napoleon bonaparte, v2-第10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！


and　fastened　both　eyes　upon　me；　with　an　expression　of　severity　and
interrogation　which　I　am　unable　to　describe。　　Seeing　that　I　was　not　at
all　embarrassed；　he　seated　himself　again；　saying　to　me　in　a　mild　tone；
〃Proceed。〃　　This　I　did　with　sufficient　skill　to　satisfy　him；　and　when　I
had　finished；　he　said　to　me；　〃Hereafter　you　are　to　shave　me；〃　and；　in
fact；　after　that　he　was　unwilling　to　be　shaved　by　any　one　else。　　From
that　time　also　my　duties　became　much　more　exacting；　for　every　day　I　had
to　shave　the　First　Consul；　and　I　admit　that　it　was　not　an　easy　thing　to
do；　for　while　he　was　being　shaved；　he　often　spoke；　read　the　papers；　moved
about　in　his　chair；　turned　himself　abruptly；　and　I　was　obliged　to　use　the
greatest　precautions　in　order　not　to　cut　him。　　Happily　this　never
occurred。　　When　by　chance　he　did　not　speak；　he　remained　immobile　and
stiff　as　a　statue；　and　could　not　be　made　to　lower；　nor　raise；　nor　bend
his　head　to　one　side；　as　was　necessary　to　accomplish　the　task　easily。　　He
also　had　a　singular　fancy　of　having　one　half　of　his　face　lathered　and
shaved　before　beginning　the　other；　and　would　not　allow　me　to　pass　to　the
other　side　of　his　face　until　the　first　half　was　completely　finished；　as
the　First　Consul　found　that　plan　suited　him　best。

Later；　when　I　had　become　his　chief　valet；　and　he　deigned　to　give　me
proofs　of　his　kindness　and　esteem；　and　I　could　talk　with　him　as　freely
as　his　rank　permitted；　I　took　the　liberty　of　persuading　him　to　shave
himself；　for；　as　I　have　just　said；　not　wishing　to　be　shaved　by　any　one
except　me；　he　was　obliged　to　wait　till　I　could　be　notified；　especially　in
the　army；　when　his　hour　of　rising　was　not　regular。　　He　refused　for　a　long
time　to　take　my　advice；　though　I　often　repeated　it。　　〃Ah；　ha；　Mr。　Idler！〃
he　would　say　to　me；　laughing；　〃you　are　very　anxious　for　me　to　do　half
your　work；〃　but　at　last　I　succeeded　in　satisfying　him　of　my
disinterestedness　and　the　wisdom　of　my　advice。　　The　fact　is；　I　was　most
anxious　to　persuade　him　to　this；　for；　considering　what　would　necessarily
happen　if　an　unavoidable　absence；　an　illness；　or　some　other　reason；　had
separated　me　from　the　First　Consul；　I　could　not　reflect；　without　a
shudder；　of　his　life　being　at　the　mercy　of　the　first　comer。　　As　for　him；
I　am　sure　he　never　gave　the　matter　a　thought；　for　whatever　tales　have
been　related　of　his　suspicious　nature；　he　never　took　any　precaution
against　the　snares　which　treason　might　set　for　him。　　His　sense　of
security；　in　this　regard；　amounted　even　to　imprudence；　and　consequently
all　who　loved　him；　especially　those　who　surrounded　him；　endeavored　to
make　up　for　this　want　of　precaution　by　all　the　vigilance　of　which　they
were　capable；　and　it　is　unnecessary　to　assert　that　it　was　this　solicitude
for　the　precious　life　of　my　master　which　had　caused　me　to　insist　upon　the
advice　I　had　given　him　to　shave　himself。

On　the　first　occasions　on　which　he　attempted　to　put　my　lessons　into
practice；　it　was　even　more　alarming　than　laughable　to　watch　the　Emperor
（for　such　he　was　then）；　as　in　spite　of　the　lessons　that　I　had　given　him
with　repeated　illustrations；　he　did　not　yet　know　how　to　hold　his　razor。
He　would　seize　it　by　the　handle；　and　apply　it　perpendicularly　to　his
cheek；　instead　of　laying　it　flat；　he　would　make　a　sudden　dash　with　the
razor；　never　failing　to　give　himself　a　cut；　and　then　draw　back　his　hand
quickly；　crying　out；　〃See　there；　you　scamp；　you　have　made　me　cut　myself。〃
I　would　then　take　the　razor　and　finish　the　operation　The　next　day　the
same　scene　would　be　repeated；　but　with　less　bloodshed；　and　each　day　the
skill　of　the　Emperor　improved；　until　at　last；　by　dint　of　numberless
lessons；　he　became　sufficiently　an　adept　to　dispense　with　me；　though　he
still　cut　himself　now　and　then；　for　which　he　would　always　mildly　reproach
me；　though　jestingly　and　in　kindness。　　Besides；　from　the　manner　in　which
he　began；　and　which　he　would　never　change；　it　was　impossible　for　him　not
to　cut　his　face　sometimes；　for　he　shaved　himself　downward；　and　not
upward；　like　every　one　else；　and　this　bad　method；　which　all　my　efforts
could　not　change；　added　to　the　habitual　abruptness　of　his　movements；　made
me　shudder　every　time　I　saw　him　take　his　razor　in　hand。

Madame　Bonaparte　accompanied　the　First　Consul　on　the　first　of　these
journeys；　and　there　was；　as　on　that　to　Lyons；　a　continued　succession　of
fetes　and　rejoicing。

The　inhabitants　of　Boulogne　had；　in　anticipation　of　the　arrival　of　the
First　Consul；　raised　several　triumphal　arches；　extending　from　the
Montreuil　gate　as　far　as　the　great　road　which　led　to　his　barrack；　which
was　situated　in　the　camp　on　the　right。　　Each　arch　of　triumph　was
decorated　with　evergreens；　and　thereon　could　be　read　the　names　of　the
skirmishes　and　battles　in　which　he　had　been　victorious。　　These　domes　and
arches　of　verdure　and　flowers　presented　an　admirable　coup…d'…oeil。　　One
arch　of　triumph；　higher　than　the　others；　was　placed　in　the　midst　of　the
Rue　de　l'Ecu　（the　main　street）；　and　the　elite　of　the　citizens　had
assembled　around　it；　while　more　than　a　hundred　young　people　with　garlands
of　flowers；　children；　old　men；　and　a　great　number　of　brave　men　whom
military　duty　had　not　detained　in　the　camp；　awaited　with　impatience　the
arrival　of　the　First　Consul。　　At　his　approach　the　joyful　booming　of
cannon　announced　to　the　English；　whose　fleet　was　near　by　in　the　sea　off
Boulogne；　the　appearance　of　Napoleon　upon　the　shore　on　which　he　had
assembled　the　formidable　army　he　had　determined　to　hurl　against　England。

The　First　Consul　was　mounted　upon　a　small　gray　horse；　which　was　active　as
a　squirrel。　　He　dismounted；　and　followed　by　his　brilliant　staff；
addressed　these　paternal　words　to　the　citizens　of　the　town：　〃I　come　to
assure　the　happiness　of　France。　　The　sentiments　which　you　express；　and
all　your　evidences　of　gratitude；　touch　me；　I　shall　never　forget　my
entrance　into　Boulogne；　which　I　have　chosen　as　the　center　of　the　reunion
of　my　armies。　　Citizens；　do　not　be　alarmed　by　this　multitude。　　It　is　that
of　the　defenders　of　your　country；　soon　to　be　the　conquerors　of　haughty
England。〃

The　First　Consul　proceeded　on　his　route；　surrounded　by　the　whole
populace；　who　accompanied　him　to　the　door　of　his　headquarters；　where　more
than　thirty　generals　received　him；　though　the　firing　of　cannon；　the
ringing　of　bells；　the　cries　of　joy；　ceased　only　when　this　great　day
ended。

The　day　after　our　arrival；　the　First　Consul　visited　the　Pont　de　Brique；　a
little　village　situated　about　half　a　league　from　Boulogne。　　A　farmer　read
to　him　the　following　complimentary　address：

〃General；　in　the　name　of　twenty　fathers　we　offer　you　a　score　of　fine
fellows　who　are；　and　always　will　be；　at　your　command。　　Lead　them；
General。　　They　can　strike　a　good　blow　for　you　when　you　march　into
England。　　As　to　us；　we　will　discharge　another　duty。　　We　will　till　the
earth　in　order　that　bread　may　not　be　wanting　to　the　brave　men　who　will
crush　the　English。〃

Napoleon；　smiling；　thanked　the　patriotic　countrymen；　and　glancing　towards
the　little　country　house；　built　on　the　edge　of　the　highway；　spoke　to
General　Berthier；　saying；　〃This　is　where　I　wish　my　headquarters
established。〃　　Then　he　spurred　his　horse　and　rode　off；　while　a　general
and　some　officers　remained　to　execute　the　order　of　the　First　Consul；　who；
on　the　very　night　of　his　arrival　at　Boulogne；　returned　to　sleep　at　Pont
de　Brique。

They　related　to　me　at　Boulogne　the　details　of　a　naval　combat　which　had
taken　place　a　short　time　before　our　arrival　between　the　French　fleet；
commanded　by　Admiral　Bruix；　　and　the　English　squadron　with　which　Nelson
blockaded　the　port　of　Boulogne。　　I　will　relate　this　as　told　to　me；
deeming　very　unusual　the　comfortable　mode　in　which　the　French　admiral
directed　the　operations　of　the　sailors。

About　two　hundred　boats；　counting　gunboats　and　mortars；　barges　and
sloops；　formed　the　line　of　defense；　the　shore　and　the　forts　bristling
with　batteries。　　Some　frigates　advanced　from　the　hostile　line；　and；
preceded　by　two　or　three　brigs；　ranged　themselves　in　line　of　battle
before　us　and　in　reach　of　the　cannon　of　our　flotilla；　and　the　combat
began。　　Balls　flew　in　every　direction。　　Nelson；　who　had　promised　the
destruction　of　the　flotilla；　re…enforced　his　line　of　battle　with　two
other　lines　of　vessels　and　frigates；　and　thus　placed　en　echelon；　they
fought　with　a　vastly　superior　force。　　For　more　than　seven　hours　the　sea；
covered　with　fire　and　smoke；　offered　to　the　entire　population　of　Boulogne
the　superb　and　frightful　spectacle　of　a　naval　combat　in　which　more　than
eighteen　hundred　cannon　were　fired　at　the　same　time；　but　the　genius　of
Nelson　could　not　avail　against　our　sailors　or　soldiers。　　Admiral　Bruix
was　at　his　headquarters　near　the　signal　station；　and　from　this　position
directed　the　fight　against　Nelson；　while　drinking　with　his　staff　and　some
ladies　of　Boulogne　whom　he　had　invited　to　dinner。　　The　guests　sang　the
early　victories　of　the　First　Consul；　while　the　admiral；　without　leaving
the　table；　maneuvered　the　flotilla　by　means　of　the　signals　he　ordered。
Nelson；　eager　to　conquer；　ordered　all　his　naval　forces　to　advance；　but
the　wind　being　in　favor　of　the　French；　he　was　not　able　to　keep　the
promise　he　had　made　in　London　to　burn