napoleon bonaparte, v4-第6部分

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The　three　sons　of　Queen　Hortense　had；　if　I　am　not　much　mistaken；　the
Emperor　as　godfather；　but　he　loved　most　tenderly　the　eldest　of　the　three；
Prince　Napoleon　Charles；　who　died　at　the　age　of　five　years；　Prince　Royal
of　Holland。　　I　shall　speak　afterwards　of　this　lovely　child；　whose　death
threw　his　father　and　mother　into　the　most　overwhelming　grief；　was　the
cause　of　great　sorrow　to　the　Emperor；　and　may　be　considered　as　the　source
of　the　gravest　events。

After　the　baptismal　fetes　we　set　out　for　Italy；　accompanied　by　the
Empress　Josephine。　　Whenever　it　was　convenient　the　Emperor　liked　to　take
her　with　him；　but　she　always　desired　to　accompany　her　husband；　whether　or
not　this　was　the　case。

The　Emperor　usually　kept　his　journey　a　profound　secret　up　to　the　moment
of　his　departure；　and　ordered　at　midnight　horses　for　his　departure　to
Mayence　or　Milan；　exactly　as　if　a　hunt　at　Saint…Cloud　or　Rambouillet　was
in　question。

On　one　of　his　journeys　（I　do　not　remember　which）；　his　Majesty　had　decided
not　to　take　the　Empress　Josephine。　　The　Emperor　was　less　disturbed　by
this　company　of　ladies　and　women　who　formed　her　Majesty's　suite；　than　he
was　by　the　annoyance　of　the　bandboxes　and　bundles　with　which　they　were
usually　encumbered；　and　wished　on　this　occasion　to　travel　rapidly；　and
without　ostentation；　and　spare　the　towns　on　his　route　an　enormous
increase　of　expense。

He　therefore　ordered　everything　to　be　in　readiness　for　his　departure；　at
one　o'clock　in　the　morning；　at　which　hour　the　Empress　was　generally
asleep；　but；　in　spite　of　all　precautions；　some　slight　noise　warned　the
Empress　of　what　was　taking　place。　　The　Emperor　had　promised　her　that　she
should　accompany　him　on　his　first　journey；　but　he　had　deceived　her；
nevertheless；　and　was　about　to　set　out　without　her！　　She　instantly　called
her　women；　but　vexed　at　their　slowness；　her　Majesty　sprang　out　of　bed；
threw　on　the　first　clothing　she　found　at　hand；　and　ran　out　of　her　room　in
slippers　and　without　stockings。　　Weeping　like　a　little　child　that　is
being　taken　back　to　boarding…school；　she　crossed　the　apartments；　flew
down　the　staircase；　and　threw　herself　into　the　arms　of　the　Emperor；　as　he
was　entering　his　carriage；　barely　in　time；　however；　for　a　moment　later　he
set　out。　　As　almost　always　happened　at　the　sight　of　his　wife's　tears；　the
Emperor's　heart　was　softened；　and　she；　seeing　this；　had　already　entered
the　carriage；　and　was　cowering　down　in　the　foot；　for　the　Empress　was
scantily　clad。　　The　Emperor　covered　her　with　his　cloak；　and　before
starting　gave　the　order　in　person　that；　with　the　first　relay；　his　wife
should　receive　all　she　needed。

The　Emperor；　leaving　his　wife　at　Fontainebleau；　repaired　to　Brienne；
where　he　arrived　at　six　o'clock　in　the　evening；　and　found　Mesdames　de
Brienne　and　Lomenie；　with　several　ladies　of　the　city；　awaiting　him　at　the
foot　of　the　staircase　to　the　chateau。　　He　entered　the　saloon；　and
received　most　graciously　all　persons　who　were　presented　to　him；　and　then
passed　into　the　garden；　conversing　familiarly　with　Mesdames　Brienne　and
Lomenie；　and　recalling　with　surprising　accuracy　the　smallest　particulars
of　the　stay　which　he　made　during　his　childhood　at　the　military　school　of
Brienne。

His　Majesty　invited　to　his　table　at　dinner　his　hostesses　and　a　few　of
their　friends；　and　afterwards　made　a　party　at　a　game　of　whist　with
Mesdames　de　Brienne；　de　Vandeuvre；　and　de　Nolivres。　　During　this　game；　as
also　at　the　table；　his　conversation　was　animated　and　most　interesting；
and　he　displayed　such　liveliness　and　affability　that　every　one　was
delighted。

His　Majesty　passed　the　night　at　the　chateau　of　Brienne；　and　rose　early　to
visit　the　field　of　la　Rothiere；　one　of　his　favorite　walks　in　former　days。
He　revisited　with　the　greatest　pleasure　those　spots　where　his　early　youth
had　been　passed；　and　pointed　them　out　with　a　kind　of　pride；　all　his
movements；　all　his　reflections；　seeming　to　say；　〃See　whence　I　set　out；
and　where　I　have　arrived。〃

His　Majesty　walked　in　advance　of　the　persons　who　accompanied　him；　and
took　much　pleasure　in　being　first　to　call　by　their　names　the　various
localities　he　passed。　　A　peasant；　seeing　him　thus　some　distance　from　his
suite；　cried　out　to　him　familiarly；　〃Oh；　citizen；　is　the　Emperor　going　to
pass　soon？〃〃Yes；〃　replied　the　Emperor；　〃have　patience。〃

The　Emperor　had　inquired　the　evening　before；　of　Madame　Brienne；　news　of
Mother　Marguerite。　　Thus　was　styled　a　good　woman　who　dwelt　in　a　cottage；
in　the　midst　of　the　forest；　and　on　whom　the；　pupils　of　the　military
academy　were　accustomed　to　make　frequent　visits。　　He　had　not　forgotten
her　name；　and　learning；　with　as　much　joy　as　surprise；　that　she　still
lived；　the　Emperor；　extended　his　morning　ride；　and　galloping　up　to　the
door　of　the　cottage；　alighted　from　his　horse；　and　entered　the　home　of　the
good　old　peasant。　　Her　sight　was　impaired　by　age；　and　besides；　the
Emperor　had　changed　so　much　since　she　had　seen　him　that　it　would　have
been　difficult　even　for　the　best　eyes　to　recognize　him。　　〃Good…day；
Mother　Marguerite；〃　said　his　Majesty；　saluting　the　old　woman；　〃so　you　are
not　curious　to　see　the　Emperor？〃〃Yes；　indeed；　my　good　sir；　I　am　very
curious　to　see　him；　so　much　so；　that　here　is　a　little　basket　of　fresh
eggs　that　I　am　going　to　carry　to　Madame；　and　I　shall　then　remain　at　the
chateau；　and　endeavor　to　see　the　Emperor。　　But　the　trouble　is；　I　shall
not　be　able　to　see　him　so　well　to…day　as　formerly；　when　he　came　with　his
comrades　to　drink　milk　at　Mother　Marguerite's。　　He　was　not　Emperor　then；
but　that　was　nothing；　he　made　the　others　step　around！　　Indeed；　you　should
have　seen　him！　　The　milk；　the　eggs；　the　brown　bread；　the　broken　dishes
though　he　took　care　to　have　me　paid　for　everything；　and　began　by　paying
his　own　bill。〃〃What！　　Mother　Marguerite；〃　replied　his　Majesty；　smiling；
〃you　have　not　forgotten　Bonaparte！〃〃Forgotten！　　my　good　sir；　you　think
that　any　one　would　forget　such　a　young　man　as　he；　who　was　wise；　serious；
and　sometimes　even　sad；　but　always　good　to　poor　people？　　I　am　only　a　poor
peasant　woman；　but　I　could　have　predicted　that　this　young　man　would　make
his　way。　　He　has　not　done　it　very　badly；　has　he？　　Ah；　no；　indeed！〃

During　this　short　dialogue；　the　Emperor　had　at　first　turned　his　back　to
the　door；　and　consequently　to　the　light；　which　entered　the　cottage　only
by　that　means。　　But；　by　degrees；　the　Emperor　approached　the　good　woman；
and　when　he　was　quite　near　her；　with　the　light　shining　full　on　his　face
from　the　door；　he　began　to　rub　his　hands　and　say；　trying　to　recall　the
tone　and　manner　of　the　days　of　his　early　youth；　when　he　came　to　the
peasant's　house；　〃Come；　Mother　Marguerite；　some　milk　and　fresh　eggs；　we
are　famishing。〃　　The　good　old　woman　seemed　trying　to　revive　her　memories；
and　began　to　observe　the　Emperor　with　the　closest　attention。　　〃Oh；　yes；
Mother；　you　were　so　sure　a　while　ago　of　knowing　Bonaparte　again。　　Are　we
not　old　acquaintances；　we　two？〃　　The　peasant；　while　the　Emperor　was
addressing　these　last　words　to　her；　had　fallen　at　his　feet；　but　he　raised
her　with　the　most　touching　kindness；　and　said　to　her；　〃The　truth　is；
Mother　Marguerite；　I　have　still　a　schoolboy's　appetite。　　Have　you　nothing
to　give　me？〃　　The　good　woman；　almost　beside　herself　with　happiness；
served　his　Majesty　with　eggs　and　milk；　and　when　this　simple　repast　was
ended；　his　Majesty　gave　his　aged　hostess　a　purse　full　of　gold；　saying　to
her；　〃You　know；　Mother　Marguerite；　that　I　believe　in　paying　my　bills。
Adieu；　I　shall　not　forget　you。〃　　And　while　the　Emperor　remounted　his
horse；　the　good　old　woman；　standing　on　the　threshold　of　her　door；
promised　him；　with　tears　of　joy；　to　pray　to　the　good　God　for　him。

One　morning；　when　he　awoke；　his　Majesty　was　speaking　of　the　possibility
of　finding　some　of　his　old　acquaintances；　and　an　anecdote　concerning
General　Junot　was　related　to　him；　which　amused　him　greatly。　　The　General
finding　himself；　on　his　return　from　Egypt；　at　Montbard；　where　he　had
passed　several　years　of　his　childhood；　had　sought　with　the　greatest　care
for　his　companions　in　school　and　mischief；　and　had　found　several；　with
whom　he　had　talked　gayly　and　freely　of　his　early　frolics　and　his
schoolboy　excursions。　　As　they　went　together　to　revisit　the　different
localities；　each　of　which　awakened　in　them　some　memory　of　their　youth；
the　general　saw　an　old　man　majestically　promenading　on　the　public　square
with　a　large　cane　in　his　hand。　　He　immediately　ran　up　to　him；　threw　his
arms　around　him；　and　embraced　him　many　times；　almost　suffocating　him。
The　promenader　disengaged　himself　with　great　difficulty　from　his　warm
embraces；　regarded　General　Junot　with　an　amazed　air；　and　remarked　that　he
was　ignorant　to　what　he　could　attribute　such　excessive　tenderness　from　a
soldier　wearing　the　uniform　of　a　superior　officer；　and　all　the
indications　of　high　rank。　　〃What；〃　cried　he；　〃do　you　not　recognize　me？〃
〃Citizen　General；　I　pray　you　to　excuse　me；　but　I　have　no　idea〃
〃Ah；　morbleu；　my　dear　master；　have　you　forgotten　the　most　idle；　the　most
lawless；　the　most　incorrigible　of　your　scholars？〃〃A　thousand　pardons；
you　are　Monsieur　Junot。〃〃Himself！〃　replied　Junot；　renewing　his
embraces；　and　laughing　with　his　friends　at　the　singular　characteristics
by