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Volney a kick in the stomach and he falls unconscious； on being moved
to a friend's house； he remains there ill in bed for several days。 …
No man is more irritable； so soon in a passion； and all the more
because he purposely gives way to his irritation； for； doing this just
at the right moment； and especially before witnesses； it strikes
terror； it enables him to extort concessions and maintain obedience。
His explosions of anger； half…calculated； half…involuntary； serve him
quite as much as they relieve him； in public as well as in private；
with strangers as with intimates； before constituted bodies； with the
Pope； with cardinals； with ambassadors； with Talleyrand； with Beugnot；
with anybody that comes along；＇5＇ whenever he wishes to set an example
or 〃keep the people around him on the alert。〃 The public and the army
regard him as impassible； but； apart from the battles in which he
wears a mask of bronze； apart from the official ceremonies in which he
assumes a necessarily dignified air； impression and expression with
him are almost always confounded； the inward overflowing in the
outward； the action； like a blow； getting the better of him。 At Saint
Cloud； caught by Josephine in the arms of another woman； he runs after
the unlucky interrupter in such a way that 〃she barely has time to
escape〃；＇6＇ and again； that evening； keeping up his fury so as to put
her down completely； 〃he treats her in the most outrageous manner；
smashing every piece of furniture that comes in his way。〃 A little
before the Empire； Talleyrand； a great mystifier； tells Berthier that
the First Consul wanted to assume the title of king。 Berthier； in
eager haste； crosses the drawing…room full of company； accosts the
master of the house and； with a beaming smile； 〃congratulates him。〃＇7＇
At the word king； Bonaparte's eyes flash。 Grasping Berthier by the
throat； he pushes him back against the wall； exclaiming； 〃You fool！
who told you to come here and stir up my bile in this way？ Another
time don't come on such errands。〃 … Such is the first impulse； the
instinctive action； to pounce on people and seize them by the throat；
we divine under each sentence； and on every page he writes； out…bursts
and assaults of this description； the physiognomy and intonation of a
man who rushes forward and knocks people down。 Accordingly； when
dictating in his cabinet； 〃he strides up and down the room；〃 and； 〃 if
excited；〃 which is often the case； 〃 his language consists of violent
imprecations； and even of oaths； which are suppressed in what is
written。〃＇8＇ But these are not always suppressed； for those who have
seen the original minutes of his correspondence on ecclesiastical
affairs find dozens of them； the b。。。； the p。。。 and the swearwords of
the coarsest kind。＇9＇
Never was there such impatient touchiness。 〃When dressing
himself；＇10＇ he throws on the floor or into the fire any part of his
attire which does not suit him。 。 。 。 On gala…days and on grand
ceremonial occasions his valets are obliged to agree together when
they shall seize the right moment to put some thing on him。 。 。 He
tears off or breaks whatever causes him the slightest discomfort；
while the poor valet who has been the means of it meets with a violent
and positive proof of his anger。 No thought was ever more carried
away by its own speed。 〃His handwriting； when he tries to write； 〃is
a mass of disconnected and undecipherable signs；＇11＇ the words lack
one…half of their letters。〃 On reading it over himself； he cannot tell
what it means。 At last； he becomes almost incapable of producing a
handwritten letter； while his signature is a mere scrawl。 He
accordingly dictates； but so fast that his secretaries can scarcely
keep pace with him： on their first attempt the perspiration flows
freely and they succeed in noting down only the half of what he says。
Bourrienne； de Meneval； and Maret invent a stenography of their own；
for he never repeats any of his phrases； so much the worse for the pen
if it lags behind； and so much the better if a volley of exclamations
or of oaths gives it a chance to catch up。 … Never did speech flow and
overflow in such torrents； often without either discretion or
prudence； even when the outburst is neither useful nor creditable the
reason is that both spirit and intellect are charged to excess subject
to this inward pressure the improvisator and polemic； under full
headway；＇12＇ take the place of the man of business and the statesman。
〃With him；〃 says a good observer；＇13＇ 〃talking is a prime necessity；
and； assuredly； among the prerogatives of high rank； he ranks first
that of speaking without interruption。〃
Even at the Council of State he allows himself to run on； forgetting
the business on hand； he starts off right and left with some
digression or demonstration； some invective or other； for two or three
hours at a stretch；＇14＇ insisting over and over again； bent on
convincing or prevailing； and ending in demanding of the others if he
is not right； 〃and； in this case； never failing to find that all have
yielded to the force of his arguments。〃 On reflection； he knows the
value of an assent thus obtained； and； pointing to his chair； he
observes：
〃It must be admitted that it is easy to be brilliant when one is in
that seat！〃
Nevertheless he has enjoyed his intellectual exercise and given way to
his passion； which controls him far more than he controls it。
〃My nerves are very irritable；〃 he said of himself； 〃and when in this
state were my pulse not always regular I should risk going crazy。〃＇15＇
The tension of accumulated impressions is often too great； and it ends
in a physical break…down。 Strangely enough in so great a warrior and
with such a statesman； 〃it is not infrequent； when excited； to see him
shed tears。〃 He who has looked upon thousands of dying men； and who
has had thousands of men slaughtered； 〃sobs；〃 after Wagram and after
Bautzen；＇16＇ at the couch of a dying comrade。 〃I saw him；〃 says his
valet； 〃weep while eating his breakfast； after coming from Marshal
Lannes's bedside； big tears rolled down his cheeks and fell on his
plate。〃 It is not alone the physical sensation； the sight of a
bleeding； mangled body； which thus moves him acutely and deeply； for a
word； a simple idea； stings and penetrates almost as far。 Before the
emotion of Dandolo； who pleads for Venice his country； which is sold
to Austria； he is agitated and his eyes moisten。＇17＇ Speaking of the
capitulation of Baylen； at a full meeting of the Council of State；＇18＇
his voice trembles； and 〃he gives way to his grief； his eyes even
filling with tears。〃 In 1806； setting out for the army and on taking
leave of Josephine； he has a nervous attack which is so severe as to
bring on vomiting。＇19＇ 〃We had to make him sit down；〃 says an eye…
witness； 〃and swallow some orange water； he shed tears； and this
lasted a quarter of an hour。〃 The same nervous and stomachic crisis
came on in 1808； on deciding on the divorce； he tosses about a whole
night； and laments like a woman； he melts； and embraces Josephine； he
is weaker than she is： 〃My poor Josephine； I can never leave you！〃
Folding her in his arms； he declares that she shall not quit him； he
abandons himself wholly to the sensation of the moment； she must
undress at once； sleep alongside of him； and he weeps over her ；
〃literally；〃 she says； 〃 he soaked the bed with his tears。〃 …
Evidently； in such an organism； however powerful the superimposed
regulator； there is a risk of the equilibrium being destroyed。 He is
aware of this； for he knows himself well； he is afraid of his own
nervous sensibility； the same as of an easily frightened horse； at
critical moments； at Berezina； he refuses to receive the bad news
which might excite this； and； on the informer's insisting on it； he
asks him again；＇20＇ 〃Why； sir； do you want to disturb me？〃 …
Nevertheless； in spite of his precautions； he is twice taken unawares；
at times when the peril was alarming and of a new kind； he； so clear
headed and so cool under fire； the boldest of military heroes and the
most audacious of political adventurers； quails twice in a
parliamentary storm and again in a popular crisis。 On the 18th of
Brumaire； in the Corps Législatif； 〃he turned pale； trembled； and
seemed to lose his head at the shouts of outlawry 。 。 。 。 they had to
drag him out 。 。 。 。 they even thought for a moment that he was going
to faint。〃＇21＇ After the abdication at Fontainebleau； on encountering
the rage and imprecations which greeted him in Provence； he seemed for
some days to be morally shattered； the animal instincts assert their
supremacy； he is afraid and makes no attempt at concealment。＇22＇ After
borrowing the uniform of an Austrian colonel； the helmet of a Prussian
quartermaster； and the cloak of the Russian quartermaster； he still
considers that he is not sufficiently disguised。 In the inn at
Calade； 〃he starts a