napoleon bonaparte, v4-第6部分

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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　basket　of　fresh
eggs　that　I　am　going　to　carry　to　Madame；　and　I　shall　then　remain　at　the
chateau；　and　endeavor　to　see　the　Emperor。　　But　the　trouble　is；　I　shall
not　be　able　to　see　him　so　well　to…day　as　formerly；　when　he　came　with　his
comrades　to　drink　milk　at　Mother　Marguerite's。　　He　was　not　Emperor　then；
but　that　was　nothing；　he　made　the　others　step　around！　　Indeed；　you　should
have　seen　him！　　The　milk；　the　eggs；　the　brown　bread；　the　broken　dishes
though　he　took　care　to　have　me　paid　for　everything；　and　began　by　paying
his　own　bill。〃〃What！　　Mother　Marguerite；〃　replied　his　Majesty；　smiling；
〃you　have　not　forgotten　Bonaparte！〃〃Forgotten！　　my　good　sir；　you　think
that　any　one　would　forget　such　a　young　man　as　he；　who　was　wise；　serious；
and　sometimes　even　sad；　but　always　good　to　poor　people？　　I　am　only　a　poor
peasant　woman；　but　I　could　have　predicted　that　this　young　man　would　make
his　way。　　He　has　not　done　it　very　badly；　has　he？　　Ah；　no；　indeed！〃

During　this　short　dialogue；　the　Emperor　had　at　first　turned　his　back　to
the　door；　and　consequently　to　the　light；　which　entered　the　cottage　only
by　that　means。　　But；　by　degrees；　the　Emperor　approached　the　good　woman；
and　when　he　was　quite　near　her；　with　the　light　shining　full　on　his　face
from　the　door；　he　began　to　rub　his　hands　and　say；　trying　to　recall　the
tone　and　manner　of　the　days　of　his　early　youth；　when　he　came　to　the
peasant's　house；　〃Come；　Mother　Marguerite；　some　milk　and　fresh　eggs；　we
are　famishing。〃　　The　good　old　woman　seemed　trying　to　revive　her　memories；
and　began　to　observe　the　Emperor　with　the　closest　attention。　　〃Oh；　yes；
Mother；　you　were　so　sure　a　while　ago　of　knowing　Bonaparte　again。　　Are　we
not　old　acquaintances；　we　two？〃　　The　peasant；　while　the　Emperor　was
addressing　these　last　words　to　her；　had　fallen　at　his　feet；　but　he　raised
her　with　the　most　touching　kindness；　and　said　to　her；　〃The　truth　is；
Mother　Marguerite；　I　have　still　a　schoolboy's　appetite。　　Have　you　nothing
to　give　me？〃　　The　good　woman；　almost　beside　herself　with　happiness；
served　his　Majesty　with　eggs　and　milk；　and　when　this　simple　repast　was
ended；　his　Majesty　gave　his　aged　hostess　a　purse　full　of　gold；　saying　to
her；　〃You　know；　Mother　Marguerite；　that　I　believe　in　paying　my　bills。
Adieu；　I　shall　not　forget　you。〃　　And　while　the　Emperor　remounted　his
horse；　the　good　old　woman；　standing　on　the　threshold　of　her　door；
promised　him；　with　tears　of　joy；　to　pray　to　the　good　God　for　him。

One　morning；　when　he　awoke；　his　Majesty　was　speaking　of　the　possibility
of　finding　some　of　his　old　acquaintances；　and　an　anecdote　concerning
General　Junot　was　related　to　him；　which　amused　him　greatly。　　The　General
finding　himself；　on　his　return　from　Egypt；　at　Montbard；　where　he　had
passed　several　years　of　his　childhood；　had　sought　with　the　greatest　care
for　his　companions　in　school　and　mischief；　and　had　found　several；　with
whom　he　had　talked　gayly　and　freely　of　his　early　frolics　and　his
schoolboy　excursions。　　As　they　went　together　to　revisit　the　different
localities；　each　of　which　awakened　in　them　some　memory　of　their　youth；
the　general　saw　an　old　man　majestically　promenading　on　the　public　square
with　a　large　cane　in　his　hand。　　He　immediately　ran　up　to　him；　threw　his
arms　around　him；　and　embraced　him　many　times；　almost　suffocating　him。
The　promenader　disengaged　himself　with　great　difficulty　from　his　warm
embraces；　regarded　General　Junot　with　an　amazed　air；　and　remarked　that　he
was　ignorant　to　what　he　could　attribute　such　excessive　tenderness　from　a
soldier　wearing　the　uniform　of　a　superior　officer；　and　all　the
indications　of　high　rank。　　〃What；〃　cried　he；　〃do　you　not　recognize　me？〃
〃Citizen　General；　I　pray　you　to　excuse　me；　but　I　have　no　idea〃
〃Ah；　morbleu；　my　dear　master；　have　you　forgotten　the　most　idle；　the　most
lawless；　the　most　incorrigible　of　your　scholars？〃〃A　thousand　pardons；
you　are　Monsieur　Junot。〃〃Himself！〃　replied　Junot；　renewing　his
embraces；　and　laughing　with　his　friends　at　the　singular　characteristics
by　which　he　had　caused　himself　to　be　recognized。　　As　for　his　Majesty　the
Emperor；　if　any　of　his　old　masters　had　failed　to　recognize　him；　it　could
not　be　by　reminiscences　of　this　kind　that　he　could　have　recalled　himself
to　them；　for　every　one　knows　that　he　was　distinguished　at　the　military
school　for　his　application　to　work；　and　the　regularity　and　sobriety　of
his　life。

A　meeting　of　the　same　nature；　saving　the　difference　in　recollections；
awaited　the　Emperor　at　Brienne。　　While　he　was　visiting　the　old　military
school；　now　falling　to　ruin；　and　pointing　out　to　the　persons　who
surrounded　him　the　situation　of　the　study　halls；　dormitories；
refectories；　etc。；　an　ecclesiastic　who　had　been　tutor　of　one　of　the
classes　in　the　school　was　presented　to　him。　　The　Emperor　recognized　him
immediately；　and；　uttering　an　exclamation　of　surprise；　his　Majesty
conversed　more　than　twenty　minutes　with　this　gentleman；　leaving　him　full
of　gratitude。

The　Emperor；　before　leaving　Brienne　to　return　to　Fontainebleau；　required
the　mayor　to　give　him　a　written　account　of　the　most　pressing　needs　of　the
commune；　and　left　on　his　departure　a　considerable　sum　for　the　poor　and
the　hospitals。

Passing　through　Troyes；　the　Emperor　left　there；　as　everywhere　else；
souvenirs　of　his　generosity。　　The　widow　of　a　general　officer；　living　in
retirement　at　Joinville　（I　regret　that　I　have　forgotten　the　name　of　this
venerable　lady；　who　was　more　than　an　octogenarian）；　came　to　Troyes；
notwithstanding　her　great　age；　to　ask　aid　from　his　Majesty。　　Her　husband
having　served　only　before　the　Revolution；　the　pension　which　she　had
enjoyed　had　been　taken　from　her　under　the　Republic；　and　she　was　in　the
greatest　destitution。　　The　brother　of　General　Vouittemont；　mayor　of　a
commune　in　the　suburbs　of　Troyes；　was　kind　enough　to　consult　me　as　to
what　should　be　done　in　order　to　present　this　lady　to　the　Emperor；　and　I
advised　him　to　have　her　name　placed　on　the　list　of　his　Majesty's　private
audiences。　　I　myself　took　the　liberty　of　speaking　of　Madame　de　to　the
Emperor；　and　the　audience　was　granted；　though　I　do　not　pretend　to
attribute　the　merit　of　it　to　myself；　for　in　traveling　the　Emperor　was
always　very　accessible。

When　the　good　lady　came　to　attend　the　audience　with　M。　de　Vouittemont；　to
whom　his　municipal　scarf　gave　the　right　of　entrance；　I　happened　to　meet
them；　and　she　stopped　to　thank　me　for　the　little　service　which　she
insisted　I　had　rendered　her；　and　mentioned　that　she　had　been　obliged　to
pawn　the　six　silver　plates　which　alone　remained　to　her；　in　order　to　pay
the　expenses　of　her　journey；　that；　having　arrived　at　Troyes　in　a　poor
farm　wagon；　covered　with　a　cloth　thrown　over　a　hoop；　and　which　had　shaken
her　terribly；　she　could　find　no　place　in　the　inns；　all　of　which　were
filled　on　account　of　the　arrival　of　their　Majesties；　and　she　would　have
been　obliged　to　sleep　in　her　wagon　had　it　not　been　for　the　kind
consideration　of　M。　de　Vouittemont；　who　had　given　up　his　room　to　her；　and
offered　his　services。　　In　spite　of　her　more　than　eighty　years；　and　her
distress；　this　respectable　lady　related　her　story　with　an　air　of　gentle
gayety；　and　at　the　close　threw　a　grateful　glance　at　her　guide；　on　whose
arm　she　was　leaning。

At　that　moment　the　usher　came　to　announce　that　her　turn　had　come；　and　she
entered　the　saloon　of　audience。　　M。　de　Vouittemont　awaited　her　return
while　conversing　with　me；　and　on　her　return　she　related　to　us；　scarcely
able　to　control　her　emotion；　that　the　Emperor　had　in　the　kindest　manner
received　the　memorial　she　presented　to　him；　had　read　it　attentively；　and
passed　it　to　a　minister　who　was　near　him；　with　the　order　to　do　her
justice　this　very　day。

The　next　day　she　received　the　warrant　for　a　pension　of　three　thousand
francs；　the　first　year's　pay　being　handed　her　at　once。

At　Lyons；　of　which　Cardinal　Fesch　was　archbishop；　the　Emperor　lodged　in
the　archiepiscopal　palace。＇Joseph　Fesch；　born　in　Corsica；　1763；　was
half…brother　to　Napoleon's　mother。　　Archbishop　of　Lyons　1801；　cardinal
1803；　died　1839＇

During　the　stay　of　their　Majesties　the　cardinal　exerted　himself　to　the
utmost　to　gratify　every　wish　of　his　nephew；　and　in　his　eagerness　to
please；　monseigneur　applied　to　me　many　times　each　day　to　be　assured　that
nothing　was　lacking；　so　everything　passed　off　admirably。　　The　zeal　of　the
cardinal　was　remarked　by　all　the　household；　but　for　my　part　I　thought　I
perceived　that　the　zeal　displayed　by　monseigneur　in　the　reception　of
their　Majesties　took　on　an　added　strength　whenever　there　was　a　question
of　all　the　expenses　incurred　by　this　visit；　which　were　considerable；
being　paid　by　them。　　His　eminence；　I　thought；　drew　very　fine　interest　on
his　investment；　and　his　generous　hospitality　was　handsomely　compensated
by　the　liberality　of　his　guests。

The　passage　of　Mont　Cenis　was　by　no　means　so　difficult　as　had　been　that
of　Mont　St。　Bernard；　although　the　road；　which　has　since　been　made　by　the
Emperor's　orders；　was　not　then　commenced。　　At　the　foot　of　the　mountain
they　were　obliged　to　take　the　carriage　to　pieces；　and　transport
it　on　the　backs　of　mules；　and　their　Majesties　crossed　the　mountain　partly
on　foot；　partly　in　very　handsome　sedan　chairs　which　had　been　made　at
Turin；　that　of　the　Emperor　lined　with　crimson　satin；　and　ornamented　with
gold　lace　and　fringes；　and　that　of　the　Empress　in　blue　satin；　with　silver
lace　and　fringes。　　The　snow　had　been　carefully　swept　off　and　removed。　　On
their　arrival　at　the　convent　they　were　most　warmly　received　by　the　good
monks；　and　the　Emperor；　who　had　a　singular　affection　for　them；　held　a
long　conversation　with　them；　and　did　not　depart　without　leaving　rich　and
numerous　tokens　of　his　liberality。　　As　soon　as　he　arrived　at　Turin　he
gave　orders　for　the　improvement　of　their　hospice；　which　he　continued　to
support　till　his　fall。

Their　Majesties　remained　several　days　at　Turin；　where　they　occupied　the
former　palace　of　the　kings　of　Sardinia；　constituted　the　imperial
residence　by　a　decree　of　the　Emperor　during　our　stay；　as　was　also　the
castle　of　Stupinigi；　situated　a　short　distance　from　the　town。

The　Pope　rejoined　their　Maje