Interview with Bonaparte.

37

"By which of them?"

"I can name him only to the General."

Junot bowed and retired. In a few minutes after, a servant to whom I had doubtless been described, entered the room. After looking about, and satisfying himself that I was the person he was in search of, he inquired my name, which I had just given to Junot. I repeated it. The servant then conducted me up a narrow staircase and into an entresol, through which I was obliged to creep almost bent double. He opened a door,-I entered,--and found myself within the distance of two feet from General Bonaparte. Darting at me a glance, which I shall always remember, he said:

"What brings you here, citizen?"

"The wish to render justice to a man, who has been calumniated and misrepresented to you; I come"

"Silence!" exclaimed he in a voice which vibrated through my ears like a peal of thunder, "no one has been calumniated. I have heard nothing but truth. ...

and death.

...

... •

He paused. I confess I felt so ill at ease that I would rather have been in any other place than where I was. However, I was the messenger of peace, and, making an effort to resume my presence of mind, I repeated what Barras had told me. I maintained his innocence, and pointed out the interest which certain persons had in creating dissention between him and the General. I affirmed that he never could have boasted of that which was utterly false. . . . in short, I wound up my pleading with so much energy, that Bonaparte seized me by the button of my coat, and, with a less gloomy expression of countenance than he had hitherto maintained, said:

...

"It is possible that I may have been deceived. . . . that they who have reported the mischief may have been its inventors.... It is not the first time I have had to defeat a wicked plot of this sort. But, in this case, circumstances were so precisely detailed"

He stopped short, I perceived that my arguments had produced some effect, and, anxious to follow up my advantage, I observed that the circumstances to which he alluded, were merely unfounded allegations;-that, on the one hand, VOL. I.-4

38

Visit to the Museum.

His

there existed a jealousy of his marriage with a woman of good family and the widow of a man of rank; whilst, on the other hand, Madame Bonaparte was envied for the attachment which her husband bore her. I adverted to the imprudence and indecorum of making known to the public the malignant inventions of his enemies. Bonaparte was always ready to listen to the voice of reason. irritation was gradually appeased, and the storm, which at first threatened to burst with such violence, soon passed away. He dismissed me with a conciliatory message. was overjoyed at my success. I saw him frequently afterwards; and, at a latter period of his career, he did me the honour to remember me. He gave me an appointment, and I may venture to say that he was satisfied with me.

I

Count Réal having finished his story, my turn came, and I related as follows, the most important incident of my life:

One day, when I was strolling idly about Paris, I happened to enter the Place du Louvre. The Imperial Museum caught my eye, and roused me from my reverie. As I possessed a ticket, which was admissible on all days, I thought I would take advantage of it. I presented my ticket at the door, and, being admitted, I hesitated for a moment whether I should first view the picture gallery, or the apartments containing the antiques. My lucky star determined my choice in favour of the latter, and this circumstance was not without its influence on the rest of my life.

The day was exceedingly dark and cloudy, and I found the salles des antiques almost deserted. Very few visitors were passing through the spacious apartments, and no one was engaged in drawing from the statues. I felt no inclination to break from this solitude, which was congenial with the melancholy state of my feelings at the time. I sauntered about, sometimes gazing on vacancy, and sometimes admiring the sublime specimens of grace and beauty which were grouped around me.

The Diana hunting, that wonder of art, then stood in the apartment which Prudhom had adorned with the productions of his pencil. The statue rivetted my attention, and I stood for some time thoughtful and motionless before that

Person of Napoleon.

39

exquisite representation of immortal grace and beauty. Whilst I was thus rapt in admiration, I did not perceive that I was an object of curiosity to a person who had entered the room unperceived by me, and who seemed not a little amused at my enthusiasm, which was the more sincere inasmuch as I was totally abstracted.

The person to whom I allude was of the middle height; though, by the effect of an optical delusion (which his presence frequently produced) he appeared to me to be of tall stature. This may be accounted for by the extreme dignity of his movements, and an air of majesty, which made even tall men appear little when near him. His eyes, whose glance was so terrific when he was roused to anger, exercised an irresistible influence over the hearts of those on whom he looked kindly. Nothing could equal the magical expression of his mouth:-when he smiled, the fascination was irresistible; and, when compressed by rage, it made the firmest nerves tremble. In those moments, every word to which he gave utterance fell like a thunderbolt. It was a mouth which could make powerful monarchs tremble, or confer happiness on thousands by a benignant smile.

But to return to my scene in the Louvre. The stranger whom I have just been describing stood with one hand hanging carelessly at his side; the other was raised, and the fingers were passed through the button-holes of his waistcoat of white wadded silk: the hands were remarkable for delicate whiteness and elegance of form. A green uniform coat with two silver epaulets, a small three-cornered cocked hat, of a peculiar form, white kerseymere small-clothes, white silk stockings, shoes with gold buckles, the grand cordon of the legion of honour, almost entirely concealing a sword in a white sheath with a hilt of mothero'-pearl and silver:-such was the dress of His Imperial and Royal Majesty, Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of the French, and King of Italy, etc.; for he himself stood before me.

Napoleon frequently entered the apartments of the Museum by the inner door communicating with the Tuileries. There he would walk about by way of relaxation, after long and wearisome confinement in his cabinet. Whilst

the Emperor was in the Museum, it was customary not to admit strangers, lest he should be annoyed by idle curiosity; but, any persons who happened to be in the apartments before he entered, were suffered to remain. On the day to which I have alluded, he had taken it into his head to visit the lower part of the Museum, and my immoveability attracted his notice.

He had stood for a minute or two looking at me, and, finding that my contemplative reverie was likely to be of long duration, he advanced a few paces, and raising his hand so as to catch my eye, he said:

"Do not forget, Sir, that Pygmalion fell in love with a

statue."

This apostrophe drew me from the intellectual to the material world; and I hastily looked round at the person who had addressed me. I immediately recognized the Emperor. Though I was not elated by any of the feelings which such a rencontre would probably have excited in the heart of an ambitious courtier; yet, I was highly pleased at finding myself thus face to face with the great man, whom I had hitherto admired only at a distance. Uncertain whether the Emperor wished to be known or not, I contented myself with making a respectful obeisance and replied:

"The error of the artist proves the power of the art." "Are you a sculptor?" inquired the Emperor. "No.... Sir."

Napoleon smiled at my marked hesitation, which proved that I was aware whom I was addressing, and he said: "Are you a painter?"

"No."

"What are you, then?" he continued with some degree of impatience.

"I aspire to discharge those important functions, which afford a young man the opportunity of qualifying himself to serve his sovereign usefully."

"Perhaps you would like to be an auditor in the council of state?"

"That is the object of my ambition."

I mentioned you, Prince, and you Count Fabre de l'Aude.

The Veil Drawn Aside.

41

"Your name?" continued the Emperor.

I gave it.

"Where is your father?"

"I have lost him."

"Is he an emigrant?"

"No, he perished on the scaffold in 1794."

"Ah!.... and you would wish to enter my service?" "It is an honour of which I should be proud."

"You know me, then?"

I bowed profoundly, and crossed my arms on my bosom, in token of affection and devotedness.

"Ah! you know me, and yet you pretended you did not," said he. "Bravo! you must be a diplomatist."

"I am the subject of Your Imperial Majesty. It would ill have become me to raise the veil beneath which your Majesty thought fit to disguise yourself."

"Well! very well! Go on as you have begun, and you will find your path smooth in the career you sue. Above all things, be humble."

have to pur

"I will exert, in the service of Your Imperial Majesty, the same zeal with which my ancestors served the Kings your predecessors."

Prince Cambacérès.-Did I ever tell you that that same evening the Emperor asked me some questions respecting you? He repeated to me literally the words you have just now uttered. He was much pleased with them, and he made the remark, that people of quality were the best fitted for courts.

"You must have reminded him, Prince," said I, "that in past revolutions, men of rank have always been the last to bow their heads to the conqueror. One only of all the members of the council of state, withheld his adherence from the act of deposition; and that one was a nobleman. This should be borne in mind."

Réal. And how did your interview with the Emperor terminate?

After I had made the remark, which Prince Cambacérès has just adverted to, Napoleon smiled, and, with great kindness of tone and manner, said:

"Lose the remembrance of this meeting, and I will not forget you."