napoleon bonaparte, v2-第9章

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the　Emperor；　and　besides　these；　six　pages　of　the　Emperor　were　always　in
attendance　upon　the　Empress。

The　chief　almoner　was　Ferdinand　de　Rohan；　former　archbishop　of　Cambray。

Another　decree　of　the　same　date　fixed　the　duties　of　the　prefects　of　the
palace。　　The　four　head　prefects　of　the　consular　palace　were　de　Remusat；
de　Crayamel　（afterwards　appointed　introduces　of　ambassadors；　and　master
of　ceremonies）；　de　Lugay；　and　Didelot。　　The　latter　subsequently　became
prefect　of　the　Department　of　the　Cher。

Malmaison　was　no　longer　sufficient　for　the　First　Consul；　whose　household；
like　that　of　Madame　Bonaparte；　became　daily　more　numerous。　　A　much　larger
building　had　become　necessary；　and　the　First　Consul　fixed　his　choice　upon
Saint…Cloud。

The　inhabitants　of　Saint…Cloud　addressed　a　petition　to　the　Corps
Legislatif；　praying　that　the　First　Consul　would　make　their　chateau　his
summer　residence；　and　this　body　hastened　to　transmit　it　to　him；　adding
their　prayers　to　the　same　effect；　and　making　comparisons　which　they
believed　would　be　agreeable　to　him。　　The　general　refused　formally；　saying
that　when　he　should　have　finished　and　laid　down　the　duties　with　which　the
people　had　charged　him；　he　would　feel　honored　by　any　recompense　which　the
popular　will　might　award　him；　but　that　so　long　as　he　was　the　chief　of　the
Government　he　would　accept　nothing。

Notwithstanding　the　determined　tone　of　this　reply；　the　inhabitants　of　the
village　of　Saint…Cloud；　who　had　the　greatest　interest　in　the　petition
being　granted；　renewed　it　when　the　First　Consul　was　chosen　consul　for
life；　and　he　then　consented　to　accept。　　The　expenses　of　the　repairs　and
furnishing　were　immense；　and　greatly　exceeded　the　calculations　that　had
been　made　for　him；　nevertheless；　he　was　not　satisfied　either　with　the
furniture　or　ornaments；　and　complained　to　Charvet；　the　concierge　at
Malmaison；　whom　he　appointed　to　the　same　post　in　the　new　palace；　and　whom
he　had　charged　with　the　general　supervision　of　the　furnishing　and　the
placing　of　the　furniture；　that　he　had　fitted　up　apartments　suitable　only
for　a　mistress；　and　that　they　contained　only　gewgaws　and　spangles；　and
nothing　substantial。　　On　this　occasion；　also；　he　gave　another　proof　of
his　habitual　desire　to　do　good；　in　spite　of　prejudices　which　had　not　yet
spent　their　force。　　Knowing　that　there　were　at　Saint…Cloud　a　large　number
of　the　former　servants　of　Queen　Marie　Antoinette；　he　charged　Charvet　to
offer　them　either　their　old　places　or　pensions；　and　most　of　them　resumed
their　former　posts。　　In　1814　the　Bourbons　were　far　from　acting　so
generously；　for　they　discharged　all　employees；　even　those　who　had　served
Marie　Antoinette。

The　First　Consul　had　been　installed　at　Saint…Cloud　only　a　short　while；
when　the　chateau；　which　had　thus　again　become　the　residence　of　the
sovereign　at　enormous　expense；　came　near　falling　a　prey　to　the　flames。
The　guard　room　was　under　the　vestibule；　in　the　center　of　the　palace；　and
one　night；　the　soldiers　having　made　an　unusually　large　fire；　the　stove
became　so　hot　that　a　sofa；　whose　back　touched　one　of　the　flues　which
warmed　the　saloon；　took　fire；　and　the　games　were　quickly　communicated　to
the　other　furniture。　　The　officer　on　duty　perceiving　this；　immediately
notified　the　concierge；　and　together　they　ran　to　General　Duroc's　room　and
awoke　him。　　The　general　rose　in　haste；　and；　commanding　perfect　silence；
made　a　chain　of　men。　　He　took　his　position　at　the　pool；　in　company　with
the　concierge；　and　thence　passed　buckets　of　water　to　the　soldiers　for　two
or　three　hours；　at　the　end　of　which　time　the　fire　was　extinguished；　but
only　after　devouring　all　the　furniture；　and　it　was　not　until　the　next
morning　that　the　First　Consul；　Josephine；　Hortense；　in　short；　all　the
other　occupants　of　the　chateau；　learned　of　the　accident；　all　of　whom；　the
First　Consul　especially；　expressed　their　appreciation　of　the
consideration　shown　in　not　alarming　them。

To　prevent；　or　at　least　to　render　such　accidents　less　likely　in　future；
the　First　Consul　organized　a　night…guard　at　Saint…Cloud；　and　subsequently
did　the　same　at　all　his　residences；　which　guard…was　called　〃the　watch。〃

During　his　early　occupation　of　Saint…Cloud　the　First　Consul　slept　in　the
same　bed　with　his　wife；　afterwards　etiquette　forbade　this；　and　as　a
result；　conjugal　affection　was　somewhat　chilled；　and　finally　the　First
Consul　occupied　an　apartment　at　some　distance　from　that　of　Madame
Bonaparte。　　To　reach　her　room　it　was　necessary　to　cross　a　long　corridor；
on　the　right　and　left　of　which　were　the　rooms　of　the　ladies…in…waiting；
the　women　of　the　service；　etc。　　When　he　wished　to　pass　the　night　with　his
wife；　he　undressed　in　his　own　room；　and　went　thence　in　his　wrapper　and
night…cap；　I　going　before　him　with　a　candle。　　At　the　end　of　this　corridor
a　staircase　of　fifteen　or　sixteen　steps　led　to　the　apartment　of　Madame
Bonaparte。　　It　was　a　great　joy　to　her　to　receive　a　visit　from　her
husband；　and　every　one　was　informed　of　it　next　morning。　　I　can　see　her
now　rubbing　her　little　hands；　saying；　〃I　rose　late　to…day；　but；　you　see；
it　is　because　Bonaparte　spent　the　night　with　me。〃　　On　such　days　she　was
more　amiable　than　ever；　refused　no　one；　and　all　got　whatever　they
requested。　　I　experienced　proofs　of　this　myself　many　times。

One　evening　as　I　was　conducting　the　First　Consul　on　one　of　these　visits
to　his　wife；　we　perceived　in　the　corridor　a　handsome　young　fellow　coming
out　of　the　apartment　of　one　of　Madame　Bonaparte's　women　servants。　　He
tried　to　steal　away；　but　the　First　Consul　cried　in　a　loud　voice；　〃Who
goes　there？　　Where　are　you　going？　　What　do　you　want？　　What　is　your　name？〃
He　was　merely　a　valet　of　Madame　Bonaparte；　and；　stupefied　by　these
startling　inquiries；　replied　in　a　frightened　voice　that　he　had　just
executed　an　errand　for　Madame　Bonaparte。　　〃Very　well；〃　replied　the　First
Consul；　〃but　do　not　let　me　catch　you　again。〃　　Satisfied　that　the　gallant
would　profit　by　the　lesson；　the　general　did　not　seek　to　learn　his　name；
nor　that　of　his　inamorata。　　This　reminds　me　of　an　occasion　on　which　he
was　much　more　severe　in　regard　to　another　chambermaid　of　Madame
Bonaparte。　　She　was　young；　and　very　pretty；　and　inspired　very　tender
sentiments　in　Rapp　and　E；　two　aides…de…camp；　who　besieged　her　with
their　sighs；　and　sent　her　flowers　and　billets…doux。　　The　young　girl；　at
least　such　was　the　opinion　of　every　one；　gave　them　no　encouragement；　and
Josephine　was　much　attached　to　her；　nevertheless；　when　the　First　Consul
observed　the　gallantries　of　the　young　men；　he　became　angry；　and　had　the
poor　girl　discharged；　in　spite　of　her　tears　and　the　prayers　of　Madame
Bonaparte　and　of　the　brave　and　honest　Colonel　Rapp；　who　swore　naively
that　the　fault　was　entirely　on　his　side；　that　the　poor　child　had　not
listened　to　him；　and　that　her　conduct　was　worthy　of　all　praise。　　Nothing
availed　against　the　resolution　of　the　First　Consul；　whose　only　reply　was；
〃I　will　have　nothing　improper　in　my　household；　and　no　scandal。〃

Whenever　the　First　Consul　made　a　distribution　of　arms　of　honor；　there　was
always　a　banquet　at　the　Tuileries；　to　which　were　admitted；　without
distinction；　and　whatever　their　grade；　all　who　had　a　share　in　these
rewards。　　At　these　banquets；　which　took　place　in　the　grand　gallery　of　the
chateau；　there　were　sometimes　two　hundred　guests；　and　General　Duroc　being
master　of　ceremonies　on　these　occasions；　the　First　Consul　took　care　to
recommend　him　to　intermingle　the　private　soldiers；　the　colonels；　the
generals；　etc。　　He　ordered　the　domestics　to　show　especial　attention　to
the　private　soldiers；　and　to　see　that　they　had　plenty　of　the　best　to　eat
and　to　drink。　　These　are　the　longest　repasts　I　have　seen　the　emperor
make；　and　on　these　occasions　he　was　amiable　and　entirely　unconstrained；
making　every　effort　to　put　his　guests　entirely　at　their　ease；　though　with
many　of　them　this　was　a　difficult　task。　　Nothing　was　more　amusing　than　to
see　these　brave　soldiers　sitting　two　feet　from…the　table；　not　daring　to
approach　their　plates　or　the　food；　red　to　the　ears；　and　with　their　necks
stretched　out　towards　the　general；　as　if　to　receive　the　word　of　command。
The　First　Consul　made　them　relate　the　notable　deeds　which　had　brought
each　his　nati