napoleon bonaparte, v12-第15章

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imperial　vocabulary。


The　coming　of　the　Pope　to　Paris　for　the　purpose　of　crowning　the　Emperor
is　one　of　those　events　which　suffice　to　mark　the　grandeur　of　a　period。
The　Emperor　never　spoke　of　it　except　with　extreme　satisfaction；　and　he
wished　his　Holiness　to　be　received　with　all　the　magnificence　which　should
attend　the　founder　of　a　great　empire。　　With　this　intention　his　Majesty
gave　orders　that；　without　any　comment；　everything　should　be　furnished　not
only　that　the　Pope；　but　also　all　that　the　persons　of　his　suite；　might
demand。　　Alas！　　it　was　not　by　his　own　personal　expenses　that　the　Holy
Father　assisted　to　deplete　the　imperial　treasury

Pius　VII。　drank　only　water；　and　his　sobriety　was　truly　apostolic；　but
this　was　not　the　case　with　the　abbes　attached　to　his　service；　for　these
gentlemen　each　day　required　five　bottles　of　Chambertin　wine；　without
counting　those　of　other　kinds　and　most　expensive　liquors。

This　recalls　another　occurrence；　which；　however；　relates　only　indirectly
to　the　Pope's　stay　in　Paris。　　It　is　known　that　David　was　ordered　by　the
Emperor　to　execute　the　picture　of　the　coronation；　a　work　which　offered　an
incredible　number　of　almost　insurmountable　difficulties；　and　which　was；
in　fact；　one　of　the　masterpieces　of　the　great　painter。

At　all　events；　the　preparation　of　this　picture　gave　rise　to　controversies
in　which　the　Emperor　was　compelled　to　interfere；　and　the　case　was
serious；　as　we　shall　see；　since　a　Cardinal's　wig　was　in　question。　　David
persisted　in　not　painting　the　head　of　Cardinal　Caprara　with　a　wig；　and　on
his　part　the　Cardinal　was　not　willing　to　allow　him　to　paint　his　head
without　the　wig。　　Some　took　sides　with　the　painter；　some　with　the　model；
and　though　the　affair　was　treated　with　much　diplomacy；　no　concession
could　be　obtained　from　either　of　the　contracting　parties；　until　at　last
the　Emperor　took　the　part　of　his　first　painter　against　the　Cardinal's
wig。　　This　recalls　the　story　of　the　artless　man　who　would　not　allow　his
head　to　be　painted　bare　because　he　took　cold　so　easily；　and　his　picture
would　be　hung　in　a　room　without　a　fire。


When　M。　de　Bourrienne　left　the　Emperor；　as　is　well　known；　he　was　replaced
by　M。　de　Meneval；　who　had　been　formerly　in　the　service　of　Prince　Joseph。
The　Emperor　became　more　and　more　attached　to　his　new　private　secretary　in
proportion　as　he　came　to　know　him　better。　　By　degrees　the　work　of　the
cabinet；　in　which　was　transacted　the　greater　part　of　the　most　important
business；　became　so　considerable　that　it　was　impossible　for　one　man　alone
to　perform　it；　and　from　the　year　1805　two　young　men；　proteges　of　M。
Maret；　secretary　of　state；　were　admitted　to　the　honor　of　working　in　the
Emperor's　cabinet；　and　though　initiated　by　the　nature　of　their　duties
into　the　most　important　state　secrets；　there　was　never　the　slightest
reason　to　suspect　their　perfect　discretion。　　They　were；　besides；　very
diligent；　and　endowed　with　much　talent；　so　that　his　Majesty　formed　an
excellent　opinion　of　them。　　Their　position　was　most　enviable。　　Lodged　in
the　palace；　and　consequently　supplied　with　fuel　and　lights；　they　were
also　fed；　and　received　each　a　salary　of　eight　thousand　francs。　　It　might
well　have　been　thought　that　this　sum　would　be　sufficient　for　these
gentlemen　to　live　most　comfortably；　but　this　was　not　the　case。　　For　if
they　were　assiduous　during　the　hours　of　labor；　they　were　not　less　so
during　those　devoted　to　pleasure；　whence　it　arose　that　the　second　quarter
had　hardly　passed　before　the　whole　year's　salary　was　spent；　part　of　it　in
gambling；　and　the　rest　among　low　companions。

Among　the　two　secretaries　added　to　the　Emperor's　service；　there　was　one
especially　who　had　contracted　so　many　debts；　and　whose　creditors　were　so
pitiless；　that；　had　there　been　no　other　reason；　he　would　infallibly　have
been　dismissed　from　the　private　cabinet　if　the　report　of　this　had　reached
his　Majesty's　ears。

After　passing　an　entire　night　reflecting　on　his　embarrassing　position；
searching　his　imagination　to　secure　some　means　of　obtaining　the　sum
necessary　to　satisfy　those　creditors　who　were　most　importunate；　the　new
spendthrift　sought　distraction　in　work；　and　went　to　his　desk　at　five
o'clock　in　the　morning　in　order　to　drive　away　his　painful　thoughts；　not
thinking　that　at　this　hour　any　one　would　hear　him；　and　while　working
began　to　whistle　La　Linotte　with　all　his　might。　　Now；　this　morning；　as
often　before；　the　Emperor　had　already　been　working　a　whole　hour　in　his
cabinet；　and　had　just　gone　out　as　the　young　man　entered；　and；　hearing
this　whistling；　immediately　returned。

〃Already　here；　Monsieur；〃　said　his　Majesty。　　〃Zounds！　　Why；　that　is
remarkable！　　Maret　should　be　well　satisfied　with　you。　　What　is　your
salary？〃　〃Sire；　I　have　eight　thousand　francs　a　year；　and　besides　am
boarded　and　lodged　in　the　palace。〃〃That　is　well；　Monsieur；　and　you
ought　to　be　very　happy。〃

The　young　man；　seeing　that　his　Majesty　was　in　a　very　good　humor；　thought
that　fortune　had　sent　him　a　favorable　opportunity　of　being　relieved　of
his　embarrassment；　and　resolved　to　inform　the　Emperor　of　his　trying
situation。　　〃Alas；　Sire！〃　said　he；　〃no　doubt　I　ought　to　be　happy；　but　I
am　not。〃〃Why　is　that？〃〃Sire；　I　must　confess　to　your　Majesty　that　I
have　so　many　English　to　carry；　and　besides　I　have　to　support　an　old
father；　two　sisters；　and　a　brother。〃〃You　are　only　doing　your　duty。
But　what　do　you　mean　by　your　English？　　Are　you　supporting　them　also？〃
〃No；　Sire；　but　it　is　they　who　have　fed　my　pleasures；　with　the　money　they
have　lent　me；　and　all　who　have　creditors　now　call　them　the　English。〃
〃Stop！　stop；　Monsieur！　　What！　　you　have　creditors；　and　in　spite　of　your
large　salary　you　have　made　debts！　　That　is　enough；　Monsieur。　　I　do　not
wish　to　have　any　longer　near　me　a　man　who　has　recourse　to　the　gold　of　the
English；　when　on　what　I　give　him　he　can　live　honorably。　　In　an　hour　you
will　receive　your　discharge。〃

The　Emperor；　having　expressed　himself　as　we　have　just　heard；　picked　up
some　papers　from　the　desk；　threw　a　severe　glance　at　the　young　secretary；
and　left　him　in　such　a　state　of　despair　that；　when　some　one　else
fortunately　entered　the　cabinet；　he　was　on　the　point　of　committing
suicide　with　a　long　paper…cutter　he　held　in　his　hand。　　This　person　was
the　aide…de…camp　on　duty；　who　brought　him　a　letter　from　the　Emperor；
couched　in　the　following　terms：

　　　　　〃Monsieur；　you　deserve　to　be　dismissed　from　my　service；　but　I　have
　　　　　thought　of　your　family；　and　I　pardon　you　on　their　account；　and　since
　　　　　it　is　they　who　would　suffer　from　your　misconduct；　I　consequently
　　　　　send　you　with　my　pardon　ten　thousand　francs　in　bank…notes。　　Pay　with
　　　　　this　sum　all　the　English　who　torment　you；　and；　above　all；　do　not
　　　　　again　fall　into　their　clutches；　for　in　that　case　I　shall　abandon
　　　　　you。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　NAPOLEON。〃

An　enormous　〃Vive　l'Empereur！〃　sprang　spontaneously　to　the　lips　of　the
young　man；　who　darted　out　like　lightning　to　announce　to　his　family　this
new　proof　of　imperial　tyranny。

This　was　not　the　end；　however；　for　his　companion；　having　been　informed　of
what　had　taken　place；　and　also　desiring　some　bank…notes　to　pacify　his
English；　redoubled　his　zeal　and　activity　in　work；　and　for　several　days　in
succession　repaired　to　the　cabinet　at　four　in　the　morning；　and　also
whistled　La　Linotte；　but　it　was　all　in　vain；　the　Emperor　did　not　seem　to
hear　him。


Much　was　said　at　Paris　and　in　the　Court　in　ridicule　of　the　ludicrous
sayings　of　the　wife　of　Marshal　Lefebvre；　and　a　collection　could　be　made
of　her　queer　speeches；　many　of　which　are　pure　fabrications；　but　a　volume
would　also　be　necessary　to　record　all　the　acts　by　which　she　manifested
her　kindness　of　heart。

One　day；　at　Malmaison　（I　think　a　short　time　after　the　Empire　was
founded）；　the　Empress　Josephine　had　given　explicit　orders　that　no　one
should　be　admitted。　　The　Marechale　Lefebvre　　presented　herself；　but　the
usher；　compelled　by　his　orders；　refused　to　allow　her　to　enter。　　She
insisted；　and　he　still　refused。　　During　this　discussion；　the　Empress；
passing　from　one　apartment　to　the　other；　was　seen　through　a　glass　door
which　separated　this　apartment　from　that　in　which　the　duchess　then　w