napoleon bonaparte, v9-第1部分

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RECOLLECTIONS　OF　THE　PRIVATE　LIFE　OF　NAPOLEON；　V9

BY　CONSTANT

PREMIER　VALET　DE　CHAMBRE




TRANSLATED　BY　WALTER　CLARK

1895




CONTENTS：
CHAPTER　I。　　　to　　CHAPTER　VII。




CHAPTER　I。

In　September；　1811；　the　Emperor　decided　to　make　a　journey　into　Flanders
in　company　with　the　；　Empress；　that　he　might　personally　ascertain　if　his
orders　had　been　carried　out　in　all　matters　concerning　both　the　civil　and
religious　administration。　　Their　Majesties　left　Compiegne　on　the　19th；
and　arrived　at　Montreuil…sur…Mer　at　nine　o'clock　in　the　evening。
I　accompanied　the　Emperor　on　this　journey。　　I　have　read　in　O'Meara's
Memorial　that　M。　Marchand　was　at　that　time　in　the　service　of　Napoleon。
This　is　incorrect；　for　M。　Marchand　did　not　enter　the　Emperor's　private
service　until　1814；　at　Fontainebleau。　　His　Majesty　at　that　time　ordered
me　to　select　from　the　domestics　of　the　service　an　intelligent　young　man
to　assist　me　in　my　duties　near　his　person；　since　none　of　the　ordinary
'valets　de　chambre'　were　to　remain　on　the　island　of　Elba。　　I　mentioned
the　name　of　M。　Marchand；　son　of　a　nurse　of　the　King　of　Rome；　as　a
suitable　person　for　the　place。　　He　was　accepted　by　his　Majesty；　and　from
that　time　M。　Marchand　formed　a　part　of　the　private　service　of　the
Emperor。　　He　may　have　been　on　this　journey　to　Holland；　but　Napoleon　was
not　aware　of　it；　as　his　duties　did　not　bring　him　near　his　Majesty's
person。

I　will　now　relate　some　of　the　circumstances　which　occurred　on　this
journey；　and　are　not　generally　known　to　the　public；　and　at　the　same　time
take　advantage　of　the　opportunity　to　refute　other　assertions　similar　to
those　I　have　just　mentioned；　and　which　I　have　read　with　surprise；
sometimes　mixed　with　indignation；　in　the　Contemporary　Memoirs。　　I　deem
it　important　that　the　public　should　have　correct　information　as　to
everything　pertaining　to　this　journey；　in　order　that　light　may　thus　be
thrown　on　certain　incidents；　by　means　of　which　calumny　has　attacked　the
honor　of　Napoleon；　and　even　my　own。　　A　devoted　though　humble　servant　of
the　Emperor；　it　is　natural　that　I　should　be　deeply　interested　in
explaining　all　that　seems　doubtful；　in　refuting　all　falsehoods；　and　in
giving　minute　corrections　of　many　incorrect　statements　which　might
influence　the　judgment　of　the　public　concerning　my　master　and　myself。
I　shall　fulfil　this　duty　with　perfect　frankness；　as　I　have　sufficiently
proved　in　the　foregoing　volumes　of　these　Memoirs。

A　little　incident　occurred　at　Montreuil；　which　I　take　pleasure　in
narrating；　since　it　proves　how　carefully　Napoleon　examined　both　the
fortifications　and　improvements　being　made　in　the　towns；　either　by　his
personal　orders；　or　from　the　impulse　given　by　him　to　these　important
departments　of　public　service。　　After　investigating　the　work　done　in　the
past　year　on　the　fortifications　of　Montreuil；　and　having　made　a　tour　of
all　the　ramparts；　the　Emperor　returned　to　the　citadel；　whence　he　again
emerged　to　visit　the　exterior　works。　　An　arm　of　the　river　Canche；　which
lies　at　the　foot　of　the　wall　on　one　side　of　the　city；　intercepted　his
route。　　The　whole　suite　set　to　work　to　construct　a　temporary　bridge　of
planks　and　logs；　but　the　Emperor；　impatient　at　the　delay；　walked　through
the　stream　in　water　up　to　his　knees。　　The　owner　of　a　mill　on　the　opposite
shore　took　his　Majesty　by　the　arm　to　assist　him　in　mounting　the　bank；　and
profited　by　this　opportunity　to　explain　to　the　Emperor　that　his　mill；
being　in　the　line　of　the　projected　fortifications；　would　necessarily　be
torn　down；　whereupon　the　Emperor　turned　to　the　engineers　and　said；　〃This
brave　man　must　be　indemnified　for　any　loss　he　may　sustain。〃　　He　then
continued　his　rounds；　and　did　not　re…enter　his　carriage　until　he　had
examined　everything　at　leisure；　and　held　a　long　interview　with　the　civil
and　military　authorities　of　Montreuil。　　On　the　route　a　soldier　who　had
been　wounded　at　Ratisbon　was　presented　to　him；　and　his　Majesty　ordered
that　a　present　should　be　made　him　on　the　spot；　and　that　his　petition
should　be　presented　to　him　on　his　arrival　at　Boulogne　on　the　20th。

This　was　the　second　time　Boulogne　had　received　the　Emperor　within　its
walls。　　Immediately　on　his　arrival　he　went　on　board　the　flotilla　and　held
a　review。　　As　an　English　frigate　was　evidently　preparing　to　approach　in
order　to　observe　more　closely　what　was　taking　place　in　the　roadstead；　his
Majesty　immediately　sent　out　a　French　frigate　under　full　sail　against　the
hostile　ship；　whereupon　the　latter；　taking　the　alarm；　at　once
disappeared。　　On　the　29th　of　September　his　Majesty　reached　Flushing；　and
from　Flushing　went　to　visit　the　fortifications　at　Tervueren。　　As　he　was
overlooking　the　various　works　at　that　place；　a　young　woman　threw　herself
at　his　feet；　her　cheeks　wet　with　tears；　。and　extended　a　petition　to　the
Emperor　with　a　trembling　hand。　　Napoleon　most　graciously　assisted　her　to
rise；　and　inquired　the　object　of　her　petition。　　〃Sire；〃　said　the　poor
woman　between　her　sobs；　？I　am　the　mother　of　three　children；　whose　father
is　conscripted　by　your　Majesty；　the　children　and　the　mother　are　in　the
deepest　distress。〃〃Monsieur；〃　said　his　Majesty　to　some　one　of　his
suite；　〃make　a　note　of　this　man's　name；　I　will　make　him　an　officer。〃　　The
young　woman　tried　to　express　her　gratitude；　but　her　emotion　and　tears
prevented　the　utterance　of　a　word；　and　the　Emperor　went　on　his　way。

Another　kind　act　marked　his　departure　from　Ostend。　　On　leaving　that　town
he　followed　the　course　of　the　Estrau；　and　as　he　did　not　care　to　pass
through　the　locks；　in　order　to　cross　the　Swine；　entered　a　fishing…boat　in
company　with　the　Duke　of　Vicenza；　his　grand　equerry；　Count　Lobau；　one　of
his　aides…de…camp；　and　two　chasseurs　of　the　guard。　　This　boat；　which　was
owned　by　two　poor　fishermen；　was　worth　only　about　one　hundred　and　fifty
florins；　including　its　equipment；　and　was　their　only　source　of　wealth。
The　crossing　required　about　half　an　hour；　and　his　Majesty　alighted　at
Fort　Orange；　on　the　island　of　Cadsand；　where　the　prefect　with　his　suite
awaited　him；　and　as　he　was　wet　and　suffering　with　the　cold；　a　large　fire
was　kindled；　by　which　he　warmed　himself　with　evident　enjoyment。　　The
fishermen　were　then　asked　how　much　they　charged　for　the　passage；　and　upon
their　replying　a　florin　for　each　passenger；　Napoleon　ordered　that　a
hundred　napoleons　should　be　counted　out　to　them；　and　they　should　be
granted　a　pension　of　three　hundred　francs　for　life。　　It　is　impossible　to
give　an　idea　of　the　joyful　surprise　of　these　poor　men；　who　had　not　in　the
least　suspected　the　exalted　rank　of　their　passenger；　but　no　sooner　were
they　informed　than　the　whole　country　was　told；　and　thus　many　hearts　were
won　for　Napoleon；　while　at　the　same　time　the　Empress　Marie　Louise　was
being　welcomed　on　his　account　at　the　theater；　and　whenever　she　appeared
on　the　streets；　with　sincere　and　vociferous　applause。

Preparations　had　been　made　everywhere　in　Holland　two　months　before　the
arrival　of　their　Majesties；　in　order　that　they　might　be　suitably
received；　and　there　was　no　village　on　the　Emperor's　route　so　small　that
it　was　not　eager　to　earn　his　approbation　by　the　proportional　magnificence
of　the　welcome　accorded　his　Majesty。　　Almost　the　whole　court　of　France
accompanied　him　on　this　journey；　and　grand　dignitaries；　ladies　of　honor；
superior　officers；　aides…de…camp；　chamberlains；　equerries；　ladies　of
attire；　quartermasters；　valets　de　chambre；　regulators　of　soldiers'
quarters；　the　kitchen　servicenothing　was　wanting。　　Napoleon　intended　to
dazzle　the　eyes　of　the　good　Dutchmen　by　the　magnificence　of　his　court；
and；　in　truth；　his　gracious　manner；　his　affability；　and　the　recital　of
the　numerous　benefits　he　scattered　around　his　path；　had　already　had　their
effect　in　conquering　this　population；　in　spite　of　the　frowning　brows　of　a
few；　who；　as　they　smoked　their　pipes；　murmured　against　the　impediments　to
commerce　caused　by　the　Continental　system。

The　city　of　Amsterdam；　where　the　Emperor　had　decided　to　remain　some　time；
found　itself　suddenly　in　a　condition　of　peculiar　embarrassment；　owing　to
the　following　circumstance：　This　town　had　a　very　extensive　palace；　but　no
coaches　nor　stables　attached　to　them；　which　for　the　suite　of　Napoleon　was
a　prime　necessity；　and　the　stables　of　King　Louis；　besides　their
insufficiency；　were　placed　too　far　from　the　palace　to　be　occupied　by　even
a　portion　of　the　Emperor's　service。　　Consequently　there　was　great
embarrassment　in　the　city；　and　much　difficulty　was　experienced　in
quartering　the　Emperor's　horses；　since　to　improvise　stables　in　a　few
days；　almost　in　a　moment；　was　impossible；　and　to　build　carriage…houses　in
the　midst　of　courts　would　have　had　a　ludicrous　effect。　　But　fortunately
this　difficult　situation　was　ended　by　one　of　the　quartermasters　of　the
palace　named　M。　Emery；　a　man　of　great　intelligence；　and　an　old　soldier；
who；　having　learned　from　Napoleon　and　the　force　of　circumstances　never　to
be　overcome　by　difficulties；　conceived　the　happy　thought　of　converting
the　flower…market　into　stables　and　coach…houses；　and　placing　the
equipages　of　the　Emperor　there　under　immense　tents。

The　Emperor　at　last　rejoined　his　august　spouse　at　Brussels；　where　the
enthusiasm　excited　by　his　presence　was　unanimous。　　On　a　suggestion　from
him；　which　was　as　delicate　as　politic；　Marie　Louise　during　her　stay
bought　laces　to　the　value　of　one　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　francs；　in
order　to　encourage　the　manufacturers。　　The　introduction　into　France　of
English　merchandise　was　at　that　time　severely　prohibited；　and　all　that
was　found　was　indiscriminately　burned。

Of　the　whole　system　of　offensive　policy　maintained　by　Napoleon　against
the　maritime　tyranny　of　England；　nothing　more　nearly　aroused　open
opposition　than　the　vigorous　observance　of　prohibitory　decrees。　　Belgium
then　contained　a　quantity　of　English　merchandise；　which　was　most
carefully　concealed；　and　which　every　one　was　anxious　to　obtain；　as　is
ever　the　case　with　forbidden　fruit。　　All　the　ladies　in　the　suite　of　the
Empress　made　large　purchases　of　these　articles；　and　one　even　filled
several　carriages　with　them；　not　without　fear；　however；　that　Napoleon
might　be　informed　of　this；　and　might　seize　everything　on　its　arrival　in
France。　　These　carr