napoleon bonaparte, v12-第21章

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interpreter；　told　the　carpenter　to　explain　himself；　and　inquired　of　what
he　complained。　　Now；　the　general's　interpreting　secretary　was　a
quartermaster　who　had　been　attached　to　the　general's　staff　since　the
Peace　of　Presburg；　and　happened　to　be；　as　luck　would　have　it；　the　first
cousin　of　this　Varengo　against　whom　the　complaint　was　made。　　Without
hesitation　the　quartermaster；　as　soon　as　he　heard　his　cousin's　name；　gave
an　entirely　incorrect　translation　of　the　report；　assuring　the　general
that　this　peasant；　although　in　very　comfortable　circumstances；　disobeyed
the　order　of　the　day；　in　refusing　to　furnish　fresh　meat　for　the　brave
soldier　who　lodged　with　him；　and　this　was　the　origin　of　the　disagreement
on　which　the　complaint　was　based；　no　other　motive　being　alleged　for
demanding　a　change。　　The　general　was　much　irritated；　and　gave　orders　to
his　secretary　to　require　the　peasant；　under　severe　penalties；　to　furnish
fresh　meat　for　his　guest。　　The　order　was　written；　but　instead　of
submitting　it　to　the　supervision　of　the　general；　the　interpreting
secretary　wrote　out　at　length　that　the　carpenter　should　pay　two　florins
per　day　to　Varengo。　　The　poor　fellow；　having　read　this　in　German；　could
not　restrain　a　movement　of　anger；　seeing　which；　the　general；　thinking　he
had　resisted　the　order；　ordered　him　out；　threatening　him　with　his　riding…
whip。　　Thus；　thanks　to　his　cousin；　the　interpreter；　Varengo　regularly
received　two　florins　per　day；　which　enabled　him　to　be　one　of　the　jolliest
soldiers　in　his　company。


The　Emperor　did　not　like　duelling。　　He　often　pretended　to　be　ignorant　of
duels；　but　when　he　had　to　admit　his　knowledge　of　one；　loudly　expressed
his　dissatisfaction。　　I　recall　in　this　connection　two　or　three
circumstances　which　I　shall　attempt　to　relate。

A　short　time　after　the　foundation　of　the　Empire；　a　duel　occurred；　which
created　much　stir　in　Paris；　on　account　of　the　rank　of　the　two
adversaries。　　The　Emperor　had　just　authorized　the　formation　of　the　first
foreign　regiment　which　he　wished　to　admit　into　the　service　of　France；
the　regiment　of　Aremberg。　　Notwithstanding　the　title　of　this　corps；　most
of　the　officers　who　were　admitted　were　French；　and　this　was　a　good
opening；　discreetly　made；　for　rich　and　titled　young　men；　who；　in
purchasing　companies　by　the　authority　of　the　minister　of　war；　could　thus
pass　more　rapidly　through　the　first　grades。　　Among　the　officers　of　the
Aremberg　regiment；　were　M。　Charles　de　Sainte…Croix；　who　had　recently
served　in　the　ministry　of　foreign　affairs；　and　a　charming　young　man　whom
I　saw　often　at　Malmaison；　M。　de　Mariolles；　who　was　nearly　related　to　the
Empress　Josephine。　　It　seems　that　the　same　position　had　been　promised
both；　and　they　resolved　to　settle　the　dispute　by　private　combat。　　M。　de
Mariolles　fell；　and　died　on　the　spot；　and　his　death　created　consternation
among　the　ladies　of　the　salon　at　Malmaison。

His　family　and　relations　united　in　making　complaint　to　the　Emperor；　who
was　very　indignant；　and　spoke　of　sending　M。　de　Sainte…Croix　to　the　Temple
prison　and　having　him　tried　for　murder。　　He　prudently　concealed　himself
during　the　first　outburst　over　this　affair；　and　the　police；　who　were　put
on　his　track；　would　have　had　much　difficulty　in　finding　him；　as　he　was
especially　protected　by　M。　Fouche；　who　had　recently　re…entered　the
ministry；　and　was　intimately　connected　with　his　mother；　Madame　de　Sainte…
Croix。　　Everything　ended　with　the　threats　of　his　Majesty；　since　M。　Fouche
had　remarked　to　him　that　by　such　unaccustomed　severity　the　malevolent
would　not　fail　to　say　that　he　was　performing　less　an　act　of　sovereignty
than　one　of　personal　vengeance；　as　the　victim　had　the　honor　of　being
connected　with　himself。

The　affair　was　thus　suffered　to　drop；　and　I　am　here　struck　with　the
manner　in　which　one　recollection　leads　on　to　another；　for　I　remember　that
in　process　of　time　the　Emperor　became　much　attached　to　M。　de　Sainte…
Croix；　whose　advancement　in　the　army　was　both　brilliant　and　rapid；　since；
although　he　entered　the　service　when　twenty…two　years　of　age；　he　was　only
twenty…eight　when　he　was　killed　in　Spain；　being　already　then　general　of
division。　　I　often　saw　M。　de　Sainte…Croix　at　the　Emperor's　headquarters。
I　think　I　see　him　still；　small；　delicate；　with　an　attractive　countenance；
and　very　little　beard。　　He　might　have　been　taken　for　a　young　woman；
rather　than　the　brave　young　soldier　he　was；　and；　in　fact；　his　features
were　so　delicate；　his　cheeks　so　rosy；　his　blond　hair　curled　in　such
natural　ringlets；　that　when　the　Emperor　was　in　a　good　humor　he　called　him
nothing　but　Mademoiselle　de　Sainte…Croix！

Another　circumstance　which　I　should　not　omit　is　a　duel　which　took　place
at　Burgos；　in　1808；　between　General　Franceschi；　aide…de…camp　to　King
Joseph；　and　Colonel　Filangieri；　colonel　of　his　guard；　both　of　whom　were
equerries　of　his　Majesty。　　The　subject　of　the　quarrel　was　almost　the　same
as　that　between　M。　de　Mariolles　and　de　Sainte…Croix；　since　both　disputed
for　the　position　of　first　equerry　to　King　Joseph；　both　maintaining　that
it　had　been　promised　them。

We　had　hardly　been　in　the　palace　of　Burgos　five　minutes　when　the　Emperor
was　informed　of　this　duel；　which　had　taken　place　almost　under　the　walls
of　the　palace　itself；　and　only　a　few　hours　before。　　The　Emperor　learned
at　the　same　time　that　General　Franceschi　had　been　killed；　and　on　account
of　the　difference　in　their　rank；　in　order　not　to　compromise　military
etiquette；　they　had　fought　in　their　uniforms　of　equerry。　　The　Emperor　was
struck　with　the　fact　that　the　first　news　he　received　was　bad　news；　and
with　his　ideas　of　fatality；　this　really　excited　a　great　influence　over
him。　　He　gave　orders　to　have　Colonel　Filangieri　found　and　brought　to　him；
and　he　came　in　a　few　moments。　　I　did　not　see　him；　as　I　was　in　another
apartment；　but　the　Emperor　spoke　to　him　in　so　loud　and　sharp　a　tone　that
I　heard　distinctly　all　he　said。　　〃Duels！　　duels！　　always　duels！〃　　cried
the　Emperor。　　〃I　will　not　allow　it。　　I　will　punish　it！　　You　know　how　I
abhor　them！〃〃Sire；　have　me　tried　if　you　will；　but　hear　me。〃〃What　can
you　have　to　say　to　me；　you　crater　of　Vesuvius？　　I　have　already　pardoned
your　affair　with　Saint　Simon；　I　will　not　do　the　like　again。　　Moreover；　I
cannot；　at　the　very　beginning　of　the　campaign；　when　all　should　be
thoroughly　united！　　It　produces　a　most　unfortunate　effect！〃　　Here　the
Emperor　kept　silence　a　moment；　then　he　resumed；　although　in　a　somewhat
sharper　tone：　〃Yes！　　you　have　a　head　of　Vesuvius。　　See　what　a　fine
condition　of　affairs　I　arrive　and　find　blood　in　my　palace！〃　　After
another　pause；　and　in　a　somewhat　calmer　tone：　〃See　what　you　have　done！
Joseph　needs　good　officers；　and　here　you　have　deprived　him　of　two　by　a
single　blow；Franceschi；　whom　you　have　killed；　and　yourself；　who　can　no
longer　remain　in　his　service。〃　　Here　the　Emperor　was　silent　for　some
moments；　and　then　added：　〃Now　retire；　leave！　　Give　yourself　up　as　a
prisoner　at　the　citadel　of　Turin。　　There　await　my　orders；　or　rather　place
yourself　in　Murat's　hands；　he　will　know　what　to　do　with　you；　he　also　has
Vesuvius　in　his　head；　and　he　will　give　you　a　warm　welcome。　　Now　take
yourself　off　at　once。〃

Colonel　Filangieri　needed　no　urging；　I　think；　to　hasten　the　execution　of
the　Emperor's　orders。　　I　do　not　know　the　conclusion　of　thus　adventure；
but　I　do　know　that　the　affair　affected　his　Majesty　deeply；　for　that
evening　when　I　was　undressing　him　he　repeated　several　times；　〃Duels！
What　a　disgraceful　thing！　　It　is　the　kind　of　courage　cannibals　have！〃
If；　moreover；　the　Emperor's　anger　was　softened　on　this　occasion；　it　was
on　account　of　his　affection　for　young　Filangieri；　at　first　on　account　of
his　father；　whom　the　Emperor　highly　esteemed；　and　also；　because　the　young
man　having　been　educated　at　his　expense；　at　the　French　Prytanee；　he
regarded　him　as　one　of　his　children　by　adoption；　especially　since　he　knew
that　M。　Filangieri；　godson　of　the　queen　of　Naples；　had　refused　a
regiment；　which　the　latter　had　offered　him　while　he　was　still　only　a
simple　lieutenant　in　the　Consular　Guard；　and　further；　because　he　had　not
consented　to　become　a　Neapolitan　again　until　a　French　prince　had　been
called　to　the　throne　of　Naples。

What　remains　to　b