napoleon bonaparte, v7-第5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！


means　of　cords；　pulleys；　and　weights；　like　those　at　the　theater。

The　beautiful　grove　which　serves　as　park　and　garden　to　the　palace　of
Schoenbrunn　is　much　too　small　to　belong　to　an　imperial　residence；　but；
on　the　other　hand；　it　would　be　hard　to　find　one　more　beautiful　or　better
arranged。　　The　park　of　Versailles　is　grander　and　more　imposing；　but　it
has　not　the　picturesque　irregularity；　the　fantastic　and　unexpected
beauties；　of　the　park　of　Schoenbrunn；　and　more　closely　resembles　the　park
at　Malmaison。　　In　front　of　the　interior　facade　of　the　palace　was　a
magnificent　lawn；　sloping　down　to　a　broad　lake；　decorated　with　a　group　of
statuary　representing　the　triumph　of　Neptune。　　This　group　is　very　fine；
but　French　amateurs　（every　Frenchman；　as　you　are　aware；　desires　to　be
considered　a　connoisseur）　insisted　that　the　women　were　more　Austrian　than
Grecian；　and　that　they　did　not　possess　the　slender　grace　belonging　to
antique　forms；　and；　for　my　part；　I　must　confess　that　these　statues　did
not　appear　to　me　very　remarkable。

At　the　end　of　the　grand　avenue；　and　bounding　the　horizon；　rose　a　hill；
which　overlooked　the　park；　and　was　crowned　by　a　handsome　building；　which
bore　the　name　of　la　Gloriette。　　This　building　was　a　circular　gallery；
inclosed　with　glass；　supported　by　a　charming　colonnade；　between　the
arches　of　which　hung　various　trophies。　　On　entering　the　avenue　from　the
direction　of　Vienna；　la　Gloriette　rose　at　the　farther　end；　seeming　almost
to　form　a　part　of　the　palace；　and　the　effect　was　very　fine。

What　the　Austrians　especially　admired　in　the　palace　of　Schoenbrunn　was　a
grove；　containing　what　they　called　the　Ruins；　and　a　lake　with　a　fountain
springing　from　the　midst；　and　several　small　cascades　flowing　from　it；　by
this　lake　were　the　ruins　of　an　aqueduct　and　a　temple；　fallen　vases；
tombs；　broken　bas…reliefs；　statues　without　heads；　arms；　or　limbs；　while
limbs；　arms；　and　heads　lay　thickly　scattered　around；　columns　mutilated
and　half…buried；　others　standing　and　supporting　the　remains　of　pediments
and　entablatures；　all　combining　to　form　a　scene　of　beautiful　disorder；
and　representing　a　genuine　ancient　ruin　when　viewed　from　a　short
distance。　　Viewed　more　closely；　it　is　quite　another　thing：　the　hand　of
the　modern　sculptor　is　seen；　it　is　evident　that　all　these　fragments　are
made　from　the　same　kind　of　stone；　and　the　weeds　which　grow　in　the　hollows
of　these　columns　appear　what　they　really　are；　that　is　to　say；　made　of
stone；　and　painted　to　imitate　verdure。

But　if　the　productions　of　art　scattered　through　the　park　of　Schoenbrunn
were　not　all　irreproachable；　those　of　nature　fully　made　up　the
deficiency。　　What　magnificent　trees！　　What　thick　hedges！　　What　dense　and
refreshing　shade！　　The　avenues　were　remarkably　high　and　broad；　and
bordered　with　trees；　which　formed　a　vault　impenetrable　to　the　sun；　while
the　eye　lost　itself　in　their　many　windings；　from　these　other　smaller
walks　diverged；　where　fresh　surprises　were　in　store　at　every　step。　　At
the　end　of　the　broadest　of　these　was　placed　the　menagerie；　which　was　one
of　the　most　extensive　and　varied　in　Europe；　and　its　construction；　which
was　very　ingenious；　might　well　serve　as　a　model；　it　was　shaped　like　a
star；　and　in　the　round　center　of　this　star　had　been　erected　a　small　but
very　elegant　kiosk；　placed　there　by　the　Empress　Maria　Theresa　as　a
resting…place　for　herself；　and　from　which　the　whole　menagerie　could　be
viewed　at　leisure。

Each　point　of　this　star　formed　a　separate　garden；　where　there　could　be
seen　elephants；　buffaloes；　camels；　dromedaries；　stags；　and　kangaroos
grazing；　handsome　and　substantial　cages　held　tigers；　bears；　leopards；
lions；　hyenas；　etc；　and　swans　and　rare　aquatic　birds　and　amphibious
animals　sported　in　basins　surrounded　by　iron　gratings。　　In　this　menagerie
I　specially　remarked　a　very　extraordinary　animal；　which　his　Majesty　had
ordered　brought　to　France；　but　which　had　died　the　day　before　it　was　to
have　started。　　This　animal　was　from　Poland；　and　was　called　a　'curus'；　it
was　a　kind　of　ox；　though　much　larger　than　an　ordinary　ox；　with　a　mane
like　a　lion；　horns　rather　short　and　somewhat　curved；　and　enormously　large
at　the　base。

Every　morning；　at　six　o'clock；　the　drums　beat；　and　two　or　three　hours
after　the　troops　were　ordered　to　parade　in　the　court　of　honor；　and　at
precisely　ten　o'clock　his　Majesty　descended；　and　put　himself　at　the　head
of　his　generals。

It　is　impossible　to　give　an　idea　of　these　parades；　which　in　no　particular
resembled　reviews　in　Paris。　　The　Emperor；　during　these　reviews；
investigated　the　smallest　details；　and　examined　the　soldiers　one　by　one；
so　to　speak；　looked　into　the　eyes　of　each　to　see　whether　there　was
pleasure　or　work　in　his　head；　questioned　the　officers；　sometimes　also　the
soldiers　themselves；　and　it　was　usually　on　these　occasions　that　the
Emperor　made　his　promotions。　　During　one　of　these　reviews；　if　he　asked　a
colonel　who　was　the　bravest　officer　in　his　regiment；　there　was　no
hesitation　in　his　answer；　and　it　was　always　prompt；　for　he　knew　that　the
Emperor　was　already　well　informed　on　this　point。　　After　the　colonel　had
replied；　he　addressed　himself　to　all　the　other　officers；　saying；　〃Who　is
the　bravest　among　you？〃〃Sire；　it　is　such　an　one；　〃and　the　two　answers
were　almost　always　the　same。　　〃Then；〃　said　the　Emperor；　〃I　make　him　a
baron；　and　I　reward　in　him；　not　only　his　own　personal　bravery；　but　that
of　the　corps　of　which　he　forms　a　part。　　He　does　not　owe　this　favor　to　me
alone；　but　also　to　the　esteem　of　his　comrades。〃　　It　was　the　same　case
with　the　soldiers；　and　those　most　distinguished　for　courage　or　good
conduct　were　promoted　or　received　rewards；　and　sometimes　pensions；　the
Emperor　giving　one　of　twelve　hundred　francs　to　a　soldier；　who；　on　his
first　campaign；　had　passed　through　the　enemy's　squadron；　bearing　on　his
shoulders　his　wounded　general；　protecting　him　as　he　would　his　own　father。

On　these　reviews　the　Emperor　could　be　seen　personally　inspecting　the
haversacks　of　the　soldiers；　examining　their　certificates；　or　taking　a　gun
from　the　shoulders　of　a　young　man　who　was　weak；　pale；　and　suffering；　and
saying　to　him；　in　a　sympathetic　tone；　〃That　is　too　heavy　for　you。〃　　He
often　drilled　them　himself；　and　when　he　did　not；　the　drilling　was
directed　by　Generals　Dorsenne；　Curial；　or　Mouton。　　Sometimes　he　was
seized　with　a　sudden　whim；　for　example；　one　morning；　after　reviewing　a
regiment　of　the　Confederation；　he　turned　to　the　ordnance　officers；　and
addressing　Prince　Salm；　who　was　among　them；　remarked　〃M。　de　Salm；　the
soldiers　ought　to　get　acquainted　with　you；　approach；　and　order　them　to
make　a　charge　in　twelve　movements。〃　　The　young　prince　turned　crimson；
without　being　disconcerted；　however；　bowed；　and　drawing　his　sword　most
gracefully；　executed　the　orders　of　the　Emperor　with　an　ease　and　precision
which　charmed　him。

Another　day；　as　the　engineer　corps　passed　with　about　forty　wagons；　the
Emperor　cried；　〃Halt！〃　and　pointing　out　a　wagon　to　General　Bertrand；
ordered　him　to　summon　one　of　the　officers。　　〃What　does　that　wagon
contain？〃〃Sire；　bolts；　bags　of　nails；　ropes；　hatchets；　and　saws。〃
〃How　much　of　each？〃　　The　officer　gave　the　exact　account。　　His　Majesty；　to
verify　this　report；　had　the　wagon　emptied；　counted　the　pieces；　and　found
the　number　correct；　and　in　order　to　assure　himself　that　nothing　was　left
in　the　wagon；　climbed　up　into　it　by　means　of　the　wheel；　holding　on　to　the
spokes。　　There　was　a　murmur　of　approbation　and　cries　of　joy　all　along　the
line。　　〃Bravo！〃　they　said；　〃well　and　good！　　that　is　the　way　to　make　sure
of　not　being　deceived。〃　　All　these　things　conspired　to　make　the　soldiers
adore　the　Emperor。




CHAPTER　XVI。

At　one　of　the　reviews　which　I　have　just　described；　and　which　usually
attracted　a　crowd　of　curious　people　from　Vienna　and　its　suburbs；　the
Emperor　came　near　being　assassinated。　　It　was　on　the　13th　of　October；
his　Majesty　had　just　alighted　from　his　horse；　and　was　crossing　the　court
on　foot　with　the　Prince　de　Neuchatel　and　General　Rapp　beside　him；　when　a
young　man　with　a　passably　good　countenance　pushed　his　way　rudely　through
the　crowd；　and　asked　in　bad　French　if　he　could　speak　to　the　Emperor。　　His
Majesty　received　him　kindly；　but　not　understanding　his　language；　asked
General　Rapp　to　see　what　the　young　man　wanted；　and　the　general　asked　him
a　few　questions；　and　not　satisfied　apparently　with　his　answers；　ordered
the　police…officer　on　duty　to　remove　him。　　A　sub…officer　conducted　the
young　man　out　of　the　circle　formed　by　the　staff；　and　drove　him　back　into
the　crowd。　　This　circumstance　had　been　forgotten；　when　suddenly　the
Emperor；　on　turning；　found　again　near　him　the　pretended　suppliant；　who
had　returned　holding　his　right　hand　in　his　breast；　as　if　to　draw　a
petition　from　the　pocket　of　his　coat。　　General　Rapp　seized　the　man　by　the
arm；　and　said　to　him；　〃Monsieur；　you　have　already　been　ordered　away；　what
do　you　want？〃　　As　he　was　about　to　retire　a　second　time　the　general；
thinking　his　appearance　suspicious；　gave　orders　to　the　police…officer　to
arrest　him；　and　he　accordingly　made　a　sign　to　his　subalterns。　　One　of
them　seizing　him　by　the　collar　shook　him　slightly；　when　his　coat　became
partly　unbuttoned；　and　something　fell　out　resemblin