友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
九色书籍 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

napoleon bonaparte, v4-第11章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



Cambaceres; that when the Emperor asked for him; and was told that
monseigneur was at the theater; he replied; 〃Very well; very well; he is
taking his siesta; let us not disturb him!〃

The King of Wurtemburg was large; and so fat that it was said of him God
had put him in the world to prove how far the skin of a man could be
stretched。  His stomach was of such dimensions that it was found
necessary to make a broad; round incision in front of his seat at the
table; and yet; notwithstanding this precaution; he was obliged to hold
his plate on a level with his chin to drink his soup。  He was very fond
of hunting; either on horseback; or in a little Russian carriage drawn by
four horses; which he often drove himself。  He was fond of horseback
riding; but it was no easy task to find a mount of size and strength
sufficient to carry so heavy a burden。  It was necessary that the poor
animal should be progressively trained; and in order to accomplish this
the king's equerry fastened round the horse a girth loaded with pieces of
lead; increasing the weight daily till it equalled that of his Majesty。
The king was despotic; hard; and even cruel; ever ready to sign the
sentence of the condemned; and in almost all cases; if what is said at
Stuttgart be true; increased the penalty inflicted by the judges。  Hard
to please; and brutal; he often struck the people of his household; and
it is even said that he did not spare her Majesty the queen; his wife;
who was a sister of the present King of England。  Notwithstanding all
this; he was a prince whose knowledge and brilliant mind the Emperor
esteemed; for they had a mutual affection for each other; and he found
him faithful to his alliance to the very end。  King Frederic of
Wurtemburg had a brilliant and numerous court; at which he displayed
great magnificence。

The hereditary prince was much beloved; he was less haughty and more
humane than his father; and was said to be just and liberal。

Besides those crowned by his hand; the Emperor; while in Bavaria;
received a great number of the princes of the Confederation; and they
usually dined with his Majesty。  In this crowd of royal courtiers the
prince primate was noticeable; who differed in nothing as to manners;
bearing; and dress from the most fashionable gentlemen of Paris。  The
Emperor paid him special attention。  I cannot pay the same eulogy to the
toilet of the princesses; duchesses; and other noble ladies; for most of
them dressed in exceedingly bad taste; and; displaying neither art nor
grace; covered their heads with plumes; bits of gold; and silver gauze;
fastened with a great quantity of diamond…headed pins。

The equipages the German nobility used were all very large coaches; which
were a necessity from the enormous hoops still worn by those ladies; and
this adherence to antiquated fashions was all the more surprising;
because at that time Germany enjoyed the great advantage of possessing
two fashion journals。  One was the translation of the magazine published
by Mesangere; and the other; also edited at Paris; was translated and
printed at Mannheim。  These ridiculous carriages; which much resembled
our ancient diligences; were drawn by very inferior horses; harnessed
with ropes; and placed so far apart that an immense space was needed to
turn the carriage。

The Prince of Saxe…Gotha was long and thin。  In spite of his great age;
he was enough of a dandy to order at Paris; from our hairdresser
Michalon; some pretty little wigs of youthful blonde; curled like the
hair of Cupid; but; apart from this; he was an excellent man。  I
recollect; a propos of the noble German ladies; to have seen at the court
theater at Fontainebleau a princess of the Confederation who was being
presented to their Majesties。  The toilet of her Highness announced an
immense progress in the elegance of civilization beyond the Rhine; for;
renouncing the Gothic hoops; the princess had adopted the very latest
fashions; and; though nearly seventy years of age; wore a dress of black
lace over red satin; and her coiffure consisted of a white muslin veil;
fastened by a wreath of roses; in the style of the vestals of the opera。
She had with her a granddaughter; brilliant with the charm of youth; and
admired by the whole court; although her costume was less stylish than
that of her grandmother。

I heard her Majesty; the Empress Josephine; relate one day that she had
much difficulty in repressing a smile when; among a number of German
princesses presented to her; one was announced under the name of
Cunegonde 'Cunegonde was the mistress of Candide in Voltaire's novel of
Candide。' Her Majesty added that; when she saw the princess take her
seat; she imagined she saw her lean to one side。  Assuredly the Empress
had read the adventures of Candide and the daughter of the very noble
baron of Thunder…Ten…Trunck。

At Paris; in the spring of 1806; I saw almost as many members of the
Confederation as I had seen in the capitals of Bavaria and Wurtemburg。
A French name had the precedence among these names of foreign princes。
It was that of Prince Murat; who in the month of March was made Grand…
duke of Berg and Cleves。  After Prince Louis of Bavaria; arrived the
hereditary prince of Baden; who came to Paris to marry a niece of the
Empress。

At the beginning this union was not happy。  The Princess Stephanie (de
Beauharnais) was a very pretty woman; graceful and witty; and the Emperor
had wished to make a great lady of her; and had married her without
consulting her wishes。  Prince Charles…Louis…Frederic was then twenty
years of age; and though exceedingly good; brave; and generous; and
possessing many admirable traits; was heavy and phlegmatic; ever
maintaining an icy gravity; and entirely destitute of the qualities which
would attract a young princess accustomed to the brilliant elegance of
the imperial court。

The marriage took place in April; to the great satisfaction of the
prince; who that day appeared to do violence to his usual gravity; and
even allowed a smile to approach his lips。  The day passed off very well;
but; when the time came for retiring; the princess refused to let him
share her room; and for eight days was inexorable。

He was told that the princess did not like the arrangement of his hair;
and that nothing inspired her with more aversion than a queue; upon which
the good prince hastened to have his hair cut close; but when she saw him
thus shorn; she laughed immoderately; and exclaimed that he was more ugly
a la Titus than he was before。  It was impossible that the intelligence
and the kind heart of the princess could fail to appreciate the good and
solid qualities of her husband; she learned to love him as tenderly as
she was loved; and I am assured that the august couple lived on excellent
terms。

Three months after this marriage; the prince left his wife to follow the
Emperor; first on the campaign in Prussia; and afterwards in Poland。  The
death of his grandfather; which happened some time after the Austrian
campaign of 1809; put him in possession of the grand duchy; whereupon he
resigned the command of his troops to his uncle the Count of Hochberg;
and returned to his government; never more to leave it。

I saw him again with the princess at Erfurt; where they told me he had
become jealous of the Emperor Alexander; who paid assiduous court to his
wife; at which the prince took alarm and abruptly left Erfurt; carrying
with him the princess; of whom it must in justice be said that there had
been on her part not the slightest imprudence to arouse this jealousy;
which seems very pardonable; however; in the husband of so charming a
woman。

The prince's health was always delicate; and from his earliest youth
alarming symptoms had been noticed in him; and this physical condition
was no doubt; in a great measure; the main source of the melancholy which
marked his character。  He died in 1818; after a very long and painful
illness; during which his wife nursed him with the most affectionate
care; leaving four children; two sons and two daughters。  The two sons
died young; and would have left the grand duchy of Baden without heirs;
if the Counts Hochberg had not been recognized as members of the
ducal family。  The grand…duchess is to…day devoting her life to the
education of her daughters; who promise to equal her in graces and
virtues。  The nuptials of the Prince and Princess of Baden were
celebrated by brilliant fetes; at Rambouillet took place a great hunting…
party; in which their Majesties; with many members of their family; and
all the princes of Baden; Cleves; etc。; traversed on foot the forests of
Rambouillet。

I recollect another hunting…party; which took place about the same time
in the forest of Saint…Germain; to which the Emperor invited the
ambassador of the Sublime Porte; then just arrived at Paris。  His Turkish
Excellency followed the chase with ardor; but without moving a muscle of
his austere countenance。  The animal having been brought to bay; his
Majesty had a gun handed to the Turkish ambassador; that he might have;
the honor of firing the first shot; but he refused; not conceiving;
doubtless; that any pleasure could be f
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!