napoleon bonaparte, v9-第4部分

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


distance　to　the　prince；　and　seemed　to　be　entreating　him　to　receive。
Their　black　clothing　made　a　deep　impression　on　the　prince；　and　he　asked
why　the　poor　child　was　dressed　all　in　black。　〃　Doubtless　because　his　papa
is　dead；〃　replied　the　governess；　whereupon　the　child　expressed　an　earnest
desire　to　speak　to　the　little　petitioner。　　Madame　de　Montesquiou；　who
especially　desired　to　cultivate　in　her　young　pupil　this　disposition　to
mercy；　gave　orders　that　the　mother　and　child　should　be　brought　up。　　She
proved　to　be　the　widow　of　a　brave　man　who　had　lost　his　life　in　the　last
campaign；　and　by　his　death　she　had　been　reduced　to　poverty；　and　compelled
to　solicit　a　pension　from　the　Emperor。　　The　young　prince　took　the
petition；　and　promised　to　present　it　to　his　papa。　　And　next　day　when　he
went　as　usual　to　pay　his　respects　to　his　father；　and　handed　him　all　the
petitions　presented　to　him　the　evening　before；　one　alone　was　kept　apart；
it　was　that　of　his　little　protege。　　〃Papa；〃　said　he；　〃here　is　a　petition
from　a　little　boy　whose　father　was　killed　on　your　account；　give　him　a
pension。〃　　Napoleon　was　deeply　moved；　and　embraced　his　son；　and　orders
for　the　pension　were　given　that　day。　　This　conduct　in　so　young　a　child
gives　undeniable　evidence　of　an　excellent　heart。

His　early　training　was　excellent；　as　Madame　de　Montesquiou　had　an
unbounded　influence　over　him；　owing　to　the　manner　at　once　gentle　and
grave　in　which　she　corrected　his　faults。　　The　child　was　generally　docile；
but；　nevertheless；　sometimes　had　violent　fits　of　anger；　which　his
governess　had　adopted　an　excellent　means　of　correcting；　which　was　to
remain　perfectly　unmoved　until　he　himself　controlled　his　fury。　　When　the
child　returned　to　himself；　a　few　severe　and　pertinent　remarks　transformed
him　into　a　little　Cato　for　the　remainder　of　the　day。　　One　day　as　he　was
rolling　on　the　floor　refusing　to　listen　to　the　remonstrances　of　his
governess；　she　closed　tie　windows　and　shutters；　and　the　child；　astonished
by　this　performance；　forgot　what　had　enraged　him；　and　asked　her　why　she
did　this。　　〃I　did　it　because　I　was　afraid　you　would　be　heard；　do　you
suppose　the　French　people　would　want　you　as　their　prince；　if　they　knew
that　you　gave　way　to　such　fits　of　anger？〃〃Do　you　think　they　heard　me？〃
he　inquired；　〃I　would　be　very　sorry　if　they　had。　　Pardon；　Mamma　Quiou
＇this　was　his　name　for　her＇；　I　will　not　do　it　again。〃

The　Emperor　was　passionately　devoted　to　his　son；　took　him　in　his　arms
every　time　he　saw　him；　and　jumped　him　up　and　down　most　merrily；　and　was
delighted　with　the　joy　he　manifested。　　He　teased　him　by　carrying　him　in
front　of　the　glass　and　making　grimaces；　at　which　the　child　laughed　till
he　cried。　　While　at　breakfast　he　took　him　on　his　knee；　dipped　his　finger
in　the　sauce　and　made　him　suck　it；　and　smeared　his　face　with　it；　and　when
the　governess　scolded；　the　Emperor　laughed　still　more　heartily；　and　the
child；　who　enjoyed　the　sport；　begged　his　father　to　repeat　it。　　This　was
an　opportune　moment　for　the　arrival　of　petitions　at　the　chateau；　for　they
were　always　well　received　at　such　times；　thanks　to　the　all…powerful
credit　of　the　little　mediator。

The　Emperor　in　his　tender　moods　was　sometimes　even　more　childish　than　his
son。　　The　young　prince　was　only　four　months　old　when　his　father　put　his
three…cornered　hat　on　the　pretty　infant。

The　child　usually　cried　a　good　deal；　and　at　these　times　the　Emperor
embraced　him　with　an　ardor　and　delight　which　none　but　a　tender　father
could　feel；　saying　to　him；

〃What；　Sire；　you　crying！　　A　king　weeping；　fie；　then；　how　ugly　that　is！〃
He　was　just　a　year　old　when　I　saw　the　Emperor；　on　the　lawn　in　front　of
the　chateau；　place　his　sword…belt　over　the　shoulders　of　the　king；　and　his
hat　on　his　head；　and　holding　out　his　arms　to　the　child；　who　tottered　to
him；　his　little　feet　now　and　then　entangled　in　his　father's　sword；　and　it
was　beautiful　to　see　the　eagerness　with　which　the　Emperor　extended　his
arms　to　keep　him　from　falling。

One　day　in　his　cabinet　the　Emperor　was　lying　on　the　floor；　the　king
riding　horseback　on　his　knee；　mounting　by　jumps　up　to　his　father's　face；
and　kissing　him。　　On　another　occasion　the　child　entered　the　council
chamber　after　the　meeting　had　ended；　and　ran　into　his　father's　arms
without　paying　attention　to　any　one　else；　upon　which　the　Emperor　said　to
him；　〃Sire；　you　have　not　saluted　these　gentlemen。〃　　The　child　turned；
bowed　most　gracefully；　and　his　father　then　took　him　in　his　arms。
Sometimes　when　going　to　visit　the　Emperor；　he　ran　so　fast　that　he　left
Madame　de　Montesquiou　far　behind；　and　said　to　the　usher；　〃Open　the　door
for　me；　I　want　to　see　papa。〃　　The　usher　replied；　〃Sire；　I　cannot　do　it。〃
〃But　I　am　the　little　king。〃〃No；　Sire；　I　cannot　open　it。〃　　At　this
moment　his　governess　appeared；　and　strong　in　her　protection　he　proudly
repeated；　〃Open　the　door；　the　king　desires　it。〃

Madame　de　Montesquiou　had　added　to　the　prayers　which　the　child　repeated
morning　and　evening；　these　words：　〃My　God；　inspire　papa　to　make　peace　for
the　happiness　of　France。〃　　One　evening　the　Emperor　was　present　when　his
son　was　retiring；　and　he　made　the　same　prayer；　whereupon　the　Emperor
embraced　him　in　silence；　smiling　most　kindly　on　Madame　de　Montesquiou。

The　Emperor　was　accustomed　to　say　to　the　King　of　Rome　when　he　was
frightened　at　any　noise　or　at　his　grimaces；　〃Come；　come！　a　king　should
have　no　fear。〃

I　recall　another　anecdote　concerning　the　young　son　of　the　Emperor；　which
was　related　to　me　by　his　Majesty　himself　one　evening　when　I　was
undressing　him　as　usual；　and　at　which　the　Emperor　laughed　most　heartily。
〃You　would　not　believe；〃　said　he；　〃the　singular　reward　my　son　desired　of
his　governess　for　being　good。　　Would　she　not　allow　him　to　go　and　wade　in
the　mud？〃　　This　was；　true；　and　proves；　it　seems　to　me；　that　the　greatness
which　surrounds　the　cradle　of　princes　cannot　eradicate　from　their　minds
the　singular　caprices　of　childhood。




CHAPTER　III。

All　the　world　is　familiar　with　the　name　of　the　Abbe　Geoffroy　of　satirical
memory；　who　drove　the　most　popular　actors　and　authors　of　the　time　to
desperation。　　This　pitiless　Aristarchus　must　have　been　most　ardently
enamored　of　this　disagreeable　profession；　for　he　sometimes　endangered
thereby；　not　his　life；　which　many　persons　would　have　desired　earnestly
perhaps；　but　at　any　rate　his　health　and　his　repose。　　It　is　well；
doubtless；　to　attack　those　who　can　reply　with　the　pen；　as　then　the
consequences　of　the　encounter　do　not　reach　beyond　the　ridicule　which　is
often　the　portion　of　both　adversaries。　　But　Abbe　Geoffroy　fulfilled　only
one　of　the　two　conditions　by　virtue　of　which　one　can　criticise；he　had
much　bitterness　in　his　pen；　but　he　was　not　a　man　of　the　sword；　and　every
one　knows　that　there　are　persons　whom　it　is　necessary　to　attack　with　both
these　weapons。

An　actor　whom　Geoffroy　had　not　exactly　flattered　in　his　criticisms
decided　to　avenge　himself　in　a　piquant　style；　and　one　at　which　he　could
laugh　long　and　loud。　　One　evening；　foreseeing　what　would　appear　in　the
journal　of　the　next　day；　he　could　think　of　nothing　better　than　to　carry
off　Geoffroy　as　he　was　returning　from　the　theater；　and　conduct　him　with
bandaged　eyes　to　a　house　where　a　schoolboy's　punishment　would　be
inflicted　on　this　man　who　considered　himself　a　master　in　the　art　of
writing。

This　plan　was　carried　out。　　Just　as　the　abbe　regained　his　lodging；
rubbing　his　hands　perhaps　as　he　thought　of　some　fine　point　for　tomorrow's
paper；　three　or　four　vigorous　fellows　seized　him；　and　conveyed　him
without　a　word　to　the　place　of　punishment；　and　some　time　later　that
evening；　the　abbe；　well　flogged；　opened　his　eyes　in　the　middle　of　the
street；　to　find　himself　alone　far　from　his　dwelling。　　The　Emperor；　when
told　of　this　ludicrous　affair；　was　not　at　all　amused；　but；　on　the
contrary；　became　very　angry；　and　said　that　if　he　knew　the　authors　of　this
outrage；　he　would　have　them　punished。　　〃When　a　man　attacks　with　the　pen；〃
he　added；　he　should　be　answered　with　the　same　weapon。〃　　The　truth　is　also
that　the　Emperor　was　much　attached　to　M。　Geoffroy；　whose　writings　he　did
not　wish　submitted　to　censure　like　those　of　other　journalist。　　It　was
said　in　Paris　that　this　predilection　of　a　great　man　for　a　caustic　critic
came　from　the　fact　that　these　contributions　to　the　Journal　of　the　Empire；
which　attracted　much　attention　at　this　period；　were　a　useful　diversion　to
the　minds　of　the　capital。　　I　know　nothing　positively　in　regard　to　this；
but　when　I　reflect　on　the　character　of　the　Emperor；　who　wished　no　one　to
occupy　themselves　with　his　political　affairs；　these　opinions　seem　to　me
not　devoid　of　foundation。

Doctor　Corvisart　was　not　a　courtier；　and　came　rarely　to　the　Emperor；
except　on　his　regular　visit　each　Wednesday　and　Saturday。　　He　was　very
candid　with　the　Emperor；　insisted　positively　that　his　directions　should
be　obeyed　to　the　letter；　and　made　full　use　of　the　right　accorded　to
physicians　to　scold　their　negligent　patient。　　The　Emperor　was　especially
fond　of　him；　and　always　detained　him；　seeming　to　find　much　pleasure　in
his　conversation。

After　the　journey　to　Holland　in　1811；　M。　Corvisart　came　to　see　the
Emperor　one　Saturday；　and　found　him　in　good　health。　　He　left　him　after
the　toilet；　and　immediately　went　to　enjoy　the　pleasures　of　the　chase；　of
which　he　was　exceedingly　fond。　　He　was　in　the　habit　of　not　announcing
where　he　was　going；　solely　in　order　that　he　might　not　be　interrupted　for
some　slight　cause；　as　had　happened　to　him　sometimes；　for　the　doctor　was
most　obliging　and　considerate。　　That　day　after　his　breakfast；　which；
according　to　custom；　he　had　devoured　rapidly；　the　Emperor　was　taken
suddenly　with　a　violent　colic；　and　was　quite　ill。　　He　asked　for　M。
Corvisart；　and　a　courier　was　dispatched　for　him；　who；　not　finding　him　in
Paris；　hastened　to　his　country　house；　but　the　doctor　was　at　the　chase；　no
one　knew　where；　so　the　courier　was　obliged　to　return　without　him。　　The
Emperor　was　deeply　vexed；　and　as　he　continued　to　suffer　extremely；　at
last　went　to　bed；　and　Marie　Louise　came　and　spent　a　few　moments　with　him；
at　last　M。　Yvan　was　summoned；　and　administered　remedies　which　soon
relieved　the　Emperor。

M。　Corvisart；　somewhat　anxious　perhaps；　came　on　Monday　instead　of
W