napoleon bonaparte, v4-第7章

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Lomenie；　and　recalling　with　surprising　accuracy　the　smallest　particulars
of　the　stay　which　he　made　during　his　childhood　at　the　military　school　of
Brienne。

His　Majesty　invited　to　his　table　at　dinner　his　hostesses　and　a　few　of
their　friends；　and　afterwards　made　a　party　at　a　game　of　whist　with
Mesdames　de　Brienne；　de　Vandeuvre；　and　de　Nolivres。　　During　this　game；　as
also　at　the　table；　his　conversation　was　animated　and　most　interesting；
and　he　displayed　such　liveliness　and　affability　that　every　one　was
delighted。

His　Majesty　passed　the　night　at　the　chateau　of　Brienne；　and　rose　early　to
visit　the　field　of　la　Rothiere；　one　of　his　favorite　walks　in　former　days。
He　revisited　with　the　greatest　pleasure　those　spots　where　his　early　youth
had　been　passed；　and　pointed　them　out　with　a　kind　of　pride；　all　his
movements；　all　his　reflections；　seeming　to　say；　〃See　whence　I　set　out；
and　where　I　have　arrived。〃

His　Majesty　walked　in　advance　of　the　persons　who　accompanied　him；　and
took　much　pleasure　in　being　first　to　call　by　their　names　the　various
localities　he　passed。　　A　peasant；　seeing　him　thus　some　distance　from　his
suite；　cried　out　to　him　familiarly；　〃Oh；　citizen；　is　the　Emperor　going　to
pass　soon？〃〃Yes；〃　replied　the　Emperor；　〃have　patience。〃

The　Emperor　had　inquired　the　evening　before；　of　Madame　Brienne；　news　of
Mother　Marguerite。　　Thus　was　styled　a　good　woman　who　dwelt　in　a　cottage；
in　the　midst　of　the　forest；　and　on　whom　the；　pupils　of　the　military
academy　were　accustomed　to　make　frequent　visits。　　He　had　not　forgotten
her　name；　and　learning；　with　as　much　joy　as　surprise；　that　she　still
lived；　the　Emperor；　extended　his　morning　ride；　and　galloping　up　to　the
door　of　the　cottage；　alighted　from　his　horse；　and　entered　the　home　of　the
good　old　peasant。　　Her　sight　was　impaired　by　age；　and　besides；　the
Emperor　had　changed　so　much　since　she　had　seen　him　that　it　would　have
been　difficult　even　for　the　best　eyes　to　recognize　him。　　〃Good…day；
Mother　Marguerite；〃　said　his　Majesty；　saluting　the　old　woman；　〃so　you　are
not　curious　to　see　the　Emperor？〃〃Yes；　indeed；　my　good　sir；　I　am　very
curious　to　see　him；　so　much　so；　that　here　is　a　little　basket　of　fresh
eggs　that　I　am　going　to　carry　to　Madame；　and　I　shall　then　remain　at　the
chateau；　and　endeavor　to　see　the　Emperor。　　But　the　trouble　is；　I　shall
not　be　able　to　see　him　so　well　to…day　as　formerly；　when　he　came　with　his
comrades　to　drink　milk　at　Mother　Marguerite's。　　He　was　not　Emperor　then；
but　that　was　nothing；　he　made　the　others　step　around！　　Indeed；　you　should
have　seen　him！　　The　milk；　the　eggs；　the　brown　bread；　the　broken　dishes
though　he　took　care　to　have　me　paid　for　everything；　and　began　by　paying
his　own　bill。〃〃What！　　Mother　Marguerite；〃　replied　his　Majesty；　smiling；
〃you　have　not　forgotten　Bonaparte！〃〃Forgotten！　　my　good　sir；　you　think
that　any　one　would　forget　such　a　young　man　as　he；　who　was　wise；　serious；
and　sometimes　even　sad；　but　always　good　to　poor　people？　　I　am　only　a　poor
peasant　woman；　but　I　could　have　predicted　that　this　young　man　would　make
his　way。　　He　has　not　done　it　very　badly；　has　he？　　Ah；　no；　indeed！〃

During　this　short　dialogue；　the　Emperor　had　at　first　turned　his　back　to
the　door；　and　consequently　to　the　light；　which　entered　the　cottage　only
by　that　means。　　But；　by　degrees；　the　Emperor　approached　the　good　woman；
and　when　he　was　quite　near　her；　with　the　light　shining　full　on　his　face
from　the　door；　he　began　to　rub　his　hands　and　say；　trying　to　recall　the
tone　and　manner　of　the　days　of　his　early　youth；　when　he　came　to　the
peasant's　house；　〃Come；　Mother　Marguerite；　some　milk　and　fresh　eggs；　we
are　famishing。〃　　The　good　old　woman　seemed　trying　to　revive　her　memories；
and　began　to　observe　the　Emperor　with　the　closest　attention。　　〃Oh；　yes；
Mother；　you　were　so　sure　a　while　ago　of　knowing　Bonaparte　again。　　Are　we
not　old　acquaintances；　we　two？〃　　The　peasant；　while　the　Emperor　was
addressing　these　last　words　to　her；　had　fallen　at　his　feet；　but　he　raised
her　with　the　most　touching　kindness；　and　said　to　her；　〃The　truth　is；
Mother　Marguerite；　I　have　still　a　schoolboy's　appetite。　　Have　you　nothing
to　give　me？〃　　The　good　woman；　almost　beside　herself　with　happiness；
served　his　Majesty　with　eggs　and　milk；　and　when　this　simple　repast　was
ended；　his　Majesty　gave　his　aged　hostess　a　purse　full　of　gold；　saying　to
her；　〃You　know；　Mother　Marguerite；　that　I　believe　in　paying　my　bills。
Adieu；　I　shall　not　forget　you。〃　　And　while　the　Emperor　remounted　his
horse；　the　good　old　woman；　standing　on　the　threshold　of　her　door；
promised　him；　with　tears　of　joy；　to　pray　to　the　good　God　for　him。

One　morning；　when　he　awoke；　his　Majesty　was　speaking　of　the　possibility
of　finding　some　of　his　old　acquaintances；　and　an　anecdote　concerning
General　Junot　was　related　to　him；　which　amused　him　greatly。　　The　General
finding　himself；　on　his　return　from　Egypt；　at　Montbard；　where　he　had
passed　several　years　of　his　childhood；　had　sought　with　the　greatest　care
for　his　companions　in　school　and　mischief；　and　had　found　several；　with
whom　he　had　talked　gayly　and　freely　of　his　early　frolics　and　his
schoolboy　excursions。　　As　they　went　together　to　revisit　the　different
localities；　each　of　which　awakened　in　them　some　memory　of　their　youth；
the　general　saw　an　old　man　majestically　promenading　on　the　public　square
with　a　large　cane　in　his　hand。　　He　immediately　ran　up　to　him；　threw　his
arms　around　him；　and　embraced　him　many　times；　almost　suffocating　him。
The　promenader　disengaged　himself　with　great　difficulty　from　his　warm
embraces；　regarded　General　Junot　with　an　amazed　air；　and　remarked　that　he
was　ignorant　to　what　he　could　attribute　such　excessive　tenderness　from　a
soldier　wearing　the　uniform　of　a　superior　officer；　and　all　the
indications　of　high　rank。　　〃What；〃　cried　he；　〃do　you　not　recognize　me？〃
〃Citizen　General；　I　pray　you　to　excuse　me；　but　I　have　no　idea〃
〃Ah；　morbleu；　my　dear　master；　have　you　forgotten　the　most　idle；　the　most
lawless；　the　most　incorrigible　of　your　scholars？〃〃A　thousand　pardons；
you　are　Monsieur　Junot。〃〃Himself！〃　replied　Junot；　renewing　his
embraces；　and　laughing　with　his　friends　at　the　singular　characteristics
by　which　he　had　caused　himself　to　be　recognized。　　As　for　his　Majesty　the
Emperor；　if　any　of　his　old　masters　had　failed　to　recognize　him；　it　could
not　be　by　reminiscences　of　this　kind　that　he　could　have　recalled　himself
to　them；　for　every　one　knows　that　he　was　distinguished　at　the　military
school　for　his　application　to　work；　and　the　regularity　and　sobriety　of
his　life。

A　meeting　of　the　same　nature；　saving　the　difference　in　recollections；
awaited　the　Emperor　at　Brienne。　　While　he　was　visiting　the　old　military
school；　now　falling　to　ruin；　and　pointing　out　to　the　persons　who
surrounded　him　the　situation　of　the　study　halls；　dormitories；
refectories；　etc。；　an　ecclesiastic　who　had　been　tutor　of　one　of　the
classes　in　the　school　was　presented　to　him。　　The　Emperor　recognized　him
immediately；　and；　uttering　an　exclamation　of　surprise；　his　Majesty
conversed　more　than　twenty　minutes　with　this　gentleman；　leaving　him　full
of　gratitude。

The　Emperor；　before　leaving　Brienne　to　return　to　Fontainebleau；　required
the　mayor　to　give　him　a　written　account　of　the　most　pressing　needs　of　the
commune；　and　left　on　his　departure　a　considerable　sum　for　the　poor　and
the　hospitals。

Passing　through　Troyes；　the　Emperor　left　there；　as　everywhere　else；
souvenirs　of　his　generosity。　　The　widow　of　a　general　officer；　living　in
retirement　at　Joinville　（I　regret　that　I　have　forgotten　the　name　of　this
venerable　lady；　who　was　more　than　an　octogenarian）；　came　to　Troyes；
notwithstanding　her　great　age；　to　ask　aid　from　his　Majesty。　　Her　husband
having　served　only　before　the　Revolution；　the　pension　which　she　had
enjoyed　had　been　taken　from　her　under　the　Republic；　and　she　was　in　the
greatest　destitution。　　The　brother　of　General　Vouittemont；　mayor　of　a
commune　in　the　suburbs　of　Troyes；　was　kind　enough　to　consult　me　as　to
what　should　be　done　in　order　to　present　this　lady　to　the　Emperor；　and　I
advised　him　to　have　her　name　placed　on　the　list　of　his　Majesty's　private
audiences。　　I　myself　took　the　liberty　of　speaking　of　Madame　de　to　the
Emperor；　and　th