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but I persuaded him to have them 'en bec de canne'; as that was the
fashion。 At last his old measure was found too small; and I got his
Majesty's consent to have a new one…taken; so I summoned the shoemaker;
who had succeeded his father; and was exceedingly stupid。 He had never
seen the Emperor; although he worked for him; and when he learned that he
was expected to appear before his Majesty; his head was completely
turned。 How could he dare to present himself before the Emperor? What
costume must he wear? I encouraged him; and told him he would need a
black French coat; with breeches; and hat; etc。; and he presented himself
thus adorned at the Tuileries。 On entering his Majesty's chamber he made
a deep bow; and stood much embarrassed。 〃It surely cannot be you who
made shoes for me at the l'ecole militaire?〃〃No; your Majesty; Emperor
and King; it was my father。〃〃And why don't he do so now?〃〃Sire; the
Emperor and King; because he is dead。〃〃How much do you make me pay for
my shoes?〃〃Your Majesty; Emperor and King; pays eighteen francs for
them。〃〃That is very dear。〃〃Your Majesty; Emperor and King; could pay
much more for them if he would。〃 The Emperor laughed heartily at this
simplicity; and let him take his measure; but the Emperor's laughter had
so completely disconcerted the poor man that; when he approached him;
his hat under his arm; making a thousand bows; his sword caught between
his legs; was broken in two; and made him fall on his hands and knees;
not to remain there long; however; for his Majesty's roars of laughter
increasing; and being at last freed from his sword; the poor shoemaker
took the Emperor's measure with more ease; and withdrew amidst profuse
apologies。
All his Majesty's linen was of extremely fine quality; marked with an 〃N〃
in a coronet; at first he wore no suspenders; but at last began using
them; and found them very comfortable。 He wore next his body vests made
of English flannel; and the Empress Josephine had a dozen cashmere vests
made for his use in summer。
Many persons have believed that the Emperor wore a cuirass under his
clothes when walking and while in the army。 This is entirely false: the
Emperor never put on a cuirass; nor anything resembling one; under his
coat any more than over it。
The Emperor wore no jewelry; he never had in his pockets either purse or
silver; but only his handkerchief; his snuff…box; and his bonbon…box。
He wore on his coat only a star and two crosses; that of the Legion of
Honor; and that of the Iron Crown。 Under his uniform and on his vest he
wore a red ribbon; the ends of which could just be seen。
When there was a reception at the chateau; or he held a review; he put
this grand cordon outside his coat。
His hat; the shape of which it will be useless to describe while
portraits of his Majesty exist; was…extremely fine and very light; lined
with silk and wadded; and on it he wore neither tassels nor plumes; but
simply a narrow; flat band of silk and a little tricolored cockade。
The Emperor purchased several watches from Breguet and Meunier;very
plain repeaters; without ornamentation or figures; the face covered with
glass; the back gold。 M。 Las Casas speaks of a watch with a double gold
case; marked with the cipher 〃B;〃 and which never left the Emperor。 I
never saw anything of the sort; though I was keeper of all the jewels;
and even had in my care for several days the crown diamonds。 The Emperor
often broke his watch by throwing it at random; as I have said before; on
any piece of furniture in his bedroom。 He had two alarm…clocks made by
Meunier; one in his carriage; the other at the head of his bed; which he
set with a little green silk cord; and also a third; but it was old and
wornout so that it would not work; it is this last which had belonged to
Frederick the Great; and was brought from Berlin。
The swords of his Majesty were very plain; with gold mountings; and an
owl on the hilt。
The Emperor had two swords similar to the one he wore the day of the
battle of Austerlitz。 One of these swords was given to the Emperor
Alexander; as the reader will learn later; and the other to Prince Eugene
in 1814。 That which the Emperor wore at Austerlitz; and on which he
afterwards had engraved the name and date of that memorable battle; was
to have been inclosed in the column of the Place Vendome; but his Majesty
still had it; I think; while he was at St。 Helena。
He had also several sabers that he had worn in his first campaigns; and
on which were engraved the names of the battles in which he had used
them。 They were distributed among the various general officers of his
Majesty the Emperor; of which distribution I will speak later。
When the Emperor was about to quit his capital to rejoin his army; or for
a simple journey through the departments; we never knew the exact moment
of his departure。 It was necessary to send in advance on various roads a
complete service for the bedroom; kitchen; and stables; this sometimes
waited three weeks; or even a month; and when his Majesty at length set
out; that which was waiting on the road he did not take was ordered to
return。 I have often thought that the Emperor acted thus in order to
disconcert those who spied on his proceedings; and to baffle their
schemes。
The day he was to set out no one could discover that fact from him; and
everything went on as usual。 After a concert; a play; or any other
amusement which had collected a large number of people; his Majesty would
simply remark on retiring; 〃I shall leave at two o'clock!〃 Sometimes the
time was earlier; sometimes later; but he always began his journey at the
designated hour。 The order was instantly announced by each of the head
servants; and all were ready at the appointed time; though the chateau
was left topsy…turvy; as may be seen from the picture I have given
elsewhere of the confusion at the chateau which preceded and followed the
Emperor's departure。 Wherever his Majesty lodged on the journey; before
leaving he had all the expenses of himself and of his household paid;
made presents to his hosts; and gave gratuities to the servants of the
house。 On Sunday the Emperor had mass celebrated by the curate of the
place; giving always as much as twenty napoleons; sometimes more; and
regulating the gift according to the needs of the poor of the parish。 He
asked many questions of the cures concerning their resources; that of
their parishioners; the intelligence and morality of the population; etc。
He rarely failed to ask the number of births; deaths; marriages; and if
there were many young men and girls of a marriageable age。 If the cure
replied to these questions in a satisfactory manner; and if he had not
been too…long in saying mass; he could count on the favor of his Majesty;
his church and his poor would find themselves well provided for; and as
for himself; the Emperor left on his departure; or had sent to him; a
commission as chevalier of the Legion of Honor。 His Majesty preferred to
be answered with confidence and without timidity; he even endured
contradiction; and one could without any risk reply inaccurately; this
was almost alwa