napoleon bonaparte, v5-第11章

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succeeded　in　forcing　himself；　to　take　the　oath　of　allegiance　to　the
Austrians；　and　had　swooned　away　while　resigning　to　them　the　keys　of　the
city。

The　gondoliers　are　at　the　same　time　servants；　errand　boys；　confidants；
and　companions　in　adventures　to　the　person　who　takes　them　into　his
service；　and　nothing　can　equal　the　courage；　fidelity；　and　gayety　of　these
brave　seamen。　　They　expose　themselves　fearlessly　in　their　slender
gondolas　to　tempests；　and　their　skill　is　so　great　that　they　turn　with
incredible　rapidity　in　the　narrowest　canals；　cross　each　other；　follow；
and　pass　each　other　incessantly；　without　ever　having　an　accident。

I　found　myself　in　a　position　to　judge　of　the　skill　of　these　hardy
mariners　the　day　after　our　visit　to　the　arsenal。　　His　Majesty　was
conducted　through　the　lagoons　as　far　as　the　fortified　gate　of　Mala…Mocca；
and　the　gondoliers　gave　as　he　returned　a　boat…race　and　tournament　on　the
water。　　On　that　day　there　was　also　a　special　representation　at　the　grand
theater；　and　the　whole　city　was　illuminated。　　In　fact；　one　might　think
that　there　is　a　continual　fete　and　general　illumination　in　Venice；　the
custom　being　to　spend　the　greater　part　of　the　night　in　business　or
pleasure；　and　the　streets　are　as　brilliant　and　as　full　of　people　as　in
Paris　at　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon。　　The　shops；　especially　those　of
the　square　of　Saint　Mark；　are　brilliantly　lighted；　and　crowds　fill　the
small　decorated　pavilions　where　coffee；　ices；　and　refreshments　of　all
kinds　are　sold。

The　Emperor　did　not　adopt　the　Venetian　mode　of　life；　however；　and　retired
at　the　same　hour　as　in　Paris；　and　when　he　did　not　pass　the　day　working
with　his　ministers；　rode　in　a　gondola　through　the　lagoons；　or　visited　the
principal　establishments　and　public　buildings　of　Venice；　and　I　thus　saw；
in　company　with　his　Majesty；　the　church　of　Saint　Mark；　and　the　ancient
palace　of　the　Doge。

The　church　of　Saint　Mark　has　five　entrances；　superbly　decorated　with
marble　columns；　the　gates　are　of　bronze　and　beautifully　carved。　　Above
the　middle　door　were　formerly　the　four　famous　bronze　horses；　which　the
Emperor　carried　to　Paris　to　ornament　the　Arch　of　Triumph　on　the　Place　du
Carrousel。　　The　tower　is　separated　from　the　church　by　a　small　square；
from　the　midst　of　which　it　rises　to　a　height　of　more　than　three　hundred
feet。　　It　is　ascended　by　an　inclined　platform　without　steps；　which　is
very　convenient；　and　on　arriving　at　the　summit　the　most　magnificent
panorama　is　spread　out　before　you；　Venice　with　its　innumerable　islands
covered　with　palaces；　churches；　and　buildings；　and　extending　at　a
distance　into　the　sea；　also　the　immense　dike；　sixty　feet　broad；　several
fathoms　deep；　and　built　of　great　blocks　of　stone；　which　enormous　work
surrounds　Venice　and　all　its　islands；　and　defends　it　against　the　rising
of　the　sea。

The　Venetians　have　the　greatest　admiration　for　the　clock　placed　in　the
tower　bearing　its　name；　and　the　mechanism　of　which　shows　the　progress
of　the　sun　and　moon　through　the　twelve　signs　of　the　zodiac。　　In　a　niche
above　the　dialplate　is　an　image　of　the　Virgin；　which　is　gilded　and
lifesize；　and　it　is　said　that　on　certain　fete　days；　each　blow　of　the
pendulum　makes　two　angels　appear；　trumpet　in　hand；　followed　by　the　Three
Wise　Men；　who　prostrate　themselves　at　the　feet　of　the　Virgin　Mary。　　I　saw
nothing　of　all　that；　but　only　two　large　black　figures　striking　the　hour
on　the　clock　with　iron　clubs。

The　Doge's　palace　is　a　gloomy　building；　and　the　prisons；　which　are
separated　from　it　only　by　a　narrow　canal；　render　the　aspect　still　more
depressing。

At　Venice　one　finds　merchants　from　every　nation；　Jews　and　Greeks　being
very　numerous。　　Roustan；　who　understood　the　language　of　the　latter；　was
sought　after　by　the　most　distinguished　among　them；　and　the　heads　of　a
Greek　family　came　one　day　to　invite　him　to　visit　them　at　their　residence
on　one　of　the　islands　which　lie　around　Venice。　　Roustan　confided　to　me
his　desire　to　accept　this　invitation；　and　I　was　delighted　with　his
proposition　that　I　should　accompany　him。　　On　our　arrival　at　their　island；
we　were　received　by　our　hosts；　who　were　very　wealthy　merchants；　as　if　we
had　been　old　friends。　　The　apartment；　a　kind　of　parlor　into　which　we　were
ushered；　not　only　evinced　cultivation　and　refinement；　but　great　elegance；
a　large　divan　extended　around　the　hall；　the　inlaid　floor　of　which　was
covered　with　artistically　woven　mats。　　Our　hosts　were　six　men　who　were
associated　in　the　same　trade。　　I　would　have　been　somewhat　embarrassed　had
not　one　of　them　who　spoke　French　conversed　with　me；　while　the　others
talked　to　Roustan　in　their　native　tongue。　　We　were　offered　coffee；
fruits；　ices；　and　pipes；　and　as　I　was　never　fond　of　smoking；　and　knew
besides　the　disgust　inspired　in　the　Emperor　by　odors　in　general；　and
especially　that　of　tobacco；　I　refused　the　pipe；　and　expressed　a　fear　that
my　clothes　might　be　scented　by　being　so　near　the　smokers。　　I　thought　I
perceived　that　this　delicacy　lowered　me　considerably　in　the　esteem　of　my
hosts；　notwithstanding　which；　as　we　left；　they　gave　us　most　urgent
invitations　to　repeat　our　visit；　which　it　was　impossible　to　do；　as　the
Emperor　soon　after　left　Venice。

On　my　return；　the　Emperor　asked　me　if　I　had　been　through　the　city；　what　I
thought　of　it；　and　if　I　had　entered　any　residences；　in　fact；　what　seemed
to　me　worthy　of　notice。　　I　replied　as　well　as　I　could；　and　as　his　Majesty
was　just　then　in　a　mood　for　light　conversation；　spoke　to　him　of　our
excursion；　and　visit　to　the　Greek　family。　　The　Emperor　asked　me　what
these　Greeks　thought　of　him。　　〃Sire；〃　replied　I；　〃the　one　who　spoke
French　seemed　entirely　devoted　to　your　Majesty；　and　expressed　to　me　the
hope　which　he　and　also　his　brothers　entertained；　that　the　Emperor　of　the
French；　who　had　successfully　combated　the　mamelukes　in　Egypt；　might　also
some　day　make　himself　the　liberator　of　Greece。〃

〃Ah；　Monsieur　Constant；〃　said　the　Emperor　to　me；　pinching　me　sharply；
〃you　are　meddling　with　politics。〃〃Pardon　me；　Sire；　I　only　repeated　what
I　heard；　and　it　is　not　astonishing　that　all　the　oppressed　count　on　your
Majesty's　aid。　　These　poor　Greeks　seem　to　love　their　country
passionately；　and；　above　all；　detest　the　Turks　most　cordially。〃〃That　is
good；〃　said　his　Majesty；　〃but　I　must　first　of　all　attend　to　my　own
business。　　Constant！〃　　continued　his　Majesty　suddenly　changing　the
subject　of　this　conversation　with　which　he　had　deigned　to　honor　me；　and
smiling　with　an　ironical　air；　〃what　do　you　think　of　the　appearance　of　the
beautiful　Greek　women？　　How　many　models　have　you　seen　worthy　of　Canova　or
of　David？　　〃I　was　obliged　to　admit　to　his　Majesty　that　what　had
influenced　me　most　in　accepting　Roustan's　proposition　was　the　hope　of
seeing　a　few　of　these　much　vaunted　beauties；　and　that　I　had　been　cruelly
disappointed　in　not　having　seen　the　shadow　of　a　woman。　　At　this　frank
avowal　the　Emperor；　who　had　expected　it　in　advance；　laughed　heartily；　and
took　his　revenge　on　my　ears；　calling　me　a　libertine：　〃You　do　not　know
then；　Monsieur　le　Drole；　that　your　good　friends　the　Greeks　have　adopted
the　customs　of　those　Turks　whom　they　detest　so　cordially；　and　like　them
seclude　their　wives　and　daughters　in　order　that　they　may　never　appear
before　bad　men　like　yourself。〃

Although　the　Greek　ladies　of　Venice　may　be　carefully　watched　by　their
husbands；　they　are　neither　secluded　nor　guarded　in　a　seraglio　like　the
Turkish　women；　for　during　our　stay　at　Venice；　a　great　person　spoke　to　his
Majesty　of　a　young　and　beautiful　Greek；　who　was　an　enthusiastic　admirer
of　the　Emperor　of　the　French。　　This　lady　was　very　ambitious　of　being
received　by　his　Majesty　in　his　private　rooms；　and　although　carefully
watched　by　a　jealous　husband；　had　found　means　to　send　to　the　Emperor　a
letter　in　which　she　depicted　the　intensity　of　her　love　and　admiration。
This　letter；　written　with　real　passion　and　in　an　exalted　strain；　inspired
in　his　Majesty　a　desire　to　see　and　know　the　author；　but　it　was　necessary
he　should　use　precautions；　for　the　Emperor　was　not　the　man　to　abuse　his
power　to　snatch　a　woman　from　her　husband；　and　yet　all　the　care　that　he
took　in　keeping　the　affair　secret　did　not　prevent　her　husband　from
suspecting　the　plans