第 6 节
作者:精灵王      更新:2024-03-30 10:52      字数:9322
  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。
  I regret that I do not remember his name; but I was told that he was one
  of the most highly esteemed men in Rouen。  His countenance inspired
  confidence; and bore an expression of frankness; which prepossessed me in
  his favor。
  In the evening the First Consul went to the theater; which was packed to
  the ceiling; and offered a charming sight。  The municipal authorities had
  a delightful fete prepared; which the First Consul found much to his
  taste; and upon which he complimented the prefect and the mayor on
  several different occasions。  After witnessing the opening of the ball;
  he made two or three turns in the hall; and retired; escorted by the
  staff of the National Guard。
  On Tuesday much of the day was spent by the First Consul in visiting the
  workshops of the numerous factories of the city; accompanied by the
  minister of the interior; the prefect; the mayor; the general commanding
  the division; the inspector…general of police; and the staff of the
  Consular Guard。  In a factory of the Faubourg Saint…Sever; the minister
  of the interior presented to him the dean of the workmen; noted as having
  woven the first piece of velvet in France; and the First Consul; after
  complimenting this honorable old man; granted him a pension。  Other
  rewards and encouragements were likewise distributed to several parties
  whose useful inventions commended them to public gratitude。
  Wednesday morning early we left for Elbeuf; where we arrived at ten
  o'clock; preceded by threescore young men of the most distinguished
  families of the city; who; following the example of those of Rouen;
  aspired to the honor of forming the guard of the First Consul。
  The country around us was covered with an innumerable multitude; gathered
  from all the surrounding communes。  The First Consul alighted at Elbeuf;
  at the house of the mayor; where he took breakfast; and then visited the
  town in detail; obtaining information everywhere; and knowing that one of
  the first wishes of the citizens was the construction of a road from
  Elbeuf to a small neighboring town called Romilly; he gave orders to the
  minister of the interior to begin work upon it immediately。
  At Elbeuf; as at Rouen; the First Consul was overwhelmed with homage and
  benedictions; and we returned from this last town at four o'clock in the
  afternoon。
  The merchants of Rouen had prepared a fete in the hall of the Stock
  Exchange; which the First Consul and his family attended after dinner。
  He remained a long time on the ground floor of this building; where there
  were displayed magnificent specimens from the industries of this
  Department。  He examined everything; and made Madame Bonaparte do the
  same; and she also purchased several pieces of cloth。
  The First Consul then ascended to the first floor; where; in the grand
  saloon; were gathered about a hundred ladies; married and single; and
  almost all pretty; the wives and daughters of the principal merchants of
  Rouen; who were waiting to compliment him。  He seated himself in this
  charming circle; and remained there perhaps a quarter of an hour; then
  passed into another room; where awaited him the representation of a
  little proverb; containing couplets expressing; as may be imagined; the
  attachment and gratitude of the inhabitants of Rouen。  This play was
  followed by a ball。
  Thursday evening the First Consul announced that he would leave for Havre
  the next morning at daybreak; and exactly at five o'clock I was awakened
  by Hebert; who said that at six o'clock we would set out。  I awoke
  feeling badly; was sick the whole day; and would have given much to have
  slept a few hours longer; but we were compelled to begin our journey。
  Before entering his carriage; the First Consul made a present to
  Monseigneur; the archbishop; of a snuff…box with his portrait; and also
  gave one to the mayor; on which was the inscription; 'Peuple Francais'。
  We stopped at Caudebec for breakfast。  The mayor of this town presented
  to the First Consul a corporal who had made the campaign of Italy (his
  name was; I think; Roussel); and who had received a sword of honor as a
  reward for his brave conduct at Marengo。  He was at Caudebec on a half…
  year's furlough; and asked the First Consul's permission to be a sentinel
  at the door of the apartment of the august travelers; which was granted;
  and after the First Consul and Madame Bonaparte were seated at the table;
  Roussel was sent for; and invited to breakfast with his former general。
  At Havre and at Dieppe the First Consul invited thus to his table all the
  soldiers or sailors who had received guns; sabers; or boarding…ax