napoleon bonaparte, v12-第8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！


depression；　then；　a　moment　after；　walking　with　great　strides　up　and　down
his　room；　whistling　or　humming　La　Monaco；　after　which　he　suddenly　fell
into　a　kind　of　stupor；　seeing　nothing　around　him；　and　forgetting　even　the
orders　he　had　given。　　A　fact　which　impressed　me　forcibly　was　the
remarkable　effect　produced　on　him　by　letters　addressed　to　him　from　Paris。
As　soon　as　he　perceived　them　his　agitation　became　extreme；I　might　say
convulsive；　without　fear　of　being　taxed　with　exaggeration。

In　support　of　what　I　have　said　of　the　incredible　preoccupation　of　the
Emperor；　I　will　mention　an　occurrence　which　comes　to　my　memory。　　During
our　sojourn　at　Fontainebleau　the　Countess　Walewska；　of　whom　I　have
heretofore　spoken；　came；　and　having　summoned　me；　told　me　how　anxious　she
was　to　see　the　Emperor。　　Thinking　that　this　would　be　sure　to　distract　his
Majesty；　I　mentioned　it　to　him　that　very　evening；　and　received　orders　to
have　her　come　at　ten　o'clock。　　Madame　Walewska　was；　as　may　well　be
believed；　promptly　on　hand　at　the　appointed　hour；　and　I　entered　the
Emperor's　room　to　announce　her　arrival。　　He　was　lying　on　his　bed；　and
plunged　so　deeply　in　meditation　that　it　was　only　on　a　second　reminder
from　me　he　replied；　〃Ask　her　to　wait。〃　　She　then　waited　in　the　apartment
in　front　of　his　Majesty's；　and　I　remained　to　keep　her　company。　　Meanwhile
the　night　passed　on；　and　the　hours　seemed　long　to　the　beautiful　visitor；
and　her　distress　that　the　Emperor　did　not　summon　her　became　so　evident
that　I　took　pity　on　her；　and　reentered　the　Emperor's　room　to　remind　him
again。　　He　was　not　asleep；　but　was　so　deeply　absorbed　in　thought　that　he
made　no　reply。　　At　last　day　began　to　break；　and　the　countess；　fearing　to
be　seen　by　the　people　of　the　household；　withdrew　in　despair　at　not　having
bidden　adieu　to　the　object　of　her　affections；　and　she　had　been　gone　more
than　an　hour　when　the　Emperor　remembered　that　she　was　waiting；　and　asked
for　her。　　I　told　his　Majesty　how　it　was；　and　did　not　conceal　the　state　of
despair　in　which　the　countess　took　her　departure。　　The　Emperor　was　much
affected。　　〃Poor　woman；　she　thinks　herself　humiliated！　　Constant；　I　am
really　grieved。　　If　you　see　her　again；　tell　her　so。　　But　I　have　so　many
things　there！〃　added　he　in　a；　very　energetic　tone；　striking　his　brow　with
his　hand。

The　visit　of　this　lady　to　Fontainebleau　recalls　another　of　almost　the
same　kind；　but　to　describe　which　it　is　necessary　that　I　take　up　the
thread　of　events　a　little　further　back。

　　　　　＇I　have　learned　since　that　the　Countess　de　Walewska　went　with　her
　　　　　son　to　visit　the　Emperor　on　the　Island　of　Elba。　　This　child
　　　　　resembled　his　Majesty　so　greatly　that　the　report　was　started　that
　　　　　the　King　of　Rome　had　visited　his　father。　　Madame　de　Walewska
　　　　　remained　only　a　short　time　at　the　Island　of　Elba。　CONSTANT。＇

A　short　time　after　his　marriage　with　the　Archduchess　Marie　Louise；
although　she　was　a　young　and　beautiful　woman；　and　although　he　really
loved　her　devotedly；　the　Emperor　was　no　more　careful　than　in　the　time　of
the　Empress　Josephine　to　scrupulously　observe　conjugal　fidelity。　　During
one　of　our　stays　at　Saint…Cloud　he　took　a　fancy　to　Madamoiselle　L；
whose　mother's　second　husband　was　a　chief　of　squadron。　　These　ladies　then
stayed　at　Bourg…la…Reine；　where　they　were　discovered　by　M。　de　；　one
of　the　most　zealous　protectors　of　the　pretty　women　who　were　presented　to
his　Majesty；　and　who　spoke　to　him　of　this　young　person；　then　seventeen
years　old。　　She　was　a　brunette　of　ordinary　height；　but　with　a　beautiful
figure；　and　pretty　feet　and　hands；　her　whole　person　full　of　grace；　and
was　indeed　perfectly　charming　in　all　respects；　and；　besides；　united　with
most　enticing　coquetry　every　accomplishment；　danced　with　much　grace；
played　on　several　instruments；　and　was　full　of　intelligence；　in　fact；　she
had　received　that　kind　of　showy　education　which　forms　the　most　charming
mistresses　and　the　worst　wives。　　The　Emperor　told　me　one　day；　at　eight
o'clock　in　the　evening；　to　seek　her　at　her　mother's；　to　bring　her　and
return　at　eleven　o'clock　at　latest。　　My　visit　caused　no　surprise；　and　I
saw　that　these　ladies　had　been　forewarned；　no　doubt　by　their　obliging
patron；　for　they　awaited　me　with　an　impatience　they　did　not　seek　to
conceal。　　The　young　person　was　dazzling　with　ornaments　and　beauty；　and
the　mother　radiant　with　joy　at　the　idea　of　the　honor　destined　for　her
daughter。　　I　saw　well　that　she　imagined　the　Emperor　could　not　fail　to　be
captivated　by　so　many　charms；　and　that　he　would　be　seized　with　a　great
passion；　but　all　this　was　only　a　dream；　for　the　Emperor　was　amorous　only
when　all　things　suited。　　However；　we　arrived　at　Saint…Cloud　at　eleven
o'clock；　and　entered　the　chateau　by　the　orangery；　for　fear　of　indiscreet
eyes。　　As　I　had　a　pass…key　to　all　the　gates　of　the　chateau；　I　conducted
her　into　the　Emperor's　apartments　without　being　seen　by　any　one；　where
she　remained　about　three　hours。　　At　the　end　of　this　time　I　escorted　her
to　her　home；　taking　the　same　precautions　on　leaving　the　chateau。

This　young　person；　whom　the　Emperor　had　since　seen　three　or　four　times　at
most；　also　came　to　Fontainebleau；　accompanied　by　her　mother；　but；　being
unable　to　see　his　Majesty；　this　lady；　like　the　Countess　Walewska；
determined　to　make　the　voyage　to　the　Island　of　Elba；　where　it　is　said　the
Emperor　married　Mademoiselle　L　to　a　colonel　of　artillery。

What　I　have　just　written　has　carried　me　back　almost　unconsciously　to
happier　times。　　It　is　necessary；　however；　to　return　to　the　sad　stay　at
Fontainebleau；　and；　after　what　I　have　said　of　the　dejection　in　which　the
Emperor　lived；　it　is　not　surprising　that；　overwhelmed　by　such　crushing
blows；　his　mind　was　not　disposed　to　gallantry。　　It　seems　to　me　I　can
still　see　the　evidences　of　the　gloomy　melancholy　which　devoured　him；　and
in　the　midst　of　so　many　sorrows　the　kindness　of　heart　of　the　man　seemed
to　increase　in　proportion　to　the　sufferings　of　the　dethroned　sovereign。
With　what　amenity　he　spoke　to　us　in　these　last　days！　　He　then　frequently
deigned　to　question　me　as　to　what　was　said　of　recent　events。　　With　my
usual　artless　candor　I　related　to　him　exactly　what　I　had　heard；　and　I
remember　that　one　day；　having　told　him　I　had　heard　many　persons　remark
that　the　continuation　of　the　last　wars　which　had　been　so　fatal　to　us　was
generally　attributed　to　the　Duke　of　Bassano；　〃They　do　poor　Maret　gross
injustice；〃　said　he。　　〃They　accuse　him　wrongfully。　　He　has　never　done
anything　but　execute　orders　which　I　gave。〃　　Then；　according　to　his　usual
habit；　when　he　had　spoken　to　me　a　moment　of　these　serious　affairs；　he
added；　〃What　a　shame！　what　humiliation！　　To　think　that　I　should　have　in
my　very　palace　itself　a　lot　of　foreign　emissaries！〃





CHAPTER　XXVIII。

After　the　12th　of　April　there　remained　with　the　Emperor；　of　all　the　great
personages　who　usually　surrounded　him；　only　the　grand　marshal　of　the
palace　and　Count　Drouot。　　The　destination　reserved　for　the　Emperor；　and
the　fact　that　he　had　accepted　it；　was　not　long　a　secret　in　the　palace。
On　the　16th　we　witnessed　the　arrival　of　the　commissioners　of　the　allies
deputed　to　accompany　his　Majesty　to　the　place　of　his　embarkment　for　the
Island　of　Elba。　　These　were　Count　Schuwaloff；　aide…de…camp　of　the　Emperor
Alexander　from　Russia；　Colonel　Neil　Campbell　　from　England；　General
Kohler　from　Austria；　and　finally　Count　of　Waldburg…Truchsess　for　Prussia。
Although　his　Majesty　had　himself　demanded　that　he　should　be　accompanied
by　these　four　commissioners；　their　presence　at　Fontainebleau　seemed　to
make　a　most　disagreeable　impression　on　him。　　However；　each　of　these
gentlemen　received　from　the　Emperor　a　different　welcome；　and　after　a　few
words　that　I　heard　his　Majesty　say；　I　was　convinced　on　this；　as　on　many
previous　occasions；　that　he　esteemed　the　English　far　more　than　all　his
other　enemies；　and　Colonel　Campbell　was；　therefore；　welcomed　with　more
distinction　than　the　other　ministers；　while　the　ill…humor　of　the　Emperor
vented　itself　especially　on　the　commissioner　of　the　King　of　Prussia；　who
took　no　notice　of　it；　and　put　on　the　best　possible　countenance。

With　the　exception　of　the　very　slight　apparent　change　made　at
Fontainebleau　by　the　presence　of　these　gentlemen；　no　remarkable　incident；
none　at　least　in　my　knowledge；　came　to　disturb　the　sad　and　monotonous
life　of　the　Emperor　in　the　palace。　　Everything　remained　gloomy　and　silent
among　the　inhabitants　of　this　last　imperial　residence；　but；　nevertheless；
the　Emperor　personally　seemed　to　me　more　calm　since　he　had　come　to　a
definite　conclusion　than　at　the　time　he　was　wavering　in　painful
indecision。　　He　spoke　sometimes　in　my　presence　of　the　Empress　and　his
son；　but　not　as　often　as　might　have　been　expected。　　But　one　thing　which
struck　me　deeply　was；　that　never　a　single　time　did　a　a　word　escape　his
lips　which　could　recall　the　act　of　desperation　of　the　night　of　the　11th；
which　fortunately；　as　we　have　seen；　had　not　the　fatal　results　we　feared。
What　a　night！　　What　a　night！　　In　my　whole　life　since　I　have　never　been
able　to　think　of　it　without　shuddering。

After　the　arrival　of　the　commissioners　of　the　allied　powers；　the　Emperor
seemed　by　degrees　to　acclimate　himself；　so　to　speak；　to　their　presence；