napoleon bonaparte, v7-第7章

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evidently　mad！　　And　how　could　you　have　hoped　to　escape；　after　you　had
struck　me　thus　in　the　midst　of　my　soldiers？〃〃I　knew　well　to　what　I　was
exposing　myself；　and　am　astonished　to　be　still　alive。〃　　This　boldness
made　such　a　deep　impression　on　the　Emperor　that　he　remained　silent　for
several　moments；　intently　regarding　Stabs；　who　remained　entirely　unmoved
under　this　scrutiny。　　Then　the　Emperor　continued；　〃The　one　you　love　will
be　much　distressed。〃〃Oh；　she　will　no　doubt　be　distressed　because　I　did
not　succeed；　for　she　hates　you　at　least　as　much　as　I　hate　you　myself。〃
〃Suppose　I　pardoned　you？〃〃You　would　be　wrong；　for　I　would　again　try　to
kill　you。〃　　The　Emperor　summoned　M。　Corvisart　and　said　to　him；　〃This
young　man　is　either　sick　or　insane；　it　cannot　be　otherwise。〃〃I　am
neither　the　one　nor　the　other；〃　replied　the　assassin　quickly。
M。　Corvisart　felt　Stabs's　pulse。　　〃This　gentleman　is　well；〃　he　said。
〃I　have　already　told　you　so；〃　replied　Stabs　with　a　triumphant　air。
〃Well；　doctor；〃　said　his　Majesty；　〃this　young　man　who　is　in　such　good
health　has　traveled　a　hundred　miles　to　assassinate　me。〃

Notwithstanding　this　declaration　of　the　physician　and　the　avowal　of
Stabs；　the　Emperor；　touched　by　the　coolness　and　assurance　of　the
unfortunate　fellow；　again　offered　him　his　pardon；　upon　the　sole　condition
of　expressing　some　repentance　for　his　crime。；　but　as　Stabs　again　asserted
that　his　only　regret　was　that　he　had　not　succeeded　in　his　undertaking；
the　Emperor　reluctantly　gave　him　up　to　punishment。

After　he　was　conducted　to　prison；　as　he　still　persisted　in　his
assertions；　he　was　immediately　brought　before　a　military　commission；
which　condemned　him　to　death。　　He　did　not　undergo　his　punishment　till　the
17th；　and　after　the　13th；　the　day　on　which　he　was　arrested；　took　no　food；
saying　that　he　would　have　strength　enough　to　go　to　his　death。　　The
Emperor　had　ordered　that　the　execution　should　be　delayed　as　long　as
possible；　in　the　hope　that　sooner　or　later　Stabs　would　repent；　but　he
remained　unshaken。　　As　he　was　being　conducted　to　the　place　where　he　was
to　be　shot；　some　one　having　told　him　that　peace　had　just　been　concluded；
he　cried　in　a　loud　voice；　〃Long　live　liberty！　　Long　live　Germany！　　〃
These　were　his　last　words。




CHAPTER　XVII。

During　his　stay　at　Schoenbrunn　the　Emperor　was　constantly　engaged　in
gallant　adventures。　　He　was　one　day　promenading　on　the　Prater　in　Vienna；
with　a　very　numerous　suite　（the　Prater　is　a　handsome　promenade　situated
in　the　Faubourg　Leopold）；　when　a　young　German；　widow　of　a　rich　merchant；
saw　him；　and　exclaimed　involuntarily　to　the　ladies　promenading　with　her；
〃It　is　he！〃　　This　exclamation　was　overheard　by　his　Majesty；　who　stopped
short；　and　bowed　to　the　ladies　with　a　smile；　while　the　one　who　had　spoken
blushed　crimson；　the　Emperor　comprehended　this　unequivocal　sign；　looked
at　her　steadfastly；　and　then　continued　his　walk。

For　sovereigns　there　are　neither　long　attacks　nor　great　difficulties；　and
this　new　conquest　of　his　Majesty　was　not　less　rapid　than　the　others。　　In
order　not　to　be　separated　from　her　illustrious　lover；　Madame　B
followed　the　army　to　Bavaria；　and　afterwards　came　to　him　at　Paris；　where
she　died　in　1812。

His　Majesty's　attention　was　attracted　by　a　charming　young　person　one
morning　in　the　suburbs　of　Schoenbrunn；　and　some　one　was　ordered　to　see
this　young　lady；　and　arrange　for　a　rendezvous　at　the　chateau　the
following　evening。　　Fortune　favored　his　Majesty　on　this　occasion。　　The
eclat　of　so　illustrious　a　name；　and　the　renown　of　his　victories；　had
produced　a　deep　impression　on　the　mind　of　the　young　girl；　and　had
disposed　her　to　listen　favorably　to　the　propositions　made　to　her。　　She
therefore　eagerly　consented　to　meet　him　at　the　chateau；　and　at　the
appointed　hour　the　person　of　whom　I　have　spoken　came　for　her；　and　I
received　her　on　her　arrival；　and　introduced　her　to　his　Majesty。　　She　did
not　speak　French；　but　she　knew　Italian　well；　and　it　was　consequently　easy
for　the　Emperor　to　converse　with　her；　and　he　soon　learned　with
astonishment　that　this　charming　young　lady　belonged　to　a　very　honorable
family　of　Vienna；　and　that　in　coming　to　him　that　evening　she　was　inspired
alone　by　a　desire　to　express　to　him　her　sincere　admiration。　　The　Emperor
respected　the　innocence　of　the　young　girl；　had　her　reconducted　to　her
parents'　residence；　and　gave　orders　that　a　marriage　should　be　arranged
for　her；　and　that　it　should　be　rendered　more　advantageous　by　means　of　a
considerable　dowry。

At　Schoenbrunn；　as　at　Paris；　his　Majesty　dined　habitually　at　six　o'clock；
but　since　he　worked　sometimes　very　far　into　the　night；　care　was　taken　to
prepare　every　evening　a　light　supper；　which　was　placed　in　a　little　locked
basket　covered　with　oil…cloth。　　There　were　two　keys　to　this　basket；　one
of　which　the　steward　kept；　and　I　the　other。　　The　care　of　this　basket
belonged　to　me　alone；　and　as　his　Majesty　was　extremely　busy；　he　hardly
ever　asked　for　supper。　　One　evening　Roustan；　who　had　been　busily　occupied
all　day　in　his　master's　service；　was　in　a　little　room　next　to　the
Emperor's；　and　meeting　me　just　after　I　had　assisted　in　putting　his
Majesty　to　bed；　said　to　me　in　his　bad　French；　looking　at　the　basket　with
an　envious　eye；　〃I　could　eat　a　chicken　wing　myself；　I　am　very　hungry。〃
I　refused　at　first；　but　finally；　as　I　knew　that　the　Emperor　had　gone　to
bed；　and　had　no　idea　he　would　take　a　fancy　to　ask　me　for　supper　that
evening；　I　let　Roustan　have　it。　　He；　much　delighted；　began　with　a　leg；
and　next　took　a　wing；　and　I　do　not　know　if　any　of　the　chicken　would　have
been　left　had　I　not　suddenly　heard　the　bell　ring　sharply。　　I　entered　the
room；　and　was　shocked　to　hear　the　Emperor　say　to　me；　〃Constant；　my
chicken。〃　　My　embarrassment　may　be　imagined。　　I　had　no　other　chicken；　and
by　what　means；　at　such　an　hour；　could　I　procure　one！　　At　last　I　decided
what　to　do。　　It　was　best　to　cut　up　the　fowl；　as　thus　I　would　be　able　to
conceal　the　absence　of　the　two　limbs　Roustan　had　eaten；　so　I　entered
proudly　with　the　chicken　replaced　on　the　dish　Roustan　following　me；　for　I
was　very　willing；　if　there　were　any　reproaches；　to　share　them　with　him。
I　picked　up　the　remaining　wing；　and　presented　it　to　the　Emperor；　but　he
refused　it；　saying　to　me；　〃Give　me　the　chicken；　I　will　choose　for
myself。〃　　This　time　there　was　no　means　of　saving　ourselves；　for　the
dismembered　chicken　must　pass　under　his　Majesty's　eyes。　　〃See　here；〃　said
he；　〃since　when　did　chickens　begin　to　have　only　one　wing　and　one　leg？
That　is　fine；　it　seems　that　I　must　eat　what　others　leave。　　Who；　then；
eats　half　of　my　supper？〃　　I　looked　at　Roustan；　who　in　confusion　replied；
〃I　was　very　hungry；　Sire；　and　I　ate　a　wing　and　leg。〃〃What；　you　idiot！
so　it　was　you；　was　it？〃

〃Ah；　I　will　punish　you　for　it。〃　　And　without　another　word　the　Emperor　ate
the　remaining　leg　and　wing。

The　next　day　at　his　toilet　he　summoned　the　grand　marshal　for　some
purpose；　and　during　the　conversation　said；　〃I　leave　you　to　guess　what　I
ate　last　night　for　my　supper。　　The　scraps　which　M。　Roustan　left。　　Yes；
the　wretch　took　a　notion　to　eat　half　of　my　chicken。〃　　Roustan　entered　at
that　moment。　　〃Come　here；　you　idiot；〃　continued　the　Emperor；　〃and　the
next　time　this　happens；　be　sure　you　will　pay　for　it。〃　　Saying　this；　he
seized　him　by　the　ears　and　laughed　heartily。




CHAPTER　XVIII。

On　the　22d　of　May；　ten　days　after　the　triumphant　entry　of　the　Emperor
into　the　Austrian　capital；　the　battle　of　Essling　took　place；　a　bloody
combat　lasting　from　four　in　the　morning　till　six　in　the　evening。　　This
battle　was　sadly　memorable　to　all　the　old　soldiers　of　the　Empire；　since
it　cost　the　life　of　perhaps　the　bravest　of　them　all；the　Duke　of
Montebello；　the　devoted　friend　of　the　Emperor；　the　only　one　who　shared
with　Marshal　Augereau　the　right　to　speak　to　him　frankly　face　to　face。

The　evening　before　the　battle　the　marshal　entered　his　Majesty's
residence；　and　found　him　surrounded　by　several　persons。　　The　Duke　of
always　undertook　to　place　himself　between　the　Emperor　and　persons　who
wished　to　speak　with　him。　　The　Duke　of　Montebello；　seeing　him　play　his
usual　game；　took　him　by　the　lappet　of　his　coat；　and；　wheeling　him　around；
said　to　him：　〃Take　yourself　away　fr