napoleon bonaparte, v5-第10节

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that　there　is　a　continual　fete　and　general　illumination　in　Venice；　the
custom　being　to　spend　the　greater　part　of　the　night　in　business　or
pleasure；　and　the　streets　are　as　brilliant　and　as　full　of　people　as　in
Paris　at　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon。　　The　shops；　especially　those　of
the　square　of　Saint　Mark；　are　brilliantly　lighted；　and　crowds　fill　the
small　decorated　pavilions　where　coffee；　ices；　and　refreshments　of　all
kinds　are　sold。

The　Emperor　did　not　adopt　the　Venetian　mode　of　life；　however；　and　retired
at　the　same　hour　as　in　Paris；　and　when　he　did　not　pass　the　day　working
with　his　ministers；　rode　in　a　gondola　through　the　lagoons；　or　visited　the
principal　establishments　and　public　buildings　of　Venice；　and　I　thus　saw；
in　company　with　his　Majesty；　the　church　of　Saint　Mark；　and　the　ancient
palace　of　the　Doge。

The　church　of　Saint　Mark　has　five　entrances；　superbly　decorated　with
marble　columns；　the　gates　are　of　bronze　and　beautifully　carved。　　Above
the　middle　door　were　formerly　the　four　famous　bronze　horses；　which　the
Emperor　carried　to　Paris　to　ornament　the　Arch　of　Triumph　on　the　Place　du
Carrousel。　　The　tower　is　separated　from　the　church　by　a　small　square；
from　the　midst　of　which　it　rises　to　a　height　of　more　than　three　hundred
feet。　　It　is　ascended　by　an　inclined　platform　without　steps；　which　is
very　convenient；　and　on　arriving　at　the　summit　the　most　magnificent
panorama　is　spread　out　before　you；　Venice　with　its　innumerable　islands
covered　with　palaces；　churches；　and　buildings；　and　extending　at　a
distance　into　the　sea；　also　the　immense　dike；　sixty　feet　broad；　several
fathoms　deep；　and　built　of　great　blocks　of　stone；　which　enormous　work
surrounds　Venice　and　all　its　islands；　and　defends　it　against　the　rising
of　the　sea。

The　Venetians　have　the　greatest　admiration　for　the　clock　placed　in　the
tower　bearing　its　name；　and　the　mechanism　of　which　shows　the　progress
of　the　sun　and　moon　through　the　twelve　signs　of　the　zodiac。　　In　a　niche
above　the　dialplate　is　an　image　of　the　Virgin；　which　is　gilded　and
lifesize；　and　it　is　said　that　on　certain　fete　days；　each　blow　of　the
pendulum　makes　two　angels　appear；　trumpet　in　hand；　followed　by　the　Three
Wise　Men；　who　prostrate　themselves　at　the　feet　of　the　Virgin　Mary。　　I　saw
nothing　of　all　that；　but　only　two　large　black　figures　striking　the　hour
on　the　clock　with　iron　clubs。

The　Doge's　palace　is　a　gloomy　building；　and　the　prisons；　which　are
separated　from　it　only　by　a　narrow　canal；　render　the　aspect　still　more
depressing。

At　Venice　one　finds　merchants　from　every　nation；　Jews　and　Greeks　being
very　numerous。　　Roustan；　who　understood　the　language　of　the　latter；　was
sought　after　by　the　most　distinguished　among　them；　and　the　heads　of　a
Greek　family　came　one　day　to　invite　him　to　visit　them　at　their　residence
on　one　of　the　islands　which　lie　around　Venice。　　Roustan　confided　to　me
his　desire　to　accept　this　invitation；　and　I　was　delighted　with　his
proposition　that　I　should　accompany　him。　　On　our　arrival　at　their　island；
we　were　received　by　our　hosts；　who　were　very　wealthy　merchants；　as　if　we
had　been　old　friends。　　The　apartment；　a　kind　of　parlor　into　which　we　were
ushered；　not　only　evinced　cultivation　and　refinement；　but　great　elegance；
a　large　divan　extended　around　the　hall；　the　inlaid　floor　of　which　was
covered　with　artistically　woven　mats。　　Our　hosts　were　six　men　who　were
associated　in　the　same　trade。　　I　would　have　been　somewhat　embarrassed　had
not　one　of　them　who　spoke　French　conversed　with　me；　while　the　others
talked　to　Roustan　in　their　native　tongue。　　We　were　offered　coffee；
fruits；　ices；　and　pipes；　and　as　I　was　never　fond　of　smoking；　and　knew
besides　the　disgust　inspired　in　the　Emperor　by　odors　in　general；　and
especially　that　of　tobacco；　I　refused　the　pipe；　and　expressed　a　fear　that
my　clothes　might　be　scented　by　being　so　near　the　smokers。　　I　thought　I
perceived　that　this　delicacy　lowered　me　considerably　in　the　esteem　of　my
hosts；　notwithstanding　which；　as　we　left；　they　gave　us　most　urgent
invitations　to　repeat　our　visit；　which　it　was　impossible　to　do；　as　the
Emperor　soon　after　left　Venice。

On　my　return；　the　Emperor　asked　me　if　I　had　been　through　the　city；　what　I
thought　of　it；　and　if　I　had　entered　any　residences；　in　fact；　what　seemed
to　me　worthy　of　notice。　　I　replied　as　well　as　I　could；　and　as　his　Majesty
was　just　then　in　a　mood　for　light　conversation；　spoke　to　him　of　our
excursion；　and　visit　to　the　Greek　family。　　The　Emperor　asked　me　what
these　Greeks　thought　of　him。　　〃Sire；〃　replied　I；　〃the　one　who　spoke
French　seemed　entirely　devoted　to　your　Majesty；　and　expressed　to　me　the
hope　which　he　and　also　his　brothers　entertained；　that　the　Emperor　of　the
French；　who　had　successfully　combated　the　mamelukes　in　Egypt；　might　also
some　day　make　himself　the　liberator　of　Greece。〃

〃Ah；　Monsieur　Constant；〃　said　the　Emperor　to　me；　pinching　me　sharply；
〃you　are　meddling　with　politics。〃〃Pardon　me；　Sire；　I　only　repeated　what
I　heard；　and　it　is　not　astonishing　that　all　the　oppressed　count　on　your
Majesty's　aid。　　These　poor　Greeks　seem　to　love　their　country
passionately；　and；　above　all；　detest　the　Turks　most　cordially。〃〃That　is
good；〃　said　his　Majesty；　〃but　I　must　first　of　all　attend　to　my　own
business。　　Constant！〃　　continued　his　Majesty　suddenly　changing　the
subject　of　this　conversation　with　which　he　had　deigned　to　honor　me；　and
smiling　with　an　ironical　air；　〃what　do　you　think　of　the　appearance　of　the
beautiful　Greek　women？　　How　many　models　have　you　seen　worthy　of　Canova　or
of　David？　　〃I　was　obliged　to　admit　to　his　Majesty　that　what　had
influenced　me　most　in　accepting　Roustan's　proposition　was　the　hope　of
seeing　a　few　of　these　much　vaunted　beauties；　and　that　I　had　been　cruelly
disappointed　in　not　having　seen　the　shadow　of　a　woman。　　At　this　frank
avowal　the　Emperor；　who　had　expected　it　in　advance；　laughed　heartily；　and
took　his　revenge　on　my　ears；　calling　me　a　libertine：　〃You　do　not　know
then；　Monsieur　le　Drole；　that　your　good　friends　the　Greeks　have　adopted
the　customs　of　those　Turks　whom　they　detest　so　cordially；　and　like　them
seclude　their　wives　and　daughters　in　order　that　they　may　never　appear
before　bad　men　like　yourself。〃

Although　the　Greek　ladies　of　Venice　may　be　carefully　watched　by　their
husbands；　they　are　neither　secluded　nor　guarded　in　a　seraglio　like　the
Turkish　women；　for　during　our　stay　at　Venice；　a　great　person　spoke　to　his
Majesty　of　a　young　and　beautiful　Greek；　who　was　an　enthusiastic　admirer
of　the　Emperor　of　the　French。　　This　lady　was　very　ambitious　of　being
received　by　his　Majesty　in　his　private　rooms；　and　although　carefully
watched　by　a　jealous　husband；　had　found　means　to　send　to　the　Emperor　a
letter　in　which　she　depicted　the　intensity　of　her　love　and　admiration。
This　letter；　written　with　real　passion　and　in　an　exalted　strain；　inspired
in　his　Majesty　a　desire　to　see　and　know　the　author；　but　it　was　necessary
he　should　use　precautions；　for　the　Emperor　was　not　the　man　to　abuse　his
power　to　snatch　a　woman　from　her　husband；　and　yet　all　the　care　that　he
took　in　keeping　the　affair　secret　did　not　prevent　her　husband　from
suspecting　the　plans　of　his　wife；　and　before　it　was　possible　for　her　to
see　the　Emperor；　she　was　carried　away　far　from　Venice；　and　her　prudent
husband　carefully　covered　her　steps　and　concealed　her　flight。　　When　her
disappearance　was　announced　to　the　Emperor：　〃He　is　an　old　fool；〃　said　his
Majesty；　laughing；　〃who　thinks　he　is　strong　enough　to　struggle　against
his　destiny。〃　　His　Majesty　formed　no　other　liaison　during　our　stay　at
Venice。

Before　leaving　this　city；　the　Emperor　rendered　a　decree　which　was
received　with　inexpressible　enthusiasm；　and　added　much　to　the　regret
which　his　Majesty's　departure　caused　the　inhabitants　of　Venice。　　The
department　of　the　Adriatic；　of　which　Venice　was　the　chief　city；　was
enlarged　in　all　its　maritime　coasts；　from　the　town　of　Aquila　as　far　as
Adria。　　The　decree　ordered；　moreover；　that　the　port　should　be　repaired；
the　canals　deepened　and　cleaned；　the　great　wall　of　Palestrina　of　which　I
have　spoken　above；　and　the　jetties　in　front　of　it；　extended　and
maintained；　that　a　canal　of　communication　between　the　arsenal　of　Venice
and　the　Pass　of　Mala…Mocco　should　be　dug；　and　finally　that　this　passage
itself　should　be　cleared　and　deepened　sufficiently　for　vessels　of　the
line　of　seventy…four　tons　burthen　to　pass　in　and　out。

Other　articles　related　to　benevolent　establishments；　the　administration
of　which　was　given　to　a　kind　of　council　called　the　Congregation　of
Charities；　and　the　cession　to　the　city　from　the　royal　domain　of　the
island　of　Saint　Christopher；　to　be　used　as　a　general　cemetery；　for　until
then　here；　as　in　the　rest　of　Italy；　they　had　the　pernicious　custom　of
interring　the　dead　in　churches。　　Finally　the　decree　ordered　the　adoption
of　a　new　mode　of　lighting　the　beautiful　square　of　Saint　Mark；　the
construction　of　new　quays；　gateways；　etc。

When　we　left　Venice　the　Emperor　was　conducted　to　the　shore　by　a　crowd　of
the　population　fully　as　numerous　as　that　which　welcomed　his　arrival。
Trevise；　Undine；　and　Mantua　rivaled　each　other　in　their　eagerness　to
receive　his　Majesty　in　a　becoming　manner。　　King　Joseph　had　left　the
Emperor　to　ret