1830.] Constant's Memoirs of Buonaparte. 185 



person, ' I am extremely poor. I have three children that I can with diffi- 

 culty bring up, as my husband is not always fortunate enough to find work." 

 ( What sum of money/ said Napoleon, ' would make you perfectly happy ? 

 c Ah ! Sir, the sum would be immense/ ( Well, but how much ?' ' Ah ! 

 Sir, if we could put together twenty louis, we might hold up our heads ; but 

 how improbable that we shall ever possess such a sum !' The emperor imme- 

 diately sent for three thousand francs in gold, and ordered me to undo the 

 rouleaux, and throw the whole into the good woman's apron. At sight of the 

 money, the poor creature turned pale, tottered, and had nearly fainted away. 

 ' Ah ! Sir, 'tis too much ; 'tis too much !' exclaimed she, * and yet, you can- 

 not mean to sport with a poor woman like me/ To encourage her, the emperor 

 repeated his assurance that the money was really for her, and would serve to 

 purchase a little farm, with the produce of which she might bring up her chil- 

 dren. He then retired, without making himself known ; for Napoleon loved 

 to do good in secret. I could mention many similar traits, equally charac- 

 teristic of the emperor's generosity, but which historians have passed over 

 in total silence." 



Shortly before the battle of Jena, Napoleon had well nigh fallen a 

 victim to one of those accidents which may be considered as reinforce- 

 ments to the legitimate hazards encountered in the glorious " trade of 

 war." 



" At Weimar, the emperor disposed his forces in order of battle, and 

 bivouacked in the centre of his guard. He had ordered a passage for his 

 artillery to be hollowed in the rock, and towards two o'clock in the morning 

 set out on foot to ascertain how the work was proceeding. Having remained an 

 hour on the spot, he resolved to make a rapid inspection of the nearest outposts, 

 before returning to his bivouack. This solitary excursion nearly cost the 

 emperor his life. The night was so dark that the sentries were unable to see 

 the slightest object at the distance of ten paces. One of them, hearing foot- 

 steps, challenged, and immediately presented his piece. The emperor, who 

 was prevented from hearing the qui vive, by one of his fits of absence, made 

 no answer, and was speedily aroused from his reverie by a ball whizzing past 

 his ear. Instantly aware of his danger, he threw himself flat on the ground. 

 No sooner had he adopted this precaution, than a shower of bullets passed 

 over his head ; the first sentry's fire having been repeated through the whole 

 line. The momentary danger past, the emperor rose and walked straight to 

 the nearest outpost, where he was immediately recognized. In a few minutes-, 

 the sentry who had first challenged and fired was relieved from his post, and 

 brought before Napoleon ; the soldier was a young grenadier in one of the 

 regiments of the line. ' You young rascal !' said the emperor, familiarly 

 pinching his cheek, ( it seems you took me for a Prussian : the dog does not 

 waste his powder ; nothing less than an emperor serves him for a mark/ The 

 poor soldier, in the utmost consternation at the idea that he might have killed 

 f the little corporal,' whom he idolized not less than the rest of the army, 

 could only stammer out a few broken sentences : ' Pardon, Sire, but I had 

 orders to fire ; if you will not answer, I am not to blame : another time, 

 you must put in the orders, that you don't choose to answer/ The emperor 

 laughed, and, to reconcile the poor fellow with himself, said as he withdrew, 

 ' My brave lad, it was not your fault : for a random-shot in the dark, your's 

 was not amiss : it will soon be daylight ; take better aim, and I'll provide for 

 you/ " 



In the third volume, Constant acquaints us with the emperor's mode 

 of recompensing the gallantry of one of his field marshals. The anec- 

 dote tells favorably for Napoleon's generosity, and also for his gaiete de 

 cazur. Having summoned to his presence the gallant officer in question, 



M.M. New Series.VoL. X. No. 56. 2 A 



