napoleon bonaparte, v5-第3章

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his　honor。　　His　Majesty　sent　in　return　an　embassy　to　the　Shah；　at　the
head　of　which　he　placed　General　Gardanne；　who　it　was　then　said　had　an
especial　reason　for　wishing　to　visit　Persia。　　It　was　rumored　that　one　of
his　relations；　after　a　long　residence　at　Teheran；　had　been　compelled；
having　taken　part　in　an　insurrection　against　the　Franks；　to　quit　this
capital；　and　before　his　flight　had　buried　a　considerable　treasure　in　a
certain　spot；　the　description　of　which　he　had　carried　to　France。　　I　will
add；　as　a　finale　to　this　story；　some　facts　which　I　have　since　learned。
General　Gardanne　found　the　capital　in　a　state　of　confusion；　and　being
able　neither　to　locate　the　spot　nor　discover　the　treasure；　returned　from
his　embassy　with　empty　hands。

Our　stay　at　Finkenstein　became　very　tiresome；　and　in　order　to　while　away
the　time；　his　Majesty　sometimes　played　with　his　generals　and　aides…de…
camp。　　The　game　was　usually　vingt…et…un；　and　the　Great　Captain　took　much
pleasure　in　cheating；　holding　through　several　deals　the　cards　necessary
to　complete　the　required　number；　and　was　much　amused　when　he　won　the　game
by　this　finesse。　　I　furnished　the　sum　necessary　for　his　game；　and　as　soon
as　he　returned　to　his　quarters　received　orders　to　make　out　his　account。
He　always　gave　me　half　of　his　gains；　and　I　divided　the　remainder　between
the　ordinary　valets　de　chambre。

I　have　no　intention；　in　this　journal；　of　conforming　to　a　very　exact　order
of　dates；　and　whenever　there　recurs　to　my　memory　a　fact　or　an　anecdote
which　seems　to　me　deserving　of　mention；　I　shall　jot　it　down；　at　whatever
point　of　my　narrative　I　may　have　then　reached；　fearing　lest；　should　I
defer　it　to　its　proper　epoch；　it　might　be　forgotten。　　In　pursuance　of
this　plan　I　shall　here　relate；　in　passing；　some　souvenirs　of　Saint…Cloud
or　the　Tuileries；　although　we　are　now　in　camp　at　Finkenstein。　　The
pastimes　in　which　his　Majesty　and　his　general　officers　indulged　recalled
these　anecdotes　to　my　recollection。　　These　gentlemen　often　made　wagers　or
bets　among　themselves；　and　I　heard　the　Duke　of　Vicenza　one　day　bet　that
Monsieur　Jardin；　junior；　equerry　of　his　Majesty；　mounted　backwards　on　his
horse；　could　reach　the　end　of　the　avenue　in　front　of　the　chateau　in　the
space　of　a　few　moments；　which　bet　the　equerry　won。

Messieurs　Fain；　Meneval；　and　Ivan　once　played　a　singular　joke　on　Monsieur
B。　　d'A　；　who；　they　knew；　was　subject　to　frequent　attacks　of
gallantry。　　They　dressed　a　young　man　in　woman's　clothes；　and　sent　him　to
promenade；　thus　disguised；　in　an　avenue　near　the　chateau。　　Monsieur
B。　　d'A　was　very　near…sighted；　and　generally　used　an　eyeglass。　　These
gentlemen　invited　him　to　take　a　walk；　and　as　soon　as　he　was　outside　the
door；　he　perceived　the　beautiful　promenader；　and　could　not　restrain　an
exclamation　of　surprise　and　joy　at　the　sight。

His　friends　feigned　to　share　his　delight；　and　urged　him；　as　the　most
enterprising；　to　make　the　first　advances；　whereupon；　in　great　excitement；
he　hastened　after　the　pretended　young　lady；　whom　they　had　taught　his　role
perfectly。　　Monsieur　d'A　outdid　himself　in　politeness；　in　attentions；
in　offers　of　service；　insisting　eagerly　on　doing　the　honors　of　the
chateau　to　his　new　conquest。　　The　other　acted　his　part　perfectly；　and
after　many　coquettish　airs　on　his　side；　and　many　protestations　on　the
part　of　Monsieur　d'A　；　a　rendezvous　was　made　for　that　very　evening；　and
the　lover；　radiant　with　hope；　returned　to　his　friends；　maintaining　much
discretion　and　reserve　as　to　his　good　fortune；　while　he　really　would　have
liked　to　devour　the　time　which　must　pass　before　the　day　was　over。　　At
last　the　evening　arrived　which　was　to　put　an　end　to　his　impatience；　and
bring　the　time　of　his　interview；　and　his　disappointment　and　rage　may　be
imagined　when　he　discovered　the　deception　which　had　been　practiced　on
him。　　Monsieur　d'A　wished　at　first　to　challenge　the　authors　and
actors　in　this　hoax；　and　could　with　great　difficulty　be　appeased。

It　was；　I　think；　on　the　return　from　this　campaign；　that　Prince　Jerome　saw
at　Breslau；　at　the　theater　of　that　town；　a　young　and　very　pretty　actress；
who　played　her　part　badly；　but　sang　very　well。　　He　made　advances；　which
she　received　coolly：　but　kings　do　not　sigh　long　in　vain；　they　place　too
heavy　a　weight　in　the　balance　against　discretion。　　His　Majesty；　the　King
of　Westphalia；　carried　off　his　conquest　to　Cassel；　and　at　the　end　of　a
short　time　she　was　married　to　his　first　valet　de　chambre；　Albertoni；
whose　Italian　morals　were　not　shocked　by　this　marriage。　　Some
disagreement；　the　cause；　of　which　I　do　not　know；　having　caused　Albertoni
to　quit　the　king；　he　returned　to　Paris　with　his　wife；　and　engaged　in
speculations；　in　which　he　lost　all　that　he　had　gained；　and　I　have　been
told　that　he　returned　to　Italy。　　One　thing　that　always　appeared　to　me
extraordinary　was　the　jealousy　of　Albertoni　towards　his　wifean　exacting
jealousy　which　kept　his　eyes　open　towards　all　men　except　the　king；　for　I
am　well　convinced　that　the　liaison　continued　after　their　marriage。

The　brothers　of　the　Emperor；　although　kings；　were　sometimes　kept　waiting
in　the　Emperor's　antechamber。　　King　Jerome　came　one　morning　by　order　of
the　Emperor；　who；　having　not　yet　risen；　told　me　to　beg　the　King　of
Westphalia　to　wait。　　As　the　Emperor　wished　to　sleep　a　little　longer；　I
remained　with　the　other　servants　in　the　saloon　which　was　used　as　an
antechamber；　and　the　king　waited　with　us；　I　do　not　say　in　patience；　for
he　constantly　moved　from　chair　to　chair；　promenaded　back　and　forth
between　the　window　and　the　fireplace；　manifesting　much　annoyance；　and
speaking　now　and　then　to　me；　whom　he　always　treated　with　great　kindness。
Thus　more　than　half　an　hour　passed；　and　at　last　I　entered　the　Emperor's
room；　and　when　he　had　put　on　his　dressing…gown；　informed　him　that　his
Majesty　was　waiting；　and　after　introducing　him；　I　withdrew。　　The　Emperor
gave　him　a　cool　reception；　and　lectured　him　severely；　and　as　he　spoke
very　loud；　I　heard　him　against　my　will；　but　the　king　made　his　excuses　in
so　low　a　tone　that　I　could　not　hear　a　word　of　his　justification。　　Such
scenes　were　often　repeated；　for　the　prince　was　dissipated　and　prodigal；
which　displeased　the　Emperor　above　all　things　else；　and　for　which　he
reproved　him　severely；　although　he　loved　him；　or　rather　because　he　loved
him　so　much；　for　it　is　remarkable；　that　notwithstanding　the　frequent
causes　of　displeasure　which　his　family　gave　him；　the　Emperor　still　felt
for　all　his　relations　the　warmest　affection。

A　short　time　after　the　taking　of　Dantzig　（May　24；　1807）；　the　Emperor；
wishing　to　reward　Marshal　Lefebvre　for　the　recent　services　which　he　had
rendered；　had　him　summoned　at　six　o'clock　in　the　morning。　　His　Majesty
was　in　consultation　with　the　chief…of…staff　of　the　army　when　the　arrival
of　the　marshal　was　announced。　　〃Ah！〃　　said　he　to　Berthier；　〃the　duke　does
not　delay。〃　　Then；　turning　to　the　officer　on　duty；　〃　Say　to　the　Duke　of
Dantzig　that　I　have　summoned　him　so　early　in　order　that　he　may　breakfast
with　me。〃　　The　officer；　thinking　that　the　Emperor　had　misunderstood　the
name；　remarked　to　him；　that　the　person　who　awaited　his　orders　was　not　the
Duke　of　Dantzig；　but　Marshal　Lefebvre。　　〃It　seems；　monsieur；　that　you
think　me　more　capable　of　making　a　count　＇faire　un　conte＇　than　a　duke。〃

The　officer　was　somewhat　disconcerted　by　this　reply；　but　the　Emperor
reassured　him　with　a　smile；　and　said；　〃Go；　give　the　duke　my　invitation；
and　say　to　him　that　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour　breakfast　will　be　served。〃
The　officer　returned　to　the　marshal；　who　was；　of　course；　very　anxious　to
know　why　the　Emperor　had　summoned　him。　　〃Monsieur　le　Due；　the　Emperor
invites　you　to　breakfast　with　him；　and　begs　you　to　wait　a　quarter　of　an
hour。〃　　The　marshal；　not　having　noticed　the　new　title　which　the　officer
gave　him；　replied　by　a　nod；　and　seated　himself　on　a　folding　chair　on　the
back　of　which　hung　the　Emperor's　sword；　which　the　marshal　inspected　and
touched　with　admiration　and　respect。　　The　quarter　of　an　hour　passed；　when
another　ordnance　officer　came　to　summon　the　marshal　to　the　Emperor；　who
was　already　at　table　with　the　chief…of…staff；　and　as　he　entered；　the
Emperor　saluted　him　with；　〃Good…day；　Monsieur　le　Due；　b