napoleon bonaparte, v5-第9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！


advanced　towards　Venice；　accompanied　by　a　numerous　floating　cortege。　　We
followed；　the　Emperor　in　little　black　gondolas；　which　looked　like
floating　coffins；　with　which　the　Brenta　was　covered；　and　nothing　could　be
stranger　than　to　hear；　proceeding　from　these　coffins　of　such　gloomy
aspect；　delicious　vocal　concerts。　　The　boat　which　carried　his　Majesty；
and　the　gondolas　of　the　principal　persons　of　his　suite；　were　handsomely
ornamented。

When　we　arrived　at　the　mouth　of　the　river　we　were　obliged　to　wait　nearly
half　an　hour　until　the　locks　were　opened；　which　was　done　by　degrees；　and
with　every　precaution；　without　which　the　waters　of　the　Brenta；　held　in
their　canal　and　raised　considerably　above　the　level　of　the　sea；　would
have　rushed　out　suddenly；　and　in　their　violent　descent　have　driven　our
gondolas　along　before　them；　or　sunk　them。　　Released　at　last　from　the
Brenta；　we　found　ourselves　in　the　gulf；　and　saw　at　a　distance；　rising
from　the　midst　of　the　sea；　the　wonderful　city　of　Venice。　　Barks；
gondolas；　and　vessels　of　considerable　size；　filled　with　all　the　wealthy
population；　and　all　the　boatmen　of　Venice　in　gala　dress；　appeared　on
every　side；　passing；　repassing；　and　crossing　each　other；　in　every
direction；　with　the　most　remarkable　skill　and　speed。

The　Emperor　was　standing　at　the　back　of　the　peote；　and；　as　each　gondola
passed　near　his　own；　replied　to　the　acclamations　and　cries　of　〃Viva
Napoleone　imperatore　e　re！〃　by　one　of　those　profound　bows　which　he　made
with　so　much　grace　and　dignity；　taking　off　his　hat　without　bending　his
head；　and　carrying　it　along　his　body　almost　to　his　knees。

Escorted　by　this　innumerable　flotilla；　of　which　the　peote　of　the　city
seemed　to　be　the　admirals　vessel；　his　Majesty　entered　at　last　the　Grand
Canal；　which　flowed　between　magnificent　palaces；　hung　with　banners　and
filled　with　spectators。　　The　Emperor　alighted　before　the　palace　of　the
procurators；　where　he　was　received　by　a　deputation　of　members　of　the
Senate　and　the　Venetian　nobility。　　He　stopped　a　moment　in　the　square　of
St。　Mark；　passed　through　some　interior　streets；　chose　the　site　for　a
garden；　the　plans　for　which　the　architect　of　the　city　then　presented　to
him；　and　which　were　carried　out　as　if　it　had　been　in　the　midst　of　the
country。　　It　was　a　novel　sight　to　the　Venetians　to　see　trees　planted　in
the　open　air；　while　hedges　and　lawns　appeared　as　if　by　magic。　　The　entire
absence　of　verdure　and　vegetation；　and　the　silence　which　reigns　in　the
streets　of　Venice；　where　is　never　heard　the　hoof　of　a　horse　nor　the
wheels　of　a　carriage；　horses　and　carriages　being　things　entirely　unknown
in　this　truly　marine　city；　must　give　it　usually　a　sad　and　abandoned　air；
but　this　gloom　entirely　disappeared　during　his　Majesty's　visit。

The　prince　viceroy　and　the　grand　marshal　were　present　in　the　evening　when
the　Emperor　retired；　and；　while　undressing　him；　I　heard　a　part　of　their
conversation；　which　turned　on　the　government　of　Venice　before　the　union
of　this　republic　with　the　French　Empire。　　His　Majesty　was　almost　the　only
spokesman；　Prince　Eugene　and　Marshal　Duroc　contenting　themselves　with
throwing　a　few　words　into　the　conversation；　as　if　to　furnish　a　new　text
for　the　Emperor；　and　prevent　his　pausing；　and　thus　ending　too　soon　his
discourse；　a　genuine　discourse；　in　fact；　since　his　Majesty　took　the　lead；
and　left　the　others　but　little　to　say。　　Such　was　often　his　habit；　but　no
one　thought　of　complaining　of　this；　so　interesting　were　nearly　always　the
Emperor's　ideas；　and　so　original　and　brilliantly　expressed。　　His　Majesty
did　not　converse；　as　had　been　truthfully　said　in　the　journal　which　I　have
added　to　my　memoirs；　but　he　spoke　with　an　inexpressible　charm；　and　on
this　point　it　seems　to　me　that　the　author　of　the　〃Journal　of　Aix…la…
Chapelle〃　has　done　the　Emperor　injustice。

As　I　said　just　now；　his　Majesty　spoke　of　the　ancient　State　of　Venice；　and
from　what　he　said　on　this　occasion　I　learned　more　than　I　could　have　done
from　the　most　interesting　book。　　The　viceroy　having　remarked　that　a　few
patricians　regretted　their　former　liberty；　the　Emperor　exclaimed；
〃Liberty；　what　nonsense！　　liberty　no　longer　existed　in　Venice；　and　had；
indeed；　never　existed　except　for　a　few　families　of　the　nobility；　who
oppressed　the　rest　of　the　population。　　Liberty；　with　a　Council　of　Ten！
Liberty；　with　the　inquisitors　of　state！　　Liberty；　with　the　very　lions　as
informers；　and　Venetian　dungeons　and　bullets！〃　　Marshal　Duroc　remarked
that　towards　the　end　these　severe　regulations　were　much　modified。　　〃Yes；
no　doubt；〃replied　the　Emperor。　　〃The　lion　of　St。　Mark　had　gotten　old；
he　had　no　longer　either　teeth　or　nails！　　Venice　was　only　the　shadow　of
her　former　self；　and　her　last　doge　found　that　he　rose　to　a　higher　rank　in
becoming　a　senator　of　the　French　Empire。〃　　His　Majesty；　seeing　that　this
idea　made　the　vice…king　smile；　added　very　gravely；　〃I　am　not　jesting；
gentlemen。　　A　Roman　senator　prided　himself　on　being　more　than　a　king；　a
French　senator　is　at　least　the　equal　of　a　doge。　　I　desire　that　foreigners
shall　accustom　themselves　to　show　the　greatest　respect　towards　the
constituted　authorities　of　the　Empire；　and　to　treat　with　great
consideration　even　the　simple　title　of　French　citizen。　　I　will　take　care
to　insure　this。　　Good…night；　Eugene。　　Duroc；　take　care　to　have　the
reception　to…morrow　all　that　it　should　be。　　After　the　ceremony　we　will
visit　the　arsenal。　　Adieu；　Messieurs。　　Constant；　come　back　in　ten　minutes
to　put　out　my　light；　I　feel　sleepy。　　One　is　cradled　like　an　infant　on
these　gondolas。〃

The　next　day　his　Majesty；　after　receiving　the　homage　of　the　Venetian
authorities；　repaired　to　the　arsenal。　　This　is　an　immense　building；
fortified　so　carefully　that　it　was　practically　impregnable。　　The
appearance　of　the　interior　is　singular　on　account　of　several　small
islands　which　it　incloses；　joined　together　by　bridges。　　The　magazines　and
numerous　buildings　of　the　fortress　thus　appear　to　be　floating　on　the
surface　of　the　water。　　The　entrance　on　the　land　side；　by　which　we　were
introduced；　is　over　a　very　handsome　bridge　of　marble；　ornamented　with
columns　and　statues。　　On　the　side　next　the　sea；　there　are　numerous　rocks
and　sandbanks；　the　presence　of　which　is　indicated　by　long　piles。　　It　is
said　that　in　time　of　war　these　piles　were　taken　up；　which　exposed　the
foreign　vessels；　imprudent　enough　to　entangle　themselves　among　these
shoals；　to　certain　destruction。　　The　arsenal　could　formerly　equip　eighty
thousand　men；　both　infantry　and　cavalry；　independent　of　complete
armaments　for　war　vessels。

The　arsenal　is　bordered　with　raised　towers；　from　which　the　view　extends
in　all　directions。　　On　the　tallest　of　these　towers；　which　is　placed　in
the　center　of　the　building；　as　well　as　all　the　others；　sentinels　were
stationed；　both　day　and　night；　to　signal　the　arrival　of　vessels；　which
they　could　see　at　a　very　great　distance。　　Nothing　can　be　finer　than　the
dockyards　for　building　vessels；　in　which　ten　thousand　men　can　work　with
ease。　　The　sails　are　made　by　women；　over　whom　other　elderly　women
exercise　an　active　surveillance。

The　Emperor　delayed　only　a　short　time　to　look　at　the　'Bucentaure'；　which
is　the　title　of　the　magnificent　vessel　in　which　the　Doge　of　Venice　was
accustomed　to　celebrate　his　marriage　with　the　sea；　and　a　Venetian　never
sees　without　deep　chagrin　this　old　monument　of　the　former　glory　of　his
country。　　I；　in　company　with　some　persons　of　the　Emperor's　suite；　had　as
our　guide　an　old　mariner；　whose　eyes　filled　with　tears　as　he　related　to
us　in　bad　French　that　the　last　time　he　witnessed　the　marriage　of　the　Doge
with　the　Adriatic　Sea　was　in　1796；　a　year　before　the　capture　of　Venice。
He　also　told　us　that　he　was　at　that　time　in　the　service　of　the　last　Doge
of　the　republic；　Lord　Louis　Manini；　and　that　the　following　year　（1797）；
the　French　entered　Venice　at　the　exact　time　when　the　marriage　of　the　Doge
to　the　sea；　which　took　place　on　Ascension　Day；　was　usually　celebrated；
and　ever　since　the　sea　had　remained　a　widow。　　Our　good　sailor　paid　a　most
touching　tribute　of　praise　to　his　old　master；　who　he　said　had　never
succeeded　in　forcing　himself；　to　take　the　oath　of　allegiance　to　the
Austrians；　and　had　swooned　away　while　resigning　to　them　the　keys　of　the
city。

The　gondoliers　are　at　the　same　time　servants；　errand　boys；　confidants；
and　companions　in　adventures　to　the　person　who　takes　them　into　his
service；　and　nothing　can　equal　the　courage；　fidelity；　and　gayety　of　these
brave　seamen。　　They　expose　themselves　fearlessly　in　their　slender
gondolas　to　tempests；　and　their　skill　is　so　great　that　they　turn　with
incredible　rapidity　in　the　narrowest　canals；　cross　each　other；　follow；
and　pass　each　other　incessantly；　without　ever　having　an　accident。

I　found　myself　in　a　position　to　judge　of　the　skill　of　these　hardy
mariners　the　day　after　our　visit　to　the　arsenal。　　His　Majesty　was
conducted　through　the　lagoons　as　far　as　the　fortified　gate　of　Mala…Mocca；
and　the　gondoliers　gave　as　he　returned　a　boat…race　and　tournament　on　the
water。　　On　that　day　there　was　also　a　special　representation　at　the　grand
theater；　and　the　whole　city　was　illuminated。　　In　fact；　one　might　think
that　there　is　a　continual　fete　and　general　illumination　in　Venice；