napoleon bonaparte, v5-第1章

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RECOLLECTIONS　OF　THE　PRIVATE　LIFE　OF　NAPOLEON；　V5

BY　CONSTANT
PREMIER　VALET　DE　CHAMBRE




TRANSLATED　BY　WALTER　CLARK




CONTENTS：
CHAPTER　I。　　　to　　CHAPTER　VI。



CHAPTER　I。

I　left　the　Emperor　at　Berlin；　where　each　day；　and　each　hour　of　the　day；
he　received　news　of　some　victory　gained；　or　some　success　obtained　by　his
generals。　　General　Beaumont　presented　to　him　eighty　flags　captured　from
the　enemy　by　his　division；　and　Colonel　Gerard　also　presented　sixty　taken
from　Blucher　at　the　battle　of　Wismar。　　Madgeburg　had　capitulated；　and　a
garrison　of　sixty　thousand　men　had　marched　out　under　the　eyes　of　General
Savary。　　Marshal　Mortier　occupied　Hanover　in　the　name　of　France；　and
Prince　Murat　was　on　the　point　of　entering　Warsaw　after　driving　out　the
Russians。

War　was　about　to　recommence；　or　rather　to　be　continued；　against　the
latter；　and　since　the　Prussian　army　could　now　be　regarded　as　entirely
vanquished；　the　Emperor　left　Berlin　in　order　to　personally　conduct
operations　against　the　Russians。

We　traveled　in　the　little　coaches　of　the　country；　and　as　was　the　rule
always　on　our　journeys；　the　carriage　of　the　grand　marshal　preceded　that
of　the　Emperor。　　The　season；　and　the　passage　of　such　large　numbers　of
artillery；　had　rendered　the　roads　frightful；　but　notwithstanding　this　we
traveled　very　rapidly；　until　at　last　between　Kutow　and　Warsaw；　the　grand
marshal's　carriage　was　upset；　and　his　collarbone　broken。　　The　Emperor
arrived　a　short　time　after　this　unfortunate　accident；　and　had　him　borne
under　his　own　eyes　into　the　nearest　post…house。　　We　always　carried…　with
us　a　portable　medicine…chest　in　order　that　needed　help　might　be　promptly
given　to　the　wounded。　　His　Majesty　placed　him　in　the　hands　of　the
surgeon；　and　did　not　leave　him　till　he　had　seen　the　first　bandage
applied。

At　Warsaw；　where　his　Majesty　passed　the　entire　month　of　January；　1807；　he
occupied　the　grand　palace。　　The　Polish　nobility；　eager　to　pay　their　court
to　him；　gave　in　his　honor　magnificent　fetes　and　brilliant　balls；　at　which
were　present　all　the　wealthiest　and　most　distinguished　inhabitants　of
Warsaw。

At　one　of　these　reunions　the　Emperor's　attention　was　drawn　to　a　young
Polish　lady　named　Madame　Valevska；　twenty…two　years　of　age；　who　had　just
married　an　old　noble　of　exacting　temper　and　extremely　harsh　manners；　more
in　love　with　his　titles　than　with　his　wife；　whom；　however；　he　loved
devotedly；　and　by　whom　he　was　more　respected　than　loved。　　The　Emperor
experienced　much　pleasure　at　the　sight　of　this　lady；　who　attracted　his
attention　at　the　first　glance。　　She　was　a　blonde；　with　blue　eyes；　and
skin　of　dazzling　whiteness；　of　medium　height；　with　a　charming　and
beautifully　proportioned　figure。　　The　Emperor　having　approached　her；
immediately　began　a　conversation；　which　she　sustained　with　much　grace　and
intelligence；　showing　that　she　had　received　a　fine　education；　and　the
slight　shade　of　melancholy　diffused　over　her　whole　person　rendered　her
still　more　seductive。

His　Majesty　thought　he　beheld　in　her　a　woman　who　had　been　sacrificed；　and
was　unhappy　in　her　domestic　relations；　and　the　interest　with　which　this
idea　inspired　him　caused　him　to　be　more　interested　in　her　than　he　had
ever　been　in　any　woman；　a　fact　of　which　she　could　not　fail　to　be
conscious。　　The　day　after　the　ball；　the　Emperor　seemed　to　me　unusually
agitated；　he　rose　from　his　chair；　paced　to　and　fro；　took　his　seat　and
rose　again；　until　I　thought　I　should　never　finish　dressing　him。
Immediately　after　breakfast　he　ordered　a　person；　whose　name　I　shall　not
give；　to　pay　a　visit　to　Madame　Valevska；　and　inform　her　of　his
subjugation　and　his　wishes。　　She　proudly　refused　propositions　which　were
perhaps　too　brusque；　or　which　perhaps　the　coquetry　natural　to　all　women
led　her　to　repulse；　and　though　the　hero　pleased　her；　and　the　idea　of　a
lover　resplendent　with　power　and　glory　revolved　doubtless　over　and　over
in　her　brain；　she　had　no　idea　of　surrendering　thus　without　a　struggle。
The　great　personage　returned　in　confusion；　much　astonished　that　he　had
not　succeeded　in　his　mission；　and　the　next　day　when　the　Emperor　rose　I
found　him　still　preoccupied；　and　he　did　not　utter　a　word；　although　he　was
in　the　habit　of　talking　to　me　at　this　time。　　He　had　written　to　Madame
Valevska　several　times；　but　she　had　not　replied；　and　his　vanity　was　much
piqued　by　such　unaccustomed　indifference。　　At　last　his　affecting　appeals
having　touched　Madame　Valevska's　heart；　she　consented　to　an　interview
between　ten　and　eleven　o'clock　that　evening；　which　took　place　at　the
appointed　time。　　She　returned　a　few　days　after　at　the　same　hour；　and　her
visits　continued　until　the　Emperor's　departure。

Two　months　after　the　Emperor　sent　for　her；　and　she　joined　him　at　his
headquarters　in　Finkenstein；　where　she　remained　from　this　time；　leaving
at　Warsaw　her　old　husband；　who；　deeply　wounded　both　in　his　honor　and　his
affections；　wished　never　to　see　again　the　wife　who　had　abandoned　him。
Madame　Valevska　remained　with　the　Emperor　until　his　departure；　and　then
returned　to　her　family；　constantly　evincing　the　most　devoted　and；　at　the
same　time；　disinterested　affection。　　The　Emperor　seemed　to　appreciate
perfectly　the　charms　of　this　angelic　woman；　whose　gentle　and　self…
abnegating　character　made　a　profound　impression　on　me。　　As　they　took
their　meals　together；　and　I　served　them　alone；　I　was　thus　in　a　position
to　enjoy　their　conversation；　which　was　always　amiable；　gay；　and　animated
on　the　Emperor's　part；　tender；　impassioned；　and　melancholy　on　that　of
Madame　Valevska。　　When　his　Majesty　was　absent；　Madame　Valevska　passed　all
her　time；　either　in　reading；　or　viewing　through　the　lattice　blinds　of　the
Emperor's　rooms　the　parades　and　evolutions　which　took　place　in　the　court
of　honor　of　the　chateau；　and　which　he　often　commanded　in　person。　　Such
was　her　life；　like　her　disposition；　ever　calm　and　equable；　and　this
loveliness　of　character　charmed　the　Emperor；　and　made　him　each　day　more
and　more　her　slave。

After　the　battle　of　Wagram；　in　1809；　the　Emperor　took　up　his　residence　at
the　palace　of　Schoenbrunn；　and　sent　immediately　for　Madame　Valevska；　for
whom　a　charming　house　had　been　rented　and　furnished　in　one　of　the
faubourgs　of　Vienna；　a　short　distance　from　Schoenbrunn。　　I　went
mysteriously　to　bring　her　every　evening　in　a　close　carriage；　with　a
single　servant；　without　livery；　she　entered　by　a　secret　door；　and　was
introduced　into　the　Emperor's　apartments。　　The　road；　although　very　short；
was　not　without　danger；　especially　in　rainy　weather；　on　account　of　ruts
and　holes　which　were　encountered　at　every　step；　and　the　Emperor　said　to
me　almost　every　day；　〃Be　very　careful；　Constant；　it　has　rained　to…day；
the　road　will　be　bad。　　Are　you　sure　you　have　a　good　driver？　　Is　the
carriage　in　good　condition？〃　　and　other　questions　of　the　same　kind；　which
evidenced　the　deep　and　sincere　affection　he　felt　for　Madame　Valevska。
The　Emperor　was　not　wrong；　besides；　in　urging　me　to　be　careful；　for　one
evening；　when　we　had　left　Madame　Valevska's　residence　a　little　later　than
usual；　the　coachman　upset　us；　and　in　trying　to　avoid　a　rut；　drove　the
carriage　over　the　edge　of　the　road。　　I　was　on　the　right　of　Madame
Valevska　and　the　carriage　fell　on　that　side；　in　such　a　position　that　I
alone　felt　the　shock　of　the　fall；　since　Madame　Valevska　falling　on　me；
received　no　injury。　　I　was　glad　to　be　the　means　of　saving　her；　and　when　I
said　this　she　expressed　her　gratitude　with　a　grace　peculiarly　her　own。
My　injuries　were　slight；　and　I　began　to　laugh　the　first；　in　which　Madame
Valevska　soon　joined；　and　she　related　our　accident　to　his　Majesty
immediately　on　our　arrival。

I　could　not　undertake　to　describe　all　the　care　and　attentions　which　the
Emperor　lavished　upon　her。　　He　had　her　brought　to　Paris；　accompanied　by
her　brother；　a　very　distinguished　officer；　and　her　maid；　and　gave　the
grand　marshal　orders　to　purchase　for　her　a　pretty　residence　in　the
Chaussee…d'Antin。　　Madame　Valevska　was　very　happy；　and　often　said　to　me；
〃All　my　thoughts；　all　my　inspirations；　come　from　him；　and　return　to　him；
he　is　all　my　happiness；　my　future；　my　life！　　〃　She　never　left　her　house
except　to　come　to　the　private　apartments　at　the　Tuileries；　and　when　this
happiness　could　not　be　granted；　went　neither　to　the　theater；　the
promenade；　nor　in　society；　but　remained　at　home；　seeing　only　very　few
persons；　and　writing　to　the　Emperor　every　day。　　At　length　she　gave　birth
to　a　son；　＇Count　Walewski；　born　1810；　minister　to　England；　1852；
minister　of　foreign　affairs；　1855…1860；　died　1868。＇who　bore　a　striking
resemblance　to　the　Emperor；　to　whom　this　event　was　a　source　of　great　joy；
and　he　hastened　to　her　as　soon　as　it　was　possible　to　escape　from　the
chateau；　and　taking　the　child　in　his　arms；　and　caressing　him；　as　he　had
just　caressed　the　mother；　said　to　him；　〃I　make　you　a　count。〃　　Later　we
shall　see　this　son　receiving　at　Fontainebleau　a　final　proof　of　affection。

Madame　Valevska　reared　her　son　at　her　residence；　never　leaving　him；　and
carried　him　often　to　the　chateau；　where　I　admitted　them　by　the　dark
staircase；　and　when　either　was　sick　the　Emperor　sent　to　them　Monsieur
Corvisart。　　This　skillful　physician　had　on　one　occasion　the　happiness　of
saving　the　life　of　the　young　count　in　a　dangerous　illness。

Madame　Valevska　had　a　gold　ring　made　for　the　Emperor；　around　which　she
twined　her　beautiful　blonde　hair；　and　on　the　inside　of　the　ring　were
engraved　these　words：

〃When　you　cease　to　love　me；　do　not　forget　that　I　love　you。〃

The　Emperor　gave　her　no　other　name　but　Marie。

I　have　perhaps　devoted　too　much　space　to　this　liaison　of　the　Emperor：　but
Madame　Valevska　was　entirely　different　from　the　other　women　whose　favor
his　Majesty　obtained；　and　she　was　worthy　to　be　named　the　La　Valliere　of
the　Emperor；　who；　however；　did　not　show　himself　ungrateful　towards　her；
as　did　Louis　XIV。　　towards　the　only　woman　by　whom　he　was　beloved。　　Those
who　had；　like　myself；　the　happiness　of　knowing　and　seeing　her　intimately
must　have　preserved　memories　of　her　which　will　enable　them　to　comprehend
why　in　my　opinion　there　exists　so　great　a　distance　between　Madame
Valevska；　the　tender　and　modest　woman；　rearing　in　retirement　the　son　she
bore　to　the　Emperor；　and　the　favorites　of　the　conqueror　of　Austerlitz。




CHAPTER　II。

The　Russians；　being　incited　to　this　campaign　by　the　remembrance　of　the
defeat　of　Austerlitz；　and　by　the　fear　of　seeing　Poland　snatched　from
their　grasp；　were　not　deterred　by　the　winter　season；　and　resolved　to　open
the　attack　on　the　Emperor　at　once；　and　as　the　latter　was　not　the　man　to
allow　himself　to　be　forestalled；　he　consequently　abandoned　his　winter
quarters；　and　quitted　Warsaw　at　the　end　of　January。　　On　the　8th　of
February　the　two　armies　met　at　Eylau；　and　there　took　place；　as　is　well
known；　a　bloody　battle；　in　which　both　sides　showed　equal　courage；　and
nearly　fifteen　thousand　were　left　dead　on　the　field　of　battle；　equally
divided　in　number　between　the　French　and　Russians。　　The　gain；　or　rather
the　loss；　was　the　same　to　both　armies；　and　a　'Te　Deum'　was　chanted　at　St。
Petersburg　as　well　as　at　Paris；　instead　of　the　'De　Profundis'；　which
would　have　been　much　more　appropriate。　　His　Majesty　complained　bitterly
on　returning　to　hi