贝壳电子书 > 英文原著电子书 > napoleon bonaparte, v4 >

第19章

napoleon bonaparte, v4-第19章

小说: napoleon bonaparte, v4 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



moustached faces; which he said was very tiresome; and the prince; ever
ready on occasions of this kind to offer his services to his brother…in…
law; spoke to him of a handsome and attractive Genoese lady; who had the
greatest desire to see his Majesty。  The Emperor laughingly granted a
tete…a…tete; the prince himself offering to send the message; and two
days later; by his kind assistance; the lady arrived; and was installed
in the upper town。  The Emperor; who lodged at Pont des Briques; ordered
me one evening to take a carriage; and find this protegee of Prince
Murat。  I obeyed; and brought the beautiful Genoese; who; to avoid
scandal; although it was a dark night; was introduced through a little
garden behind his Majesty's apartments。  The poor woman was much excited;
and shed tears; but controlled herself quickly on finding that she was
kindly received; and the interview was prolonged until three o'clock in
the morning; when I was called to carry her back。  She returned
afterwards four or five times; and was with the Emperor afterwards at
Rambouillet。  She was gentle; simple; credulous; and not at all
intriguing; and did not try to draw any benefit from a liaison which at
best was only temporary。

Another of these favorites of the moment; who threw themselves so to
speak into the arms of the Emperor without giving him time to make his
court to them; was Mademoiselle L。 B; a very pretty girl。  She was
intelligent; and possessed a kind heart; and; had she received a less
frivolous education; would doubtless have been an estimable woman; but I
have reason to believe that her mother had from the first the design of
acquiring a protector for her second husband; by utilizing the youth and
attractions of the daughter of her first。  I do not now recall her name;
but she was of a noble family; of which fact the mother and daughter were
very proud; and the young girl was a good musician; and sang agreeably;
but; which appeared to me as ridiculous as indecent; she danced the
ballet before a large company in her mother's house; in a costume almost
as light as those of the opera; with castanets or tambourines; and ended
her dance with a multiplicity of attitudes and graces。  With such an
education she naturally thought her position not at all unusual; and was
very much chagrined at the short duration of her liaison with the
Emperor; while the mother was in despair; and said to me with disgusting
simplicity; 〃See my poor Lise; how she has ruined her complexion in her
vexation at seeing herself neglected; poor child。  How good you will be;
if you can manage to have her sent for。〃  To secure an interview for
which the mother and daughter were both so desirous; they came together
to the chapel at Saint…Cloud; and during mass the poor Lise threw glances
at the Emperor which made the young ladies blush who witnessed them; and
were; nevertheless; all in vain; for the Emperor remained unmoved。

Colonel L。 B was aide…de…camp to General L; the governor of
Saint…Cloud; and the general was a widower; which facts alone furnish an
excuse for the intimacy of his only daughter with the family of L。 B;
which astonished me greatly。  One day; when I was dining at the house of
the colonel; with his wife; his step…daughter; and Mademoiselle L;
the general sent for his aides…de…camp; and I was left alone; with the
ladies; who so earnestly begged me to accompany them on a visit to
Mademoiselle le Normand; that it would have been impolite to refuse;
consequently we ordered a carriage and went to the Rue de Tournon。
Mademoiselle L。 B was first to enter the Sybil's cave; where she
remained a long while; but on her return was very reserved as to any
communications made to her; though Mademoiselle L told us very
frankly that she had good news; and would soon marry the man she loved;
which event soon occurred。  These ladies having urged me to consult the
prophetess in my turn; I perceived plainly that I was recognized; for
Mademoiselle le Normand at once discovered in my hand that I had the
happiness of being near a great man and being highly esteemed by him;
adding much other nonsense of the same kind; which was so tiresome that I
thanked her; and made my adieux as quickly as possible。




CHAPTER XXXI。

While the Emperor was giving crowns to his brothers and sisters;to
Prince Louis; the throne of Holland; Naples to Prince Joseph; the Duchy
of Berg to Prince Murat; to the Princess Eliza; Lucca and Massa…Carrara;
and Guastalla to the Princess Pauline Borghese; and while; by means of
treaties and family alliances; he was assuring still more the co…
operation of the different states which had entered into the
Confederation of the Rhine;war was renewed between France and Prussia。
It is not my province to investigate the causes of this war; nor to
decide which first gave cause of offense。

All I can certify is this; frequently at the Tuileries; and on the
campaign; I heard the Emperor; in conversation with his intimate friends;
accuse the old Duke of Brunswick; whose name had been so odious in France
since 1792; and also the young and beautiful Queen of Prussia; of having
influenced King Frederic William to break the treaty of peace。  The Queen
was; according to the Emperor; more disposed to war than General Blucher
himself。  She wore the uniform of the regiment to which she had given her
name; appeared at all reviews; and commanded the maneuvers。

We left Paris at the end of September。  I will not enter into the details
of this wonderful campaign; in which the Emperor in an incredibly short
time crushed to pieces an army of one hundred and fifty thousand men;
perfectly disciplined; full of enthusiasm and courage; and fighting in
defense of their country。  In one of the first battles; the young Prince
Louis of Prussia; brother of the king; was killed at the head of his
troops by Guinde; quartermaster of the Tenth Hussars。  The prince fought
hand to hand with this brave sub…officer; who said to him; 〃Surrender;
Colonel; or you are a dead man;〃 to which Prince Louis replied only by a
saber stroke; whereupon Guinde plunged his own into the body of his
opponent; and he fell dead on the spot。

On this campaign; as the roads had become very rough from the continual
passage of artillery; my carriage was one day upset; and one of the
Emperor's hats fell out of the door; but a regiment which happened to
pass along the same road having recognized the hat from its peculiar
shape; my carriage was immediately set up again; 〃For;〃 said these brave
soldiers; 〃we cannot leave the first valet of the little corporal in
trouble;〃 and the hat; after passing through many hands; was at last
restored to me before my departure。

On the Emperor's arrival at the plateau of Weimar; he arranged his army
in line of battle; and bivouacked in the midst of his guard。  About two
o'clock in the morning he arose and went on foot to examine the work on a
road that was being cut in the rock for the transportation of artillery;
and after remaining nearly an hour with the workmen; decided to take a
look at the nearest advance posts before returning to his bivouac。

This round; which the Emperor insisted on making alone and with no
escort; came near costing him his life。  The night was so dark that the
sentinels of the camp could not see ten steps in front of them; and the
first; hearing some one in the darkness approaching our line; called out
〃Qui vive?〃 and prepared to fire。  The Emperor being lost in thought; as
he himself told me afterwards; did not notice the sentinel's challenge;
and made no reply until a ball; whistling by his ears; woke him from his
reverie; when immediately perceiving his danger; he threw himself face
downwards on the ground; which was a very wise precaution; for hardly had
his Majesty placed himself in this position; than other balls passed over
his head; the discharge of the first sentinel having been repeated by the
whole line。  This first fire over; the Emperor rose; walked towards the
nearest post; and made himself known。

His Majesty was still there when the soldier who had fired on him joined
them; being just relieved at his post; he was a young grenad

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的