napoleon bonaparte, v12-第9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！


leave　him；　I　felt　that　I　had　not　the　strength　to　bear　this　reproach　from
his　lips。　　On　the　other　side；　the　physical　suffering　caused　by　my　disease
had　greatly　increased；　and　I　was　compelled　to　remain　in　bed　a　long　while。
I　could；　indeed；　have　triumphed　over　these　physical　sufferings　however
cruel　they　might　have　been；　but　in　the　frightful　complications　of　my
position　I　was　reduced　to　a　condition　of　idiocy；　I　saw　nothing　of　what
was　around　me；　I　heard　nothing　of　what　was　said；　and　after　this　statement
the　reader　will　surely　not　expect　that　I　shall　have　anything　to　say　about
the　farewell　of　the　Emperor　to　his　old　and　faithful　guard；　an　account　of
which；　moreover；　has　been　often　enough　published　for　the　facts　to　be　well
known　concerning　this　event；　which；　besides；　took　place　in　public。　　Here
my　Memoirs　might　well　close；　but　the　reader；　I　well　believe；　cannot
refuse　me　his　attention　a　few　moments　longer；　that　I　may　recall　some
facts　which　I　have　a　right　to　explain；　and　to　relate　some　incidents
concerning　the　return　from　the　Island　of　Elba。　　I；　therefore；　now
continue　my　remarks　on　the　first　of　these　heads；　and　the　second　will　be
the　subject　of　the　next　chapter。

The　Emperor　had　then　already　started；　and　as　for　myself；　shut　up　alone；
my　country　house　became　henceforth　a　sad　residence　to　me。　　I　held　no
communication　with　any　one　whatever；　read　no　news；　and　sought　to　learn
none。　　At　the　end　of　a　short　time　I　received　a　visit　from　one　of　my
friends　from　Paris；　who　said　to　me　that　the　journals　spoke　of　my　conduct
without　understanding　it；　and　that　they　condemned　it　severely。　　He　added
that　it　was　M。　de　Turenne　who　had　sent　to　the　editors　the　note　in　which
I　had　been　so　heavily　censured。　　I　must　say　that　I　did　not　believe　this；
I　knew　M。　de　Turenne　too　well　to　think　him　capable　of　a　proceeding　so
dishonorable；　inasmuch　as　I　had　frankly　explained　everything　to　him；　when
he　made　the　answer　I　gave　above。　　But　however　the　evil　came；　it　was
nevertheless　done；　and　by　the　incredible　complications　of　my　position　I
found　myself　compelled　to　keep　silence。　　Nothing　certainly　would　have
been　easier　than　to　repel　the　calumny　by　an　exact　rehearsal　of　the　facts；
but　should　I　justify　myself　in　this　manner　by；　so　to　speak；　accusing　the
Emperor　at　a　moment　especially　when　the　Emperor's　enemies　manifested　much
bitterness？　　When　I　saw　such　a　great　man　made　a　mark　for　the　shafts　of
calumny；　I；　who　was　so　contemptible　and　insignificant　among　the　crowd；
could　surely　allow　a　few　of　these　envenomed　shafts　to　fall　on　me。　　To…day
the　time　has　come　to　tell　the　truth；　and　I　have　done　so　without
restriction；　not　to　excuse　myself；　for　on　the　contrary　I　blame　myself　for
not　having　completely　sacrificed　myself；　and　for　not　having　accompanied
the　Emperor　to　the　Island　of　Elba　regardless　of　what　might　have　been
said。　　Nevertheless；　I　may　be　allowed　to　say　in　my　own　defense；　that　in
this　combination　of　physical　and　mental　sufferings　which　overwhelmed　me
all　at　once；　a　person　must　be　very　sure　of　infallibility　himself　to
condemn　completely　this　sensitiveness　so　natural　in　a　man　of　honor　when
accused　of　a　fraudulent　transaction。　　This；　then；　I　said　to　myself；　is
the　recompense　for　all　my　care；　for　the　endurance　of　so　much　suffering；
for　unbounded　devotion；　and　a　refinement　of　feeling　for　which　the　Emperor
had　often　praised　me；　and　for　which　he　rendered　me　justice　later；　as　will
be　seen　when　I　shall　have　occasion　to　speak　of　certain　circumstances
occurring　about　the　20th　of　March　of　the　following　year。

But　gratuitously；　and　even　malevolently；　interested　motives　have　been
attributed　to　me　for　the　decision　I　made　to　leave　the　Emperor。　　The
simplest　common…sense；　on　the　contrary；　would　suffice　to　see　that；　had　I
allowed　myself　to　be　guided　by　my　interests；　everything　would　have
influenced　me　to　accompany　his　Majesty。　　In　fact；　the　chagrin　which　the
incident　I　have　mentioned　caused　me；　and　the　manner　in　which　I　was
completely　overwhelmed　by　it；　have　injured　my　fortune　more　than　any
determination　to　follow　the　Emperor　could　possibly　have　done。　　What　could
I　hope　for　in　France；　where　I　had　no　right　to　anything？　　Is　it　not；
besides；　very　evident　to　whoever　would　recall　my　position；　which　was　one
of　confidence　near　the　Emperor；　that；　if　I　had　been　actuated　by　a　love　of
money；　this　position　would　have　given　me　an　opportunity　to　reap　an
abundant　harvest　without　injuring　my　reputation；　but　my　disinterestedness
was　so　well　known　that；　whatever　may　be　said　to　the　contrary；　I　can
assert　that　during　the　whole　time　my　favor　with　the　Emperor　continued；　I
on　no　occasion　used　it　to　render　any　other　but　unselfish　services；　and
often　I　refused　to　support　a　demand　for　the　sole　reason　that　the　petition
had　been　accompanied　by　offers　of　money；　which　were　often　of　very
considerable　amount。　　Allow　me　to　cite　one　example　among　many　others　of
the　same　nature。　　I　received　one　day　an　offer　of　the　sum　of　four　hundred
thousand　francs；　which　was　made　me　by　a　lady　of　a　very　noble　family；　if　I
would　influence　the　Emperor　to　consider　favorably　a　petition　in　which　she
claimed　indemnity　for　a　piece　of　property　belonging　to　her；　on　which　the
port　of　Bayonne　had　been　constructed。　　I　had　succeeded　in　obtaining
favorable　answers　to　applications　more　difficult　than　this；　but　I　refused
to　agree　to　support　her　petition　solely　on　account　of　the　offer　which　had
been　made　to　me；　I　would　have　been　glad　to　oblige　this　lady；　but　only　for
the　pleasure　of　being　obliging；　and　it　was　for　this　reason　alone　I
allowed　myself　to　solicit　of　the　Emperor　the　pardons　which　he　nearly
always　granted。　　Neither　can　it　be　said　that　I　ever　demanded　of　the
Emperor　licenses　for　lottery　drawings；　or　anything　else　of　this　kind；　in
which；　as　is　well　known；　a　scandalous　commerce　is　often　made；　and　which；
no　doubt；　if　I　had　demanded　them　of　the　Emperor　he　would　have　readily
granted。

The　confidence　in　me　which　the　Emperor　had　always　shown　was　such　that
even　at　Fontainebleau；　when　it　had　been　decided　that　none　of　the　ordinary
valets　de　chambre　were　to　accompany　him　to　the　Island　of　Elba；　the
Emperor　left　to　my　choice　the　selection　of　a　young　man　to　assist　me　in　my
duties。　　I　selected　a　boy　of　the　apartments；　whose　upright　character　was
well　known　to　me；　and　who　was；　moreover；　the　son　of　Madame　Marchand；　the
head　nurse　of　the　King　of　Rome。　　I　spoke　of　him　to　the　Emperor；　who
accepted　him；　and　I　went　immediately　to　inform　M。　Marchand；　who　received
the　position　most　gratefully；　and　proved　to　me；　by　his　thanks；　how
delighted　he　would　be　to　accompany　us。　　I　say　us；　for　at　this　moment　I
was　very　far　from　foreseeing　the　succession　of　fatal　events　which　I　have
faithfully　narrated；　and　it　may　be　seen　afterwards；　from　the　manner　in
which　M。　Marchand　expressed　himself　concerning　me　at　the　Tuileries　during
the　Hundred　Days；　that　I　had　not　bestowed　my　confidence　unworthily。




CHAPTER　XXIX。

I　became　a　stranger　to　all　the　world　after　the　departure　of　the　Emperor
for　the　Island　of　Elba；　and；　filled　with　a　deep　sense　of　gratitude　for
the　kindness　with　which　his　Majesty　had　overwhelmed　me　during　the
fourteen　years　I　had　passed　in　his　service；　thought　incessantly　of　this
great　man；　and　took　pleasure　in　renewing　in　memory　all　the　events；　even
the　most　trivial；　of　my　life　with　him。　　I　thought　it　best　suited　my
former　position　to　live　in　retirement；　and　passed　my　time　most　tranquilly
in　the　bosom　of　my　family　in　the　country…house　belonging　to　me。　　At　the
same　time　a　fatal　idea　preoccupied　my　mind　involuntarily；　for　I　feared
that　persons　who　were　jealous　of　my　former　favor　might　succeed　in
deceiving　the　Emperor　as　to　my　unalterable　devotion　to　his　person；　and
strengthen　in　his　mind　the　false　opinion　that　they　had　for　a　time
succeeded　in　giving　him　of　me。　　This　opinion；　although　my　conscience　told
me　that　it　was　unjust；　was　not　the　less　painful　to　me；　but；　as　will　soon
be　seen；　I　was　fortunate　enough　to　obtain　the　certainty　that　my　fears　in
this　respect　were　without　foundation。

Although　an　entire　stranger　to　politics；　I　had　read　with　deep　interest
the　newspapers　I　received　in　my　retreat；　since　the　great　political　change
to　which　the　name　of　the　Restoration　was　given；　and　it　seemed　to　me　to
need　only　the　simplest　common…sense　to　see　the　marked　difference　which
existed　between　the　government　which　had　been　overthrown　and　the　new。　　In
all　departments　I　saw　a　succession　of　titled　men　take　the　places　of　the
long　list　of　distinguished　men　who　had　given　under　the　Empire　so　many
proofs　of　merit　and　courage；　but　I　was　far　from　thinking；　notwithstanding
the　large　number　of　discontented；　that　the　fortunes　of　the　Emperor　and
the　wishes　of　the　army　would　ever　restore　him　to　that　throne　which　he　had
voluntarily　abdicated　in　order　that　he　might　not　be　the　cause　of　a　civil
war　in　Dance。　　Therefore；　it　would　be　impossible　to　describe　my
astonishment；　and　the　multiplicity　of　varied　feelings　which　agitated　me；
when　I　received　the　first　news　of　the　landing　of　the　Emperor　on　the　coast
of　Provence。　　I　read　with　enthusiasm　the　admirable　proclamation　in　which
he　announced　that　his　eagles　would　fly　from　steeple　to　steeple；　and　that
he　himself　would　follow　so　closely　in　his　triumphal　march　from　the　Bay　of
Juan　to　Paris。

Here　I　must　make　a　confession；　which　is；　that　only　since　I　had　left　the
Emperor；　had　I　fully　comprehended　the　immensity　of　his　greatness。
Attached　to　his　service　almost　from　the　beginning　of　the　Consulate；　at　a
time　when　I　was　still　very　young；　he　had　grown；　so　to　speak；　without　my
having　perceived　it；　and　I　had　above　all　seen　in　him；　from　the　nature　of
my　duties；　the　excellent　master　rather　than　the　great　man；　consequently；
in　this　instance　the　effects　of　distance　were　very　different　from　what　it
usually　produces。　　It　was　with　difficulty　I　could　realize；　and　I　am　often
astonished　to…day　in　recalling　the　frank　candor　with　which　I　had　dared　to
defend　to　the　Emperor　what　I　knew　to　be　the　truth；　his　kindness；　however；
seemed　to　encourage　me　in　this；　for　often；　instead　of　becoming　irritated
by　my　vehemence；　he　said　to　me　gently；　with　a　benevolent　smile；　〃Come；
come！　　M。　Constant；　don't　excite　yourself。〃　　Adorable　kindness　in　a　man
of　such　eleva