napoleon bonaparte, v12-第14章

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they　have　not　prevented　her　remaining　an　accomplished　wife。　　Her
sentiments　are　noble　and　elevated；　but　she　shows　haughtiness　to　none；　and
all　who　surround　her　take　pleasure　in　boasting　of　the　charms　of　her
kindness　towards　her　household；　and　she　possesses　the　happiest　gift　of
nature；　which　consists　in　making　herself　beloved　by　every　one。　　Prince
Jerome　is　not　without　a　certain　grandeur　of　manner　and　formal　generosity；
which　he　learned　while　on　the　throne　of　Cassel；　but　he　is　generally　very
haughty。　　Although　in　consequence　of　the　great　changes　which　have　taken
place　in　Europe　since　the　fall　of　the　Emperor；　Prince　Jerome　owes　the
comfortable　maintenance　which　he　still　enjoys　to　the　love　of　the
princess；　she　does　not　any　the　less　show　a　truly　exemplary　submission　to
his　will。　　Princess　Catharine　occupies　herself　almost　exclusively　with
her　three　children；　two　boys　and　one　girl；　all　of　whom　are　very
beautiful。　　The　eldest　was　born　in　the　month　of　August；　1814。　　Her
daughter；　the　Princess　Mathilde；　owes　her　superior　education　to　the　care
her　mother　exercised　over　it；　she　is　pretty；　but　less　so　than　her
brothers；　who　all　have　their　mother's　features。

After　the　description；　which　is　not　at　all　flattered；　which　I　have　just
given　of　Princess　Catharine；　it　may　seem　surprising　that；　provided　as　she
is　with　so　many　solid　qualities；　she　has　never　been　able　to　conquer　an
inexplicable　weakness　regarding　petty　superstitions。　　Thus；　for　instance；
she　is　extremely　afraid　to　seat　herself　at　a　table　where　there　are
thirteen　guests。　　I　will　relate　an　anecdote　of　which　I　can　guarantee　the
authenticity；　and　which；　perhaps；　may　foster　the　weakness　of　persons
subject　to　the　same　superstitions　as　the　Princess　of　Wurtemberg。　　One　day
at　Florence；　being　present　at　a　family　dinner；　she　perceived　that　there
were　exactly　thirteen　plates；　suddenly　grew　pale；　and　obstinately　refused
to　take　her　seat。　　Princess　Eliza　Bacciochi　ridiculed　her　sister…in…law；
shrugged　her　shoulders；　and　said　to　her；　smiling；　〃There　is　no　danger；
there　are　in　truth　fourteen；　since　I　am　enceinte。〃　　Princess　Catharine
yielded；　but　with　extreme　repugnance。　　A　short　time　after　she　had　to　put
on　mourning　for　her　sister…in…law；　and　the　death　of　the　Princess　Eliza；
as　may　well　be　believed；　contributed　no　little　to　render　her　more
superstitious　than　ever　as　to　the　number　thirteen。　　Well！　let　strong
minds　boast　themselves　as　they　may；　but　I　can　console　the　weak；　as　I　dare
to　affirm　that；　if　the　Emperor　had　witnessed　such　an　occurrence　in　his
own　family；　an　instinct　stronger　than　any　other　consideration；　stronger
even　than　his　all…powerful　reason；　would　have　caused　him　some　moments　of
vague　anxiety。

Now；　it　only　remains　for　me　to　render　an　account　of　the　bestowal　I　made
of　the　first　cross　of　honor　the　First　Consul　wore。　　The　reader　need　not
be　alarmed；　I　did　not　make　a　bad　use　of　it；　it　is　on　the　breast　of　a
brave　soldier　of　our　old　army。　　In　1817　I　made　the　acquaintance　of　M。
Godeau；　a　former　captain　in　the　Imperial　Guard。　　He　had　been　severely
wounded　at　Leipzig　by　a　cannon…ball；　which　broke　his　knee。　　I　found　in
him　an　admiration　for　the　Emperor　so　intense　and　so　sincere；　he　urged　me
so　earnestly　to　give　him　something；　whatever　it　might　be；　which　had
belonged　to　his　Majesty；　that　I　made　him　a　present　of　the　cross　of　honor
of　which　I　have　spoken；　as　he　had　long　ago　been　decorated　with　that
order。　　This　cross　is；　I　might　say；　a　historical　memento；　being　the
first；　as　I　have　stated；　which　his　Majesty　wore。　　It　is　of　silver；　medium
size；　and　is　not　surmounted　with　the　imperial　crown。　　The　Emperor　wore　it
a　year；　it　decorated　his　breast　for　the　last　time　the　day　of　the　battle
of　Austerlitz。　　From　that　day；　in　fact；　his　Majesty　wore　an　officer's
cross　of　gold　with　the　crown；　and　no　longer　wore　the　cross　of　a　simple
member　of　the　legion。

Here　my　souvenirs　would　end　if；　in　re…reading　the　first　volumes　of　my
memoirs；　the　facts　I　have　there　related　had　not　recalled　to　me　some
others　which　may　be　of　interest。　　With　the　impossibility　of　presenting
them　in　the　proper　order　and　connection；　I　have　decided；　in　order　that
the　reader　may　not　be　deprived　of　them；　to　offer　them　as　detached
anecdotes；　which　I　have　endeavored　to　class　as　far　as　possible；　according
to　the　order　of　time。




CHAPTER　XXX。

ANECDOTES　AND　INCIDENTS。

As　I　have　often…had　occasion　to　remark；　the　Emperor's　tastes　were
extremely　simple　in　everything　relating　to　his　person；　moreover；　he
manifested　a　decided　aversion　to　the　usages　of　fashion；　he　did　not　like；
so　to　speak；　to　turn　night　into　day；　as　was　done　in　the　most　of　the
brilliant　circles　of　society　in　Paris　under　the　Consulate；　and　at　the
commencement　of　the　Empire。　　Unfortunately；　the　Empress　Josephine　did　not
hold　the　same　views；　and　being　a　submissive　slave　of　fashion；　liked　to
prolong　her　evenings　after　the　Emperor　had　retired。

She　had　the　habit　of　then　collecting　around　her　her　most　intimate　ladies
and　a　few　friends；　and　giving　them　tea。　　Gaming　was　entirely　precluded
from　these　nocturnal　reunions；　of　which　conversation　was　the　only　charm。
This　conversation　of　the　highest　circles　of　society　was　a　most　agreeable
relaxation　to　the　Empress；　and　this　select　circle　assembled　frequently
without　the　Emperor　being　aware　of　it；　and　was；　in　fact；　a　very　innocent
entertainment。　　Nevertheless；　some　obliging　person　was　so　indiscreet　as
to　make　the　Emperor　a　report　concerning　these　assemblies；　containing
matters　which　roused　his　displeasure。　　He　expressed　his　dissatisfaction
to　the　Empress　Josephine；　and　from　that　time　she　retired　at　the　same　time
as　the　Emperor。

These　teas　were　then　abandoned；　and　all　persons　attached　to　the　service
of　the　Emperor　received　orders　not　to　sit　up　after　the　Emperor　retired。

As　well　as　I　remember；　this　is　how　I　heard　his　Majesty　express　himself　on
the　occasion。　　〃When　the　masters　are　asleep；　the　valets　should　retire　to
bed；　and　when　the　masters　are　awake；　the　valets　should　be　on　their　feet。〃
These　words　produced　the　intended　effect；　and　that　very　evening；　as　soon
as　the　Emperor　was　in　bed；　all　at　the　palace　retired；　and　at　half…past
eleven　no　one　was　awake　but　the　sentinels。

By　degrees；　as　always　occurs；　the　strict　observance　of　the　Emperor's
orders　was　gradually　relaxed；　still　without　the　Empress　daring　to　resume
her　nocturnal　gatherings。　　The　words　of　his　Majesty　were　not　forgotten；
however；　and　were　well　remembered　by　M。　Colas；　concierge　of　the　pavilion
of　Flora。

One　morning　about　four　o'clock；　M。　Colas　heard　an　unaccustomed　noise；
and　a　continued　movement　in　the　interior　of　the　palace；　and　supposed　from
this　that　the　Emperor　was　awake；　in　which　he　was　not　mistaken。　　He
dressed　in　all　haste；　and　had　been　ten　minutes　at　his　post　when　the
Emperor；　descending　the　staircase　with　Marshal　Duroc；　perceived　him。
His　Majesty　usually　took　pleasure　in　showing　that　he　remarked　exactness
in　fulfilling　his　orders；　therefore　he　stopped　a　moment；　and　said　to　M。
Colas；　〃Ah！　already　awake；　Colas？〃〃Yes；　Sire；　I　have　not　forgotten　that
valets　should　be　on　foot　when　the　masters　are　awake。〃〃You　have　a　good
memory；　Colas；　an　excellent　thing。〃

All　this　was　very　well；　and　the　day　began　for　M。　Colas　under　most
favorable　auspices；　but　in　the　evening　the　medal　of　the　morning　was
obliged　to　show　the　opposite　side。　　The　Emperor　went　that　morning　to
visit　the　works　on　the　canal　of　the　Ourcq。　　He　was　apparently　much
dissatisfied；　for　he　returned　to　the　palace　in　such　evident　illhumor；
that　M。　Colas；　perceiving　it；　let　these　words　escape　his　lips；　〃Il　y　a　de
l'oignon。〃　　Although　he　spoke　in　a　low　tone；　the　Emperor　heard　him；　and
turning　abruptly　to　him；　repeated　angrily；　〃Yes；　Monsieur；　you　are　not
mistaken；　il　y　a　de　l'oignon。〃　　He　then　rapidly　remounted　the　staircase；
while　the　concierge；　fearing　he　had　said　too　much；　approached　the　grand
marshal；　begging　him　to　excuse　him　to　his　Majesty；　but　he　never　had　an
idea　of　punishing　him　for　the　liberty　he　had　taken；　and　the　expression
which　had　escaped　his　lips　one　would　hardly　expect　to　find　in　the
imperial　vocabulary。


The　coming　of　the　Pope　to　Paris　for　the　purpose　of　crowning　the　Emperor
is　one　of　tho