memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v8-第22章

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may；　in　some　sort；　be　considered　merely　as　a　summary　of　all　the　facts
relating　to　the　occurrences　which　daily　passed　before　my　eyes。

In　the　midst　of　these　multifarious　and　weighty　occupations　I　received　a
packet　with　the　Strasburg　postmark　at　the　time　the　Empress　was　in　that
city。　　This　packet　had　not　the　usual　form　of　a　diplomatic　despatch；　and
the　superscription　announced　that　it　came　from　the　residence　of
Josephine。　　My　readers；　I　venture　to　presume；　will　not　experience　less
gratification　than　I　did　on　a　perusal　of　its　contents；　which　will　be
found　at　the　end　of　this　chapter；　but　before　satisfying　the　curiosity　to
which　I　have　perhaps　given　birth；　I　may　here　relate　that　one　of　the
peculiarities　of　Bonaparte　was　a　fondness　of　extempore　narration；　and　it
appears　he　had　not　discontinued　the　practice　even　after　he　became
Emperor。

In　fact；　Bonaparte；　during　the　first　year　after　his　elevation　to　the
Imperial　throne；　usually　passed　those　evenings　in　the　apartments　of　the
Empress　which　he　could　steal　from　public　business。　　Throwing　himself　on　a
sofa；　he　would　remain　absorbed　in　gloomy　silence；　which　no　one　dared　to
interrupt。　　Sometimes；　however；　on　the　contrary；　he　would　give　the　reins
to　his　vivid　imagination　and　his　love　of　the　marvelous；　or；　to　speak　more
correctly；　his　desire　to　produce　effect；　which　was　perhaps　one　of　his
strongest　passions；　and　would　relate　little　romances；　which　were　always
of　a　fearful　description　and　in　unison　with　the　natural　turn　of　his
ideas。　　During　those　recitals　the　ladies…in…waiting　were　always　present；
to　one　of　whom　I　am　indebted　for　the　following　story；　which　she　had
written　nearly　in　the　words　of　Napoleon。　　〃Never；〃　said　this　lady　in　her
letter　to　me；　〃did　the　Emperor　appear　more　extraordinary。　　Led　away　by
the　subject；　he　paced　the　salon　with　hasty　strides；　the　intonations　of
his　voice　varied　according　to　the　characters　of　the　personages　he　brought
on　the　scene；　he　seemed　to　multiply　himself　in　order　to　play　the
different　parts；　and　no　person　needed　to　feign　the　terror　which　he　really
inspired；　and　which　he　loved　to　see　depicted　in　the　countenances　of　those
who　surrounded　him。〃　　In　this　tale　I　have　made　no　alterations；　as　can　be
attested　by　those　who；　to　my　knowledge；　have　a　copy　of　it。　　It　is　curious
to　compare　the　impassioned　portions　of　it　with　the　style　of　Napoleon　in
some　of　the　letters　addressed　to　Josephine。







End　of　The　Memoirs　of　Napoleon；　V8；　1805
by　Louis　Antoine　Fauvelet　de　Bourrienne