napoleon bonaparte, v5-第8章

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apartment　situated　behind　these　arcades　on　the　ground　floor；　and　his
Majesty　informed　me　that　I　would　find　a　window　open；　through　which　I　must
enter　cautiously；　in　the　darkness；　and　give　his　note　to　a　person　who
would　ask　for　it。　　This　darkness　was　necessary；　because　this　window
opened　on　the　garden；　and　though　behind　the　arcades；　would　have　been
noticed　had　there　been　a　light。　　Not　knowing　the　interior　of　these
apartments；　I　entered　through　the　window；　thinking　I　could　then　walk　on　a
level；　but　had　a　terrible　fall　over　a　high　step　which　was　in　the
embrasure　of　the　window。　　I　heard　some　one　scream　as　I　fell；　and　a　door
was　suddenly　closed。　　I　had　received　severe　bruises　on　my　knee；　elbow；
and　head；　and　rising　with　difficulty；　at　once　began　a　search　around　the
apartment；　groping　in　the　dark；　but　hearing　nothing　more；　and　fearing　to
make　some　fresh　noise　which　might　be　heard　by　persons　who　should　not　know
of　my　presence　there；　I　decided　to　return　to　the　Emperor；　and　report　to
him　my　adventures。

Finding　that　none　of　my　injuries　were　serious；　the　Emperor　laughed　most
heartily；　and　then　added；　〃Oh；　oh；　so　there　is　a　step；　it　is　well　to　know
that。　　Wait　till　Madame　B　is　over　her　fright；　I　will　go　to　her；　and
you　will　accompany　me。〃　　At　the　end　of　an　hour；　the　Emperor　emerged　with
me　from　the　door　of　his　cabinet　which　opened　on　the　garden。　　I　conducted
him　in　silence　towards　the　window　which　was　still　open　and　assisted　him
to　enter；　and　having　obtained　to　my　cost　a　correct　idea　of　the　spot；
directed　him　how　to　avoid　a　fall。

His　Majesty；　having　entered　the　chamber　without　accident；　told　me　to
retire。　　I　was　not　without　some　anxiety　as　I　informed　the　Emperor；　but　he
replied　that　I　was　a　child；　and　there　could　be　no　danger。　　It　appeared
that　his　Majesty　succeeded　better　than　I　had　done；as　he　did　not　return
until　daybreak；　and　then　jested　about　my　awkwardness；　admitting；　however；
that　if　he　had　not　been　warned；　a　similar　accident　would　have　befallen
him。

Although　Madame　de　B　was　worthy　of　a　genuine　attachment；　her　liaison
with　the　Emperor　lasted　only　a　short　while；　and　was　only　a　passing　fancy。
I　think　that　the　difficulties　surrounding　his　nocturnal　visits　cooled　his
Majesty's　ardor　greatly；　for　the　Emperor　was　not　enough　in　love　to　be
willing　to　brave　everything　in　order　to　see　his　beautiful　mistress。　　His
Majesty　informed　me　of　the　fright　which　my　fall　had　caused　her；　and　how
anxious　this　amiable　lady　had　been　on　my　account；　and　how　he　had
reassured　her；　this　did　not；　however；　prevent　her　sending　next　day　to
know　how　I　was；　by　a　confidential　person；　who　told　me　again　how
interested　Madame　de　B　had　been　in　my　accident。

Often　at　Fontainebleau　there　was　a　court　representation；　in　which　the
actors　of　the　first　theaters　received　orders　to　play　before　their
Majesties　scenes　selected　from　their　various　repertoires。　　Mademoiselle
Mars　was　to　play　the　evening　of　her　arrival；　but　at　Essonne；　where　she
was　obliged　to　stop　a　moment　on　account　of　the　road　being　filled　with
cattle　going　or　returning　from　Fontainebleau；　her　trunk　had　been　stolen；
a　fact　of　which　she　was　not　aware　until　she　had　gone　some　distance　from
the　spot。　　Not　only　were　her　costumes　missing；　but　she　had　no　other
clothing　except　what　she　wore；　and　it　would　be　at　least　twelve　hours
before　she　could　get　from　Paris　what　she　needed。　　It　was　then　two　o'clock
in　the　afternoon；　and　that　very　evening　she　must　appear　in　the　brilliant
role　of　Celimene。　　Although　much　disturbed　by　this　accident；　Mademoiselle
Mars　did　not　lose　her　presence　of　mind；　but　visited　all　the　shops　of　the
town；　and　in　a　few　hours　had　cut　and　made　a　complete　costume　in　most
excellent　taste；　and　her　loss　was　entirely　repaired。




CHAPTER　V。

In　the　month　of　November　of　this　year　I　followed　their　Majesties　to
Italy。　　We　knew　a　few　days　in　advance　that　the　Emperor　would　make　this
journey；　but　as　happened　on　all　other　occasions；　neither　the　day　nor　the
hour　was　fixed；　until　we　were　told　on　the　evening　of　the　15th　that　we
would　set　out　early　on　the　morning　of　the　16th。　　I　passed　the　night　like
all　the　household　of　his　Majesty；　for　in　order　to　carry　out　the
incredible　perfection　of　comfort　with　which　the　Emperor　surrounded
himself　on　his　journeys；　it　was　necessary　that　everybody　should　be　on
foot　as　soon　as　the　hour　of　departure　was　known；　consequently　I　passed
the　night　arranging　the　service　of　his　Majesty；　while　my　wife　packed　my
own　baggage；　and　had　but　just　finished　when　the　Emperor　asked　for　me；
which　meant　that　ten　minutes　after　we　would　be　on　the　road。　　At　four
o'clock　in　the　morning　his　Majesty　entered　his　carriage。

As　we　never　knew　at　what　hour　or　in　what　direction　the　Emperor　would
begin　his　journey；　the　grand　marshal；　the　grand　equerry；　and　the　grand
chamberlain　sent　forward　a　complete　service　on　all　the　different　roads
which　they　thought　his　Majesty　might　take。　　The　bedroom　service　comprised
a　valet　de　chambre　and　a　wardrobe　boy。　　As　for　me；　I　never　left　his
Majesty's　person；　and　my　carriage　always　followed　immediately　behind　his。
The　conveyance　belonging　to　this　service　contained　an　iron　bed　with　its
accessories；　a　dressing…case　with　linen；　coats；　etc。　　I　know　little　of
the　service　of　the　stables；　but　that　of　the　kitchen　was　organized　as
follows：　There　was　a　conveyance　almost　in　the　shape　of　the　coucous　on　the
Place　Louis　XV。　at　Paris；　with　a　deep　bottom　and　an　enormous　body。　　The
bottom　contained　wines　for　the　Emperor's　table　and　that　of　the　high
officers；　the　ordinary　wine　being　bought　at　the　places　where　we　stopped。
In　the　body　of　the　wagon　were　the　kitchen　utensils　and　a　portable
furnace；　followed　by　a　carriage　containing　a　steward；　two　cooks；　and　a
furnace…boy。　　There　was　besides　this；　a　baggage…wagon　full　of　provisions
and　wine　to　fill　up　the　other　as　it　was　emptied；　and　all　these
conveyances　set　out　a　few　hours　in　advance　of　the　Emperor。　　It　was　the
duty　of　the　grand　marshal　to　designate　the　place　at　which　breakfast
should　be　taken。　　We　alighted　sometimes　at　the　archbishop's；　sometimes　at
the　hotel　de　ville；　sometimes　at　the　residence　of　the　sub…prefect；　or
even　at　that　of　the　mayor；　in　the　absence　of　any　other　dignitaries。
Having　arrived　at　the　designated　house；　the　steward　gave　orders　for　the
provisions；　the　furnaces　were　lighted；　and　spits　turned；　and　if　the
Emperor　alighted　and　partook　of　the　repast　prepared；　the　provisions　which
had　been　consumed　were　immediately　replaced　as　far　as　possible；　and　the
carriages　filled　again　with　poultry；　pastry；　etc。；　before　leaving　all
expenses　were　paid　by　the　controller；　presents　were　made　to　the　master　of
the　house；　and　everything　which　was　not　necessary　for　the　service　left
for　the　use　of　their　servants。　　It　sometimes　happened　that　the　Emperor；
finding　that　it　was　too　soon　for　breakfast；　or　wishing　to　make　a　longer
journey；　gave　orders　to　pass　on；　and　everything　was　packed　up　again　and
the　service　continued　its　route。　　Sometimes　also　the　Emperor；　halting　in
the　open　field；　alighted；　took　his　seat　under　a　tree；　and　ordered　his
breakfast；　upon　which　Roustan　and　the　footmen　obtained　provisions　from
his　Majesty's　carriage；　which　was　furnished　with　small　cooking　utensils
with　silver　covers；　holding　chickens；　partridges；　etc。；　while　the　other
carriages　furnished　their　proportion。　　M。　Pfister　served　the　Emperor；　and
every　one　ate　a　hasty　morsel。　　Fires　were　lighted　to　heat　the　coffee；　and
in　less　than　half　an　hour　everything　had　disappeared；　and　the　carriages
rolled　on　in　the　same　order　as　before。

The　Emperor's　steward　and　cooks　had　nearly　all　been　trained　in　the
household　of　the　king　and　the　princes。　　These　were　Messieurs　Dunau；
Leonard；　Rouff；　and　Gerard。　　M。　Colin　was　chief　in　command；　and　became
steward…controller　after　the　sad　affliction　of　M。　Pfister；　who　became
insane　during　the　campaign　of　1809。　　All　were　capable　and　zealous
servants；　and；　as　is　the　case　in　the　household　of　all　sovereigns；　each
department　of　the　domestic　affairs　had　its　chief。　　Messieurs　Soupe　and
Pierrugues　were　in　charge　of　the　wines；　and　the　sons　of　these　gentleman
continued　to　hold　the　same　office　with　the　Emperor。

We　traveled　with　great　speed　as　far　as　Mont…Cen