napoleon bonaparte, v5-第8节

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his　Majesty's　carriage；　which　was　furnished　with　small　cooking　utensils
with　silver　covers；　holding　chickens；　partridges；　etc。；　while　the　other
carriages　furnished　their　proportion。　　M。　Pfister　served　the　Emperor；　and
every　one　ate　a　hasty　morsel。　　Fires　were　lighted　to　heat　the　coffee；　and
in　less　than　half　an　hour　everything　had　disappeared；　and　the　carriages
rolled　on　in　the　same　order　as　before。

The　Emperor's　steward　and　cooks　had　nearly　all　been　trained　in　the
household　of　the　king　and　the　princes。　　These　were　Messieurs　Dunau；
Leonard；　Rouff；　and　Gerard。　　M。　Colin　was　chief　in　command；　and　became
steward…controller　after　the　sad　affliction　of　M。　Pfister；　who　became
insane　during　the　campaign　of　1809。　　All　were　capable　and　zealous
servants；　and；　as　is　the　case　in　the　household　of　all　sovereigns；　each
department　of　the　domestic　affairs　had　its　chief。　　Messieurs　Soupe　and
Pierrugues　were　in　charge　of　the　wines；　and　the　sons　of　these　gentleman
continued　to　hold　the　same　office　with　the　Emperor。

We　traveled　with　great　speed　as　far　as　Mont…Cenis；　but　were　compelled　to
go　more　slowly　after　reaching　this　pass；　as　the　weather　had　been　very　bad
for　several　days；　and　the　road　was　washed　out　by　the　rain；　which　still
fell　in　torrents。　　The　Emperor　arrived　at　Milan　at　noon　on　the　22d；　and；
notwithstanding　our　delay　at　Mont…Cenis；　the　rest　of　the　journey　had　been
so　rapid　that　no　one　was　expecting　the　Emperor。　　The　vice…king　only
learned　of　the　arrival　of　his　step…father　when　he　was　half　a　league
from　the　town；　but　came　in　haste　to　meet　us　escorted　only　by　a　few
persons。　　The　Emperor　gave　orders　to　halt；　and；　as　soon　as　the　door　was
opened；　held　out　his　hand　to　Prince　Eugene；　saying　in　the　most
affectionate　manner：　〃Come；　get　up　with　us；　my　fine　prince；　we　will　enter
together。〃

Notwithstanding　the　surprise　which　this　unexpected　arrival　caused；　we　had
hardly　entered　the　town　before　all　the　houses　were　illuminated；　and　the
beautiful　palaces；　Litta；　Casani；　Melzi；　and　many　others；　shone　with　a
thousand　lights。　　The　magnificent　cupola　of　the　cathedral　dome　was
covered　with　garlands　of　colored　lights；　and　in　the　center　of　the　Forum…
Bonaparte；　the　walks　of　which　were　also　illuminated；　could　be　seen　the
colossal　equestrian　statue　of　the　Emperor；　on　both　sides　of　which
transparencies　had　been　arranged；　in　the　shape　of　stars；　bearing　the
initials　S　M　I　and　R。　　By　eight　o'clock　all　the　populace　had　collected
around　the　chateau；　where　superb　fireworks　were　discharged；　while
spirited　and　warlike　music　was　performed。　　All　the　town　authorities　were
admitted　to　the　Emperor's　presence。

On　the　morning　of　the　next　day　there　was　held　at　the　chateau　a　council　of
ministers；　over　which　the　Emperor　presided；　and　at　noon　he　mounted　his
horse　to　take　part　in　the　mass　celebrated　by　the　grand　chaplain　of　the
kingdom。　　The　square　of　the　cathedral　was　covered　by　an　immense　crowd；
through　which　the　Emperor　advanced　on　horseback；　accompanied　by　his
imperial　Highness；　the　vice…king；　and　his　staff。　　The　noble　countenance
of　Prince　Eugene　expressed　the　great　joy　he　felt　in　the　presence　of　his
step…father；　for　whom　he　had　always　so　much　respect　and　filial　affection；
and　in　hearing　the　incessant　acclamations　of　the　people；　which　grew　more
vociferous　every　moment。

After　the　'Te　Deum'；　the　Emperor　held　a　review　of　the　troops　on　the
square；　and　immediately　after　set　out　with　the　viceroy　for　Monza；　the
palace　at　which　the　queen　resided。　　For　no　woman　did　the　Emperor　manifest
more　sincere　regard　and　respect　than　for　Princess　Amelia；　but；　indeed
there　has　never　been　a　more　beautiful　or　purer　woman。　　It　was　impossible
to　speak　of　beauty　or　virtue　in　the　Emperor's　presence　without　his　giving
the　vice…queen　as　an　example。　　Prince　Eugene　was　very　worthy　of　so
accomplished　a　wife；　and　justly　appreciated　her　exalted　character；　and　I
was　glad　to　see　in　the　countenance　of　the　excellent　prince　the　reflection
of　the　happiness　he　enjoyed。　　Amidst　all　the　care　he　took　to　anticipate
every　wish　of　his　step…father；　I　was　much　gratified　that　he　found　time　to
address　a　few　words　to　me；　expressing　the　great　pleasure　he　felt　at　my
promotion　in　the　service　and　esteem　of　the　Emperor。　　Nothing　could　have
been　more　grateful　to　me　than　these　marks　of　remembrance　from　a　prince
for　whom　I　had　always　retained　a　most　sincere；　and；　I　made　bold　to　say；
most　tender；　attachment。

The　Emperor　remained　a　long　while　with　the　vicequeen；　whose　intelligence
equaled　her　amiability　and　her　beauty；　but　returned　to　Milan　to　dine；　and
immediately　afterwards　the　ladies　who　were　received　at　court　were
presented　to　him。　　In　the　evening；　I　followed　his　Majesty　to　the　theater
of　la　Scala。　　The　Emperor　did　not　remain　throughout　the　play；　but　retired
early　to　his　apartment；　and　worked　the　greater　part　of　the　night；　which
did　not；　however；　prevent　our　being　on　the　road　to　Verona　before　eight
o'clock　in　the　morning。

His　Majesty　made　no　stop　at　Brescia　and　Verona。　　I　would　have　been　very
glad　to　have　had　time　on　the　route　to　examine　the　curiosities　of　Italy；
but　that　was　not　an　easy　thing　to　do　in　the　Emperor's　suite；　as　he　halted
only　for　the　purpose　of　reviewing　troops；　and　preferred　visiting
fortifications　to　ruins。

At　Verona　his　Majesty　dined；　or　rather　supped　（for　it　was　very　late）；
with　their　Majesties；　the　King　and　Queen　of　Bavaria；　who　arrived　at
almost　exactly　the　same　time　as　ourselves；　and　very　early　the　next　day　we
set　out　for　Vicenza。

Although　the　season　was　already　advanced；　I　found　great　pleasure　in　the
scene　which　awaits　the　traveler　on'　the　road　from　Verona　to　Vicenza。
Imagine　to　yourself　an　immense　plain；　divided　into　innumerable　fields；
each　bordered　with　different　kinds　of　trees　with　slender　trunks；　mostly
elms　and　poplars；which　form　avenues　as　far　as　the　eye　can　reach。　　Vines
twine　around　their　trunks；　climb　each　tree；　and　droop　from　each　limb；
while　other　branches　of　these　vines；　loosening　their　hold　on　the　tree
which　serves　as　their　support；　droop　clear　to　the　ground；　and　hang　in
graceful　festoons　from　tree　to　tree。　　Beyond　these；　lovely　natural　bowers
could　be　seen　far　and　wide；　splendid　fields　of　wheat；　or；　at　least；　this
had　been　the　case　on　my　former　journey；　but　at　this　time　the　harvest　had
been　gathered　for　several　months。

At　the　end　of　a　day　which　I　passed　most　delightfully　amid　these　fertile
plains；　I　entered　Vicenza；　where　the　authorities　of　the　town；　together
with　almost　the　entire　population；　awaited　the　Emperor　under　a　superb
arch　of　triumph　at　the　entrance　of　the　town。　　We　were　exceedingly　hungry；
and　his　Majesty　himself　said；　that　evening　as　he　retired；　that　he　felt
very　much　like　sitting　down　to　the　table　when　he　entered　Vicenza。　　I
trembled；　then；　at　the　idea　of　those　long　Italian　addresses；　which　I　had
found　even　longer　than　those　of　France；　doubtless　because　I　did　not
understand　a　single　word；　but；　fortunately；　the　magistrates　of　Vicenza
were　sufficiently　well…informed　not　to　take　advantage　of　our　position；
and　their　speeches　occupied　only　a　few　moments。

That　evening　his　Majesty　went　to　the　theater；　and　I　was　so　much　fatigued
that　I　would　have　gladly　profited　by　the　Emperor's　absence　to　take　some
repose；　had　not　an　acquaintance　invited　me　to　accompany　him　to　the
convent　of　the　Servites；　in　order　to　witness　the　effect　of　the
illumination　of　the　town；　which　I　did；　and　was　repaid　by　the　magnificent
spectacle　which　met　my　eyes。　　The　whole　town　seemed　one　blaze　of　light。
On　returning　to　the　palace　occupied　by　his　Majesty；　I　learned　that　he　had
given　orders　that　everything　should　be　in　readiness　for　departure　two
hours　after　midnight；　consequently　I　had　one　hour　to　sleep；　and　I　enjoyed
it　to　the　utmost。

At　the　appointed　moment；　the　Emperor　entered　his　carriage；　and　we　were
soon　rolling　along　with　the　rapidity　of　lightning　over　the　road　to　Stra；
where　we　passed　the　night。　　Very　early　next　morning　we　set　out；　following
a　long　causeway　raised　through　marshes。　　The　landscape　is　almost　the
same；　and　yet　not　so　beautiful；　as　that　we　passed　before　reaching
Vicenza。　　We　still　saw　groves　of　mulberry　and　olive　trees；　from　which　the
finest　oil　is　obtained；　and　fields　of　maize　and　hemp；　interspersed　with
meadows。　　Beyond　Stra　the　cultivation　of　rice　commences；　and；　although
the　rice…fields　must　render　the　country　unhealthy；　still　it　has　not　the
reputation　of　being　more　so　than　any　other。　　On　the　right　and　left　of　the
road　are　seen　elegant　houses；　and　cabins　which；　though　covered　with
thatch；　are　very　comfortable；　and　present　a　charming　appearance。　　The
vine　is　little　cultivated　in　this　part　of　the　country；　where　it　would
hardly　succeed；　as　the　land　is　too　low　and　damp；　but　there　are；
nevertheless；　a　few　small　vineyards　on　the　slopes；　and　the　vegetation　in
the　whole　country　is　incredibly　rich　and　luxuriant。　　The　late　wars　have
left　traces　which　only　a　long　peace　can　efface。




CHAPTER　VI。

On　his　arrival　at　Fusina　the　Emperor　found　the　Venetian　authorities
awaiting　him；　embarked　on　the　'peote'　or　gondola　of　the　village；　and
advanced　towards　Venice；　accompanied　by　a　numerous　floating　cortege。　　We
followed；　the　Emperor　in　little　black　gondolas；　which　looked　l