napoleon bonaparte, v7-第2节

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convent　was　presented　to　his　Majesty。　　She　was　then　more　than　sixty…five
years　old；　and　from　the　age　of　ten　years　back　never　left　this　place。　　Her
intelligent　and　refined　conversation　made　a　most　agreeable　impression　on
the　Emperor；　who　inquired　what　were　her　wishes；　and　granted　each　one。

We　arrived　at　Valladolid　the　6th　of　January；　1809；　and　found　it　in　a
state　of　great　disorder。　　Two　or　three　days　after　our　arrival；　a　cavalry
officer　was　assassinated　by　Dominican　monks；　and　as　Hubert；　one　of　our
comrades；　was　passing　in　the　evening　through　a　secluded　street；　three　men
threw　themselves　on　him　and　wounded　him　severely；　and　he　would　doubtless
have　been　killed　if　the　grenadiers　of　the　guard　had　not　hastened　to　his
assistance；　and　delivered　him　from　their　hands。　　It　was　the　monks　again。
At　length　the　Emperor；　much　incensed；　gave　orders　that　the　convent　of　the
Dominicans　should　be　searched；　and　in　a　well　was　found　the　corpse　of　the
aforesaid　officer；　in　the　midst　of　a　considerable　mass　of　bones；　and　the
convent　was　immediately　suppressed　by　his　Majesty's　orders；　he　even
thought　at　one　time　of　issuing　the　same　rigorous　orders　against　all　the
convents　of　the　city。　　He　took　time　for　reflection；　however；　and
contented　himself　by　appointing　an　audience；　at　which　all　the　monks　of
Valladolid　were　to　appear　before　him。　　On　the　appointed　day　they　came；
not　all；　however；　but　deputations　from　each　convent；　who　prostrated
themselves　at　the　Emperor's　feet；　while　he　showered　reproaches　upon　them；
called　them　assassins　and　brigands；　and　said　they　all　deserved　to　be
hung。　　These　poor　men　listened　in　silence　and　humility　to　the　terrible
language　of　the　irritated　conqueror　whom　their　patience　alone　could
appease；　and　finally；　the　Emperor's　anger　having　exhausted　itself；　he
grew　calmer；　and　at　last；　struck　by　the　reflection　that　it　was　hardly
just　to　heap　abuse　on　men　thus　prostrate　on　their　knees　and　uttering　not
a　word　in　their　own　defense；　he　left　the　group　of　officers　who　surrounded
him；　and　advanced　into　the　midst　of　the　monks；　making　them　a　sign　to　rise
from　their　supplicating　posture；　and　as　these　good　men　obeyed　him；　they
kissed　the　skirts　of　his　coat；　and　pressed　around　him　with　an　eagerness
most　alarming　to　the　persons　of　his　Majesty's　suite；　for　had　there　been
among　these　devotees　any　Dominican；　nothing　surely　could　have　been　easier
than　an　assassination。

During　the　Emperor's　stay　at　Valladolid；　I　had　with　the　grand　marshal　a
disagreement　of　which　I　retain　most　vivid　recollections；　as　also　of　the
Emperor's　intervention　wherein　he　displayed　both　justice　and　good…will
towards　me。　　These　are　the　facts　of　the　case：　one　morning　the　Duke　de
Frioul；　encountering　me　in　his　Majesty's　apartments；　inquired　in　a　very
brusque　tone　（he　was　very　much　excited）　if　I　had　ordered　the　carriage　to
be　ready；　to　which　I　replied　in　a　most　respectful　manner　that　they　were
always　ready。　　Three　times　the　duke　repeated　the　same　question；　raising
his　voice　still　more　each　time；　and　three　times　I　made　him　the　same
reply；　always　in　the　same　respectful　manner。　　〃Oh；　you　fool！〃　said　he　at
last；　〃you　do　not　understand；　then。〃　〃That　arises　evidently；
Monseigneur；　from　your　Excellency's　imperfect　explanations！〃　　Upon　which
he　explained　that　he　was　speaking　of　a　new　carriage　which　had　come　from
Paris　that　very　day；　a　fact　of　which　I　was　entirely　ignorant。　　I　was　on
the　point　of　explaining　this　to　his　Excellency；　but　without　deigning　to
listen；　the　grand　marshal　rushed　out　of　the　room　exclaiming；　swearing；
and　addressing　me　in　terms　to　which　I　was　totally　unaccustomed。　　I
followed　him　as　far　as　his　own　room　in　order　to　make　an　explanation；　but
when　he　reached　his　door　he　entered；　and　slammed　it　in　my　face。

In　spite　of　all　this　I　entered　a　few　moments　later；　but　his　Excellency
had　forbidden　his　valet　de　chambre　to　introduce　me；　saying　that　he　had
nothing　to　say　to　me；　nor　to　hear　from　me；　all　of　which　was　repeated　to
me　in　a　very　harsh　and　contemptuous　manner。

Little　accustomed　to　such　experiences；　and　entirely　unnerved；　I　went　to
the　Emperor's　room；　and　when　his　Majesty　entered　I　was　still　so　agitated
that　my　face　was　wet　with　tears。　　His　Majesty　wished　to　know　what　had
happened；　and　I　related　to　him　the　attack　which　had　just　been　made　upon
me　by　the　grand　marshal。　　〃You　are　very　foolish　to　cry；〃　said　the
Emperor；　〃calm　yourself；　and　say　to　the　grand　marshal　that　I　wish　to
speak　to　him。〃

His　Excellency　came　at　once　in　response　to　the　Emperor's　invitation；　and
I　announced　him。　　〃See；〃　said　he；　pointing　to　me；　〃see　into　what　a　state
you　have　thrown　this　fellow！　　What　has　he　done　to　be　thus　treated？〃　　The
grand　marshal　bowed　without　replying；　but　with　a　very　dissatisfied　air；
and　the　Emperor　went　on　to　say　that　he　should　have　given　me　his　orders
more　clearly；　and　that　any　one　was　excusable　for　not　executing　an　order
not　plainly　given。　　Then　turning　toward　me；　his　Majesty　said；　〃Monsieur
Constant；　you　may　be　certain　this　will　not　occur　again。〃

This　simple　affair　furnishes　a　reply　to　many　false　accusations　against
the　Emperor。　　There　was　an　immense　distance　between　the　grand　marshal　of
the　palace　and　the　simple　valet　de　chambre　of　his　Majesty；　and　yet　the
marshal　was　reprimanded　for　a　wrong　done　to　the　valet　de　chambre。

The　Emperor　showed　the　utmost　impartiality　in　meting　out　justice　in　his
domestic　affairs；　and　never　was　the　interior　of　a　palace　better　governed
than　his；　owing　to　the　fact　that　in　his　household　he　alone　was　master。

The　grand　marshal　felt　unkindly　toward　me　for　sometime　after；　but；　as　I
have　already　said；　he　was　an　excellent　man；　his　bad　humor　soon　passed
away；　and　so　completely；　that　on　my　return　to　Paris　he　requested　me　to
stand　for　him　at　the　baptism　of　the　child　of　my　father…in…law；　who　had
begged　him　to　be　its　godfather；　the　godmother　was　Josephine；　who　was　kind
enough　to　choose　my　wife　to　represent　her。　　M。　le　Duke　de　Frioul　did
things　with　as　much　nobility　and　magnanimity　as　grace；　and　afterwards　I
am　glad　to　be　able　to　state　in　justice　to　his　memory；　he　eagerly　seized
every　occasion　to　be　useful　to　me；　and　to　make　me　forget　the　discomfort
his　temporary　excitement　had　caused　me。

I　fell　ill　at　Valladolid　with　a　violent　fever　a　few　days　before　his
Majesty's　departure。　　On　the　day　appointed　for　leaving；　my　illness　was　at
its　height；　aid　as　the　Emperor　feared　that　the　journey　might　increase；　or
at　any　rate　prolong；　my　illness；　he　forbade　my　going；　and　set　out　without
me；　recommending　to　the　persons　whom　he　left　at　Valladolid　to　take　care
of　my　health。　　When　I　had　gotten　somewhat　better　I　was　told　that　his
Majesty　had　left；　whereupon　I　could　no　longer　be　controlled；　and　against
my　physician's　orders；　and　in　spite　of　my　feebleness；　in　spite　of
everything；　in　fact；　had　myself　placed　in　a　carriage　and　set　out。　　This
was　wise；　for　hardly　had　I　put　Valladolid　two　leagues　behind　me；　than　I
felt　better；　and　the　fever　left　me。　　I　arrived　at　Paris　five　or　six　days
after　the　Emperor；　just　after　his　Majesty　had　appointed　the　Count
Montesquiou　grand　chamberlain　in　place　of　Prince　Talleyrand；　whom　I　met
that　very　day；　and　who　seemed　in　no　wise　affected　by　this　disgrace；
perhaps　he　was　consoled　by　the　dignity　of　vice…grand　elector　which　was
bestowed　on　him　in　exchange。




CHAPTER　XIV。

The　Emperor　arrived　at　Paris　on　the　23d　of　January；　and　passed　the
remainder　of　the　winter　there；　with　the　exception　of　a　few　days　spent　at
Rambouillet　and　Saint…Cloud。

On　the　very　day　of　his　arrival　in　Paris；　although　he　must　have　been　much
fatigued　by　an　almost　uninterrupted　ride　from　Valladolid；　the　Emperor
visited　the　buildings　of　the　Louvre　and　the　rue　de　Rivoli。

His　mind　was　full　of　what　he　had　seen　at　Madrid；　and　repeated　suggestions
to　M。　Fontaine　and　the　other　architects　showed　plainly　his　desire　to　make
the　Louvre　the　finest　palace　in　the　world。　　His　Majesty　then　had　a　report
made　him　as　to　the　chateau　of　Chambord；　which　he　wished　to　present　to　the
Prince　of　Neuchatel。　　M。　Fontaine　found　that　repairs　sufficient　to　make
this　place　a　comfortable　residence　would　amount　to　1；700；000　francs；　as
the　buildings　were　in　a　state　of　decay；　and　it　had　hardly　been　touched
since　the　death　of　Marshal　Sage。

His　Majesty　passed　the　two　months　and　a　half　of　his　stay　working　in　his
cabinet；　which　he　rarely　left；　and　always　unwillingly；　his　amusements
being；　as　always；　the　theater　and　concerts。　　He　loved　music　passionately；
especially　Italian　music；　and　like　all　great　amateurs　was　hard　to　please。
He　would　have　much　liked　to　sing　had　he　been　able；　but　he　had　no　voice；
though　this　did　not　prevent　his　humming　now　and　then　pieces　which　struck
his　fancy；　and　as　these　little　reminiscences　usually　recurred　to　him　in
the　mornings；　he　regaled　me　with　them　while　he　was　being　dressed。　　The
air　that　I　have　heard　him　thus　mutilate　most　frequently　was　that　of　The
Marseillaise。　　The　Emperor　also　whistled　sometimes；　but　very　rarely；　and
the　air；　'Malbrook　s'en　va…t…en　guerre'；　whistled　by　his　Majesty　was　an
unerring　announcement　to　me　of　his　approaching　departure　for　the　army。
I　remember　that　he　never　whistled　so　much；　and　was　never　so　gay；　as　just
before　he　set　out　for　the