Napoleon and the Queen of Prussia

by L. Mühlbach

  CHAPTER XXVI.

  THE DANTZIC CHOCOLATE.

  On the following day the emperor's face did not retain a trace of thegloom which had filled his marshals with so much uneasiness. Hisfeatures were radiant with happiness, and a strange fire was burning inhis dark-blue eyes. He ordered his guard to be drawn up in line in thecastle-yard, and to the delight of the soldiers it was announced thatNapoleon himself would command at the parade. Loud cheers and theconstantly-repeated shout of "_Vive l'empereur_!" received him when,surrounded by his marshals, and with a smiling face, he walked down thebroad steps of the palace.

  "These soldiers are foolish children," said he, turning to MarshalLannes. "Why are they cheering incessantly, as if they had not seen mefor a year? Have I not been among them every day?"

  "No, sire," said the marshal, who had regained his former good-humor andmerry face, "no, sire; those brave boys really have not seen yourmajesty for a long while, and they are perfectly right to manifest theirjoy. The great Napoleon, whose face was our sun in so many battles andin so many countries, and whose smile, when we were hungry and thirsty,often satisfied our hunger and quenched our thirst, really was not here.In his place we have had during the last few weeks a grave and taciturnemperor, whom every one feared."

  Napoleon laughed. "Were you also afraid, my old comrade?" he asked.

  "I cannot say that I was," said Lannes, gayly, "but, nevertheless, Ifeel to-day as though a heavy burden had been removed from my heart. Ican breathe more freely, inasmuch as I have back my excellent Napoleonin place of that morose emperor. The sun has risen once more for all ofus!"

  "Was I really as you pretend?" asked Napoleon, who was always delightedat the unceremonious words of his old comrade, and who permitted toLannes that bluntness which he would not have tolerated in another.

  The marshal bent closer to the emperor's ear. "Sire, your majesty willpermit me to tell you that you were shockingly morose and surly. We werebeginning to feel anxious and weary. But it is all over now, and when Ilook at you to-day my heart is as glad as that of a lover who sees hissweetheart after a long separation. I should like to know what miraclehas happened since yesterday, and what magician has arrived to dispelyour discontent. I should be exceedingly grateful to your majesty if youwould show him to me!"

  "What an inquisitive fellow!" said the emperor, turning his eyesinvoluntarily to the window of the castle. He nodded almostimperceptibly, and laid his hand on his heart for a moment. Themarshal's eyes had followed the glances of his master, and he beheld astrange object at one of the windows of the emperor's rooms. The curtainwas cautiously drawn aside, and the beautiful head of a young lady wasseen behind it.

  "_Mort de ma vie_!" ejaculated Lannes, loudly and impetuously.

  "Well, what is the matter?" asked Napoleon, turning hastily to him.

  Lannes was still staring up at the window; but the charming person hadalready disappeared, and the curtains were closed again.

  "Sire," faltered Lannes, in confusion, "sire, I believe I myself ambewitched; I beheld an apparition just now."

  "Did your good wife appear to you?" asked Napoleon, laughing.

  "Would she were such a fair-haired angel!" exclaimed Lannes, heaving asigh. "But in that case, sire, I should very earnestly oppose herappearance at the windows of the imperial rooms--"

  "Hush, you old babbler!" said Napoleon, laughing; "is it necessary,then, to confess every thing one has dreamed?" And, as he liked to dowhen in good-humor, he pulled the marshal's ear so violently that Lannesmade a very wry face.

  The emperor turned with a grave bearing to his soldiers, and the paradecommenced. After it was over, he repaired to the castle, to work withhis adjutant-general in his cabinet. Before doing so, however, he saidto Marshal Lannes: "I wish you to dine with me to-day, and to-night Iwill play a game of _vingt-et-un_ with you, Talleyrand, and Duroc; Imust get even with you for yesterday. Do not forget, marshal--we shalldine together to-day!"

  "Sire," said Lannes, joyfully, "were you to place a dish of the boiledears of the Russians before me, I would eat them with great relish ifyou look at me as kindly as you are doing now!"

  Napoleon laughed and ascended the palace staircase. An hour later adusty carriage rolled into the yard of Castle Finkenstein. It wasMarshal Lefebvre, who, agreeably to the emperor's invitation, hadarrived. The marshal felt somewhat embarrassed and anxious. This orderof Napoleon to set out immediately on receipt of the dispatch, andrepair to his headquarters at Finkenstein, had filled the conqueror ofDantzic with some apprehension, lest the emperor had summoned him torebuke him for having granted such honorable terms to the Prussiangarrison, and for permitting them to march out with their arms, insteadof making them prisoners of war. The marshal therefore entered theanteroom with a face somewhat pale, and requested the officer in waitingto announce him.

  "His majesty is at work in his cabinet," said the officer. "On suchoccasions no one is permitted to disturb him, unless he be a bearer ofimportant dispatches."

  "The emperor ordered me to report to him immediately on my arrival. Go,therefore, and announce me." The officer obeyed hesitatingly.

  Napoleon was seated at a desk covered with maps and papers. Pointing ata map spread out on the table, he was just turning eagerly to hisadjutant-general, Marshal Berthier. "Here--this is the point whither wehave to drive the Russians; and there, on the banks of the Alle, theyshall fearfully atone for the battle of Eylau. Well," he said, turningto the officer who had just entered, "what do you want?"

  "Sire, Marshal Lefebvre asks your majesty to grant him an audience. Hesays your majesty summoned him here from Dantzic."

  "He is right," said Napoleon, "and I am glad that the duke does not keepme in waiting. Tell the Duke of Dantzic that he is to dine with me."

  "Sire," said the officer, "it is not a Duke of Dantzic, but MarshalLefebvre, who applies for an audience."

  The emperor darted one of his withering glances at him. "It seems, sir,"he said gravely, "that you deem me incapable of creating a duke. Go," headded, "and inform the duke of my invitation. In fifteen minutes weshall dine."

  The officer returned to the anteroom. "Well?" asked Lefebvre, quickly."Does the emperor await me? May I enter?"

  "Duke, his majesty invites you to dine with him, and requests you towait only fifteen minutes."

  Lefebvre, in his confusion, had not heard the title by which he wasaddressed. His mind was absorbed in the single thought whether or notthe emperor was angry with him. He wished these fifteen minutes to passquickly, and yet his heart trembled at what might be in store for him.Precisely at the time appointed Grand Marshal Duroc entered to conductMarshal Lefebvre to the dining-room. Lefebvre followed in silence. Theheart of the brave soldier beat more violently than it had ever done inthe battle-field.

  The emperor had already taken his seat when Duroc and Lefebvre entered.Near him, behind their chairs, stood Marshal Lannes, the Prince deBenevento, and Marshal Berthier. Napoleon greeted Lefebvre with afriendly wave of his hand. "Welcome, duke," he exclaimed, "sit down hereat my side!"

  Lefebvre advanced and took the seat his majesty designated. The otherssat down also. Dinner commenced: Napoleon ate his soup in silence, as healways did. Fixing his eyes with a smiling expression on a large pie, inthe shape of a fortress, that was standing before him, "Do you recognizethis, Duke of Dantzic?" he asked.

  Lefebvre heard the ducal title this time, and looked bewildered at theemperor, whose anger he still feared. "Did your majesty speak to me?" heasked, bashfully.

  "To be sure; did I not address you with the title of Duke of Dantzic?"replied Napoleon, laughing. "Well, tell me, now, do you know thefortress which this pie is intended to represent?"

  "I believe," said the new duke, "the fortress of Dantzic."

  "See, gentlemen, how familiar the duke is with his dear Dantzic,"exclaimed Napoleon. "It is true, he ought to know it, for he had to takeextraordinary pains to reduce it. Now let us eat little Dantzic asLefebvre ate big Dantzic a few days ago."


  The steward took the pie and presented it to the emperor. "Oh, no," saidNapoleon, with a pleasant smile; "Duke of Dantzic, it behooves you tocarve it, for it is your conquest."

  Lefebvre's face beamed with joy, and he thanked the emperor with agrateful look. "Sire," he said, almost solemnly, plunging his knife intothe pie, "I should like to be commissioned soon by your majesty to takeanother fortress. I should then remember this hour, and take it byassault or die!"

  "Ah, you will not die so soon," exclaimed Napoleon; "let us take thisfortress by assault. The Duke of Dantzic having opened the first breach,we will boldly follow." Turning to Lefebvre: "Do you like to eatchocolate, duke?" he asked.

  Lefebvre looked at him, amazed at the strange question. "I do not know,"he faltered, "I believe I like it."

  "Well, then, I will give you a pound of Dantzic chocolate," said theemperor, smiling, "for as you took that city it is but equitable thatyou should receive a little souvenir of it. Roustan, bring me the smallpackage lying on my desk."

  Roustan, who at dinner always stood behind the emperor's chair, soonreturned with a small oblong package. Napoleon took it, and, handing itto Lefebvre, said, "Take this, duke--small gifts keep up friendlyfeelings."

  Lefebvre took the package, and, warmly thanking the emperor, put it intohis pocket. A few minutes afterward Napoleon rose from the table.

  "Sire," said Marshal Lannes, approaching him, "your majesty, perhaps,does not know all my failings. You are not aware that I am veryinquisitive, and withal very fond of sweet things. Now I am anxious toknow whether Dantzic chocolate is as good as Paris chocolate--I shouldlike to taste it. Will not your majesty be so kind as to order the Dukeof Dantzic to open his package of chocolate and let us taste it?"

  Napoleon laughed. "Why, I cannot order him to give away what I have justgiven him," he said. "But a glance at the outside may show you whetherit is good or not. If he will open it and let you see it, I have noobjection."

  The duke took the package from his pocket; he himself was desirous todiscover what it contained; Lannes, Duroc, Talleyrand, and Berthier,surrounded him. The emperor stood at some distance, and looked smilinglyat the group. Lefebvre broke the string and unfolded the wrapper. Itcontained nothing but a number of small printed papers; but these werevaluable, being bank-notes to the amount of a hundred thousand dollars.Lefebvre, overjoyed, looked at the emperor. Duroc and Talleyrand smiledalso, but Lannes exclaimed in a loud voice, "Forsooth, I should alsolike to have a pound of this Dantzic chocolate![32] Sire, is there notsomewhere another Prussian fortress manufacturing such an excellentarticle? Send me thither, and, I pledge you my word, I shall get mychocolate!"

  [Footnote 32: This scene is strictly historical. The army knew in whatmanner the emperor had rewarded Marshal Lefebvre, and it became acant-phrase for soldiers who wished to borrow money of their comrades:"Have you any Dantzic chocolate?"]

  Napoleon shrugged his shoulders. "No," he said, "there are really noPrussian fortresses that we can take; all are in our hands; only Colbergand Graudenz are holding out, and who knows how soon they willsurrender? You will have no chance to obtain your chocolate in Prussia,Lannes, but I will give you and all my marshals an opportunity, I hope,on the battle-field."

  "Ah," they exclaimed in joyful chorus, "then there will be a battlesoon?"

  "Yes," said Napoleon, gravely. "Let the fall of Dantzic be only a signalof fresh victories for us! The time of inaction is past. Let us invitethe Emperor of Russia to a war-dance on the territory of his ally theKing of Prussia. Possibly, the beautiful queen may take part in it, forshe is said to be a fine dancer, and to have delighted the youngofficers of the guard at the balls given in the palace of Berlin. Sheis, moreover, a heroine, who, when her king had an army, witnessed theparade of the troops in the costume of an Amazon. I am, indeed,inquisitive, like Marshal Lannes--not, however, as to the quality ofthe chocolate, but as to this queen, who is said to be the mostbeautiful and amiable woman of all Germany. I am desirous to find outwhether the rumor is true, and to see her face to face. But in order todo so a battle--a victory is necessary. Afterward I shall invite her tomeet me, and I suppose she will bow to the conqueror of her country,notwithstanding her pride, and accept the invitation. Ah, she shallaccustom herself to recognize me, whom she calls a usurper, as emperor,and peer of other sovereigns. Gentlemen, I count on your activeco-operation. You, marshals, and my brave army, are to be the_postillions d'amour_, to conquer for me an interview with the beautifulqueen! You are to wake up the Russians from their winter sleep, andbring them our morning greeting with cannon! All the preparations arecompleted. The Confederation of the Rhine, Italy, Spain, and France,have furnished us with troops, and we have now two hundred thousandenthusiastic and invincible soldiers, while Russia and Prussia togetherare scarcely possessed of half as many. They are, moreover, exhaustedand demoralized. Let us renew the struggle; and when I say struggle, itmeans _victory_!"

  BOOK III.