memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v8-第5节

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of　the　Legion　of　Honour；　then　in　Paris；　took　the　oath　prescribed　by　the
new　Constitution；　and　on　this　occasion　the　Emperor　and　Empress　appeared
attended　for　the　first　time　by　a　separate　and　numerous　retinue。

The　carriages　in　the　train　of　the　Empress　crossed　the　garden　of　the
Tuileries；　hitherto　exclusively　appropriated　to　the　public；　then　followed
the　cavalcade　of　the　Emperor；　who　appeared　on　horseback；　surrounded　by
his　principal　generals；　whom　he　had　created　Marshals　of　the　Empire。
M。　de　Segur；　who　held　the　office　of　Grand　Master　of　Ceremonies；　had　the
direction　of　the　ceremonial　to　be　observed　on　this　occasion；　and　with；
the　Governor　received　the　Emperor　on　the　threshold　of　the　Hotel　des
Invalides。　　They　conducted　the　Empress　to　a　tribune　prepared　for　her
reception；　opposite　the　Imperial　throne　which　Napoleon　alone　occupied；　to
the　right　of　the　altar。　　I　was　present　at　this　ceremony；　notwithstanding
the　repugnance　I　have　to　such　brilliant　exhibitions；　but　as　Duroc　had　two
days　before　presented　me　with　tickets；　I　deemed　it　prudent　to　attend　on
the　occasion；　lest　the　keen　eye　of　Bonaparte　should　have　remarked　my
absence　if　Duroc　had　acted　by　his　order。

I　spent　about　an　hour　contemplating　the　proud　and　sometimes　almost
ludicrous　demeanour　of　the　new　grandees　of　the　Empire；　I　marked　the
manoeuvring　of　the　clergy；　who；　with　Cardinal　Belloy　at　their　head；
proceeded　to　receive　the　Emperor　on　his　entrance　into　the　church。　　What　a
singular　train　of　ideas　was　called　up　to　my　mind　when　I　beheld　my　former
comrade　at　the　school　of　Brienne　seated　upon　an　elevated　throne；
surrounded　by　his　brilliant　staff；　the　great　dignitaries　of　his　Empire
his　Ministers　and　Marshals！　　I　involuntarily　recurred　to　the　19th
Brumaire；　and　all　this　splendid　scene　vanished；　when　I　thought　of
Bonaparte　stammering　to　such　a　degree　that　I　was　obliged　to　pull　the
skirt　of　his　coat　to　induce　him　to　withdraw。

It　was　neither　a　feeling　of　animosity　nor　of　jealousy　which　called　up
such　reflections；　at　no　period　of　our　career　would　I　have　exchanged　my
situation　for　his；　but　whoever　can　reflect；　whoever　has　witnessed　the
unexpected　elevation　of　a　former　equal；　may　perhaps　be　able　to　conceive
the　strange　thoughts　that　assailed　my　mind；　for　the　first　time；　on　this
occasion。

When　the　religious　part　of　the　ceremony　terminated；　the　church　assumed；
in　some　measure；　the　appearance　of　a　profane　temple。　　The　congregation
displayed　more　devotion　to　the　Emperor　than　towards　the　God　of　the
Christians；more　enthusiasm　than　fervour。　　The　mass　had　been　heard　with
little　attention；　but　when　M。　de　Lacepede；　Grand　Chancellor　of　the　Legion
of　Honour；　after　pronouncing　a　flattering　discourse；　finished　the　call　of
the　Grand　Officers　of　the　Legion；　Bonaparte　covered；　as　did　the　ancient
kings　of　France　when　they　held　a　bed　of　justice。　　A　profound　silence；　a
sort　of　religious　awe；　then　reigned　throughout　the　assembly；　and
Napoleon；　who　did　not　now　stammer　as　in　the　Council　of　the　Five　Hundred；
said　in　a　firm　voice：

〃Commanders；　officers；　legionaries；　citizens；　soldiers；　swear　upon　your
honour　to　devote　yourselves　to　the　service　of　the　Empireto　the
preservation　of　the　integrity　of　the　French　territoryto　the　defence　of
the　Emperor；　of　the　laws　of　the　Republic；　and　of　the　property　which　they
have　made　sacredto　combat　by　all　the　means　which　justice；　reason；　and
the　laws　authorise　every　attempt　to　reestablish　the　feudal　system；　in
short；　swear　to　concur　with　all　your　might　in　maintaining　liberty　and
equality；　which　are　the　bases　of　all　our　institutions。　　Do　you　swear？〃

Each　member　of　the　Legion　of　Honour　exclaimed；　〃I　swear；〃　adding；　〃Vive
l'Empereur！〃　with　an　enthusiam　it　is　impossible　to　describe；　and　in　which
all　present　joined。

What；　after　all；　was　this　new　oath？　　It　only　differed　from　that　taken　by
the　Legion　of　Honour；　under　the　Consulate；　in　putting　the　defence　of　the
Emperor　before　that　of　the　laws　of　the　Republic；　and　this　was　not　merely
a　form。　　It　was；　besides；　sufficiently　laughable　and　somewhat　audacious；
to　make　them　swear　to　support　equality　at　the　moment　so　many　titles　and
monarchical　distinctions　had　been　re…established。

On　the　18th　of　July；　three　days　after　this　ceremony；　the　Emperor　left
Paris　to　visit　the　camp　at　Boulogne。　　He　was　not　accompanied　by　the
Empress　on　this　journey；　which　was　merely　to　examine　the　progress　of　the
military　operations。　　Availing　myself　of　the　invitation　Josephine　had
given　me；　I　presented　myself　at　St。　Cloud　a　few　days　after　the　departure
of　Napoleon；　as　she　did　not　expect　my　visit；　I　found　her　surrounded　by
four　or　five　of　the　ladies　in　waiting；　occupied　in　examining　some　of　the
elegant　productions　of　the　famous　Leroi　and　Madame　Despeaux；　for　amidst
the　host　of　painful　feelings　experienced　by　Josephine　she　was　too　much　of
a　woman　not　to　devote　some　attention　to　the　toilet。

On　my　introduction　they　were　discussing　the　serious　question　of　the
costume　to　be　worn　by　the　Empress　on　her　journey　to　Belgium　to　meet
Napoleon　at　the　Palace　of　Lacken；　near　Brussels。　　Notwithstanding　those
discussions　respecting　the　form　of　hats；　the　colour　and　shape　of　dresses；
etc。；　Josephine　received　me　in　her　usual　gracious　manner。　　But　not　being
able　to　converse　with　me；　she　said；　without　giving　it　an　appearance　of
invitation　but　in　a　manner　sufficiently　evident　to　be　understood；　that
she　intended　to　pass　the　following　morning　at　Malmaison。

I　shortened　my　visit；　and　at　noon　next　day　repaired　to　that　delightful
abode；　which　always　created　in　my　mind　deep　emotion。　　Not　an　alley；　not　a
grove　but　teemed　with　interesting　recollections；　all　recalled　to　me　the
period　when　I　was　the　confidant　of　Bonaparte。　　But　the　time　was　past　when
he　minutely　calculated　how　much　a　residence　at　Malmaison　would　cost；　and
concluded　by　saying　that　an　income　of　30；000　livrea　would　be　necessary。

When　I　arrived　Madame　Bonaparte　was　in　the　garden　with　Madame　de　Remusat；
who　was　her　favourite　from　the　similarity　of　disposition　which　existed
between　them。

Madame　de　Remusat　was　the　daughter　of　the　Minister　Vergennes；　and　sister
to　Madame　de　Nansouty；　whom　I　had　sometimes　seen　with　Josephine；　but　not
so　frequently　as　her　elder　sister。　　I　found　the　ladies　in　the　avenue
which　leads　to　Ruel；　and　saluted　Josephine　by　inquiring　respecting　the
health　of　Her　Majesty。　　Never　can　I　forget　the　tone　in　which　she　replied：
〃Ah！　　Bourrienne；　I　entreat　that　you　will　suffer　me；　at　least　here；　to
forget　that　I　am　an　Empress。〃　　As　she　had　not　a　thought　concealed　from
Madame　de　Remusat　except　some　domestic　vexations；　of　which　probably　I　was
the　only　confidant；　we　conversed　with　the　same　freedom　as　if　alone；　and
it　is　easy　to　define　that　the　subject　of　our　discourse　regarded
Bonaparte。

After　having　spoken　of　her　intended　journey　to　Belgium；　Josephine　said
tome；　〃What　a　pity；　Bourrienne；　that　the　past　cannot　be　recalled！
He　departed　in　the　happiest　disposition：　he　has　bestowed　some　pardons
and　I　am　satisfied　that　but　for　those　accursed　politics　he　would　have
pardoned　a　far　greater　number。　　I　would　have　said　much　more；　but　I
endeavoured　to　conceal　my　chagrin　because　the　slightest　contradiction
only　renders　him　the　more　obstinate。　　Now；　when　in　the　midst　of　his　army；
he　will　forget　everything。　　How　much　have　I　been　afflicted　that　I　was　not
able　to　obtain　a　favourable　answer　to　all　the　petitions　which　were
addressed　to　me。　　That　good　Madame　de　Monteason　came　from　Romainville　to
St。　Cloud　to　solicit　the　pardon　of　MM。　de　Rivi6re　and　de　Polignac；　we
succeeded　in　gaining　an　audience　for　Madame　de　Polignac；　。　　。　　。　　how
beautiful　she　is！　　Bonaparte　was　greatly　affected　on　beholding　her；　he
said　to　her；　'Madame；　since　it　was　only　my　life　your　husband　menaced；　I
may　pardon　him。'　You　know　Napoleon；　Bourrienne；　you　know　that　he　is　not
naturally　cruel；　it　is　his　counsellors　and　flatterers　who　have　induced
him　to　commit　so　many　villainous　actions。　　Rapp　has　behaved　extremely
well；　he　went　to　the　Emperor；　and　would　not　leave　him　till　he　had
obtained　the　pardon　of　another　of　the　condemned；　whose　name　I　do　not
recollect。　　How　much　these　Polignacs　have　interested　me！　　There　will　be
then　at　least　some　families　who　will　owe　him　gratitude！　　Strive；　if　it　be
possible；　to　throw　a　veil　over　the　past；　I　am　sufficiently　miserable　in
my　anticipations　of　the　future。　　Rest　assured；　my　dear　Bourrienne；　that　I
shall　not　fail　to　exert　myself　during　our　stay　in　Belgium　in　your　behalf；
and　inform　you　of　the　result。　　Adieu！〃

During　the　festival　in　celebration　of　the　14th　of　July；　which　I　have
already　alluded　to；　the　Emperor　before　leaving　the　Hotel　des　Invalides
had　announced　that　he　would　go　in　person　to　distribute　the　decorations　of
the　Legion　of　Honour　to　the　army　assembled　in　the　camp　of　Boulogne。　　He
was　not　long　before　he　fulfilled　his　promise。　　He　left　St。　Cloud　on　the
18th　and　travelled　with　such　rapidity　that　the　next　morning；　whilst　every
one　was　busy　with　preparations　for　his　reception；　he　was　already　at　that
port；　in　the　midst　of　the　labourers；　examining　the　works。　　He　seemed　to
multiply　himself　by　his　inconceivable　activity；　and　one　might　say　that　he
was　present　everywhere。

At　the　Emperor's　departure　i