napoleon bonaparte, v5-第3节

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bets　among　themselves；　and　I　heard　the　Duke　of　Vicenza　one　day　bet　that
Monsieur　Jardin；　junior；　equerry　of　his　Majesty；　mounted　backwards　on　his
horse；　could　reach　the　end　of　the　avenue　in　front　of　the　chateau　in　the
space　of　a　few　moments；　which　bet　the　equerry　won。

Messieurs　Fain；　Meneval；　and　Ivan　once　played　a　singular　joke　on　Monsieur
B。　　d'A　；　who；　they　knew；　was　subject　to　frequent　attacks　of
gallantry。　　They　dressed　a　young　man　in　woman's　clothes；　and　sent　him　to
promenade；　thus　disguised；　in　an　avenue　near　the　chateau。　　Monsieur
B。　　d'A　was　very　near…sighted；　and　generally　used　an　eyeglass。　　These
gentlemen　invited　him　to　take　a　walk；　and　as　soon　as　he　was　outside　the
door；　he　perceived　the　beautiful　promenader；　and　could　not　restrain　an
exclamation　of　surprise　and　joy　at　the　sight。

His　friends　feigned　to　share　his　delight；　and　urged　him；　as　the　most
enterprising；　to　make　the　first　advances；　whereupon；　in　great　excitement；
he　hastened　after　the　pretended　young　lady；　whom　they　had　taught　his　role
perfectly。　　Monsieur　d'A　outdid　himself　in　politeness；　in　attentions；
in　offers　of　service；　insisting　eagerly　on　doing　the　honors　of　the
chateau　to　his　new　conquest。　　The　other　acted　his　part　perfectly；　and
after　many　coquettish　airs　on　his　side；　and　many　protestations　on　the
part　of　Monsieur　d'A　；　a　rendezvous　was　made　for　that　very　evening；　and
the　lover；　radiant　with　hope；　returned　to　his　friends；　maintaining　much
discretion　and　reserve　as　to　his　good　fortune；　while　he　really　would　have
liked　to　devour　the　time　which　must　pass　before　the　day　was　over。　　At
last　the　evening　arrived　which　was　to　put　an　end　to　his　impatience；　and
bring　the　time　of　his　interview；　and　his　disappointment　and　rage　may　be
imagined　when　he　discovered　the　deception　which　had　been　practiced　on
him。　　Monsieur　d'A　wished　at　first　to　challenge　the　authors　and
actors　in　this　hoax；　and　could　with　great　difficulty　be　appeased。

It　was；　I　think；　on　the　return　from　this　campaign；　that　Prince　Jerome　saw
at　Breslau；　at　the　theater　of　that　town；　a　young　and　very　pretty　actress；
who　played　her　part　badly；　but　sang　very　well。　　He　made　advances；　which
she　received　coolly：　but　kings　do　not　sigh　long　in　vain；　they　place　too
heavy　a　weight　in　the　balance　against　discretion。　　His　Majesty；　the　King
of　Westphalia；　carried　off　his　conquest　to　Cassel；　and　at　the　end　of　a
short　time　she　was　married　to　his　first　valet　de　chambre；　Albertoni；
whose　Italian　morals　were　not　shocked　by　this　marriage。　　Some
disagreement；　the　cause；　of　which　I　do　not　know；　having　caused　Albertoni
to　quit　the　king；　he　returned　to　Paris　with　his　wife；　and　engaged　in
speculations；　in　which　he　lost　all　that　he　had　gained；　and　I　have　been
told　that　he　returned　to　Italy。　　One　thing　that　always　appeared　to　me
extraordinary　was　the　jealousy　of　Albertoni　towards　his　wifean　exacting
jealousy　which　kept　his　eyes　open　towards　all　men　except　the　king；　for　I
am　well　convinced　that　the　liaison　continued　after　their　marriage。

The　brothers　of　the　Emperor；　although　kings；　were　sometimes　kept　waiting
in　the　Emperor's　antechamber。　　King　Jerome　came　one　morning　by　order　of
the　Emperor；　who；　having　not　yet　risen；　told　me　to　beg　the　King　of
Westphalia　to　wait。　　As　the　Emperor　wished　to　sleep　a　little　longer；　I
remained　with　the　other　servants　in　the　saloon　which　was　used　as　an
antechamber；　and　the　king　waited　with　us；　I　do　not　say　in　patience；　for
he　constantly　moved　from　chair　to　chair；　promenaded　back　and　forth
between　the　window　and　the　fireplace；　manifesting　much　annoyance；　and
speaking　now　and　then　to　me；　whom　he　always　treated　with　great　kindness。
Thus　more　than　half　an　hour　passed；　and　at　last　I　entered　the　Emperor's
room；　and　when　he　had　put　on　his　dressing…gown；　informed　him　that　his
Majesty　was　waiting；　and　after　introducing　him；　I　withdrew。　　The　Emperor
gave　him　a　cool　reception；　and　lectured　him　severely；　and　as　he　spoke
very　loud；　I　heard　him　against　my　will；　but　the　king　made　his　excuses　in
so　low　a　tone　that　I　could　not　hear　a　word　of　his　justification。　　Such
scenes　were　often　repeated；　for　the　prince　was　dissipated　and　prodigal；
which　displeased　the　Emperor　above　all　things　else；　and　for　which　he
reproved　him　severely；　although　he　loved　him；　or　rather　because　he　loved
him　so　much；　for　it　is　remarkable；　that　notwithstanding　the　frequent
causes　of　displeasure　which　his　family　gave　him；　the　Emperor　still　felt
for　all　his　relations　the　warmest　affection。

A　short　time　after　the　taking　of　Dantzig　（May　24；　1807）；　the　Emperor；
wishing　to　reward　Marshal　Lefebvre　for　the　recent　services　which　he　had
rendered；　had　him　summoned　at　six　o'clock　in　the　morning。　　His　Majesty
was　in　consultation　with　the　chief…of…staff　of　the　army　when　the　arrival
of　the　marshal　was　announced。　　〃Ah！〃　　said　he　to　Berthier；　〃the　duke　does
not　delay。〃　　Then；　turning　to　the　officer　on　duty；　〃　Say　to　the　Duke　of
Dantzig　that　I　have　summoned　him　so　early　in　order　that　he　may　breakfast
with　me。〃　　The　officer；　thinking　that　the　Emperor　had　misunderstood　the
name；　remarked　to　him；　that　the　person　who　awaited　his　orders　was　not　the
Duke　of　Dantzig；　but　Marshal　Lefebvre。　　〃It　seems；　monsieur；　that　you
think　me　more　capable　of　making　a　count　＇faire　un　conte＇　than　a　duke。〃

The　officer　was　somewhat　disconcerted　by　this　reply；　but　the　Emperor
reassured　him　with　a　smile；　and　said；　〃Go；　give　the　duke　my　invitation；
and　say　to　him　that　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour　breakfast　will　be　served。〃
The　officer　returned　to　the　marshal；　who　was；　of　course；　very　anxious　to
know　why　the　Emperor　had　summoned　him。　　〃Monsieur　le　Due；　the　Emperor
invites　you　to　breakfast　with　him；　and　begs　you　to　wait　a　quarter　of　an
hour。〃　　The　marshal；　not　having　noticed　the　new　title　which　the　officer
gave　him；　replied　by　a　nod；　and　seated　himself　on　a　folding　chair　on　the
back　of　which　hung　the　Emperor's　sword；　which　the　marshal　inspected　and
touched　with　admiration　and　respect。　　The　quarter　of　an　hour　passed；　when
another　ordnance　officer　came　to　summon　the　marshal　to　the　Emperor；　who
was　already　at　table　with　the　chief…of…staff；　and　as　he　entered；　the
Emperor　saluted　him　with；　〃Good…day；　Monsieur　le　Due；　be　seated　next　to
me。〃

The　marshal；　astonished　at　being　addressed　by　this　title；　thought　at
first　that　his　Majesty　was　jesting；　but　seeing　that　he　made　a　point　of
calling　him　Monsieur　le；　Due　he　was　overcome　with　astonishment。　　The
Emperor；　to　increase　his　embarrassment；　said　to　him；　〃Do　you　like
chocolate；　Monsieur　le　Duc？〃〃Butyes；　Sire。〃〃Well；　we　have　none　for
breakfast；　but　I　will　give　you　a　pound　from　the　very　town　of　Dantzig；　for
since　you　have　conquered　it；　it　is　but　just　that　it　should　make　you　some
return。〃　　Thereupon　the　Emperor　left　the　table；　opened　a　little　casket；
took　therefrom　a　package　in　the　shape　of　a　long　square；　and　handed　it　to
Marshal　Lefebvre；　saying　to　him；　〃Duke　of　Dantzig；　accept　this　chocolate；
little　gifts　preserve　friendship。〃　　The　marshal　thanked　his　Majesty；　put
the　chocolate　in　his　pocket；　and　took　his　seat　again　at　table　with　the
Emperor　and　Marshal　Berthier。　　A　'pate'　in　the　shape　of　the　town　of
Dantzig　was　in　the　midst　of　the　table；　and　when　this　was　to　be　served　the
Emperor　said　to　the　new　duke；　〃They　could　not　have　given　this　dish　a　form
which　would　have　pleased　me　more。　　Make　the　attack；　Monsieur　le　Duc；
behold　your　conquest；　it　is　yours　to　do　the　honors。〃　　The　duke　obeyed；
and　the　three　guests　ate　of　the　pie；　which　they　found　much　to　their
taste。　　On　his　return；　the　marshal；　Duke　of　Dantzig；　suspecting　a
surprise　in　the　little　package　which　the　Emperor　had　given　him；　hastened
to　open　it；　and　found　a　hundred　thousand　crowns　in　bank…notes。　　In
imitation　of　this　magnificent　present；　the　custom　was　established　in　the
army　of　calling　money；　whether　in　pieces　or　in　bank…notes；　Dantzig
chocolate；　and　when　the　soldiers　wished　to　be　treated　by　any　comrade　who
happened　to　have　a　little　money　in　his　pocket；　would　say　to　him；　〃Come；
now；　have　you　no　Dantzig　chocolate　in　your　pocket？〃

The　almost　superstitious　fancy　of　his　Majesty　the　Emperor　in　regard　to
coincidences　in　dates　and　anniversaries　was　strengthened　still　more　by
the　victory　of　Friedland；　which　was　gained　on　June　14；　1807；　seven　years
to　the　very　day　after　the　battle　of　Marengo。　　The　severity　of　the　winter；
the　difficulty　in　furnishing　supplies　（for　which　the　Emperor　had　however
made　every　possible　provision　and　arrangement）；　added　to　the　obstinate
courage　of　the　Russians；　had　made　this　a　severe　campaign；　especially　to
conquerors　whom　the　incredible　rapidity　of　their　successes　in　Prussia　had
accustomed　to　sudden　conquests。　　The　division　of　glory　which　he　had　been
compelled　to　make　with　the　Russians　was　a　new　experience　in　the　Emperor's
military　career；　but　at　Friedland　he　regained　his　advantage　and　his
former　superiority。　　His　Majesty；　by　a　feigned　retreat；　in　which　he　let
the　enemy　see　only　a　part　of　his　forces；　drew　the　Russians　into　a　decoy
on　the　Elbe；　so　complete　that　they　found　themselves　shut　in　between　that
river　and　our　army。　　This　victory　was　gained　by　troops　of　the　line　and
cavalry；　and　the　Emperor　did　not　even　find　it　necessary　to　use　his
Guards；　while　those