napoleon bonaparte, v1-第7节

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which；　they　showed　much　grace　in　their　acting；　and　played　their　parts
with　real　talent；　and　were　as　natural　on　the　stage　as　in　the　saloon；
where　they　bore　themselves　with　exquisite　grace　and　refinement。　　At　first
the　repertoire　contained　little　variety；　though　the　pieces　were　generally
well　selected。　　The　first　representation　which　I　attended　was　the　〃Barber
of　Seville　〃　in　which　Isabey　played　the　role　of　Figaro；　and　Mademoiselle
Hortense　that　of　Rosineand　the　〃Spiteful　Lover。〃　　Another　time　I　saw
played　the　〃Unexpected　Wager；〃　and　〃False　Consultations。〃　　Hortense　and
Eugene　played　this　last　piece　perfectly；　and　I　still　recall　that；　in　the
role　of　Madame　le　Blanc；　Hortense　appeared　prettier　than　ever　in　the
character　of　an　old　woman；　Eugene　representing　Le　Noir；　and　Lauriston　the
charlatan。　　The　First　Consul；　as　I　have　said；　confined　himself　to　the
role　of　spectator；　but　he　seemed　to　take　in　these　fireside　plays；　so　to
speak；　the　greatest　pleasure；　laughed　and　applauded　heartily；　though
sometimes　he　also　criticised。

Madame　Bonaparte　was　also　highly　entertained；　and　even　if　she　could　not
always　boast　of　the　successful　acting　of　her　children；　〃the　chiefs　of　the
troupe；〃　it　sufficed　her　that　it　was　an　agreeable　relaxation　to　her
husband；　and　seemed　to　give　him　pleasure；　for　her　constant　study　was　to
contribute　to　the　happiness　of　the　great　man　who　had　united　her　destiny
with　his　own。

When　the　day　for　the　presentation　of　a　play　had　been　appointed；　there　was
never　any　postponement；　but　often　a　change　of　the　play；　not　because　of
the　indisposition；　or　fit　of　the　blues；　of　an　actress　（as　often　happens
in　the　theaters　of　Paris）；　but　for　more　serious　reasons。　　It　sometimes
happened　that　M。　d'Etieulette　received　orders　to　rejoin　his　regiment；　or
an　important　mission　was　confided　to　Count　Almaviva；　though　Figaro　and
Rosine　always　remained　at　their　posts；　and　the　desire　of　pleasing　the
First　Consul　was；　besides；　so　general　among　all　those　who　surrounded　him；
that　the　substitutes　did　their　best　in　the　absence　of　the　principals；　and
the　play　never　failed　for　want　of　an　actor。

　　　　　＇Michau；　of　the　Comedic　Francaise；　was　the　instructor　of　the
　　　　　troupe。　　Wherever　it　happened　that　an　actor　was　wanting　in
　　　　　animation；　Michau　would　exclaim。　　〃Warmth！　　Warmth！　　Warmth！〃
　　　　　Note　by　CONSTANT。＇




CHAPTER　III。

I　had　been　only　a　very　short　time　in　the　service　of　Madame　Bonaparte　when
I　made　the　acquaintance　of　Charvet；　the　concierge　of　Malmaison；　and　in
connection　with　this　estimable　man　became　each　day　more　and　more
intimate；　till　at　last　he　gave　me　one　of　his　daughters　in　marriage。
I　was　eager　to　learn　from　him　all　that　he　could　tell　me　concerning　Madame
Bonaparte　and　the　First　Consul　prior　to　my　entrance　into　the　house；　and
in　our　frequent　conversations　he　took　the　greatest　pleasure　in　satisfying
my　curiosity。　　It　is　to　him　I　owe　the　following　details　as　to　the　mother
and　daughter。

When　General　Bonaparte　set　out　for　Egypt；　Madame　Bonaparte　accompanied
him　as　far　as　Toulon；　and　was　extremely　anxious　to　go　with　him　to　Egypt。
When　the　general　made　objections；　she　observed　that　having　been　born　a
Creole；　the　heat　of　the　climate　would　be　more　favorable　than　dangerous　to
her。　　By　a　singular　coincidence　it　was　on　'La　Pomone'　that　she　wished　to
make　the　journey；　that　is　to　say；　on　the　very　same　vessel　which　in　her
early　youth　had　brought　her　from　Martinique　to　France。　　General
Bonaparte；　finally　yielding　to　the　wishes　of　his　wife；　promised　to　send
'La　Pomone'　for　her；　and　bade　her　go　in　the　meantime　to　take　the　waters
at　Plombieres。　　The　matter　being　arranged　between　husband　and　wife；
Madame　Bonaparte　was　delighted　to　go　to　the　springs　of　Plombieres　which
she　had　desired　to　visit　for　a　long　time；　knowing；　like　every　one　else；
the　reputation　these　waters　enjoyed　for　curing　barrenness　in　women。

Madame　Bonaparte　had　been　only　a　short　time　at　Plombieres；　when　one
morning；　while　occupied　in　hemming　a　turban　and　chatting　with　the　ladies
present；　Madame　de　Cambis；　who　was　on　the　balcony；　called　to　her　to　come
and　see　a　pretty　little　dog　passing　along　the　street。　　All　the　company
hastened　with　Madame　Bonaparte　to　the　balcony；　which　caused　it　to　fall
with　a　frightful　crash。　　By　a　most　fortunate　chance；　no　one　was　killed；
though　Madame　de　Cambis　had　her　leg　broken；　and　Madame　Bonaparte　was　most
painfully　bruised；　without；　however；　receiving　any　fracture。　　Charvet；
who　was　in　a　room　behind　the　saloon；　heard　the　noise；　and　at　once　had　a
sheep　killed　and　skinned；　and　Madame　Bonaparte　wrapped　in　the　skin。　　It
was　a　long　while　before　she　regained　her　health；　her　arms　and　her　hands
especially　being　so　bruised　that　she　was　for　a　long　time　unable　to　use
them；　and　it　was　necessary　to　cut　up　her　food；　feed　her；　and；　in　fact；
perform　the　same　offices　for　her　as　for　an　infant。

I　related　above　that　Josephine　thought　she　was　to　rejoin　her　husband　in
Egypt；　and　consequently　that　her　stay　at　the　springs　of　Plombieres　would
be　of　short　duration　but　her　accident　led　her　to　think　that　it　would　be
prolonged　indefinitely；　she　therefore　desired；　while　waiting　for　her
complete　recovery；　to　have　with　her　her　daughter　Hortense；　then　about
fifteen　years　of　age；　who　was　being　educated　in　the　boarding…school　of
Madame　Campan。　　She　sent　for　her　a　mulatto　woman　to　whom　she　was　much
attached；　named　Euphemie；　who　was　the　foster…sister　of　Madame　Bonaparte；
and　passed　（I　do　not　know　if　the　supposition　was　correct）　as　her　natural
sister。　　Euphemie；　accompanied　by　Charvet；　made　the　journey　in　one　of
Madame　Bonaparte's　carriages。　　Mademoiselle　Hortense；　on　their　arrival；
was　delighted　with　the　journey　she　was　about　to　make；　and　above　all　with
the　idea　of　being　near　her　mother；　for　whom　she　felt　the　tenderest
affection。　　Mademoiselle　Hortense　was；　I　would　not　say；　greedy；　but　she
was　exceedingly　fond　of　sweets；　and　Charvet；　in　relating　these　details；
said　to　me；　that　at　each　town　of　any　size　through　which　they　passed　the
carriage　was　filled　with　bonbons　and　dainties；　of　which　mademoiselle
consumed　a　great　quantity。　　One　day；　while　Euphemie　and　Charvet　were
sound　asleep；　they　were　suddenly　awakened　by　a　report；　which　sounded
frightful　to　them；　and　caused　them　intense　anxiety；　as　they　found　when
they　awoke　that　they　were　passing　through　a　thick　forest。　　This　ludicrous
incident　threw　Hortense　into　fits　of　laughter；　for　hardly　had　they
expressed　their　alarm　when　they　found　themselves　deluged　with　an
odoriferous　froth；　which　explained　the　cause　of　the　explosion。　　A　bottle
of　champagne；　placed　in　one　of　the　pockets　of　the　carriage；　had　been
uncorked；　and　the　heat；　added　to　the　motion　of　the　carriage；　or　rather
the　malice　of　the　young　traveler；　had　made　it　explode　with　a　loud　report。

When　mademoiselle　arrived　at　Plombieres；　her　mother's　health　was　almost
restored；　so　that　the　pupil　of　Madame　Campan　found　there　all　the
distractions　which　please　and　delight　at　the　age　which　the　daughter　of
Madame　Bonaparte　had　then　attained。

There　is　truth　in　the　saying　that　in　all　evil　there　is　good；　for　had　this
accident　not　happened　to　Madame　Bonaparte；　it　is　very　probable　she　would
have　become　a　prisoner　of　the　English；　in　fact；　she　learned　that
'La　Pomone'；　the　vessel　on　which　she　wished　to　make　the　voyage；　had
fallen　into　the　power　of　the　enemies　of　France。　　General　Bonaparte；　in
all　his　letters；　still　dissuaded　his　wife　from　the　plan　she　had　of
rejoining　him；　and；　consequently；　she　returned　to　Paris。

On　her　arrival　Josephine　devoted　her　attention　to　executing　a　wish
General　Bonaparte　had　expressed　to　her　before　leaving。　　He　had　remarked
to　her　that　he　should　like；　on　his　return；　to　have　a　country　seat；　and　he
charged　his　brother　to　attend　to　this；　which　Joseph；　however；　failed　to
do。　　Madame　Bonaparte；　who；　on　the　contrary；　was　always　in　search　of　what
might　please　her　husband；　charged　several　persons　to　make　excursions　in
the　environs　of　Paris；　in　order　to　ascertain　whether　a　suitable　dwelling
could　be　found。　　After　having　vacillated　long　between　Ris　and　Malmaison；
she　decided　on　the　latter；　which　she　bought　from　M。　Lecoulteux…Dumoley；
for；　I　think；　four　hundred　thousand　francs。　　Such　were　the　particulars
which　Charvet　was　kind　enough　to　give　me　when　I　first　entered　the　service
of　Madame　Bonaparte。　　Every　one　in　the　house　loved　to　speak　of　her；　and
it　was　certainly　not　to　speak　evil；　for　never　was　woman　more　beloved　by
all　who　surrounded　her；　and　never　has　one　deserved　it　more。　　General
Bonaparte　was　also　an　excellent　man　in　the　retirement　of　private　life。

After　the　return　of　the　First　Consul　from　his　campaign　in　Egypt；　several
attempts　against　his　life　had　been　made；　and　the　police　had　warned　him
many　times　to　be　on　his　guard；　and　not　to　risk　himself　alone　in　the
environs　of　Malmaison。　　The　First　Consul　had　been　very　careless　up　to
this　period；　but　the　discovery　of　the　snares　which　were　laid　for　him；
even　in　the　privacy　of　his　family　circle；　forced　him　to　use　precautions
and　prudence。　　It　has　been　stated　since；　that　these　pretended　plots　were
only　fabrications　of　the　police　to　render　themselves　necessary　to　the
First　Consul；　or；　perhaps；　of　the　First　Consul　himself；　t