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collection; which the crown jeweler mounted magnificently; but this
ornament was of such enormous weight that the Empress never wore it。
Though I may be accused of making tiresome repetitions; I must say that
the Empress seized; with an eagerness which cannot be described; on all
occasions of making benefactions。 For instance; one morning when she was
breakfasting alone with his Majesty; the cries of an infant were suddenly
heard proceeding from a private staircase。 The Emperor was annoyed at
this; and with a frown; asked sharply what that meant。 I went to
investigate; and found a new…born child; carefully and neatly dressed;
asleep in a kind of cradle; with a ribbon around its body from which hung
a folded paper。 I returned to tell what I had seen; and the Empress at
once exclaimed; 〃O Constant! bring me the cradle。〃 The Emperor would
not permit this at first; and expressed his surprise and disapprobation
that it should have been thus introduced into the interior of his
apartments; whereupon her Majesty; having pointed out to him that it must
have been done by some one of the household; he turned towards me; and
gave me a searching look; as if to ask if it was I who had originated
this idea。 I shook my head in denial。 At that moment the baby began to
cry; and the Emperor could not keep from smiling; still growling; and
saying; 〃Josephine; send away that monkey!〃
The Empress; wishing to profit by this return of good humor; sent me for
the cradle; which I brought to her。 She caressed the little new…born
babe; quieted it; and read the paper attached to which was a petition
from its parents。 Then she approached the Emperor; insisting on his
caressing the infant himself; and pinching its fat little cheeks; which
he did without much urging; for the Emperor himself loved to play with
children。 At last her Majesty the Empress; having placed a roll of
napoleons in the cradle; had the little bundle in swaddling clothes
carried to the concierge of the palace; in order that he might restore it
to its parents。
I will now give another instance of the kindness of heart of her Majesty
the Empress; of which I had the honor to be a witness; as well as of the
preceding。
A few days before the coronation; a little girl four and a half years old
had been rescued from the Seine; and a charitable lady; Madame Fabien
Pillet; was much interested in providing a home for the poor orphan。 At
the time of the coronation; the Empress; who had been informed of this
occurrence; asked to see this child; and having regarded it a few moments
with much emotion; offered her protection most gracefully and sincerely
to Madame Pillet and her husband; and announced to them that she would
take upon herself the care of the little girl's future; then; with her
usual delicacy and in the affectionate tone which was so natural to her;
the Empress added; 〃Your good action has given you too many claims over
the poor little girl for me to deprive you of the pleasure of completing
your work; I therefore beg your permission to furnish the expenses of her
education。 You have the privilege of putting her in boarding…school; and
watching over her;;and I wish to take only a secondary position; as her
benefactress。〃 It was the most touching sight imaginable to see her
Majesty; while uttering these delicate and generous words; pass her hands
through the hair of the poor little girl; as she had just called her; and
kiss her brow with the tenderness of a mother。 M。 and Madame Pillet
withdrew; for they could no longer bear this touching scene。
CHAPTER XXV。
The appointment of General Junot as ambassador to Portugal recalled to my
recollection a laughable anecdote concerning him; which greatly amused
the Emperor。 While in camp at Boulogne; the Emperor had published in the
order of the day that every soldier should discard powder; and arrange
his hair 'a la Titus'; on which there was much murmuring; but at last all
submitted to the order of the chief; except one old grenadier belonging
to the corps commanded by General Junot。 Not being able to decide on the
sacrifice of his oily tresses or his queue; the old soldier swore he
would submit to it only in case his general would himself cut off the
first lock; and all the officers interested in this affair having
succeeded in getting no other reply; at last reported him to the general。
〃That can be managed; bring the idiot to me!〃 replied he。 The grenadier
was called; and General Junot himself applied the scissors to an oiled
and powdered lock; after which he gave twenty francs to the grumbler; who
went away satisfied to let the barber of the regiment finish the
operation。
The Emperor having been informed of this adventure; laughed most
heartily; and praised Junot; complimenting him on his condescension。
I could cite a thousand similar instances of the kindness of heart joined
to military brusqueness which characterized General Junot; and could also
cite those of another kind; which would do less honor to his name。 The
slight control he had over himself often threw him into transports of
rage; the most ordinary effect of which was forgetfulness of his rank and
the dignity of demeanor which it demanded of him。 Every one has heard
the adventure of the gambling…house; when he tore up the cards; upset the
furniture; and beat both bankers and croupiers; to indemnify himself for
the loss of his money; and the worst of it was; he was at that very time
Governor of Paris。 The Emperor; informed of this scandal; sent for him;
and demanded of him (he was still very angry); if he had sworn to live
and die mad。 This might have been; from the sequel; taken as a
prediction; for the unfortunate general died at last in a fit of mental
aberration。 He replied in such improper terms to the reprimands of the
Emperor that he was sent; perhaps in order that he might have time to
calm himself; to the army of England。 It was not only in gaming…houses;
however; that the governor thus compromised his dignity; for I have heard
other stories about him of a still more shocking character; which I will
not allow myself to repeat。 The truth is; General Junot prided himself
much less on respecting the proprieties than on being one of the best
pistol…shots in the army。 While riding in the country; he would often
put his horse into a gallop; and with a pistol in each hand; never fail
to cut off; in passing; the heads of the ducks or chickens which he took
as his target。 He could cut off a small twig from a tree at twenty…five
paces; and I have even heard it said (I am far from guaranteeing the
truth of this) that on one occasion; with the consent of the party whose
imprudence thus put his life in peril; he cut half in two the stem of a
clay pipe; hardly three inches long; which a soldier held between his
teeth。
In the first journey which Madame Bonaparte made into Italy to rejoin her
husband; she remained some time at Milan。 She had at that time in her
service a 'femme de chambre' named Louise; a large and very beautiful
woman; and who showed favors; well remunerated however; to the brave
Junot。 As soon as her duties were ended; Louise; far more gorgeously
attired than Madame Bonaparte; entered an elegant carriage; and rode
through the city and the principal promenades; often eclipsing the wife
of the General…in…chief。 On his return to Paris; the latter obliged his
wife to dismiss the beautiful Louise; who; abandoned by her inconstant
lover; fell into great destitution; and I often saw her afterwards at the
residence of Josephine begging aid; which was always most kindly granted。
This young woman; who had dared to rival Madame Bonaparte in elegance;
ended by marrying; I think; an English jockey; led a most unhappy life;
and died in a miserable condition。
The First Consul of the French Republic; now become Emperor of the
French; could no longer be satisfied with the title of President of
Italy。 Therefore; when new deputies of the Cisalpine Republic passed
over the mountains; and gathered at Paris for consultation; they
conferred on his Majesty the title of King of Italy; which he accepted;
and a few days after his acceptance he set out for Milan; where he was to
be crowned。
I returned with the greatest pleasure to that beautiful country; of
which; notwithstanding the fatigues and dangers of war; I retained the
most delightful recollections。 How different the circumstances now! As
a sovereign the Emperor was now about to cross the Alps; Piedmont; and
Lombardy; each gorge; each stream; each defile of which we had been
obliged in a former visit to carry by force of arms。 In 1800 the escort
of the First Consul was a warlike army; in 1805 it was a peaceful
procession of chamberlains; pages; maids of honor; and officers of the
palace。
Before his departure the Emperor held in his arms at the baptismal font;
in company with Madame his mother; Prince Napoleon Louis; second son of
his brother Prince Louis。'The third son lived to become Napoleon III。'…
The three sons of Queen Hortense had; if I am not much mistaken; the
Emperor as godfather; but he loved most tenderly the eldest of the three;
Prince Napoleon C