napoleon bonaparte, v2-第13章

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for　a　few　seconds。　　I　do　not　remember　whether　it　was　on　this　or　another
occasion　that　I　heard　the　Emperor　say；　that　〃death　was　only　asleep
without　dreams。〃

In　the　month　of　October　of　this　year；　the　First　Consul　received　in　public
audience　Haled…Effendi；　the　ambassador　of　the　Ottoman　Porte。

The　arrival　of　the　Turkish　ambassador　created　a　sensation　at　the
Tuileries；　because　he　brought　a　large　number　of　cashmere　shawls　to　the
First　Consul；　which　every　one　was　sure　would　be　distributed；　and　each
woman　flattered　herself　that　she　would　be　favorably　noticed。　　I　think
that；　without　his　foreign　costume；　and　without　his　cashmere　shawls；　he
would　have　produced　little　effect　on　persons　accustomed　to　seeing
sovereign　princes　pay　court　to　the　chief　of　the　government　at　his
residence　and　at　their　own。　　His　costume　even　was　not　more　remarkable
than　that　of　Roustan；　to　which　we　were　accustomed；　and　as　to　his　bows；
they　were　hardly　lower　than　those　of　the　ordinary　courtiers　of　the　First
Consul。　　At　Paris；　it　is　said；　the　enthusiasm　lasted　longer〃It　is　so
odd　to　be　a　Turk！〃　　A　few　ladies　had　the　honor　of　seeing　the　bearded
ambassador　eat。　　He　was　polite　and　even　gallant　with　them；　and　made　them
a　few　presents；　which　were　highly　prized；　his　manners　were　not　too
Mohammedan；　and　he　was　not　much　shocked　at　seeing　our　pretty　Parisians
without　veils　over　their　faces。　　One　day；　which　he　had　spent　almost
entirely　at　Saint…Cloud；　I　saw　him　go　through　his　prayers。　　It　was　in　the
court　of　honor；　on　a　broad　parapet　bordered　with　a　stone　balustrade。　　The
ambassador　had　carpets　spread　on　the　side　of　the　apartments；　which　were
afterwards　those　of　the　King　of　Rome；　and　there　he　made　his　genuflexions；
under　the　eyes　of　many　people　of　the　house；　who；　out　of　consideration；
kept　themselves　behind　their　casements。　　In　the　evening　he　was　present　at
the　theater；　and　Zaire　or　Mahomet；　I　think；　was　played；　but　of　course　he
understood　none　of　it。




CHAPTER　XII。

In　the　month　of　November　of　this　year；　the　First　Consul　returned　to
Boulogne　to　visit　the　fleet；　and　to　review　the　troops　who　were　already
assembled　in　the　camps　provided　for　the　army　with　which　he　proposed　to
descend　on　England。　　I　have　preserved　a　few　notes　and　many　recollections
of　my　different　sojourns　at　Boulogne。　　Never　did　the　Emperor　make　a
grander　display　of　military　power；　nor　has　there　ever　been　collected　at
one　point　troops　better　disciplined　or　more　ready　to　march　at　the　least
signal　of　their　chief；　and　it　is　not　surprising　that　I　should　have
retained　in　my　recollections　of　this　period　details　which　no　one　has　yet；
I　think；　thought　of　publishing。　　Neither；　if　I　am　not　mistaken；　could　any
one　be　in　a　better　position　than　I　to　know　them。　　However；　the　reader
will　now　judge　for　himself。

In　the　different　reviews　which　the　First　Consul　held；　he　seemed　striving
to　excite　the　enthusiasm　of　the　soldiers；　and　to　increase　their
attachment　for　his　person；　by　assiduously　taking　advantage　of　every
opportunity　to　excite　their　vanity。

One　day；　having　especially　noticed　the　excellent　bearing　of　the　Thirty…
sixth　and　Fifty…seventh　regiments　of　the　line；　and　Tenth　of　light
infantry；　he　made　all　the　officers；　from　corporal　to　colonel；　come
forward；　and；　placing　himself　in　their　midst；　evinced　his　satisfaction　by
recalling　to　them　occasions　when；　in　the　past　under　the　fire　of　cannon；
he　had　remarked　the　bearing　of　these　three　brave；　regiments。　　He
complimented　the　sub…officers　on　the　good　drilling　of　the　soldiers；　and
the　captains　and　chiefs　of　battalion　on　the　harmony　and　precision　of
their　evolutions。　　In　fine；　each　had　his　share　of　praise。

This　flattering　distinction　did　not　excite　the　jealousy　of　the　other
corps　of　the　army；　for　each　regiment　had　on　that　day　its　own　share　of
compliments；　whether　small　or　great；　and　when　the　review　was　over；　they
went　quietly　back　to　their　quarters。　　But　the　soldiers　of　the　Thirty…
sixth；　Fifty…seventh；　and　Tenth；　much　elated　by　having　been　so　specially
favored；　went　in　the　afternoon　to　drink　to　their　triumph　in　a　public
house　frequented　by　the　grenadiers　of　the　cavalry　of　the　Guard。　　They
began　to　drink　quietly；　speaking　of　campaigns；　of　cities　taken；　of　the
First　Consul；　and　finally　of　that　morning's　review。　　It　then　occurred　to
the　young　men　of　Boulogne；　who　were　among　the　drinkers；　to　sing　couplets
of　very　recent　composition；　in　which　were　extolled　to　the　clouds　the
bravery　and　the　exploits　of　the　three　regiments；　without　one　word　of
praise　for　the　rest　of　the　army；　not　even　for　the　Guard；　and　it　was　in
the　favorite　resort　of　the　grenadiers　of　the　Guard　that　these　couplets
were　sung！　　These　latter　maintained　at　first　a　gloomy　silence；　but　soon
finding　it　unendurable；　they　protested　loudly　against　these　couplets；
which　they　said　were　detestable。　　The　quarrel　became　very　bitter；　they
shouted；　heaped　insults　on　each　other；　taking　care　not　to　make　too　much
noise；　however；　and　appointed　a　meeting　for　the　next　day；　at　four　o'clock
in　the　morning；　in　the　suburbs　of　Marquise；　a　little　village　about　two
leagues　from　Boulogne。　　It　was　very　late　in　the　evening　when　these
soldiers　left　the　public　house。

More　than　two　hundred　grenadiers　of　the　Guard　went　separately　to　the
place　of　meeting；　and　found　the　ground　occupied　by　an　almost　equal　number
of　their　adversaries　of　the　Thirty…sixth；　Fifty…seventh；　and　Tenth。
Wasting　no　time　in　explanations；　hardly　a　sound　being　heard；　each　soldier
drew　his　sword；　and　for　more　than　an　hour　they　fought　in　a　cool；
deliberate　manner　which　was　frightful　to　behold。　　A　man　named　Martin；
grenadier　of　the　Guard；　and　of　gigantic　stature；　killed　with　his　own　hand
seven　or　eight　soldiers　of　the　Tenth。　　They　would　probably　have　continued
till　all　were　massacred　if　General　Saint…Hilaire；　　informed　too　late　of
this　bloody　quarrel；　had　not　sent　out　in　all　haste　a　regiment　of　cavalry；
who　put　an　end　to　the　combat。　　The　grenadiers　had　lost　two　men；　and　the
soldiers　of　the　line　thirteen；　with　a　large　number　of　wounded　on　both
sides。

The　First　Consul　visited　the　camp　next　day；　and　had　brought　before　him
those　who　had　caused　this　terrible　scene；　and　said　to　them　in　a　severe
tone：　〃I　know　why　you　fought　each　other；　many　brave　men　have　fallen　in　a
struggle　unworthy　of　them　and　of　you。　　You　shall　be　punished。　　I　have
given　orders　that　the　verses　which　have　been　the　cause　of　so　much　trouble
shall　be　printed。　　I　hope　that；　in　learning　your　punishment；　the　ladies
of　Boulogne　will　know　that　you　have　deserved　the　blame　of　your　comrades
in　arms。〃

However；　the　troops；　and　above　all　the　officers；　began　to　grow　weary　of
their　sojourn　at　Boulogne；　a　town　less　likely；　perhaps；　than　any　other　to
render　such　an　inactive　existence　endurable。　　They　did　not　murmur；
however；　because　never　where　the　First　Consul　was　did　murmuring　find　a
place；　but　they　fumed　nevertheless　under　their　breath　at　seeing
themselves　held　in　camp　or　in　fort；　with　England　just　in　sight；　only　nine
or　ten　leagues　distant。　　Pleasures　were　rare　at　Boulogne；　the　women；
generally　pretty；　but　extremely　timid；　did　not　dare　to　hold　receptions　at
their　own　houses；　for　fear　of　displeasing　their　husbands；　very　jealous
men；　as　are　all　those　of　Picardy。　　There　was；　however；　a　handsome　hall　in
which　balls　and　soirees　could　easily　have　been　given；　but；　although　very
anxious　to　do　this；　these　ladies　dared　not　make　use　of　it。　　At　last　a
considerable　number　of　Parisian　beauties；　touched　by　the　sad　fate　of　so
many　brave　and　handsome　officers；　came　to　Boulogne　to　charm　away　the
ennui　of　so　long　a　peace。　　The　example　of　the　Parisian　women　piqued　those
of　Abbeville；　Dunkirk；　Amiens；　and　soon　Boulogne　was　filled　with
strangers；　male　and　female；　who　came　to　do　the　honors　of　the　city。　　Among
all　these　ladies　the　one　most　conspicuous　for　style；　intellect；　and
beauty　was　a　Dunkirk　lady；　named　Madame　F；　an　excellent　musician；
full　of　gayety；　grace；　and　youth；　it　was　impossible　for　Madame　Fnot
to　turn　many　heads。　　Colonel　Joseph；　　brother　of　the　First　Consul；
General　Soult；　who　was　afterwards　Marshal；　Generals　Saint…Hilaire　and
Andre　Ossy；　and　a　few　other　great　personages；　were　at　her　feet；　though
two　alone；　it　is　sai