napoleon bonaparte, v12-第19节

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foreign　regiment　which　he　wished　to　admit　into　the　service　of　France；
the　regiment　of　Aremberg。　　Notwithstanding　the　title　of　this　corps；　most
of　the　officers　who　were　admitted　were　French；　and　this　was　a　good
opening；　discreetly　made；　for　rich　and　titled　young　men；　who；　in
purchasing　companies　by　the　authority　of　the　minister　of　war；　could　thus
pass　more　rapidly　through　the　first　grades。　　Among　the　officers　of　the
Aremberg　regiment；　were　M。　Charles　de　Sainte…Croix；　who　had　recently
served　in　the　ministry　of　foreign　affairs；　and　a　charming　young　man　whom
I　saw　often　at　Malmaison；　M。　de　Mariolles；　who　was　nearly　related　to　the
Empress　Josephine。　　It　seems　that　the　same　position　had　been　promised
both；　and　they　resolved　to　settle　the　dispute　by　private　combat。　　M。　de
Mariolles　fell；　and　died　on　the　spot；　and　his　death　created　consternation
among　the　ladies　of　the　salon　at　Malmaison。

His　family　and　relations　united　in　making　complaint　to　the　Emperor；　who
was　very　indignant；　and　spoke　of　sending　M。　de　Sainte…Croix　to　the　Temple
prison　and　having　him　tried　for　murder。　　He　prudently　concealed　himself
during　the　first　outburst　over　this　affair；　and　the　police；　who　were　put
on　his　track；　would　have　had　much　difficulty　in　finding　him；　as　he　was
especially　protected　by　M。　Fouche；　who　had　recently　re…entered　the
ministry；　and　was　intimately　connected　with　his　mother；　Madame　de　Sainte…
Croix。　　Everything　ended　with　the　threats　of　his　Majesty；　since　M。　Fouche
had　remarked　to　him　that　by　such　unaccustomed　severity　the　malevolent
would　not　fail　to　say　that　he　was　performing　less　an　act　of　sovereignty
than　one　of　personal　vengeance；　as　the　victim　had　the　honor　of　being
connected　with　himself。

The　affair　was　thus　suffered　to　drop；　and　I　am　here　struck　with　the
manner　in　which　one　recollection　leads　on　to　another；　for　I　remember　that
in　process　of　time　the　Emperor　became　much　attached　to　M。　de　Sainte…
Croix；　whose　advancement　in　the　army　was　both　brilliant　and　rapid；　since；
although　he　entered　the　service　when　twenty…two　years　of　age；　he　was　only
twenty…eight　when　he　was　killed　in　Spain；　being　already　then　general　of
division。　　I　often　saw　M。　de　Sainte…Croix　at　the　Emperor's　headquarters。
I　think　I　see　him　still；　small；　delicate；　with　an　attractive　countenance；
and　very　little　beard。　　He　might　have　been　taken　for　a　young　woman；
rather　than　the　brave　young　soldier　he　was；　and；　in　fact；　his　features
were　so　delicate；　his　cheeks　so　rosy；　his　blond　hair　curled　in　such
natural　ringlets；　that　when　the　Emperor　was　in　a　good　humor　he　called　him
nothing　but　Mademoiselle　de　Sainte…Croix！

Another　circumstance　which　I　should　not　omit　is　a　duel　which　took　place
at　Burgos；　in　1808；　between　General　Franceschi；　aide…de…camp　to　King
Joseph；　and　Colonel　Filangieri；　colonel　of　his　guard；　both　of　whom　were
equerries　of　his　Majesty。　　The　subject　of　the　quarrel　was　almost　the　same
as　that　between　M。　de　Mariolles　and　de　Sainte…Croix；　since　both　disputed
for　the　position　of　first　equerry　to　King　Joseph；　both　maintaining　that
it　had　been　promised　them。

We　had　hardly　been　in　the　palace　of　Burgos　five　minutes　when　the　Emperor
was　informed　of　this　duel；　which　had　taken　place　almost　under　the　walls
of　the　palace　itself；　and　only　a　few　hours　before。　　The　Emperor　learned
at　the　same　time　that　General　Franceschi　had　been　killed；　and　on　account
of　the　difference　in　their　rank；　in　order　not　to　compromise　military
etiquette；　they　had　fought　in　their　uniforms　of　equerry。　　The　Emperor　was
struck　with　the　fact　that　the　first　news　he　received　was　bad　news；　and
with　his　ideas　of　fatality；　this　really　excited　a　great　influence　over
him。　　He　gave　orders　to　have　Colonel　Filangieri　found　and　brought　to　him；
and　he　came　in　a　few　moments。　　I　did　not　see　him；　as　I　was　in　another
apartment；　but　the　Emperor　spoke　to　him　in　so　loud　and　sharp　a　tone　that
I　heard　distinctly　all　he　said。　　〃Duels！　　duels！　　always　duels！〃　　cried
the　Emperor。　　〃I　will　not　allow　it。　　I　will　punish　it！　　You　know　how　I
abhor　them！〃〃Sire；　have　me　tried　if　you　will；　but　hear　me。〃〃What　can
you　have　to　say　to　me；　you　crater　of　Vesuvius？　　I　have　already　pardoned
your　affair　with　Saint　Simon；　I　will　not　do　the　like　again。　　Moreover；　I
cannot；　at　the　very　beginning　of　the　campaign；　when　all　should　be
thoroughly　united！　　It　produces　a　most　unfortunate　effect！〃　　Here　the
Emperor　kept　silence　a　moment；　then　he　resumed；　although　in　a　somewhat
sharper　tone：　〃Yes！　　you　have　a　head　of　Vesuvius。　　See　what　a　fine
condition　of　affairs　I　arrive　and　find　blood　in　my　palace！〃　　After
another　pause；　and　in　a　somewhat　calmer　tone：　〃See　what　you　have　done！
Joseph　needs　good　officers；　and　here　you　have　deprived　him　of　two　by　a
single　blow；Franceschi；　whom　you　have　killed；　and　yourself；　who　can　no
longer　remain　in　his　service。〃　　Here　the　Emperor　was　silent　for　some
moments；　and　then　added：　〃Now　retire；　leave！　　Give　yourself　up　as　a
prisoner　at　the　citadel　of　Turin。　　There　await　my　orders；　or　rather　place
yourself　in　Murat's　hands；　he　will　know　what　to　do　with　you；　he　also　has
Vesuvius　in　his　head；　and　he　will　give　you　a　warm　welcome。　　Now　take
yourself　off　at　once。〃

Colonel　Filangieri　needed　no　urging；　I　think；　to　hasten　the　execution　of
the　Emperor's　orders。　　I　do　not　know　the　conclusion　of　thus　adventure；
but　I　do　know　that　the　affair　affected　his　Majesty　deeply；　for　that
evening　when　I　was　undressing　him　he　repeated　several　times；　〃Duels！
What　a　disgraceful　thing！　　It　is　the　kind　of　courage　cannibals　have！〃
If；　moreover；　the　Emperor's　anger　was　softened　on　this　occasion；　it　was
on　account　of　his　affection　for　young　Filangieri；　at　first　on　account　of
his　father；　whom　the　Emperor　highly　esteemed；　and　also；　because　the　young
man　having　been　educated　at　his　expense；　at　the　French　Prytanee；　he
regarded　him　as　one　of　his　children　by　adoption；　especially　since　he　knew
that　M。　Filangieri；　godson　of　the　queen　of　Naples；　had　refused　a
regiment；　which　the　latter　had　offered　him　while　he　was　still　only　a
simple　lieutenant　in　the　Consular　Guard；　and　further；　because　he　had　not
consented　to　become　a　Neapolitan　again　until　a　French　prince　had　been
called　to　the　throne　of　Naples。

What　remains　to　be　said　on　the　subject　of　duels　under　the　Empire；　and　the
Emperor's　conduct　regarding　them　which　came　to　my　knowledge；　somewhat
resembles　the　little　piece　which　is　played　on　the　theater　after　a
tragedy。　　I　will　now　relate　how　it　happened　that　the　Emperor　himself
played　the　role　of　peacemaker　between　two　sub…officers　who　were　enamored
of　the　same　beauty。

When　the　French　army　occupied　Vienna；　some　time　after　the　battle　of
Austerlitz；　two　sub…officers　belonging　to　the　forty…sixth　and　fiftieth
regiments　of　the　line；　having　had　a　dispute；　determined　to　fight　a　duel；
and　chose　for　the　place　of　combat　a　spot　situated　at　the　extremity　of　a
plain　which　adjoined　the　palace　of　Schoenbrunn；　the　Emperor's　place　of
residence。　　Our　two　champions　had　already　unsheathed　and　exchanged　blows
with　their　short　swords；　which　happily　each　had　warded　off；　when　the
Emperor　happened　to　pass　near　them；　accompanied　by　several　generals。
Their　stupefaction　at　the　sight　of　the　Emperor　may　be　imagined。　　Their
arms　fell；　so　to　speak；　from　their　hands。

The　Emperor　inquired　the　cause　of　their　quarrel；　and　learned　that　a　woman
who　granted　her　favors　to　both　was　the　real　motive；　each　of　them　desiring
to　have　no　rival。

These　two　champions　found　by　chance　that　they　were　known　to　one　of　the
generals　who　accompanied　his　Majesty；　and　informed　him　that　they　were　two
brave　soldiers　of　Marengo　and　Austerlitz；　belonging　to　such　and　such
regiments；　whose　names　had　already　been　put　on　the　list　for　the　Cross　of
Honor；　whereupon　the　Emperor　addressed　them　after　this　style：　〃My
children；　woman　is　capricious；　as　fortune　is　also；　and　since　you　are
soldiers　of　Marengo　and　Austerlitz；　you　need　to　give　no　new　proofs　of
your　courage。　　Return　to　your　corps；　and　be　friends　henceforth；　like　good
knights。〃　　These　two　soldiers　lost　all　desire　to　fight；　and　soon
perceived　that　their　august　peacemaker　had　not　forgotten　them；　as　they
promptly　received　the　Cross　of　the　Legion　of　Honor。


In　the　beginning　of　the　campaign　of　Tilsit；　the　Emperor；　being　at　Berlin；
one　day　took　a　fancy　to　make　an　excursion　on　foot　to　the　quarter　where
our　soldiers　in　the　public　houses　indulged　in　the　pleasures　of　the　dance。
He　saw　a　quartermaster　of　the　cavalry　of　his　guard　walking　with　a　coarse；
rotund　German　woman；　and　amused　himself　listening　to　the　gallant　remarks
made　by　this　quartermaster　to　his　beautiful　companion。　　〃Let　us　enjoy
ourselves；　my　dear；〃　said　he；　〃it　is　the　'tondu'　who　pays　the　musicians
with　the　'kriches'　of　your　sovereign。　　Let　us　take　our　own　gait；　long
live　joy！　　and　forward〃〃Not　so　fast；〃　said　the　Emperor；　approaching
him。　　〃Certainly　it　must　always　be　forward；　but　wait　till　I　sound　the
charge。〃　　The　quartermaster　turned　and　recognized　the　Emperor；　and；
without　being　at　all　disconcerted；　put　his　hand　to　his　shako；　and　said；
〃That　is　useless　trouble。　　Your　Majesty　does　not　need　to　beat　a　drum　to
make　us　move。〃　　This　repartee　made　the　Emperor　smile；　and　soon　after
gained　epaulets　for　the　su