napoleon bonaparte, v12-第15节

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one　in　the　palace　for　her　kindness　and　affability。

I　recall　in　reference　to　Madame　Mere　an　incident　which　greatly　amused　the
Empress　Josephine。　　Madame　was　spending　several　days　at　Malmaison；　when
one　day　one　of　her　ladies；　whom　she　had　caused　to　be　sent　for；　found；　on
entering　the　room；　to　her　great　astonishment；　Cardinal　Fesch　discharging
the　duty　of　a　lady's　maid　by　lacing　up　his　sister；　who　had　on　only　her
underclothing　and　her　corset。

One　of　the　subjects　on　which　the　Emperor　would　listen　to　no　raillery　was
that　of　custom…house　duties；　and　towards　all　contraband　proceeding　he
showed　inflexible　severity；　and　this　reached　such　a　point；　that　one　day
M。　Soiris；　director　of　the　custom…house　at　Verceil；　having　seized　a
package　of　sixty　cashmere　shawls；　sent　from　Constantinople　to　the
Empress；　the　Emperor　approved　his　action；　and　the　cashmeres　were　sold　for
the　benefit　of　the　state。　　In　such　cases　the　Emperor　always　said；　〃How
can　a　sovereign　have　the　laws　respected　if　he　does　not　respect　them
himself？〃　　I　recall　another　occasion；　and　I　think　the　only　instance　in
which　he　permitted　an　infraction　of　the　custom…house　regulations；　but　we
shall　see　the　question　was　not　that　of　ordinary　smuggling。

The　grenadiers　of　the　Old　Guard；　under　the　orders　of　General　Soules；
returned　to　France　after　the　peace　of　Tilsit。　　On　their　arrival　at
Mayence；　the　custom…house　officers　endeavored　to　perform　their　duty；　and
consequently　inspected　the　chests　of　the　Guard　and　those　of　the　general。
Meanwhile；　the　director　of　the　custom…house；　in　doubt　what　proceedings　to
take；　sought　the　general　to　inform　him　of　the　necessity　he　was　under　of
executing　the　laws；　and　of　carrying　out　the　direct　orders　of　the　Emperor。
The　general's　reply　to　this　courteous　overture　was　plain　and　energetic：
〃If　a　single　officer　dares　to　place　his　hand　on　the　boxes　of　my　old
mustaches；　I'll　throw　him　into　the　Rhine！〃　　The　officer　insisted。　　The
custom…house　employees　were　quite　numerous；　and　were　preparing　to　proceed
with　the　inspection；　when　General　Soules　had　the　boxes　put　in　the　middle
of　the　square；　and　a　regiment　detailed　to　guard　them。　　The　director　of
the　custom…house；　not　daring　to　proceed　further；　sent　to　the　director…
general　a　report　to　be　submitted　to　the　Emperor。　　Under　any　other
circumstances　the　case　would　have　been　serious；　but　the　Emperor　had　just
returned　to　Paris；　where　he　had　been　welcomed　more　heartily　than　ever
before　by　the　acclamations　of　the　people　on　the　occasion　of　the　fetes
celebrated　in　honor　of　peace；　and　this　old　Guard　was　returning　home
resplendent　with　glory；　and　after　most　admirable　behavior　at　Eylau。　　All
these　things　combined　to　quell　the　Emperor's　anger；　and　having　decided
not　to　punish；　he　wished　to　reward　them；　and　not　to　take　seriously　their
infraction　of　his　custom…house　regulations。　　General　Soules；　on　reaching
Paris；　presented　himself　before　the　Emperor；　who　received　him　cordially；
and；　after　some　remarks　relative　to　the　Guard；　added：　〃By　the　by；　what　is
this　you　have　been　doing？　　I　heard　of　you。　　What！　　you　really　threatened
to　throw　my　custom…house　officers　into　the　Rhine！　　Would　you　have　done
it？〃〃Yes；　Sire；〃　replied　the　general；　with　his　German　accent；　〃yes；　I
would　have　done　it。　　It　was　an　insult　to　my　old　grenadiers　to　attempt
to　inspect　their　boxes。〃〃Come；　now；〃　said　the　Emperor　very　affably；
〃I　see　just　how　it　is。　　You　have　been　smuggling。〃〃I；　Sire？〃〃Yes；　I
say。　　You　have　been　smuggling。　　You　bought　linen　in　Hanover。　　You　wanted
to　furnish　your　house　handsomely；　as　you　imagined　I　would　appoint　you
senator。　　You　were　not　mistaken。　　Go　and　have　your　senator's　coat　made；
but　do　not　repeat　this　performance；　for　next　time　I　will　have　you　shot。〃

During　our　stay　at　Bayonne；　in　1808；　every　one　was　struck　with　the
awkward　manners　of　the　King　and　Queen　of　Spain；　and　the　poor　taste
displayed　in　their　toilets；　the　disgraceful　appearance　of　their
equipages；　and　a　certain　air　of　constraint　and　embarrassment　which　was
general　among　all　the　persons　of　their　suite。　　The　elegant　manners　of　the
French　and　the　magnificence　of　the　imperial　equipages　furnished　such　a
contrast　to　all　this　that　it　rendered　them　indescribably　ridiculous。　　The
Emperor；　who　had　such　exquisite　tact　in　all　matters；　was　not　one　of　the
last　to　perceive　this；　but；　nevertheless；　was　not　pleased　that　an
opportunity　should　be　found　to　ridicule　crowned　heads。　　One　morning　at
his　toilet　he　said　to　me；　〃I　say；　then；　Monsieur　le　drole；　you；　who　are
so　well　versed　in　these　matters；　give　a　few　hints　to　the　valet　de　chambre
of　the　King　and　Queen　of　Spain。　　They　appear　so　awkward　they　really
excite　my　pity。〃　　I　eagerly　did　what　his　Majesty　suggested；　but　he　did
not　content　himself　with　this；　but　also　communicated　to　the　Empress
Josephine　his　observations　on　the　queen　and　her　ladies。　　The　Empress
Josephine；　who　was　the　embodiment　of　taste；　gave　orders　accordingly；　and
for　two　days　her　hairdressers　and　women　were　occupied　exclusively　in
giving　lessons　in　taste　and　elegance　to　their　Spanish　brethren。　　This　is
a　striking　evidence　of　how　the　Emperor　found　time　for　everything；　and
could　descend　from　his　elevated　duties　to　the　most　insignificant　affairs。


The　grand　marshal　of　the　palace　（Duroc）　was　almost　the　same　height　as　the
Emperor。　　He　walked　badly　and　ungracefully；　but　had　a　tolerably　good　head
and　features。　　He　was　quick　tempered；　impulsive；　and　swore　like　a
soldier；　but　he　had　much　administrative　ability；　of　which　he　gave　more
than　one　proof　in　the　organization　of　the　imperial　household；　which　was
ably　and　wisely　regulated。　　When　the　enemy's　cannon　deprived　his　Majesty
of　this　devoted　servitor　and　sincere　friend；　the　Empress　Josephine　said
that　she　knew　only　two　men　capable　of　filling　his　place；　these　were
General　Drouot　and　M。　de　Flahaut；　and　the　whole　household　hoped　that　one
of　these　two　gentlemen　would　be　nominated；　this；　however；　was　not　the
case。

M。　de　Caulaincourt；　Duke　of　Vicenza；　was　extremely　severe　towards　the
household；　but　he　was　just　and　of　a　chivalrous　loyalty；　and　his　word　was
as　good　as　a　contract：　He　was　feared　and　yet　beloved。　　He　had　a　piercing
eye；　spoke　quickly　and　with　great　ease。　　The　Emperor's　regard　for　him　was
well　known；　and　certainly　no　one　was　more　worthy　of　it　than　he。

The　Count　de　Remusat　was　of　medium　height；　with　a　smooth；　white　face；
obliging；　amiable；　and　with　natural　politeness　and　good　taste；　but　he　was
extravagant；　lacked　order　in　managing　his　own　affairs　and　consequently
those　of　the　Emperor。　　This　lavish　expenditure；　which　is　admirable　from
one　point　of　view；　might　have　suited　any　other　sovereign；　but　the　Emperor
was　economical；　and　though；　much　attached　to　M。　de　Remusat；　dismissed　him
from　the　head　of　the　wardrobe　bureau；　and　put　in　his　place　Monsieur　de
Turenne；　who　exercised　the　strictest　economy。　　M。　de　Turenne　possessed
perhaps　a　little　too　much　of　what　his　predecessor　lacked；　but　it　was
exactly　this　that　pleased　the　Emperor。　　M。　de　Turenne　was　quite　a　pretty
man；　thinking　perhaps　a　little　too　much　of　himself；　a　great　talker　and
Anglo…maniac；　which　led　the　Emperor　to　give　him　the　name　of　my　lord
Kinsester　（who　cannot　be　silent）；　but　he　told　a　story　well；　and　sometimes
his　Majesty　took　pleasure　in　making　him　relate　the　chronicles　of　Paris。

When　the　Count　of　Turenne　replaced　the　Count　of　Remusat　in　the　office　of
grand　master　of　the　wardrobe；　in　order　not　to　exceed　the　sum　of　twenty
thousand　francs　which　his　Majesty　allowed　for　his　toilet；　he　exercised
the　greatest　possible　economy　in　the　quantity；　price；　and　quality　of
things　indispensable　to　the　household。　　I　have　been　told；　but　I　do　not
know　whether　it　is　true；　that；　in　order　to　ascertain　exactly　what　were
the　profits　of　the　Emperor's　furnishers；　he　went　to　the　various　factories
of　Paris　with　samples　of　gloves；　silk　stockings；　aloes　wood；　etc。；　but；
even　if　this　is　true；　it　only　does　honor　to　the　zeal　and　probity　of　M。　de
Turenne。

I　knew　very　little　of　Count　Segur；　grand　master　of　ceremonies。　　It　was
said　in　the　household　that　he　was　haughty　and　somewhat　abrupt；　but
perfectly　polite　and　intelligent；　with　a　delicate　and　refined　face。

It　would　be　necessary　to　have　witnessed　the　perfect　order　which　reigned
in　the　Emperor's　household　to　comprehend　it　fully。　　From　the　time　of　the
Consulate；　General　Duroc　had　brought　into　the　administration　of　the
interior　affairs　of　the　palace　that　spirit　of　order　and　economy　which
especially　characterized　him。　　But；　great　as　was　the　Emperor's　confidence
in　General　Duroc；　he　did　not　disdain　to　throw　the　glance　of　a　master　over
things　which　seemed　insignificant；　and　with　which；　in　general；　sovereigns
rarely　occupy　themselves。　　Thus；　for　example；　in　the　beginning　of　the
Empire　there　was　some　little　extravagance　in　certain　parts　of　the　palace；
notably　at　Saint…Cloud；　where　the　aides…de…camp　kept　open　table；　but　this
was；　nevertheless；　far　from　equaling　the　excessive　prodigality　of　the
ancient　regime。　　Champagne　and　other　wines　especially　were　used　in　great
quantities；　and　it　was　very　necessary　that　the　Emperor　should　establish
regulations　as　to　his　cellar。　　He　summoned　the　chief　of　the　household
service；　Soupe　Pierrugues；　and　said　t