napoleon bonaparte, v2-第4部分

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carriage　with　General　Bonaparte。

This　prelate　had　stood　the　journey　well；　and　appeared　in　good　health　and
fine　spirits。　　Talleyrand；　who　had　arrived　at　Lyons　a　few　days　before　the
First　Consul；　gave　a　dinner　to　the　Cisalpine　deputies　and　the　principal
notables　of　the　city；　at　which　the　Archbishop　of　Milan　sat　on　his　right。
He　had　scarcely　taken　his　seat；　and　was　in　the　act　of　leaning　forward　to
speak　to　M。　de　Talleyrand；　when　he　fell　dead　in　his　armchair。

On　the　12th　of　January　the　town　of　Lyons　gave；　in　honor　of　the　First
Consul　and　Madame　Bonaparte；　a　magnificent　fete；　consisting　of　a　concert；
followed　by　a　ball。　　At　eight　o'clock　in　the　evening；　the　three　mayors；
accompanied　by　the　superintendents　of　the　fete；　called　upon　their
illustrious　guests　in　the　government　palace。　　I　can　imagine　that　I　see
again　spread　out　before　me　that　immense　amphitheater；　handsomely
decorated；　and　illuminated　by　innumerable　lusters　and　candles；　the　seats
draped　with　the　richest　cloths　manufactured　in　the　city；　and　filled　with
thousands　of　women；　some　brilliant　in　youth　and　beauty；　and　all
magnificently　attired。　　The　theater　had　been　chosen　as　the　place　of　the
fete；　and　on　the　entrance　of　the　First　Consul　and　Madame　Bonaparte；　who
advanced　leaning　on　the　arm　of　one　of　the　mayors；　there　arose　a　thunder
of　applause　and　acclamations。　　Suddenly　the　decorations　of　the　theater
faded　from　sight；　and　the　Place　Bonaparte　（the　former　Place　Belcour）
appeared；　as　it　had　been　restored　by　order　of　the　First　Consul。　　In　the
midst　rose　a　pyramid；　surmounted　by　the　statue　of　the　First　Consul；　who
was　represented　as　resting　upon　a　lion。　　Trophies　of　arms　and　bas…reliefs
represented　on　one　side；　the　other　that　of　Marengo。

When　the　first；　transports　excited　by　this　spectacle；　which　recalled　at
once　the　benefits　and　the　victories　of　the　hero　of　the　fete；　had
subsided；　there　succeeded　a　deep　silence；　and　delightful　music　was　heard；
mingled　with　songs；　dedicated　to　the　glory　of　the　First　Consul；　to　his
wife；　the　warriors　who　surrounded　him；　and　the　representatives　of　the
Italian　republics。　　The　singers　and　the　musicians　were　amateurs　of　Lyons。
Mademoiselle　Longue；　Gerbet；　the　postmaster；　and　Theodore；　the　merchant；
who　had　each　performed　their　parts　in　a　charming　manner；　received　the
congratulations　of　the　First　Consul；　and　the　most　gracious　thanks　of
Madame　Bonaparte。

What　struck　me　most　forcibly　in　the　couplets　which　were　sung　on　that
occasion；　and　which　much　resembled　all　verses　written　for　such　occasions；
was　that　incense　was　offered　to　the　First　Consul　in　the　very　terms　which
all　the　poets　of　the　Empire　have　since　used　in　their　turn。　　All　the
exaggerations　of　flattery　were　exhausted　during　the　consulate；　and　in　the
years　which　followed；　it　was　necessary　for　poets　often　to　repeat
themselves。　　Thus；　in　the　couplets　of　Lyons；　the　First　Consul　was　the　God
of　victory；　the　conqueror　of　the　Nile　and　of　Neptune；　the　savior　of　his
country；　the　peacemaker　of　the　world；　the　arbiter　of　Europe。　　The　French
soldiers　were　transformed　into　friends　and　companions　of　Alcides；　etc。；
all　of　which　was　cutting　the　ground　from　under　the　feet　of　the　singers　of
the　future。

The　fete　of　Lyons　ended　in　a　ball　which　lasted　until　daylight；　at　which
the　First　Consul　remained　two　hours；　which　he　spent　in　conversation　with
the　magistrates　of　the　city。　　While　the　better　class　of　the　inhabitants
gave　these　grand　entertainments　to　their　guests；　the　people；
notwithstanding　the　cold；　abandoned　themselves　on　the　public　squares　to
pleasure　and　dancing；　and　towards　midnight　there　was　a　fine　display　of
fireworks　on　the　Place　Bonaparte。

After　fifteen　or　eighteen　days　passed　at　Lyons；　we　returned　to　Paris；　the
First　Consul　and　his　wife　continuing　to　reside　by　preference　at
Malmaison。　　It　was；　I　think；　a　short　time　after　the　return　of　the　First
Consul　that　a　poorly　dressed　man　begged　an　audience；　an　order　was　given
to　admit　him　to　the　cabinet；　and　the　First　Consul　inquired　his　name。
〃General；〃　replied　the　petitioner；　frightened　by　his　presence；　〃it　is　I
who　had　the　honor　of　giving　you　writing　lessons　in　the　school　of
Brienne。〃〃Fine　scholar　you　have　made！〃　　interrupted　vehemently　the
First　Consul；　〃I　compliment　you　on　it！〃　　Then　he　began　to　laugh　at　his
own　vehemence；　and　addressed　a　few　kind　words　to　this　good　man；　whose
timidity　such　a　compliment　had　not　reassured。　　A　few　days　after　the
master　received；　from　the　least　promising；　doubtless；　of　all　his　pupils
at　Brienne　（you　know　how　the　Emperor　wrote）；　a　pension　amply　sufficient
for　his　needs。

Another　of　the　old　teachers　of　the　First　Consul；　the　Abbe　Dupuis；　was
appointed　by　him　to　the　post　of　private　librarian　at　Malmaison；　and　lived
and　died　there。　　He　was　a　modest　man；　and　had　the　reputation　of　being
well…educated。　　The　First　Consul　visited　him　often　in　his　room；　and　paid
him　every　imaginable　attention　and　respect。




CHAPTER　IX。

The　day　on　which　the　First　Consul　promulgated　the　law　of　public　worship；
he　rose　early；　and　entered　the　dressing…room　to　make　his　toilet。　　While
he　was　dressing　I　saw　Joseph　Bonaparte　enter　his　room　with　Cambaceres。

〃Well；〃　said　the　First　Consul　to　the　latter；　〃we　are　going　to　mass。　　What
do　they　think　of　that　in　Paris？〃〃Many　persons；〃　replied　M。　Cambaceres；
〃will　go　to　the　representation　with　the　intention　of　hissing　the　piece；
if　they　do　not　find　it　amusing。〃

〃If　any　one　thinks　of　hissing；　I　will　have　him　put　out…of…doors　by　the
grenadiers　of　the　Consular　Guard。〃

〃But　if　the　grenadiers　begin　to　hiss　like　the　others？〃

〃I　have　no　fear　of　that。　　My　old　soldiers　will　go　to　Notre　Dame　exactly
as　they　went　to　the　mosque　at　Cairo。　　They　will　watch　me；　and　seeing
their　general　remain　quiet　and　reverent；　they　will　do　as　he　does；　saying
to　themselves；　〃That　is　the　countersign！〃

〃I　am　afraid；〃　said　Joseph　Bonaparte；　〃that　the　general　officers　will　not
be　so　accommodating。　　I　have　just　left　Augereau；　who　was　vomiting　fire
and　fury　against　what　he　calls　your　capricious　proclamations。　　He；　and。
a　few　others；　will　not　be　easy　to　bring　back　into　the　pale　of　our　holy
mother；　the　church。〃

〃Bah！　that　is　like　Augereau。　　He　is　a　bawler；　who　makes　a　great　noise；
and　yet　if　he　has　a　little　imbecile　cousin；　he　puts　him　in　the　priests
college　for　me　to　make　a　chaplain　of　him。

〃That　reminds　me；〃　continued　the　First　Consul；　addressing　his　colleague；
〃when　is　your　brother　going　to　take　possession　of　his　see　of　Rouen？　　Do
you　know　it　has　the　finest　archiepiscopal　palace　in　France？　　He　will　be
cardinal　before　a　year　has　passed；　that　matter　is　already　arranged。〃

The　second　consul　bowed。　　From　that　moment　his　manner　towards　the　First
Consul　was　rather　that　of　a　courtier　than　an　equal。

The　plenipotentiaries　who　had　been　appointed　to　examine　and　sign　the
Concordat　were　Joseph　Bonaparte；　Cruet；　and　the　Abbe　Bernier。　　This
latter；　whom　I　saw　sometimes　at　the　Tuileries；　had　been　a　chief　of　the
Chouans；　＇The　Chouans　were　Royalists　in　insurrection　in　Brittany。＇
and　took　a　prominent　part　in　all　that　occurred。　　The　First　Consul；　in
this　same　conversation；　the　opening　of　which　I　have　just　related；
discussed　with　his　two　companions　the　subject　of　the　conferences　on　the
Concordat。　　〃The　Abby　Bernier；〃　said　the　First　Consul；　〃inspired　fear　in
the　Italian　prelates　by　the　vehemence　of　his　logic。　　It　might　have　been
said　that　he　imagined　himself　living　over　again　the　days　in　which　he　led
the　Vendeens　to　the　charge　against　the　blues。　　Nothing　could　be　more
striking　than　the　contrast　of　his　rude　and　quarrelsome　manner　with　the
polished　bearing　and　honeyed　tones　of　the　prelates。　　Cardinal　Caprara
came　to　me　two　days　ago；　with　a　shocked　air；　to　ask　if　it　is　true　that；
during　the　war　of　the　Vendee；　the　Abbe　Bernier　made　an　altar　on　which　to
celebrate　mass　out　of　the　corpses　of　the　Republicans。　　I　replied　that　I
knew　nothing　of　it；　but　that　it　was　possible。　　'General；　First　Consul；'
cried　the　frightened　cardinal；　'it　is　not　a　red　hat；　but　a　red　cap；　which
that　man　should　have？'

〃I　am　much　afraid；〃　continued　the　First　Consul；　〃that　that　kind　of　cap
would　prevent　the　Abbe　Bernier　from　getting　the　red　hat。〃

These　gentlemen　left　the　First　Consul　when　his　toilet　was　finished；　and
went　to　make　their　own。　　The　First　Consul　wore　on　that　day　the　costume　of
the　consuls；　which　consisted　of　a　scarlet　coat　without　facings；　and　with
a　broad　embroidery　of　palms；　in　gold；　on　all　the　seams。　　His　sword；　which
he　had　worn　in　Egypt；　hung　at　his　side　from　a　belt；　which；　though　not
very　wide；　was　of　beautiful　workmanship；　and　richly　embroidered。　　He　wore
his　black　stock；　in　preference　to　a　lace　cravat；　and　like　his　colleagues；
wore　knee…breeches　and　shoes；　a　French　hat；　with　floating　plumes　of　the
three　colors；　completed　this　rich　costume。

The　celebration　of　this　sacrament　at　Notre　Dame　was　a　novel　sight　to　the
Parisians；　and　many　attended　as　if　it　were　a　theatrical　representation。
Many；　also；　especially　amongst　the　military；　found　it　rather　a　matter　of
raillery　than　of　edification；　and　those　who；　during　the　Revolution；　had
contributed　all　their　strength　to　the　overthrow　of　the　worship　which　the
First　Consul　had　just　re…established；　co