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napoleon bonaparte, v3-第21章

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immediately。  It is true that the place where he had been was covered
with it; but his handkerchiefs; irreproachable witnesses in such matters;
were scarcely stained; and although they were white and of very fine
linen; certainly bore no marks of a snuff…taker。  Sometimes he simply
passed his open snuff…box under his nose in order to breathe the odor of
the tobacco it contained。  These boxes were of black shell; with hinges;
and of a narrow; oval shape; they were lined with gold; and ornamented
with antique cameos; or medallions; in gold or silver。  At one time he
used round tobacco…boxes; but as it took two hands to open them; and in
this operation he sometimes dropped either the box or the top; he became
disgusted with them。  His tobacco was grated very coarse; and was usually
composed of several kinds of tobacco mixed together。  Frequently he
amused himself by making the gazelles that he had at Saint…Cloud eat it。
They were very fond of it; and although exceedingly afraid of every one
else; came close to his Majesty without the slightest fear。

The Emperor took a fancy on one occasion; but only one; to try a pipe; as
I shall now relate。  The Persian ambassador (or perhaps it was the
Turkish ambassador who came to Paris under the Consulate) had made his
Majesty a present of a very handsome pipe such as is used by the
Orientals。  One day he was seized with a desire to try it; and had
everything necessary for this purpose prepared。  The fire having been
applied to the bowl; the only question now was to light the tobacco; but
from the manner in which his Majesty attempted this it was impossible for
him to succeed; as he alternately opened and closed his lips repeatedly
without drawing in his breath at all。  〃Why; what is the matter?〃 cried
he; 〃it does not work at all。〃  I called his attention to the fact that
he was not inhaling properly; and showed him how it ought to be done; but
the Emperor still continued his performances; which were like some
peculiar kind of yawning。  Tired out by his fruitless efforts at last; he
told me to light it for him; which I did; and instantly handed it back to
him。  But he had hardly taken a whiff when the smoke; which he did not
know how to breathe out again; filled his throat; got into his windpipe;
and came out through his nose and eyes in great puffs。  As soon as he
could get his breath; he panted forth; 〃Take it away!  what a pest!  Oh;
the wretches! it has made me sick。〃  In fact; he felt ill for at least an
hour after; and renounced forever the 〃pleasure of a habit; which;〃 said
he; 〃is only good to enable do…nothings to kill time。〃

The only requirements the Emperor made as to his clothing was that it
should be of fine quality and perfectly comfortable; and his coats for
ordinary use; dress…coats; and even the famous gray overcoat; were made
of the finest cloth from Louviers。  Under the Consulate he wore; as was
then the fashion; the skirts of his coat extremely long; afterwards
fashion changed; and they were worn shorter; but the Emperor held with
singular tenacity to the length of his; and I had much trouble in
inducing him to abandon this fashion; and it was only by a subterfuge
that I at last succeeded。  Each time I ordered a new coat for his
Majesty; I directed the tailor to shorten the skirts by an inch at least;
until at last; without his being aware of it; they were no longer
ridiculous。  He did not abandon his old habits any more readily on this
point than on all others; and his greatest desire was that his clothes
should not be too tight; in consequence of which there were times when he
did not make a very elegant appearance。  The King of Naples; the man in
all France who dressed with the most care; and nearly always in good
taste; sometimes took the liberty of bantering the Emperor slightly about
his dress。  〃Sire;〃 said he to the Emperor; 〃your Majesty dresses too
much like a good family man。  Pray; Sire; be an example to your faithful
subjects of good taste in dress。〃〃Would you like me; in order to please
you;〃 replied the Emperor; 〃to dress like a scented fop; like a dandy; in
fine; like the King of Naples and the Two Sicilies。  As for me; I must
hold on to my old habitudes。〃〃Yes; Sire; and to your 'habits tues';〃
added the king on one occasion。  〃Detestable !〃  cried the Emperor; 〃that
is worthy of Brunet;〃 and they laughed heartily over this play on words;
while declaring it what the Emperor called it。

However; these discussions as to his dress being renewed at the time of
his Majesty's marriage to the Empress Marie Louise; the King of Naples
begged the Emperor to allow him to send him his tailor。  His Majesty; who
sought at that time every means of pleasing his young wife; accepted the
offer of his brother…in…law; and that very day I went for Leger; King
Joachim's tailor; and brought him with me to the chateau; recommending
him to make the suits which would be ordered as loose as possible;
certain as I was in advance; that; Monsieur Jourdain 'a character in a
Moliere comedy。'to the contrary; if the Emperor could not get into them
easily; he would not wear them。  Leger paid no attention to my advice;
but took his measure very closely。  The two coats were beautifully made;
but the Emperor pronounced them uncomfortable; and wore them only once;
and Leger did no more work for his Majesty。  At one time; long before
this; he had ordered a very handsome coat of chestnut brown velvet; with
diamond buttons; which he wore to a reception of her Majesty the Empress;
with a black cravat; though the Empress Josephine had prepared for him an
elegant lace stock; which all my entreaties could not induce him to put
on。

The Emperor's vest and breeches were always of white cassimere; he
changed them every morning; and they were washed only three or four
times。  Two hours after he had left his room; it often happened that his
breeches were all stained with ink; owing to his habit of wiping his pen
on them; and scattering ink all around him by knocking his pen against
the table。  Nevertheless; as he dressed in the morning for the whole day;
he did not change his clothes on that account; and remained in that
condition the remainder of the day。  I have already said that he wore
none but white silk stockings; his shoes; which were very light and thin;
being lined with silk; and his boots lined throughout inside with white
fustian; and when he felt an itching on one of his legs; he rubbed it
with the heel of his shoe or the boot on the other leg; which added still
more to the effect of the ink blotches。  His shoe…buckles were oval;
either plain gold or with medallions; and he also wore gold buckles on
his garters。  I never saw him wear pantaloons under the Empire。

Owing to the Emperor's tenacity to old customs; his shoemaker in the
first days of the Empire was still the same he employed at the military
school; and as his shoes had been made by the same measure; from that
time; and no new one ever taken; his shoes; as well as his boots; were
always badly made and ungraceful。  For a long time he wore them pointed;
but I persuaded him to have them 'en bec de canne'; as that was the
fashion。  At
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