napoleon bonaparte, v4-第5部分

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to　the　corps　commanded　by　General　Junot。　　Not　being　able　to　decide　on　the
sacrifice　of　his　oily　tresses　or　his　queue；　the　old　soldier　swore　he
would　submit　to　it　only　in　case　his　general　would　himself　cut　off　the
first　lock；　and　all　the　officers　interested　in　this　affair　having
succeeded　in　getting　no　other　reply；　at　last　reported　him　to　the　general。
〃That　can　be　managed；　bring　the　idiot　to　me！〃　replied　he。　　The　grenadier
was　called；　and　General　Junot　himself　applied　the　scissors　to　an　oiled
and　powdered　lock；　after　which　he　gave　twenty　francs　to　the　grumbler；　who
went　away　satisfied　to　let　the　barber　of　the　regiment　finish　the
operation。

The　Emperor　having　been　informed　of　this　adventure；　laughed　most
heartily；　and　praised　Junot；　complimenting　him　on　his　condescension。

I　could　cite　a　thousand　similar　instances　of　the　kindness　of　heart　joined
to　military　brusqueness　which　characterized　General　Junot；　and　could　also
cite　those　of　another　kind；　which　would　do　less　honor　to　his　name。　　The
slight　control　he　had　over　himself　often　threw　him　into　transports　of
rage；　the　most　ordinary　effect　of　which　was　forgetfulness　of　his　rank　and
the　dignity　of　demeanor　which　it　demanded　of　him。　　Every　one　has　heard
the　adventure　of　the　gambling…house；　when　he　tore　up　the　cards；　upset　the
furniture；　and　beat　both　bankers　and　croupiers；　to　indemnify　himself　for
the　loss　of　his　money；　and　the　worst　of　it　was；　he　was　at　that　very　time
Governor　of　Paris。　　The　Emperor；　informed　of　this　scandal；　sent　for　him；
and　demanded　of　him　（he　was　still　very　angry）；　if　he　had　sworn　to　live
and　die　mad。　　This　might　have　been；　from　the　sequel；　taken　as　a
prediction；　for　the　unfortunate　general　died　at　last　in　a　fit　of　mental
aberration。　　He　replied　in　such　improper　terms　to　the　reprimands　of　the
Emperor　that　he　was　sent；　perhaps　in　order　that　he　might　have　time　to
calm　himself；　to　the　army　of　England。　　It　was　not　only　in　gaming…houses；
however；　that　the　governor　thus　compromised　his　dignity；　for　I　have　heard
other　stories　about　him　of　a　still　more　shocking　character；　which　I　will
not　allow　myself　to　repeat。　　The　truth　is；　General　Junot　prided　himself
much　less　on　respecting　the　proprieties　than　on　being　one　of　the　best
pistol…shots　in　the　army。　　While　riding　in　the　country；　he　would　often
put　his　horse　into　a　gallop；　and　with　a　pistol　in　each　hand；　never　fail
to　cut　off；　in　passing；　the　heads　of　the　ducks　or　chickens　which　he　took
as　his　target。　　He　could　cut　off　a　small　twig　from　a　tree　at　twenty…five
paces；　and　I　have　even　heard　it　said　（I　am　far　from　guaranteeing　the
truth　of　this）　that　on　one　occasion；　with　the　consent　of　the　party　whose
imprudence　thus　put　his　life　in　peril；　he　cut　half　in　two　the　stem　of　a
clay　pipe；　hardly　three　inches　long；　which　a　soldier　held　between　his
teeth。

In　the　first　journey　which　Madame　Bonaparte　made　into　Italy　to　rejoin　her
husband；　she　remained　some　time　at　Milan。　　She　had　at　that　time　in　her
service　a　'femme　de　chambre'　named　Louise；　a　large　and　very　beautiful
woman；　and　who　showed　favors；　well　remunerated　however；　to　the　brave
Junot。　　As　soon　as　her　duties　were　ended；　Louise；　far　more　gorgeously
attired　than　Madame　Bonaparte；　entered　an　elegant　carriage；　and　rode
through　the　city　and　the　principal　promenades；　often　eclipsing　the　wife
of　the　General…in…chief。　　On　his　return　to　Paris；　the　latter　obliged　his
wife　to　dismiss　the　beautiful　Louise；　who；　abandoned　by　her　inconstant
lover；　fell　into　great　destitution；　and　I　often　saw　her　afterwards　at　the
residence　of　Josephine　begging　aid；　which　was　always　most　kindly　granted。
This　young　woman；　who　had　dared　to　rival　Madame　Bonaparte　in　elegance；
ended　by　marrying；　I　think；　an　English　jockey；　led　a　most　unhappy　life；
and　died　in　a　miserable　condition。

The　First　Consul　of　the　French　Republic；　now　become　Emperor　of　the
French；　could　no　longer　be　satisfied　with　the　title　of　President　of
Italy。　　Therefore；　when　new　deputies　of　the　Cisalpine　Republic　passed
over　the　mountains；　and　gathered　at　Paris　for　consultation；　they
conferred　on　his　Majesty　the　title　of　King　of　Italy；　which　he　accepted；
and　a　few　days　after　his　acceptance　he　set　out　for　Milan；　where　he　was　to
be　crowned。

I　returned　with　the　greatest　pleasure　to　that　beautiful　country；　of
which；　notwithstanding　the　fatigues　and　dangers　of　war；　I　retained　the
most　delightful　recollections。　　How　different　the　circumstances　now！　　As
a　sovereign　the　Emperor　was　now　about　to　cross　the　Alps；　Piedmont；　and
Lombardy；　each　gorge；　each　stream；　each　defile　of　which　we　had　been
obliged　in　a　former　visit　to　carry　by　force　of　arms。　　In　1800　the　escort
of　the　First　Consul　was　a　warlike　army；　in　1805　it　was　a　peaceful
procession　of　chamberlains；　pages；　maids　of　honor；　and　officers　of　the
palace。

Before　his　departure　the　Emperor　held　in　his　arms　at　the　baptismal　font；
in　company　with　Madame　his　mother；　Prince　Napoleon　Louis；　second　son　of
his　brother　Prince　Louis。＇The　third　son　lived　to　become　Napoleon　III。＇…
The　three　sons　of　Queen　Hortense　had；　if　I　am　not　much　mistaken；　the
Emperor　as　godfather；　but　he　loved　most　tenderly　the　eldest　of　the　three；
Prince　Napoleon　Charles；　who　died　at　the　age　of　five　years；　Prince　Royal
of　Holland。　　I　shall　speak　afterwards　of　this　lovely　child；　whose　death
threw　his　father　and　mother　into　the　most　overwhelming　grief；　was　the
cause　of　great　sorrow　to　the　Emperor；　and　may　be　considered　as　the　source
of　the　gravest　events。

After　the　baptismal　fetes　we　set　out　for　Italy；　accompanied　by　the
Empress　Josephine。　　Whenever　it　was　convenient　the　Emperor　liked　to　take
her　with　him；　but　she　always　desired　to　accompany　her　husband；　whether　or
not　this　was　the　case。

The　Emperor　usually　kept　his　journey　a　profound　secret　up　to　the　moment
of　his　departure；　and　ordered　at　midnight　horses　for　his　departure　to
Mayence　or　Milan；　exactly　as　if　a　hunt　at　Saint…Cloud　or　Rambouillet　was
in　question。

On　one　of　his　journeys　（I　do　not　remember　which）；　his　Majesty　had　decided
not　to　take　the　Empress　Josephine。　　The　Emperor　was　less　disturbed　by
this　company　of　ladies　and　women　who　formed　her　Majesty's　suite；　than　he
was　by　the　annoyance　of　the　bandboxes　and　bundles　with　which　they　were
usually　encumbered；　and　wished　on　this　occasion　to　travel　rapidly；　and
without　ostentation；　and　spare　the　towns　on　his　route　an　enormous
increase　of　expense。

He　therefore　ordered　everything　to　be　in　readiness　for　his　departure；　at
one　o'clock　in　the　morning；　at　which　hour　the　Empress　was　generally
asleep；　but；　in　spite　of　all　precautions；　some　slight　noise　warned　the
Empress　of　what　was　taking　place。　　The　Emperor　had　promised　her　that　she
should　accompany　him　on　his　first　journey；　but　he　had　deceived　her；
nevertheless；　and　was　about　to　set　out　without　her！　　She　instantly　called
her　women；　but　vexed　at　their　slowness；　her　Majesty　sprang　out　of　bed；
threw　on　the　first　clothing　she　found　at　hand；　and　ran　out　of　her　room　in
slippers　and　without　stockings。　　Weeping　like　a　little　child　that　is
being　taken　back　to　boarding…school；　she　crossed　the　apartments；　flew
down　the　staircase；　and　threw　herself　into　the　arms　of　the　Emperor；　as　he
was　entering　his　carriage；　barely　in　time；　however；　for　a　moment　later　he
set　out。　　As　almost　always　happened　at　the　sight　of　his　wife's　tears；　the
Emperor's　heart　was　softened；　and　she；　seeing　this；　had　already　entered
the　carriage；　and　was　cowering　down　in　the　foot；　for　the　Empress　was
scantily　clad。　　The　Emperor　covered　her　with　his　cloak；　and　before
starting　gave　the　order　in　person　that；　with　the　first　relay；　his　wife
should　receive　all　she　needed。

The　Emperor；　leaving　his　wife　at　Fontainebleau；　repaired　to　Brienne；
where　he　arrived　at　six　o'clock　in　the　evening；　and　found　Mesdames　de
Brienne　and　Lomenie；　with　several　ladies　of　the　city；　awaiting　him　at　the
foot　of　the　staircase　to　the　chateau。　　He　entered　the　saloon；　and
received　most　graciously　all　persons　who　were　presented　to　him；　and　then
passed　into　the　garden；　conversing　familiarly　with　Mesdames　Brienne　and
Lomenie；　and　recalling　with　surprising　accuracy　the　smallest　particulars
of　the　stay　which　he　made　during　his　childhood　at　the　military　school　of
Brienne。

His　Majesty　invited　to　his　table　at　dinner　his　hostesses　and　a　few　of
their　friends；　and　afterwards　made　a　party　at　a　game　of　whist　with
Mesdames　de　Brienne；　de　Vandeuvre；　and　de　Nolivres。　　During　this　game；　as
also　at　the　table；　his　conversation　was　animated　and　most　interesting；
and　he　displayed　such　liveliness　and　affability　that　every　one　was
delighted。

His　Majesty　passed　the　night　at　the　chateau　of　Brienne；　and　rose　early　to
visit　the　field　of　la　Rothiere；　one　of　his　favorite　walks　in　former　days。
He　revisited　with　the　greatest　pleasure　those　spots　where　his　early　youth
had　been　passed；　and　pointed　them　out　with　a　kind　of　pride；　all　his
movements；　all　his　reflections；　seeming　to　say；　〃See　whence　I　set　out；
and　where　I　have　arrived。〃

His　Majesty　walked　in　advance　of　the　persons　who　accompanied　him；　and
took　much　pleasure　in　being　first　to　call　by　their　names　the　various
localities　he　passed。　　A　peasant；　seeing　him　thus　some　distance　from　his
suite；　cried　out　to　him　familiarly；　〃Oh；　citizen；　is　the　Emperor　going　to
pass　soon？〃〃Yes；〃　replied　the　Emperor；　〃have　patience。〃

The　Emperor　had　inquired　the　evening　before；　of　Madame　Brienne；　news　of
Mother　Marguerite。　　Thus　was　styled　a　good　woman　who　dwelt　in　a　cottage；
in　the　midst　of　the　forest；　and　on　whom　the；　pupils　of　the　military
academy　were　accustomed　to　make　frequent　visits。　　He　had　not　forgotten
her　name；　and　learning；　with　as　much　joy　as　surprise；　that　she　still
lived；　the　Emperor；　extended　his　morning　ride；　and　galloping　up　to　the
door　of　the　cottage；　alighted　from　his　horse；　and　entered　the　home　of　the
good　old　peasant。　　Her　sight　was　impaired　by　age；　and　besides；　the
Emperor　had　changed　so　much　since　she　had　seen　him　that　it　would　have
been　difficult　even　for　the　best　eyes　to　recognize　him。　　〃Good…day；
Mother　Marguerite；〃　said　his　Majesty；　saluting　the　old　woman；　〃so　you　are
not　curious　to　see　the　Emperor？〃〃Yes；　indeed；　my　good　sir；　I　am　very
curious　to　see　him；　so　much　so；　that　here　is　a　little　b