napoleon bonaparte, v4-第3章

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and　kissing　her。

At　the　end　of　a　few　moments　the　Empress　rose　also；　put　on　a　wrapper；　and
read　the　journals；　or　descended　by　the　little　communicating　stairway　to
her　own　apartment；　never　leaving　the　Emperor　without　a　few　words
expressing　the　most　touching　affection　and　good…will。

Elegant　and　simple　in　her　dress；　the　Empress　submitted　with　regret　to　the
necessity　of　toilets　of　state。　　Jewels；　however；　were　much　to　her　taste；
and；　as　she　had　always　been　fond　of　them；　the　Emperor　presented　her　with
them　often　and　in　great　quantities；　and　she　greatly　enjoyed　adorning
herself　with　them；　and　still　more　exhibiting　them　to　the　admiration　of
others。

One　morning；　when　my　wife　was　present　at　her　toilet；　her　Majesty　related
that；　being　newly　married　to　M。　de　Beauharnais；　and　much　delighted　with
the　ornaments　he　had　given　her；　she　was　in　the　habit　of　carrying　them
around　in　her　reticule　（reticules　were　then　an　essential　part　of　a
woman's　dress）；　and　showing　them　to　her　young　friends。

As　the　Empress　spoke　of　her　reticule；　she　ordered　one　of　her　ladies　to
hunt　for　one　to　show　my　wife。　　The　lady　whom　the　Empress　addressed　could
scarcely　repress　a　laugh　at　this　singular　request；　and　assured　her
Majesty　that　there　was　nothing　similar　to　that　now　in　her　wardrobe；　to
which　the　Empress　replied；　with　an　air　of　regret；　that　she　would　have
really　liked　to　see　again　one　of　her　old　reticules；　and　that　the　years
hall　brought　great　changes。　　The　jewels　of　the　Empress　Josephine　could
hardly　have　been　contained　in　the　reticule　of　Madame　de　Beauharnais；
however　long　or　deep　it　might　have　been；　for　the　jewel　case　which　had
belonged　to　Queen　Marie　Antoinette；　and　which　had　never　been　quite　full；
was　too　small　for　the　Empress。　　One　day；　when　she　wished　to　exhibit　all
her　ornaments　to　several　ladies　who　expressed　a　desire　to　see　them；　it
was　necessary　to　prepare　a　large　table　on　which　to　place　the　caskets；
and；　as　this　table　was　not　sufficient；　several　other　pieces　of　furniture
were　also　covered　with　them。

Good　to　excess；　as　everyone　knows；　sympathetic　beyond　all　expression；
generous　even　to　prodigality；　the　Empress　made　the　happiness　of　all　who
surrounded　her；　loving　her　husband　with　a　devotion　which　nothing　ever
changed；　and　which　was　as　deep　in　her　last　moments　as　at　the　period　when
Madame　Beauharnais　and　General　Bonaparte　made　to　each　other　a　mutual
avowal　of　their　love。　　Josephine　was　long　the　only　woman　loved　by　the
Emperor；　as　she　well　deserved　to　have　ever　been；　and　for　several　years
the　harmony　of　this　imperial　household　was　most　touching。　　Attentive；
loving；　and　entirely　devoted　to　Josephine；　the　Emperor　took　pleasure　in
embracing　her　neck；　her　figure；　giving　her　taps；　and　calling　her　'ma
grosse　bete'；　all　of　which　did　not　prevent；　it　is　true；　his　being　guilty
of　some　infidelities；　but　without　failing　otherwise　in　his　conjugal
duties。　　On　her　side　the　Empress　adored　him；　sought　by　every　means　to
please　him；　to　divine　his　wishes；　and　to　forestall　his　least　desires。

At　first　she　gave　her　husband　cause　for　jealousy。　　Having　been　strongly
prejudiced　against　her　by　indiscreet　reports；　during　the　campaign　of
Egypt；　the　Emperor　on　his　return　had　explanations　with　her；　which　did　not
always　end　without　lamentations　and　violent　scenes；　but　peace　was　soon
restored；　and　was　thereafter　very　rarely　broken；　for　the　Emperor　could
not　fail　to　feel　the　influence　of　so　many　attractions　and　such
loveliness。

The　Empress　had　a　remarkable　memory；　of　which　the　Emperor　often　availed
himself；　she　was　also　an　excellent　musician；　played　well　on　the　harp；　and
sang　with　taste。　　She　had　perfect　tact；　an　exquisite　perception　of　what
was　suitable；　the　soundest；　most　infallible　judgment　imaginable；　and；
with　a　disposition　always　lovely；　always　the　same；　indulgent　to　her
enemies　as　to　her　friends；　she　restored　peace　wherever　there　was　quarrel
or　discord。　　When　the　Emperor　was　vexed　with　his　brothers　or　other
persons；　which　often　happened；　the　Empress　spoke　a　few　words；　and
everything　was　settled。　　If　she　demanded　a　pardon；　it　was　very　rare　that
the　Emperor　did　not　grant　it；　however　grave　the　crime　committed；　and　I
could　cite　a　thousand　examples　of　pardons　thus　solicited　and　obtained。
One　occurrence　which　is　almost　personal　to　me　will　sufficiently　prove　how
all…powerful　was　the　intercession　of　this　good　Empress。

Her　Majesty's　head　valet　being　one　day　a　little　affected　by　the　wine　he
had　taken　at　a　breakfast　with　some　friends；　was　obliged；　from　the　nature
of　his　duties；　to　be　present　at　the　time　of　their　Majesties'　dinner；　and
to　stand　behind　the　Empress　in　order　to　take　and　hand　her　the　plates。
Excited　by　the　fumes　of　the　champagne；　he　had　the　misfortune　to　utter
some　improper　words；　which；　though　pronounced　in　a　low　tone；　the　Emperor
unfortunately　overheard。　　His　Majesty　cast　lightning　glances　at　M。　Frere；
who　thus　perceived　the　gravity　of　his　fault；　and；　when　dinner　was　over；
gave　orders　to　discharge　the　impudent　valet；　in　a　tone　which　left　no　hope
and　permitted　no　reply。

Monsieur　Frere　was　an　excellent　servant；　a　gentle；　good；　and　honest　man；
it　was　the　first　fault　of　this　kind　of　which　he　could　be　accused；　and
consequently　he　deserved　indulgence。　　Application　was　made　to　the　grand
marshal；　who　refused　to　intercede；　well　knowing　the　inflexibility　of　the
Emperor；　and　many　other　persons　whom　the　poor　man　begged　to　intercede　for
him　having　replied　as　the　grand　marshal　had　done；　M。　Frere　came　in
despair　to　bid　us　adieu。　　I　dared　to　take　his　cause　in　hand；　with　the
hope　that　by　seizing　a　favorable　moment　I　might　succeed　in　appeasing　his
Majesty。　　The　order　of　discharge　required　M。　Frere　to　leave　the　palace　in
twenty…four　hours；　but　I　advised　him　not　to　obey　it；　but　to　keep　himself；
however；　constantly　concealed　in　his　room；　which　he　did。　　That　evening　on
retiring；　his　Majesty　spoke　to　me　of　what　had　passed；　showing　much　anger；
so　I　judged　that　silence　was　the　best　course　to　take；　and　therefore
waited；　but　the　next　day　the　Empress　had　the　kindness　to　tell　me　that　she
would　be　present　at　her　husband's　toilet；　and　that；　if　I　thought　proper
to　open　the　matter；　she　would　sustain　me　with　all　her　influence。
Consequently；　finding　the　Emperor　in　a　good　humor；　I　spoke　of　M。　Frere；
and　depicting　to　his　Majesty　the　despair　of　this　poor　man；　I　pointed　out
to　him　the　reasons　which　might　excuse　the　impropriety　of　his　conduct。
〃Sire；〃　said　I；　〃he　is　a　good　man；　who　has　no　fortune；　and　supports　a
numerous　family；　and　if　he　has　to　quit　the　service　of　her　Majesty　the
Empress；　it　will　not　be　believed　that　it　was　on　account　of　a　fault　for
which　the　wine　was　more　to　be　blamed　than　he；　and　he　will　be　utterly
ruined。〃　　To　these　words；　as　well　as　to　many　other　suggestions；　the
Emperor　only　replied　by　interruptions；　made　with　every　appearance　of　a
decided　opposition　to　the　pardon　which　I　had　requested。　　Fortunately　the
Empress　was　good　enough　to　come　to　my　assistance；　and　said　to　her　husband
in　her　own　gentle　tones；　always　so　touching　and　full　of　expression；　〃Mon
ami；　if　you　are　willing　to　pardon　him；　you　will　be　doing　me　a　favor。〃
Emboldened　by　this　powerful　patronage；　I　renewed　my　solicitations；　to
which　the　Emperor　at　last　replied　abruptly；　addressing　himself　to　both
the　Empress　and　myself；　〃In　short；　you　wish　it；　well；　let　him　stay　then。〃

Monsieur　Frere　thanked　me　with　his　whole　heart；　and　could　hardly　believe
the　good　news　which　I　brought　him；　and　as　for　the　Empress；　she　was　made
happy　by　the　joy　of　this　faithful　servant；　who　gave　her　during　the
remainder　of　his　life　every　proof　of　his　entire　devotion。　　I　have　been
assured　that；　in　1814；　on　the　departure　of　the　Emperor　for　the　Island　of
Elba；　Monsieur　Frere　was　by　no　means　the　last　to　blame　my　conduct；　the
motive　of　which　he　could　not　possibly　know；　but　I　am　not　willing　to
believe　this；　for　it　seems　to　me　that　in　his　place；　if　I　thought　I　could
not　defend　an　absent　friend；　I　should　at　least　have　kept　silence。

As　I　have　said；　the　Empress　was　extremely　generous；　and　bestowed　much　in
alms；　and　was　most　ingenious　in　finding　occasions　for　their　bestowal。
Many　emigres　lived　solely　on　her　benefactions；　she　also　kept　up　a　very
active　co