napoleon bonaparte, v10-第6节

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　　　　　and　inclosed。

　　　　　I　wish　this　new　palace　to　be　somewhat　handsomer　than　the　Elysee；　and
　　　　　although　that　cost　less　than　eight　millions；　it　is　one　of　the　most
　　　　　beautiful　palaces　of　Paris。

　　　　　That　of　the　King　of　Rome　will　rank　next　to　the　Louvre；　which　is
　　　　　itself　a　magnificent　palace。　　It　will　be；　so　to　speak；　only　a
　　　　　country　seat　for　one　residing　in　Paris；　for　of　course　the　winters
　　　　　would　be　passed　at　the　Louvre　or　the　Tuileries。

　　　　　I　can　with　difficulty　believe　that　Saint…Cloud　cost　sixteen
　　　　　millions。　Before　inspecting　the　plan；　I　wish　it　to　be　carefully
　　　　　examined　and　discussed　by　the　committee　on　buildings；　so　that　I　may
　　　　　have　the　assurance　that　the　sum　of　sixteen　millions　will　not　be
　　　　　exceeded。　　I　do　not　wish　an　ideal　residence；　but　one　constructed　for
　　　　　my　own　enjoyment；　and　not　for　the　pleasure　of　the　architect　alone。
　　　　　Finishing　the　Louvre　will　suffice　for　his　glory；　and　when　the　plan
　　　　　is　once　adopted；　I　will　see　that　it　is　executed。

　　　　　The　Elysee　does　not　suit　me；　and　the　Tuileries　is　barely
　　　　　inhabitable。　　Nothing　will　please　me　unless　it　is　perfectly　simple；
　　　　　and　constructed　according　to　my　tastes　and　manner　of　living；　for
　　　　　then　the　palace　will　be　useful　to　me。　　I　wish　it　constructed　in　such
　　　　　a　manner　that　it　may　be　a　complete　'Sans　Souci'；　＇Frederick　the
　　　　　Great's　palace　in　the　country　near　Berlin。＇　and　I　especially
　　　　　desire　that　it　may　be　an　agreeable　palace　rather　than　a　handsome
　　　　　garden；two　conditions　which　are　incompatible。　　Let　there　be
　　　　　something　between　a　court　and　a　garden；　like　the　Tuileries；　that
　　　　　from　my　apartments　I　may　promenade　in　the　garden　and　the　park；　as　at
　　　　　Saint…Cloud；　though　Saint…Cloud　has　the　inconvenience　of　having　no
　　　　　park　for　the　household。

　　　　　It　is　necessary　also　to　study　the　location；　so　that　my　apartments
　　　　　may　face　north　and　south；　in　order　that　I　may　change　my　residence
　　　　　according　to　the　season。

　　　　　I　wish　the　apartments　I　occupy　to　be　as　handsomely　furnished　as　my
　　　　　small　apartments　at　Fontainebleau。

　　　　　I　wish　my　apartments　to　be　very　near　those　of　the　Empress；　and　on
　　　　　the　same　floor。

　　　　　Finally；　I　wish　a　palace　that　would　be　comfortable　for　a
　　　　　convalescent；　or　for　a　man　as　age　approaches。　　I　wish　a　small
　　　　　theater；　a　small　chapel；　etc。；　and　above　all　great　care　should　be
　　　　　taken　that　there　be　no　stagnant　water　around　the　palace。〃


The　Emperor　carried　his　passion　for　building　to　excess；　and　seemed　more
active；　more　eager　in　the　execution　of　his　plans；　and　more　tenacious　of
his　ideas；　than　any　architect　I　have　ever　known。　　Nevertheless；　the　idea
of　putting　the　palace　of　the　King　of　Rome　on　the　heights　of　Chaillot　was
not　entirely　his　own；　and　M。　Fontaine　might　well　claim　to　have　originated
it。

It　was　mentioned　the　first　time　while　discussing　the　palace　of　Lyons；
which　in　order　to　present　a　handsome　appearance　M。　Fontaine　remarked
should　be　situated　on　an　elevation　overlooking　the　city；　as；　for　example；
the　heights　of　Chaillot　overlooked　Paris。　　The　Emperor　did　not　appear　to
notice　M。　Fontaine's　remark；　and　had　two　or　three　days　previously　given
orders　that　the　chateau　of　Meudon　should　be　put　in　a　condition　to　receive
his　son；　when　one　morning　he　summoned　the　architect；　and　ordered　him　to
present　a　plan　for　embellishing　the　Bois　de　Boulogne；　by　adding　a　country
house　on　the　summit　of　Chaillot。　　〃What　do　you　think　of　it？〃　added　he；
smiling；　〃does　the　site　appear　well　chosen？〃

One　morning　in　the　month　of　March；　the　Emperor　brought　his　son　to　a
review　on　the　Champ…de…Mars；　he　was　received　with　indescribable
enthusiasm；　the　sincerity　of　which　was　undoubted；　and　it　could　easily　be
seen　that　these　acclamations　came　from　the　heart。

The　Emperor　was　deeply　moved　by　this　reception；　and　returned　to　the
Tuileries　in　a　most　charming　frame　of　mind；　caressed　the　King　of　Rome；
covered　him　with　kisses；　and　dilated　to　M。　Fontaine　and　myself　on　the
precocious　intelligence　displayed　by　this　beloved　child。　　〃He　was　not　at
all　frightened；　he　seemed　to　know　that　all　those　brave　men　were　my
friends。〃　　On　that　day　he　held　a　long　conversation　with　M。　Fontaine；
while　amusing　himself　with　his　son；　whom　he　held　in　his　arms；　and　when
the　conversation　turned　on　Rome　and　its　monuments；　M。　Fontaine　spoke　of
the　Pantheon　with　the　most　profound　admiration。　　The　Emperor　asked　if　he
had　ever　lived　at　Rome；　and　M。　Fontaine　having　replied　that　he　remained
there　three　years　on　his　first　visit；　his　Majesty　remarked；　〃It　is　a　city
I　have　not　seen；　I　shall　certainly　go　there　some　day。　　It　is　the　city
whose　people　formerly　were　the　sovereigns　of　the　world。〃　　And　his　eyes
were　fixed　on　the　King　of　Rome　with　paternal　pride。

When　M。　Fontaine　had　left；　the　Emperor　made　me　a　sign　to　approach；　and
began　by　pulling　my　ears；　according　to　custom　when　in　good　humor。　　After
a　few　personal　questions；　he　asked　me　what　was　my　salary。　　〃Sire；　six
thousand　francs。〃〃And　Monsieur　Colin；　how　much　has　he？〃〃Twelve
thousand　francs。〃〃Twelve　thousand　francs！　that　is　not　right；　you　should
not　have　less　than　M。　Colin。　　I　will　attend　to　that。〃　　And　his　Majesty
was　kind　enough　to　make　immediate　inquiries；　but　was　told　that　the
accounts　for　the　year　were　made　out；　whereupon　the　Emperor　informed　me
that　till　the　end　of　the　year；　M。　le　Baron　Fain

　　　　　＇Born　in　Paris；　1778；　attended　Napoleon　in　his　campaigns　as
　　　　　Secretary　of　the　Records；　wrote　memoirs　of　the　last　three　years　of
　　　　　Napoleon's　reign；　died　1837。＇

would　give　me　each　month　out　of　his　privy　purse　five　hundred　francs；　as
he　wished　that　my　salary　should　equal　that　of　M。　Colin。




CHAPTER　XI。

After　the　Emperor　left　the　army　and　committed；　as　we　have　seen；　the
command　to　the　King　of　Naples；　his　Sicilian　Majesty　also　abandoned　the
command　intrusted　to　him；　and　set　out　for　his　states；　leaving　Prince
Eugene　at　the　head　of　the　forces。　　The　Emperor　was　deeply　interested　in
the　news　he　received　from　Posen；　where　the　general　headquarters　were　in
the　latter　part　of　February　and　beginning　of　March；　and　where　the　prince
vice…king　had　under　his　orders　only　the　remains　of　different　corps；　some
of　which　were　represented　by　a　very　small　number　of　men。

Moreover；　each　time　that　the　Russians　appeared　in　force；　there　was
nothing　to　be　done　but　to　fall　back；　and　each　day　during　the　month　of
March　the　news　became　more　and　more　depressing。　　The　Emperor　consequently
decided　at　the　end　of　March　to　set　out　at　an　early　day　for　the　army。

For　some　time　previous　the　Emperor；　much　impressed　by　Malet's　conspiracy
during　his　last　absence；　had　expressed　the　opinion　that　it　was　dangerous
to　leave　his　government　without　a　head；　and　the　journals　had　been　filled
with　information　relative　to　the　ceremonies　required　when　the　regency　of
the　kingdom　had　been　left　in　the　hands　of　queens　in　times　past。　　As　the
public　well　knew　the　means　frequently　adopted　by　his　Majesty　to　foster　in
advance　opinions　favorable　to　any　course　of　conduct　he　intended　to
pursue；　no　one　was　surprised　to　see　him　before　leaving　confide　the
regency　to　the　Empress　Marie　Louise；　circumstances　not　having　yet
furnished　him　the　opportunity　of　having　her　crowned；　as　he　had　long
desired。　　The　Empress　took　the　solemn　oath　at　the　palace　of　the　Elysee；
in　presence　of　the　princes；　great　dignitaries；　and　ministers。　　The　Duke
of　Cadore　was　made　secretary　of　the　regency；　as　counselor　to　her　Majesty
the　Empress；　together　with　the　arch…chancellor；　and　the　command　of　the
guard　was　confided　to　General　Caffarelli。

The　Emperor　left　Saint…Cloud　on　the　15th　of　April；　at　four　o'clock　in　the
morning；　and　at　midnight　of　the　16th　entered　Mayence。　　On　his　arrival　his
Majesty　learned　that　Erfurt　and　the　whole　of　Westphalia　were　in　a　state
of　the　deepest　alarm。　　This　news　added　incredible　speed　to　his　march；　and
in　eight　hours　he　was　at　Erfurt。　　His　Majesty　remained　but　a　short　while
in　that　town；　as　the　information　that　he　there　received　set　his　mind　at
rest　as　to　the　result　of　the　campaign。　　On　leaving　Erfurt　the　Emperor
wished　to　pass　through　Weimar　in　order　to　salute　the　grand　duchess；　and
made　his　visit　on　the　same　day　and　at　the　same　hour　that　the　Emperor
Alexander　went　from　Dresden　to　Toeplitz　in　order　to　visit　another　Duchess
of　Weimar　（the　hereditary　princess；　her　sister）。

The　grand　duchess　received　the　Emperor　with　a　grace　which　enchanted　him；
and　their　conversation　lasted　nearly　half　an　hour。　　On　leaving；　his
Majesty　said　to　the　Prince　de　Neuchatel；　〃That　is　an　astonishing　woman；
she　has　the　intellect　of　a　great　man。〃　　The　Duke　accompanied　the　Emperor
as　far　as　the　borough　of　Eckhartsberg；　where　his　Majesty　detained　him　to
dine。

NOTE　BY　CONSTANT。His　Majesty's　household；　reorganized　in　part　for　this
campaign　of　1813；　was　composed　of　the　following　persons：

Grand　marshal　of　the　palace；　the　Duke　of　Frioul。

Grand　equerry；　the　Duke　of　Vicenza。

Aides…de…camp：　Generals　Mouton；　Count　de　Lobau；　Lebrun；　Duke　de
Plaisance；　Generals　Drouot；　Flahaut；　Dejean；　Corbineau；　Bernard；
Durosnel；　and　Aogendorp。

First　ordinance　officer；　Colonel　Gourgaud。

Ordinance　officers：　Baron　de　Mortemart；　Baron　At