Chapter 26 Chapter Twenty Six

On the 25th of August, the eve of the Battle of Borodino, Monsieur de Bosset, Prefect of the French Palace, and Colonel Fabvier, the former from Paris, and Colonel Fabvier, came to see their Emperor at Napoleon's quarters at Valoyeva. From Madrid. Monsieur de Bosser put on his court clothes, carried before him the box which he had ordered him to bring to the Emperor, and entered the first room of Napoleon's tent, where he opened it while talking to Napoleon's adjutants around him. Fabvier did not enter the tent, but was at the door talking to the generals he knew. The Emperor Napoleon had not yet come out of his bedroom and was finishing his attire.He snorted, cleared his throat, sometimes turned his fat back, and sometimes turned his hairy fat chest to confuse knowledge with action, so as to know and eliminate action, thinking that "where a thought starts, even if it is action, let The valet brushes his body. Another valet is holding the mouth of the bottle with his thumb and spraying perfume on the emperor's well-maintained body. The valet looks as if he is the only one who knows where and how much perfume should be sprayed Napoleon's short hair was still wet and scattered in front of his forehead. Although his face was swollen and scorched, he showed physical satisfaction. "Allezferme, alleztoujours..." He curled up and made a crooked voice, From time to time, he whispered to the valet who was brushing him. An adjutant went into the bedroom and reported to the emperor how many prisoners he had taken on the battlefield yesterday. Frowning, he rolled his eyes to look at the adjutant.

"Pointdeprisonniers," he repeated the words of the adjutant. "IlsefontdemolirTantpispourlarmeerusse," he said, "Alleztoujours, Allezferme." As he spoke, arching his back, he moved closer to his fat shoulders to be brushed. "C'estbien! FaitesentrenmonsieurdeBeausBset, ainsiqueFabvier," said he, nodding to the adjutant. "Qui, Sire." ④The adjutant stepped out of the tent. -------- ①French: Come again, brush harder. ② French: No prisoners, they forced me to annihilate them.This is even worse for the Russian army, come again, try harder.

③French: Alright!Let Debosser in, and Fabvier in. ④ French: Yes, Your Majesty. The two servants hurriedly dressed His Majesty, so he walked into the reception room with firm and quick steps, wearing the blue uniform of the Guards. At this time Debosser was busy with both hands, arranging the gifts he had brought from the queen on the two chairs facing the entrance of the emperor.But the emperor dressed and came out so soon that he had no time to fully arrange the astonishing scene. Napoleon saw at once what they were doing, and guessed that they were not yet ready.He didn't want them to lose the joy of surprising him.He pretended not to see Mr. Debosser.Just call Fabvier.Frowning sternly, Napoleon listened in silence to Fabvier's account of how bravely and loyally his troops had fought in Salamanca, on the other side of Europe, seeking only to live up to their Emperor, lest they fail to please him.The end of that war is sad.Napoleon inserted a few sarcastic remarks in the middle of Fabvier's report, as if he did not expect things to have turned out otherwise.

"I must redeem myself in Moscow," said Napoleon. "Atantot," he added, calling for Debosser, who had already staged a surprising scene—something was placed on two chairs and covered with a cloth. Debosser gave a deep salute with the etiquette that only the old courtiers of the Bourbon dynasty knew, and went forward to hand a letter. Napoleon received him happily and tugged his ear. "I'm very glad you've come. Is there any talk in Paris?" he said, suddenly changing his stern expression into one of amiability. "Sire, toutParisregrettevotreabsence." ② Debosser replied as usual, although Napoleon knew that Debosser must say such things, although he knew in his sane mind that it was untrue, but he still listened to Debosser's words. feel happy.He pulled his ear again as a reward.

"Jesuisfa Achedevousavoirfaitfairetantdechemin," he said. "Sire! Jenem'attendaispasamoinsqu'avoustrouverauxportesde Moscou," said Debosser. -------- ① French: Goodbye. ②French: Your Majesty, all Paris misses you. ③French: Sorry for making you go this far. ④ French: Your Majesty!I fully expected to meet you at the foot of Moscow. Napoleon smiled, looked up absently to the right.The adjutant walked over waddlingly and handed him a gold snuff bottle.Napoleon took it. "Yes, you have come by coincidence," he said, bringing the open snuffbox to his nose. "You like to travel, and in three days you will be in Moscow. You probably didn't expect to see the capital of Asia. You can do it." It was a nice trip."

Debosser bowed in gratitude for the concern (he himself was not aware of his penchant for travelling). "Ah! what is this?" said Napoleon, noticing that all his ministers were looking at something covered with cloth.Debosser, with courtly dexterity, turned his back to the emperor, stepped back two steps sideways, and at the same time uncovered the cloth, saying: "A gift from the Queen to Her Majesty." It was a portrait of a child, painted in bright colors by Gerard, the son of Napoleon, born to an Austrian princess, and who, for some reason, was called the King of Rome.

This very handsome, curly-haired child with the eyes of Christ in the Sixtin Madonna was playing with a ball.The ball represents the earth, and the stick in the other hand represents the scepter. Although I don't know exactly what the artist wants to express in this so-called Roman king stabbing the earth with a stick, the implication is clear to everyone who saw this painting in Paris, as well as Napoleon himself, and they feel very satisfied. "Roide Rome," he said, pointing to the portrait with a graceful gesture. -------- ①Girard François (1770-1837), a famous portrait painter in the late period of the French classicism movement, once painted the portrait of Madame Roucamier.

② French: King of Rome. "Admira-ble!" ① He walked up to the portrait and, with the unique ability of Italians to change his expression at will, made an expression of affection and contemplation.He felt that everything he said and did now would become history.He felt that the best thing he could do now was to show his father's kindness in return for being great enough for a son to play with the earth.His eyes blurred, he took a step forward, glanced back at the chair (which seemed to jump to his side of its own accord), and sat down in front of the portrait.He made a sign—and they all went out on tiptoe, leaving the great man alone to admire.

He sat for a while, not knowing why, he touched the raised and shiny part of the portrait with his hand.He stood up and called Debosser and the duty officer again.He ordered the portrait to be moved to the front of the tent, so that the old guard who stood guard near his tent could have the happiness of admiring the king of Rome, the son (heir) of the emperor they adored. Sure enough, as he expected, when he rewarded Mr. Debosser with the honor of having breakfast with him, there were cheers from the old guard officers and soldiers outside the tent who came to see the portrait: "Vire I'empereur! Virele Roide Rome! Vive I'empereur!" ② Hear a burst of cheers.

After breakfast, Napoleon issued a proclamation to the army in Debosser's presence. "Courteetenergique!" said Napoleon, when he had read his proclamation, which required no revision.The notice is as follows: -------- ①French: Excellent ②French: Long live the emperor!Long live the King of Rome!Long live the emperor! ③French: short and powerful. "Soldiers! This is the battle you have been waiting for. Victory depends on you. We must win; victory will bring us everything we need: a comfortable house and a speedy return to the motherland. I hope you will be as in Oss Tritz, Friedland, Vitebsk, and Smolensk. Let our children and grandchildren recall with pride what you did today. Let them say of each of you: He participated in Battle in Moscow!"

"De la Moskowa!" repeated Napoleon, and inviting the traveling M. de Bosser for a walk, he stepped out of the tent and went to the horses he had prepared. "Votre Majesteatrop de bonte," said Debosser when he was invited to walk with the emperor.In fact, he wants to sleep very much, and he can't ride a horse, and he is afraid of riding a horse. -------- ① French: Under the city of Moscow. ② French: You are too kind, Your Majesty. But Napoleon nodded to the traveler, and Debossey had to ride.When Napoleon came out of the tent, the shouts of the Guardsmen in front of his son's portrait intensified, and Napoleon frowned. "Take it away," he said, pointing to the portrait with graceful dignity. "It's too early for him to visit the battlefield." Debosser closed his eyes, bowed his head, and sighed deeply, showing that he fully comprehended and understood the emperor's words.