napoleon bonaparte, v12-第5部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


entirely　crushed。　　From　time　to　time　I　heard　stifled　sighs　escape　from
his　breast；　with　which　were　mingled　the　name　of　Marmont；　which　I　could
not　then　understand；　as　I　had　heard　nothing　of　the　terms　of　the
surrender；　and　knew　that　the　Duke　of　Ragusa　was　a　marshal　to　whom　the
Emperor　seemed　always　deeply　attached。　　I　saw　that　evening；　at
Fontainebleau；　Marshal　Moncey；　who　the　evening　before　had　bravely
commanded　the　national　guard　at　the　barricade　of　Clichy；　and　also　the
Duke　of　Dantzic。

A　gloomy　and　silent　sadness　which　is　perfectly　indescribable　reigned　at
Fontainebleau　during　the　two　days　which　followed。　　Overcome　by　so　many
repeated　blows；　the　Emperor　seldom　entered　his　cabinet；　where　he　usually
passed　so　many　hours　engaged　in　work。　　He　was　so　absorbed　in　his
conflicting　thoughts；　that　often　he　did　not　notice　the　arrival　of　persons
whom　he　had　summoned；　looked　at　them；　so　to　speak；　without　seeing　them；
and　sometimes　remained　nearly　half　an　hour　without　addressing　them；　then；
as　if　awaking　from　this　state　of　stupefaction；　asked　them　questions
without　seeming　to　hear　the　reply；　and　even　the　presence　of　the　Duke　of
Bassano　and　the　Duke　of　Vicenza；　whom　he　summoned　more　frequently；　did
not　interrupt　this　condition　of　preoccupation　or　lethargy；　so　to　speak。
The　hours　for　meals　were　the　same；　and　they　were　served　as　usual；　but　all
took　place　amid　complete　silence；　broken　only　by　the　necessary　noise　of
the　service。　　At　the　Emperor's　toilet　the　same　silence；　not　a　word　issued
from　his　lips；　and　if　in　the　morning　I　suggested　to　him　one　of　the　drinks
that　he　usually　took；　he　not　only　did　not　reply；　but　nothing　in　his
countenance　which　I　attentively　observed　could　make　me　believe　that　he
had　heard　me。　　This　situation　was　terrible　for　all　the　persons　attached
to　his　Majesty。

Was　the　Emperor　really　so　overwhelmed　by　his　evil　fortune？　　Was　his
genius　as　benumbed　as　his　body？　　I　must　admit；　in　all　candor；　that　seeing
him　so　different　from　what　he　appeared　after　the　disasters　of　Moscow；　and
even　when　I　had　left　him　at　Troyes　a　few　days　before；　I　strongly　believed
it。　　But　this　was　by　no　means　the　case；　his　soul　was　a　prey　to　one　fixed
idea　that　of　taking　the　offensive　and　marching　on　Paris。　　And　though；
indeed；　he　remained　overwhelmed　with　consternation　in　his　intimate
intercourse　with　his　most　faithful　ministers　and　most　skillful　generals；
he　revived　at　sight　of　his　soldiers；　thinking；　doubtless；　that　the　one
would　suggest　only　prudent　counsels　while　the　others　would　never　reply
aught　but　in　shouts　of　〃Vive　l'Empereur！〃　　to　the　most　daring　orders　he
might　give。　　For　instance；　on　the　2d　of　April　he　momentarily；　so　to
speak；　shook　off　his　dejection；　and　in　the　court　of　the　palace　held　a
review　of　his　guard；　who　had　just　rejoined　him　at　Fontainebleau。　　He
addressed　his　soldiers　in　a　firm　voice；　saying：

　　　　　〃Soldiers！　　the　enemy　has　stolen　three　marches　on　us；　and　has　taken
　　　　　possession　of　Paris；　we　must　drive　them　out。　　Unworthy　Frenchmen；
　　　　　emigres　to　whom　we　have　extended　pardon；　have　donned　the　white
　　　　　cockade；　and　gone　over　to　our　enemies。　　The　cowards！　　They　will　reap
　　　　　the　reward　of　this　new　treason。　　Let　us　swear　to　conquer　or　to　die；
　　　　　and　to　have　respect　shown　to　this　tricolored　cockade；　which　for
　　　　　twenty…five　years　we　have　borne　on　the　road　to　glory　and　honor。〃

The　troops　were　roused　to　enthusiasm　at　the　sound　of　their　chief's　voice；
and　shouted　in　unison；　〃Paris！　　Paris！〃　　But　the　Emperor；　nevertheless；
resumed　his　former　dejection　on　crossing　the　threshold　of　the　palace；
which　arose　no　doubt　from　the　fear；　only　too　well　founded；　of　seeing　his
desire　to　march　on　Paris　thwarted　by　his　lieutenants。　　It　is　only　since；
that　reflecting　on　the　events　of　that　time；　I　am　enabled　to　conjecture　as
to　the　struggles　which　passed　in　the　soul　of　the　Emperor；　for　then；　as
during　my　entire　period　of　service；　I　would　not　have　dared　to　think　of
going　outside　the　limits　of　my　ordinary　duties　and　functions。

Meanwhile；　the　situation　became　more　and　more　unfavorable　to　the　wishes
and　plans　of　the　Emperor。　　The　Duke　of　Vicenza　had　been　sent　to　Paris；
where　a　provisional　government　had　been　formed　under　the　presidency　of
the　Prince　of　Benevento；　without　having　succeeded　in　his　mission　to　the
Emperor　Alexander；　and　each　day　his　Majesty　with　deep　grief　witnessed　the
adhesion　of　the　marshals　and　a　large　number　of　generals　to　the　new
government。　　He　felt　the　Prince　de　Neuchatel's　desertion　deeply；　and　I
must　say　that；　unaccustomed　as　we　were　to　political　combinations；　we　were
overcome　with　astonishment。

Here　I　find　that　I　am　compelled　to　speak　of　myself；　which　I　have　done　as
little　as　possible　in　the　course　of　these　memoirs；　and　I　think　this　is　a
justice　which　all　my　readers　will　do　me；　but　what　I　have　to　say　is　too
intimately　connected　with　the　last　days　I　passed　with　the　Emperor；　and
concerns　my　personal　honor　too　nearly；　for　me　to　suppose　that　I　can　be
reproached　for　so　doing。　　I　was；　as　may　well　be　supposed；　very　anxious　as
to　the　fate　of　my　family；　of　whom　I　had　received　no　news　for　a　long
while；　and；　at　the　same　time；　the　cruel　disease　from　which　I　had　long
suffered　had　made　frightful　progress；　owing　to　the　fatigue　of　the　last
campaign。　　Nevertheless；　the　mental　suffering　to　which　I　saw　the　Emperor
a　victim　so　entirely　absorbed　all　my　thoughts；　that　I　took　no　precautions
against　the　physical　suffering　which　I　endured；　and　I　had　not　even
thought　of　asking　for　a　safeguard　for　the　country…house　I　possessed　in
the　environs　of　Fontainebleau。　　A　free　corps　having　seized　it；　had
established　themselves　there；　after　having　pillaged　and　destroyed
everything；　even　the　little　flock　of　merino　sheep　which　I　owed　to　the
kindness　of　the　Empress　Josephine。　　The　Emperor；　having　been　informed　of
it　by　others　than　myself；　said　to　me　one　morning　at　his　toilet；
〃Constant；　I　owe　you　indemnity。〃〃Sire？〃〃Yes；　my　child；　I　know　that
your　place　has　been　pillaged；　I　know　that　you　have　incurred　considerable
losses　in　the　Russian　campaign；　I　have　given　an　order　that　fifty　thousand
francs　should　be　handed　you　to　cover　the　whole。〃　　I　thanked　his　Majesty；
who　more　than　indemnified　me　for　my　losses。

This　occurred　during　the　first　days　of　our　last　stay　at　Fontainebleau。
At　the　same　period　the　Emperor's　removal　to　the　Island　of　Elba　having
been　already　discussed；　the　grand　marshal　of　the　palace　asked　me　if　I
would　follow　his　Majesty　to　this　residence。　　God　is　my　witness　that　I　had
no　other　wish　than　to　consecrate　all　my　life　to　the　service　of　the
Emperor；　therefore　I　did　not　need　a　moment's　reflection　to　reply　that
this　could　not　be　a　matter　of　doubt；　and　I　occupied　myself　almost
immediately　with　preparations　for　the　sojourn；　which　proved　to　be　not　a
long　one；　but　the　duration　of　which　no　human　intelligence　could　then　have
been　able　to　foretell。

Meanwhile；　in　the　retirement　of　his　chamber；　the　Emperor　became　each　day
more　sad　and　careworn；　and　when　I　saw　him　alone；　which　often　occurred；
for　I　tried　to　be　near　him　as　much　as　possible；　I　remarked　the　extreme
agitation　which　the　reading　of　the　dispatches　he　received　from　Paris
caused　him；　this　agitation　was　many　times　so　great　that　I　noticed　he　had
torn　his　leg　with　his　nails　until　the　blood　flowed；　without　being　aware
of　it。　　I　then　took　the　liberty　of　informing　him　of　the　fact　as　gently　as
possible；　with　the　hope　of　putting　an　end　to　this　intense　preoccupation；
which　cut　me　to　the　heart。　　Several　times　also　the　Emperor　asked　Roustan
for　his　pistols；　fortunately　I　had　taken　the　precaution；　seeing　his
Majesty　so　unnerved；　to　recommend　him　not　to　give　them　to　him；　however
much　the　Emperor　might　insist。　　I　thought　it　my　duty　to　give　an　account
of　all　this　to　the　Duke　of　Vicenza；　who　entirely　approved　of　my　conduct。
One　morning；　I　do　not　recall　whether　it　was　the　10th　or　11th　of　April；
but　it　was　certainly　on　one　of　those　days；　the　Emperor；　who　had　said
nothing　to　me　in　the　morning；　had　me　called　during　the　day。　　I　had　hardly
entered　his　room　when　he　said　to　me；　in　a　tone　of　most　winning　kindness；
〃My　dear　Constant；　there　is　a　hundred　thousand　francs　waiting　for　you　at
Peyrache's；　if　your　wife　arrives　before　our　departure；　you　will　give　them
to　her；　if　she　should　not；　put　them　in　the　corner　of　your　country…place；
note　the　exact　location　of　the　spot；　which　you　will　send　to　her　by　some
safe　person。　　When　one　has　served　me　well　he　should　not　be　in　want。　　Your
wife　will　build　a　farm；　in　which　she　will　invest　this　money；　she　will
live　with　your　mother　and　sister；　and　you　will　not　have　the　fear　of
leaving　her　in　need。〃　　Even　more　moved　by　the　provident　kindness　of　the
Emperor；　who　thus　deigned　to　consider　the　interests　of　my　family　affairs；
than　delighted　with　the　great　value　of　the　present　he　had　made　me；　I
could　hardly　find　words　to　express　to　him　my　gratitude；　and　such　was；
besides；　my　carelessness　of　the　future；　so　far　from　me　had　been　the
thought　that　this　great　Empire　could　come　to　an　end；　that　this　was　the
first　time　I　had　really　considered　the　embarrassed　condition　in　which　I
would　have　left　my　family；　if　the　Emperor　had　not　thus　generously
provided　for　them。　　I　had；　in　fact；　no　fortune；　and　possessed　in　all　the
world　only　my　pillaged　house；　and　the　fifty　thousand　francs　destined　to
repair　it。

Under　these　circumstances；　not　knowing　when　I　should　see　my　wife　again；　I
made　arrangements　to　follow　the　advice　his　Majesty　had　been　kind　enough
to　give　me；　converted　my　hundred　thousand　francs　into　gold；　which　I　put
into　five　bags；　and　taking　with　me　the　wardrobe　boy　Denis；　whose　honesty
was　above　suspicion；　we　followed　the　road　through　the　forest　to　avoid
being　seen　by　any　of　the　persons　who　occupied　my　house。　　We　cautiously
entered　a　little　inclosure　belonging　to　me；　the　gate　of　which　could　not
be　seen　on　account　of　the　trees；　although　they　were　now　without　foliage；
and　with　the　aid　of　Denis　I　succeeded　in　burying　my　treasure；　after
taking　an　exact　note　of　the　place；　and　then　returned　to　the　palace；　being
certainly　very　far　from　foreseeing　how　much　chagrin　and　tribulation　those
hundred　thousand　francs　would　cause　me；　as　we　shall　see　in　the　succeeding
chapters。




CHAPTER　XXVII。