napoleon bonaparte, v2-第4章

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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　ground　from　under　the　feet　of　the　singers　of
the　future。

The　fete　of　Lyons　ended　in　a　ball　which　lasted　until　daylight；　at　which
the　First　Consul　remained　two　hours；　which　he　spent　in　conversation　with
the　magistrates　of　the　city。　　While　the　better　class　of　the　inhabitants
gave　these　grand　entertainments　to　their　guests；　the　people；
notwithstanding　the　cold；　abandoned　themselves　on　the　public　squares　to
pleasure　and　dancing；　and　towards　midnight　there　was　a　fine　display　of
fireworks　on　the　Place　Bonaparte。

After　fifteen　or　eighteen　days　passed　at　Lyons；　we　returned　to　Paris；　the
First　Consul　and　his　wife　continuing　to　reside　by　preference　at
Malmaison。　　It　was；　I　think；　a　short　time　after　the　return　of　the　First
Consul　that　a　poorly　dressed　man　begged　an　audience；　an　order　was　given
to　admit　him　to　the　cabinet；　and　the　First　Consul　inquired　his　name。
〃General；〃　replied　the　petitioner；　frightened　by　his　presence；　〃it　is　I
who　had　the　honor　of　giving　you　writing　lessons　in　the　school　of
Brienne。〃〃Fine　scholar　you　have　made！〃　　interrupted　vehemently　the
First　Consul；　〃I　compliment　you　on　it！〃　　Then　he　began　to　laugh　at　his
own　vehemence；　and　addressed　a　few　kind　words　to　this　good　man；　whose
timidity　such　a　compliment　had　not　reassured。　　A　few　days　after　the
master　received；　from　the　least　promising；　doubtless；　of　all　his　pupils
at　Brienne　（you　know　how　the　Emperor　wrote）；　a　pension　amply　sufficient
for　his　needs。

Another　of　the　old　teachers　of　the　First　Consul；　the　Abbe　Dupuis；　was
appointed　by　him　to　the　post　of　private　librarian　at　Malmaison；　and　lived
and　died　there。　　He　was　a　modest　man；　and　had　the　reputation　of　being
well…educated。　　The　First　Consul　visited　him　often　in　his　room；　and　paid
him　every　imaginable　attention　and　respect。




CHAPTER　IX。

The　day　on　which　the　First　Consul　promulgated　the　law　of　public　worship；
he　rose　early；　and　entered　the　dressing…room　to　make　his　toilet。　　While
he　was　dressing　I　saw　Joseph　Bonaparte　enter　his　room　with　Cambaceres