the memoirs of marie antoinette-第8节

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　said；〃　replied　Napoleon。　　〃Well；　madame；　let　the　French　be　indebted　to　you　for　bringing　up　mothers　for　their　children。〃〃Napoleon　one　day　interrupted　Madame　de　Stael　in　the　midst　of　a　profound　political　argument　to　ask　her　whether　she　had　nursed　her　children。〃

Never　had　the　establishment　at　St。　Germain　been　in　a　more　flourishing　condition　than　in　1802…3。　　What　more　could　Madame　Campan　wish？　　For　ten　years　absolute　in　her　own　house；　she　seemed　also　safe　from　the　caprice　of　power。　　But　the　man　who　then　disposed　of　the　fate　of　France　and　Europe　was　soon　to　determine　otherwise。

After　the　battle　of　Austerlitz　the　State　undertook　to　bring　up；　at　the　public　expense；　the　sisters；　daughters；　or　nieces　of　those　who　were　decorated　with　the　Cross　of　Honour。　　The　children　of　the　warriors　killed　or　wounded　in　glorious　battle　were　to　find　paternal　care　in　the　ancient　abodes　of　the　Montmorencys　and　the　Condes。　　Accustomed　to　concentrate　around　him　all　superior　talents；　fearless　himself　of　superiority；　Napoleon　sought　for　a　person　qualified　by　experience　and　abilities　to　conduct　the　institution　of　Ecouen；　he　selected　Madame　Campan。

Comte　de　Lacepede；　the　pupil；　friend；　and　rival　of　Buffon；　then　Grand　Chancellor　of　the　Legion　of　Honour；　assisted　her　with　his　enlightened　advice。　　Napoleon；　who　could　descend　with　ease　from　the　highest　political　subjects　to　the　examination　of　the　most　minute　details；　who　was　as　much　at　home　in　inspecting　a　boarding…school　for　young　ladies　as　in　reviewing　the　grenadiers　of　his　guard；　whom　it　was　impossible　to　deceive；　and　who　was　not　unwilling　to　find　fault　when　he　visited　the　establishment　at　Ecouen；was　forced　to　say；　〃It　is　all　right。〃

　　　　　＇Napoleon　wished　to　be　informed　of　every　particular　of　the　　　　　　furniture；　government；　and　order　of　the　house；　the　instruction　and　　　　　　education　of　the　pupils。　　The　internal　regulations　were　submitted　to　　　　　　him。　　One　of　the　intended　rules；　drawn　up　by　Madame　Campan；　proposed　　　　　　that　the　children　should　hear　mass　on　Sundays　and　Thursdays。　　　　　　Napoleon　himself　wrote　on　the　margin；　〃every　day。〃＇

〃In　the　summer　of　1811；〃　relates　Madame　Campan；　〃Napoleon；　accompanied　by　Marie　Louise　and　several　personages　of　distinction；　visited　the　establishment　at　Ecouen。　　After　inspecting　the　chapel　and　the　refectories；　Napoleon　desired　that　the　three　principal　pupils　might　be　presented　to　him。　　'Sire；'　said　I；　'I　cannot　select　three；　I　must　present　six。'　　He　turned　on　his　heel　and　repaired　to　the　platform；　where；　after　seeing　all　the　classes　assembled；　he　repeated　his　demand。　　'Sire；'　said　I；　'I　beg　leave　to　inform　your　Majesty　that　I　should　commit　an　injustice　towards　several　other　pupils　who　are　as　far　advanced　as　those　whom　I　might　have　the　honour　to　present　to　you。'

〃Berthier　and　others　intimated　to　me；　in　a　low　tone　of　voice；　that　I　should　get　into　disgrace　by　my　noncompliance。　　Napoleon　looked　over　the　whole　of　the　house；　entered　into　the　most　trivial　details；　and　after　addressing　questions　to　several　of　the　pupils：　'Well；　madame；'　said　he；　'I　am　satisfied；　show　me　your　six　best　pupils。'〃　　Madame　Campan　presented　them　to　him；　and　as　he　stepped　into　his　carriage；　he　desired　that　their　names　might　be　sent　to　Berthier。　　On　addressing　the　list　to　the　Prince　de　Neufchatel；　Madame　Campan　added　to　it　the　names　of　four　other　pupils；　and　all　the　ten　obtained　a　pension　of　300　francs。　　During　the　three　hours　which　this　visit　occupied；　Marie　Louise　did　not　utter　a　single　word。

M。　de　Beaumont；　chamberlain　to　the　Empress　Josephine；　one　day　at　Malmaison　was　expressing　his　regret　that　M。　D…　；　one　of　Napoleon's　generals；　who　had　recently　been　promoted；　did　not　belong　to　a　great　family。　　〃You　mistake；　monsieur；〃　observed　Madame　Campan；　〃he　is　of　very　ancient　descent；　he　is　one　of　the　nephews　of　Charlemagne。　　All　the　heroes　of　our　army　sprang　from　the　elder　branch　of　that　sovereign's　family；　who　never　emigrated。〃

When　Madame　Campan　related　this　circumstance　she　added：　〃After　the　30th　of　March；　1814；　some　officers　of　the　army　of　Conde　presumed　to　say　to　certain　French　marshals　that　it　was　a　pity　they　were　not　more　nobly　connected。　　In　answer　to　this；　one　of　them　said；　'True　nobility；　gentlemen；　consists　in　giving　proofs　of　it。　　The　field　of　honour　has　witnessed　ours；　but　where　are　we　to　look　for　yours？　　Your　swords　have　rusted　in　their　scabbards。　　Our　laurels　may　well　excite　envy；　we　have　earned　them　nobly；　and　we　owe　them　solely　to　our　valour。　　You　have　merely　inherited　a　name。　　This　is　the　distinction　between　us。〃

　　　　　＇When　one　of　the　princes　of　the　smaller　German　States　was　showing　　　　　　Marechal　Lannes；　with　a　contemptuous　superiority　of　manner　but　ill　　　　　　concealed；　the　portraits　of　his　ancestors；　and　covertly　alluding　to　　　　　　the　absence　of　Lannes's；　that　general　turned　the　tables　on　him　by　　　　　　haughtily　remarking；　〃But　I　am　an　ancestor。〃＇

Napoleon　used　to　observe　that　if　he　had　had　two　such　field…marshals　as　Suchet　in　Spain　he　would　have　not　only　conquered　but　kept　the　Peninsula。　Suchet's　sound　judgment；　his　governing　yet　conciliating　spirit；　his　military　tact；　and　his　bravery；　had　procured　him　astonishing　success。　〃It　is　to　be　regretted；〃　added　he；　〃that　a　sovereign　cannot　improvise　men　of　his　stamp。〃

On　the　19th　of　March；　1815；　a　number　of　papers　were　left　in　the　King's　closet。　　Napoleon　ordered　them　to　be　examined；　and　among　them　was　found　the　letter　written　by　Madame　Campan　to　Louis　XVIII。；　immediately　after　the　first　restoration。　　In　this　letter　she　enumerated　the　contents　of　the　portfolio　which　Louis　XVI。　had　placed　under　her　care。　　When　Napoleon　read　this　letter；　he　said；　〃Let　it　be　sent　to　the　office　of　Foreign　Affairs；　it　is　an　historical　document。〃

Madame　Campan　thus　described　a　visit　from　the　Czar　of　Russia：　〃A　few　days　after　the　battle　of　Paris　the　Emperor　Alexander　came　to　Ecouen；　and　he　did　me　the　honour　to　breakfast　with　me。　　After　showing　him　over　the　establishment　I　conducted　him　to　the　park；　the　most　elevated　point　of　which　overlooked　the　plain　of　St。　Denis。　　'Sire；'　said　I；　'from　this　point　I　saw　the　battle　of　Paris''If；'　replied　the　Emperor；　'that　battle　had　lasted　two　hours　longer　we　should　not　have　had　a　single　cartridge　at　our　disposal。　　We　feared　that　we　had　been　betrayed；　for　on　arriving　so　precipitately　before　Paris　all　our　plans　were　laid；　and　we　did　not　expect　the　firm　resistance　we　experienced。'　　I　next　conducted　the　Emperor　to　the　chapel；　and　showed　him　the　seats　occupied　by　'le　connetable'　（the　constable）　of　Montmorency；　and　'la　connetable'　（the　constable's　lady）；　when　they　went　to　hear　mass。　　'Barbarians　like　us；'　observed　the　Emperor；　'would　say　la　connetable　and　le　connetable。'

〃The　Czar　inquired　into　the　most　minute　particulars　respecting　the　establishment　of　Ecouen；　and　I　felt　great　pleasure　in　answering　his　questions。　　I　recollect　having　dwelt　on　several　points　which　appeared　to　me　to　be　very　important；　and　which　were　in　their　spirit　hostile　to　aristocratic　principles。　　For　example；　I　informed　his　Majesty　that　the　daughters　of　distinguished　and　wealthy　individuals　and　those　of　the　humble　and　obscure　mingled　indiscriminately　in　the　establishment。　　'If；'　said　I；　'I　were　to　observe　the　least　pretension　on　account　of　the　rank　or　fortune　of　parents；　I　should　immediately　put　an　end　to　it。　　The　most　perfect　equality　is　preserved；　distinction　is　awarded　only　to　merit　and　industry。　　The　pupils　are　obliged　to　cut　out　and　make　all　their　own　clothes。　　They　are　taught　to　clean　and　mend　lace；　and　two　at　a　time；　they　by　turns；　three　times　a　week；　cook　and　distribute　food　to　the　poor　of　the　village。　　The　young　girls　who　have　been　brought　up　at　Ecouen；　or　in　my　boarding…school　at　St。　Germain；　are　thoroughly　acquainted　with　everything　relating　to　household　business；　and　they　are　grateful　to　me　for　having　made　that　a　part　of　their　education。　　In　my　conversations　with　them　I　have　always　taught　them　that　on　domestic　management　depends　the　preservation　or　dissipation　of　their　fortunes。'

〃The　post…master　of　Ecouen　was　in　the　courtyard　at　the　moment　when　the　Emperor；　as　he　stepped　into　his　carriage；　told　me　he　would　send　some　sweetmeats　for　the　pupils。　　I　immediately　communicated　to　them　the　intelligence；　which　was　joyfully　received；　but　the　sweetmeats　were　looked　for　in　vain。　　When　Alexander　set　out　for　England　he　changed　horses　at　Ecouen；　and　the　post…master　said　to　him：　'Sire；　the　pupils　of　Ecouen　are　still　expecting　the　sweetmeats　which　your　Majesty　promised　them。'　　To　which　the　Emperor　replied　that　he　had　directed　Saken　to　send　them。　　The　Cossacks　had　most　likely　devoured　the　sweetmeats；　and　the　poor　little　girls；　who　had　been　so　highly　flattered　by　the　promise；　never　tasted　them。〃

A　second　house　was　formed　at　St。　Denis；　on　the　model　of　that　of　Ecouen。　Perhaps　Madame　Campan　might　have　hoped　for　a　title　to　which　her　long　labours　gave　her　a　right；　perhaps　the　superintendence　of　the　two　houses　would　have　been　but　the　fair　recompense　of　her　services；　but　her　fortunate　years　had　passed　her　fate　was　now　to　depend　on　the　most　important　events。　　Napoleon　had　accumulated　such　a　mass　of　power　as　no　one　but　himself　in　Europe　could　overturn。　　France；　content　with　thirty　years　of　victories；　in　vain　asked　for　peace　and　repose。　　The　army　which　had　triumphed