napoleon bonaparte, v3-第4节

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nothing　wanting　to　make　him　happy　except　a　good　opportunity　to　have
himself　cut　to　pieces　for　a　man　who　knew　so　well　how　to　close　the　wounds
of　a　long　disgrace。　　Such　was　the　sway　that　his　Majesty　exercised　over
the　minds　of　men。

The　colonel　had　soon　crossed　the　Pyrenees；　passed　through　Spain；　and　been
received　by　Junot　with　open　arms。　　The　army　of　Portugal　had　suffered　much
in　the　two　years　during　which　it　had　struggled　against　both　the
population　and　the　English　with　unequal　forces。　　Food　was　secured　with
difficulty；　and　the　soldiers　were　badly　clothed；　and　half…shod。　　The　new
chief　of　staff　did　all　that　was　possible　to　remedy　this　disorder；　and　the
soldiers　had　just　begun　to　feel　the　good　effects　of　his　presence；　when　he
fell　sick　from　overwork　and　fatigue；　and　died　before　being　able；
according　to　the　Emperor's　expression；　to　〃make　up　for　lost　time。〃

I　have　said　elsewhere　that　upon　each　conspiracy　against　the　life　of　the
First　Consul　all　the　members　of　his　household　were　at　once　subjected　to　a
strict　surveillance；　their　smallest　actions　were　watched；　they　were
followed　outside　the　chateau；　their　conduct　was　reported　even　to　the
smallest　details。　　At　the　time　the　conspiracy　of　Pichegru　was　discovered；
there　was　only　a　single　guardian　of　the　portfolio；　by　the　name　of
Landoire；　and　his　position　was　very　trying；　for　he　must　always　be　present
in　a　little　dark　corridor　upon　which　the　door　of　the　cabinet　opened；　and
he　took　his　meals　on　the　run；　and　half…dressed。　　Happily　for　Landoire；
they　gave　him　an　assistant；　and　this　was　the　occasion　of　it。

Angel；　one　of　the　doorkeepers　of　the　palace；　was　ordered　by　the　First
Consul　to　place　himself　at　the　barrier　of　Bonshommes　during　the　trial　of
Pichegru；　to　recognize　and　watch　the　people　of　the　household　who　came　and
went　in　the　transaction　of　their　business；　no　one　being　allowed　to　leave
Paris　without　permission。　　Augel's　reports　having　pleased　the　First
Consul；　he　sent　for　him；　was　satisfied　with　his　replies　and　intelligence；
and　appointed　him　assistant　to　Landoire　in　the　custody　of　the　portfolio。
Thus　the　task　of　the　latter　became　lighter　by　half。　　In　1812　Angel　was　in
the　campaign　of　Russia；　and　died　on　the　return；　when　within　a　few　leagues
of　Paris；　in　consequence　of　the　fatigue　and　privations　which　we　shared
with　the　army。

However；　it　was　not　only　those　attached　to　the　service　of　the　First
Consul；　or　the　chateau；　who　were　subject　to　this　surveillance。

When　Napoleon　became　Emperor；　the　custodians　of　all　the　imperial　palaces
were　furnished　with　a　register　upon　which　all　persons　from　outside；　and
all　strangers　who　came　to　visit　any　one　in　the　palace　were　obliged　to
inscribe　their　names；　with　that　of　the　persons　whom　they　came　to　see。
Every　evening　this　register　was　carried　to　the　grand　marshal　of　the
palace；　and　in　his　absence　to　the　governor；　and　the　Emperor　often
consulted　it。　　He　once　found　there　a　certain　name　which；　as　a　husband；　he
had　his　reasons；　and　perhaps　good　ones；　to　suspect。　　His　Majesty　had
previously　ordered　the　exclusion　of　this　person；　and　finding　this　unlucky
name　again　upon　the　custodian's　register；　he　was　angry　beyond　measure；
believing　that　they　had　dared　on　both　sides　to　disobey　his　orders。
Investigation　was　immediately　made；　and　it　was　fortunately　ascertained
that　the　visitor　was　a　most　insignificant　person；　whose　only　fault　was
that　of　bearing　a　name　which　was　justly　compromised。




CHAPTER　XV。

The　year　1804；　which　was　so　full　of　glory　for　the　Emperor；　was　also　the
year　which　brought　him　more　care　and　anxiety　than　all　others；　except
those　of　1814　and　1815。　　It　is　not　my　province　to　pass　judgment　on　such
grave　events；　nor　to　determine　what　part　was　taken　in　them　by　the
Emperor；　or　by　those　who　surrounded　and　counseled　him；　for　it　is　my
object　to　relate　only　what　I　saw　and　heard。　　On　the　21st　of　March　of　that
year　I　entered　the　Emperor's　room　at　an　early　hour；　and　found　him　awake；
leaning　on　his　elbow。　　He　seemed　gloomy　and　tired；　but　when　I　entered　he
sat　up；　passed　his　hand　many　times　over　his　forehead；　and　said　to　me；
〃Constant；　I　have　a　headache。〃　　Then；　throwing　off　the　covering；　he
added；　〃I　have　slept　very　badly。〃　　He　seemed　extremely　preoccupied　and
absorbed；　and　his　appearance　evinced　melancholy　and　suffering　to　such　a
degree　that　I　was　surprised　and　somewhat　anxious。　　While　I　was　dressing
him　he　did　not　utter　a　word；　which　never　occurred　except　when　something
agitated　or　worried　him。　　During　this　time　only　Roustan　and　I　were
present。　　His　toilet　being　completed；　just　as　I　was　handing　him　his
snuff…box；　handkerchief；　and　little　bonbon　box；　the　door　opened　suddenly；
and　the　First　Consul's　wife　entered；　in　her　morning　negligee；　much
agitated；　with　traces　of　tears　on　her　cheeks。　　Her　sudden　appearance
astonished；　and　even　alarmed；　Roustan　and　myself；　for　it　was　only　an
extraordinary　circumstance　which　could　have　induced　Madame　Bonaparte　to
leave　her　room　in　this　costume；　before　taking　all　necessary　precautions
to　conceal　the　damage　which　the　want　of　the　accessories　of　the　toilet　did
her。　　She　entered；　or　rather　rushed；　into　the　room；　crying；　〃The　Duke
d'Enghien　is　dead！　　Ah；　my　friend！　　what　have　you　done？〃　　Then　she　fell
sobbing　into　the　arms　of　the　First　Consul；　who　became　pale　as　death；　and
said　with　extraordinary　emotion；　〃The　miserable　wretches　have　been　too
quick！〃　　He　then　left　the　room；　supporting　Madame　Bonaparte；　who　could
hardly　walk；　and　was　still　weeping。　　The　news　of　the　prince's　death
spread　consternation　in　the　chateau；　and　the　First　Consul　remarked　this
universal　grief；　but　reprimanded　no　one　for　it。　　The　fact　is；　the
greatest　chagrin　which　this　mournful　catastrophe　caused　his　servants；
most　of　whom　were　attached　to　him　by　affection　even　more　than　by　duty；
came　from　the　belief　that　it　would　inevitably　tarnish　the　glory　and
destroy　the　peace　of　mind　of　their　master。

The　First　Consul　probably　understood　our　feelings　perfectly；　but　however
that　may　be；　I　have　here　related　all　that　I　myself　saw　and　know　of　this
deplorable　event。　　I　do　not　pretend　to　know　what　passed　in　the　cabinet
meeting；　but　the　emotion　of　the　First　Consul　appeared　to　me　sincere　and
unaffected；　and　he　remained　sad　and　silent　for　many　days；　speaking　very
little　at　his　toilet；　and　saying　only　what　was　necessary。

During　this　month　and　the　following　I　noticed　constantly　passing；
repassing；　and　holding　frequent　interviews　with　the　First　Consul；　many
persons　whom　I　was　told　were　members　of　the　council　of　state；　tribunes；
or　senators。　　For　a　long　time　the　army　and　a　great　number　of　citizens；
who　idolized　the　hero　of　Italy　and　Egypt；　had　manifested　openly　their
desire　to　see　him　wear　a　title　worthy　of　his　renown　and　the　greatness　of
France。　　It　was　well　known；　also；　that　he　alone　performed　all　the　duties
of　government；　and　that　his　nominal　colleagues　were　really　his
subordinates。　　It　was　thought　proper；　therefore；　that　he　should　become
supreme　head　of　the　state　in　name；　as　he　already　was　in　fact。　　I　have
often　since　his　fall　heard　his　Majesty　called　an　usurper：　but　the　only
effect　of　this　on　me　is　to　provoke　a　smile　of　pity；　for　if　the　Emperor
usurped　the　throne；　he　had　more　accomplices　than　all　the　tyrants　of
tragedy　and　melodrama　combined；　for　three…fourths　of　the　French　people
were　in　the　conspiracy。　　As　is　well　known；　it　was　on　May　18　that　the
Empire　was　proclaimed；　and　the　First　Consul　（whom　I　shall　henceforward
call　the　Emperor）　received　at　Saint…Cloud　the　Senate；　led　by　Consul
Cambaceres；　who　became；　a　few　hours　later；　arch…chancellor　of　the　Empire；
and　it　was　by　him　that　the　Emperor　heard　himself　for　the　first　time
saluted　with　the　title　of　Sire。　　After　this　audience　the　Senate　went　to
present　its　homage　to　the　Empress　Josephine。　　The　rest　of　the　day　was
passed　in　receptions；　presentations；　interviews；　and　congratulations；
everybody　in　the　chateau　was　drunk　with　joy；　each　one　felt　that　he　had
been　suddenly　promoted　in　rank；　so　they　embraced　each　other；　exchanged
compliments；　and　confided　to　each　other　hopes　and　plans　for　the　future。
There　was　no　subaltern　too　humble　to　be　inspired　with　ambition；　in　a
word；　the　antechamber；　saving　the　difference　of　persons；　furnished　an
exact　repetition　of　what　passed　in　the　saloon。　　Nothing　could　be　more
amusing　than　the　embarrassment　of　the　whole　service　when　it　was　necessary
to　reply　to　his　Majesty's　questions。　　They　would　begin　with　a　mistake；
then　would　try　again；　and　do　worse；　saying　ten　times　in　the　same　minute；
〃Sire；　general；　your　Majesty；　citizen；　First　Consul。〃　　The　next　morning
on　entering　as　usual　the　First　Consul's　room；　to　his　customary　questions；
〃What　o'clock　is　it？　　What　is　the　weather？　　〃I　replied；　〃Sire；　seven
o'clock；　fine　weather。〃　　As　I　approached　his　bed；　he　seized　me　by　the
ear；　and　slapped　me　on　the　cheek；　calling　me　〃Monsieur　le　drole；〃　which
was　his　favorite　expression　when　especially　pleased　with　me。　　His　Majesty
had　kept　awake；　and　worked　late　into　the　night；　and　I　found　him　serious
and　preoccupied；　but　well　satisfied。　　How　different　this　awakening　to
that　of　the　21st　of　March　preceding！　　On　this　day　his　Majesty　went　to
hold　his　first　grand　levee　at　the　Tuileries；　where　all　th