napoleon bonaparte, v1-第13节

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！


duty　of　the　valet　de　chambre　to　follow　the　carriage　on　horseback。　　One
day　the　First　Consul；　while　returning　to　Paris；　ascertained　a　short
distance　from　the　chateau　that　he　had　forgotten　his　snuff…box；　and　sent
me　for　it。　　I　turned　my　bridle；　set　off　at　a　gallop；　and；　having　found
the　snuff…box　on　his　desk；　retraced　my　steps　to　overtake　him；　but　did　not
succeed　in　doing　so　till　he　had　reached　Ruelle。　　Just　as　I　drew　near　the
carriage　my　horse　slipped　on　a　stone；　fell；　and　threw　me　some　distance
into　a　ditch。　　The　fall　was　very　severe；　and　I　remained　stretched　on　the
ground；　with　one　shoulder　dislocated；　and　an　arm　badly　bruised。　　The
First　Consul　ordered　the　horses　stopped；　himself　gave　orders　to　have　me
taken　up；　and　cautioned　them　to　be　very　careful　in　moving　me；　and　I　was
borne；　attended　by…him；　to　the　barracks　of　Ruelle；　where　he　took　pains
before　continuing　his　journey　to　satisfy　himself　that　I　was　in　no　danger。
The　physician　of　his　household　was　sent　to　Ruelle；　my　shoulder　set；　and
my　arm　dressed；　and　from　there　I　was　carried　as　gently　as　possible　to
Malmaison；　where；　good　Madame；　Bonaparte　had　the　kindness　to　come　to　see
me；　and　lavished　on　me　every　attention。

The　day　I　returned　to　service；　after　my　recovery；　I　was　in　the
antechamber　of　the　First　Consul　as　he　came　out　of　his　cabinet。　　He　drew
near　me；　and　inquired　with　great　interest　how　I　was。　　I　replied　that；
thanks　to　the　care　taken　of　me；　according　to　the　orders　of　my　excellent
master　and　mistress；　I　was　quite　well　again。　　〃So　much　the　better；〃　said
the　First　Consul。　　〃Constant；　make　haste；　and　get　your　strength　back。
Continue　to　serve　me　well；　and　I　will　take　care　of　you。　　Here；〃　added　he；
placing　in　my　hand　three　little　crumpled　papers；　〃these　are　to　replenish
your　wardrobe；〃　and　he　passed　on；　without　listening　to　the　profuse　thanks
which；　with　great　emotion；　I　was　attempting　to　express；　much　more　for　the
consideration　and　interest　in　me　shown　by　him　than　for　his　present；　for　I
did　not　then　know　of　what　it　consisted。　　After　he　passed　on　I　unrolled　my
papers：　they　were　three　bank…bills；　each　for　a　thousand　francs！　　I　was
moved　to　tears　by　so　great　a　kindness。　　We　must　remember　that　at　this
period　the　First　Consul　was　not　rich；　although　he　was　the　first
magistrate　of　the　republic。　　How　deeply　the　remembrance　of　this　generous
deed　touches　me；　even　to…day。　　I　do　not　know　if　details　so　personal　to　me
will　be　found　interesting；　but　they　seem　to　me　proper　as　evidence　of　the
true　character　of　the　Emperor；　which　has　been　so　outrageously
misrepresented；　and　also　as　an　instance　of　his　ordinary　conduct　towards
the　servants　of　his　house；　it　shows　too；　at　the　same　time；　whether　the
severe　economy　that　he　required　in　his　domestic　management；　and　of　which
I　will　speak　elsewhere；　was　the　result；　as　has　been　stated；　of　sordid
avarice；　or　whether　it　was　not　rather　a　rule　of　prudence；　from　which　he
departed　willingly　whenever　his　kindness　of　heart　or　his　humanity　urged
him　thereto。

I　am　not　certain　that　my　memory　does　not　deceive　me　in　leading　me　to　put
in　this　place　a　circumstance　which　shows　the　esteem　in　which　the　First
Consul　held　the　brave　soldiers　of　his　army；　and　how　he　loved　to　manifest
it　on　all　occasions。　　I　was　one　day　in　his　sleeping…room；　at　the　usual
hour　for　his　toilet；　and　was　performing　that　day　the　duties　of　chief
valet；　Hambard　being　temporarily　absent　or　indisposed；　there　being　in　the
room；　besides　the　body　servants；　only　the　brave　；and　modest　Colonel
Gerard　Lacuee；　one　of　the　aides…de…camp　of　the　First　Consul。　　Jerome
Bonaparte；　then　hardly　seventeen　years　of　age；　was　introduced。　　This
young　man　gave　his　family　frequent　cause　of　complaint；　and　feared　no　one
except　his　brother　Napoleon；　who　reprimanded；　lectured；　and　scolded　him
as　if　he　had　been　his　own　son。　　There　was　a　question　at　the　time　of
making　him　a　sailor；　less　with　the　object　of　giving　him　a　career；　than　of
removing　him　from　the　seductive　temptations　which　the　high　position　of
his　brother　caused　to　spring　up　incessantly　around　his　path；　and　which　he
had　little　strength　to　resist。　　It　may　be　imagined　what　it　cost　him　to
renounce　pleasures　so　accessible　and　so　delightful　to　a　young　man。　　He
did　not　fail　to　protest；　on　all　occasions；　his　unfitness　for　sea…service；
going　so　far；　it　is　said；　that　he　even　caused　himself　to　be　rejected　by
the　examining　board　of　the　navy　as　incompetent；　though　he　could　easily
have　prepared　himself　to　answer　the　few　questions　asked。　　However；　the
will　of　the　First　Consul　must　be　obeyed；　and　Jerome　was　compelled　to
embark。　　On　the　day　of　which　I　have　spoken；　after　some　moments　of
conversation　and　scolding；　still　on　the　subject　of　the　navy；　Jerome　said
to　his　brother；　〃Instead　of　sending　me　to　perish　of　ennui　at　sea；　you
ought　to　take　me　for　an　aide…de…camp。〃〃What；　take　you；　greenhorn；〃
warmly　replied　the　First　Consul；　〃wait　till　a　ball　has　furrowed　your　face
and　then　I　will　see　about　it；〃　at　the　same　time　calling　his　attention　to
Colonel　Lacuee；　　who　blushed；　and　dropped　his　eyes　to　the　floor　like　a
young　girl；　for；　as　is　well　known；　he　bore　on　his　face　the　scar　made　by　a
bullet。　　This　gallant　colonel　was　killed　in　1805　before　Guntzbourg；　and
the　Emperor　deeply　regretted　his　loss；　for　he　ways　one　of　the　bravest　and
most　skillful　officers　of　the　army。

It　was；　I　believe；　about　this　time　that　the　First　Consul　conceived　a
strong　passion　for　a　very　intelligent　and　handsome　young　woman；　Madame　D。
Madame　Bonaparte；　suspecting　this　intrigue；　showed　jealousy；　and　her
husband　did　all　he　could　to　allay　her　wifely　suspicions。　　Before　going　to
the　chamber　of　his　mistress　he　would　wait　until　every　one　was　asleep　in
the　chateau；　and　he　even　carried　his　precautions　so　far　as　to　go　from　his
room　to　hers　in　his　night…dress；　without　shoes　or　slippers。　　Once　I　found
that　day　was　about　to　break　before　his　return；　and　fearing　scandal；　I
went；　as　the　First　Consul　had　ordered　me　to　do　in　such　a　case；　to　notify
the　chambermaid　of　Madame　D。　to　go　to　her　mistress　and　tell　her　the　hour。
It　was　hardly　five　minutes　after　this　timely　notice　had　been　given；　when
I　saw　the　First　Consul　returning；　in　great　excitement；　of　which　I　soon
learned　the　cause。　　He　had　discovered；　on　his　return；　one　of　Madame
Bonaparte's　women；　lying　in　wait；　and　who　had　seen　him　through　the　window
of　a　closet　opening　upon　the　corridor。　　The　First　Consul；　after　a
vigorous　outburst　against　the　curiosity　of　the　fair　sex；　sent　me　to　the
young　scout　from　the　enemy's　camp　to　intimate　to　her　his　orders　to　hold
her　tongue；　unless　she　wished　to　be　discharged　without　hope　of　return。
I　do　not　know　whether　I　added　a　milder　argument　to　these　threats　to　buy
her　silence；　but；　whether　from　fear　or　for　compensation；　she　had　the　good
sense　not　to　talk。　　Nevertheless；　the　successful　lover；　fearing　another
surprise；　directed　me　to　rent　in　the　Allee　des　Ireuves　a　little　house
where　he　and　Madame　D。　met　from　time　to　time。　　Such　were；　and　continued
to　be；　the　precautions　of　the　First　Consul　towards　his　wife。　　He　had　the
highest　regard　for　her；　and　took　all　imaginable　care　to　prevent　his
infidelities　coming　to　her　knowledge。　　Besides；　these　passing　fancies　did
not　lessen　the　tenderness　he　felt　for　her；　and　although　other　women
inspired　him　with　love；　no　other　woman　had　his　confidence　and　friendship
to　the　same　extent　as　Madame　Bonaparte。　　There　have　been　a　thousand　and
one　calumnies　repeated　of　the　harshness　and　brutality　of　the　First　Consul
towards　women。　　He　was　not　always　gallant；　but　I　have　never　seen　him
rude；　and；　however　singular　it　may　seem　after　what　I　have　just　related；
he　professed　the　greatest　veneration　for　a　wife　of　exemplary　conduct；
speaking　in　admiring　terms　of　happy　households；　and　he　did　not　admire
cynicism；　either　in　morals　or　in　language。　　When　he　had　any　liaisons　he
kept　them　secret；　and　concealed　them　with　great　care。




CHAPTER　VI。

The　3d　Nivose；　year　IX。　　（Dec。　　21；　1800）；

　　　　　＇Under　the　Republican　regime　the　years　were　counted　from　the
　　　　　proclamation　of　the　Republic；　Sept。　　22；　1792。　　The　year　was　divided
　　　　　into　twelve　months　of　thirty　days　each；　re…named　from　some
　　　　　peculiarity；　as　Brumaire　（foggy）；　Nivose　（snowy）；　Thermidor　（hot）；
　　　　　Fructidor　（fruit）；　etc。；　besides　five　supplementary　days　of
　　　　　festivals；　called　'sans…culottides'。　　The　months　were　divided　into
　　　　　three　decades　of　ten　days　instead　of　weeks；　the　tenth　day　（decadi）
　　　　　being　in　lieu　of　Sunday。　　The　Republican　calendar　lasted　till　Jan。
　　　　　1；　1806；　as　to　the　years　and　months　at　least；　though　the　Concordat
　　　　　had　restored　the　weeks　and　Sabbaths。TRANS。

the　Opera　presented；　by　order；　The　Creation　of　Haydn；　and　the　First
Consul　had　announced　that　he　would　be　present；　with　all　his　household；　at
this　magnificent　oratorio。　　He　dined　on　that　day　with　Madame　Bonaparte；
her　daughter；　and　Generals　Rapp；　Lauriston；　Lannes；　and　Berthier。　　I　was
on　duty；　but　as　the　First　Consul　was　going　to　the　Opera；　I　knew　that　I
should　not　be　needed　at　the　chateau；　and　resolved；　for　my　part；　to　go　to
the　Feydeau；　occupying　the　box　which　Madame　Bonaparte　allowed　us；　and
which　was　situated　under　hers。　　After　dinner；　which　the　First　Consul
bolted