登陆注册
15731800000069

第69章 CHAPTER IX.(3)

It was also at Evreux that an official of high rank amused Madame Bonaparte and her suite, by a naivete which the First Consul alone did not find diverting, because he did not like such simplicity displayed by an official. Monsieur de Ch---- did the honors of the country town to the wife of the First Consul, and this, in spite of his age, with much zeal and activity; and Madame Bonaparte, among other questions which.

her usual kindness and grace dictated to her, asked him if he was married, and if he had a family. "Indeed, Madame, I should think so,"

replied Monsieur de Ch---- with a smile and a bow, "j'ai cinq-z-enfants."

--"Oh, mon Dieu," cried Madame Bonaparte, "what a regiment! That is extraordinary; what, sir, seize enfants?"--"Yes, Madame, cinq-z-enfants, cinq-z-enfants," repeated the official, who did not see anything very marvelous in it, and who wondered at the astonishment shown by Madame Bonaparte. At last some one explained to her the mistake which la liaison dangereuse of M. de Ch had caused her to make, and added with comic seriousness, "Deign, Madame, to excuse M. de Ch----. The Revolution has interrupted the prosecution of his studies." He was more than sixty years of age.

From Evreux we set out for Rouen, where we arrived at three o'clock in the afternoon. Chaptal, Minister of the Interior, Beugnot, Prefect of the Department, and Cambaceres, Archbishop of Rouen, came to meet the First Consul at some distance from the city. The Mayor Fontenay waited at the gates, and presented the keys. The First Consul held them some time in his hands, and then returned them to the mayor, saying to him loud enough to be heard by the crowd which surrounded the carriage, "Citizens, I cannot trust the keys of the city to any one better than the worthy magistrate who so worthily enjoys my confidence and your own;" and made Fontenay enter his carriage, saying he wished to honor Rouen in the person of its mayor.

Madame Bonaparte rode in the carriage with her husband; General Moncey, Inspector-general of the Constabulary, on horseback on the right; in the second carriage was General Soult and his aides-de-camp; in the third carriage, General Bessieres and M. de Lugay; in the fourth, General Lauriston; then came the carriages of the personal attendants, Hambard, Hebert, and I being in the first.

It is impossible to give an idea of the enthusiasm of the inhabitants of Rouen on the arrival of the First Consul. The market-porters and the boatmen in grand costume awaited us outside the city; and when the carriage which held the two august personages was in sight, these brave men placed themselves in line, two and two, and preceded thus the carriage to the hotel of the prefecture, where the First Consul alighted.

The prefect and the mayor of Rouen, the archbishop, and the general commanding the division dined with the First Consul, who showed a most agreeable animation during the repast, and with much solicitude asked information as to the condition of manufactures, new discoveries in the art of manufacturing, in fact, as to everything relating to the prosperity of this city, which was essentially industrial.

In the evening, and almost the whole night, an immense crowd surrounded the hotel, and filled the gardens of the prefecture, which were illuminated and ornamented with allegorical transparencies in praise of the First Consul; and each time he showed himself on the terrace of the garden the air resounded with applause and acclamations which seemed most gratifying to him.

The next morning, after having made on horseback the tour of the city, and visited the grand sites by which it is surrounded, the First Consul heard mass, which was celebrated at eleven o'clock by the archbishop in, the chapel of the prefecture. An hour after he had to receive the general council of the department, the council of the prefecture, the municipal council, the clergy of Rouen, and the courts of justice, and was obliged to listen to a half-dozen discourses, all expressed in nearly the same terms, and to which he replied in such a manner as to give the orators the highest opinion of their own merit. All these bodies, on leaving the First Consul, were presented to Madame Bonaparte, who received them with her accustomed grace, in, the evening Madame Bonaparte held a reception for the wives of the officials, at which the First Consul was present, of which fact some availed themselves to present to him several emigres, who had recently returned under the act of amnesty, and whom he received graciously.

After which followed crowds, illuminations, acclamations, all similar to those of the evening before. Every one wore an air of rejoicing which delighted me, and contrasted strangely, I thought, with the dreadful wooden houses, narrow, filthy streets, and Gothic buildings which then distinguished the town of Rouen.

Monday, Nov. 1, at seven o'clock in the morning, the First Consul mounted his horse, and, escorted by a detachment of the young men of the city, forming a volunteer guard, passed the bridge of boats, and reached the Faubourg Saint-Sever. On his return from this excursion, we found the populace awaiting him at the head of the bridge, whence they escorted him to the hotel of the prefecture, manifesting the liveliest joy.

After breakfast, there was a high mass by the archbishop, the occasion being the fete of All Saints; then came the learned societies, the chiefs of administration, and justices of the peace, with their speeches, one of which contained a remarkable sentence, in which these good magistrates, in their enthusiasm, asked the First Consul's permission to surname him the great justice of the peace of Europe. As they left the Consul's apartment I noticed their spokesman; he had tears in his eyes, and was repeating with pride the reply he had just received.

同类推荐
  • 修真十书盘山语录

    修真十书盘山语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 茶笺

    茶笺

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 华严一乘成佛妙义

    华严一乘成佛妙义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 慈悲道场忏法传

    慈悲道场忏法传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • The Miserable World

    The Miserable World

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 游戏家

    游戏家

    严重提醒,以下简介涉及剧透!非战斗人员请直接点击加入书架,投推荐票,或者开始阅读,谢谢合作!-------------------------------------这里有原创的副本:1.《眼球星人》2.《连环杀手》3.《雄性公敌》……这里有最时髦的装备:说英语就抡你的英语词典,物理学圣剑——撬棍……这里有最没卵用的技能:可治疗可输出的法术波动,令肉体变成机器人的宏程序……这里还有戏份最高的配角,最中二的主角,以及最不会写简介的作者。-------------------------------------“没有时间解释了!点击加入书架,投推荐票,或者开始阅读。快快快!”PS:群号:375032238
  • 大巫后羿

    大巫后羿

    那时的他还是刚从巫族血池中诞生的三代巫族,却引来了盘古第十三道浊气,随后盘古殿镇动,洪荒镇动。随即他被巫族奉为巫族圣子,万年的洪荒平静格局变动,一场场改变洪荒的局悄无声息的向他铺来……而如今砍倒了三界阴脉月桂树的他回到了开始,他会选择她还是她还是它呢?长夜将至,吾从今开始守望,至死方休!
  • 孙子兵法一日一学

    孙子兵法一日一学

    在《孙子兵法》中可以学得正统的策略及通达竞争的学问,并领略看世界的辩证法。人生这场“战争”需要我们用毕生的实践来定输赢,借孙子的眼光来观照谋划,将会使我们更好地把握生命的主动权,立于不败之地。在生死场上的智慧交锋中,蕴藏着不可抗拒的自然法则;在人生之战的竞争博弈中,也同样有着天地造化的奥妙。你能体悟多少,境界就有多高。真正的兵法,将由你自己创造。
  • EXO之最佳女友

    EXO之最佳女友

    她一个小小孤儿,从中国来到韩国,竟然把EXO和Bigbang给收了。
  • 狐妖小红娘之苦情树

    狐妖小红娘之苦情树

    转身轮回苦情树狐妖再续前缘之路,苦情再受相思之苦
  • 神道香火

    神道香火

    沈建穿入大乾世界,聚香火,升神位,夺天下,成就天帝。天帝者天地间至高无上的主宰,神、仙、人、鬼、妖之主宰。所谓山有山神,水有水神,城有城隍,十殿阎罗是其属下,四海龙王是其臣属。金口一开,无人敢不遵从。旌旗所指,千军万马赴死效命。
  • Evangeline

    Evangeline

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 毒妃妖娆

    毒妃妖娆

    前世,洛夕颜被相爱二十年的竹马算计暗害,含恨惨死。一朝重生成将门千金,她誓要洗涮冤屈,报仇雪恨!她运筹帷幄,将渣男渣女拉下地狱;计谋算尽,让庶母长姐自跳火坑。只是,她是尽了浑身解数,却还是一步步掉入某男早就挖好的请妻入瓮的坑里。传说,国师大人淡漠高冷恶尽女色。洛夕颜看着自己身边那笑的狷邪的男子,心道:传说都是一派胡言!不然,是谁纠缠着她不放,还强行给她扣上了一个国师夫人的帽子?【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 盂兰魂渡

    盂兰魂渡

    每年的中元节都是地府最忙的时节,地府每年会在七月初的时候将去世的人放回人间,在七月十五的时候将那些人召回。并非每一个鬼都是自愿来到地府,总有一些鬼携带着无法入轮回的执念。而了愿堂则就在这种时候出场了,它们会负责了却那些鬼的执念,当然鬼也是要付出代价,那些有着丰厚陪葬品的鬼是它们最主要的服务对象。当然也是有例外的。