memoirs of napoleon bonaparte, v8-第7节

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the　true　story。　　D。W。＇

When　he　reviewed　the　troops　he　asked　the　officers；　and　often　the
soldiers；　in　what　battles　they　had　been　engaged；　and　to　those　who　had
received　serious　wounds　he　gave　the　cross。　　Here；　I　think；　I　may
appropriately　mention　a　singular　piece　of　charlatanism　to　which　the
Emperor　had　recourse；　and　which　powerfully　contributed　to　augment　the
enthusiasm　of　his　troops。　　He　would　say　to　one　of　his　aides　decamp；
〃Ascertain　from　the　colonel　of　such　a　regiment　whether　he　has　in　his
corps　a　man　who　has　served　in　the　campaigns　of　Italy　or　the　campaigns　of
Egypt。　　Ascertain　his　name；　where　he　was　born；　the　particulars　of　his
family；　and　what　he　has　done。　　Learn　his　number　in　the　ranks；　and　to　what
company　he　belongs；　and　furnish　me　with　the　information。〃

On　the　day　of　the　review　Bonaparte；　at　a　single　glance；　could　perceive
the　man　who　had　been　described　to　him。　　He　would　go　up　to　him　as　if　he
recognised　him；　address　him　by　his　name；　and　say；　〃Oh！　　so　you　are　here！
You　area　brave　fellowI　saw　you　at　Aboukirhow　is　your　old　father？
What！　have　you　not　got　the　Cross？　　Stay；　I　will　give　it　you。〃　　Then　the
delighted　soldiers　would　say　to　each　other；　〃You　see　the　Emperor　knows　us
all；　he　knows　our　families；　he　knows　where　we　have　served。〃　　What　a
stimulus　was　this　to　soldiers；　whom　he　succeeded　in　persuading　that　they
would　all　some　time　or　other　become　Marshals　of　the　Empire！

Lauriston　told　me；　amongst　other　anecdotes　relating　to　Napoleon's　sojourn
at　the　camp　at　Boulogne；　a　remarkable　instance　of　intrepidity　on　the　part
of　two　English　sailors。　　These　men　had　been　prisoners　at　Verdun；　which
was　the　most　considerable　depot　of　English　prisoners　in　France　at　the
rupture　of　the　peace　of　Amiens。　　They　effected　their　escape　from　Verdun；
and　arrived　at　Boulogne　without　having　been　discovered　on　the　road；
notwithstanding　the　vigilance　with　which　all　the　English　were　watched
They　remained　at　Boulogne　for　some　time；　destitute　of　money；　and　without
being　able　to　effect　their　escape。　　They　had　no　hope　of　getting　aboard　a
boat；　on　account　of　the　strict　watch　that　was　kept　upon　vessels　of　every
kind。　　These　two　sailors　made　a　boat　of　little　pieces　of　wood；　which　they
put　together　as　well　as　they　could；　having　no　other　tools　than　their
knives。　　They　covered　it　with　a　piece　of　sail…cloth。　　It　was　only　three
or　four　feet　wide；　and　not　much　longer；　and　was　so　light　that　a　man　could
easily　carry　it　on　his　shoulders；so　powerful　a　passion　is　the　love　of
home　and　liberty！　　Sure　of　being　shot　if　they　were　discovered；　almost
equally　sure　of　being　drowned　if　they　effected　their　escape；　they；
nevertheless；　resolved　to　attempt　crossing　the　Channel　in　their　fragile
skiff。　　Perceiving　an　English　frigate　within　sight　of　the　coast；　they
pushed　off　and　endeavoured　to　reach　her。　　They　had　not　gone　a　hundred
toises　from　the　shore　when　they　were　perceived　by　the　custom…house
officers；　who　set　out　in　pursuit　of　them；　and　brought　them　back　again。
The　news　of　this　adventure　spread　through　the　camp；　where　the
extraordinary　courage　of　the　two　sailors　was　the　subject　of　general
remark。　　The　circumstance　reached　the　Emperor's　ears。　　He　wished　to　see
the　men；　and　they　were　conducted　to　his　presence；　along　with　their　little
boat。　　Napoleon；　whose　imagination　was　struck　by　everything
extraordinary；　could　not　conceal　his　surprise　at　so　bold　a　project；
undertaken　with　such　feeble　means　of　execution。　　〃Is　it　really　true；〃
said　the　Emperor　to　them；　〃that　you　thought　of　crossing　the　sea　in
this？〃〃Sire；〃　said　they；　〃if　you　doubt　it；　give　us　leave　to　go；　and　you
shall　see　us　depart。〃〃I　will。　　You　are　bold　and　enterprising　menI
admire　courage　wherever　I　meet　it。　　But　you　shall　not　hazard　your　lives。
You　are　at　liberty；　and　more　than　that；　I　will　cause　you　to　be　put　on
board　an　English　ship。　　When　you　return　to　London　tell　how　I　esteem　brave
men；　even　when　they　are　my　enemies。〃　　Rapp；　who　with　Lauriaton；　Duroc；
and　many　others　were　present　at　this　scene；　were　not　a　little　astonished
at　the　Emperor's　generosity。　　If　the　men　had　not　been　brought　before　him；
they　would　have　been　shot　as　spies；　instead　of　which　they　obtained　their
liberty；　and　Napoleon　gave　several　pieces　of　gold　to　each。　　This
circumstance　was　one　of　those　which　made　the　strongest　impression　on
Napoleon；　and　he　recollected　it　when　at　St。　Helena；　in　one　of　his
conversations　with　M。　de　Las　Casas。

No　man　was　ever　so　fond　of　contrasts　as　Bonaparte。　　He　liked；　above
everything；　to　direct　the　affairs　of　war　whilst　seated　in　his　easy　chair；
in　the　cabinet　of　St。　Cloud；　and　to　dictate　in　the　camp　his　decrees
relative　to　civil　administration。　　Thus；　at　the　camp　of　Boulogne；　he
founded　the　decennial　premiums；　the　first　distribution　of　which　he
intended　should　take　place　five　years　afterwards；　on　the　anniversary　of
the　18th　Brumaire；　which　was　an　innocent　compliment　to　the　date　of　the
foundation　of　the　Consular　Republic。　　This　measure　also　seemed　to　promise
to　the　Republican　calendar　a　longevity　which　it　did　not　attain。　　All
these　little　circumstances　passed　unobserved；　but　Bonaparte　had　so　often
developed　to　me　his　theory　of　the　art　of　deceiving　mankind　that　I　knew
their　true　value。　　It　was　likewise　at　the　camp　of　Boulogne　that；　by　a
decree　emanating　from　his　individual　will；　he　destroyed　the　noblest
institution　of　the　Republic；　the　Polytechnic　School；　by　converting　it
into　a　purely　military　academy。　　He　knew　that　in　that　sanctuary　of　high
study　a　Republican　spirit　was　fostered；　and　whilst　I　was　with　him　he　had
often　told　me　it　was　necessary　that　all　schools；　colleges；　and
establishments　for　public　instruction　should　be　subject　to　military
discipline。　　I　frequently　endeavoured　to　controvert　this　idea；　but
without　success。

It　was　arranged　that　Josephine　and　the　Emperor　should　meet　in　Belgium。
He　proceeded　thither　from　the　camp　of　Boulogne；　to　the　astonishment　of
those　who　believed　that　the　moment　for　the　invasion　of　England　had　at
length　arrived。　　He　joined　the　Empress　at　the　Palace　of　Lacken；　which　the
Emperor　had　ordered　to　be　repaired　and　newly　furnished　with　great
magnificence。

The　Emperor　continued　his　journey　by　the　towns　bordering　on　the　Rhine。
He　stopped　first　in　the　town　of　Charlemagne；　passed　through　the　three
bishoprics；

　　　　　＇There　are　two　or　three　little　circumstances　in　connection　with
　　　　　this　journey　that　seem　worth　inserting　here：

　　　　　Mademoiselle　Avrillion　was　the　'femme　de　chambre'　of　Josephine；　and
　　　　　was　constantly　about　her　person　from　the　time　of　the　first
　　　　　Consulship　to　the　death　of　the　Empress　in　1814。　　In　all　such　matters
　　　　　as　we　shall　quote　from　them；　her　memoirs　seem　worthy　of　credit。
　　　　　According　to　Mademoiselle；　the　Empress　during　her　stay　at　Aix…la…
　　　　　Chapelle；　drank　the　waters　with　much　eagerness　and　some　hope。　　As
　　　　　the　theatre　there　was　only　supplied　with　some　German　singers　who
　　　　　were　not　to　Josephine's　taste；　she　had　part　of　a　French　operatic
　　　　　company　sent　to　her　from　Paris。　　The　amiable　creole　had　always　a
　　　　　most　royal　disregard　of　expense。　　When　Bonaparte　joined　her；　he
　　　　　renewed　his　old　custom　of　visiting　his　wife　now　and　then　at　her
　　　　　toilet；　and　according　to　Mademoiselle　Avrillion；　he　took　great
　　　　　interest　in　the　subject　of　her　dressing。　　She　says；　〃It　was　a　most
　　　　　extraordinary　thing　for　us　to　see　the　man　whose　head　was　filled　with
　　　　　such　vast　affairs　enter　into　the　most　minute　details　of　the　female
　　　　　toilet　and　of　what　dresses；　what　robes；　and　what　jewels　the　Empress
　　　　　should　wear　on　such　and　such　an　occasion。　　One　day　he　daubed　her
　　　　　dress　with　ink　because　be　did　not　like　it；　and　wanted　her　to　put　on
　　　　　another。　　Whenever　he　looked　into　her　wardrobe　he　was　sure　to　throw
　　　　　everything　topsy…turvy。〃

　　　　　This　characteristic　anecdote　perfectly　agrees　with　what　we　have
　　　　　heard　from　other　persons。　　When　the　Neapolitan　Princess　di…　was
　　　　　at　the　Tuileries　as　'dame　d'honneur'　to　Bonaparte's　sister　Caroline
　　　　　Murat；　then　Queen　of　Naples；　on　the　grand　occasion　of　the　marriage
　　　　　with　Maria　Louisa；　the；　Princess；　to　her　astonishment；　saw　the
　　　　　Emperor　go　up　to　a　lady　of　the　Court　and　address　her　thus：　〃This　is
　　　　　the　same　gown　you　wore　the　day　before　yesterday！　　What's　the　meaning
　　　　　of　this；　madame？　　This　is　not　right；　madame！〃

　　　　　Josephine　never　gave　him　a　similar　cause　of　complaint；　but　even　when
　　　　　he　was　Emperor　she　often　made　him　murmur　at　the　profusion　of　her
　　　　　expenditure　under　this　head。　　The　next　anecdote　will　give　some　idea
　　　　　of　the　quantity　of　dresses　which　she　wore　for　a　day　or　so；　and　then
　　　　　gave　away　to　her　attendants；　who　appear　to　have　carried　on　a　very
　　　　　active　trade　in　them。

　　　　　〃While　we　were　at　Mayence　the　Palace　was　literally　besieged　by　Jews；
　　　　　who　continually　brought　manufactured　and　other　goods　to　show　to　the
　　　　　followers　of　the　Court；　and　we　had　the　greatest　difficulty　to　avoid
　　　　　buying　them。　　At　last　they　proposed　that　we　should　barter　with　them；
　　　　　and　when　Her　Majesty　had　given　us　dresses　that　were　far　too　rich　for
　　　　　us　to　wear　ourselves；　we　exchanged　them　with　the　Jews　for
　　　　　piecegoods。　　The　robes　we　thus　bartered　d