napoleon bonaparte, v4-第19章

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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