napoleon bonaparte, v7-第1节

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RECOLLECTIONS　OF　THE　PRIVATE　LIFE　OF　NAPOLEON；　V7

BY　CONSTANT
PREMIER　VALET　DE　CHAMBRE




TRANSLATED　BY　WALTER　CLARK




CONTENTS：
CHAPTER　XIII。　　to　　CHAPTER　XXI。



CHAPTER　XIII。

His　Majesty　remained　only　ten　days　at　Saint…Cloud；　passed　two　or　three　of
these　in　Paris　at　the　opening　of　the　session　of　the　Corps　Legislatif；　and
at　noon　on　the　29th　set　out　a　second　time　for　Bayonne。

The　Empress；　who　to　her　great　chagrin　could　not　accompany　the　Emperor；
sent　for　me　on　the　morning　of　his　departure；　and　renewed　in　most　touching
accents　the　same　recommendations　which　she　made　on　all　his　journeys；　for
the　character　of　the　Spaniards　made　her　timid　and　fearful　as　to　his
safety。

Their　parting　was　sad　and　painful；　for　the　Empress　was　exceedingly
anxious　to　accompany　him；　and　the　Emperor　had　the　greatest　difficulty　in
satisfying　her；　and　making　her　understand　that　this　was　impossible。　　Just
as　he　was　setting　out　he　returned　to　his　dressing…room　a　moment；　and　told
me　to　unbutton　his　coat　and　vest；　and　I　saw　the　Emperor　pass　around　his
neck　between　his　vest　and　shirt　a　black　silk　ribbon　on　which　was　hung　a
kind　of　little　bag　about　the　size　of　a　large　hazel…nut；　covered　with
black　silk。　　Though　I　did　not　then　know　what　this　bag　contained；　when　he
returned　to　Paris　he　gave　it　to　me　to　keep；　and　I　found　that　this　bag　had
a　pleasant　feeling；　as　under　the　silk　covering　was　another　of　skin。　　I
shall　hereafter　tell　for　what　purpose　the　Emperor　wore　this　bag。

I　set　out　with　a　sad　heart。　　The　recommendations　of　her　Majesty　the
Empress；　and　fears　which　I　could　not　throw　off；　added　to　the　fatigue　of
these　repeated　journeys；　all　conspired　to　produce　feelings　of　intense
sadness；　which　was　reflected　on　almost　all　the　countenances　of　the
Imperial　household；　while　the　officers　said　among　themselves　that　the
combats　in　the　North　were　trifling　compared　with　those　which　awaited　us
in　Spain。

We　arrived　on　the　3d　of　November　at　the　chateau　of　Marrac；　and　four　days
after　were　at　Vittoria　in　the　midst　of　the　French　army；　where　the　Emperor
found　his　brother　and　a　few　grandees　of　Spain　who　had　not　yet　deserted
his　cause。

The　arrival　of　his　Majesty　electrified　the　troops；　and　a　part　of　the
enthusiasm　manifested；　a　very　small　part　it　is　true；　penetrated　into　the
heart　of　the　king；　and　somewhat　renewed　his　courage。　　They　set　out　almost
immediately；　in　order　to　at　once　establish　themselves　temporarily　at
Burgos；　which　had　been　seized　by　main　force　and　pillaged　in　a　few　hours；
since　the　inhabitants　had　abandoned　it；　and　left　to　the　garrison　the　task
of　stopping　the　French　as　long　as　possible。

The　Emperor　occupied　the　archiepiscopal　palace；　a　magnificent　building
situated　in　a　large　square　on　which　the　grenadiers　of　the　Imperial　Guard
bivouacked。　　This　bivouac　presented　a　singular　scene。　　Immense　kettles；
which　had　been　found　in　the　convents；　hung；　full　of　mutton；　poultry；
rabbits；　etc。；　above　a　fire　which　was　replenished　from　time　to　time　with
furniture；　guitars；　or　mandolins；　and　around　which　grenadiers；　with　pipes
in　their　mouths；　were　gravely　seated　in　gilded　chairs　covered　with
crimson　damask；　while　they　intently　watched　the　kettles　as　they　simmered；
and　communicated　to　each　other　their　conjectures　on　the　campaign　which
had　just　opened。

The　Emperor　remained　ten　or　twelve　days　at　Burgos；　and　then　gave　orders
to　march　on　Madrid；　which　place　could　have　been　reached　by　way　of
Valladolid；　and　the　road　was　indeed　safer　and　better；　but　the　Emperor
wished　to　seize　the　Pass　of　Somo…Sierra；　an　imposing　position　with
natural　fortifications　which　had　always　been　regarded　as　impregnable。
This　pass；　between　two　mountain　peaks；　defended　the　capital；　and　was
guarded　by　twelve　thousand　insurgents；　and　twelve　pieces　of　cannon　placed
so　advantageously　that　they　could　do　as　much　injury　as　thirty　or　forty
elsewhere；　and　were；　in　fact；　a　sufficient　obstacle　to　delay　even　the
most　formidable　army；　but　who　could　then　oppose　any　hindrance　to　the
march　of　the　Emperor？

On　the　evening　of　the　29th　of　November　we　arrived　within　three　leagues　of
this　formidable　defile；　at　a　village　called　Basaguillas；　and　though　the
weather　was　very　cold；　the　Emperor　did　not　lie　down；　but　passed　the　night
in　his　tent；　writing；　wrapped　in　the　pelisse　which　the　Emperor　Alexander
had　given　him。　　About　three　o'clock　in　the　morning　he　came　to　warm
himself　by　the　bivouac　fire　where　I　had　seated　myself；　as　I　could　no
longer　endure　the　cold　and　dampness　of　a　cellar　which　had　been　assigned
as　my　lodging；　and　where　my　bed　was　only　a　few　handfuls　of　straw；　filled
with　manure。

At　eight　o'clock　in　the　morning　the　position　was　attacked　and　carried；
and　the　next　day　we　arrived　before　Madrid。

The　Emperor　established　his　headquarters　at　the　chateau　of　Champ…Martin；
a　pleasure　house　situated　a　quarter　of　a　league　from　the　town；　and
belonging　to　the　mother　of　the　Duke　of　Infantado；　and　the　army　camped
around　this　house。　　The　day　after　our　arrival；　the　owner　came　in　tears　to
entreat　of　his　Majesty　a　revocation　of　the　fatal　decree　which　put　her　son
outside　the　protection　of　the　law；　the　Emperor　did　all　he　could　to
reassure　her；　but　he　could　promise　her　nothing；　as　the　order　was　general。

We　had　some　trouble　in　capturing　this　town；　in　the　first　place；　because
his　Majesty　recommended　the　greatest　moderation　in　making　the　attack；　not
wishing；　as　he　said；　to　present　to　his　brother　a　burned…up　city；　in　the
second　place；　because　the　Grand　Duke　of　Berg　during　his　stay　at　Madrid
had　fortified　the　palace　of　Retiro；　and　the　Spanish　insurgents　had
intrenched　themselves　there；　and　defended　it　most　courageously。　　The　town
had　no　other　defense；　and　was　surrounded　only　by　an　old　wall；　almost
exactly　similar　to　that　of　Paris；　consequently　at　the　end　of　three　days
it　was　taken；　but　the　Emperor　preferred　not　to　enter；　and　still　resided
at　Champ…Martin；　with　the　exception　of　one　day　when　he　came　incognito　and
in　disguise；　to　visit　the　queen's　palace　and　the　principal　districts。

One　striking　peculiarity　of　the　Spaniards　is　the　respect　they　have　always
shown　for　everything　relating　to　royalty；　whether　they　regard　it　as
legitimate　or　not。　　When　King　Joseph　left　Madrid　the　palace　was　closed；
and　the　government　established　itself　in　a　passably　good　building　which
had　been　used　as　the　post…office。　　From　this　time　no　one　entered　the
palace　except　the　servants；　who　had　orders　to　clean　it　from　time　to　time；
not　a　piece　of　furniture　even；　not　a　book；　was　moved。　　The　portrait　of
Napoleon　on　Mont　St。　Bernard；　David's　masterpiece；　remained　hanging　in
the　grand　reception　hall；　and　the　queen's　portrait　opposite；　exactly　as
the　king　had　placed　them；　and　even　the　cellars　were　religiously
respected。　　The　apartments　of　King　Charles　had　also　remained　untouched；
and　not　one　of　the　watches　in　his　immense　collection　had　been　removed。

The　act　of　clemency　which　his　Majesty　showed　toward　the　Marquis　of　Saint…
Simon；　a　grandee　of　Spain；　marked　in　an　especial　manner　the　entrance　of
the　French　troops　into　Madrid。　　The　Marquis　of　Saint…Simon；　a　French
emigrant；　had　been　in　the　service　of　Spain　since　the　emigration；　and　had
the　command　of　a　part　of　the　capital。　　The　post　which　he　defended　was
exactly　in　front　of　that　which　the　Emperor　commanded　at　the　gates　of
Madrid；　and　he　had　held　out　long　after　all　the　other　leaders　had
surrendered。

The　Emperor；　impatient　at　being　so　long　withstood　at　this　point；　gave
orders　to　make　a　still　more　vigorous　charge；　and　in　this　the　marquis　was
taken　prisoner。　　In　his　extreme　anger　the　Emperor　sent　him　to　be　tried
before　a　military　commission；　who　ordered　him　to　be　shot；　and　this　order
was　on　the　point　of　being　executed；　when　Mademoiselle　de　Saint…Simon；　a
charming　young　person；　threw　herself　at　his　Majesty's　feet；　and　her
father's　pardon　was　quickly　granted。

The　king　immediately　re…entered　his　capital；　and　with　him　returned　the
noble　families　of　Madrid；　who　had　withdrawn　from　the　stirring　scenes
enacted　at　the　center　of　the　insurrection；　and　soon　balls；　fetes；
festivities；　and　plays　were　resumed　as　of　yore。

The　Emperor　left　Champ…Martin　on　the　22d　of　December；　and　directed　his
march　towards　Astorga；　with　the　intention　of　meeting　the　English；　who　had
just　landed　at　Corunna；　but　dispatches　sent　to　Astorga　by　a　courier　from
Paris　decided　him　to　return　to　France；　and　he　consequently　gave　orders　to
set　out　for　Valladolid。

We　found　the　road　from　Benavente　to　Astorga　covered　with　corpses；　slain
horses；　artillery　carriages；　and　broken　wagons；　and　at　every　step　met
detachments　of　soldiers　with　torn　clothing；　without　shoes；　and；　indeed；
in　a　most　deplorable　condition。　　These　unfortunates　were　all　fleeing
towards　Astorga；　which　they　regarded　as　a　port　of　safety；　but　which　soon
could　not　contain　them　all。　　It　was　terrible　weather；　the　snow　falling　so
fast　that　it　was　almost　blinding；　and；　added　to　this；　I　was　ill；　and
suffered　greatly　during　this　painful　journey。

The　Emperor　while　at　Tordesillas　had　established　his　headquarters　in　the
buildings　outside　the　convent　of　Saint…Claire；　and　the　abbess　of　this
convent　was　presented　to　his　Majesty。　　She　was　then　more　than　sixty…five