napoleon bonaparte, v4-第17章

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argus　went　to　sleep；　and　the　Emperor　arrived　in　the　early　morning；　and
passed　by　the　side　of　the　arch　of　triumph；　much　amused　at　the　obstacle
which　prevented　his　enjoying　the　distinguished　honor　which　the　good
inhabitants　of　Saint…Cloud　had　prepared　for　him。

On　the　day　succeeding　this　event；　a　little　drawing　was　circulated　in　the
palace　representing　the　authorities　asleep　near　the　monument；　a　prominent
place　being　accorded　the　ladder；　which　barred　the　passage；　and　underneath
was　written　the　arch　barre；　alluding　to　the　name　of　the　mayor。　　As　for
the　inscription；　they　had　travestied　it　in　this　manner：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃TO　HER　BELOVED　SOVEREIGN；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SLEEPIEST　OF　THE　COMMUNES。〃

Their　Majesties　were　much　amused　by　this　episode。

While　the　court　was　at　Saint…Cloud；　the　Emperor；　who　had　worked　very　late
one　evening　with　Monsieur　de　Talleyrand；　invited　the　latter　to　sleep　at
the　chateau；　but　the　prince；　who　preferred　returning　to　Paris；　refused；
giving　as　an　excuse　that　the　beds　had　a　very　disagreeable　odor。　　There
was　no　truth　whatever　in　this　statement；　for　there　was；　as　may　be
believed；　the　greatest　care　taken　of　the　furniture；　even　in　the　store…
rooms　of　the　different　imperial　palaces；　and　the　reason　assigned　by　M。　de
Talleyrand　being　given　at　random；　he　could　just　as　well　have　given　any
other；　but；　nevertheless；　the　remark　struck　the　Emperor's　attention；　and
that　evening　on　entering　his　bedroom　he　complained　that　his　bed　had　an
unpleasant　odor。　　I　assured　him　to　the　contrary；　and　told　his　Majesty
that　he　would　next　day　be　convinced　of　his　error；　but；　far　from　being
persuaded；　the　Emperor；　when　he　rose　next　morning；　repeated　the　assertion
that　his　bed　had　a　very　disagreeable　odor；　and　that　it　was　absolutely
necessary　to　change　it。　　M。　Charvet；　concierge　of　the　palace；　was　at　once
summoned；　his　Majesty　complained　of　his　bed；　and　ordered　another　to　be
brought。

M。　Desmasis；　keeper　of　the　furniture…room；　was　also　called；　who　examined
mattress；　feather…beds；　and　covering；　turned　and　returned　them　in　every
direction；　other　persons　did　the　same；　and　each　was　convinced　that　there
was　no　odor　about　his　Majesty's　bed。　　In　spite　of　so　many　witnesses　to
the　contrary；　the　Emperor；　not　because　he　made　it　a　point　of　honor　not　to
have　what　he　had　asserted　proved　false；　but　merely　from　a　caprice　to
which　he　was　very　subject；　persisted　in　his　first　idea；　and　required　his
bed　to　be　changed。　　Seeing　that　it　was　necessary　to　obey；　I　sent　this　bed
to　the　Tuileries；　and　had　the　one　which　was　there　brought　to　the　chateau
of　Saint…Cloud。　　The　Emperor　was　now　satisfied；　and；　on　his　return　to　the
Tuileries；　did　not　notice　the　exchange；　and　thought　his　bed　in　that
chateau　very　good；　and　the　most　amusing　part　of　all　was　that　the　ladies
of　the　palace；　having　learned　that　the　Emperor　had　complained　of　his　bed；
all　found　an　unbearable　odor　in　theirs；　and　insisted　that　everything　must
be　overhauled；　which　created　a　small　revolution。　　The　caprices　of
sovereigns　are　sometimes　epidemic。




CHAPTER　XXX。

His　Majesty　was　accustomed　to　say　that　one　could　always　tell　an　honorable
man　by　his　conduct　to　his　wife；　his　children；　and　his　servants；　and　I
hope　it　will　appear　from　these　memoirs　that　the　Emperor　conducted　himself
as　an　honorable　man；　according　to　his　own　definition。　　He　said；　moreover；
that　immorality　was　the　most　dangerous　vice　of　a　sovereign；　because　of
the　evil　example　it　set　to　his　subjects。　　What　he　meant　by　immorality　was
doubtless　a　scandalous　publicity　given　to　liaisons　which　might　otherwise
have　remained　secret；　for；　as　regards　these　liaisons　themselves；　he
withstood　women　no　more　than　any　other　man　when　they　threw　themselves　at
his　head。　　Perhaps　another　man；　surrounded　by　seductions；　attacks；　and
advances　of　all　kinds；　would　have　resisted　these　temptations　still　less。
Nevertheless；　please　God；　I　do　not　propose　to　defend　his　Majesty　in　this
respect。　　I　will　even　admit；　if　you　wish；　that　his　conduct　did　not　offer
an　example　in　the　most　perfect　accord　with　the　morality　of　his
discourses；　but　it　must　be　admitted　also　that　it　was　somewhat　to　the
credit　of　a　sovereign　that　he　concealed；　with　the　most　scrupulous　care；
his　frailties　from　the　public；　lest　they　should　be　a　subject　of　scandal；
or；　what　is　worse；　of　imitation；　and　from　his　wife；　to　whom　it　would　have
been　a　source　of　the　deepest　grief。

On　this　delicate　subject　I　recall　two　or　three　occurrences　which　took
place；　I　think；　about　the　period　which　my　narrative　has　now　reached。

The　Empress　Josephine　was　jealous；　and；　notwithstanding　the　prudence
which　the　Emperor　exercised　in　his　secret　liaisons；　could　not　remain　in
entire　ignorance　of　what　was　passing。

The　Emperor　had　known　at　Genoa　Madame　Gazani；　the　daughter　of　an　Italian
dancer；　whom　he　continued　to　receive　at　Paris；　and　one　day；　having　an
appointment　with　her　in　his　private　apartments；　ordered　me　to　remain　in
his　room；　and　to　reply　to　whoever　asked　for　him；　even　if　it　was　her
Majesty　the　Empress　herself；　that　he　was　engaged　in　his　cabinet　with　a
minister。

The　place　of　the　interview　was　the　apartment　formerly　occupied　by
Bourrienne；　communicating　by　a　staircase　which　opened　on　his　Majesty's
bedroom。　　This　room　had　been　arranged　and　decorated　very　plainly；　and　had
a　second　exit　on　the　staircase　called　the　black　staircase；　because　it　was
dark　and　badly　lighted；　and　it　was　through　this　that　Madame　Gazani
entered；　while　the　Emperor　came　in　by　the　other　door。　　They　had　been
together　only　a　few　moments　when　the　Empress　entered　the　Emperor's　room；
and　asked　me　what　her　husband　was　doing。　　〃Madame；　the　Emperor　is　very
busy　just　now；　he　is　working　in　his　cabinet　with　a　minister。〃〃Constant；
I　wish　to　enter。〃〃That　is　impossible；　Madame。　　I　have　received　a　formal
order　not　to　disturb　his　Majesty；　not　even　for　her　Majesty　the　Empress；〃
whereupon　she　went　away　dissatisfied　and　somewhat　irritated；　and　at　the
end　of　half　an　hour　returned；　and；　renewing　her　demand；　I　was　obliged　to
repeat　my　reply；　and；　though　much　distressed　in　witnessing　the　chagrin　of
her　Majesty　the　Empress；　I　could　not　disobey　my　orders。　　That　evening　on
retiring　the　Emperor　said　to　me；　in　a　very　severe　tone；　that　the　Empress
had　informed　him　she　had　learned　from　me；　that；　at　the　time　she　came　to
question　me　in　regard　to　him；　he　was　closeted　with　a　lady。　　Not　at　all
disturbed；　I　replied　to　the　Emperor；　that　of　course　he　could　not　believe
that。　　〃No；〃　replied　the　Emperor；　returning　to　the　friendly　tone　with
which　he　habitually　honored　me；　〃I　know　you　well　enough　to　be　assured　of
your　discretion；　but　woe　to　the　idiots　who　are　gossiping；　if　I　can　get
hold　of　them。〃　　The　next　night　the　Empress　entered；　as　the　Emperor　was
retiring；　and　his　Majesty　said　to　her　in　my　presence；　〃It　is　very　bad　to
impute　falsehood　to　poor　Monsieur　Constant；　he　is　not　the　man　to　make　up
such　a　tale　as　that　you　told　me。〃　　The　Empress；　seated　on　the　edge　of　the
bed；　began　to　laugh；　and　put　her　pretty　little　hand　over　her　husband's
mouth；　and；　as　it　was　a　matter　concerning　myself；　I　withdrew。　　For　a　few
days　the　Empress　was　cool　and　distant　to　me；　but；　as　this　was　foreign　to
her　nature；　she　soon　resumed　the　gracious　manner　which　attached　all
hearts　to　her。

The　Emperor's　liaison　with　Madame　Gazani　lasted　nearly　a　year；　but　they
met　only　at　long　intervals。

The　following　instance　of　jealousy　is　not　as　personal　to　me　as　that　which
I　have　just　related。

Madame　de　Remusat；＇Authoress　of　the　well…known　Memoirs。　　Born　in　Paris；
1780；　died　1821。　　Her　husband　was　first　chamberlain　to　the　Emperor。　＇
wife　of　one　of　the　prefects　of　the　palace；　and　one　of　the　ladies　of　honor
to　whom　the　Empress　was　most　attached；　found　her　one　evening　in　tears　and
despair；　and　waited　in　silence　till　her　Majesty　should　condescend　to　tell
her　the　cause　of　this　deep　trouble。　　She　had　not　long　to　wait；　however；
for　hardly　had　she　entered　the　apartment　than　her　Majesty　exclaimed；　〃I
am　sure　that　he　is　now　with　some　woman。　　My　dear　friend；〃　added　she；
continuing　to　weep；　〃take　this　candle　and　let　us　go　and　listen　at　his
door。　　We　will　hear　much。〃　　Madame　de　Remusat　did　all　in　her　power　to
dissuad