napoleon bonaparte, v11-第10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！


became　the　secretary　of　state；　and　the　Duke　of　Vicenza　received　the
portfolio　of　foreign　relations。

As　I　have　said；　during　the　autumn　of　1813　his　Majesty　frequently　visited
the　public　works。　　He　usually　went　almost　unattended；　and　on　foot；　to
visit　those　of　the　Tuileries　and　the　Louvre；　and　afterwards　mounted　his
horse；　accompanied　by　one　or　two　officers　at　most；　and　M。　Fontaine；　and
went　to　examine　those　which　were　more　distant。　　One　day；it　was　about
the　end　of　November；　having　seized　the　opportunity　of　his　Majesty's
absence　to　take　a　walk　through　the　Faubourg　Saint　Germain；　I　unexpectedly
encountered　his　Majesty　on　his　way　to　the　Luxembourg；　just　as　he　arrived
at　the　entrance　of　the　Rue　de　Tournon；　and　it　is　impossible　to　describe
the　intense　satisfaction　with　which　I　heard　shouts　of　〃Vive　l'Empereur〃
break　forth　as　he　approached。　　I　found　myself　driven　by　the　crowd　very
near　the　Emperor's　horse；　and　yet　I　did　not　imagine　for　a　moment　that　he
had　recognized　me。　　On　his　return；　however；　I　had　proofs　to　the　contrary。
His　Majesty　had　seen　me；　and　as　I　assisted　him　to　change　his　clothing　the
Emperor　gayly　remarked　to　me；　〃Well；　M。　le　Drole！　　Ah！　　ah！　　what　were
you　doing　in　the　Faubourg　Saint　Germain？　　I　see　just　how　it　is！　　A　fine
thing　really！　　You　spy　on　me　when　I　go　out；〃　and　many　other　jests　of　the
same　kind；　for　on　that　day　the　Emperor　was　in　such　fine　spirits　that　I
concluded　he　had　been　much　pleased　with　his　visit。

Whenever　at　this　time　the　Emperor　experienced　any　unusual　anxiety；　I
noticed　that　in　order　to　dispel　it　he　took　pleasure　in　exhibiting　himself
in　public　more　frequently；　perhaps；　than　during　his　other　sojourns　in
Paris；　but　always　without　any　ostentation。　　He　went　frequently　to　the
theater；　and；　thanks　to　the　obliging　kindness　of　Count　de　Remusat；　I
myself　frequently　attended　these　assemblies；　which　at　that　time　always
had　the　appearance　of　a　fete。　　Assuredly；　when　on　the　occasion　of　the
first　representation　of　the　ballet　of　Nina；　their　Majesties　entered　their
box；　it　would　have　been　difficult　to　imagine　that　the　Emperor　had　already
enemies　among　his　subjects。　　It　is　true　that　the　mothers　and　widows　in
mourning　were　not　there；　but　I　can　affirm　that　I　have　never　seen　more
perfect　enthusiasm。　　The　Emperor　enjoyed　this　from　the　depths　of　his
heart；　even　more；　perhaps；　than　after　his　victories。　　The　conviction　that
he　was　beloved　by　the　French　people　impressed　him　deeply；　and　in　the
evening　he　condescended　to　speak　to　me　of　itshall　I　dare　to　say　like　a
child　puffed　up　with　pride　at　the　reward　he　has　just　received？　　Then　in
the　perfect　freedom　of　privacy　he　said　repeatedly；　〃My　wife！　　my　good
Louise！　　Truly；　she　should　be　well　satisfied。〃　　The　truth　is；　that　the
desire　to　see　the　Emperor　at　the　theater　was　so　great　in　Paris；　that　as
he　always　took　his　place　in　the　box　at　the　side；　opening　on　the
proscenium；　each　time　that　he　made　his　appearance　there　the　boxes
situated　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　hall　were　rented　at　incredible
figures；　and　even　the　uppermost　tiers　were　preferred　to　those　from　which
they　could　not　see　him　easily。　　No　one　who　lived　in　Paris　at　that　time
can　fail　to　recognize　the　correctness　of　this　statement。

Some　time　after　the　first　representation　of　the　ballet　of　Nina；　the
Emperor　again　attended　the　theater；　and　I　was　also　present。　　As　formerly；
the　Emperor　accompanied　her　Majesty；　and　I　could　not　keep　back　the
thought；　as　the　play　proceeded；　that　the　Emperor　had　some　memories
sufficient　to　distract　his　attention　from　the　exquisite　music。　　It　was　at
the　Italian　theater　then　occupying　the　Odeon。　　The　Cleopatra　of　Nazzolini
was　played；　and　the　representation　was　among　the　number　of　those　called
extraordinary；　since　it　was　on　the　occasion　of　Madame　Grassini's　benefit。
It　had　been　only　a　short　while　since　this　singer；　celebrated　in　more　ways
than　one；　had　first　appeared　in　public　on　a　Parisian　stage；　I　think　this
was　really　only　the　third　or　fourth　time；　and　I　should　state；　in　order　to
be　exactly　correct；　that　she　did　not　produce　on　the　Parisian　public
exactly　the　impression　which　had　been　expected　from　her　immense
reputation。　　It　had　been　long　since　the　Emperor　had　received　her
privately；　but；　nevertheless；　her　voice　and　Crescentini's　had　been
reserved　until　then　for　the　privileged　ears　of　the　spectators　of　Saint…
Cloud　and　the　theater　of　the　Tuileries。　　On；　this　occasion　the　Emperor
was　very　generous　towards　the　beneficiary；　but　no　interview　resulted；
for；　in　the　language　of　a　poet　of　that　period；　the　Cleopatra　of　Paris　did
not　conquer　another　Antony。

Thus；　as　we　see；　the　Emperor　on　a　few　occasions　laid　aside　the　important
affairs　which　occupied　him；　less　to　enjoy　the　theater　than　for　the
purpose　of　showing　himself　in　public。　　All　useful　undertakings　were　the
objects　of　his　care；　and　he　did　not　depend　entirely　even　on　the
information　of　men　to　whom　he　had　most　worthily　committed　them；　but　saw
everything　for　himself。　　Among　the　institutions　especially　protected　by
his　Majesty；　there　was　one　in　which　he　took　an　especial　interest。　　I　do
not　think　that　in　any　of　the　intervals　between　his　wars　the　Emperor　had
come　to　Paris　without　making　a　visit　to　the　institution　of　the　Daughters
of　the　Legion　of　Honor；　of　which　Madame　Campan　was　in　charge；　first　at
Ecouen；　and　afterwards　at　Saint…Denis。　　The　Emperor　visited　it　in　the
month　of　November；　and　I　remember　an　anecdote　which　I　heard　related　to
his　Majesty　on　this　occasion　which　diverted　him　exceedingly。
Nevertheless；　I　cannot　remember　positively　whether　this　anecdote　relates
to　the　visit　of　1813；　or　one　made　previously。

In　the　first　place；　it　must　be　explained　that；　in　accordance　with　the
regulation　of　the　household　of　the　young　ladies　of　the　Legion　of　Honor；
no　man；　with　the　exception　of　the　Emperor；　was　admitted　into　the　interior
of　the　establishment。　　But　as　the　Emperor　was　always　attended　by　an
escort；　his　suite　formed　in　some　sort　a　part　of　himself；　and　entered　with
him。　　Besides　his　officers；　the　pages　usually　accompanied　him。　　In　the
evening　on　his　return　from　SaintDenis；　the　Emperor　said　to　me；　laughing；
as　he　entered　his　room；　where　I　was　waiting　to　undress　him；　〃Well；　my
pages　wish　to　resemble　the　pages　of　former　times！　　The　little　idiots！
Do　you　know　what　they　do？　　When　I　go　to　Saint…Denis；　they　have　a　contest
among　themselves　as　to　who　shall　be　on　duty。　　Ha！　　ha！〃　　The　Emperor；
while　speaking；　laughed　and　rubbed　his　hands　together；　and　then；　having
repeated　several　times　in　the　same　tone；　〃The　little　idiots；〃　he　added；
following　out　one　of　those　singular　reflections　which　sometimes　struck
him；　〃I；　Constant；　would　have　made　a　very　poor　page；　I　would　never　have
had　such　an　idea。　　Moreover；　these　are　good　young　men；　good　officers　have
already　come　from　among　them。　　This　will　lead　one　day　to　some　marriages。〃
It　was　very　rare；　in　fact；　that　a　thing；　though　frivolous　in　appearance；
did　not　lead；　on　the　Emperor's　part；　to　some　serious　conclusion。
Hereafter；　indeed；　with　the　exception　of　a　few　remembrances　of　the　past；
I　shall　have　only　serious　and　often　very　sad　events　to　relate；　for　we
have　now　arrived　at　the　point　where　everything　has　taken　a　serious　turn；
and　clothed　itself　in　most　somber　tints。




CHAPTER　XIX。

For　the　last　time　we　celebrated　in　Paris　the　anniversary　fete　of　his
Majesty's　coronation。　　The　gifts　to　the　Emperor　on　this　occasion　were
innumerable　addresses　made　to　him　by　all　the　towns　of　the　Empire；　in
which　offers　of　sacrifices　and　protestations　of　devotion　seemed　to
increase　in　intensity　in　proportion　to　the　difficulty　of　the
circumstances。　　Alas！　　in　four　months　the　full　value　of　these
protestations　was　proved；　and；　nevertheless；　how　was　it　possible　to
believe　that　this　enthusiasm；　which　was　so　universal；　was　not　entirely
sincere？　　This　would　have　been　an　impossibility　with　the　Emperor；　who；
until　the　very　end　of　his　reign；　believed　himself　beloved　by　France　with
the　same　devotion　which　he　felt　for　her。　　A　truth；　which　was　well　proved
by　succeeding　events；　is　that　the　Emperor　became　more　popular　among　that
part　of　the　inhabitants　called　the　people　when　misfortunes　began　to
overwhelm　him。　　His　Majesty　had　proofs