napoleon bonaparte, v4-第15章

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Two　days　after；　the　Emperor　Francis　sought　an　audience　of　his　Majesty；　to
demand　peace；　and　before　the　end　of　December　a　treaty　was　concluded；　by
which；　the　Elector　of　Bavaria　and　the　Duke　of　Wurtemburg；　faithful　allies
of　the　Emperor　Napoleon；　were　made　kings。　　In　return　for　this　elevation；
of　which　he　alone　was　the　author；　his　Majesty　demanded　and　obtained　for
Prince　Eugene；　viceroy　of　Italy；　the　hand　of　the　Princess　Augusta　Amelia
of　Bavaria。

During　his　sojourn　at　Vienna；　the　Emperor　had　established　his
headquarters　at　Schoenbrunn；　the　name　of　which　has　become　celebrated　by
the　numerous　sojourns　of　his　Majesty　there；　and　is　to…day；　by　a　singular
coincidence；　the　residence　of　his　son。　＇The　Duke　de　Reichstadt；　born
King　of　Rome；　died　July；　1832；　soon　after　Constant　wrote。＇

I　am　not　certain　whether　it　was　during　this　first　sojourn　at　Schoenbrunn
that　his　Majesty　had　the　extraordinary　encounter　that　I　shall　now　relate。
His　Majesty；　in　the　uniform　of　colonel　of　the　chasseurs　of　the　guard；
rode　every　day　on　horseback；　and　one　morning；　while　on　the　road　to
Vienna；　saw　approaching　a　clergyman；　accompanied　by　a　woman　weeping
bitterly；　who　did　not　recognize　him。　　Napoleon　approached　the　carriage；
and　inquired　the　cause　of　her　grief；　and　the　object　and　end　of　her
journey。　　〃Monsieur；〃　replied　she；　〃I　live　at　a　village　two　leagues　from
here；　in　a　house　which　has　been　pillaged　by　soldiers；　and　my　gardener　has
been　killed。　　I　am　now　on　my　way　to　demand　a　safeguard　from　your　Emperor；
who　knew　my　family　well；　and　is　under　great　obligations　to　them。〃〃What
is　your　name；　Madame？〃〃De　Bunny。　　I　am　the　daughter　of　Monsieur　de
Marbeuf；　former　governor　of　Corsica。〃〃I　am　charmed；　Madame；〃　replied
Napoleon；　〃to　find　an　opportunity　of　serving　you。　　I　am　the　Emperor。〃
Madame　de　Bunny　remained　speechless　with　astonishment；　but　Napoleon
reassured　her；　and　continuing　his　route；　requested　her　to　go　on　and　await
him　at　his　headquarters。　　On　his　return　he　received　her；　and　treated　her
with　remarkable　kindness；　gave　her　an　escort　of　the　chasseurs　of　the
guard；　and　dismissed　her　happy　and　satisfied。

As　soon　as　the　day　of　Austerlitz　was　gained；　the　Emperor　hastened　to　send
the　courier　Moustache　to　France　to　announce　the　news　to　the　Empress；　who
was　then　at　the　chateau　of　Saint…Cloud。　　It　was　nine　o'clock　in　the
evening　when　loud　cries　of　joy　were　suddenly　heard；　and　the　galloping　of
a　horse　at　full　speed；　accompanied　by　the　sound　of　bells；　and　repeated
blows　of　the　whip　which　announced　a　courier。　　The　Empress；　who　was
awaiting　with　the　greatest　impatience　news　from　the　army；　rushed　to　the
window；　opened　it　hurriedly；　and　the　words　victory　and　Austerlitz　fell　on
her　ears。　　Eager　to　know　the　details；　she　ran　down　the　steps；　followed　by
her　ladies；　and　Moustache　in　the　most　excited　manner　related　the
marvelous　news；　and　handed　her　Majesty　the　Emperor's　letter；　which
Josephine　read；　and　then　drawing　a　handsome　diamond　ring　from　her　finger；
gave　it　to　the　courier。　　Poor　Moustache　had　galloped　more　than　fifty
leagues　that　day；　and　was　so　exhausted　that　he　had　to　be　lifted　from　his
horse　and　placed　in　bed；　which　it　required　four　persons　to　accomplish。
His　last　horse；　which　he　had　doubtless　spared　less　than　the　others；　fell
dead　in　the　court　of　the　chateau。




CHAPTER　XXIX。

The　Emperor　having　left　Stuttgard；　stopped　only　twenty…four　hours　at
Carlsruhe；　and　forty…eight　hours　at　Strasburg；　and　between　that　place　and
Paris　made　only　short　halts；　without　manifesting　his　customary　haste；
however；　or　requiring　of　the　postilions　the　break…neck　speed　he　usually
demanded。

As　we　were　ascending　the　hill　of　Meaux；　and　while　the　Emperor　was　so
engrossed　in　reading　a　book　that　he　paid　no　attention　to　what　was　passing
on　the　road；　a　young　girl　threw　herself　against　the　door　of　his　Majesty's
carriage；　and　clung　there　in　spite　of　the　efforts　to　remove　her；　not　very
vigorous　in　truth；　made　by　the　cavaliers　of　the　escort。　　At　last　she
succeeded　in　opening　the　door；　and　threw　herself　at　the　Emperor's　feet。
The　Emperor；　much　surprised；　exclaimed；　〃What　the　devil　does　this　foolish
creature　want　with　me？〃　　Then　recognizing　the　young　lady；　after　having
scrutinized　her　features　more　closely；　he　added　in　very　evident　anger；
〃Ah；　is　it　you　again？　　will　you　never　let　me　alone？〃　　The　young　girl；
without　being　intimidated　by　this　rude　welcome；　said　through　her　sobs
that　the　only　favor　she　now　came　to　ask　for　her　father　was　that　his
prison　might　be　changed；　and　that　he　might　be　removed　from　the　Chateau
d'If；　the　dampness　of　which　was　ruining　his　health；　to　the　citadel　of
Strasburg。　　〃No；　no；〃　cried　the　Emperor；　〃don't　count　on　that。　　I　have
many　other　things　to　do　beside　receiving　visits　from　you。　　If　I　granted
you　this　demand；　in　eight　days　you　would　think　of　something　else　you
wished。〃　　The　poor　girl　insisted；　with　a　firmness　worthy　of　better
success；　but　the　Emperor　was　inflexible；　and　on　arriving　at　the　top　of
the　hill　he　said　to　her；　〃I　hope　you　will　now　alight　and　let　me　proceed
on　my　journey。　　I　regret　it　exceedingly；　but　what　you　demand　of　me　is
impossible。〃　　And　he　thus　dismissed　her；　refusing　to　listen　longer。

While　this　was　occurring　I　was　ascending　the　hill　on　foot；　a　few　paces
from　his　Majesty's　carriage；　and　when　this　disagreeable　scene　was　over；
the　young　lady；　being　forced　to　leave　without　having　obtained　what　she
desired；　passed　on　before　me　sobbing；　and　I　recognized　Mademoiselle
Lajolais；　whom　I　had　already　seen　in　similar　circumstances；　but　where　her
courageous　devotion　to　her　parents　had　met　with　better　success。

General　Lajolais　had　been　arrested；　as　well　as　all　his　family；　on　the
18th　Fructidor。　　After　being　confined　for　twenty…eight　months；　he　had
been　tried　at　Strasburg　by　a　council　of　war；　held　by　order　of　the　First
Consul；　and　acquitted　unanimously。

Later；　when　the　conspiracy　of　Generals　Pichegru；　Moreau；　George　Cadoudal；
and　of　Messieurs　de　Polignac；　de　Riviere；　etc。；　were　discovered；　General
Lajolais；　who　was　also　concerned　therein；　was　condemned　to　death。　　His
daughter　and　his　wife　were　transferred　from　Strasburg　to　Paris　by　the
police；　and　Madame　Lajolais　was　placed　in　the　most　rigorous　close
confinement；　while　her　daughter；　now　separated　from　her；　took　refuge　with
friends　of　her　family。　　It　was　then　that　this　young　person；　barely
fourteen　years　old；　displayed　a　courage　and　strength　of　character　unusual
at　her　age；　and　on　learning　that　her　father　was　condemned　to　death；　she
set　out　at　four　o'clock　in　the　morning；　without　confiding　her　resolution
to　any　one；　alone；　on　foot；　and　without　a　guide；　with　no　one　to　introduce
her；　and　presented　herself　weeping　at　the　chateau　of　Saint…Cloud；　where
the　Emperor　then　was。

She　succeeded　in　gaining　an　entrance　into　the　chateau　only　after　much
opposition；　but　not　allowing　herself　to　be　rebuffed　by　any　obstacle；　she
finally　presented　herself　before　me；　saying；　〃Monsieur；　I　have　been
promised　that　you　would　conduct　me　instantly　to　the　Emperor〃　（I　do　not
know　who　had　told　her　this）。　　〃I　ask　of　you　only　this　favor；　do　not
refuse　it；　I　beg！〃　and　moved　by　her　confidence　and　her　despair；　I　went　to
inform　her　Majesty　the　Empress。

She　was　deeply　touched　by　the　resolution　and　the　tears　of　one　so　young；
but　did　not　dare；　nevertheless；　to　promise　her　support　at　once；　for　fear
of　awakening　the　anger　of　the　Emperor；　who　was　very　much　incensed　against
those　who　were　concerned　in　this　conspiracy；　and　ordered　me　to　say　to　the
young　daughter　of　Lajolais　that　she　was　grieved　to　be　able　to　do　nothing
for　her　just　then；　but　that　she　might　return　to　Saint…Cloud　the　next　day
at　five　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　meanwhile　she　and　Queen　Hortense
would　consult　together　as　to　the　best　means　of　placing　her　in　the
Emperor's　way。　　The　young　girl　returned　next　day　at　the　appointed　hour；
and　her　Majesty　the　Empress　had　her　stationed　in　the　green　saloon；　and
there　she　awaited　ten　hours；　the　moment　when　the　Emperor；　coming　out　from
the　council…chamber；　would　cross　this　room　to　enter　his　cabinet。

The　Empress　and　her　august　daughter　gave　orders　that　breakfast；　and　then
dinner；　should　be　served　to　her；　and　came　in　person　to　beg　her　to