napoleon bonaparte, v2-第7章

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held　a　reception　for　the　wives　of　the　officials；　at　which　the　First
Consul　was　present；　of　which　fact　some　availed　themselves　to　present　to
him　several　emigres；　who　had　recently　returned　under　the　act　of　amnesty；
and　whom　he　received　graciously。

After　which　followed　crowds；　illuminations；　acclamations；　all　similar　to
those　of　the　evening　before。　　Every　one　wore　an　air　of　rejoicing　which
delighted　me；　and　contrasted　strangely；　I　thought；　with　the　dreadful
wooden　houses；　narrow；　filthy　streets；　and　Gothic　buildings　which　then
distinguished　the　town　of　Rouen。

Monday；　Nov。　1；　at　seven　o'clock　in　the　morning；　the　First　Consul　mounted
his　horse；　and；　escorted　by　a　detachment　of　the　young　men　of　the　city；
forming　a　volunteer　guard；　passed　the　bridge　of　boats；　and　reached　the
Faubourg　Saint…Sever。　　On　his　return　from　this　excursion；　we　found　the
populace　awaiting　him　at　the　head　of　the　bridge；　whence　they　escorted　him
to　the　hotel　of　the　prefecture；　manifesting　the　liveliest　joy。

After　breakfast；　there　was　a　high　mass　by　the　archbishop；　the　occasion
being　the　fete　of　All　Saints；　then　came　the　learned　societies；　the　chiefs
of　administration；　and　justices　of　the　peace；　with　their　speeches；　one　of
which　contained　a　remarkable　sentence；　in　which　these　good　magistrates；
in　their　enthusiasm；　asked　the　First　Consul's　permission　to　surname　him
the　great　justice　of　the　peace　of　Europe。　　As　they　left　the　Consul's
apartment　I　noticed　their　spokesman；　　he　had　tears　in　his　eyes；　and　was
repeating　with　pride　the　reply　he　had　just　received。

I　regret　that　I　do　not　remember　his　name；　but　I　was　told　that　he　was　one
of　the　most　highly　esteemed　men　in　Rouen。　　His　countenance　inspired
confidence；　and　bore　an　expression　of　frankness；　which　prepossessed　me　in
his　favor。

In　the　evening　the　First　Consul　went　to　the　theater；　which　was　packed　to
the　ceiling；　and　offered　a　charming　sight。　　The　municipal　authorities　had
a　delightful　fete　prepared；　which　the　First　Consul　found　much　to　his
taste；　and　upon　which　he　complimented　the　prefect　and　the　mayor　on
several　different　occasions。　　After　witnessing　the　opening　of　the　ball；
he　made　two　or　three　turns　in　the　hall；　and　retired；　escorted　by　the
staff　of　the　National　Guard。

On　Tuesday　much　of　the　day　was　spent　by　the　First　Consul　in　visiting　the
workshops　of　the　numerous　factories　of　the　city；　accompanied　by　the
minister　of　the　interior；　the　prefect；　the　mayor；　the　general　commanding
the　division；　the　inspector…general　of　police；　and　the　staff　of　the
Consular　Guard。　　In　a　factory　of　the　Faubourg　Saint…Sever；　the　minister
of　the　interior　presented　to　him　the　dean　of　the　workmen；　noted　as　having
woven　the　first　piece　of　velvet　in　France；　and　the　First　Consul；　after
complimenting　this　honorable　old　man；　granted　him　a　pension。　　Other
rewards　and　encouragements　were　likewise　distributed　to　several　parties
whose　useful　inventions　commended　them　to　public　gratitude。

Wednesday　morning　early　we　left　for　Elbeuf；　where　we　arrived　at　ten
o'clock；　preceded　by　threescore　young　men　of　the　most　distinguished
families　of　the　city；　who；　following　the　example　of　those　of　Rouen；
aspired　to　the　honor　of　forming　the　guard　of　the　First　Consul。

The　country　around　us　was　covered　with　an　innumerable　multitude；　gathered
from　all　the　surrounding　communes。　　The　First　Consul　alighted　at　Elbeuf；
at　the　house　of　the　mayor；　where　he　took　breakfast；　and　then　visited　the
town　in　detail；　obtaining　information　everywhere；　and　knowing　that　one　of
the　first　wishes　of　the　citizens　was　the　construction　of　a　road　from
Elbeuf　to　a　small　neighboring　town　called　Romilly；　he　gave　orders　to　the
minister　of　the　interior　to　begin　work　upon　it　immediately。

At　Elbeuf；　as　at　Rouen；　the　First　Consul　was　overwhelmed　with　homage　and
benedictions；　and　we　returned　from　this　last　town　at　four　o'clock　in　the
afternoon。

The　merchants　of　Rouen　had　prepared　a　fete　in　the　hall　of　the　Stock
Exchange；　which　the　First　Consul　and　his　family　attended　after　dinner。
He　remained　a　long　time　on　the　ground　floor　of　this　building；　where　there
were　displayed　magnificent　specimens　from　the　industries　of　this
Department。　　He　examined　everything；　and　made　Madame　Bonaparte　do　the
same；　and　she　also　purchased　several　pieces　of　cloth。

The　First　Consul　then　ascended　to　the　first　floor；　where；　in　the　grand
saloon；　were　gathered　about　a　hundred　ladies；　married　and　single；　and
almost　all　pretty；　the　wives　and　daughters　of　the　principal　merchants　of
Rouen；　who　were　waiting　to　compliment　him。　　He　seated　himself　in　this
charming　circle；　and　remained　there　perhaps　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　then
passed　into　another　room；　where　awaited　him　the　representation　of　a
little　proverb；　containing　couplets　expressing；　as　may　be　imagined；　the
attachment　and　gratitude　of　the　inhabitants　of　Rouen。　　This　play　was
followed　by　a　ball。

Thursday　evening　the　First　Consul　announced　that　he　would　leave　for　Havre
the　next　morning　at　daybreak；　and　exactly　at　five　o'clock　I　was　awakened
by　Hebert；　who　said　that　at　six　o'clock　we　would　set　out。　　I　awoke
feeling　badly；　was　sick　the　whole　day；　and　would　have　given　much　to　have
slept　a　few　hours　longer；　but　we　were　compelled　to　begin　our　journey。
Before　entering　his　carriage；　the　First　Consul　made　a　present　to
Monseigneur；　the　archbishop；　of　a　snuff…box　with　his　portrait；　and　also
gave　one　to　the　mayor；　on　which　was　the　inscription；　'Peuple　Francais'。

We　stopped　at　Caudebec　for　breakfast。　　The　mayor　of　this　town　presented
to　the　First　Consul　a　corporal　who　had　made　the　campaign　of　Italy　（his
name　was；　I　think；　Roussel）；　and　who　had　received　a　sword　of　honor　as　a
reward　for　his　brave　conduct　at　Marengo。　　He　was　at　Caudebec　on　a　half…
year's　furlough；　and　asked　the　First　Consul's　permission　to　be　a　sentinel
at　the　door　of　the　apartment　of　the　august　travelers；　which　was　granted；
and　after　the　First　Consul　and　Madame　Bonaparte　were　seated　at　the　table；
Roussel　was　sent　for；　and　invited　to　breakfast　with　his　former　general。
At　Havre　and　at　Dieppe　the　First　Consul　invited　thus　to　his　table　all　the
soldiers　or　sailors　who　had　received　guns；　sabers；　or　boarding…axes　of
honor。　　The　First　Consul　stopped　an　hour　at　Bolbec；　showing　much
attention　and　interest　in　examining　the　products　of　the　industries　of　the
district；　complimenting　the　guards　of　honor　who　passed　before　him　on
their　fine　appearance；　thanking　the　clergy　for　the　prayers　in　his　behalf
which　they　addressed　to　Heaven；　and　leaving　for　the　poor；　either　in　their
own　hands；　or　in　the　hands　of　the　mayor；　souvenirs　of　his　stay。　　On　the
arrival　of　the　First　Consul　at　Havre；　the　city　was　illuminated；　and　the
First　Consul　and　his　numerous　cortege　passed　between　two　rows　of
illuminations　and　columns　of　fire　of　all　kinds。　　The　vessels　in　the　port
appeared　like　a　forest　on　fire；　being　covered　with　colored　lamps　to　the
very　top　of　their　masts。　　The　First　Consul　received；　the　day　of　his
arrival　at　Havre；　only　a　part　of　the　authorities　of　the　city；　and　soon
after　retired；　saying　that　he　was　fatigued；　but　at　six　o'clock　in　the
morning　of　the　next　day　he　was　on　horseback；　and　until　two　o'clock　he
rode　along　the　seacoast　and　low　hills　of　Ingouville　for　more　than　a
league；　and　the　banks　of　the　Seine　as　far　as　the　cliffs　of　Hoc。　　He　also
made　a　tour　outside　of　the　citadel。　　About　three　o'clock　the　First　Consul
began　to　receive　the　authorities。　　He　conversed　with　them　in　great　detail
upon　the　work　that　had；　been　done　at　this　place　in　order　that　their　port；
which　he　always　called　the　port　of　Paris；　might　reach　the　highest　degree
of　prosperity；　and　did　the　sub…prefect；　the　mayor；　the　two　presidents　of
the　tribunals；　the　commandant　of　the　place；　and　the　chief　of　the　tenth
demi…brigade　of　light　infantry　the　honor　of　inviting　them　to　his　table。

In　the　evening　the　First　Consul　went　to　the　theater；　where　they　played　a
piece　composed　for　the　occasion；　about　as　admirable　as　such　pieces
usually　are；　but　on　which　the　First　Consul　and　Madame　Bonaparte
especially　complimented　the　authors。　　The　illuminations　were　more
brilliant　even　than　on　the　evening　before；　and　I　remember　especially　that
the　largest　number　of　transparencies　bore