napoleon bonaparte, v4-第9章

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！


registers；　the　record　of　the　certificate　of　the　celebration　of　the
marriage　of　Monsieur　Jerome　with　Mademoiselle　Patterson。　　For　some　time
the　Emperor　treated　him　with　great　coolness；　and　kept　him　at　a　distance；
but　a　few　days　after　the　interview　at　Alexandria；　he　sent　him　to　Algiers
to　claim　as　subjects　of　the　Empire　two　hundred　Genoese　held　as　slaves。
The　young　prince　acquitted　himself　handsomely　of　this　mission　of
humanity；　and　returned　in　the　month　of　August　to　the　port　of　Genoa；　with
the　captives　whom　he　had　just　released。　　The　Emperor　was　well　satisfied
with　the　manner　in　which　his　brother　had　carried　out　his　instructions；
and　said　on　this　occasion；　that　〃Prince　Jerome　was　very　young　and　very
thoughtless；　that　he　needed　more　weight　in　his　head；　but　that；
nevertheless；　he　hoped　to　make　something　of　him。〃

This　brother　of　his　Majesty　was　one　among　the　few　persons　whom　he　really
loved；　although　he　had　often　given　him　just　cause　for　anger。




CHAPTER　XXVI。

Their　Majesties　remained　more　than　a　month　at　Milan；　and　I　had　ample
leisure　to　acquaint　myself　with　this　beautiful　capital　of　Lombardy。　　This
visit　was　a　continual　succession　of　fetes　and　gayeties；　and　it　seemed
that　the　Emperor　alone　had　time　to　give　to　work；　for　he　shut　himself　up；
as　was　his　custom；　with　his　ministers；　while　all　the　persons　of　his　suite
and　of　his　household；　whose　duties　did　not　detain　them　near　his　Majesty；
were　eagerly　taking　part　in　the　sports　and　diversions　of　the　Milanese。　　I
will　enter　into　no　details　of　the　coronation；　as　it　was　almost　a
repetition　of　what　had　taken　place　at　Paris　a　few　months　before；　and　as
all　solemnities　of　this　sort　are　alike；　every　one　is　familiar　with　the
least　details。　　Amid　all　these　fete　days　there　was　one　day　of　real
happiness　to　me：　it　was　that　on　which　Prince　Eugene；　whose　kindness　to　me
I　have　never　forgotten；　was　proclaimed　viceroy　of　Italy。　　Truly；　no　one
could　be　more　worthy　than　he　of　a　rank　so　elevated；　if　to　attain　it　only
nobility；　generosity；　courage；　and　skill　in　the　art　of　governing；　were
needed；　for　never　did　prince　more　sincerely　desire　the　prosperity　of　the
people　confided　to　his　care。　　I　have　often　observed　how　truly　happy　he
was；　and　what　genuine　delight　beamed　from　his　countenance　when　he　had
shed　happiness　around　him。

The　Emperor　and　Empress　went　one　day　to　breakfast　in　the　environs　of
Milan；　on　a　little　island　called　Olona。　　While　walking　over　it；　the
Emperor　met　a　poor　woman；　whose　cottage　was　near　the　place　where　their
Majesties'　table　had　been　set；　and　he　addressed　to　her　a　number　of
questions。　　〃Monsieur；〃　replied　she　（not　knowing　the　Emperor）；　〃I　am　very
poor；　and　the　mother　of　three　children；　whom　I　have　great　difficulty　in
supporting；　because　my　husband；　who　is　a　day　laborer；　has　not　always
work。〃　〃How　much　would　it　take；〃　replied　his　Majesty；　〃to　make　you
perfectly　happy？〃〃O　Sire；　it　would　take　a　great　deal　of　money。〃〃But
how　much；　my　good　woman；　how　much　would　be　necessary？〃〃Ah；　Monsieur；
unless　we　had　twenty　louis；　　we　would　not　be　above　want；　but　what　chance
is　there　of　our　ever　having　twenty　louis？〃

The　Emperor　gave　her；　on　the　spot；　the　sum　of　three　thousand　francs　in
gold；　and　ordered　me　to　untie　the　rolls　and　pour　them　all　into　the　good
woman's　lap。

At　the　sight　of　so　much　gold　the　latter　grew　pale；　reeled；　and　I　saw　she
was　fainting。　　〃All；　that　is　too　much；　Monsieur；　that　is　indeed　too　much。
Surely　you　could　not　be　making　sport　of　a　poor　woman！〃

The　Emperor　assured　her　that　it　was　indeed　all　hers；　and　that　with　this
money　she　could　buy　a　little　field；　a　flock　of　goats；　and　raise　her
children　well。

His　Majesty　did　not　make　himself　known；　for　he　liked；　in　dispensing　his
benefits；　to　preserve　his　incognito；　and　I　knew；　during　his　life；　a　large
number　of　instances　similar　to　the　foregoing。　　It　seems　that　historians
have　made　it　a　point　to　pass　them　over　in　silence；　and　yet　it　is；　I
think；　by　the　rehearsal　of　just　such　deeds　that　a　correct　idea　of　the
Emperor's　character　can　and　should　be　formed。

Deputations　from　the　Ligurian　Republic；　with　the　Doge　at　their　head；　had
come　to　Milan　to　entreat　the　Emperor　to　annex　Genoa　and　its　territory　to
the　Empire；　which　demand　his　Majesty　took　care　not　to　refuse；　and　by　a
decree　formed　of　the　Genoese　states　three　departments　of　his　Italian
kingdom。　　The　Emperor　and　Empress　set　out　from　Milan　to　visit　these
departments　and　some　others。

We　had　been　at　Mantua　a　short　time；　when　one　evening；　about　six　o'clock；
Grand　Marshal　Duroc　gave　me　an　order　to　remain　alone　in　a　little　room
adjoining　that　of　the　Emperor；　and　informed　me　that　Count　Lucien
Bonaparte　would　arrive　soon。　　He　came　in　a　few　moments；　and　as　soon　as　he
announced　himself；　I　introduced　him　into；　the　Emperor's　bedroom；　and　then
knocked　at　the　door　of　the　Emperor's　cabinet；　to　inform　him　of　his
arrival。　　After　saluting　each　other；　the　two　brothers　shut　themselves　up
in　the　room；　and　there　soon　arose　between　them　a　very　animated
discussion；　and　being　compelled　to　remain　in　the　little　saloon；　much
against　my　will；　I　overheard　a　great　part　of　the　conversation。　　The
Emperor　was　urging　his　brother　to　get　a　divorce；　and　promised　him　a　crown
if　he　would　do　this；　but　Lucien　replied　that　he　would　never　abandon　the
mother　of　his　children；　which　refusal　irritated　the　Emperor　so　greatly；
that　his　expressions　became　harsh　and　even　insulting。　　When　this
altercation　had　lasted　more　than　an　hour；　M。　Lucien　came　out　from　it　in　a
deplorable　condition；　pale　and　disheveled；　his　eyes　red　and　filled　with
tears；　and　we　did　not　see　him　again；　for；　on　quitting　his　brother；　he
returned　to　Rome。

The　Emperor　was　greatly　troubled　by　this　refusal　of　his　brother；　and　did
not　open　his　mouth　on　retiring。　　It　has　been　maintained　that　the
disagreement　between　the　brothers　was　caused　by　the　elevation　of　the
First　Consul　to　the　Empire；　and　Lucien's　disapproval　of　this　step；　but
that　is　a　mistake。　　It　is　indeed　true　that　the　latter　had　proposed　to
continue　the　Republic　under　the　government　of　two　consuls；　who　were　to　be
Napoleon　and　Lucien；　one　to　be　at　the　head　of　the　department　of　war　and
foreign　relations；　the　other　of　everything　connected　with　the　affairs　of
the　interior；　but　although　the　failure　of　this　plan　must　have
disappointed　Lucien；　the　avidity　with　which　he　accepted　the　titles　of
senator　and　count　of　the　Empire　proved　that　he　cared　very　little　for　a
republic　of　which　he　was　not　to　be　one　of　the　heads。　　I　am　sure　that　the
marriage　of　Monsieur　Lucien　to　Madame　Jouberthon　was　the　only　cause　of
this　disagreement。　　The　Emperor　disapproved　of　this　union　because　the
lady's　reputation　was　somewhat　doubtful；　and　she　was　also　divorced　from
her　husband；　who　had　become　insolvent；　and　had　fled　to　America。　　This
insolvency；　and　the　divorce　especially；　offended　Napoleon　deeply；　who
always　felt　a　great　repugnance　for　divorced　people。

Before　this；　the　Emperor　had　wished　to　raise　his　brother　to　the　rank　of
sovereign；　by　making　him　marry　the　Queen　of　Etruria；　who　had　lost　her
husband。　　Lucien　had　refused　this　alliance　on　several　different
occasions；　and　at　last　the　Emperor　became　angry；　and　said　to　him；　〃You
see　how　far　you　are　carrying　your　infatuation　and　your　foolish　love　for　a
femme　galante。〃〃At　least；〃　replied　Lucien；　〃mine　is　young　and　pretty；〃
alluding　to　the　Empress　Josephine；　who　had　been　both　the　one　and　the
other。

The　boldness　of　this　reply　excited　the　Emperor's　anger　beyond　all　bounds。
At　that　moment　he　held　in　his　hands　his　watch；　which　he　dashed　with　all
his　might　on　the　floor；　crying　out；　〃Since　you　will　listen　to　nothing；
see；　I　will　break　you　like　this　watch。〃

Differences　had　arisen　between　the　brothers　before　the　establishment　of
the　Empire；　and　among　the　acts　which　caused　the　disgrace　of　Lucien；　I
have　often　heard　the　following　cited。

Lucien；　being　minister　of　the　interior；　received　the　order　of　the　First
Consul　to　let　no　wheat　go　out　of　the　territory　of　the　Republic。　　Our
warehouses　were　filled；　and　France　abundantly　supplied；　but　this　was　not
the　case　in　England；　and　the　scarcity　of　it　was　beginning　to　be　felt
there。　　It　was　never　known　how　it　happened；　but　the　larger　part　o