　in　every　form；　colonnades；　arches　of　triumph；　and　palaces　of　fire
arose；　disappeared；　and　succeeded　each　other　incessantly。　　Numerous
tables　were　arranged　in　the　apartments　and　in　the　garden；　at　which　all
the　spectators　were　in　turn　seated；　and　last　of　all　a　magnificent　ball
closed　this　evening　of　enchantments。　　It　was　opened　by　the　King　of
Etruria　and　Madame　Le　Clerc　（Pauline　Borghese）。

Madame　de　Montesson　also　gave　to　their　Majesties　a　ball；　at　which　the
whole　family　of　the　First　Consul　was　present。　　But　of　all　these
entertainments；　I　retain　the　most　vivid　recollection　of　that　given　by
Chaptal；　Minister　of　the　Interior；　the　day　which　he　chose　being　the
fourteenth　of　June；　the　anniversary　of　the　battle　of　Marengo。　　After　the
concert；　the　theater；　the　ball；　and　another　representation　of　the　city
and　inhabitants　of　Florence；　a　splendid　supper　was　served　in　the　garden；
under　military　tents；　draped　with　flags；　and　ornamented　with　groupings　of
arms　and　trophies；　each　lady　being　accompanied　and　served　at　table　by　an
officer　in　uniform。　　When　the　King　and　Queen　of　Etruria　came　out　of　their
tent；　a　balloon　was　released　which　carried　into　the　heavens　the　name　of
Marengo　in　letters　of　fire。

Their　Majesties　wished　to　visit；　before　their　departure；　the　chief　public
institutions；　so　they　were　taken　to　the　Conservatory　of　Music；　to　a
sitting　of　the　Institute；　of　which　they　did　not　appear　to　comprehend
much；　and　to　the　Mint；　where　a　medal　was　struck　in　their　honor。　　Chaptall
received　the　thanks　of　the　queen　for　the　manner　in　which　he　had
entertained　and　treated　his　royal　guests；　both　as　a　member　of　the
Institute；　as　minister　at　his　hotel；　and　in　the　visits　which　they　had
made　to　the　different　institutions　of　the　capital。　　On　the　eve　of　his
departure　the　king　had　a　long　private　interview　with　the　First　Consul；
and　though　I　do　not　know　what　passed；　I　observed　that　on　coming　out
neither　appeared　to　be　satisfied　with　the　other。　　However；　their
Majesties；　on　the　whole；　should　have　carried　away　a　most　favorable
impression　of　the　manner　in　which　they　had　been　received。




CHAPTER　VIII。

In　all　the　fetes　given　by　the　First　Consul　in　honor　of　their　Majesties；
the　King　and　Queen　of　Etruria；　Mademoiselle　Hortense　shone　with　that
brilliancy　and　grace　which　made　her　the　pride　of　her　mother；　and　the　most
beautiful　ornament　of　the　growing　court　of　the　First　Consul。

About　this　time　she　inspired　a　most　violent　passion　in　a　gentleman　of　a
very　good　family；　who　was；　I　think；　a　little　deranged　before　this　mad
love　affected　his　brain。　　This　poor　unfortunate　roamed　incessantly　around
Malmaison；　and　as　soon　as　Mademoiselle　Hortense　left　the　house；　ran　by
the　side　of　her　carriage　with　the　liveliest　demonstrations　of　tenderness；
and　threw　through　the　window　flowers；　locks　of　his　hair；　and　verses　of
his　own　composition。　　When　he　met　Mademoiselle　Hortense　on　foot；　he　threw
himself　on　his　knees　before　her　with　a　thousand　passionate　gestures；
addressing　her　in　most　endearing　terms；　and　followed　her；　in　spite　of　all
opposition；　even　into　the　courtyard　of　the　chateau；　and　abandoned　himself
to　all　kinds　of　folly。　　At　first　Mademoiselle　Hortense；　who　was　young　and
gay；　was　amused　by　the　antics　of　her　admirer；　read　the　verses　which　he
addressed　to　her；　and　showed　them　to　the　ladies　who　accompanied　her。　　One
such　poetical　effusion　was　enough　to　provoke　laughter　（and　can　you　blame
her？）；　but　after　the　first　burst　of　laughter；　Mademoiselle　Hortense；　good
and　charming　as　her　mother；　never　failed　to　say；　with　a　sympathetic
expression　and　tone；　〃The　poor　man；　he　is　much　to　be　pitied！〃　　At　last；
however；　the　importunities　of　the　poor　madman　increased　to　such　an　extent
that　they　became　insupportable。　　He　placed　himself　at　the　door　of　the
theaters　in　Paris　at　which　Mademoiselle　Hortense　was　expected；　and　threw
himself　at　her　feet；　supplicating；　weeping；　laughing；　and　gesticulating
all　at　once。　　This　spectacle　amused　the　crowd　too　much　to　long　amuse
Mademoiselle　de　Beauharnais；　and　Carrat　was　ordered　to　remove　the　poor
fellow；　who　was　placed；　I　think；　in　a　private　asylum　for　the　insane。

Mademoiselle　Hortense　would　have　been　too　happy　if　she　could　have　known
love　only　from　the　absurd　effects　which　it　produced　on　this　diseased
brain；　as　she　thus　saw　it　only　in　its　pleasant　and　comic　aspect。　　But　the
time　came　when　she　was　forced　to　feel　all　that　is　painful　and　bitter　in
the　experience　of　that　passion。　　In　January；　1802；　she　was　married　to
Louis　Bonaparte；　brother　of　the　First　Consul；　which　was　a　most　suitable
alliance　as　regards　age；　Louis　being　twenty…four　years　old；　and
Mademoiselle　de　Beauharnais　not　more　than　eighteen；　and　nevertheless　it
was　to　both　parties　the　beginning　of　long　and　interminable　sorrows。

Louis；　however；　was　kind　and　sensible；　full　of　good　feeling　and
intelligence；　studious　and　fond　of　letters；　like　all　his　brothers　（except
one　alone）；　but　he　was　in　feeble　health；　suffered　almost　incessantly；　and
was　of　a　melancholy　disposition。　　All　the　brothers　of　the　First　Consul
resembled　him　more　or　less　in　their　personal　appearance；　and　Louis　still
more　than　the　others；　especially　at　the　time　of　the　Consulate；　and　before
the　Emperor　Napoleon　had　become　so　stout。　　But　none　of　the　brothers　of
the　Emperor　possessed　that　imposing　and　majestic　air　and　that　rapid　and
imperious　manner　which　came　to　him　at　first　by　instinct；　and　afterwards
from　the　habit　of　command。　　Louis　had　peaceful　and　modest　tastes。　　It　has
been　asserted　that　at　the　time　of　his　marriage　he　was　deeply　attached　to
a　person　whose　name　could　not　be　ascertained；　and　who；　I　think；　is　still
a　mystery。

Mademoiselle　Hortense　was　extremely　pretty；　with　an　expressive　and　mobile
countenance；　and　in　addition　to　this　was　graceful；　talented；　and　affable。
Kindhearted　and　amiable　like　her　mother；　she　had　not　that　excessive
desire　to　oblige　which　sometimes　detracted　from　Madame　Bonaparte's
character。　　This　is；　nevertheless；　the　woman　whom　evil　reports；
disseminated　by　miserable　scandal…mongers；　have　so　outrageously
slandered！　　My　heart　is　stirred　with　disgust　and　indignation　when　I　hear
such　revolting　absurdities　repeated　and　scattered　broadcast。　　According
to　these　honest　fabricators；　the　First　Consul　must　have　seduced　his
wife's　daughter；　before　giving　her　in　marriage　to　his　own　brother。；
Simply　to　announce　such　a　charge　is　to　comprehend　all　the　falsity　of　it。
I　knew　better　than　any　one　the　amours　of　the　Emperor。　　In　these
clandestine　liaisons　he　feared　scandal；　hated　the　ostentations　of　vice；
and　I　can　affirm　on　honor　that　the　infamous　desires　attributed　to　him
never　entered　his　mind。　　Like　every　one　else；　who　was　near　Mademoiselle
de　Beauharnais；　and　because　he　knew　his　step…daughter　even　more
intimately；　he　felt　for　her　the　tenderest　affection；　but　this　sentiment
was　entirely　paternal；　and　Mademoiselle　Hortense　reciprocated　it　by　that
reverence　which　a　wellborn　young　girl　feels　towards　her　father。　　She
could　have　obtained　from　her　step…father　anything　that　she　wished；　if　her
extreme　timidity　had　not　prevented　her　asking；　but；　instead　of　addressing
herself　directly　to　him；　she　first　had　recourse　to　the　intercession　of
the　secretary；　and　of　those　around　the　Emperor。　　Is　it　thus　she　would
have　acted　if　the　evil　reports　spread　by　her　enemies；　and　those　of　the
Emperor；　had　had　the