第 17 节
作者:中国长城网      更新:2021-02-24 23:05      字数:9321
  moustached faces; which he said was very tiresome; and the prince; ever
  ready on occasions of this kind to offer his services to his brother…in…
  law; spoke to him of a handsome and attractive Genoese lady; who had the
  greatest desire to see his Majesty。  The Emperor laughingly granted a
  tete…a…tete; the prince himself offering to send the message; and two
  days later; by his kind assistance; the lady arrived; and was installed
  in the upper town。  The Emperor; who lodged at Pont des Briques; ordered
  me one evening to take a carriage; and find this protegee of Prince
  Murat。  I obeyed; and brought the beautiful Genoese; who; to avoid
  scandal; although it was a dark night; was introduced through a little
  garden behind his Majesty's apartments。  The poor woman was much excited;
  and shed tears; but controlled herself quickly on finding that she was
  kindly received; and the interview was prolonged until three o'clock in
  the morning; when I was called to carry her back。  She returned
  afterwards four or five times; and was with the Emperor afterwards at
  Rambouillet。  She was gentle; simple; credulous; and not at all
  intriguing; and did not try to draw any benefit from a liaison which at
  best was only temporary。
  Another of these favorites of the moment; who threw themselves so to
  speak into the arms of the Emperor without giving him time to make his
  court to them; was Mademoiselle L。 B; a very pretty girl。  She was
  intelligent; and possessed a kind heart; and; had she received a less
  frivolous education; would doubtless have been an estimable woman; but I
  have reason to believe that her mother had from the first the design of
  acquiring a protector for her second husband; by utilizing the youth and
  attractions of the daughter of her first。  I do not now recall her name;
  but she was of a noble family; of which fact the mother and daughter were
  very proud; and the young girl was a good musician; and sang agreeably;
  but; which appeared to me as ridiculous as indecent; she danced the
  ballet before a large company in her mother's house; in a costume almost
  as light as those of the opera; with castanets or tambourines; and ended
  her dance with a multiplicity of attitudes and graces。  With such an
  education she naturally thought her position not at all unusual; and was
  very much chagrined at the short duration of her liaison with the
  Emperor; while the mother was in despair; and said to me with disgusting
  simplicity; 〃See my poor Lise; how she has ruined her complexion in her
  vexation at seeing herself neglected; poor child。  How good you will be;
  if you can manage to have her sent for。〃  To secure an interview for
  which the mother and daughter were both so desirous; they came together
  to the chapel at Saint…Cloud; and during mass the poor Lise threw glances
  at the Emperor which made the young ladies blush who witnessed them; and
  were; nevertheless; all in vain; for the Emperor remained unmoved。
  Colonel L。 B was aide…de…camp to General L; the governor of
  Saint…Cloud; and the general was a widower; which facts alone furnish an
  excuse for the intimacy of his only daughter with the family of L。 B;
  which astonished me greatly。  One day; when I was dining at the house of
  the colonel; with his wife; his step…daughter; and Mademoiselle L;
  the general sent for his aides…de…camp; and I was left alone; with the
  ladies; who so earnestly begged me to accompany them on a visit to
  Mademoiselle le Normand; that it would have been impolite to refuse;
  consequently we ordered a carriage and went to the Rue de Tournon。
  Mademoiselle L。 B was first to enter the Sybil's cave; where she
  remained a long while; but on her return was very reserved as to any
  communications made to her; though Mademoiselle L told us very
  frankly that she had good news; and would soon marry the man she loved;
  which event soon occurred。  These ladies having urged me to consult the
  prophetess in my turn; I perceived plainly that I was recognized; for
  Mademoiselle le Normand at once discovered in my hand that I had the
  happiness of being near a great man and being highly esteemed by him;
  adding much other nonsense of the same kind; which was so tiresome that I
  thanked her; and made my adieux as quickly as possible。
  CHAPTER XXXI。
  While the Emperor was giving crowns to his brothers and sisters;to
  Prince Louis; the throne of Holland; Naples to Prince Joseph; the Duchy
  of Berg to Prince Murat; to the Princess Eliza; Lucca and Massa…Carrara;
  and Guastalla to the Princess Pauline Borghese; and while; by means of
  treaties and family alliances; he was assuring still more the co…
  operation of the different states which had entered into the
  Confederation of the Rhine;war was renewed between France and Prussia。
  It is not my province to investigate the causes of this war; nor to
  decide which first gave cause of offense。
  All I can certify is this; frequently at the Tuileries; and on the
  campaign; I heard the Emperor; in conversation with his intimate friends;
  accuse the old Duke of Brunswick; whose name had been so odious in France
  since 1792; and also the young and beautiful Queen of Prussia; of having
  influenced King Frederic William to break the treaty of peace。  The Queen
  was; according to the Emperor; more disposed to war than General Blucher
  himself。  She wore the uniform of the regiment to which she had given her
  name; appeared at all reviews; and commanded the maneuvers。
  We left Paris at the end of September。  I will not enter into the details
  of this wonderful campaign; in which the Emperor in an incredibly short
  time crushed to pieces an army of one hundred and fifty thousand men;
  perfectly disciplined; full of enthusiasm and courage; and fighting in
  defense of their country。  In one of the first battles; the young Prince
  Louis of Prussia; brother of the king; was killed at the head of his
  troops by Guinde; quartermaster of the Tenth Hussars。  The prince fought
  hand to hand with this brave sub…officer; who said to him; 〃Surrender;
  Colonel; or you are a dead man;〃 to which Prince Louis replied only by a
  saber stroke; whereupon Guinde plunged his own into the body of his
  opponent; and he fell dead on the spot。
  On this campaign; as the roads had become very rough from the continual
  passage of artillery; my carriage was one day upset; and one of the
  Emperor's hats fell out of the door; but a regiment which happened to
  pass along the same road having recognized the hat from its peculiar
  shape; my carriage was immediately set up again; 〃For;〃 said these brave
  soldiers; 〃we cannot leave the first valet of the little corporal in
  trouble;〃 and the hat; after passing through many hands; was at last
  restored to me before my departure。
  On the Emperor's arrival at the plateau of Weimar; he arranged his army
  in line of battle; and bivouacked in the midst of his guard。  About two
  o'clock in the morning he arose and went on foot to examine the work on a
  road that was being cut in the rock for the transportation of artillery;
  and after remaining nearly an hour with the workmen; decided to take a
  look at the nearest advance posts before returning to his bivouac。
  This round; which the Emperor insisted on making alone and with no
  escort; came near costing him his life。  The night was so dark that the
  sentinels of the camp could not see ten steps in front of them; and the
  first; hearing some one in the darkness approaching our line; called out
  〃Qui vive?〃 and prepared to fire。  The Emperor being lost in thought; as
  he himself told me afterwards; did not notice the sentinel's challenge;
  and made no reply until a ball; whistling by his ears; woke him from his
  reverie; when immediately perceiving his danger; he threw himself face
  downwards on the ground; which was a very wise precaution; for hardly had
  his Majesty placed himself in this position; than other balls passed over
  his head; the discharge of the first sentinel having been repeated by the
  whole line。  This first fire over; the Emperor rose; walked towards the
  nearest post; and made himself known。
  His Majesty was still there when the soldier who had fired on him joined
  them; being just relieved at his post; he was a young grenadier of the
  line。  The Emperor ordered him to approach; and; pinching his cheeks
  hard; exclaimed; 〃What; you scamp; you took me for a Prussian!  This
  rascal does not throw away his powder on sparrows; he shoots only at
  emperors。〃  The poor soldier was completely overcome with the idea that
  he might have killed the little corporal; whom he adored as much as did
  the rest of the army; and it was with great difficulty he could say;
  〃Pardon; Sire; but I was obeying orders; and if you did not answer; it
  was not my fault。  I was compelled to have the countersign; and you would
  not give it。〃  The Emperor reassured him with a smile; and said; as he
  left the post; 〃My brave boy; I do not reproach you。  That was pretty
  well aimed for a shot fired in the dark; but after awhile it will be
  daylight; take better aim; and I will remember you。〃
  The results of the Battle of Jena; fought on the 14th of October (1806);
  are well known。  Almost all the Prussian generals; at least the bravest
  among them; were there