memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v8-第10节

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swarm　of　those　presidents　of　cantons　who　occupied　a　conspicuous　place　in
the　annals　of　ridicule　at　the　close　of　the　year　1804。　　They　became　the
objects　of　all　sorts　of　witticisms　and　jests。　　The　obligation　of　wearing
swords　made　their　appearance　very　grotesque。　　As　many　droll；　stories　were
told　of　them　as　were　ten　years　afterwards　related　of　those　who　were
styled　the　voltigeurs　of　Louis　XIV。　　One　of　these　anecdotes　was　so
exceedingly　ludicrous　that；　though　it　was　probably　a　mere　invention；　yet
I　cannot　refrain　from　relating　it。　　A　certain　number　of　these　presidents
were　one　day　selected　to　be　presented　to　the　Pope；　and　as　most　of　them
were　very　poor　they　found　it　necessary　to　combine　economy　with　the
etiquette　necessary　to　be　observed　under　the　new　order　of　things。　　To
save　the　expense　of　hiring　carriages　they　therefore　proceeded　to　the
Pavilion　de　Flore　on　foot；　taking　the　precaution　of　putting　on　gaiters　to
preserve　their　white　silk　stockings　from　the　mud　which　covered　the
streets；　for　it　was　then　the　month　of　December。　　On　arriving　at　the
Tuileries　one　of　the　party　put　his　gaiters　into　his　pocket。　　It　happened
that　the　Pope　delivered　such　an　affecting　address　that　all　present　were
moved　to　tears；　and　the　unfortunate　president　who　had　disposed　of　his
gaiters　in　the　way　just　mentioned　drew　them　out　instead　of　his
handkerchief　and　smeared　his　face　over　with　mud。　　The　Pope　is　said　to
have　been　much　amused　at　this　mistake。　　If　this　anecdote　should　be
thought　too　puerile　to　be　repeated　here；　I　may　observe　that　it　afforded
no　small　merriment　to　Bonaparte；　who　made　Michot　the　actor　relate　it　to
the　Empress　at　Paris　one　evening　after　a　Court　performance。

Napoleon　had　now　attained　the　avowed　object　of　his　ambition；　but　his
ambition　receded　before　him　like　a　boundless　horizon。　　On　the　1st　of
December；　the　day　on　which　the　Senate　presented　to　the　Emperor　the　result
of　the　votes　for　hereditary　succession；　Francois　de　Neufchateau　delivered
an　address　to　him；　in　which　there　was　no　want　of　adulatory　expressions。
As　President　of　the　Senate　he　had　had　some　practice　in　that　style　of
speechmaking；　and　he　only　substituted　the　eulogy　of　the　Monarchical
Government　for　that　of　the　Republican　Government　'a　sempre　bene'；　as　the
Italians　say。

If　I　wished　to　make　comparisons　I　could　here　indulge　in　some　curious
ones。　　Is　it　not　extraordinary　that　Fontainebleau　should　have　witnessed；
at　the　interval　of　nearly　ten　years；　Napoleon's　first　interview　with　the
Pope；　and　his　last　farewell　to　his　army；　and　that　the　Senate；　who　had
previously　given　such　ready　support　to　Bonaparte；　should　in　1814　have
pronounced　his　abdication　at　Fontainebleau。

The　preparations　for　the　Coronation　proved　very　advantageous　to　the
trading　classes　of　Paris。　　Great　numbers　of　foreigners　and　people　from
the　provinces　visited　the　capital；　and　the　return　of　luxury　and　the
revival　of　old　customs　gave　occupation　to　a　variety　of　tradespeople　who
could　get　no　employment　under　the　Directory　or　Consulate；　such　as
saddlers；　carriage…makers；　lacemen；　embroiderers；　and　others。　　By　these
positive　interests　were　created　more　partisans　of　the　Empire　than　by
opinion　and　reflection；　and　it　is　but　just　to　say　that　trade　had　not　been
so　active　for　a　dozen　years　before。　　The　Imperial　crown　jewels　were
exhibited　to　the　public　at　Biennais　the　jeweller's。　　The　crown　was　of　a
light　form；　and；　with　its　leaves　of　gold；　it　less　resembled　the　crown　of
France　than　the　antique　crown　of　the　Caesars。　　These　things　were
afterwards　placed　in　the　public　treasury；　together　with　the　imperial
insignia　of　Charlemagne；　which　Bonaparte　had　ordered　to　be　brought　from
Aix…la…Chapelle。　　But　while　Bonaparte　was　thus　priding　himself　in　his
crown　and　his　imagined　resemblance　to　Charlemagne；　Mr。　Pitt；　lately
recalled　to　the　Ministry；　was　concluding　at　Stockholm　a　treaty　with
Sweden；　and　agreeing　to　pay　a　subsidy　to　that　power　to　enable　it　to
maintain　hostilities　against　France。　　This　treaty　was　concluded　on　the　3d
of　December；　the　day　after　the　Coronation。

　　　　　＇The　details　of　the　preparation　for　the　Coronation　caused　many
　　　　　stormy　scenes　between　Napoleon　and　his　family。　　The　Princesses；　his
　　　　　sisters　and　sisters…in…law；　were　especially　shocked　at　having　to
　　　　　carry　the　train　of　the　Imperial　mantle　of　Josephine；　and　even　when
　　　　　Josephine　was　actually　moving　from　the　altar　to　the　throne　the
　　　　　Princesses　evinced　their　reluctance　so　plainly　that　Josephine　could
　　　　　not　advance　and　an　altercation　took　place　which　had　to　be　stopped　by
　　　　　Napoleon　himself。　　Joseph　was　quite　willing　　himself　give　up
　　　　　appearing　in　a　mantle　with　a　train；　but　he　wished　to　prevent　his
　　　　　wife　bearing　the　mantle　of　the　Empress；　and　he　opposed　his　brother
　　　　　on　so　many　points　that　Napoleon　ended　by　calling　on　him　to　either
　　　　　give　up　his　position　and　retire　from　all　politics；　or　else　to　fully
　　　　　accept　the　imperial　regime。　　How　the　economical　Camberceres　used　up
　　　　　the　ermine　he　could　not　wear　will　be　seen　in　Junot　tome　iii。　　p。
　　　　　196。　　Josephine　herself　was　in　the　greatest　anxiety　as　to　whether
　　　　　the　wish　of　the　Bonaparte　family　that　she　should　be　divorced　would
　　　　　carry　the　day　with　her　husband。　　When　she　had　gained　her　cause　for
　　　　　the　time　and　after　the　Pope　had　engaged　to　crown　her；　she　seems　to
　　　　　have　most　cleverly　managed　to　get　the　Pope　informed　that　she　was
　　　　　only　united　to　Napoleon　by　a　civil　marriage。　　The　Pope　insisted　on
　　　　　a　religious　marriage。　　Napoleon　was　angry；　but　could　not　recede；　and
　　　　　the　religions　rite　was　performed　by　Cardinal　Fesch　the　day；　or　two
　　　　　days；　before　the　Coronation。　　The　certificate　of　the　marriage　was
　　　　　carefully　guarded　from　Napoleon　by　Josephine；　and　even　placed　beyond
　　　　　his　reach　at　the　time　of　the　divorce。　　Such　at　least　seems　to　be　the
　　　　　most　probable　account　of　this　mysterious　and　doubtful　matter。

　　　　　The　fact　that　Cardinal　Fesch　maintained　that　the　religious　rite　had
　　　　　been　duly　performed；　thirteen　of　the　Cardinals　（not；　however
　　　　　including　Fesch）　were　so　convinced　of　the　legality　of　the　marriage
　　　　　that　they　refused　to　appear　at　the　ceremony　of　marriage　with　Marie
　　　　　Louise；　thus　drawing　down　the　wrath　of　the　Emperor；　and　becoming　the
　　　　　〃Cardinals　Noirs；〃　from　being　forbidden；　to　wear　their　own　robes；
　　　　　seems　to　leave　no　doubt　that　the　religious　rite　had　been　performed。
　　　　　The　marriage　was　only　pronounced　to　be　invalid　in　1809　by　the　local
　　　　　canonical　bodies；　not　by　the　authority　of　the　pope。＇

It　cannot　be　expected　that　I　should　enter　into　a　detail　of　the　ceremony
which　took　place　on　the　2d　of　December。　　The　glitter　of　gold；　the　waving
plumes；　and　richly…caparisoned　horses　of　the　Imperial　procession；　the
mule　which　preceded　the　Pope's　cortege；　and　occasioned　so　much　merriment。
to　the　Parisians；　have　already　been　described　over　and　over　again。
I　may；　however；　relate　an　anecdote　connected　with　the　Coronation；　told　me
by　Josephine；　and　which　is　exceedingly　characteristic　of　Napoleon。

When　Bonaparte　was　paying　his　addresses　to　Madame　de　BEAUHARNAIS；　neither
the　one　nor　the　other　kept　a　carriage；　and　therefore　Bonaparte　frequently
accompanied　her　when　she　walked　out。　　One　day　they　went　together　to　the
notary　Raguideau；　one　of　the　shortest　men　I　think　I　ever　saw　in　my　life；
Madame　de　Beauharnais　placed　great　confidence；　in　him；　and　went　there　on
purpose　to　acquaint　him　of　her　intention　to　marry　the　young　general　of
artillery；the　protege　of　Barras。　　Josephine　went　alone　into；　the
notary's　cabinet；　while　Bonaparte　waited　for　her　in　an　adjoining　room。
The　door　of　Raguideau's　cabinet　did　not　shut　close；　and　Bonaparte　plainly
heard　him　dissuading　Madame　de　Beauharnais　from　her　projected　marriage。
〃You　are　going　to　take　a　very　wrong　step；〃　said　he；　〃and　you　will　be
sorry　for　it；　Can　you　be　so　mad　as　to　marry　a　young　man　who　has　nothing
but　his　cloak　and　his　sword？〃　　Bonaparte；　Josephine　told　me；　had　never
mentioned　this　to　her；　and　she　never　supposed　that　he　had　heard　what　fell
from　Raguideau。　　〃Only　think；　Bourrienne；〃　continued　she；　〃what　was　my
astonishment　when；　dressed　in　the　Imperial　robes　on　the　Coronation　day；
he　desired　that　Raguideau　might　be　sent　for；　saying　that　he　wished　to　see
him　immediately；　and　when　Raguidesu　appeared；　he　said　to　him；　〃Well；　sir！
have　I　nothing　but　my　cloak　and　my　sword　now？'〃

Though　Bonaparte　had　related　to　me　almost　all　the　circumstances　of　his
life；　as　they　occurred　to　his　memory；　he　never　once　mentioned　this　affair
of　Raguideau；　which　he　only　seemed　to　have　suddenly　recollected　on　his
Coronation　day。

The　day　after　the　Coronation　all　the　troops　in　Paris　were　assembled　in
the　Champ　de　Mars　the　Imperial　eagles　might　be　distributed　to　each
regiment；　in　lieu　of　the　national　flags。　　I　has　stayed　away　from　the
Coronation　in　the　church　of　Notre　Dame；　but　I　wished　to　see　the　military
fete　in　the　Champ　de　Mars　because　I　took　real　pleasure　in　seeing
Bonaparte　amongst　his　soldiers。　　A　throne　was　erected　in　front　of　the
Military　School；　which；　though　now　transformed　into　a　barrack；　must　have
recalled；　to　Bonaparte's　mind　some　singular　recollections　of　his　boyhood。
At　a　given　signal