napoleon bonaparte, v7-第3章

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that　very　day；　and　who　seemed　in　no　wise　affected　by　this　disgrace；
perhaps　he　was　consoled　by　the　dignity　of　vice…grand　elector　which　was
bestowed　on　him　in　exchange。




CHAPTER　XIV。

The　Emperor　arrived　at　Paris　on　the　23d　of　January；　and　passed　the
remainder　of　the　winter　there；　with　the　exception　of　a　few　days　spent　at
Rambouillet　and　Saint…Cloud。

On　the　very　day　of　his　arrival　in　Paris；　although　he　must　have　been　much
fatigued　by　an　almost　uninterrupted　ride　from　Valladolid；　the　Emperor
visited　the　buildings　of　the　Louvre　and　the　rue　de　Rivoli。

His　mind　was　full　of　what　he　had　seen　at　Madrid；　and　repeated　suggestions
to　M。　Fontaine　and　the　other　architects　showed　plainly　his　desire　to　make
the　Louvre　the　finest　palace　in　the　world。　　His　Majesty　then　had　a　report
made　him　as　to　the　chateau　of　Chambord；　which　he　wished　to　present　to　the
Prince　of　Neuchatel。　　M。　Fontaine　found　that　repairs　sufficient　to　make
this　place　a　comfortable　residence　would　amount　to　1；700；000　francs；　as
the　buildings　were　in　a　state　of　decay；　and　it　had　hardly　been　touched
since　the　death　of　Marshal　Sage。

His　Majesty　passed　the　two　months　and　a　half　of　his　stay　working　in　his
cabinet；　which　he　rarely　left；　and　always　unwillingly；　his　amusements
being；　as　always；　the　theater　and　concerts。　　He　loved　music　passionately；
especially　Italian　music；　and　like　all　great　amateurs　was　hard　to　please。
He　would　have　much　liked　to　sing　had　he　been　able；　but　he　had　no　voice；
though　this　did　not　prevent　his　humming　now　and　then　pieces　which　struck
his　fancy；　and　as　these　little　reminiscences　usually　recurred　to　him　in
the　mornings；　he　regaled　me　with　them　while　he　was　being　dressed。　　The
air　that　I　have　heard　him　thus　mutilate　most　frequently　was　that　of　The
Marseillaise。　　The　Emperor　also　whistled　sometimes；　but　very　rarely；　and
the　air；　'Malbrook　s'en　va…t…en　guerre'；　whistled　by　his　Majesty　was　an
unerring　announcement　to　me　of　his　approaching　departure　for　the　army。
I　remember　that　he　never　whistled　so　much；　and　was　never　so　gay；　as　just
before　he　set　out　for　the　Russian　campaign。

His　Majesty's；　favorite　singer　were　Crescentini　and　Madame　Grassini。
I　saw　Crescentini's　debut　at　Paris　in　the　role　of　Romeo；　in　Romeo　and
Juliet。　　He　came　preceded　by　a　reputation　as　the　first　singer　of　Italy；
and　this　reputation　was　found　to　be　well　deserved；　notwithstanding　all
the　prejudices　he　had　to　overcome；　for　I　remember　well　the　disparaging
statements　made　concerning　him　before　his　debut　at　the　court　theater。
According　to　these　self…appointed　connoisseurs；　he　was　a　bawler　without
taste；　without　method；　a　maker　of　absurd　trills；　an　unimpassioned　actor
of　little　intelligence；　and　many　other　things　besides。　　He　knew；　when　he
appeared　on　the　stage；　how　little　disposed　in　his　favor　his　audience
were；　yet　he　showed　not　the　slightest　embarrassment；　this；　and　his　noble；
dignified　mien；　agreeably　surprised　those　who　expected　from　what　they　had
been　told　to　behold　an　awkward　man　with　an　ungainly　figure。　　A　murmur　of
approbation　ran　through　the　hall　on　his　appearance；　and　electrified　by
this　welcome；　he　gained　all　hearts　from　the　first　act。　　His　movements
were　full　of　grace　and　dignity；　he　had　a　perfect　knowledge　of　the　scene；
modest　gestures　perfectly　in　harmony　with　the　dialogue；　and　a　countenance
on　which　all　shades　of　passion　were　depicted　with　the　most　astonishing
accuracy；　and　all　these　rare　and　precious　qualities　combined　to　give　to
the　enchanting　accents　of　this　artist　a　charm　of　which　it　is　impossible
to　give　an　idea。

At　each　scene　the　interest　he　inspired　became　more　marked；　until　in　the
third　act　the　emotion　and　delight　of　the　spectator　were　carried　almost　to
frenzy。　　In　this　act；　played　almost　solely　by　Crescentini；　this　admirable
singer　communicated　to　the　hearts　of　his　audience　all　that　is　touching
and；　pathetic　in　a　love　expressed　by　means　of　delicious　melody；　and　by
all　that　grief　and　despair　can　find　sublime　in　song。

The　Emperor　was　enraptured；　and　sent　Crescentini　a　considerable
compensation；　accompanied　by　most　flattering　testimonials　of　the　pleasure
he　had　felt　in　hearing　him。

On　this　day；　as　always　when　they　played　together　afterwards；　Crescentini
was　admirably　supported　by　Madame　Grassini；　a　woman　of　superior　talent；
and　who　possessed　the　most　astonishing　voice　ever　heard　in　the　theater。
She　and　Madame　Barilli　then　divided　the　admiration　of　the　public。

The　very　evening　or　the　day　after　the　debut　of　Crescentini；　the　French
stage　suffered　an　irreparable　loss　in　the　death　of　Dazincourt；　only　sixty
years　of　age。　　The　illness　of　which　he　died　had　begun　on　his　return　from
Erfurt；　and　was　long　and　painful；　and　yet　the　public；　to　whom　this　great
comedian　had　so　long　given　such　pleasure；　took　no　notice　of　him　after　it
was　found　his　sickness　was　incurable　and　his　death　certain。　　Formerly
when　a　highly　esteemed　actor　was　kept　from　his　place　for　some　time　by
illness　（and　who　deserved　more　esteem　than　Dazincourt？）；　the　pit　was
accustomed　to　testify　its　regret　by　inquiring　every　day　as　to　the
condition　of　the　afflicted　one；　and　at　the　end　of　each　representation　the
actor　whose　duty　it　was　to　announce　the　play　for　the　next　day　gave　the
audience　news　of　his　comrade。　　This　was　not　done　for　Dazincourt；　and　the
pit　thus　showed　ingratitude　to　him。

I　liked　and　esteemed　sincerely　Dazincourt；　whose　acquaintance　I　had　made
several　years　before　his　death；　and　few　men　better　deserved　or　so　well
knew　how　to　gain　esteem　and　affection。　　I　will　not　speak　of　his　genius；
which　rendered　him　a　worthy　successor　of　Preville；　　whose　pupil　and
friend　he　was；　for　all　his　contemporaries　remember　Figaro　as　played　by
Dazincourt；　but　I　will　speak　of　the　nobility　of　his　character；　of　his
generosity；　and　his　well…tested　honor。　　It　would　seem　that　his　birth　and
education　should　have　kept　him　from　the　theater；　where　circumstances
alone　placed　him；　but　he　was　able　to　protect　himself　against　the
seductions　of　his　situation；　and　in　the　greenroom；　and　in　the　midst　of
domestic　intrigues；　remained　a　man　of　good　character　and　pure　manners。
He　was　welcomed　in　the　best　society；　where　he　soon　became　a　favorite　by
his　piquant　sallies；　as　much　as　by　his　good　manners　and　urbanity；　for　he
amused　without　reminding　that　he　was　a　comedian。

At　the　end　of　February　his　Majesty　went　to　stay　for　some　time　at　the
palace　of　the　Elysee；　and　there　I　think　was　signed　the　marriage　contract
of　one　of　his　best　lieutenants；　Marshal　Augereau；　recently　made　Duke　of
Castiglione；　with　Mademoiselle　Bourlon　de　Chavanges；　the　daughter　of　an
old　superior　officer；　and　there　also　was　rendered　the　imperial　decree
which　gave　to　the　Princess　Eliza　the　grand　duchy　of　Tuscany；　with　the
title　of　grand　duchess。

About　the　middle　of　March；　the　Emperor　passed　several　days　at
Rambouillet；　there　were　held　some　exciting　hunts；　in　one　of　which　his
Majesty　himself　brought　to　bay　and　killed　a　stag　near　the　pool　of　Saint…
Hubert。　　There　was　also　a　ball　and　concert；　in　which　appeared
Crescentini；　Mesdames　Grassini；　Barelli；　and　several　celebrated
virtuosos；　and　lastly　Talma　recited。

On　the　13th　of　April；　at　four　o'clock　in　the　morning；　the　Emperor　having
received　news　of　another　invasion　of　Bavaria　by　the　Austrians；　set　out
for　Strasburg　with　the　Empress；　whom　he　left　in　that　city；　and　on　the
15th；　at　eleven　o'clock　in　the　morning；　he　passed　the　Rhine　at　the　head
of　his　army。　　The　Empress　did　not　long　remain　alone；　as　the　Queen　of
Holland　and　her　sons；　the　Grand　Duchess　of　Baden　and　her　husband；　soon
joined　her。

The　splendid　campaign　of　1809　at　once　began。　　It　is　known　how　glorious　it
was；　and　that　one　of　its　least　glorious　victories　was　the　capture　of
Vienna。

At　Ratisbon；　on　the　23d　of　April；　the　Emperor　received　in　his　right　foot
a　spent　ball；　which　gave　him　quite　a　severe　bruise。　　I　was　with　the
service　when　several　grenadiers　hastened　to　tell　me　that　his　Majesty　was
wounded；　upon　which　I　hastened　to　him；　and　arrived　while　M。　Yvan　was
dressing　the　contusion。　　The　Emperor's　boot　was　cut　open；　and　laced　up；
and　he　remounted　his　horse　immediately；　and；　though　several　of　the
generals　insisted　on　his　resting；　he　only　replied