napoleon bonaparte, v3-第13节

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Every　one　has　heard　it　said　that　his　Majesty　used　great　precautions
against　being　poisoned；　which　statement　must　be　placed　beside　that
concerning　the　cuirass　proof　against　bullet　and　dagger。　　On　the　contrary；
the　Emperor　carried　his　want　of　precaution　only　too　far。　　His　breakfast
was　brought　every　day　into　an　antechamber　open　to　all　to　whom　had　been
granted　a　private　audience；　and　who　sometimes　waited　there　for　several
hours；　and　his　Majesty's　breakfast　also　waited　a　long　time。　　The　dishes
were　kept　as　warm　as　possible　until　he　came　out　of　his　cabinet；　and　took
his　seat　at　the　table。　　Their　Majesties'　dinner　was　carried　from　the
kitchen　to　the　upper　rooms　in　covered；　hampers；　and　there　was　every
opportunity　of　introducing　poison；　but　in　spite　of　all　this；　never　did
such　an　idea　enter　the　minds　of　the　people　in　his　service；　whose　devotion
and　fidelity　to　the　Emperor；　even　including　the　very　humblest；　surpassed
any　idea　I　could　convey。

The　habit　of　eating　rapidly　sometimes　caused　his　Majesty　violent　pains　in
his　stomach；　which　ended　almost　always　in　a　fit　of　vomiting。

One　day　the　valet　on　duty　came　in　great　haste　to　tell　me　that　the　Emperor
desired　my　presence　immediately。　　His　dinner　had　caused　indigestion；　and
he　was　suffering　greatly。　　I　hurried　to　his　Majesty's　room；　and　found　him
stretched　at　full　length　on　the　rug；　which　was　a　habit　of　the　Emperor
when　he　felt　unwell。　　The　Empress　Josephine　was　seated　by　his　side；　with
the　sick　man's　head　on　her　lap；　while　he　groaned　or　stormed　alternately；
or　did　both　at　once：　for　the　Emperor　bore　this　kind　of　misfortune　with
less　composure　than　a　thousand　graver　mischances　which　the　life　of　a
soldier　carries　with　it；　and　the　hero　of　Arcola；　whose　life　had　been
endangered　in　a　hundred　battles；　and　elsewhere　also；　without　lessening
his　fortitude；　showed　himself　unequal　to　the　endurance　of　the　slightest
pain。　　Her　Majesty　the　Empress　consoled　and　encouraged　him　as　best　she
could；　and　she；　who　was　so　courageous　herself　in　enduring　those　headaches
which；　on　account　of　their　excessive　violence；　were　a　genuine　disease；
would；　had　it　been　possible；　have　taken　on　herself　most　willingly　the
ailment　of　her　husband；　from　which　she　suffered　almost　as　much　as　he　did；
in　witnessing　his　sufferings。　　〃Constant；〃　said　she；　as　I　entered；　〃come
quick；　the　Emperor　needs　you；　make　him　some　tea；　and　do　not　go　out　till
he　is　better。〃　　His　Majesty　had　scarcely　taken　three　cups　before　the　pain
decreased；　while　she　continued　to　hold　his　head　on　her　knees；　pressing
his　brow　with　her　white；　plump　hands；　and　also　rubbing　his　breast。　　〃You
feel　better；　do　you　not？　　Would　you　like　to　lie　down　a　little　while？　　I
will　stay　by　your　bed　with　Constant。〃　　This　tenderness　was　indeed
touching；　especially　in　one　occupying　so　elevated　a　rank。

My　intimate　service　often　gave　me　the　opportunity　of　enjoying　this
picture　of　domestic　felicity。　　While　I　am　on　the　subject　of　the　Emperor's
ailments；　I　will　say　a　few　words　concerning　the　most　serious　which　he
endured；　with　the　exception　of　that　which　caused　his　death。

At　the　siege　of　Toulon；　in　1793；　the　Emperor　being　then　only　colonel　of
artillery；　a　cannoneer　was　killed　at　his　gun；　and　Colonel　Bonaparte
picked　up　the　rammer　and　rammed　home　the　charge　several　times。　　The
unfortunate　artilleryman　had　an　itch　of　the　most　malignant　kind；　which
the　Emperor　caught；　and　of　which　he　was　cured　only　after　many　years；　and
the　doctors　thought　that　his　sallow　complexion　and　extreme　leanness；
which　lasted　so　long　a　time；　resulted　from　this　disease　being　improperly
treated。　　At　the　Tuileries　he　took　sulphur　baths；　and　wore　for　some　time
a　blister　plaster；　having　suffered　thus　long　because；　as　he　said；　he　had
not　time　to　take　care　of　himself。　　Corvisart　warmly　insisted　on　a
cautery；　but　the　Emperor；　who　wished　to　preserve　unimpaired　the
shapeliness　of　his　arm；　would　not　agree　to　this　remedy。

It　was　at　this　same　siege　that　he　was　promoted　from　the　rank　of　chief　of
battalion　to　that　of　colonel　in　consequence　of　a　brilliant　affair　with
the　English；　in　which　he　received　a　bayonet　wound　in　the　left　thigh；　the
scar　of　which　he　often　showed　me。　　The　wound　in　the　foot　which　he
received　at　the　battle　of　Ratisbonne　left　no　trace；　and　yet；　when　the
Emperor　received　it；　the　whole　army　became　alarmed。

We　were　about　twelve　hundred　yards　from　Ratisbonne；　when　the　Emperor；
seeing　the　Austrians　fleeing　on　all　sides；　thought　the　combat　was　over。
His　dinner　had　been　brought　in　a　hamper　to　a　place　which　the　Emperor　had
designated；　and　as　he　was　walking　towards　it；　he　turned　to　Marshal
Berthier；　and　exclaimed；　〃I　am　wounded！〃　The　shock　was　so　great　that　the
Emperor　fell　in　a　sitting　posture；　a　bullet　having；　in　fact；　struck　his
heel。　　From　the　size　of　this　ball　it　was　apparent　that　it　had　been　fired
by　a　Tyrolean　rifleman；　whose　weapon　easily　carried　the　distance　we　were
from　the　town。　　It　can　well　be　understood　that　such　an　event　troubled　and
frightened　the　whole　staff。

An　aide…de…camp　summoned　me；　and　when　I　arrived　I　found　Dr。　Yvan　cutting
his　Majesty's　boot；　and　assisted　him　in　dressing　the　wound。　　Although　the
pain　was　still　quite　severe；　the　Emperor　was　not　willing　to　take　time　to
put　on　his　boot　again；　and　in　order　to　turn　the　enemy；　and　reassure　the
army　as　to　his　condition；　he　mounted　his　horse；　and　galloped　along　the
line　accompanied　by　his　whole　staff。　　That　day；　as　may　be　believed；　no
one　delayed　to　take　breakfast；　but　all　dined　at　Ratisbonne。

His　Majesty　showed　an　invincible　repugnance　to　all　medicine；　and　when　he
used　any；　which　was　very　rarely；　it　was　chicken　broth；　chicory；　or　cream
of　tartar。

Corvisart　recommended　him　to　refuse　every　drink　which　had　a　bitter　or
disagreeable　taste；　which　he　did；　I　believe；　in　the　fear　that　an　attempt
might　be　made　to　poison　him。

At　whatever　hour　the　Emperor　had　retired；　I　entered　his　room　at　seven　or
eight　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　I　have　already　said　that　his　first
questions　invariably　were　as　to　the　hour　and　the　kind　of　weather。
Sometimes　he　complained　to　me　of　looking　badly；　and　if　this　was　true；　I
agreed　with　him；　and　if　it　were　not；　I　told　him　the　truth。　　In　this　case
he　pulled　my　ears；　and　called　me；　laughing；　〃grosse　bete；〃　and　asked　for
a　mirror；　sometimes　saying　he　was　trying　to　fool　me　and　that　he　was　very
well。　　He　read　the　daily　papers；　asked　the　names　of　the　people　in　the
waiting…room；　named　those　he　wished　to　see；　and　conversed　with　each　one。
When　Corvisart　came；　he　entered　without　waiting　for　orders；　and　the
Emperor　took　pleasure　in　teasing　him　by　speaking　of　medicine；　which　he
said　was　only　a　conjectural　art；　that　the　doctors　were　charlatans；　and
cited　instances　in　proof　of　it；　especially　in　his　own　experience；　the
doctor　never　yielding　a　point　when　he　thought　he　was　right。　　During　these
conversations；　the　Emperor　shaved　himself；　for　I　had　prevailed　on　him　to
take　this　duty　on　himself；　often　forgetting　that　he　had　shaved　only　one
side　of　his　face；　and　when　I　called　his　attention　to　this；　he　laughed；
and　finished　his　work。　　Yvan；　doctor…in…ordinary；　as　well　as　Corvisart；
came　in　for　his　share　in　the　criticisms　and　attacks　on　his　profession；
and　these　discussions　were　extremely　amusing。　　The　Emperor　was　very　gay
and　talkative　at　such　times；　and　I　believe；　when　he　had　at　hand　no
examples　to　cite　in　support　of　his　theories；　did　not　scruple　to　invent
them；　consequently　these　gentlemen　did　not　always　rely　upon　his
statements。　　One　day　his　Majesty　pulled　the　ears　of　one　of　his　physicians
（Halle；　I　believe）。　　The　doctor　abruptly　drew　himself　away；　crying；
〃Sire；　you　hurt　me。〃　　Perhaps　this　speech　was　tinged　with　some
irritation；　and　perhaps；　also；　the　doctor　was　right。　　However　that　may
be；　his　ears　were　never　in　danger　again。

Sometimes　before　beginning　my　labors；　his　Majesty　questioned　me　as　to
what　I　had　done　the　evening　before；　asked　me　if　I　had　dined　in　the　city；
and　with　whom；　if　I　had　enjoyed　myself；　and　what　we　had　for　dinner。　　He
often　inquired　also　what　such　or　such　a　part　of　my　clothing　cost　me；　and
when　I　told　him　he　would　exclaim　at　the　price；　and　tell　me　that　when　he
was　a　sub…lieutenant　everything　was　much　cheaper；　and　that　he　had　often
during　that　time　taken　his　meals　at　Roze's　restaurant；　and　dined　very
well　for　forty　cents。　　Several　times　he　spoke　to　me　of　my　family；　and　of
my　sister；　who　was　a　nun　before　the　Revolution；　and　who　had　been
compelled　to　leave　her　convent；　and　one　day　asked　me　if　she　had　a
pension；　and　how　much　it　was。　　I　told　him；　and　added；　that　this　not　being
sufficient　for　her　wants；　I　myself　gave　an　allowance　to　her；　and　also　to
my　mother。　　His　Majesty　told　me　to　apply　to　the　Duke　of　Bassano；　and
report　the　matter　to　him；　as　he　wished　to　treat　my　family　handsomely。
I　did　not　avail　myself　of　this　kind　intention　of　his　Majesty；　for　at　that
time　I　had　sufficient　means　to　be　able　to　assist　my　relatives；　and　did
not　foresee　the　future；　which　I　thought　would　not　change　my　condition；
and　felt　a　delicacy　in　putting　my　people；　so　to　speak；　on　the　charge　of
the　state。　　I　confess　that　I　have　been　more　than　once　tempted　to　repent
this　excessive　delicacy；　which　I　have　seen　few　persons　above　or　below　m