napoleon bonaparte, v12-第14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！


situation。　　〃Alas；　Sire！〃　said　he；　〃no　doubt　I　ought　to　be　happy；　but　I
am　not。〃〃Why　is　that？〃〃Sire；　I　must　confess　to　your　Majesty　that　I
have　so　many　English　to　carry；　and　besides　I　have　to　support　an　old
father；　two　sisters；　and　a　brother。〃〃You　are　only　doing　your　duty。
But　what　do　you　mean　by　your　English？　　Are　you　supporting　them　also？〃
〃No；　Sire；　but　it　is　they　who　have　fed　my　pleasures；　with　the　money　they
have　lent　me；　and　all　who　have　creditors　now　call　them　the　English。〃
〃Stop！　stop；　Monsieur！　　What！　　you　have　creditors；　and　in　spite　of　your
large　salary　you　have　made　debts！　　That　is　enough；　Monsieur。　　I　do　not
wish　to　have　any　longer　near　me　a　man　who　has　recourse　to　the　gold　of　the
English；　when　on　what　I　give　him　he　can　live　honorably。　　In　an　hour　you
will　receive　your　discharge。〃

The　Emperor；　having　expressed　himself　as　we　have　just　heard；　picked　up
some　papers　from　the　desk；　threw　a　severe　glance　at　the　young　secretary；
and　left　him　in　such　a　state　of　despair　that；　when　some　one　else
fortunately　entered　the　cabinet；　he　was　on　the　point　of　committing
suicide　with　a　long　paper…cutter　he　held　in　his　hand。　　This　person　was
the　aide…de…camp　on　duty；　who　brought　him　a　letter　from　the　Emperor；
couched　in　the　following　terms：

　　　　　〃Monsieur；　you　deserve　to　be　dismissed　from　my　service；　but　I　have
　　　　　thought　of　your　family；　and　I　pardon　you　on　their　account；　and　since
　　　　　it　is　they　who　would　suffer　from　your　misconduct；　I　consequently
　　　　　send　you　with　my　pardon　ten　thousand　francs　in　bank…notes。　　Pay　with
　　　　　this　sum　all　the　English　who　torment　you；　and；　above　all；　do　not
　　　　　again　fall　into　their　clutches；　for　in　that　case　I　shall　abandon
　　　　　you。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　NAPOLEON。〃

An　enormous　〃Vive　l'Empereur！〃　sprang　spontaneously　to　the　lips　of　the
young　man；　who　darted　out　like　lightning　to　announce　to　his　family　this
new　proof　of　imperial　tyranny。

This　was　not　the　end；　however；　for　his　companion；　having　been　informed　of
what　had　taken　place；　and　also　desiring　some　bank…notes　to　pacify　his
English；　redoubled　his　zeal　and　activity　in　work；　and　for　several　days　in
succession　repaired　to　the　cabinet　at　four　in　the　morning；　and　also
whistled　La　Linotte；　but　it　was　all　in　vain；　the　Emperor　did　not　seem　to
hear　him。


Much　was　said　at　Paris　and　in　the　Court　in　ridicule　of　the　ludicrous
sayings　of　the　wife　of　Marshal　Lefebvre；　and　a　collection　could　be　made
of　her　queer　speeches；　many　of　which　are　pure　fabrications；　but　a　volume
would　also　be　necessary　to　record　all　the　acts　by　which　she　manifested
her　kindness　of　heart。

One　day；　at　Malmaison　（I　think　a　short　time　after　the　Empire　was
founded）；　the　Empress　Josephine　had　given　explicit　orders　that　no　one
should　be　admitted。　　The　Marechale　Lefebvre　　presented　herself；　but　the
usher；　compelled　by　his　orders；　refused　to　allow　her　to　enter。　　She
insisted；　and　he　still　refused。　　During　this　discussion；　the　Empress；
passing　from　one　apartment　to　the　other；　was　seen　through　a　glass　door
which　separated　this　apartment　from　that　in　which　the　duchess　then　was。
The　Empress；　having　also　seen　her；　hastily　advanced　to　meet　her；　and
insisted　on　her　entering。　　Before　passing　in；　Madame　Lefebvre　turned　to
the　usher；　and　said　to　him　in　a　mocking　tone；　〃Well；　my　good　fellow；　you
see　I　got　in！〃　　The　poor　usher　blushed　up　to　his　ears；　and　withdrew　in
confusion。

Marshal　Lefebvre　was　not　less　good；　less　excellent；　than　his　wife；　and　it
might　well　be　said　of　them　that　high　honors　had　made　no　change　in　their
manners。　　The　good　they　both　did　could　not　be　told。　　It　might　have　been
said　that　this　was　their　only　pleasure；　the　only　compensation　for　a　great
domestic　misfortune。　　They　had　only　one　son；　who　was　one　of　the　worst　men
in　the　whole　Empire。　　Each　day　there　were　complaints　against　him；　the
Emperor　himself　frequently　admonished　him　on　account　of　the　high　esteem
he　had　for　his　brave　father。　　But　there　resulted　no　improvement；　and　his
natural　viciousness　only　manifested　itself　the　more。　　He　was　killed　in
some　battle；　I　forget　which；　and　as　little　worthy　of　regret　as　he　was；
his　death　was　a　deep　affliction　to　his　excellent　mother；　although　he　even
forgot　himself　so　far　as　to　speak　disrespectfully　of　her　in　his　coarse
speeches。　　She　usually　made　M。　de　Fontanes　　the　confidant　of　her　sorrows；
for　the　grand　master　of　the　university；　notwithstanding　his　exquisite
politeness　and　his　admirable　literary　style；　was　very　intimately
associated　with　the　household　of　Marshal　Lefebvre。

In　this　connection　I　recall　an　anecdote　which　proves　better　than　anything
that　could　be　said　the　kindness　and　perfect　simplicity　of　the　marshal。
One　day　it　was　announced　to　him　that　some　one　whose　name　was　not　given
wished　to　speak　to　him。　　The　marshal　left　his　cabinet；　and　recognized　his
old　captain　in　the　French　Guards；　in　which；　as　we　have　said；　the　marshal
had　been　a　sergeant。　　The　marshal　begged　permission　to　embrace　him；
offered　his　services；　his　purse；　his　house；　treated　him　almost　exactly　as
if　he　had　been　under　his　orders。　　The　old　captain　was　an　emigre；　and　had
returned　undecided　what　he　would　do。　　Through　the　efforts　of　the　marshal
his　name　was　promptly　struck　out　of　the　list　of　emigres；　but　he　did　not
wish　to　re…enter　the　army；　and　yet　was　in　much　need　of　a　position。
Having　supported　himself　during　his　emigration　by　giving　lessons　in
French　and　Latin；　he　expressed　a　desire　to　obtain　a　position　in　the
university。　　〃Well；　my　colonel；〃　said　the　marshal　with　his　German　accent；
〃I　will　take　you　at　once　to　my　friend　M。　de　Fontanes。〃　　The　marshal's
carriage　is　soon　at　the　door；　and　the　respectful　protector　and　his
protoge　enter　the　apartments　of　the　grand　master　of　the　university。
M。　de　Fontanes　hastens　to　meet　the　marshal；　who；　I　have　been　informed；
made　his　presentation　speech　in　this　style：

〃My　dear　friend；　I　present　to　you　the　Marquis　of　。

He　was　my　former　captain；　my　good　captain。　　He　would　like　to　obtain　a
place　in　the　university。　　Ah！　　he　is　not　a　man　of　nothing；　a　man　of　the
Revolution　like　you　and　me。　　He　is　my　old　captain；　the　Marquis　of　　。〃
Finally　the　marshal　closed　by　saying；　〃Ah；　the　good；　excellent　man！　　I
shall　never　forget　that　when　I　went　for　orders　to　my　good　captain；　he
never　failed　to　say：　'Lefebvre；　my　child；　pass　on　to　the　kitchen；　go　and
get　something　to　eat。'　Ah；　my　good；　my　excellent　captain！〃


All　the　members　of　the　imperial　family　had　a　great　fondness　for　music；
and　especially　the　Italian；　but　they　were　not　musicians；　and　most　of　them
sang　as　badly　as　his　Majesty　himself；　with　the　exception　of　the　Princess
Pauline；　who　had　profited　by　the　lessons　of　Blangini；　and　sang　tolerably
well。　　In　respect　of　his　voice；　Prince　Eugene　showed　himself　worthy　to　be
the　adopted　son　of　the　Emperor；　for；　though　he　was　a　musician　and　sang
with　fervor；　it　was　not　in　such　a　manner　as　to　satisfy　his　auditors。
In　compensation；　however；　Prince　Eugene's　voice　was　magnificent　for
commanding　military　evolutions；　an　advantage　which　Count　Lobau　and
General　Dorsenne　also　possessed；　and　it　was　consequently　always　one　of
these　whom　his　Majesty　appointed　to　command　under　his　orders　on　great
reviews。

Notwithstanding　the　severe　etiquette　of　the　Emperor's　court；　there　were
always　a　few　privileged　persons　who　had　the　right　to　enter　his　apartment；
even　when　he　was　in　bed；　though　the　number　was　small。　　They　consisted　of
the　following　persons：

M。　de　Talleyrand；　vice　grand　elector；　de　Montesquiou；　grand　chamberlain；
de　Remusat；　first　chamberlain；　Maret；　Corvisart；　Denon；　Murat；　Yvan；
Duroc；　grand　marshal；　and　de　Caulaincourt；　grand　equerry。

For　a　long　time　all　these　personages　came　to　the　Emperor's　apartment
almost　every　morning；　and　their　visits　were　the　origin　of　what　was
afterwards　called　'le　petit　lever'。　　M。　de　Lavalette　also　came
frequently；　and　also　M。　Real　and　Messieurs　Fouche　and　Savary　while　each
of　them　was　minister　of　police。

The　princes　of　the　imperial　family　also　enjoyed　the　right　to　enter　the
Emperor's　apartment　in　the　morning。　　I　often　saw　the　Emperor's　mother。
The　Emperor　kissed　her　hand　with　much　respect　and　tenderness；　but　I　have
many　times　heard　him　reproach　her　for　her　excessive　economy。　　Madame　Mere
listened；　and　then　gave　as　excuse　for　not　changing　her　style　of　living
reasons　which　often　vexed　his　Majesty；　but　which　events　have
unfortunately　justified。

Madame　Mere　had　been　a　great　beauty；　and　was　still　very　pretty；
especially　when　I　saw　her　for　the　first　time。　　It　was　impossible　to　find
a　better　mother；　devoted　to　her　children；　she　lavished　on　them　the　sagest
counsels；　and　always　intervened　in　family　quarrels　to　sustain　those　whom
she　thought　in　the　right；　for　a　long　time　she　took　Lucien's　part；　and　I
have　often　heard　her　warmly　defend　Jerome　when　the　First　Consul　was　most
severe　towards　his　young　brother。　　The　only　fault　in　Madame　Mere's
character　was　her　excessive　economy；　and　on　this　point　astonishing　things
could　be　said　without　fear　of　exaggeration；　but　she　was　beloved　by　every
one　in　the　palace　for　her　kindness　and　affability。

I　recall　in　reference　to　Madame　Mere　an　incident　which　greatly　amused　the
Empress　Josephine。