napoleon bonaparte, v7-第8节

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embraced　him；　weeping；　and　in　silence。

The　day　of　the　marshal's　death　his　body　was　given　to　M。　Larrey　and　M。
Cadet　de　Gassicourt；　　ordinary　chemist　to　the　Emperor；　with　orders　to
preserve　it；　as　that　of　Colonel　Morland　had　been；　who　was　killed　at　the
battle　of　Austerlitz。　　For　this　purpose　the　corpse　was　carried　to
Schoenbrunn；　and　placed　in　the　left　wing　of　the　chateau；　far　from　the
inhabited　rooms。　　In　a　few　hours　putrefaction　became　complete；　and　they
were　obliged　to　plunge　the　mutilated　body　into　a　bath　filled　with
corrosive　sublimate。　　This　extremely　dangerous　operation　was　long　and
painful；　and　M。　Cadet　de　Gassicourt　deserves　much　commendation　for　the
courage　he　displayed　under　these　circumstances；　for　notwithstanding　every
precaution；　and　in　spite　of　the　strong　disinfectants　burned　in　the　room；
the　odor　of　this　corpse　was　so　fetid；　and　the　vapor　from　the　sublimate　so
strong；　that　the　distinguished　chemist　was　seriously　indisposed。

Like　several　other　persons；　I　had　a　sad　curiosity　to　see　the　marshal's
body　in　this　condition。　　It　was　frightful。　　The　trunk；　which　had　been
covered　by　the　solution；　was　greatly　swollen；　while　on　the　contrary；　the
head；　which　had　been　left　outside　the　bath；　had　shrunk　remarkably；　and
the　muscles　of　the　face　had　contracted　in　the　most　hideous　manner；　the
wide…open　eyes　starting　out　of　their　sockets。　　After　the　body　had
remained　eight　days　in　the　corrosive　sublimate；　which　it　was　necessary　to
renew；　since　the　emanations　from　the　interior　of　the　corpse　had
decomposed　the　solution；　it　was　put　into　a　cask　made　for　the　purpose；　and
filled　with　the　same　liquid；　and　it　was　in　this　cask　that　it　was　carried
from　Schoenbrunn　to　Strasburg。　　In　this　last　place　it　was　taken　out　of
the　strange　coffin；　dried　in　a　net；　and　wrapped　in　the　Egyptian　style；
that　is；　surrounded　with　bandages；　with　the　face　uncovered。　　M。　Larrey
and　M。　de　Gassicourt　confided　this　honorable　task　to　M。　Fortin；　a　young
chemist　major；　who　in　1807　had　by　his　indefatigable　courage　and
perseverance　saved　from　certain　death　nine　hundred　sick；　abandoned；
without　physicians　or　surgeons；　in　a　hospital　near　Dantzic；　and　nearly
all　suffering　from　an　infectious　malady。　　In　the　month　of　March；　1810
（what　follows　is　an　extract　from　the　letter　of　M。　Fortin　to　his　master
and　friend　M。　Cadet　de　Gassicourt）；　the　Duchess　of　Montebello；　in　passing
through　Strasburg；　wished　to　see　again　the　husband　she　loved　so　tenderly。

〃Thanks　to　you　and　M。　Larrey　（it　is　M。　Fortin　who　speaks）；　the　embalming
of　the　marshal　has　succeeded　perfectly。　　When　I　drew　the　body　from　the
cask　I　found　it　in　a　state　of　perfect　preservation。　　I　arranged　a　net　in
a　lower　hall　of　the　mayor's　residence；　in　which　I　dried　it　by　means　of　a
stove；　the　heat　being　carefully　regulated。　　I　then　had　a　very　handsome
coffin　made　of　hard　wood　well　oiled；　and　the　marshal　wrapped　in　bandages；
his　face　uncovered；　was　placed　in　an　open　coffin　near　that　of　General
Saint…Hilaire　in　a　subterranean　vault；　of　which　I　have　the　key。　　A
sentinel　watches　there　day　and　night。　　M。　Wangen　de　Gueroldseck；　mayor　of
Strasburg；　has　given　me　every　assistance　in　my　work。

〃This　was　the　state　of　affairs　when；　an　hour　after　her　Majesty　the
Empress's　arrival；　Madame；　the　Duchess　of　Montebello；　who　accompanied　her
as　lady　of　honor；　sent　M。　Cretu；　her　cousin　at　whose　house　she　was　to
visit；　to　seek　me。　　I　came　in　answer　to　her　orders；　and　the　duchess
questioned　and　complimented　me　on　the　honorable　mission　with　which　I　was
charged；　and　then　expressed　to　me；　with　much　agitation；　her　desire　to　see
for　the　last　time　the　body　of　her　husband。　　I　hesitated　a　few　moments
before　answering　her；　and　foreseeing　the　effect　which　would　be　produced
on　her　by　the　sad　spectacle；　told　her　that　the　orders　which　I　had
received　would　prevent　my　doing　what　she　wished；　but　she　insisted　in　such
a　pressing　manner　that　I　yielded。　　We　agreed　（in　order　not　to　compromise
me；　and　that　she　might　not　be　recognized）　that　I　would…go　for　her　at
midnight；　and　that　she　would　be　accompanied　by　one　of　her　relatives。

〃I　went　to　the　duchess　at　the　appointed　hour；　and　as　soon　as　I　arrived；
she　rose　and　said　that　she　was　ready　to　accompany　me。　　I　waited　a　few
moments；　begging　her　to　consider　the　matter　well。　　I　warned　her　of　the
condition　in　which　she　would　find　the　marshal；　and　begged　her　to　reflect
on　the　impression　she　would　receive　in　the　sad　place　she　was　about　to
visit。　　She　replied　that　she　was　well；　prepared　for　this；　and　felt　that
she　had　the　necessary；　courage；　and　she　hoped　to　find　in　this　last　visit
some　amelioration　of　the　bitter　sorrow　she　endured。　　While　speaking　thus；
her　sad　and　beautiful　countenance　was　calm　and　pensive。　　We　then　started；
M。　Cretu　giving　his　arm　to　his　cousin。　　The　duchess's　carriage　followed
at　a　distance；　empty；　and　two　servants　followed　us。

〃The　city　was　illuminated；　and　the　good　inhabitants　were　all　taking
holiday；　and　in　many　houses　gay　music　was　inspiriting　them　to　the
celebration　of　this　memorable　day。　　What　a　contrast　between　this　gayety
and　the　quest　in　which　we　were　engaged！　　I　saw　that　the　steps　of　the
duchess　dragged　now　and　then；　while　she　sighed　and　shuddered；　and　my　own
heart　seemed　oppressed；　my　ideas　confused。

〃At　last　we　arrived　at　the　mayor's　residence；　where　Madame　de　Montebello
gave　her　servants　orders　to　await　her；　and　descended　slowly；　accompanied
by　her　cousin　and　myself；　to　the　door　of　the　lower　hall。　　A　lantern
lighted　our　way；　and　the　duchess　trembled　while　she　affected　a　sort　of
bravery；　but　when　she　entered　a　sort　of　cavern；　the　silence　of　the　dead
which　reigned　in　this　subterranean　vault；　the　mournful　light　which　filled
it；　the　sight　of　the　corpse　extended　in　its　coffin；　produced　a　terrible
effect　on　her；　she　gave　a　piercing　scream；　and　fainted。　　I　had　foreseen
this；　and　had　watched　her　attentively；　and　as　soon　as　I　saw　her　strength
failing；　supported　her　in　my　arms　and　seated　her；　having　in　readiness
everything　necessary　to　restore　her。　　I　used　these　remedies；　and　she
revived　at　the　end　of　a　few　moments；　and　we　then　begged　her　to　withdraw；
but　she　refused；　then　rose；　approached　the　coffin；　and　walked　around　it
slowly　in　silence；　then　stopping　and　letting　her　folded　hands　fall　by　her
side；　she　remained　for　some　time　immovable；　regarding　the　inanimate
figure　of　her　husband；　and　watering　it　with　her　tears。　　At　last　she　in　a
measure　regained　her　self…control　and　exclaimed　in　stifled　tones　through
her　sobs；　Mon　Dieu；　mon　Dieu！　how　he　is　changed！'　　I　made　a　sign　to　M。
Cretu　that　it　was　time　to　retire；　but　we　could　drag　the　duchess　away　only
by　promising　her　to　bring　her　back　next　day；　a　promise　which　could　not
be　kept。　　I　closed　the　door　quickly；　and　gave　my　arm　to　the　duchess；
which　she　gratefully　accepted。　　When　we　left　the　mayoralty　I　took　leave
of　her；　but　she　insisted　on　my　entering　her　carriage；　and　gave　orders　to
carry　me　to　my　residence。　　In　this　short　ride　she　shed　a　torrent　of
tears；　and　when　the　carriage　stopped；　said　to　me　with　inexpressible
kindness；　'I　shall　never　forget；　Monsieur；　the　important　service　you　have
just　rendered　me。'〃

Long　after　this　the　Emperor　and　Empress　Marie　Louise　visited　together
the　manufacture　of　Sevres　porcelain；　and　the　Duchess　of　Montebello
accompanied　the　Empress　as　lady　of　honor。　　The　Emperor；　seeing　a　fine
bust　of　the　marshal；　in　bisque；　exquisitely　made；　paused；　and；　not
noticing　the　pallor　which　overspread　the　countenance　of　the　duchess；
asked　her　what　she　thought　of　this　bust；　and　if　it　was　a　good　likeness。
The　widow　felt　as　if　her　old　wound　was　reopened；　she　could　not　reply；　and
retired；　bathed　in　tears；　and　it　was　several　days　before　she　reappeared
at　court。　　Apart　from　the　fact　that　this　unexpected　question　renewed　her
grief；　the　inconceivable　thoughtlessness　the　Emperor　had　shown　wounded
her　so　deeply　that；　her　friends　had　much　difficulty　in　persuading　her　to
resume　her　duties　near　the　Empress。




CHAPTER　XIX。

The　battle　of　Essling　was　disastrous　in　every　respect。　　Twelve　thousand
Frenchmen　were　slain；　and　the　source　of　all　this　trouble　was　the
destruction　of　the　bridges；　which　could　have　been　prevented；　it　seems　to
me；　for　the　same　accident　had　occurred　two　or　three　days　before　the
battle。　　The　soldiers　complained　loudly；　and　several　corps　of　the
infantry　cried　out　to　the　generals　to　dismount　and　fight　in　their　midst；
but　this　ill　humor　in　no　wise　affected　their　courage　or　patience；　for
regiments　remained　five　hours　under　arms；　exposed　to　the　most　terrible
fire。　　Three　times　during　the　evening　the　Emperor　sent　to　inquire　of
General　Massena　if　he　could　hold　his　position；　and　the　brave　captain；　who
that　day　saw　his　son　on　the　field　of　battle　for　the　first　time；　and　his
friends　and　his　bravest　officers　falling　by　dozens　around　him；　held　it
till　night　closed　in。　　〃I　will　not　fall　back；〃　said　he；　〃while　there　is
light。　　Those　rascally　Austrians　would　be　too　glad。〃　　The　constancy　of
the　marshal　saved　the　day；　but；　as　he　himself　said；　he　was　always　blessed
with　good　luck。　　In　the　beginning　of　the　battle；　seeing　that　one　of　his
stirrups　was　too　long；　he　called　a　soldier　to　shorten　it；　and　during　this
operation　placed　his　leg　o