napoleon bonaparte, v12-第16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！


regulations　as　to　his　cellar。　　He　summoned　the　chief　of　the　household
service；　Soupe　Pierrugues；　and　said　to　him；　〃Monsieur；　I　commit　to　you
the　keys　of　my　imperial　cellars；　you　will　there　have　charge　of　the　wines
of　all　kinds；　some　are　needed　in　my　palaces　of　the　Tuileries；　Saint…
Cloud；　Compiegne；　Fontainebleau；　Marrac；　Lacken；　and　Turin。　　Establish　a
moderate　price　at　all　these　residences；　and　you　alone　will　furnish　wines
to　my　household。〃　　This　arrangement　was　made；　and　all　kinds　of　fraud　were
impossible；　as　the　deputy　of　M。　Soupe　Pierrugues　delivered　wines　only　on
a　note　signed　by　the　controller　of　the　kitchen；　all　the　bottles　not
opened　were　returned；　and　each　evening　an　account　was　given　of　what　had
been　used　for　that　day。

The　service　had　the　same　regulations　while　we　were　on　campaigns。　　During
the　second　campaign　of　Vienna；　I　recollect　that　the　house　deputy　of　Soupe
Pierrugues　was　M。　Eugene　Pierrugues；　frank；　gay；　witty；　and　much　beloved
by　us　all。　　An　imprudence　cost　him　dear；　for　in　consequence　of　a
heedlessness　natural　at　his　age　he　had　his　arm　broken。　　We　were　then　at
Schoenbrunn。　　Those　who　have　seen　this　imperial　residence　know　that
splendid　avenues　extend　in　front　of　the　palace；　leading　to　the　road　to
Vienna。　　As　I　often　took　horseback　rides　through　the　town；　M。　Eugene
Pierrugues　wished　to　accompany　me　one　day；　and　borrowed　a　horse　from　one
of　the　quartermasters　of　the　palace。　　He　was　forewarned　that　the　horse
was　very　fiery；　but　he　paid　no　attention　to　that；　and　immediately　put　him
into　a　gallop。　　I　reined　mine　in；　in　order　not　to　excite　my　companion's；
but　in　spite　of　this　precaution　the　horse　ran　away；　dashed　into　the
woods；　and　broke　the　arm　of　his　unfortunate　and　imprudent　rider。
M。　Eugene　Pierrugues　was；　however；　not　unhorsed　by　the　blow；　and　kept　his
seat　a　short　while　after　the　injury；　but　it　was　very　serious；　and　it　was
necessary　to　carry　him　back　to　the　palace。　　I；　more　than　any　one　else；
was　distressed　by　this　frightful　accident；　and　we　established　a　regular
attendance　on　him；　so　that　one　at　least　could　always　be　with　him　when　our
duties　allowed。　　I　have　never　seen　suffering　borne　with　more　fortitude；
and　it　was　carried　to　such　a　remarkable　degree；　that；　finding　his　arm
badly　set；　at　the　end　of　a　few　days　he　had　it　again　fractured；　an
operation　which　caused　him　horrible　suffering。


My　uncle；　who　was　usher　of　the　Emperor's　cabinet；　related　to　me　an
anecdote　which　is　probably　entirely　unknown；　since　everything；　as　we
shall　see；　occurred　under　cover　of　the　most　profound　mystery。　　〃One
evening；〃　he　said　to　me；　〃Marshal　Duroc　gave　me　in　person　orders　to
extinguish　the　lights　in　the　saloon　in　front　of　his　Majesty's　cabinet；
and　to　leave　only　a　few　candles　lighted。　　I　was　surprised　at　such　a　novel
order；　especially　as　the　grand　marshal　was　not　accustomed　to　give　them
thus　directly；　but；　nevertheless；　executed　it　precisely；　and　waited　at　my
post。　　At　ten　o'clock　Marshal　Duroc　returned；　accompanied　by　a　personage
whose　features　it　was　impossible　to　distinguish；　as　he　was　entirely
wrapped　in　a　large　cloak；　his　head　covered；　and　his　hat　pulled　down　over
his　eyes。　　I　withdrew；　leaving　the　two　alone；　but　had　hardly　left　the
saloon　when　the　Emperor　entered；　and　Marshal　Duroc　also　retired；　leaving
the　stranger　alone　with　his　Majesty。　　From　the　tone　in　which　the　Emperor
spoke　it　was　easy　to　see　that　he　was　greatly　irritated。　　He　spoke　very
loud；　and　I　heard　him　say；　'Well；　Monsieur；　you　will　never　change　then。
It　is　gold　you　want；　always　gold。　　You　draw　on　all　foreign　banks；　and
have　no　confidence　in　that　of　Paris。　　You　have　ruined　the　bank　of
Hamburg；　you　have　caused　M。　Drouet　（or　Drouaut；　for　the　name　was
pronounced　very　quickly）　to　lose　two　millions：

〃The　Emperor；〃　my　uncle　continued；　〃conversed　in　this　strain　for　a　long
while；　though　the　stranger　did　not　reply；　or　replied　in　so　low　a　tone
that　it　was　impossible　to　hear　a　word；　and　the　scene；　which　must　have
been　most　trying　to　the　mysterious　personage；　lasted　about　twenty
minutes。　　At　last　he　was　permitted　to　leave；　which　he　did　with　the　same
precautions　as　on　his　arrival；　and　retired　from　the　palace　as　secretly　as
he　had　come。〃

Nothing　of　this　scene　was　known　in　Paris；　and；　moreover；　neither　my　uncle
nor　I　have　ever　sought　to　ascertain　the　name　of　the　person　whom　the
Emperor　overwhelmed　with　such　numerous　and　severe　reproaches。

Whenever　circumstances　allowed；　the　Emperor's　habits　of　life　were　very
regular；　his　time　being　almost　uniformly　divided　as　follows。　　Every
morning；　at　nine　o'clock　precisely；　the　Emperor　left　the　imperial
apartments；　his　exactness　in　observing　hours　was　carried　to　an　extreme；
and　I　have　sometimes　seen　him　wait　two　or　three　moments　in　order　that　no
one　might　be　taken　by　surprise。　　At　nine　o'clock　his　toilet　was　made　for
the　whole　day。　　When　he　had　reached　the　reception…room；　the　officers　on
duty　were　first　admitted；　and　received　his　Majesty's　orders　for　their
time　of　service。

Immediately　after　this；　what　was　called　the　grandes　entrees　took　place。
That　is　to　say；　personages　of　high　rank　were　admitted；　who　had　this　right
on　account　of　their　duties；　or　by　the　special　favor　of　the　Emperor；　and　I
can　assert　that　this　favor　was　much　envied。　　It　was　granted　generally　to
all　the　officers　of　the　imperial　household；　even　if　they　were　not　on
duty；　and　every　one　remained　standing；　as　did　the　Emperor　also。　　He　made
the　tour　of　all　the　persons　present；　nearly　always　addressed　a　remark　or
a　question　to　each　one；　and　it　was　amusing　to　see　afterwards；　during　the
whole　day；　the　proud　and　haughty　bearing　of　those　to　whom　the　Emperor　had
spoken　a　little　longer　than　to　others。　　This　ceremony　usually　lasted　a
half…hour；　and　as　soon　as　it　was　finished　the　Emperor　bowed　and　each
retired。

At　half…past　nine　the　Emperor's　breakfast　was　served；　usually　on　a　small
mahogany　stand；　and　this　first　repast　commonly　lasted　only　seven　or　eight
minutes；　though　sometimes　it　was　prolonged；　and　even　lasted　quite　a　long
while。　　This；　however；　was　only　on　rare　occasions；　when　the　Emperor　was
in　unusually　good…humor；　and　wished　to　indulge　in　the　pleasure　of　a
conversation　with　men　of　great　merit；　whom　he　had　known　a　long　while；　and
who　happened　to　be　present　at　his　breakfast。　　There　he　was　no　longer　the
formal　Emperor　of　the　levee；　he　was　in　a　manner　the　hero　of　Italy；　the
conqueror　of　Egypt；　and　above　all　the　member　of　the　Institute。　　Those　who
came　most　habitually　were　Messieurs　Monge；　Berthollet；　Costaz
（superintendent　of　crown　buildings）；　Denon；　Corvisart；　David；　Gerard；
Isabey；　Talma；　and　Fontaine　（his　first　architect）。　　How　many　noble
thoughts；　how　many　elevated　sentiments；　found　vent　in　these　conversations
which　the　Emperor　was　accustomed　to　open　by　saying；　〃Come；　Messieurs；　I
close　the　door　of　my　cabinet。〃　　This　was　the　signal；　and　it　was　truly
miraculous　to　see　his　Majesty's　aptitude　in　putting　his　genius　in
communication　with　these　great　intellects　with　such　diversities　of
talent。

I　recall　that；　during　the　days　preceding　the　Emperor's　coronation；　M。
Isabey　attended　regularly　at　the　Emperor's　breakfast；　and　was　present
almost　every　morning；　and　strange；　too；　it　did　not　seem　an　absurd　thing
to　see　children's　toys　used　to　represent　the　imposing　ceremony　which　was
to　exert　such　a　great　influence　over　the　destinies　of　the　world。　　The
intelligent　painter　of　his　Majesty's　cabinet　portraits　caused　to　be
placed　on　a　large　table　a　number　of　small　figures　representing　all　the
personages　who　were　to　take　part　in　the　ceremony　of　the　coronation；　each
had　his　designated　place；　and　no　one　was　omitted；　from　the　Emperor　to　the
Pope；　and　even　to　the　choristers；　each　being　dressed　in　the　costume　he
was　expected　to　wear。

These　rehearsals　took　place　frequently；　and　all　were　eager　to　consult　the
model　in　order　to　make　no　mistake　as　to　the　place　each　was　to　occupy。　　On
those　days；　as　may　be　imagined；　the　door　of　the　cabinet　was　closed；　and
in　consequence　the　ministers　sometimes；　waited　awhile。　　Immediately　after
the　breakfast　the　Emperor　admitted　his　ministers　and　director　generals；
and　these　audiences；　devoted　to　the　special　work　of　each　minister　and　of
each　director；　lasted　until　six　o'clock　in　the　evening；　with　the
exception　of　those　days　on　which　his　Majesty　occupied　himself　exclusively
with　governmental　affairs；　and　presided　over　the　council　of　state；　or　the
ministerial　councils。

At　the　Tuileries　and　at　Saint…Cloud　dinner　was　served　at　six　o'clock；　and
the　Emperor　dined　each　day　alone　with　the　Empress；　except　on　Sunday；　when
all　the　family　were　admitted　to　dinner。　　The　Emperor；　Empress；　and　Madame
Mere　only　were　seated　in　armchairs；　all　others；　whether　kings　or　queens；
having　only　ordinary　chairs。　　There　was　only　one　course　before　the
dessert。　　His　Majesty　usually　drank　Chambertin　wine；　but　rarely　without
water；　and　hardly　more　than　one　bottle。　　To　dine　with　the　Emperor　was
rather　an　honor　than　a　pleasure　to　those　who　were　admitted；　for　it　was
necessary；　to　use　the　common　expression；　to　swallow　in　post　haste；　as　his
Majesty　never　remained　at　table　more　than　fifteen　or　eighteen　minutes。
After　his　dinner；　as　after　breakfast；　the　Emperor　habitually　took