napoleon bonaparte, v4-第13章

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but；　when　the　time　came　for　retiring；　the　princess　refused　to　let　him
share　her　room；　and　for　eight　days　was　inexorable。

He　was　told　that　the　princess　did　not　like　the　arrangement　of　his　hair；
and　that　nothing　inspired　her　with　more　aversion　than　a　queue；　upon　which
the　good　prince　hastened　to　have　his　hair　cut　close；　but　when　she　saw　him
thus　shorn；　she　laughed　immoderately；　and　exclaimed　that　he　was　more　ugly
a　la　Titus　than　he　was　before。　　It　was　impossible　that　the　intelligence
and　the　kind　heart　of　the　princess　could　fail　to　appreciate　the　good　and
solid　qualities　of　her　husband；　she　learned　to　love　him　as　tenderly　as
she　was　loved；　and　I　am　assured　that　the　august　couple　lived　on　excellent
terms。

Three　months　after　this　marriage；　the　prince　left　his　wife　to　follow　the
Emperor；　first　on　the　campaign　in　Prussia；　and　afterwards　in　Poland。　　The
death　of　his　grandfather；　which　happened　some　time　after　the　Austrian
campaign　of　1809；　put　him　in　possession　of　the　grand　duchy；　whereupon　he
resigned　the　command　of　his　troops　to　his　uncle　the　Count　of　Hochberg；
and　returned　to　his　government；　never　more　to　leave　it。

I　saw　him　again　with　the　princess　at　Erfurt；　where　they　told　me　he　had
become　jealous　of　the　Emperor　Alexander；　who　paid　assiduous　court　to　his
wife；　at　which　the　prince　took　alarm　and　abruptly　left　Erfurt；　carrying
with　him　the　princess；　of　whom　it　must　in　justice　be　said　that　there　had
been　on　her　part　not　the　slightest　imprudence　to　arouse　this　jealousy；
which　seems　very　pardonable；　however；　in　the　husband　of　so　charming　a
woman。

The　prince's　health　was　always　delicate；　and　from　his　earliest　youth
alarming　symptoms　had　been　noticed　in　him；　and　this　physical　condition
was　no　doubt；　in　a　great　measure；　the　main　source　of　the　melancholy　which
marked　his　character。　　He　died　in　1818；　after　a　very　long　and　painful
illness；　during　which　his　wife　nursed　him　with　the　most　affectionate
care；　leaving　four　children；　two　sons　and　two　daughters。　　The　two　sons
died　young；　and　would　have　left　the　grand　duchy　of　Baden　without　heirs；
if　the　Counts　Hochberg　had　not　been　recognized　as　members　of　the
ducal　family。　　The　grand…duchess　is　to…day　devoting　her　life　to　the
education　of　her　daughters；　who　promise　to　equal　her　in　graces　and
virtues。　　The　nuptials　of　the　Prince　and　Princess　of　Baden　were
celebrated　by　brilliant　fetes；　at　Rambouillet　took　place　a　great　hunting…
party；　in　which　their　Majesties；　with　many　members　of　their　family；　and
all　the　princes　of　Baden；　Cleves；　etc。；　traversed　on　foot　the　forests　of
Rambouillet。

I　recollect　another　hunting…party；　which　took　place　about　the　same　time
in　the　forest　of　Saint…Germain；　to　which　the　Emperor　invited　the
ambassador　of　the　Sublime　Porte；　then　just　arrived　at　Paris。　　His　Turkish
Excellency　followed　the　chase　with　ardor；　but　without　moving　a　muscle　of
his　austere　countenance。　　The　animal　having　been　brought　to　bay；　his
Majesty　had　a　gun　handed　to　the　Turkish　ambassador；　that　he　might　have；
the　honor　of　firing　the　first　shot；　but　he　refused；　not　conceiving；
doubtless；　that　any　pleasure　could　be　found　in　slaying　at　short　range　a
poor；　exhausted　animal；　who　no　longer　had　the　power　to　protect　itself；
even　by　flight。




CHAPTER　XXVIII。

The　Emperor　remained　only　a　few　days　at　Paris；　after　our　return　from
Italy；　before　setting　out　again　for　the　camp　of　Boulogne。　　The　fetes　of
Milan　had　not　prevented　him　from　maturing　his　political　plans；　and　it　was
suspected　that　not　without　good　reason　had　he　broken　down　his　horses
between　Turin　and　Paris。　　These　reasons　were　plainly　evident；　when　it　was
learned　that　Austria　had　entered　secretly　into　the　coalition　of　　Russia
and　England　against　the　Emperor。　　The　army　collected　in　the　camp　of
Boulogne　received　orders　to　march　on　the　Rhine；　and　his　Majesty　departed
to　rejoin　his　troops　about　the　end　of　September。　　As　was　his　custom；　he
informed　us　only　an　hour　in　advance　of　his　departure；　and　it　was　curious
to　observe　the　contrast　of　the　confusion　which　preceded　this　moment　with
the　silence　that　followed　it。　　Hardly　was　the　order　given；　than　each　one
busied　himself　hastily　with　his　own　wants　and　those　of　his　Majesty；　and
nothing　could　be　heard　in　the　corridors　but　the　sound　of　domestics　coming
and　going；　the　noise　of　cases　being　nailed　down；　and　boxes　being　carried
out。　　In　the　courts　appeared　a　great　number　of　carriages　and　wagons；　with
men　harnessing　them；　the　scene　lighted　by　torches；　and　everywhere　oaths
and　cries　of　impatience；　while　the　women；　each　in　her　own　room；　were
sadly　occupied　with　the　departure　of　husband；　son；　or　brother。　　During
all　these　preparations　the　Emperor　was　making　his　adieux　to　her　Majesty
the　Empress；　or　taking　a　few　moments　of　repose；　but　at　the　appointed　hour
he　rose；　was　dressed；　and　entered　his　carriage。　　Soon　after　everything
was　silent　in　the　chateau；　and　only　a　few　isolated　persons　could　be　seen
flitting　about　like　shadows；　silence　had　succeeded　to　noise；　solitude　to
the　bustle　of　a　brilliant　and　numerous　court。　　Next　morning　this　deep
silence　was　broken　only　by　a　few　scattered　women　who　sought　each　other
with　pale　faces　and　eyes　full　of　tears；　to　communicate　their　grief　and
share　their　apprehensions。　　Many　courtiers；　who　were　not　of　the　party；
arrived　to　make　their　court；　and　were　stupefied　on　learning　of　his
Majesty's　absence；　feeling　as　if　the　sun　could　not　have　risen　that　day。

The　Emperor　went　without　halting　as　far　as　Strasburg；　and　the　day　after
his　arrival　in　this　town；　the　army　began　to　file　out　over　the　bridge　of
Kehl。

On　the　evening　before　this　march；　the　Emperor　had　ordered　the　general
officers　to　be　on　the　banks　of　the　Rhine　on　the　following　day；　at　exactly
six　in　the　morning。　　An　hour　before　that　set　for　the　rendezvous；　his
Majesty；　notwithstanding　the　rain　which　fell　in　torrents；　went　alone　to
the　head　of　the　bridge；　to　assure　himself　of　the　execution　of　the　orders
he　had　given；　and　stood　exposed　to　this　rain　without　moving；　till　the
first　divisions　commenced　to　file　out　over　the　bridge。　　He　was　so
drenched　that　the　drops　which　fell　from　his　clothing　ran　down　under　his
horse；　and　there　formed　a　little　waterfall；　and　his　cocked　hat　was　so　wet
that　the　back　of　it　drooped　over　his　shoulders；　like　the　large　felt　hats
of　the　coal…burners　of　Paris。　　The　generals　whom　he　was　awaiting　gathered
around　him；　and　when　he　saw　them　assembled；　he　said；　〃All　goes　well；
messieurs；　this　is　a　new　step　taken　in　the　direction　of　our　enemies；　but
where　is　Vandamme？　　Why　is　he　not　here？　　Can　he　be　dead？〃　　No　one　said　a
word。　　〃Answer　me；　what　has　become　of　Vandamme？　　〃General　Chardon；
general　of　the　vanguard；　much　loved　by　the　Emperor；　replied；　〃I　think；
Sire；　that　General　Vandamme　is　still　asleep；　we　drank　together　last
evening　a　dozen　bottles　of　Rhine　wine；　and　doubtless〃〃He　does　very　well
to　drink；　sir；　but　he　is　wrong　to　sleep　when　I　am　waiting　for　him。〃
General　Chardon　prepared　to　send　an　aide…de…camp　to　his　companion　in
arms；　but　the　Emperor　prevented　him；　saying；　〃Let　Vandamme　sleep；　I　will
speak　to　him　later。〃　　At　this　moment　General　Vandamme　appeared。　　〃Well；
here　you　are；　sir；　you　seem　to　have　forgotten　the　order　that　I　gave
yesterday。〃〃Sire；　this　is　the　first　time　this　has　happened；　and〃
〃And　to　avoid　a　repetition　of　it；　you　will　go　and　fight　under　the　banner
of　the　King　of　Wurtemburg；　I　hope　you　will　give　them　lessons　in
sobriety。〃

General　Vandamme　withdrew；　not　without　great　chagrin；　and　repaired　to　the
army　of　Wurtemburg；　where　he　performed　prodigies　of　valor。　　After　the
campaign　he　returned　to　the　Emperor；　his　breast　covered　with　decorations；
bearing　a　letter　from　the　King　of　Wurtemburg　to　his　Majesty；　who；　after
reading　it；　said　to　Vandamme：　　〃General；　never　forget　that；　if　I　admire
the　brave；　I　do　not　admire　those　who　sleep　while　I　await　them。〃　　He
pressed　the　general's　hand；　and　invited　him　to　breakfast；　in　company　with
General　Chardon；　who　was　as　much　gratified　by　this　return　to　favor　as　was
his　friend。

On　the　journey　to　Augsburg；　the　Emperor；　who　had　set　out　in　advance；　made
such　speed　that　his　household　could　not　keep　up　with　him；　and
consequently　he　passed　the　night；　without　atte