napoleon bonaparte, v5-第6章

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the　picture　was　brought　to　the　palace　of　Saint…Cloud　the　very　day　on
which　the　Empress　heard　of　the　death　of　this　beloved　child。

He　was　hardly　three　years　old　when；　seeing　his　shoemaker's　bill　paid　with
five…franc　pieces；　he　screamed　loudly；　not　wishing　that　they　should　give
away　the　picture　of　his　Uncle　Bibiche。　　The　name　of　Bibiche　thus　given　by
the　young　prince　to　his　Majesty　originated　in　this　manner。　　The　Empress
had　several　gazelles　placed　in　the　park　of　Saint…Cloud；　which　were　very
much　afraid　of　all　the　inhabitants　of　the　palace　except　the　Emperor；　who
allowed　them　to　eat　tobacco　out　of　his　snuff…box；　and　thus　induced　them
to　follow　him；　and　took　much　pleasure　in　giving　them　the　tobacco　by　the
hands　of　the　little　Napoleon；　whom　he　also　put　on　the　back　of　one　of
them。　　The　latter　designated　these　pretty　animals　by　no　other　name　than
that　of　Bibiche；　and　amused　himself　by　giving　the　same　name　to　his　uncle。

This　charming　child；　who　was　adored　by　both　father　and　mother；　used　his
almost　magical　influence　over　each　in　order　to　reconcile　them　to　each
other。　　He　took　his　father　by　the　hand；　who　allowed　himself　to　be　thus
conducted　by　this　angel　of　peace　to　Queen　Hortense；　and　then　said　to　him；
〃Kiss　her；　papa；　I　beg　you；〃　and　was　perfectly　overjoyed　when　he　had　thus
succeeded　in　reconciling　these　two　beings　whom　he　loved　with　an　equal
affection。

How　could　such　a　beautiful　character　fail　to　make　this　angel　beloved　by
all　who　knew　him？　　How　could　the　Emperor；　who　loved　all　children；　fail　to
be　devoted　to　him；　even　had　he　not　been　his　nephew；　and　the　godson　of
that　good　Josephine　whom　he　never　ceased　to　love　for　a　single　instant？
At　the　age　of　seven　years；　when　that　malady；　the　croup；　so　dangerous　to
children；　snatched　him　from　his　heart…broken　family；　he　already　gave
evidence　of　remarkable　traits　of　character；　which　were　the　foundation　of
most　brilliant　hopes。　　His　proud　and　haughty　character；　while　rendering
him　susceptible　of　the　noblest　impressions；　was　not　incompatible　with
obedience　and　docility。　　The　idea　of　injustice　was　revolting　to　him；　but
he　readily　submitted　to　reasonable　advice　and　rightful　authority。

First…born　of　the　new　dynasty；　it　was　fitting　he　should　attract　as　he　did
the　deepest　tenderness　and　solicitude　of　the　chief。　　Malignity　and　envy；
which　ever　seek　to　defame　and　villify　the　great；　gave　slanderous
explanations　of　this　almost　paternal　attachment；　but　wise　and　thoughtful
men　saw　in　this　adoptive　tenderness　only　what　it　plainly　evinced；the
desire　and　hope　of　transmitting　his　immense　power；　and　the　grandest　name
in　the　universe；　to　an　heir；　indirect　it　is　true；　but　of　imperial　blood；
and　who；　reared　under　the　eyes；　and　by　the　direction　of　the　Emperor；
would　have　been　to　him　all　that　a　son　could　be。　　The　death　of　the　young
Napoleon　appeared　as　a　forerunner　of　misfortunes　in　the　midst　of　his
glorious　career；　disarranging　all　the　plans　which　the　monarch　had
conceived；　and　decided　him　to　concentrate　all　his　hopes　on　an　heir　in　a
direct　line。

It　was　then　that　the　first　thoughts　of　divorce　arose　in　his　mind；　though
it　did　not　take　place　until　two　years　later；　and　only　began　to　be　the
subject　of　private　conversation　during　the　stay　at　Fontainebleau。　　The
Empress　readily　saw　the　fatal　results　to　her　of　the　death　of　this　godson；
and　from　that　time　she　dwelt　upon　the　idea　of　this　terrible　event　which
ruined　her　life。　　This　premature　death　was　to　her　an　inconsolable　grief；
and　she　shut　herself　up　for　three　days；　weeping　bitterly；　seeing　no　one
except　her　women；　and　taking　almost　no　nourishment。　　It　even　seemed　that
she　feared　to　be　distracted　from　her　grief；　as　she　surrounded　herself
with　a　sort　of　avidity　with　all　that　could　recall　her　irreparable　loss。
She　obtained　with　some　difficulty　from　Queen　Hortense　some　of　the　young
prince's　hair；　which　his　heart…broken　mother　religiously　preserved；　and
the　Empress　had　this　hair　framed　on　a　cushion　of　black　velvet；　and　kept
it　always　near　her。　　I　often　saw　it　at　Malmaison；　and　never　without　deep
emotion。

But　how　can　I　attempt　to　describe　the　despair　of　Queen　Hortense；　of　that
woman　who　became　as　perfect　a　mother　as　she　had　been　a　daughter。　　She
never　left　her　son　a　moment　during　his　illness；　and　when　he　expired　in
her　arms；　still　wishing　to　remain　near　his　lifeless　body；　she　fastened
her　arms　through　those　of　her　chair；　in　order　that　she　might　not　be　torn
from　this　heartrending　scene。　　At　last　nature　succumbed　to　such　poignant
grief：　the　unhappy　mother　fainted；　and　the　opportunity　was　taken　to
remove　her　to　her　own　apartment；　still　in　the　chair　which　she　had　not
left；　and　which　her　arms　clasped　convulsively。　　On　awaking；　the　queen
uttered　piercing　screams；　and　her　dry　and　staring　eyes　and　white　lips
gave　reason　to　fear　that　she　was　near　her　end。　　Nothing　could　bring　tears
to　her　eyes；　until　at　last　a　chamberlain　conceived　the　idea　of　bringing
the　young　prince's　body；　and　placing　it　on　his　mother's　knees；　and　this
had　such　an　effect　on　her　that　her　tears　burst　forth　and　saved　her　life；
while　she　covered　with　kisses　the　cold　and　adored　remains。　　All　France
shared　the　grief　of　the　Queen　of　Holland。




CHAPTER　IV。

We　arrived　at　Saint…Cloud　on　the　27th　of　July；　and　the　Emperor　passed　the
summer　partly　in　this　residence；　and　partly　at　Fontainebleau；　returning
to　Paris　only　on　special　occasions；　and　never　remaining　longer　than
twenty…four　hours。　　During　his　Majesty's　absence；　the　chateau　of
Rambouillet　was　restored　and　furnished　anew；　and　the　Emperor　spent　a　few
days　there。　　The　first　time　he　entered　the　bathroom；　he　stopped　short　at
the　door　and　glanced　around　with　every　appearance　of　surprise　and
dissatisfaction；　and　when　I　sought　the　cause　of　this；　following　the
direction　of　his　Majesty's　eyes；　I　saw　that　they　rested　on　various　family
portraits　which　the　architect　had　painted　on　the　walls　of　the　room。　　They
were　those　of　madame　his　mother；　his　sisters；　Queen　Hortense；　etc。；　and
the　sight　of　such　a　gallery；　in　such　a　place；　excited　the　extreme
displeasure　of　the　Emperor。　　〃What　nonsense！〃　he　cried。　　〃Constant；
summon　Marshal　Duroc！〃　　And　when　the　grand　marshal　appeared；　his　Majesty
inquired；　〃Who　is　the　idiot　that　could　have　conceived　such　an　idea？
Order　the　painter　to　come　and　efface　all　that。　　He　must　have　little
respect　for　women　to　be　guilty　of　such　an　indecency。〃

When　the　court　sojourned　at　Fontainebleau；　the　inhabitants　indemnified
themselves　amply　for　his　Majesty's　long　absences　by　the　high　price　at
which　they　sold　all　articles　of　food。　　Their　extortions　became　scandalous
impositions；　and　more　than　one　foreigner　making　an　excursion　to
Fontainebleau　thought　himself　held　for　ransom　by　a　troop　of　Bedouins。
During　the　stay　of　the　court；　a　wretched　sacking…bed　in　a　miserable　inn
cost　twelve　francs　for　a　single　night；　the　smallest　meal　cost　an
incredible　price；　and　was；　notwithstanding；　detestable；　in　fact；　it
amounted　to　a　genuine　pillage　of　travelers。　　Cardinal　Caprara；

　　　　　＇Giovanni　Battista　Caprara；　born　of　a　noble　family　at　Bologna；
　　　　　1733；　count　and　archbishop　of　Milan；　cardinal；　1792；　Negotiated　the
　　　　　Concordat；　1801；　died　1810＇

whose　rigid　economy　was　known　to　all　Paris；　went　one　day　to　Fontainebleau
to　pay　his　court　to　the　Emperor；　and　at　the　hotel　where　he　alighted　took
only　a　single　cup　of　bouillon；　and　the　six　persons　of　his　suite　partook
only　of　a　very　light　repast；　as　the　cardinal　had　arranged　to　return　in
three　hours；　but　notwithstanding　this；　as　he　was　entering　his　carriage；
the　landlord　had　the　audacity　to　present　him　with　a　bill　for　six　hundred
francs！　　The　prince　of　the　church　indignantly　protested；　flew　into　a
rage；　threatened；　etc。；　but　all　in　vain；　and　the　bill　was　paid。

Such　an　outrageous　imposition　could　not　fail　to　reach　the　Emperor's　ears；
and　excited　his　anger　to　such　a　degree　that　he　at　once　ordered　a　fixed
schedule　of　prices；　which　it　was　forbidden　the　innkeepers　to　exceed。
This　put　an　end　to　the　exactions　of　the　bloodsuckers　of　Fontainebleau。

On　the　21st　of　August；　there　arrived　at　Paris　the　Princess　Catharine　of
Wurtemberg；　future　wife　of　Prince　Jerome　Napoleon；　King　of　Westphalia。
This　princess　was　about